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The Doctrine Of Christ

Posted on May 28, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by D0N MIL04K: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photography-of-bible-895449/

2 John 1:9-11 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Christians Are To Walk Christ’s Pathway

John’s first words are “Whosoever transgresseth”. If he stopped here we’d all be in trouble.

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.

John is referring to a lifestyle characterized by guiltless sinning, and denial of who Christ is.

John warned us in an earlier scripture:

1 John 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

Word Study: You DENY the Son when you live a life unworthy of the Gospel, unworthy of Jesus. Those saved by Christ are to walk in this world as salt (Matthew 5:13) and lights in the world (Matthew 5:14). We who are saved are to “walk worthy of the vocation we are called to” (Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:10). We are to stay on God’s Path, in step with Christ. The word “transgresseth” is the Greek parabainō, which means “to step off the path, to overstep, to abandon the right path, to go by the side of”. This word is only used four times in the Greek New Testament. The Pharisees asked Jesus,

Matthew 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress (parabainō) the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

The Elders or the Rabbis had established certain traditions as pathways of truth that the Pharisees thought Jesus and His disciples were violating. They were “leaving the right path” for their own way, or so the Pharisees thought. But Jesus replied:

Matthew 15:3 … Why do ye also transgress (parabainō) the commandment of God by your tradition?

Jesus countered them by saying “God has a pathway of truth that you are to be walking on … but you have stepped off that path in favor of a man made path”. Though they thought themselves religious, they were not walking on God’s path.

You are not “religious” if you are not in a daily “relationship” with Christ.

John tells us that if you step off God’s path (parabainō), that is if you are a transgressor or one who does not walk with God, then you DO NOT HAVE GOD. You cannot make sin your practice, and Christ your hobby. Jesus said:

Matthew 4:19 … Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Matthew 8:22 … Follow Me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Matthew 16:24 … Deny yourself, take up your Cross, and Follow Me
Matthew 19:21 … Come and Follow Me …
John 10:27 … My sheep … Follow Me
John 12:26 … If any one serve Me, let them Follow Me …

Christ does not follow us, but leads us. We are to be “God’s Children WALKING IN TRUTH” (verse 4). We as believers “WALK AFTER HIS COMMANDMENTS” (verse 6). If the Devil cannot keep you from being saved, he will do what he can to get you distracted and away from God’s side.

vs 9a Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.

Those Who Have God ABIDE In
The Doctrine Of Christ

vs 9b He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Word Study: What is the “doctrine of Christ”, and what does it mean to “abide” in this Doctrine? The word translated “abide” is the Greek menō, which means “to remain or dwell in, to continue with, to make yourself at home in”. Jesus uses this word in a wonderful parable of the Vine. He said to His disciples (that’s you, if you’re saved):

John 15:4-7, 9-11 ABIDE (menō) in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it ABIDE (menō) in the vine; no more can ye, except ye ABIDE (menō) in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that ABIDE (menō) in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man ABIDE (menō) not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye ABIDE (menō) in me, and my words ABIDE (menō) in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. … 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: ABIDE (menō) in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall ABIDE (menō) in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and ABIDE (menō) in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might ABIDE (menō) in you, and that your joy might be full.

In this parable, Jesus shows Himself as the Vine rooted and grounded in the glorious Kingdom of God. Jesus is the Vine by which the believer is supplied LIFE and BLESSING. We are to ABIDE (menō), that is, make ourselves at home in Christ. If we ABIDE (menō) in Christ, we ABIDE (menō) in the love of God, and the JOY of God ABIDES (menō) in us. Those who are saved are ATTACHED to Jesus for all eternity. Not just temporarily, but eternally. This same ABIDE (menō) is used in our focal text:

vs 9b He that abideth (menō) in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Salvation is a binding to Jesus. Those who are saved affirm the “doctrine of Christ”. Now, what is the “doctrine of Christ”. This phrase is found in only one other place in the Greek New Testament, in the Book of Hebrews. Turn with me to:

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

The Writer of Hebrews is describing the Doctrine of Christ to the first century Jew. Since Hebrews 6:1 says “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ”, we know that up to this point – in the first 5 chapters of Hebrews – we are being taught the Doctrine of Christ. So,

What is the “Doctrine Of Christ?”

Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son …

For many years God spoke to humanity through the Prophets, telling us what He expected of us. But now God speaks to us “by his Son” Jesus Christ. Jesus was foretold by the prophetic writings. Micah 5:2 foretold that the Messiah, the Christ would come from Bethlehem Ephratah, and that this Ruler would exist before the days of eternity. Jesus is no mere man, no mortal as we are. The Prophet Isaiah spoke of the Christ, saying:

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Jesus Christ is our Wonderful Counselor. He is Mighty God, Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). Jesus said, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:9). Jesus declared, “I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me” (John 14:10). We only have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 (ESV) … I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 10:9 (ESV) I am the Door. If anyone enters BY ME HE WILL BE SAVED …

There is no salvation, no word of God outside of Jesus Christ. The Scripture declares:

1 John 5:11-12 (ESV) … God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

**If you believe that there are multiple paths to God, then you are off the path, walking without God!**

Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

The Doctrine of Christ teaches that Jesus is the only Way to God. This Doctrine also teaches that Jesus is the Inheritor of ALL THINGS, for it was THROUGH HIM God made the worlds. The Apostle writes:

Colossians 1:16-17 For by {Jesus} were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Jesus Christ is God’s Son, Creator God Who became part of His creation. He lowered Himself into humanity. Why? Why would God become Man?

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of {God’s} glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

God became man so that “He Himself could purge our sins”. The word translated “purged” is the Greek katharismos, which means “to cleanse or wash off, to expiate, to purify from”. Whereas in the Old Testament Israel sacrificed animals to ceremonially purge their sins, Jesus Christ died on the Cross of Calvary to actually and realistically purge our sins. Once Jesus rose from the Grave, He “sat down on the right hand” of God because His work of redemption and payment of our sins was finished.

What is fantastic to me is that people today believe that they can “make themselves right with God” by doing “penance”. Jesus BY HIMSELF purges our sins.

The saved person is “purged of all sins”. Jesus did not save us IN our sins, but FROM our sins (2 Peter 1:9). The Doctrine of Christ teaches that

Revelation 1:5 {Jesus} loved us, and washed us FROM OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BLOOD.

That which saves THE LOST is the Blood of Jesus Christ.
That which gives us access to God the Father is the Blood of Jesus
(Hebrews 10:19)
That which cleanses us DAILY from sin is the sprinkling of the Blood
(1 Peter 1:2)
That which cleanses us from ALL SIN is the Blood of Jesus Christ
(1 John 1:7)

What can wash away MY sin?
(working really hard and penance …. NOT!)
Nothing but the BLOOD of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
(satisfy a priest and count prayer beads … NOT!)
Nothing but the BLOOD of Jesus!
Oh, Precious is the Flow,
That makes me white as snow.
(admission to a church I know … NOT!)
No other fount I know.
Nothing but the BLOOD of Jesus!

Jesus Christ, Eternal God in the flesh, is told of the Father:

Hebrews 1:8 … Thy Throne, O GOD, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy Kingdom.

Jesus is not one god among many, but is God the Son, co-equal and co-eternal with both God the Father and God the Spirit. He Who created all things, paid for the sins of all creatures. To those who come to Jesus by faith, they enter His Kingdom, a Righteous Kingdom, a Kingdom that hates iniquity. Jesus does not wink at sin, whether sexual sin of various types, or sins non-sexual in nature. Jesus came to purge sin, and build a righteous kingdom with a redeemed and loving people.

To whom is salvation available? To all who believe on Him. The Doctrine of Christ says:

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

No one is “elected” to hell.
Jesus tasted death for EVERY MAN.

God the Son became the Son of Man so that “he by the grace of God should taste death for every man”. Why did Jesus “taste death”. He did so because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The Scripture declares that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Sin brings with it the penalty of death, that is, temporal and eternal separation from God. We all deserve damnation. But Jesus Christ “TASTED DEATH” for us.

How do we know that Jesus is the Christ? “Jesus took upon Himself the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16). His lineage can be traced all the way back to the promise God made in Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) and God made to King David (2 Samuel 7:13). Jesus Christ was born according to prophecy, according to promise, and His lineage through both King David and Abraham (see Matthew 1:1). Jesus “TASTED DEATH FOR EVERY MAN” so that “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE” (John 3:16).

Jesus Christ Is The High Priest Of A Nation Of Priests

The Doctrine of Christ teaches that Jesus not only died for our sins so we could have access to the Father, but it also teaches that every believer has Him as our High Priest. Jesus continually represents us to the Father. We read:

Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

As Jesus is our High Priest, He is High Priest of the House of Christ. We who are saved are of His House.

Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

We who are saved walk with Jesus daily. He is our High Priest, and we are His Priests serving under Him. We are partners with Jesus, commissioned to share the Gospel of salvation with a lost and dying world. We are called to encourage one another to stay on the path of truth with Jesus. The Doctrine of Christ says to stay close to Jesus, warning:

Hebrews 3:12-14 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end …

There are better days coming, dear Christian. Let us cling to Him Who saved us, and loves us so. The Father has made Christ to be the High Priest (Hebrews 5:5-8) of the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ is …

Hebrews 5:9 … the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him;

Those who are saved are called to walk on the pathway of truth with Jesus. Those who are saved are called to “obey Him”. Salvation always brings about a change in the person.

Before Jesus, you are enslaved to sin & darkness.
After Jesus, you are freed to walk in the light.
Before Jesus, you were a Son of Adam.
After Jesus, you are a Son of God by faith in Christ (Galatians 3:26).
Before Jesus, you follow the spirit of this world (Ephesians 2:1).
After Jesus, you walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7).
You walk in the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

The Church Is Warned About Compromising
The Doctrine Of Christ

2 John 1:10-11 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

In the early Church, believers did not meet in buildings like we do today. Early believers met to worship Jesus house to house. Meetings were smaller and more intimate. This was a good thing, because the Roman Empire as well as the Pharisees began to persecute and kill Christians.

The Bible tells us that “if ANYONE comes and DOES NOT bring the Doctrine of Christ”, then “receive him not into your house”. Do not welcome that person, nor add that person as a member. If you allow this person access then you are a “partaker of his evil deeds”. You are helping the evil one spread lies, and will be judged for it. It is the Doctrine of Christ that makes Christians. It is the Doctrine of Christ that constitutes Churches. Apart from the Doctrine of Christ, we are no more than a self help society or a humanistic club.

We are called to Jesus! If you compromise the Biblical principles in order to please the world, then you are part and parcel of the problem. We are told that those who do so are “partaker(s) of his evil deeds”. God will not bless the life that is lived apart from Christ. Draw near to Jesus today. Only He can bring you peace with God. Amen and Amen.

Posted in 2 John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Doctrine of Christ, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, Jesus Christ, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

Working The Works Of God

Posted on May 26, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Neil Smith: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-boat-on-sea-during-sunset-3701176/

John 6:22-29 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

The Mystery Of The Manna & Christ

Last week we saw Jesus feeding above 5000 people with two fish and five small biscuits. At the end of the meal, the disciples took up twelve baskets of bread that was not needed. This was God’s way of showing us that Jesus is God’s Manna from Heaven.

Just as God provided manna for Israel as they journeyed toward the Promised Land of Canaan, God provides Jesus to SAVE us, to SHEPHERD us, to FEED and PROTECT us as we head toward our Promised Land.

When God gave Manna to Israel, they were to gather it in the morning (Exodus 16:14-15) at the beginning of their day. Gathering manna required both FAITH and FEET. You were to gather what you needed for that day, and were only allowed to gather more than you needed on the day prior to the Sabbath. You could only be sustained by partaking of the mystery of the manna. When Israel found the manna, they asked “What is it?” It was incomprehensible. The Bible tells us of Jesus that He is a wonderful Mystery from God. The Apostle Paul preached:

Colossians 2:1-3 (ESV) For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Illustrate: What goes up, but never comes down? When you think about this mystery, it seems impossible to solve. God has given us gravity. No matter what goes up, eventually comes down. But there is one thing that goes up but never comes down … and that is your AGE. You get older every year. But there will come a day when you will not get any older – if you have received Jesus as Lord and Savior. Your life will be eternal because of the mystery of Christ.

“God’s mystery … is Christ”. In Jesus Christ are “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. Everything you need to know to live life powerfully in God is in Christ, by faith in Him. Jesus gives those who believe in Him power for living, which is why the Apostle says:

Colossians 2:6 (ESV) … as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him…

It is a Mystery that God sent His Son to give Himself for us. It is a Mystery that God would become Man (Isaiah 9:6) and dwell among us and in us. The Grace of God that so impressed Paul calls all who believe in Him into the Family of God. The Apostle wrote:

Ephesians 3:2-6 (ESV) you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

The World Is Focused On Common Grace,
But Saving Grace Is More Important

Theologians recognize that there are two types of Grace mentioned in the Bible. The first type of Grace is called “common”, for God gives it to all of His creatures. But the second type of Grace is called “efficacious” or “saving” Grace. The feeding of the 5000+ is a picture of “Common” Grace. God fed them, and God entertained them. They did not want to come to Jesus for Everlasting Life (efficacious Grace) but for more free food (common Grace). We read:

John 6:24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus…

Word Study: The words “took shipping” is the Greek ploion (pronounced ploy’-on) which means “they went into ships”. They were “seeking” (Greek zēteō) “consumed with desire, seeking desperately”. The people were fed yesterday. They want to be fed today. Their bellies are empty, they are hungry, and want Jesus to feed them once more. They wanted temporal blessings. They are like Esau. Do you remember the story of Esau? (Genesis 25). Esau was a hunter, and was me centered. He care for no one but himself. Esau came in one day from an unsuccessful hunt when he smelled some red lentil stew that his brother Jacob was cooking. When he asked for some stew, Jacob told him “sell me your birthright”. Esau’s response was:

Genesis 25:32 … “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”

The Bible says of Esau:

Hebrews 12:14-17 (ESV) Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy {profane persons, KJV} like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

Esau sold that which was of great worth – his birthright – for a temporary blessing. Many people today do the same thing. They sell their birthright of eternal life in Jesus for lentil stew – the temporary pleasures of life. These are “Profane Persons”.

The Saving Grace of God offers true life with God to whosoever will come to Jesus. Jesus did not come to feed us temporary food, but to give us eternal manna, to give us Himself. He said:

John 5:40 … I am come that ye might have life.

He came to give us spiritual life with our Creator. He came to bring us into a saving and permanent relationship with God. I have often heard people say,

“We’re ALL God’s Children”

That sounds good – but it’s not true. The Lord Jesus told us “unless you are BORN AGAIN, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). You must be born – not just of the flesh – but “born of the Spirit” (John 3:5-6) if you are to be made spiritually alive unto God. God the Father sent Jesus Christ, God the Son, to bring us into His Family, to make us Children of God. Once you believe on Jesus, the Holy Spirit causes you to be adopted into the Family of God:

Romans 8:14-17 (ESV) For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

We who are saved are Heaven bound Children of God. “if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ”. We who have received Jesus as God’s Manna are “all SONS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS” (Galatians 3:26). We as God’s Children share the Gospel of Jesus with others so that they, too, might receive Jesus and be saved. These people who were chasing Jesus were not seeking Him as Messiah and Lord of All, but as an Entertainer and a free Lunch Counter. Jesus told them:

John 6:26-27 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Everything that you see and have around you each and every day is temporal. Your bodies themselves are temporal. What is permanent, never changing? God is permanent, never changing. But also our souls never cease. If we leave this life without Jesus, then our souls go to a place where death is, a place called hell. Jesus saw hell as a place of consciousness and torment. He told us of a certain rich man who:

Luke 16:22-23 … the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments

The rich man did not cease existence. His entire life he rejected thew Manna of Christ for the temporary joy of riches and finery. The rich man enjoyed the “common grace” of God:

Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made

Matthew 5:45 {your Father which is in Heaven} maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust …

God in His goodness provides what theologians have called “Common Grace” to all. It was Jesus Who, in “Common Grace”, provided a meal for 5000+ largely unbelievers, because He was concerned for their hunger. The same God Who gave enough fish and bread to feed 5000+ people is the same God Who daily “gives us rains from Heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). It is God’s Common Grace that withheld the Flood of Noah for 120 years (Genesis 6:3), and Who delays the punishment of the wicked today (Romans 2:4) so that they might repent and come to Christ. God tolerates us every day, and we cannot live apart from Him because “in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Jesus warns these “seekers”:

John 6:27 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Jesus Is The Only Seal And Sign Of God

Word Study: Jesus Christ is the “Son of man” Who gives eternal life to all who believe in Him. Jesus said “him hath God the Father sealed”. The word “sealed” is the Greek sphragizō (pronounced sfrag-id’-zo) which means “to place an image upon, to bind an authenticate as from a king, to authenticate”. In ancient times the King had a signet ring that he kept on his hand. When he wrote an order, he would melt wax, then press his ring into the melted wax, proof that the letter or document came from him. Jesus Christ is the only authentic way unto God. Only of Jesus did the Father say:

THIS is My BELOVED SON, in Whom I am WELL PLEASED
(Matthew 3:17), and,

THIS is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am WELL PLEASED,
HEAR YE HIM (Matthew 17:5)

The Apostles preached:

Acts 4:10-12 … by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

It is popular in our world today to be INCLUSIVE in what we believe, but salvation to God is VERY EXCLUSIVE. Jesus Christ is offered and has offered salvation and eternal life to whosoever will. BUT YOU MUST COME THROUGH CHRIST. Jesus said:

Mark 8:34-35 … Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

If you wish to be in Heaven one day, if you wish to “come after Jesus”, then you must deny yourself, turn from your appetites, take up His Cross, and follow Jesus. The world tells us to “just do you”, to maximize our own desires, to satisfy ourselves. This is what the world teaches:

No right, no wrong, no rules for me, I’m free!

Yet this is not what Jesus teaches. The Way of Christ is to follow Jesus, to do as He commands. When Jesus tells these confused people to “seek the meat with endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give to you” (John 6:27), they ask:

John 6:28-29 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

What are the “WORKS OF GOD” (plural) that WE must DO? Jesus tells them simply, “believe on him whom he hath sent”. Believe that Jesus is the Only Savior, and there is no other. Believe that faith in Jesus is the only way to peace with God. Believe the things that Jesus bids we do. Jesus told us in another place,

John 14:15 (ESV) If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 14:21 (ESV) Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.

John 15:10 (ESV) If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

Israel was fed manna in the wilderness. But they had to KEEP GOD’S COMMANDMENTS to be fed. They had to gather the manna in the way that God decreed. If you wish to be saved, you must come surrendered to Christ. If you wish to be blessed, you must do as He says do. These people wanted to argue with Jesus. They said:

John 6:30-31 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

They wanted Jesus to “show us a sign”. But they still didn’t understand – Jesus IS THE SIGN. He IS THE MANNA from Heaven.

John 6:32-40 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jesus is the “BREAD OF GOD” Who came down from Heaven “TO GIVE LIFE TO THE WORLD”. Those who come to Jesus will be received as they are, and given life from death. Every person who “seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life”. Jesus promises to raise that person up from death. Those who believe in Him shall never die. Blessed be the Name of the Lord! May God move upon your lives to “take up the Cross and follow Jesus” if you are not already doing so. When you reach eternity (and your age is ALWAYS going up) the one grand question you must answer when you stand before God is, “Does Jesus KNOW you?” If not, I beg you to come to Him this very day. Amen and Amen!

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Faith, Following Christ, Jesus Christ, love, love God | Leave a comment

The Strange Case Of Samson Pt 1

Posted on May 23, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Alexa Popovich: https://www.pexels.com/photo/portrait-of-a-shirtless-strongman-handling-wooden-blocks-10540745/

Judges 13:8-10 Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. 9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.

Last week we saw that God sent His Angel to the wife of Manoah to tell her she would have a child. Her child was to be special. The Angel told her that her child would be a “a Nazarite (see Numbers 6:2-8) unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). Israel has failed God 11 times, so this time God will hold Israel into Philistine judgment for 40 years – similar to what God did with the first generation of Israel under Moses. Samson would start the process of freeing Israel from the Philistines. Another “Nazarite unto God from the womb” Samuel would continue the process. Then King David would take over, and the Philistines would be subdued. The Soniclight Commentary notes:

“The Philistines continued to frustrate the Israelites until David subjugated them early in his reign (1004 B.C.; 2 Samuel 5:17-25). However, the Philistines continued to oppose the Israelites until the Babylonian Captivity removed both people groups from the land (Isaiah 14:29-32; Jeremiah 47; Ezekiel 25:15-17; Amos 1:6-8). The “land of the Philistines” became known as “Philistia.” The designation “Palestine” is a Greek word that derives from “Philistia.” The Roman emperor Hadrian (A.D. 117-138) gave Canaan the name Palestine.”

It would not be a judge nor a king that would ultimately free Israel from Philistia, but the Assyrian Empire. In time, the Philistines would be absorbed into the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

When God told Manoah’s wife that she was going to have a special baby, she ran to tell her husband what the Angel told her. At that point Manoah prayed to God:

Judges 13:8-9 Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. 9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.

Manoah seeks God in prayer. He wanted to know how to raise up this special child.

What is interesting about this is that “God hearkened to the voice of Manoah”, but God did NOT send the Angel to Manoah himself. Why?

I looked this up in various commentaries, and could find no answer. The commentaries I use just ignored this. Why did God send the Angel to Manoah’s wife, and not Manoah? I think the answer can be found in the name of “Samson” (Hebrew šimšôn, Assyrian Šamšânu), which means “Child of the Sun” or possibly “Child of the Light”. Among the Jews the husband, not the wife, named the child. Yet when we read to the end of this chapter we see:

Judges 13:24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.

When John the Baptist (also a Nazarite) was born, he was not named until Zechariah his father named him (Luke 1:63). Manoah’s wife, though we do not know her name, was strong in faith. God knew her name. Yet Manoah was weaker in faith – and perhaps, somewhat worldly if not outright lost. When Manoah prayed …

Manoah entreated the Lord {Yᵊhōvâ}, and said,
O my Lord {ăḏōnāy}

It is possible Manoah prayed just as many pray to God in our day. He knows the words, but has no real relationship with the Lord. The Bible makes it clear that it is the responsibility of the believing father to train his children in the faith. We are told …

Deuteronomy 4:9 … take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children …

Deuteronomy 6:7 {teach these laws} … diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Samson grows up with no genuine training in godliness from his father. This would show up in his adult life.

Though his parents would object, Samson would marry a Philistine woman contrary to the Word of God. Samson would take honey from the carcass of a lion – a violation of the Nazarite vow (Numbers 6:6). Samson would hire a prostitute, and fall in love with Delilah, another Philistine. Many of Samson’s sins and shortcomings can be traced to poor training in godliness from his father. When Manoah prays, God hears his prayer – but sends the Angel to Manoah’s believing wife.

Judges 13:10-14 And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day. 11 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. 12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him? 13 And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. 14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.

Manoah’s wife runs and brings her husband to the Angel of God. The Angel repeats what he told Manoah’s wife to him. Manoah does not understand that this is the Angel of the Lord, but thought this creature was just a Prophet. As such, Manoah offered to feed the “Man”:

Judges 13:15-16 And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. 16 And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord.

Manoah was offering hospitality to – he thought – a prophet of God. The Angel suggested that – instead of feeding him – that a “burnt offering” be made to God.

The Amazing Love Of God

Judges 13:17-18 And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor? 18 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

Manoah wanted to know the “Prophet’s” name so he could honor him when little Samson was born. The Angel refused to give his name, saying that “it is secret”. The word translated “” is the Hebrew pil’î, which means “wonderful, remarkable”, unrecognizable because of its glory. The same Hebrew word is used in:

Psalm 139:5-6 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

The Hebrew means “to be so fantastic as to be above our concept”. If we cannot fully comprehend the name of an angel, how can we ever hope to comprehend God? The answer is, WE CANNOT! The Precepts Commentary notes:

“Who can understand such a God—the God who wrote the 3-billion-letter software code in the DNA molecule of every human cell? Who can fully comprehend the God who knows everything, even our inner thoughts? Yet many Old Testament saints knew and loved this God. They experienced the joy of His grace and forgiveness, even though they didn’t completely understand how a holy God could forgive their sins.

As Christians, we too stand in awe before the majesty and mystery of an incomprehensible God. But we have a great advantage because we see Him revealed in Jesus, who said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). And when Jesus hung on the cross, He revealed God’s compassion and love, for He died there for us.”

Not knowing the Angel’s name, Manoah sets up a sacrifice for the Lord.:

Judges 13:19-21 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. 21 But the angel of the Lord did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord.

As the burnt offering is being made, the Angel rides the flame of the sacrifice to Heaven. It is only with this that Manoah realizes this was an “angel of the Lord”. As soon as Manoah and his wife see this they become frightened:

Judges 13:22-23 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. 23 But his wife said unto him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.

Manasseh believed that by seeing this Angel – representing God – that he would die. When Moses wanted to see God’s face, God told him:

Exodus 33:20 … Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

Moses was not able to see God face to face in his own power. If a fallen human looks on God without God’s intervention, the very act can kill us. Yet the Bible tells us that Jacob saw God face to face at Peniel (Genesis 32:30). and Isaiah saw God in a vision (Isaiah 6:5) and lived. I believe the way to understand this is to view God through His Trinity. To see the Father face to face will kill us. But to see Jesus, the Manifest Member of the Godhead, will not kill you. We are told in:

1 Timothy 3:16 … without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Jesus Christ is “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus told us, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:9). The Scripture declares:

Colossians 2:9 For in {Jesus} dwells all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form … (my paraphrase)

This is why John the Revelator could see Jesus in Heaven and live. We read:

Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

When Manoah realized that he was seeing the Angel of the Lord, or God manifest in bodily form, he panicked! He said, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God”. But his wife – a woman of faith – brought him back to reality. She said, “If the Lord were pleased to kill us” – if God wanted to kill us – He would have done so before we offered Him the burnt offering. If God wanted us dead, He would have killed us before He told us all that He did. Our God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Praise God for His abundant Grace!

Samson – Though Flawed – Was Gifted Of God

Judges 13:25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to move {Samson} at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

The Holy Spirit began to move Samson about. Whatever Samson did, God either decreed, or allowed, for a greater purpose. The Enduring Word Commentary notes:

“the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon Him: This is the source of the great strength we see in Samson later. We usually think of Samson as a man with huge, rippling muscles; but others couldn’t figure out why he was so strong. It is reasonable to think that he did not look very strong. Whether he looked strong or not, it was the Spirit of God who made him strong.”

The GIFTS and EMPOWERMENT of God are not talents that we can hone and build up. They are abilities that God Himself gives us for His glory. We are told in:

Romans 11:29 … the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

When God chose the Apostle Paul, He told Ananias “Paul is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). When Jesus chose Judas Iscariot to be an Apostle, He said, “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70). Though Samson was greatly flawed, he was chosen by God to be the 12^th Judge of Israel. Samson did not earn nor deserve this great honor, no more than you or I have earned or deserved the appellation “sons of God” (John 1:12; Romans 8:14; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:2). God chose Samson, then God used Samson to do His bidding.

Judges 14:1-4 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

As a Nazarite Samson was supposed to be dedicated to God. He was also to avoid all grape products. So where do we see Samson go first? “Samson went down to Timnath”. Timnath is a famous WINE producing region about 4 miles southwest from his home town of Zorah. Samson “saw a woman” in Timnath. The Soniclight Commentary notes:

“The word woman in verse 2 is in the emphatic position in the Hebrew text, meaning “a woman I saw.” He had been greatly impressed with this woman. Samson described her to his parents as the ideal woman from his viewpoint, and he wanted to marry her.”

Among the ancient Jews (and in many third world countries today) people did not “date”, but their parents arranged their marriages based on family needs. Families would bind together to strengthen one another. God had told Israel when they entered the Promised Land:

Deuteronomy 7:2-5 … You shall make no covenant with {Canaanite unbelievers} and show no mercy to them. 3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. 5 But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire.

When Samson asked his parents to arrange his marriage with the Philistine, they begged him to marry within the faith. Yet Samson was relentless. He demanded this woman, and only this woman. The Bible tells us that Samson’s parents (and very probably Samson himself) did not know that:

it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines

As the family went to Timnath to make the arrangements, we read:

Judges 14:5-9 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion. 9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.

We do not know where Samson’s parents were at the time, but a “young lion roared against him”. A lion will roar just before attacking in order to cause it’s prey to freeze in panic. The Bible tells us that:

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

This lion was ready to eat something, and Samson was on the menu. But the Bible says “the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him”. It was not Samson’s human muscle that gave him power, but God the Holy Spirit. Samson tore the lion in pieces with his bare hands! Tossing the body to the side, he continues on his way to Timnath. After visiting his Philistine lover, Samson returns home. Inside of the skeleton of the lion (probably pillages by vultures and crows) bees have made a nest, and have made honey. Samson grabs the honey – regardless of the bees – and carries enough home for his family as well. We read:

Judges 14:10-18 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. 12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: 13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. 14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle. 15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? 16 And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? 17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? and he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

As Samson’s father made the arrangements, Samson along with his intended Philistine Bride had a 7 day feast that preceded the wedding. The bride’s family invited 30 guests to the feast (see verse 11). During the feast Samson gave a riddle to the guests where the prize was “thirty sheets and thirty change of garments”. This was a day where there was no Walmart nor department stores. The Soniclight Commentary states,

“The linen wraps (v. 12) were “large rectangular pieces of fine linen that were worn next to the body by day or by night” (as undergarments). The Hebrew word for wraps is rare (Proverbs 31:24; Isaiah 3:23). The Hebrew word translated clothes means “festal garments,” namely, garments for very special occasions, which were quite expensive and very beautiful (Genesis 45:22; 2 Kings 5:22).”

The 30 guests – all relatives of the Philistine Bride – cried to Samson until he told her the secret of the riddle. She, in turn, told her relatives. Bible Teacher Warren Wiersbe said, “First the Philistine woman enticed him (Judges 14:1), then she controlled him (v. 17), and then she betrayed him (v. 17), which is the way the world always treats the compromising believer.” How did Samson respond?

Judges 14:19-20 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house. 20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

Samson abandoned the feast and his wife. He went to Ashkelon where another wedding feast was being held, crashed the party, and killed 30 Philistines so he could take their wedding clothing. Samson then gave this clothing to his now ex-wife’s relatives. Did Samson learn from this encounter? No, for he would keep playing with fire, until it destroyed his life.

We’ll be back with Samson next week. Until then God Bless you!

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, love God | Leave a comment

Walking In Truth

Posted on May 23, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Ylanite Koppens: https://www.pexels.com/photo/beige-analog-compass-697662/

2 John 1:4-8 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Try The Spirit By The Scripture

Opening: I believe that we ALL need to “try the Spirit by the Scripture”. What do I mean by that? I mean, we should check the truthfulness of what is said by what the Bible says. When Sherry and I were young, and had three young kids, we loved to hike. I loved hiking off trail, that is, I would lead my family into wooded areas that had no marked path. Before going into the woods, I would always check my compass. I’ve heard that you could check your direction by which way the moss grows on a tree … but I can’t remember which side its supposed to grow on. I also heard you can follow the North Star, but you often can’t find that in the daytime. The best – absolute BEST – way to make sure you don’t get lost is to check the compass.

If you are a Christian, your spiritual compass is the Bible.

I like to read Max Lucado. Though from the “Church of Christ”, he writes so as to reach all Christians with God’s Truth. But I don’t always agree with Max. For instance, I read this statement the other day:

“God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.”

Now let’s break that statement down. Does God love you? Let’s test it with the Scripture. The Bible says …

1 John 4:9-10 (ESV) In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation {satisfactory payment} for our sins.

Does God love us? Yes, He does. Does God love us as we are? No, He doesn’t. That is not Bible truth.

If God loved us “as we are” then He would not have sent His Only Begotten Son to die for our sins. If God loves us “as we are”, He’d leave us alone. We’d be finished. The Bible truth is that Jesus is the “propitiation”, that is the “atoning or God satisfying sacrifice” “for our sins”. Our sins are an affront to God. Our sins separate us from God. Sin is when we willfully reject what God has said. The Prophet wrote:

Isaiah 59:2 … your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

God loves you, and reaches out to you. But He does not love you walking in sin. Sin is the opposite of Who God is. God is righteous, holy, and just. Does God love you? Yes, He reaches out to you. But those who will not repent, who will not turn to God through Christ, reject the love of God. The Bible says of them:

Ephesians 4:18 (ESV) They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

They harden their hearts against God. They reject His love. God cannot love you while you walk in darkness, for God cannot love sin. And we can not love God while in sin. Jesus said:

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. …

Does God love you? Yes! Does God love you as you ARE? If He did, the Cross would have been unnecessary.

The Love of God Cannot Be Divorced From Jesus

When preachers say “God loves you as you are”, they divorce the love of God from the reality of Who God is. God is holy. God is just. God is righteous. The Christian is a person who has been changed by faith in Jesus. The Scripture says …

Colossians 1:19-23 (ESV) For in {Christ} all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through {Christ} to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of {CHRIST’S} cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by {Christ’s} death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Without Jesus we are enemies of God. The Christian is a person who is in Christ, by Christ, of Christ, and through Christ. God showed His love for us by sending Jesus to pay for our sins, to reconcile us to Him, to make God our Father. The Bible says:

1 Timothy 1:15 … Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners …

He came into this world to offer us the love of God. God could not love us “as we are” sinners, for God cannot love sin. But Jesus came into the world with one goal in mind – “to save sinners”. The Pharisees often accused Jesus of being a drunkard, or worse, because He spent so much time with sinners. Jesus told them:

Mark 2:17 … They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

God loves people, and wants to save people from the slavery of sin. Jesus Christ came to be the covering for our sin. He came to save us from sin, to draw us from being sons of Adam and make us into sons of God. The Gospel calls us to REPENT of being what we are and living where we are, and to SURRENDER our lives to Jesus. Our Lord Jesus preached:

Matthew 4:17 … Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mark 1:14-15 … Jesus came into Galilee, PREACHING THE GOSPEL of the Kingdom of God, 15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT YE, and BELIEVE the GOSPEL.

If God loved you “just the way you are”, He would not ask you to REPENT, to change your mind and thus change the trajectory of your life. God bids you broken to come to Christ. God bids you bring the pieces of your life to Him, and surrender to Him as Lord. The message of the Gospel is

Acts 3:19-20 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and HE SHALL SEND JESUS CHRIST, which before was preached unto you

When you REPENT, and come to Jesus with the broken pieces, He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Does God love you? Yes. His love is to you through the person of Jesus Christ. There is no love of God if there is no Jesus. Again, the Scripture says:

John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Does God love you? Yes, but His love is offered THROUGH Christ. If you reject Christ, you are NOT loved of God, for you have rejected God’s love. Some reject God’s love because they want to lives as if they are gods. They want to follow their own sin nature. They do not want Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John 10:10-11). They want to wander through life on their own, divorced from Jesus. Beloved, the love of God is bound to Jesus.

The Love Of God Cannot Be Divorced From
God’s Commandments

2 John 1:4-6 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.

Word Study: As the Apostle writes to the Church, he said “I rejoiced greatly”, chairō lian, which means “to be filled beyond measure with joy”. What gave him this great joy? That the Children of God were “walking in truth”. Not that they were walking in their truth, but that they were walking in God’s truth as revealed by His Word, the Holy Bible.

We are not to walk in sin.
We are not to walk in anger.
We are not to walk in rebellion.
We are not to walk pleasing ourselves.
We are to walk IN TRUTH, with God.

We are called of God to walk WITH GOD. As King David prepared to die, he called his son Solomon to his side to give him some final advise. King David knew the dangers of disobeying God’s Truth. The Bible says in:

1 Kings 15:5 … (NKJV) David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

David’s great sin was to lust after, and take another man’s wife. He felt that he could get away with this sin, since he was the King. Once he took Bathsheba to himself, rather than REPENT David plotted and succeeded in murdering an innocent and honorable man named Uriah. After doing so, God sent the Prophet Nathan to David to punish him. God took the life of Bathsheba’s first child. God told David,

2 Samuel 12:10 … the sword will never leave your household, because you have despised ME by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own … (my paraphrase)

When we walk apart from God’s truths, we walk apart from God. Though David repented, and was subsequently forgiven of his sins, the example he set caused Absalom his son to plot against his own father. Children learn from their parents! As David prepared to go and be with the Lord, he told Solomon:

1 Kings 2:2-3 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; 3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

The way to blessing is to walk in God’s truth, to do that which God has said. David often prayed:

Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

2 John 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.

Word Study: The word translated “after” is the Greek kata, which means “according to the standards of, following after”. If a person says “I love God” or “I love Jesus”, then look at their lives, listen to their words. Are they following God’s commandments? Are they obeying what Jesus has said to do? This is not the first time John has said this. Earlier he wrote:

1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.

If you love God, you keep His commandments. God’s commandments are not hard. They are easy, simple to understand. Jesus told us:

John 14:15-17 (my paraphrase) If you love Me, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. 16 And I will ask the Father to give you another Comforter, Who will abide with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it cannot see Him nor will it receive Him. But you know Him, for He dwells with you and SHALL BE IN YOU.

Union with God and salvation through Christ is tied to His LORDSHIP. Jesus is not received as just Savior, but Lord of your life.

When you give your life to Jesus, He sends the Holy Spirit to live within the framework of your life. You then learn to walk in the Spirit(Galatians 5:16). We are commanded, “If we LIVE IN THE SPIRIT (that is, we are born again of the Spirit), let us also WALK IN THE SPIRIT” (Galatians 5:25). The Christian walks with God. The Christian keeps Christ’s commandments. Love and obedience go hand in hand.

John 15:8-11 (NKJV) By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

We love God, and walk with Him. We love Jesus, and emulate Him. We cling close to Jesus, for the enemy is real.

We, Dear Believers, Are In A Spiritual Battle

2 John 1:7-8 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

There has been – from the Garden of Eden until now – a full scale wear going on for the soul of man. There are “many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”. Some say that Jesus is but a myth, that there never was a Jesus. These are “deceivers”, planos, “vagabonds, corrupters, tramps, imposters, those who lead into error”. The Bible warned us that:

1 Timothy 4:1-3 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing (planos) spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding (kōlyō) to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

Where are the greatest lies and attacks coming today? There is an attack against Biblical marriage. The Greek kōlyō means “to hinder, stand against, keep from”. The devil blurred Biblical marriage. Now he is blurring human sexuality itself. The devil is also “commanding to abstain from meats”. There is a push from the same crowd to give up meat in favor of eating bugs. Time Magazine recently reported, “They’re Healthy. They’re Sustainable. So Why Don’t Humans Eat More Bugs?” The Independent reported, “Entomophagy: How giving up meat and eating bugs can help save the planet”. Forbes Magazine wrote, “Eat Bugs! It’s What’s For Dinner”. The Guardian notes, “If We Want To Save The Planet, The Future Of Food Is Insects”.

God gave us marriage so that we could “multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28). We were not given sex just for pleasure, no more than we were given food just for pleasure. Sex and food have purposes. God gave us meat to eat when our Forefather Noah left the Ark:

Genesis 9:3-4 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

Having destroyed marriage, and modified the family, the devil is doing what he can to toss away all that is normative and Biblical. We who are His Children must – in love – stand strong on His Word. The Apostle says something very pertinent to America here:

2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Christians in America have had an unprecedented history of religious freedom because of the efforts of our forefathers. Had this nation been established as a MUSLIM stronghold, we would have about the same amount of freedom that you see in Burma, China, Eritrea, India, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Vietnam. In those nations Christians are persecuted and killed.

If we as Christ’s Church do not wake up and start to stand up for Jesus, we can lose our nation, we can lose our freedoms.

We MUST “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37, NIV). We MUST “Love one another, as Jesus has loved us” (John 13:34; 1 John 4:7, 12). We MUST “love our neighbor as we love ourselves” (Matthew 22:39). If you are saved by faith in Christ, then you are called to obedient love. The Scripture says:

Galatians 5:13-15 (ESV) For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Closing: Why are so many people in America confused today? The Bible gives us a perfect illustration in the life of the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar conquered Israel, and took the Prophet Daniel into captivity, along with his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden idol 90 feet tall, and commanded it be worshiped by all in the kingdom. The three Hebrew children Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship that idol, and as a result Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown alive into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:21-23). The King expected them to die screaming but, as he looked, the astonished King said,

Daniel 3:25 … Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Nebuchadnezzar saw the power of God. Calling the Hebrew children from the flame, the King acknowledged that our God is powerful. But he did not repent. He continued in his arrogance, to live according to HIS truths, not according to God’s Word. Does God love you? Yes, but you MUST repent. So God speaks to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream. The King sees a giant Tree, filled with fruit. The tree is cut down, and its fruit scattered. God gave this dream to the King …

Daniel 4:17 … to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Nebuchadnezzar went to Daniel so that he could explain the dream to him. Daniel told the King the tree was symbolic of the King. God would cut down Nebuchadnezzar for 7 years. Daniel cautioned Nebuchadnezzar to REPENT (Daniel 4:27), and so avoid the promised punishment. Did Nebuchadnezzar repent? No. God gave Nebuchadnezzar a year to repent, but he refused to do so. So God took away his mind, and he became like a wild animal, grazing in the fields of Babylon for 7 years. When God took the punishment away the King repented, and said:

Daniel 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Why do we have this strange story of Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible? I believe it is a warning to the American Christian today. You can come to God through Christ, and find “life more abundantly” (John 10:10). Or you can reject God, and create your own idol to follow. The late Timothy Keller wrote:

“The human heart is an idol factory that takes good things like a successful career, love, material possessions, even family, and turns them into ultimate things. Our hearts deify them as the center of our lives, because, we think, they can give us significance and security, safety and fulfillment, if we attain them.”

The only thing that gives life is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are NOT saved, I beg you, give yourselves to Christ today. If you keep rejecting the True God of the Bible, that false god you are following will take over, and make you not a child of God, but an animal grazing and rutting. God loves you, and has proved that love by making the Lord Jesus Christ available to you. Will you not give yourself to Him this very day? May God the Holy Spirit lead you to do so. Amen and Amen!

Posted in 2 John | Tagged Faith, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, love God | Leave a comment

Is Jesus King Of Your Heart?

Posted on May 19, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-portrait-of-lion-247502/

Last week we saw Jesus take two small fish and 5 little biscuits, and feed above 5000 people. This was a critical point in Jesus’ ministry. He had told the Pharisees that:

John 5:46-47 … had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Moses – whom God moved by His Spirit to write the first five Books of the Bible (2 Peter 1:21) – wrote of Jesus, the Messiah. Before Moses died, that old Prophet told Israel:

Deuteronomy 18:15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken

Jesus was the prophesied Messiah, the Savior of the world. Consider the comparisons between Jesus and Moses:

– Moses came to lead Israel out of Egypt. Jesus would come to lead His people out of the world.
– Moses came to bring the law of God to Israel. Jesus would come to bring the Light of God to His people.
– Moses saved Israel from slavery to Egypt. Jesus saves His people from slavery to sin.

– Under Moses, God sent temporary manna from Heaven (bread) to Israel daily to feed them. For the Church Jesus IS God’s permanent Manna from Heaven. We feed on Him daily.
– Under Moses, Israel attempted to obey God’s Law in their own power. Under Jesus, we follow God’s commandments through His empowering and indwelling Spirit.
– Under Moses, God’s people followed God by pillars of fire or cloud. Under Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit guides us internally.

Following Jesus’ miracle feeding of the 5000, we read:

John 6:14-15 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

Those 5000 men that saw Jesus turn two little fish and 5 little biscuits into a feast said that Jesus was indeed “that prophet that should come into the world”, the Prophet Who would succeed Moses. Israel had long waited for that Prophet. Some even thought that the Great Prophet Elijah would have been him. As a result, the Jews always set a place for Elijah at the annual Passover meal. When John the Baptist started baptizing people in the Jordan, the Pharisees sent a delegation to him to ask “are you THAT PROPHET that Moses spoke of?” (John 1:21, 25). John told them that he was NOT, but that he was the precursor to “that Prophet”. Jesus is “that Prophet” that Moses wrote of. Jesus Christ is the One and Only Messiah. So immediately, that crowd of 5000+ people decided “to make him a king”. And what did Jesus do?

He went up “into a mountain himself alone”.

We Love Taking Shortcuts,
But Shortcuts Are The Devil’s Tool

If Jesus walked this earth today, I believe that many of us would push for Him to be President, or King of the world. Who wouldn’t want Jesus as Leader? We’ve seen nothing but bad leadership in the world the past few years, and I think we are all hungry for a little common sense. I understand why these men and women wanted to make Jesus King. Israel was occupied by a Gentile Army, and under the Roman heel. The designated King of Israel was Herod, an Idumean, a descendant of Esau, not Jacob, and certainly not of the House of David. Herod was the wrong King, a Puppet King installed by Pilate and Caesar. So Israel desperately wanted better and more Semitic leadership. So they thought to shortcut the process. The cry went out.

“Let’s make Jesus King”

That’s a good idea – but it’s too soon. The devil loves shortcuts. WHY was Israel under Roman bondage? Because Israel had rejected God’s leadership … and this was not the first time they had done it. Throughout Israel’s history she would reject God as King over and over again, doing things that He specifically told them not to do. Why? Because Israel, like us all, was dead in trespasses and in sin.

Illustrate: We prove we are “dead in trespasses and sin” by the way we live our lives. When I was a little kid, we used to play “King of the Hill”. There was a steep hill near my home, and we would get together, and push and wrestle one another. The objective was to be “King of the Hill”, the only one on top of the mountain. Once we beat up and threw off everyone else, the game was won. Everyone wants to be King of the Hill. And as we grow up, nothing changes. Our hearts are bound to selfishness, to greed, to self centeredness. We proudly promote “Just Be You”, which is the height of anarchy. This is the Old Sin Nature in us. Israel did not need Jesus as Earthly King – they needed Jesus as Spiritual King. Both Israel and we today have the same need.

Israel needed to be saved, not from Rome nor any human conquerer, but from herself.
We all need to be saved from ourselves.

This is why Jesus came into the world. He came as a King, as the King of Kings, but He came to save us from our sins. The Angel told Joseph that the Baby Mary carried was special. The Angel said:

Matthew 1:21 {Mary} shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Jesus came to this earth to save us from ourselves. He did not come to this earth the first time to be an earthly Ruler. An earthly Ruler cannot fix what ails us. What ails us is SIN, our internal desire to ignore God and do what WE WANT TO DO. Even Jesus’ closest disciples thought that He came just to rule the world. They asked Jesus:

Mark 10:37 … Grant unto us that we may sit, one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left hand, in Thy glory.

They saw Jesus as sitting on a Throne in Jerusalem, ruling the world. So they wanted to sit in that special place, to the right and left of their King. But Jesus told them:

Mark 10:38 … Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

Jesus came to drink the cup of God’s wrath for us (Jeremiah 25:15; Isaiah 51:17; Revelation 14:9-10). Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before His crucifixion, would pray “My Father, if it be possible, let THIS CUP PASS FROM ME; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:29). Jesus came to be BAPTIZED WITH THE JUDGMENT of God, to save us from damnation.

1 Peter 3:18 (ESV) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

1 Peter 2:24 (ESV) He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Jesus did not come to overthrow Rome. If God wanted Rome overthrown, He would have done so without sending Jesus to do it. God destroyed numerous empires throughout the Old Testament. No, Jesus came to overthrow SIN and our desire to pursue it. Jesus came to overthrow our DISOBEDIENCE to God. He did not come to rule the world the first time He came. Had Jesus wanted to rule the world, He could have said “yes” to Satan’s shortcut when he offered it.

Matthew 4:9 {Satan said} … All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Jesus told Satan “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve”. Sincere people wanted Jesus to take a shortcut, one that Satan had earlier proposed. Jesus wasn’t about to do it. He came to defeat sin. Billy Graham wrote:

“Large crowds greeted Him, waving palm branches and welcoming Him with shouts of acclamation. No doubt, many of them hoped He’d become their king and lead a revolt against the Romans, who had occupied their nation. … But Jesus deliberately refused. … Even on Palm Sunday He rode into Jerusalem on a humble donkey instead of a majestic white horse, showing He had no intention of becoming an earthly king. His kingship was to be of a different order — as ruler of our lives. … Why did Jesus refuse to become a king? The reason is because He came into the world for an entirely different reason: to become the complete and final sacrifice for our sins. By His death and resurrection He opened heaven’s door for us — something He never could have done as an earthly monarch. Now He is a king of a different sort — the king of all creation. Have you opened your heart to Him, and is He the ruler of your life?”

Jesus Could Easily Have Become King

There is coming a day when Jesus will return, and be King of this earth. This is foretold in the Book of Revelation:

Revelation 17:14 These {unbelievers} shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Revelation 19:11-16 (ESV) Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

When Jesus comes to rule the world (and He will), it will not be because we elected Him, or because we led a revolution with Him at the helm. No, it will be because Jesus does not need our help to be King. He is King. He is King of His creation.

Right after leaving His disciples and refusing to be made earthly King, we read:

John 6:16-21 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, 17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. 18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. 19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. 20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. 21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

Jesus fed the 5000 at Bethsaida at the Sea of Galilee. After feeding them, the disciples took their fishing vessel and headed over the Sea of Galilee toward Capernaum. A great wind came up – not an uncommon occurrence on the Sea of Galilee – so they lowered their sails and rowed “about five and twenty or thirty furlongs” – around three to four miles. They are far from shore, and in the dark. What do they see? The Bible says,

Jesus walking on the sea, and
drawing nigh unto the ship

Why did Jesus do this? Was He just showing off? No, He’s showing His disciples a truth. No MAN is going to rule the world, nor make the nations behave. No MAN is going to rule a fallen and sinful Israel. The only way peace will ever come to our world will not be through some MAN, but through GOD. God must work a work in our hearts. God must move us from sinfulness, toward love as we were designed to love. Only God can do this.

Do you know Him? Who is King of your heart? Is it Jesus, or are you on the throne? The only way to peace and joy is to let Him Who walks on water govern your hearts. May God the Holy Spirit move you to His leadership this very day. Amen and Amen.

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Messiah, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

Five Judges

Posted on May 16, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Robert Hrovat: https://www.pexels.com/photo/wooden-hut-against-mountains-in-snow-16653328/

As we studied last week, Jephthah was the son of a prostitute, and a man who would not be defeated. Jephthah, though thrown out of his home by jealous brothers, would follow faith in God and become a “mighty man of valor”. Jephthah would be approached by the elders of Gilead – the same ones who cast him out of his family home – and by faith become the eighth legitimate Judge of Israel.

Jephthah would lead the armies of Israel to fight against and defeat the Ammonites. Jephthah would allow faithlessness and doubt to cause him to approach God with a foolish vow. This is what unbelievers do with God. “God, if you’ll give me this, or do that, I’ll do this or that”.

God does not expect us to bargain with Him, but to walk with Him. We are to fear our God, not the world!

Jephthah promised to offer up a “burnt sacrifice” of the first thing that greeted him if God gave him success in defeating the Ammonites. God never responded to the vow – but Jephthah decided he would keep his word. When he returned from battle, his only daughter greeted him. Following a two month sabbatical Jephthah offered up his only daughter to God as a spiritual burnt offering. She died childless, and Jephthah would die, closing out his line. Such are the rewards of stepping outside of God’s will. The Bible says:

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV) {God’s} divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

We do not need to bargain with God for blessings. We need to live our lives so as to give God the glory, and trust that He will defeat the enemy. Jephthah forgot to give God the glory for a moment – and lived to regret it.

From A Foolish Vow To An Arrogant People

Judges 12:1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.

Following his defeat of Ammon, the “men of Ephraim” gathered warriors together to threaten Jephthah. They felt that they had been left out of the battle on purpose, and their pride was hurt. Their focus was not on the glory of God, but on their own glory.

The men of Gilead were of the Tribe of Manasseh, and as I’ve mentioned before, Manasseh along with Ephraim comprised what was called “The House of Joseph”. Since Manasseh was the “little brother” and Ephraim the “big brother”, they felt that they deserved the lion’s share of the glory from the battle. This is NOT the first time Ephraim showed “out”. When Judge Gideon led God’s people in defeating the Midianites, following the battle Ephraim came to him:

Judges 8:1 (ESV) … the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they accused {Gideon} fiercely.

Had Gideon corrected Ephraim at this time, and told them that the glory belongs to God, not to us, then it’s possible that Ephraim would have straightened up. But instead, Gideon placated them, and humbled himself before them. He told them, “Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer?”. Placating them when they “accused {Gideon} fiercely”, they went away feeling themselves justified and superior. Now they come to Jephthah even more arrogant. They tell Jephthah, “we will burn thine house upon thee with fire”. They threaten to wipe out Jephthah’s “house”, to make it like a burnt offering. Jephthah’s house is already destined to end – and Jephthah is a different sort of person that Gideon was. Jephthah tells them:

Judges 12:2-3 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. 3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

When the Ammonites were at their greatest power and the Gileadites were being hurt, Jephthah called on Ephraim for help. However they refused to respond, being fearful of the Ammonites. Jephthah told them “when you wouldn’t help me and mine, we stood together and trusted God. We’ve won the battle through God. So who are YOU to complain?” This was not a politically correct response, but it was the truth. But once the battle was won, then Ephraim comes, demanding glory that should only belong to God.

God will not share His glory with another! God told us through the Prophet:

Isaiah 42:8, 11 (NASB) I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images … 11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I do this. How can I let Myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another …

God will be glorified by His people. God’s man King David decided – at Satan’s prompting – to “number Israel”. We read:

1 Chronicles 21:1-2 (NLV) Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go and number Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Then let me know how many people there are.”

David’s General Joab begged the King not to do this. He warned David that to do so would “bring guilt upon Israel” (vs 3). David ordered the census be taken anyway. The Bible tells us that:

1 Chronicles 21:7-8 (NLV) God was not pleased that Israel was numbered so He punished Israel. 8 David said to God, “I have sinned very much by doing this thing. But now I beg You, take away the sin of Your servant for I have done a very foolish thing.”

Though David repented, God killed 70,000 fighting men (vs 14) because of David’s foolishness. God will not give His glory away. David won because God caused David to win.

God’s man Moses lost his sister Miriam while Israel was at Kadesh. There was no water at Kadesh, so Israel “assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron” (Numbers 20:2). Moses went to God in prayer. We read:

Numbers 20:7-8 (ESV) … the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.”

Moses stood in front of the Rock. Angry with Israel, Moses said:

Numbers 20:10-11 … “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly..

God told Moses, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them” (vs 12). God allowed water to come out of the rock. This is His Grace. But God told Moses that he had forfeited the Promised Land. Moses – after 40 long years – would not be able to enter God’s Promise. Why? Because he failed to glorify God.

Jephthah told the Ephraimites that they had their chance to fight, but did not do so. But Ephraim was not satisfied. They pushed for a fight. They slandered the men of Gilead.

Judges 12:4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

Word Study: The men of Ephraim said that “Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim”. The word translated “fugitives” is the Hebrew pālîṭ (pronounced paw-leet’), which means “fugitives or escapees”. The people of Ephraim are saying that those of Gilead are not true Israelites because they left Ephraim to build homes in Gilead.

Pride Divides And Destroys

The men of Ephraim had a chance to step out and do battle with the rest of God’s people, but refused to do so. Yet when the work was over, rather than glorify God for the mighty victory, they complained. Pride enslaved Ephraim. The Bible says:

Proverbs 8:13 (ESV) The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

Proverbs 11:2 (ESV) When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 16:5, 18 (ESV) Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. … 18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

God hates pride, because pride caused Lucifer to become Satan. Pride caused Adam to leave Eden. Pride caused the first murder in human history, and will be the cause of the last. The Bible tells us:

James 4:6 … God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

1 Peter 5:5 … All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”

and our Lord Jesus said,

Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Pride is a very insidious thing. God is “the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light. . . . To him be honor and might forever. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:15–16).

Ephraim would not back down, so Jephthah takes the men of Gilead against a superior force. Guess what? Jephthah and his men won the day.

Judges 12:5-6 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

As the men of Ephraim began to be defeated, they started running and hiding. It is as the Bible says:

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

The Ephraimites tried to hide themselves from the men of Gilead and Jephthah. So the men of Gilead would ask them to say “Shibboleth”. This is the Hebrew šibōleṯ (pronounced shib-bole), a word that means “a flowing stream”. When the men of Ephraim wanted to pass over the Jordan at its crossing (the flowing stream) the men of Gilead would say, “you want to pass Shiboleth?” The people of Ephraim were unable to say “Shibboleth” because of their regional dialect. So they would say, “we want to pass Sibboleth, unable to pronounce the “sh” sound. The men of Gideon would then kill them as enemies. 42,000 men of Ephraim died that day because of their tongues and PRIDE.

God does not walk with nor bless prideful people. The Lord says:

Isaiah 57:15 … I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

God is HIGH and HOLY, but He walks with those who are HUMBLE and HONORING to Him. We should always remember to “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6).

Judges 12:7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

Jephthah’s reign in Israel ended with his destruction of the arrogant men of Ephraim. He put down the insurrection, and Israel returned to peace. There is a lesson in this, one that the Enduring Word Commentary highlights:

“Today when someone talks about Jesus, you can listen to what they say and learn something about them. You can listen as they speak about the Bible, and you know something about them. It is also true that as much as our dialect gives us away, so does our everyday speech. Others should be able to tell that we are Christians by the way we talk.”

Three Minor Judges Follow Jephthah

Very little is said of the next three judges of Israel. The ninth Judge of Israel is Ibzan (Hebrew iḇṣān, meaning “father of coldness”):

Judges 12:8-10 And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. 10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

Ibzan was from the Tribe of Asher, and he did little of note, according to the Scripture. He had 30 sons and 30 daughters, which tells us that he must have been polygamous. Ibzan did what many of his (and our) day did – he blended with the culture that was around him. Ibzan lived, had many wives, many children, and died. His life did little to impact history, according to the Scripture. The Jewish Historian Josephus (Antiquities 5:7:13) notes,

“He did nothing in the seven years of his administration that was worth recording, or deserved a memorial.”

The tenth Judge of Israel is Elon (meaning “little ram”).

Judges 12:11-12 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. 12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

Elon is from the Tribe of Zebulon, and we are told absolutely nothing about him but that he lived and died. Ibzan had 30 sons and daughters, and “took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons”. That is, Ibzan bound Israel with other kingdoms through marriage. But Elon did nothing at all, insofar as Scripture is concerned.

The eleventh Judge of Israel is Abdon, son of Hillel:

Judges 12:13-15 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. 14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. 15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

Abdon is called a “Pirathonite”. One of King David’s “mighty men of valor” Benaiah was from Pirathon (2 Samuel 23:30; 1 Chronicles 11:31; 27:14), though this in itself doesn’t make Abdon a “mighty man of valor”. Abdon had “forty sons and thirty nephews” who rode on 70 donkeys, a sign of a prosperous man. Further, his family rode on donkeys, not on horses. Perhaps this tells us that when Abdon ruled, there was peace and prosperity in the land. The Jewish Historian Josephus notes:

“[Abdon] is only recorded to have been happy in his children; for the public affairs were then so peaceable, and in such security, that neither did he perform any glorious action.”

The Bible tells us little about these last three Judges because they perhaps received the Grace of God in vain. These Judges were given the privilege of serving the Lord, a privilege they neither earned nor deserved. When God in Grace calls us to a life with Him, we are to serve Him to the best of our ability, glorifying His Name. We are to be like the Apostle Paul, who wrote:

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

We are not saved BY our works, but once saved, our faith is proved genuine BY our works. Called to serve the Lord, we are immortal while doing God’s will. Each Judge – from Jephthah (6 years), Ibzan (7 years), Elon (10 years), and Abdon (8 years) – served God a total of 31 years where there was relative peace in the land. As we come to chapter 13 we read:

Judges 13:1 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

Israel went into “forty years” of Philistine enslavement. They received the Grace of God in vain. But from the broken, God will bring a miracle.

From The Broken, God Brings A Miracle:
Introducing The Nazarite Judge Samson

Judges 13:2-5 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. 3 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. 4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: 5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

Every tribe of Israel has had a Judge that God raised up from them, and we have seen 11 judges so far. But one tribe still needs to be represented – the Tribe of Dan. A man of the Tribe of Dan called Manoah (Hebrew mānôaḥ, meaning “to rest”) had a wife that was unable to have a child. The Bible tells us that “the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman”. Who is “the angel of the Lord”? The Angel of the Lord represents God, and sometimes is God. Some believe that, at times, the “Angel of the Lord” was an Old Testament Manifestation of Christ our Lord. In this chapter we see the “Angel of the Lord” is both representative of God, but also IS God:

Judges 13:19-22 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. 21 But the angel of the Lord did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord. 22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

The Angel of the Lord – a direct Representation of God – tells Manoah’s wife that she will “conceive, and bear a son”. This son will be special. The Angel tells her that her diet is to be very careful. She is told “drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing”. Her child was going to be a Nazarite Priest from birth.

The word “Nazarite” comes from the term “to be separate or consecrated”. The laws governing Nazarite Priests are found in Numbers 6:1-21. Those who were Nazarite Priests could not cut their hair, drank no wine nor grape products, avoided contact with dead things, and could eat nothing considered “unclean” (Leviticus 11). In the Bible anyone could take a Nazarite vow.The Apostle Paul at one time was a Nazarite (Acts 18:18; 21:21-26)– but in the Bible there were but three men who were Nazarites from birth for life. These were:

John the Baptist (Luke 1:15)
The Prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11)
Samson (Judges 13:4-5)

When the Angel of the Lord announces Samson’s birth to his mother, he tells her:

Judges 13:5 … the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines

Israel will be under the heel of the Philistines for 40 years – and Samson “shall begin to deliver Israel”. The Nazarite Prophet Samuel – also a Judge (1 Samuel 7:6) will finish defeating Philistia at Ebenezer (1 Samuel 7, 1084 BC). The Philistines will rise up again later in history, and King David will subjugate them in his reign (see 2 Samuel 5:17-25, 1004 BC). The Philistines would come back again and oppose Israel until the Babylonian Captivity removes both Philistines and Israel from the land (Isaiah 14:29-32; Jeremiah 47; Ezekiel 25:15-17; Amos 1:6-8).

Once Manoah’s wife hears from the Angel of the Lord, she runs to tell her husband:

Judges 13:6-7 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name: 7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.

We’ll return to this point next week as we explore the life of Samson. May God bless you all! Amen and Amen.

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

The Elect Lady And Her Children

Posted on May 16, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/bible-blur-christ-christianity-372326/

2 John 1:1-3 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Who Are The Elect Lady And Her Children?

Who is “The Elect Lady” John is addressing? Some suggest that it is a woman that the Apostle John knew. I don’t think so. The Holman Concise Bible Commentary (pg 652) notes

“[eklektos kyria] is more likely a reference to some local church over which the elder had authority”.

This makes sense from several viewpoints. First, the Bible refers to the Church as the Bride of Christ:

Ephesians 5:25-30 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Word Study: The Church is the “Elect Lady”. The word “Elect” is the Greek (eklektos), which means “Chosen”. Jesus chose the Church. Jesus method in transforming the world – in saving the world – is the Church, the Elect Lady. God does not directly save anyone, but moves through the means of His Church. Jesus said:

John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Jesus CHOSE His Church.
Jesus CALLS His Church.
Jesus LOVES His Church.
Jesus GAVE HIMSELF for His Church.

Word Study: The Church is Christ’s Elect Lady. The word “Church” itself is the Greek ekklēsia which means “those who are CALLED OUT”. The Church and it’s children – the believers that comprise it – are NOT to be like the world. We are CALLED OUT to follow the One Who chose us. We are CALLED OUT to be Jesus’ Church. Jesus said:

Matthew 16:18 … upon this Rock (the truth that Jesus is THE Christ, the Son of the Living God) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Word Study: The Church is the “Elect Lady”. As John writes to the Church, calling himself “The Elder”, the Greek presbyteros which means “a senior, one higher in rank, a superior teacher or a Rabbi”. What should the “Elders” do with God’s Church. The Apostle Paul told the Elders at Ephesus:

Acts 20:28-29 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

It is the calling of the Elder, the Pastor, to “feed the Church”. What do we “feed the Church”? Human opinion? No!

2 John 1:1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth

The devil loves to attack the truth. The devil attacks the truth today, just as he did in John’s day, just as he has done from the beginning.

Jesus told those who rejected Him as Messiah,

John 8:42-45 … If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

The devil loves to attack the truth. He has attacked the truth from the beginning. The devil is attacking the truth in America today. The devil loves the philosophy called “Progressivisim”. The “Progressive” believes truth is fluid. They believe that each person can define truth their own way.

Love Dwells In The Truth

John is writing the “Elect Lady”, the Church. He is writing the Church as an Apostle, as a Pastor feeding the flock with the Word of God. He says of the Church that he “loves her IN THE TRUTH” (verse 1). It is not love to love someone apart from the truth. This is what is being pursued in America today. Everyone has “their own” truth. I have MY truth, you have YOUR truth. As long as YOUR truth does not hinder MY truth, then we get along.

What God has said in His Scripture is true. It is God Who defines good and evil, right and wrong. In the Garden of Eden Satan asked,

Genesis 3:1 (NIV) … “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Once Eve took the bait and began to question God, the devil did as he always does. He told an outright lie. He said:

Genesis 3:4-5 (NIV) … “You will not certainly die … 5 For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Illustrate: This is what the devil ALWAYS does. He did it years ago. He is doing it now. One of the cartoons my kids loved growing up was the “Transformers”. Recently the TV Show “Transformers: Earthspark” introduced a “non-binary character”, that is a person that identifies as neither male nor female, and demands to be addressed with the pronoun of “they/them”. The devil and the world is pushing this confusion to our children. It’s going to get worst, dear friends, as we move toward the end of days. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 14:33 … God is not a God of confusion but of peace

Where CONFUSION is, SATAN is. Where CONFUSION is, God’s Word is NOT. If we want to return to sanity and safety, we need to return to the Word of our Creator. The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.

Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

John tells the Church and her children to stand up for the truth. He says:

2 John 1:2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

The children of the Church – the Christians – are made the children of Christ’s Church by receiving the truth of God’s Word. When the Apostle spoke to the Church at Thessalonikki, he wrote:

1 Thessalonians 2:11-13 (ESV) For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. 13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

There are two ways you can receive the Bible. You can receive it as an ancient human book, a collection of writings from human authors that may be flawed like all human works. OR you can receive the Bible as the WORD OF GOD. You can “you accept it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers”. If you accept the Scripture as a debatable work, a human work, then it has no power. But if you RECEIVE IT as it is, then it changes you. When John speaks of TRUTH this way:

2 John 1:2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

He is speaking to people who RECEIVED God’s Word as God’s Word. What does God’s Word say? When our Lord Jesus came to this earth, the Bible says:

John 1:11-13 … {Jesus} 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.

The TRUTH cannot work in you if you do not receive it, and you will not receive it if you believe it a fable.

When you RECEIVE God’s Word as God’s Word, then you RECEIVE Jesus as God’s Messiah, God the Savior. When you RECEIVE Jesus as He is, God the Holy Spirit comes to you. He is “The Spirit of Truth”. Jesus spoke of this Holy Spirit, saying:

John 14:17 (ESV) even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 15:26 (ESV) But when the {Comforter} comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

John 16:13 (ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

When you receive God’s Word as God’s Word, believing the Gospel, receiving the Scripture, God the Holy Spirit comes and dwells inside of you. He is the One who “DWELLETH IN US and SHALL BE WITH US FOREVER”. You ask me WHY I DO NOT FEAR DEATH. Because – dear Christian – if you are a Child of God, you are PART OF THE ELECT LADY. You have a DESTINY that is coming. As the Church is ELECT, YOU ARE ELECT. What does the Scripture say?

Romans 8:26-30 (ESV) Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Because you received the Word of God as it is, the Word of God, and believed and continue to believe that Word, God the Holy Spirit – the TRUTH of God – indwells you. God the Holy Spirit will STAY with you. We know that “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”. Why? Because we are of the Elect Lady. We are – dear Christians – “predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son”. We who are saved – a part of Christ’s Church – are not confused. We are children of God, children of Truth, children of the Light, living in the darkness of this fallen world.

What Are Your Pronouns? Who The Heck Are You?

2 John 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

I believe that humanism and progressivism is no more than confusion – and I think that any sane person would believe the same. The Bible tells us that we are all fallen creatures from our mother’s womb. We are broken from the hospital. We need another birth, for our first birth is flawed. The Bible tells us:

Romans 5:12 … by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

We are all broken. We enter this life from a mother who – I pray – loved us, and bore us. But because of Adam’s sin, because of his failure in the Garden of Eden, we as the children of Adam are flawed. The Bible says “by one man’s offense death reigns”. Man is born into this world physically alive but spiritually dead. This is why our Lord Jesus told us:

John 3:5-7 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water {physical birth} and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. … 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘YOU must be born again.’”

When Jesus said “YOU must be born again”, that “YOU” is in the PLURAL. If Jesus were Southern, He would have said “Y’all MUST be BORN AGAIN”.

You must. You have to be. If you expect to be made whole, you cannot change your pronouns nor redefine yourself according to progressive confusion. What must you do? You MUST be born again. But this is nothing YOU can accomplish.

You must have GRACE. Again, John says to the Elect Lady:

2 John 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

GRACE is with you. GRACE is offered to you. God offers each and every person entrance into the Elect Lady. He offers each and every person salvation – not by works, but BY GRACE. What does the Scripture say?

Romans 5:15 … if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Adam brought brokenness into the world. You were born broken into this world. You cannot help that. But you can come to Jesus, Who alone can help it. He offers healing to all. Jesus offers completeness to all. Jesus offers GRACE to all. Jesus Christ shed His Blood on Calvary, so that GRACE can be offered to whosoever will. Salvation is by Grace alone, by faith alone.

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

There can be no peace with yourself – or with God – unless you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Do you know Him? Dear ones, the only way you can know Him is by receiving Him as He is. You are to REPENT of being your own god, of following your own path. How does Grace, Mercy, and Peace come? Once more:

2 John 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Who is your Lord? Is it YOU, or is it JESUS? What is your truth? Does it come from GOD, or from YOU? May God guide you into receiving Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. Amen and Amen!

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Come Join The Minority

Posted on May 8, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by nappy: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-child-reading-holy-bible-935944/

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Back when I was young and dinosaurs roamed the earth, we used to write letters that we’d put in the mail. Texting has destroyed this, but yes, we’d absolutely do this. When I ended a letter, I’d end with my name and something affectionate, like “I love you”.

Many of the books we have in the New Testament are letters the Apostles wrote to the Church. As the Apostle Paul closed his letter to the Romans he sends greetings from others in ministry with him. Paul closes with “The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Romans 16:24), and then adds a rather length “P.S.” that ends with “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.” (Romans 16:27). As Paul ends his first letter to Corinth he says, “My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.” (1 Corinthians 16:24). The letter to the Hebrews ends simply with “Grace be with you all. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:25). The Apostle Peter ends with “Grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18).

Notice how the Apostle John ends his letter to the Church. What thought did John want us to remember, a final point that is so very important? He writes:

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

What In The World Is An “Idol”?

If I speak of “Idols”, some of you will think of television shows like “American Idol”, where people show off their talents for the adulation of other people. Humans can be idols. In Biblical times,

An “idol” (the Greek eidōlon, pronounced i’-do-lon) is an image, a likeness, a thing, a person, or a concept that is put in the place of and replaces the genuine God of the Scripture.

Idolatry is when we reverse what God did in creation. The Bible tells us that in the beginning God “created mankind in His own image, male and female God created them” (Genesis 1:26-27).

In idolatry, we as humans create God
in our own image, after our own likeness.

Idolatry can be very visible, but it can also be very subtle. The ancient Egyptians worshiped many different idols (Osiris, Anubis, Sekhmet, Seth, etc.), and formed images that were honored as gods shaped like frogs, cats, dogs, and even lice. The ancient Romans worshiped many different gods and goddesses (Minerva, Jupiter, Bacchus, Venus, etc.). The ancient Greeks honored Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia, Hades, and Apollo among others. Every society of every age from Adam till now has created and worshiped gods and goddesses in place of the God of the Bible. Idolatry begins in the heart when man considers himself wiser and more capable that God.

Homosexuality and Lesbianism is the unnatural consequence of idolatry.

The Apostle Paul is very clear on this when he writes:

Romans 1:22-24, 26-27 … Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. {this is idolatry} 24 THEREFORE God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men

Sexuality outside the scope of God’s creation is DISHONORABLE, not something to be PROUD of. When you reject the God of Scripture and create false gods, you unbind yourself from God’s design in creation. You become a law unto yourself, and following this pathway you move far away from God’s original intention in marriage.

Idolatry disposes of God, and creates a lesser more fallible god for the creature to heed.

The God of the Holy Scripture is “merciful, gracious, patient, and filled with goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6-7). God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). The God of the Bible can never lie nor can He abide the presence of liars (Revelation 22:15). The God of the Bible is merciful and forgiving, but He will never allow those who are unrepentant and guilty to go unpunished. The false gods – the idols – that men worship teach that all people go to Heaven. The One True God teaches that only those who have repented of sin and who have given their hearts to Jesus Christ have the hope of Heaven.

Idolatry is the king of sins.

– Idolatry caused Satan to fall from heaven. “I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself LIKE THE MOST HIGH” (Isaiah 14:14).

– Idolatrous Satan – looking like a serpent, (the very first idolatrous image) (Revelation 20:2; 12:9) asked Adam, “Hath God really said?” Satan knows idolatry is contagious, and he invited Adam to join the delusion.

– The very first murder committed was because of idolatry. Cain demanded that God accept his inappropriate sacrifice (Genesis 4:7). When God would not do so, Cain murdered his brother Abel.

– When God called Moses to the top of Mount Sinai, what did Israel and her High Priest do? They melted down earrings and created a golden calf to worship and lead them. Israel’s idolatry kept them from inheriting the Promised Land for 40 years, and plagued the succeeding generations of Israelites to this day.

– Why did Moses lose the Promised Land himself? He made himself an idol, and refused to glorify God. (Numbers 20:10)

Our Sunday School Lesson for today states (page 115, Bible Studies for Life, Spring 2023):

“We often equate idolatry with worshiping images made of wood or metal, but idolatry happens whenever we place anything ahead of God. We can even make good things idols…”

Idolatry Cannot Make Us Children Of God

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Let’s start with the words “Little children”. This is the Greek teknion, and is John’s favorite word in describing the believer. The word teknion is repeated in every single chapter of this Book except the first chapter(1 John 2:1,12,28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21). It is so very important that you understand,

BECOMING and BEING a Christian requires
you be like a LITTLE CHILD.

A little child doesn’t have to understand much. As a little child, I knew my father provided for my needs. As a little child, I also knew that I had better honor and obey my father – else I would be punished. I knew as a little child that I belonged to the custody of my parents. The lines were drawn. My parents set the tone – and I followed. Sadly with the rise of sexual sin and single parent households, many were not raised as I was, and so grow up too fast. That’s sad, because adults who behave like little children cause chaos in the society they are in.

To be saved does not require a seminary degree, nor does it require you understand the complexities of the God Who is. Jesus put it this way:

Mark 10:14-16 … {ESV} Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Luke 18:17 {ESV} Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

There will be people who will burn in hell for all eternity because they would not come to the embrace of Jesus and crawl into His lap like a little child. I am certain that Christopher Hitchins (April 13, 1949-December 15, 2011), the well educated Atheist who gained fame by bashing and mocking God, is now regretting his former life. Hitchens, like most idolaters, rejected the God of the Scripture for philosophies and “wokeness”. Jesus made it clear that there is no salvation available to those “too mature” to receive it.

The Gospel itself is exceedingly simple. The Scripture declares we are all fallen creatures because of Adam’s sin. Here many people fall away, for they make Adam to be an allegory, and Eden to be a myth. Yet the Scripture says, “by ONE MAN SIN ENTERED THE WORLD, and death by sin” (Romans 5:12). Since one man LITERALLY fell from God, ALL PEOPLE LITERALLY fell from God. Yet this is not the end of the Gospel.

God lowered Himself from Heaven to come to this earth so that He, in love, could “deliver us from the power of darkness, and attach us to His Kingdom” (Colossians 1:13). The message of Scripture is that “God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). It is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that the God of the Bible – in love – reaches out to this world. Unless a person rejects all other saviors and all other gods he cannot receive forgiveness from the Biblical God. It is only through Jesus Christ that “we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14). It is only by faith in Jesus Christ that a person can be saved from this present evil world, and guaranteed entrance into God’s Heavenly Kingdom in our next life. The Gospel is a message that is received as “a little child”. Once you receive the Gospel, the Scripture says:

Romans 8:15-17 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Galatians 4:4-6 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

If you have received Christ as a “little child”, then God sends His Spirit to you to adopt you as God’s Children. And as God’s Children, we humble ourselves and serve the Lord.

The way to ENTER Christ’s Kingdom is by the faith of a child. The way to ADVANCE in Christ’s Kingdom is by the faith of a child. Jesus called a child to His side & said:

Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

In America today our idols are not carved out of stone or wood, but our idols are formed in our hearts. Adrian Rogers once said:

“If you are saved you will have a desire to be holy, a hunger for the Word (the Bible), the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus. These are the birthmarks of the believer.”

We who are His are to guard ourselves from idolatry, for idolatry robs God of what is rightfully His. It robs God of our hearts. This is why the Apostle of Love, John, closed his letter with this signature.

Idolatry Will Rob Us Of Our Heritage

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Word Study: The next word we need to look at is the word “keep”, which is the Greek phylassō, which means “to guard against, set a watch {over your soul}, to watch lest violence come, to be a body guard to preserve the life of”. The word itself sounds like FOO – LASSO – to throw a LASSO around something valuable. People today are fond of saying,

“Follow your heart”

This is some of the stupidest advise I have ever heard. The Bible says “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked”. The world follows its heart – this is the way of the lost. The heart detached from God is, according to Jesus, the source of “evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19). Following your heart can get you in a world of mess!

Illustrate: A little boy came to his mother with a cherished family heirloom – a vase – stuck on his hand. This vase was several hundred years old, and was worth several thousand dollars. The mother had planned on one day selling that vase to send her only son to college. The child – like children will do – put his hand in the vase, and now his little hand was stuck. Mother soaped his arm, and gently tugged, rotated, and pulled on the vase, but nothing seemed to work. The child started crying and finally, with nothing else she could do, the mother wrapped his arm in a towel and carefully broke the vase, freeing her son’s arm. That was when she noticed that her son’s little hand was clenched. Counting to ten she looked at her little boy and said, “Son, was your hand balled up into a fist the whole time I was trying to get you loose?” The child looked at her with his little tear stained face and said, “Yes mamma, it was.” Controlling her temper she asked her son, “Son, why didn’t you straighten out your hand? If you had just unclasped your hand I could have gotten you free from this vase without breaking it!” The child, opening his hand, said, “But mamma, if I had opened my hand I would have lost my penny”. A penny was what the child traded for his future education.

Idolatry robs us of the blessings that God wants to give us. I was talking with a dear friend the other day who told me, “You know, you are in the minority with what you believe”. I suppose I am in the minority. But the Bible tells us:

1 John 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

The Way of God has always been a minority. Yet Christians who compromises with the darkness will find themselves in just as bad a place as the lost world. Jesus told us that we would be in the minority. Jesus Himself was and is the minority. Jesus warned:

Matthew 7:13-14 {ESV} Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

The world follows the WIDE GATE to DESTRUCTION. This is where the majority goes. The Bible says “there is a way that seem right to a person, but its end is the way of DEATH” (Proverbs 16:25). Let me ask you:

– Was it a MAJORITY that fought Goliath, or a MINORITY? The MAJORITY hid from Goliath for 40 days while he mocked God, but DAVID ALONE who stood up and said “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26).

– Was it a MAJORITY who refused to pray to the Medo-Persian King Darius for even one day, or a MINORITY? The MAJORITY worshiped a human king for 30 days, whereas DANIEL ALONE openly prayed to God – and was cast into the lion’s den (Daniel 6:16-24). No harm came to Daniel or the lions, by the way.

– Was it a MAJORITY who refused to bow down and worship the golden idol that the Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar, or a MINORITY? Though all the kingdom bowed to this statue, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ALONE said “O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Daniel 3:18). Though cast in a fiery furnace, Jesus kept even the smell of smoke from attaching to their clothing.

– When Gideon went forth to fight the Midianites, did he take a MAJORITY with him or a MINORITY? Though 32,000 warriors initially came to fight, God released all but 300 men (Judges 7:7). It was with the MINORITY that God defeated the Midianites.

When the MINORITY is standing with God, the MINORITY becomes the MAJORITY. This is proven over and over in the Scripture.

The foundation of our salvation can be traced back to a childless man named Abraham. God came to Abraham, and promised him that – IF HE WOULD LEAVE THE MAJORITY and follow God, then God would give him a child. Furthermore, God promised Abraham:

Genesis 12:3 {ESV} in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed

Abraham followed God. When Abraham was 100 years old he became a father for the first time. When his son Isaac was around 13 years old God came to him and said:

Genesis 22:2 … Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Why did God do this? The MAJORITY of people would have refused God outright. “God, you want me to kill my ONLY son? No way!”. The MAJORITY would walk away from this. But Abraham knew something from being with God. He knew that God loved him, and Abraham loved God.

Abraham could have made an idol of Isaac,
cherishing his son above God.

But he didn’t. Abraham took his son to Mount Moriah, and planned on sacrificing that child that he so loved to God. How could he do this? Because Abraham knew God promised to bless the whole world through Isaac – and God is no liar. Abraham knew that God could resurrect Isaac (Hebrews 11:17-19). So he trusted God. He treasured God above all else. Abraham became a MINORITY, and was blessed because of it. You know the rest of the story. God provided a sacrifice to replace Isaac, and Abraham was richly blessed. You, too, will be richly blessed if you follow God and God alone. The Christian is commanded of God to:

Romans 12:1-2…. present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Did you get that? “be not conformed to this world”. Don’t be part of the MAJORITY. Be part of the MINORITY.

Idolatry Hurts More Than Just You

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

So many people today buy into the lie that if “You do you” then it’s okay, because “it only effects YOU”. That’s not true. We are to keep ourselves from idolatry because what happens to you effects others around you. When God sent Israel into Canaan, it was with standing orders to destroy the rotted and idolatrous nations that were there, and replace them with righteousness and God’s rule of law. What did Israel do? Israel blended with the lost MAJORITY:

Psalm 106:35-38 {Israel was} mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. {36} And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. {37} Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, {38} And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

We see the same thing happening in America today. God calls His people to stand in the truth of the Scripture. The great Pastor C.H. Spurgeon rightly said,

“Make no idol of your child, or your wife, or your husband; for by putting them in Christ’s place, you really provoke Him to take them from you. Love them as much as you please; I would that some loved their children, their husbands, or their wives more than they do; but always love them in such a fashion that Christ shall have the first place in your hearts.”

Illustrate: Jesus must have first place in your lives. In our bulletin today a so called “preacher” decides that he will explain away what Jesus said to the rich young ruler who wanted eternal life. Jesus told him:

Mark 10:21-22 {ESV} … sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Jesus will be first in your life (Luke 14:26-27). I end with these words from John Piper: “Saving faith receives Christ as a treasure, but not as second to lands, oxen, or spouses. He is valued above them. Or he is rejected. Embracing him as one among many useful treasures is worse than useless. It is worse because it gives the impression that he is willing to be used. He is not. He will be received as our supreme treasure, or not at all.” Amen.

Posted in 1 John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus Christ, love God, minority, moral minority, salvation | Leave a comment

Judge Jephthah

Posted on May 8, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-gavel-6077422/

Jephthah was the eighth legitimate judge of Israel. Whereas Gideon was a frightened man hiding near a grape press when God called him, Jephthah was a “mighty man of valor” who overcame great obstacles in his life.

Jephthah Did Not Let Abuse Define His Life

Judges 11:1-2 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. 2 And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

The name “Jephthah” (Hebrew yip̄tāḥ, pronounced yif-tawkh’) means “he opens”. He is called “Jephthah the Gileadite” because his daddy was Gilead, a branch of the Tribe of Manasseh. The two half tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh together formed the HOUSE of Joseph (of the coat of many colors, the young man sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers). Joseph would grow up – despite all the adversity in his family – to be second hand to the King of Egypt, and the savior of Israel.

Jephthah, just like Joseph, was hated of his brothers. Joseph’s brothers hated him because “Jacob loved Joseph more than he did any of his other sons, because Joseph was born when Jacob was very old” (Genesis 37:3-35). This set up jealousy and envy, which caused his brothers to abuse him. Jephthah was hated because he “was the son of an harlot”. Whether this was a Temple Prostitute (many false religions employed prostitutes to worship their gods) or a street prostitute, we do not know. But since Jephthah was the child of a prostitute, his half brothers “thrust out Jephthah”. They threw him out of the family at a young age in violation of God’s Law. God told His people:

Leviticus 19:33-34 if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. 34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

After Joseph was blessed of God so that he could save Israel from destruction, in time Joseph died and Egypt began to treat the Jews as strangers and slaves. God told His people to remember that He Himself saved them out of slavery. As Israel was given undeserved Grace, Israel was to give Grace to the strangers among them.

The sons of Gilead – of the Tribe of Manasseh, of the House of Joseph – benefited directly from God’s Grace. They should have extended Grace to their half brother, for he had no control over his birth!

Word Study: The Bible says that “God executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. 19 Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:18-19). Jephthah’s half brothers thrust him out (Hebrew gāraš, to drive away or forcibly expel). They took him by the seat of his britches and tossed him out in the street like garbage. We can learn quite a bit from how Jephthah handles this abuse.

When treated badly by others, we can choose to:

GIVE up, GRIEVE or GRUMBLE about our treatment, or we can, LOOK up, and LET God LIFT us up.

Judges 11:3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

“Jephthah fled” from his brothers and went 15 miles east-northeast of Ramoth-Gilead, just outside the eastern boundary of Israel. In this desolate area Jephthah learned to fight the enemy. Rather than give up and grumble, or plot vengeance on his half brothers, Jephthah used the situation to grow. This is why we are told in verse 1 that Jephthah is a “mighty man of valor”. The angel of God called Gideon a “mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12) when God called him from the winepress to the battle field. Jephthah became a “mighty man of valor” while in exile. Jephthah trusted the Lord. The Bible says “the LORD sent Jephthah to deliver Israel out of the hand of her enemies” (1 Samuel 12:11). God uses trials to draw us to Him, to strengthen our faith, and to make us usable for His glory. In 1 Peter 1:6-7 the Apostle said:

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

In “The Nature and Purpose of Trials” Grace Theological Seminary notes:

“Like gold, our faith is tested by fire; literal fire tests gold and other precious metals, and metaphorical fire (trials, persecutions, sufferings, griefs, etc.) tests our faith: Psalm 66:10 “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.” Proverbs 17:3 “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.” James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

We see in James 1:2-4, suffering promotes endurance and perfection of character, and the apostle Paul also reiterates this in Romans 5:3-4 where we see that we are to “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”

Word Study: Jephthah runs from the brutality of his brothers, but only about 15 miles. He settles in “the land of TOB” (Hebrew ṭôḇ, pronounced tobe), which means “the land of GOOD”. Though he has been chased away from his family and his rightful heritage, it was for his good. While in “the land of GOOD” we are told that:

Judges 11:3 … there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

The false judge Abimelech, we are told, “hired vain (rêq, empty) and light (pāḥaz, reckless, wanton) persons, which followed him” (Judges 9:4). Abimelech sought out worthless “yes” men, then hired them to follow him about. The situation is different with Jephthah. Jephthah was considered rêq or useless, empty, and without worth by his hate filled brothers. So Jephthah went to “Good” to live – and there learned to fight. As he looked to God for blessing, God taught Jephthah … and others who were considered rêq or useless, empty, and without worth GATHERED to Jephthah. Adam Clark in his commentary notes, “The word {translated vain} may, however, mean in this place poor persons, without property, and

without employment”. These were broken and discounted people who gathered with Jephthah. Adrian Rogers wrote:

“People throw broken things away, but God rarely uses anything until He first breaks it. David said in the Psalms: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). Some of us are not being used by God because we’ve never been broken. If God breaks you and you become broken bread and poured out wine, He will use you. God took a little boy’s lunch and broke it and fed the multitudes. Mary took an alabaster box of ointment and broke it and lavished her love upon the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet Jeremiah said: “Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns” (Jeremiah 4:3). You’ll never have the crop you ought to until you put the plow in, until the old clods are broken. Even the Lord Jesus Christ took the bread at the last supper and said: “This is My body which is broken for you.”

Trusting and following God, in time the tables turn. We read:

Judges 11:4-6 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

The Ammonites were descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot, when Lot had an incestuous relationship with his youngest daughter (Genesis 19:38). God told Moses that the land of the Ammonites was not to be taken, though God often used the Ammonites to punish His wayward people. When the Ammonites attacked Israel, the “elders of Gilead” – among whom were step brothers of Jephthah – came and asked Jephthah to lead them into battle. Jephthah replies:

Judges 11:7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?

The “elders of Gilead”, the half tribe of Manasseh of the House of Joseph came to Jephthah with hat in hand – and Jephthah challenges them! He could have taken vengeance on them, and refused to come to their aid. The Scripture tells us:

Romans 12:19-21 (ESV) Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

There is a temptation to give back as good as you got, but this is of the flesh, not of the Lord. Jephthah followed the same path that his forefather Joseph did. When Joseph’s brothers discovered that he was second only to the King of Egypt, the Bible says:

Genesis 50:18-21 (ESV) His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Joseph took the long view, believing that God allowed his suffering for an ultimate good. Jephthah could easily have killed the delegation of elders who came to him – or could have ignored them and stayed where he was. Instead, Jephthah forgave.

But Jephthah was not a stupid man. Not only was he a “mighty man of valor”, but he was a diplomat and a tactician. We read:

Judges 11:8-10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the Lord deliver them before me, shall I be your head? 10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The Lord be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

Jephthah had been tossed out of his home before as a “worthless son of a whore”. He wanted assurance that – if he led them into battle and helped them avert this crisis – that when the crisis was passed he would remain as their judge. The Lord Jesus told us:

Romans 12:18 (ESV) If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

We should practice restraint. We should give others the benefit of the doubt. But no where does God tell us to be a door mat or a punching bag. We should not let others defile us, nor should we “cast our pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6). Jephthah was not going to be abused again. If they wanted his expertise during the crisis, they would have to agree to keep him as judge afterward. The elders of Gilead vowed, “The LORD (Yᵊhōvâ) be witness between us”, invoking the most holy name of God. With this, Jephthah made his vow and took his oath of office:

Judges 11:11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh.

“Mizpeh” or Mizpah is the same place where Jacob and his uncle Laban set up a memorial unto God, and made a covenant with one another. At that memorial Laban called it “Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.” Mizpeh was a place that was supposedly watched by God. So as Jephthah took his oath of office at Mizpeh, he “uttered all his words before the Lord”. God was his Witness.

Jephthah Is A Skilled Diplomat

Judges 11:12-13 And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? 13 And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

“And Jephthah sent messengers”. Unlike the judges up to this point, Jephthah does not start out by drawing the sword and attacking the enemy. Instead, Jephthah starts with diplomacy. Again, the Scripture says “follow peace with all” (Hebrews 12:14) and “if it be possible on your part, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). Our initial response to an attack should not be all out war, but diplomacy. Jephthah’s demeanor shows that he is both skilled, as well as a humble leader. Jephthah used three arguments against war. The King of the Ammonites said that the reason he wanted to fight was that “Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt”. Jephthah replied:

Judges 11:14-23 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: 15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: 16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; 17 Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh. 18 Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab. 19 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place. 20 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 21 And the Lord God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. 22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 23 So now the Lord God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?

Jephthah explained that Israel did not take the land from the Ammonites, but from the Amorites who inhabited that country. The Amorites had previously conquered the Ammonites and took the land from them.

Judges 11:24 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.

The god of the Ammonites Chemosh allowed the Amorites to take their land. When Israel took the same land from the Amorites (not the Ammonites), then it was because Jehovah decreed it.

Judges 11:25-26 And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, 26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?

Jehovah allowed Israel to hold that land as their own for THREE HUNDRED YEARS without dispute from the Ammonites. Jephthah told the King of Ammon, that if it were really their land, why had Israel held it for so long and without dispute? When Israel came into the land, God decreed that Israel not attack the Ammonites, the Moabites (both of whom were kin to one another through Lot), nor the Edomites (the children of Esau. See Deuteronomy 2:5, 9, 19). Israel was obedient, and did not attack those nations, nor try to get their lands. Jephthah then suggested that either …

– The Ammonites did not try to get the land back for 300 years because they knew it belonged to the Amorites, which lost it to Israel, or

– The God of Israel Jehovah was much greater in power than the false god of Chemosh, which is why Israel now has the land.

Judges 11:27-29 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the Lord the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon. 28 Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him. 29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

Jephthah has done all that he can to avert war. He now tells the King of Ammon that if he pursues war, then it is on HIS head, not on Jephthah. Having followed the Lord’s leading, the “Spirit of the Lord” came over Jephthah. With this, Jephthah begins to lead his armies toward the children of Ammon. The Bible tells us:

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

The Holy Spirit has given Jephthah courage. He travels through Gilead, through the tribal territories of Gad and Manasseh, and calls soldiers to follow him. Gathering the armies of Israel Jephthah moves toward Ammon. But then he makes a terrible mistake.

Jephthah Makes A Foolish And Unnecessary
Vow Unto God

Judges 11:30-31 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

God did not ask Jephthah to make a vow. The Spirit had already moved on him, and led him in building an army to destroy the enemy. But Jephthah allowed doubt to creep in, so he made a bargain with God. “Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord”. He promised that, if the battle went well, and Israel won, then when Jephthah returned from battle “whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me” would belong to God, and would be offered as a burnt offering. What was in Jephthah’s mind when he did this? In her book Texts of Terror (page 97) Phyllis Trible notes:

“The making of the vow is an act of unfaithfulness. Jephthah desires to bind God rather than embrace the gift of the Spirit. What comes to him freely, he seeks to earn and manipulate. The meaning of his words is doubt, not faith; it is control, not courage. To such a vow the Deity makes no reply.”

Jephthah was probably thinking of an animal when he made the vow, but the foolishness of the vow is that he cannot control what or who will greet him on his return. With this vow in place, Jephthah leads his troops to battle. We read:

Judges 11:32-33 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands. 33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

The Lord blessed Jephthah in battle, destroying around 20 cities of Ammon. The Ammonites were utterly destroyed!

Judges 11:34-40 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back. 36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon. 37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. 38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, 40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

When Jephthah came home, the “whatsoever” that greeted him was his daughter. As she was his only child, Jephthah had dedicated her to the Lord. She would never be able to bear children, nor to carry on her family line. Some commentaries suggested that Jephthah offered up his daughter as a burnt offering, but the Bible doesn’t say this. God specifically forbade human sacrifice! “You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 18:21). “ Take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.” (Deuteronomy 12:30-31). God did not want nor expect Jephthah to offer his daughter up as a sacrifice. But she was dedicated to God, to His service – and was unable to marry (Exodus 38:8; 1 Samuel 2:22). This would cause the line of Jephthah to cease. Yet the Book of Hebrews lists Jephthah as a hero of our faith:

Hebrews 11:32 … Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets

The Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary notes:

“The father fulfilled his vow upon her, and she knew no man; i.e., he fulfilled the vow through the fact that she knew no man, but dedicated her life to the Lord, as a spiritual burnt-offering, in a lifelong chastity. It was this willingness of the daughter to sacrifice herself which the daughters of Israel went every year to celebrate-namely, upon the mountains whither her friends had gone with her to lament her virginity, and which they commemorated there four days in the year.”

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ, Following Christ, honoring God, Judges, salvation, vow | Leave a comment

From Death To Life

Posted on May 4, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-and-gold-gavel-on-brown-wooden-table-6077189/

John 5:19-24 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. {20} For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. {21} For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. {22} For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: {23} That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. {24} Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

I have heard atheists make the remark that they cannot believe in something they cannot see. This is a foolish statement. Most people have never actually see the atom, but we know it exists. We have not seen gravity, but I for one am thankful it exists. You do not actually see the wind, nor can you see the air provide lift for an aircraft because of the laws of aerodynamics. We have never seen living dinosaurs though we know they existed, and have trusted paleontologists to tell us what they were like. I can go on and on. Though we have not seen God, and have not seen Heaven nor Hell, we believe in these things. Why? Because of Creation. The world around us is clearly not an accident, but something with architecture and design. This is why the Bible says:

Romans 1:19-20 (ESV) For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Creation itself proves the existence of a Creator. The Psalmist said:

Psalm 19:1 (ESV) The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.

There is clear evidence of God in the stars, the planets, the grass, the trees. The idea that something like our creation could just “happen” is ridiculous, and the thought itself a sign of mental illness.

But there is another reason we have faith in God. We believe because of the Scripture. We believe because of Jesus. The Bible tells us that

Colossians 2:9 (CSB) For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ ..

Colossians 1:9 For it pleased the Father that in {Christ} should all fullness {of God} dwell;

Jesus said of Himself, “I am in the Father, and the Father in me” (John 14:10), and “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). He also said “I and My Father are One” (John 10:30). Jesus prayed for the Church in John 17:21, “That {the Church} may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” The Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:19, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself”. And in John 1:18 (ESV), “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known”. Jesus Christ is the Manifest Member of the Godhead.

Jesus is not a lesser god than God the Father and God the Spirit. Jesus Christ is God’s Son, co-eternal and co-equal to both Father and Spirit.

Jesus Is The Sent Member Of The Trinity:
Modalism Does Not Compute!

The Bible teaches that there is only One God, but this One God is in Three Distinct and Separate Persons. Within the Godhead there is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Father sent the Son to procure for us the Plan of Salvation. The Son came to this earth, incarnated through the power of the Holy Spirit, and partnered with both Father and Spirit. We see the Trinity clearly represented at the baptism of Christ:

Mark 1:9-11 (ESV) In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 3:21-22 (ESV) Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.”

The Oneness Pentecostal teach that there is no Trinity, but that there is only Jesus Who presents Himself in three “modes” or characters: Father, Son, and Spirit. However you can clearly see while God the Son is being baptized, God the Holy Spirit descends to Jesus to rest on Him, while God the Father

commends Jesus to the multitudes. Modalism cannot stand up to the plain reading of the text. Jesus – God the Son – is being baptized. Then God the Father speaks from Heaven, declaring Jesus to be His Only Begotten Son. Finally God the Holy Spirit descends onto Jesus.

These three are One. They are equal in substance and in power as well as purpose. This is the Godhead.

Though the Trinity is not named in the Old Testament, we can see evidence of the Trinity at the Creation of humanity. We read:

Genesis 1:25-27 KJV And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. {26} And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. {27} So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

You don’t have to be a Hebrew scholar to see that God (singular) said, let us (plural) make man in our (plural) image, after our (plural) likeness (singular) shows that there is a plurality of Person in the Godhead. To Whom was God speaking to if He was not speaking within the Godhead? To the Angels? The Angels have no creative power. In fact, our Lord Jesus said:

Mark 12:25 (ESV) {in the resurrection} … they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

The Angels do not procreate, so they certainly don’t create. Yet God said, “Let US”. In order for there to be an us or an our in the Godhead, there must be at least two Persons else the statement makes no sense at all. Though not called “The Trinity”, the concept of the Trinity of God is introduced in the Book of Creation without any explanation. But Beloved, God is like that. If we could explain God, God would be like us.

As humans, we have an inbuilt PRIDE and ARROGANCE that makes us seek for POWER. This is at the heart of the LGBTQ2S+ movement. This is at the heart of the Transgender movement. This is at the heart of the Klu Klux Klan and the Black Lives Matter movements. We want to be the BOSS. As that old song (the group “Tears For Fears”) said years ago,

Everybody wants to rule the world
All for freedom and for pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world

That is a malady of humanity – but it’s not true of God. Nor is it normal. It is abnormal to have everyone in charge of a group when all are equal in power. That’s what we believe. We want to be the boss. We want to rule. This is no more than the manifestation of the Old Sin Nature of Adam. Adam was given rulership of the world by God, but commanded to not eat of one thing. But Adam decided what God gave him was not enough – he wanted the forbidden, too.

But not God.

Though Equal To Father and Spirit,
Jesus’ Ministry Submits To The Father

John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

“Then answered Jesus and said unto them”. What caused Jesus to speak and teach here? He has healed a crippled man at Bethesda, and told him to “rise, take up your bed, and walk”. The Pharisees want to kill Jesus for telling the man to “take up your bed”. But taking up the bed is necessary to salvation. Submission to Christ is necessary – not optional – to salvation. Jesus said:

Matthew 16:24 … If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

This what Jesus told the man at Bethesda. “Deny yourself”. Quit trying to do it your way. Quit trying to follow the crowd. Rise! “Reach up to Me”, said Jesus. “Take up your Cross – your Bed”. Whereas it carried YOU, now YOU carry IT. And “Follow Me” – walk with Jesus. Do not stay bound to bed or burden. Follow Him Who loves you and commands you.

The Pharisees are upset with Jesus because He told the man to carry his bed on the Sabbath. They claim that Jesus is a law breaker.

Jesus says, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do”. Jesus can only do what God can do. Why? Because God is bound to righteousness. God cannot sin, nor can He tempt to sin. We are told in Scripture:

James 1:13 (ESV) Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

It is not in God’s nature to tempt to sin. Jesus Christ is God among us, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus can only do what He sees the Father do. The Father heals on the Sabbath, else the hospitals would all shut down. While Jesus was on this earth He willingly lowered Himself so that He could fulfill the Plan of God for our salvation. Jesus told His disciples:

John 14:28 (ESV) You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

Jesus submitted Himself so that we could be saved. But is Jesus a lesser god, lesser in quality or quantity to God the Father? No! For just before this statement our Lord told the Apostle Philip:

John 14:9-11 (ESV) “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Jesus Christ came as the Father’s Representative from Heaven for us. You see, the Godhead TOGETHER made a decision from eternity past to save mankind. Within the Godhead the Son of God agreed to come to earth, to take on humanity, and to die for our sins. There is no dominance within the Godhead, no bucking for power, no “Me Ahead of You” mentality such as is common in our world today. There is a unity in the Godhead. Unity of Power. Unity of Plan. Unity of Purpose. The Son agreed to come and walk among us, then to die for us. Everything that Jesus did, He did in perfect agreement with the Father. Praise God for this!

John 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that Himself doeth: and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

God the Father is Creator. The Prophet said:

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

God the Holy Spirit is Creator: Job 33:4 (ESV) The SPIRIT OF GOD has made me, and the BREATH of the Almighty gives me life.

But JESUS is Creator God also! The Scripture declares of Jesus:

John 1:3 (ESV) All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Colossians 1:15-17 (ESV) {Jesus} is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

If Jesus were mere mortal man, then the Pharisees might have reason to attack Him as blasphemer. But Jesus is more than mortal man. He is IMMORTAL GOD in Human perfection.

John 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will.

It is God the Father Who resurrects the dead (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Romans 8:11), for God is the Source of life. But now Jesus tells us that “the Son quickeneth whom He will”. God the Father is the Source of life, and can give life – but so can God the Son. But here’s something very interesting:

John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son

The Pharisees are sitting here, judging Jesus and this not uncrippled man for carrying a bed on the Sabbath. But Jesus tells the Pharisees that it is them that are mistaken. God gave them no license to judge. But the Father has “committed all judgment unto the Son”. Why?

Because Jesus is the “Lamb Of God that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Because Jesus is willingly “laying down His life for His Sheep” (John 10:15, 17-18). The Father sent the Son, but it is the Son Who is making the payment, Who is suffering the cost. We are told in:

John 5:26-27 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Because Jesus took upon Himself humanity – becoming the Son of Man, the Messiah, Jesus has the only authority to execute Judgment. In the Book of Revelation we read of a Great White Throne:

Revelation 20:11-12 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

The works of the lost will be placed before the Judgment Seat. Who is this Judge Who sits at the Great White Throne, such a terrifying place that “From his presence earth and sky fled away”? It is not Buddha, nor Confucius. It is not Gandhi, nor the Dalai Lama. It is not Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormons, nor is it Charles Taze Russell the founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. It will not be Mary Baker Eddy the founder of the Christian Scientists, nor will it be L. Ron Hubbard the founder of Scientology. It will not be the Pope, nor some decked out Cardinal or “Father” of Catholicism. It will not be the Apostle Peter holding the key of Heaven. Nor will it be Billy Graham, or Joel Osteen, nor even that nobody called David Buffaloe (thank God).

The One sitting on the Throne of God is Jesus Christ.
It is Jesus Christ.

Why is this? Jesus said:

John 5:23 That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him.

Jesus Christ is the Manifest Member of the Godhead. Jesus Christ is the ONLY MEANS by which a person can be saved. The Scripture says:

1 Timothy 2:3-6 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; (4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (6) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

God will save whosoever will. God wants all to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. But the truth is “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”.

What a horrible thing it will be for many, who leave this life, and stand before Jesus. How horrible if He says,

“I NEVER KNEW YOU – DEPART FROM ME, YOU WORKER OF INIQUITY INTO EVERLASTING FIRE, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS.”

The Pharisees knew the Law of God, and added to the Law with their human traditions. Yet they would not know Jesus. They rejected Jesus outright because they thought themselves worthy to stand before God based on their own works. Jesus told them:

John 5:44-47 How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? (45) Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. (46) For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. (47) But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

The Pharisees were busy congratulating one another for being so holy. Yet the One and Only Person Who could save them, they had no time for Him. Jesus told them that Moses himself spoke of the coming Messiah. As Moses prepared to die he told Israel:

Acts 3:22-23 … A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. (23) And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

To reject Christ as Savior is a damning prospect! Oh Beloved, do not be like the Pharisee. Hear the Word of Christ.

If I Rise Up To Jesus, Take Up My Bed, My Cross, And Follow Him, I Will Follow Him Into Glory!

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Salvation comes when we HEAR JESUS’ WORD, and BELIEVE ON THE GOD WHO SENT HIM. Those of you who have done this HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. It is not something you are moving toward, but something you have right now. Under the Old Covenant God asked Israel:

Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, and then answered that question when He said: but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

What does God expect of the Christian? Nothing less. We are told walk with Jesus. You are to “fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul”. You are not to do this to BE saved, but are to do this BECAUSE you are saved. You belong to Christian, if you are a Christian.

Follow Him. Honor Jesus with your life. For YOUR sake. Amen and Amen!

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, Godhead, salvation, Son of God, Son of man, Trinity | Leave a comment

The Thief Comes …

Posted on May 1, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Marlon Alves: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-people-art-dark-16521710/

When we left Judges chapter 9 we saw the false judge Abimelech (the concubine son of Gideon or Jerubbaal) ruled (not judged, but ruled) over Israel for three years. God allowed Abimelech to slaughter all but one of the other sons of Gideon (Jotham) to set up his kingdom. After three years, everything fell apart. The men of Shechem who conspired with Abimelech to do evil were utterly destroyed, and Abimelech himself died when a woman dropped a millstone on his head (Judges 9:53; 2 Samuel 11:21). This reminded me of what Jesus said:

Mark 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Something interesting happens between chapters 9 and 10. The general pattern of the Book of Judges that we have seen so far is…

Israel rebels against God
God disciplines Israel with an unbelieving nation
Israel repents
God raises up a Judge to restore Israel

Failure To Repent And Pursuit Of Sin
Brings Hardening Of The Conscience

This pattern is disrupted in chapter 10. As we enter this chapter 10, we see two judges in the first FIVE verses of chapter 10:

Judges 10:1-2 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

This is already different. Up to this point only Shamgar was so little spoken of (Judges 3:31) – and Shamgar is shown to have killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad (a pointy stick). Every judge that God raised up, the Lord did so when Israel repented of their sin.

Judges 2:16 … “the Lord raised UP Judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them”

What is missing with the next two judges – Tola and Jair – is that Israel never repents.
Israel is suffering hardness of the heart.

The Bible repeatedly warns us of the dangers of sin. The Bible tells us that …

1 John 1:9 (ESV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.God is always faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9). He will forgive. The problem with sin is that – every time we sin – we scar our souls. The Bible calls this a “seared conscience” (1 Timothy 4:2). The conscience of a person can become desensitized to sin, and to the call and reality of God. Israel did not repent after Abimelech, yet God in His Grace allowed Tola to become a partial judge of Israel. The Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary notes:

“Tola arose after Abimelech’s death to deliver Israel, and judged Israel twenty-three years until his death, though certainly not all the Israelites of the twelve tribes, but only the northern and possibly also the eastern tribes, to the exclusion of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, as these southern tribes neither took part in Gideon’s war of freedom nor stood under Abimelech’s rule.”

Tola’s reign was provisional, and did not effect all of Israel, only part of the nation. Tola was from the Tribe of Issachar (see Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23). We do not know much about Tola, other than his name means “scarlet worm” (tola’ath). The crimson or scarlet worm (scientific name: coccus ilicis or kermes ilicis) was used in Biblical times when the red dye the worm excretes is extracted, and used to stain the High Priest’s robe and the covering of the tabernacle. The Crimson Worm is seen in Psalms 22:6 as a Prophecy of the first coming of Jesus Christ. Like the Crimson Worm, Jesus was crushed to dye our robes crimson and white before God. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us(Romans 5:8). Though Israel did not repent, God sent a Savior for His people. Because they were so hardened by sin, God could do little for them. So this judge did little – but it was not his fault. Under Tola, Israel had peace “twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir”. Normally after the death of a judge, we would see Israel returning to sin. But we do not see this because Israel never left sin. For 23 years they lived in their sins apart from God.

How horrible when we drift from God! Jesus said:

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I have heard various preachers talk about the “thief” as Satan. I don’t think Satan is the thief. Satan steals nothing without our permission. The “THIEF” Jesus spoke of and personalized is unconquered SIN.

Tola is symbolic of the undeserved Grace of God. Tola lived in and died in Shamir, which means “a thornbush”. Jesus came to this sinful world – lived and died here – to save us from our sins.

Because Israel would not repent, only portions of Israel were saved. Because Israel loved her sin more than her Savior, confusion abounded. I believe this is the state of America today. God in Grace is offering this nation salvation, but we love our sin and have hardened our hearts. We need to turn to our Tola, our Jesus in repentance.

The Hardened Hearts Of Israel Lead To Jair,
The Compromising Judge

Judges 10:3-5 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. 4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

The name “Jair” (yā’îr) means “He Enlightens”. Jair was the “Progressive Judge”. Again we don’t see much mentioned about him, but we know “he had thirty sons”. Jair or “He Who Enlightens” was probably polygamous, a man who had many wives. He compromised with the fallen world around him. God tells His people:

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 … And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

God’s people are to live for God, not for themselves. Jair succumbed to the spirit of his age, the characteristic sexual sinfulness of his people. We also read that “he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts”. The words “ass colts” is the Hebrew ʿayir, which means “a male donkey”. At this time in history the average Israelite had no horses or donkeys. The Keil and Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary notes that “Only the wealthy and prominent in Israel rode on donkeys at that time”. Jair and his family were very wealthy. They literally owned cities. We are told:

they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair

Their cities were called “Havothjair”, literally “cities of enlightenment”. The Soniclight Commentary notes:

“We see, in this brief record of Jair’s life, continuing tendencies in Israel toward the lifestyle of the surrounding pagan nations, and away from fidelity to Yahweh and His Law. “In Jair’s story I can see three things: (1) prosperity without purpose; (2) affluence without influence; (3) prestige without power” (J. Vernon McGee).”

Neither Tola nor Jair corrected any of the problems that Israel was having. Only one Judge can fix the human heart, and this Judge is God. God blessed Israel for a total of 45 years while He waited on His people to genuinely repent. What did Jair’s leadership do for Israel?

Judges 10:6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord, and served not him.

Israel entered into a seven-fold apostasy. They served seven types of false gods and goddesses.

Why did Israel turn from the Living God to serve these false gods? Because of compromise. The compromise of faith is a very subtle thing. If the devil cannot keep you from Jesus, he will do what he can to blend your faith in Jesus with the world. I’ve seen young people wearing t-shirts that say:

Jesus is Dope, and
God is Dope

“Dope” is an illicit, habit forming or narcotic drug. The young people say that the slang “Dope” means “cool, awesome, or great”. So they are saying “Jesus is great”. But “Dope” is not great. “Dope” destroys lives. “Dope” addicts and drags downward. Opium addicts were first called “Dopes” because they ingested the syrupy drug. Race horses that are “doped” win or lose races based on the type of drug given them. When you call someone a “Dope”, it means they are “foolish or stupid”. Jesus is NOT Dope. Jesus is Lord. God is NOT Dope. God is the King of Kings. God is our Creator, and calls us to salvation so that He might be our Father.

When the faith of God is blended with the world, what comes out is not Christianity but some evil counterfeit.

God tells us to make a choice. We can follow Him, or follow the world. The Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

God was not please with Israel’s sevenfold apostasy. We read:

Judges 10:7-9 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and {God} sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. 8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9 Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.

“anger of the Lord was hot”. The word translated “hot” is the Hebrew chârâh, which means “to flame up, to be incensed, to be kindled”. Israel threw seven logs on the fire of God’s glory – and God consumed them! We are told that “{God} sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon”. That phrase “{God} sold them” emphasizes to us that – if God has saved you, God owns you. Let me say that again:

If God Has SAVED You, God OWNS You,
And You’d Better Follow Him!

The Scripture declares:

Psalm 24:1–2 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

The Bible tells us “in GOD’S HAND IS THE SOUL OF EVERY LIVING THING, and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10). It tells us that “our BODIES are the TEMPLE OF GOD’S SPIRIT Who is in us … and WE DO NOT BELONG TO OURSELVES” (1 Corinthians 6:19). The wonder author C.S. Lewis wrote:

“Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God.”

Because Israel rejected God, God “sold them” (for they belong to Him) into the hands of the Ammonites and the Philistines. This is what has happened in America today. The devil has taught us to “you do you”, and so God has stepped back and allowed us to be “sold” into misery and foolishness. We as a nation are like Israel was – we are “sore distressed”, that is “greatly distressed and suffering”.

Judges 10:10-13 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 11 And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? 12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.

After the 7^th Judge (Jair) Israel entered 7 forms of apostasy against God. As they are suffering under Philistia and Ammon they cry out to God for relief. But here’s the thing. God sees our hearts. Israel has not genuinely repented of their sin, but are asking God to take away the suffering. In all the other instances when Israel repented, God was not angry with them … but now He is. They are playing God like He’s a patsy – a Divine Patsy – and He is not pleased. We can see Israel’s false confession and repentance in what they say:

Judges 10:10 We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.

Israel confessed that they “served the Baals” (see verse 6. BAALIM is the plural of Baal). They served MORE than the BAALIM. They served ASHTEROTH, as well as the gods of Syria (Astarte or Athtart) the gods of Sidon (Melquat), the gods of Moab (Chemosh and Milcom), the gods of the sons of Ammon (Molech), the gods of the Philistines (Dagon the fish god). Israel confessed ONE god, but were following seven abominations.

God delivered Israel out of the hands of the seven nations that created these false gods – and Israel was worshiping them and would not repent!

This is why God told Israel “ye have forsaken Me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.” They were not serving just Baalim – and they had not repented. God will not forgive an excuse nor a lie. God told His people:

Judges 10:14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

God allowed Israel to experience the sickness of their sin. He told them, “go and cry out to the gods that you have chosen over Me – call on them to save you”. The Enduring Word Commentary notes:

“One technique used to help people stop smoking is to put them in a small, unventilated room and make them smoke for hours on end, until they can hardly bear it. It makes them sick of smoking and makes them truly want to stop. In the same way, sometimes God will allow the natural consequences of our sin to crash upon us in concentrated form, so we can become sick of our sin.”

God did not hate Israel, no more than a moral parent who punishes their child hates the child. God hated punishing Israel, but knew that failure to punish would cause them to follow ever darker paths. Israel suffered under the hands of the Ammonites and Philistines until they sincerely repented.

Judges 10:15-16 And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

What does genuine repentance look like? First, there is confession of sin. Israel said, “We have sinned”. The Bible says:

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The word “confess” is a Greek compound metanoeo, which means “to say the same thing about”. When we come to God and say, “Yes Lord, what I did WAS A SIN”, then God is free to forgive us our sin. Israel did not qualify their remark, nor did they maker an excuse. They just said, “Lord, We’ve SINNED”.

Secondly, Israel submitted to the goodness of God. They said, “do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee”. Lord, I deserve a whipping. I’ll take whatever punishment You want me to have. I just want to be back in fellowship with You! The Bible promises:

Isaiah 55:6-7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Repentance is to stop walking YOUR way, and walking WITH God in HIS way. Ty Gooch, the Senior Pastor of Fellowship Life Bible Church (Greater Chicago) notes:

“Christians who have genuinely repented seek to live in the light (1 John 1:5–7) and to avoid ungodliness because repentance requires not only forsaking sin but also putting on Christ (Romans 13:14). It demands that we turn away from debauchery and turning toward God by putting on Christ (Colossians 3:1–17). Practically, putting on Christ involves serving the Lord and others, and studying God’s Word. Putting in Christ means increasing fellowship, singing, praying, and setting our mind on the things above—primarily through fellowship in our local church. This process will take time, and we’ll continue to make missteps. But when God brings someone to repentance, the fruit will be evident over time (Luke 6:43–45).”

When Israel falsely repented God said “I will deliver you no more” (Judges 10:13). But once Israel “put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord”, what did God do? The Bible says:

Judges 10:16 his soul was grieved for
the misery of Israel

The Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary notes:

“Jehovah could no longer look down upon the misery of Israel; He was obliged to help. The change in the purpose of God does not imply any changeableness in the divine nature; it simply concerns the attitude of God towards His people, or the manifestation of the divine love to man. In order to bend the sinner at all, the love of God must withdraw its helping hand and make men feel the consequences of their sin and rebelliousness, that they may forsake their evil ways and turn to the Lord their God. When this end has been attained, the same divine love manifests itself as pitying and helping grace. Punishments and benefits flow from the love of God, and have for their object the happiness and well-being of men.”

Israel turned away from the thief of their sin nature, and put away their false gods to serve the Living God. The love of God will NEVER bless sin – EVER. What He has said is evil, will always be evil. What God has declared is GOOD will always be GOOD. You cannot blend evil into Christianity and still call it Christianity. What does the Scripture say?

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

God did not save us so we can walk with the thief of sin. He saved us from our sins so that we can walk in the Light with Him, both now and forever more. As Israel has repented and begun to serve God, they come together to do battle with the Ammonites.

Judges 10:17-18 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 18 And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

Upon their repentance (Then) God acted, and “gathered together”. The Enduring Word Commentary notes:

“God’s pattern for doing great works among His people is to raise up a man. He could do the work all by Himself; He could send angels to do the work for Him; He could use a leaderless mob or a committee. Yet God’s normal means of operating is to raise up a man, and through that man to do a great work. God uses leaders.”

God will raise up a judge called Jephthah to deliver Israel from their enemies. We’ll study him next week. May God bless you all as you grow in Him. Amen and Amen.

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, love God, repent, repentance, sin is death, sin kills, sin not my master | Leave a comment

Knowing You Have Eternal Life

Posted on May 1, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Anugrah Lohiya: https://www.pexels.com/photo/candle-with-light-667500/

1 John 5:13-15 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

The power that a Christian has in this life is the certain knowledge that you have eternal life. Of all the Apostles, at 88 years old John was the longest lived. The other Apostles were stoned to death, beheaded, fed to wild beasts in the coliseum, set on fire, crucified, pierced through with spears, or stabbed to death. The world and its fallen leaders tried their best to kill John. They boiled him in oil. When that didn’t kill him, they exiled him to the desert Isle of Patmos, expecting him to starve to death. In Patmos Jesus met him, and took John to Heaven to see the glories of the coming ages.

John and the other Apostles had something that every Christian should have. They had a certain knowledge of eternal life. John said:

vs 13 These things have I written unto you that
believe on the name of the Son of God

If you have BELIEVED on the NAME (the Authority of) the SON OF GOD (Jesus) John is addressing you. What does this mean? It means to believe, as John MacArthur notes:

There is only One God (1 Corinthians 8:6)
There is only One Savior (Acts 4:12)
There is only One True Religion (Ephesians 4:4-6)
There is only One Holy Book (John 17:17)
There is only One Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
There is only One Way of Salvation (John 14:6)

The first century Christian who “believed on the Name – the singular Authority of Jesus” were persecuted, just as Christians in America today are coming under increasing persecution. Just a few weeks ago a sin sick woman posing as a man murdered several in a school in Nashville. In response to this, the mainstream media outlets and social networks branded the killer the victim, and the victims the cause. An NBC News headline “Fear pervades Tennessee’s trans community amid focus on Nashville shooter’s gender identity”. The New York Post notes, “One day after the massacre of three little kids in Nashville, Amazon sent a message to “LGBTQIA+ employees and allies” expressing “support and solidarity during this period of apprehension and uncertainty.”

That should be no surprise to any who are Christ’s. Our Lord Jesus said:

John 3:20 (NLT) All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

Those who are God’s Children by faith in Christ have eternal life. We do not walk in darkness, but “walk in the light as Jesus is in the light” (1 John 1:7). John wrote what he wrote – under God’s direction – for two reasons:

1 John 5:13 that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Word Study: The word translated “know” is the Greek eidō, which means “to visibly SEE, to PERCEIVE, to EXPERIENCE a state or condition”.

John does not want you to have a hope so salvation,
but a know so salvation.

If you are a Christian, you should have some visible evidence of this. When the wise men came to see the baby Jesus, they told those in Jerusalem:

Matthew 2:2 … Where is He that is born King of the Jews? We have SEEN (eidō)His star in the East, and are come to worship Him.

There was evidence before these wise men that they followed to Jesus. If you are a Child of God, the Scripture tells you that you will SEE or PERCEIVE a change in your life, evidence that you are indeed a Christian. This evidence will support the reality that “you may BELIEVE ON THE NAME of the Son of God”.

Christianity is not a hope so religion, nor is it fire insurance. Christianity is a KNOW SO religion that proves itself by the PRESENCE OF GOD in your life.

The Christian Knows That God Is WITH Us Always

1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Word Study: What is the proof – the visible evidence that I can experience, see, and touch – that I am a Christian? It is that God hears my prayers. The word translated “ask” is the Greek aiteō. The word translated “petitions” is NOUN of the verb aiteō, the Greek aitēma. And then the word translated “desired” is once more the Greek aiteō. This word is frequently used throughout the Scriptures in describing prayer. Do you know what it means? It means just as it says – to ASK, to REQUEST, to VERBALLY SEEK SOMETHING from the Father Who loves you. To ask in NOT TO PESTER, as a spoiled child would pester a parent. “Mommy can I have that? Mommy can I have that? Mommy! Waa. Waa. WAAAAAAA!” That’s not ASKING, that’s DEMANDING. You cannot demand from God. God is your FATHER, and He knows what is best (see Matthew 6:8). So you ASK, not DEMAND.

If you are a child of God, the proof that you are a child of God is that you LOVE TO ASK God for things. If you rarely speak to God, you’re probably not saved!

The Christian is commanded to pray. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, (aiteō) and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh, (aiteō) receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

We are not told “every one who DEMANDETH, RECEIVETH”. It is not prayer to demand things from God. Yet as believers in God through Christ we can have this CONFIDENCE – our Heavenly Father hears our prayers. But there is a condition to His hearing:

1 John 5:14 … if we ask any thing
according to his will, He heareth us

How do we know God’s will? We can only know His Will through His Only Holy Book, the Bible. Juan Sanchez wrote:

“To understand God’s will, we must first have a biblical view of God. To truly help our people, then, remind them God has an eternal plan for His glory and our joy. And because God is sovereign, He’ll accomplish all His holy will (Isaiah 48:8-11).

But God isn’t only sovereign; God is also good. For this reason, we don’t have to fear what God wills for us. And thankfully, God has revealed His plan and purposes—His will—by His Word (Deuteronomy 29:29). We’re not in the dark about what God desires.”

The million dollar question is :
“What does the Bible say about what I want?”

This cuts out a lot of foolishness in prayer. For instance, if your lifestyle is walking in darkness rather than light, do not expect God to bless that. He will not violate His will. You have eternal life. You are to walk in the Spirit of God. What does the Scripture say?

Galatians 5:24-26 And they that are Christ’s have crucified {not AMPLIFIED but CRUCIFIED} the flesh with the affections and lusts {we put the bad desires on the Cross with Jesus}. 25 If {do we? If?} we live in the Spirit, let us also {in addition to} walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. {let us live to glorify God}

We pray according to the Word of God. But we also pray, asking ourselves first “Is what I am praying for to the glory of the God I love?”. God does not hear prayers outside of His good and perfect will. But you as a Christian should NOT be praying anything outside of God’s will. Listen to me, Beloved.

If you are Biblically illiterate, you cannot pray!

The Christian Knows That God Watches Us Always

This is one of the hardest, harshest, and most misunderstood Scriptures in all of the Bible. It speaks to both DEATH and LOVE. Read with me.

1 John 5:16-17 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ASK, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. {17} All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

God answers prayers that are within His will. What is one of the prayers that God will answer? It is that a fellow Christian NOT remain in sin, until that sin becomes a “sin unto death”. Before we saw the Greek word aiteō (ASK) used to describe prayer. John tells us that one of the prayers we should be praying for our fellow Christians is that they not commit sin unto death. In the above text we are told that there is (vs 16) “sin not unto death” but in the very next breath we are told “There is a sin unto death”. Then the Apostle says, “I do not say that he shall pray for it”. What is the Apostle telling us?

If sin does not bother you, you’re not saved!

The Bible tells us that “All unrighteousness is sin”. Unrighteousness is anything that is against God’s standard, as reflected in the Scripture. Unrighteousness or acting unrighteously, or sinfulness, brings sickness and death. The Nashville shooter was a mentally and spiritually unstable young woman who should have been told the truth instead of catered to. The homosexual is a mentally and spiritually unstable person that needs to be told the truth rather than celebrated (see Romans 1:24-32). The transsexual is a mentally and spiritually unstable person that needs to be told the truth rather than being catered to. Did you know that there are people today that that are asking doctors to surgically mutilate themselves because they want to be crippled? This is spiritually and mentally unstable! The Scripture says:

James 1:14-16 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. {15} Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. {16} Do not err, my beloved brethren.

The desires of the old sin nature will whisper, “Just try it. What’s the harm?” So lust CONCEIVES and “BRINGS FORTH SIN, which BRINGS FORTH DEATH”. The Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 15:56 … the STING OF DEATH is SIN …

What is SIN and NOT SIN is defined by God’s Word, the Bible. It is not defined by our opinion, but by God’s opinion. “Sin worketh death in me” (Romans 7:13). Sin is an awful employer. The Scripture says:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death …

There is a sin unto death – though not all sin leads to death. What sin leads to death? Repeated, unrepented of sin. We who are Christians are to care for one another, and to pray for one another that we stay away from the darkness, and continue to walk with Jesus.

The Churches that have compromised the Word of God in order to satisfy the dictates of the world are not proper Churches, but imitations of God’s kingdom.

1 John 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ASK (aiteo)

If you see a fellow Christian moving into sin (a sin NOT unto death), then you are to ASK (aiteo) God to convict them. You are to pray for them. But you are also to ASK that believer. You are to encourage one another to come together in the unity of THE Faith, as the Scripture says:

Ephesians 4:13-15 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

It is not love to allow someone to wander into sin. Thomas Constable notes:

“Many Christians have failed to realize that sinning always leads to dying, even among Christians (Romans 6:23). While it is true that no Christian will ever experience spiritual death (eternal separation from God), we do normally experience the physical consequences of our sinning. The fact that we all die physically is the proof of this.”

When a believer commits sin, he puts his foot on a road that will eventually lead to death if not corrected. But if the believer confesses his or her sin, then the curse is turned to blessing. We turn away from the sin unto death by turning back to Christ. How do we turn back to Christ? We confess our sin unto God BEFORE it becomes a “sin unto death”. The Bible says:

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

To “CONFESS” our sins is the Greek metanoeo, which means “to say the same thing about”. To sin before God without care is to bring death into our midst. The Apostle chastised the Church at Corinth because they condoned sin in their midst. The Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 11:30-32 {because of your sins} many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep {a Christian euphemism for physical death}. {31} For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. {32} But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

God punishes His children when they move into sin. Though He is gracious and merciful, God owns us and can take us where ever He wants.

Sin which is NOT discontinued will
eventually snowball into death!

The Christian way of life is incompatible with what God defines as sin. We are exhorted:

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

God our Father is very clear when He says:

Ezekiel 18:21-32 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. {22} All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. {23} Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: [and] not that he should return from his ways, and live? {24} But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

God will never justify sin – nor should we. It is unloving to do so. God says,

Ezekiel 18:31-32 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? {32} For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn [yourselves], and live ye.

Pray! If you are a Christian, seek God’s face. Read His Word, and pray with understanding. Pray the will of God. And if there are those of whom you know who are in clear Biblical sin, pray that God will draw them away from it. Lovingly approach them in private, and share the Word of God with them.

Christians WALK With God In The LIGHT,
Not With The Devil In The DARKNESS.

1 John 5:18-19 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Those who are “born again” keep themselves under control. The King James says, “whosoever is born of God sinneth not”. The word translated “SINNETH” is a Perfect Passive Participle in the Greek. The Enduring Word Commentary notes that:

“The grammar in the original language makes it plain John is speaking of a settled, continued lifestyle of sin. John is not teaching here the possibility of sinless perfection. As Stott says, ‘The present tense in the Greek verb implied habit, continuity, unbroken sequence.’”

John previously said this in:

1 John 3:5-8 And ye know that {Jesus} was manifested to TAKE AWAY OUR SINS; and in Him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in Him SINNETH NOT: whoso SINNETH {habitually, in CONTINUITY, without BREAKING SEQUENCE} HATH NOT SEEN HIM; neither knoweth Him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as {Jesus} is righteous. 8 He that COMMITTETH SIN IS OF THE DEVIL …

If you belong to Jesus, you cannot willingly and knowingly sin and stay in it. The Soniclight Commentary notes, “As in {John} 3:9, John affirmed that the basic nature of one who has God for his spiritual Parent is not to sin.” Pastor Voddie Baucham in quoting Romans 1:24-26 stated,

“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions … DISHONORABLE PASSIONS. The DESIRES THEMSELVES are DISHONORABLE. Enough already with this Gay Christian stuff. And I don’t just say “enough already”, I don’t mean this in a sense of, you know, they’re over there and I’m over here. I mean this in the pastoral sense. How cruel is that? If a man comes to me talking about a desire for a woman who is not his wife, I’m not going to tell him to just go ahead and embrace the desire, because the desire in and of itself is okay. It’s not!

Sin is sin, and sin kills. Jesus died on the Cross for your sins. He rose again to conquer your sins. You, dear Christian, may sin – but sin will NOT be your practice, your common mode of existence. No Christian indwelt of the Spirit, born again of the Blood of the Lamb, the purchased and adopted Child of God will long remain in sin. If you do, God can and will take your life. God will purify His Church by removing those who shame Him and taint His will on earth. There is a sin that leads unto death, and a sin that leads not unto death. The difference is found in repentance, and returning to the will of God.

As I conclude, let me say this. In the early Church Ananias and Sapphira met an early death for lying to God (Acts 5:1-10). The Corinthian Christians were meeting premature deaths for mishandling the Lord’s Table (1 Corinthians 11:30,31). In the Old Testament King Saul died the sin unto death for disobeying God (1 Chronicles 10:13-14; 1 Samuel 13:9-14). The Apostle Paul delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan (1 Timothy 1:19-20) for destruction because they were guilty of blasphemy. He also surrendered the unnamed young man of 1 Corinthians 5 to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. These are ample testimonies to the fact that there is a sin unto death. Do not believe that you, as God’s Children, can get away from the Lord and sin without consequence. Our God is a Faithful Father to His Children.

Do you know Him? It may be possible that you think you are a Christian, that you hope you are a Christian, but you are not a Christian. These things are written THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. Do you know? If you do not, today would be a good day to call upon the Name of the Lord. The Gospel has never changed.

Romans 10:9-11, 13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

If Jesus is your Lord, sin will not rule over you. Give yourselves to Him this very day. Amen and Amen!

Posted in 1 John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, Jesus Christ, love, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

Being Equal To God

Posted on April 29, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by JJ Jordan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-holding-balance-scale-3145477/

John 5:1-4 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

We start with the words “After this”. In John chapter four Jesus presented Himself as Messiah to a Samaritan woman of Sychar. The woman went to Sychar and told others that she met the Messiah. This in turn led the populace of Sychar to invite Jesus to come and stay with them. Revival broke out. Jesus left Sychar, and entering Cana of Galilee our Lord met a nobleman whose son was sick unto death.

Faith follows God. True faith does what God says do. Faith does not add to or take away from God’s Word, but glorifies God by obediently following Him.

We have seen what faith looks like. Now we see the faith of Jesus. We read:

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Though Jesus Christ is “God with us, Emmanuel” (Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 7:14), when He entered humanity He became subject to the same God that we are subject to. God told Moses to tell Israel,

Leviticus 23:1-2 … speak to the Israelites and say to them, “these are My appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of Yahweh, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies …

Though Israel had a weekly Sabbaths (on Saturday), there were seven Feasts also called High or Special Sabbaths. These were:

Passover (Exodus 12:1-4; Leviticus 23:5)
Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15-20, 39; Leviticus 23:6-8)
Firstfruits (Exodus 23:19; 34:26; Leviticus 23:9-14)
Weeks or Pentecost (Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:15-21)
Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23-25)
Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:1-34; 23:26-32)
Tabernacles or Booths (Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:33-38; 39-43)

The Feasts Reminded Israel Of God’s Grace

Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate one of these Feasts. As the Son of God, He honored the Father by obediently going to Jerusalem for the Feast. As Jesus Christ, the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36) enters Jerusalem heading toward the Temple, He goes by the sheep market to the pool of “Bethesda”. The name bēthesda means “house of mercy or house of kindness”. During the Biblical Feasts the children of Israel are supposed to be celebrating the goodness of God. The Feasts normally start with special Sabbaths so that people do not need to work, but instead take that time to remember the goodness of God. This should be a happy time.

Word Study: As Jesus comes to Bethesda we read that there are “five porches”. This is significant. In the Scripture, FIVE is the number of Grace. There are FIVE PORCHES or flat areas around this pool that people are laying on. These people are called “a great multitude of impotent folk”. The word “impotent” is the Greek astheneō, which means “weak, diseased, without strength, powerless”. This great multitude of people were absolutely helpless. They could do nothing to change the situation they were in. These people were not looking upward to God. They Bible says that they were:

John 5:3-4 … waiting for the MOVING OF THE WATER, 4 for an ANGEL went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was MADE WHOLE OF WHATSOEVER DISEASE he had …

These people were looking for the stirring of the waters to heal themselves. The Bible says that it was an Angel that stirred the water. I just want you to remember that not all angels are from God, and one of the greatest angels ever created is the most evil being there ever was. Lucifer, the angel we call Satan, caused an uprising in Heaven, and led a third of the angels there to rebel against God. I don’t have a problem believing that an angel stirred that water, because I believe it was one of Satan’s fallen who enticed people to stare at that pool. I don’t have a problem believing that the devil or one of his demons was the agent who stirred this water.

The devil’s desire is to kill, steal, and destroy anything that brings God glory. The devil did this in the Garden of Eden with a fruit, and is distracting God’s people into looking at the water in Bethesda.

God tells us in Isaiah 45:22-24 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. 24 Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

As humans we want to look unto other things to be saved, to be cured of what ails us. There is nothing else! When these people were without strength, they should have been looking upward to God. The Grace of God says:

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

John 5:5-6 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

Though there was a “MULTITUDE” of people laying on these five porches of Bethesda, Jesus singles out one person to approach. Why did Jesus come to this man, and not the others? The Bible malkes it a point to tell us that this man had been without strength “thirty and eight years”. Thirty eight is a significant number in the Bible. Two years after leaving Egypt, following God by Pillar of Fire and Pillar of Cloud, Israel sent ten spies into the Promised Land . Their task was to bring back an encouraging word to Israel that our God is True to His Promises (Numbers 13:17-20). What did the spies do? They searched the land for 40 days (Numbers 13:25), and though they returned with a report that the land was indeed bountiful, they said:

Numbers 13:31-32 We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. … And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel …

Their evil report robbed God of His glory! The people of Israel, instead of trusting God and entering the Promised Land, murmured against God and mocked Him, saying,

Numbers 14:3 … wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

Because of Israel’s faithlessness and failure to honor God, the Lord causes Israel to wander in the wilderness an additional 38 years (Deuteronomy 2:14).

All of the men of war died out. The second generation of Israel that went into the Promised Land were in effect without strength, and totally dependent on God. This man that Jesus went to is a mini parable of Israel. Israel kept their eyes on THINGS instead of GOD, and lost the blessing of God. This man is absolutely and totally without hope, without strength. There is no way he is going to get in that water! Jesus asks:

John 5:6 Wilt thou be made whole?

Do you really want to be made whole? Do you really want to enter the Promised Land? The man replies:

John 5:7 The impotent (astheneō, without strength) man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

The man is without hope. No one will help him get into the water. The water cannot save him. How can he be saved? He must choose to listen to Jesus and Jesus only. He cannot listen to the world, for the world tells him that his hope is in the water. He cannot listen to his neighbor, for his neighbor is focused on his own needs. Jesus speaks:

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

What is interesting in this command is that Jesus tells the man to do three things that he cannot possibly do. He says,

Rise
Take up your bed
Walk

This is not the only time Jesus will do this. When Jesus goes to Nazareth to minister the Bible tells us:

Matthew 9:2-7 … behold, they brought to {Jesus} a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

The man who was paralyzed was in that state because he had sinned against God. When Jesus told the man “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN YOU”, He put Himself in the place of God. The only One Who can forgive sin is God. When the Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy (dishonoring God), Jesus told the man, “Arise, take up thy bed, AND WALK”. The same thing is happening at Bethesda. This man is sick, totally unable to walk or get about for 38 years. Why? Because he failed to walk with God. Now God the Son comes to Him and says:

John 5:8 Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

Your sins have been forgiven you. That which crippled you is gone. Get up, and cross the Jordan. Walk with God. As Jesus said these words, the man is immediately healed. We read:

John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Those Who Are Saved Follow
And Heed The Lord Jesus

This man has been made whole by God the Son. The Pharisees should have rejoiced that he was healed. Were they? No! We read:

John 5:10-13 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

Anytime you see the phrase “The Jews” in John’s writings, it is always a reference to the Pharisees. The Pharisees took the clearly written Law of God and added their own traditions to it. There is nothing in Scripture that says that bedding cannot be carried on the Sabbath day (and this was a special Sabbath). The intent of the Sabbath was to restrict labor, so that people would take time to remember the goodness and Grace of God. Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:17 (ESV) Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Jesus would not have told this man to “Take up thy bed” if it was a violation of the Sabbath. It was only human customs and add-ons that were being broken. When the man related that it was “a Man” who told him to pick up his bed and walk, the Pharisees wanted to know which “man” told him to do this. He couldn’t tell them, because,

for Jesus had conveyed himself away

Had the people around Bethesda seen and processed that Jesus healed this man, our Lord would have been overwhelmed by people demanding healing. In this particular instance during this particular miracle Jesus is illustrating the nature of sin.

Sin leads us into misery, then cripples us.
Jesus can fix sin’s destruction – but you must hear Jesus.
Sin even invades and twists the Law of God.

God calls us out of sin not by our own hand, but by the hand of Christ. Jesus will save whosoever will hear Him. But you must look to Jesus, not to the water or the Pharisees. You must call upon the Name of the Lord.

John 5:14-15 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

Jesus Christ is the “Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But Jesus is also the “the Savior, Christ THE LORD” (Luke 2:11). Jesus was called “JESUS” because “He SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS”. Saving this man from whatever sin had debilitated him, Jesus told the man,

sin no more, lest a worse thing
come unto thee

What can be worst than 38 years of paralysis? I don’t know. But whatever it is, I don’t want it. The Bible tells us that

John 5:16-18 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

The Pharisees added to the Law of God their own traditions – then threatened to kill anyone who did not measure up to their standards. Those who are lost often use the “Law” to justify their actions. God calls the Christian to follow Him, to be like Christ in all that we say and do. Jesus told the Pharisees:

My Father worketh hitherto, and I work

We are called to glorify God daily in all that we say and do. The Child of God works for God. Are you working for God? Are you living your life to bring glory to Him Who saved you? May God the Holy Spirit draw you close to Jesus today. Live for the smile of God. Amen and Amen.

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, Jesus is God, Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Messiah, Jesus saves, love God | Leave a comment

Your Sin Will Find You Out, Abimelech

Posted on April 24, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Adonyi Gábor: https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-and-orange-fire-1558916/

Judges 9:1-3 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. 3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

The great Prophet Moses warned us all a long time ago:

Numbers 32:23 … be sure your sin will find you out.

Sin is nothing to wink at. When Cain sinned against God by offering the wrong sacrifice, God told Cain:

Genesis 4:7 (ESV) … sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it

Because Cain would not rule over his sin by repenting, and doing as God said, he ended up murdering his brother Abel. The stepbrother of Jesus said:

James 1:14-15 (ESV) … each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

The Bible describes sin as if it is a living thing. And it is. The Apostle Paul spoke of sin inside his own life, saying “it is no longer I who do it, but IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME THAT DOES IT”.

Sin unaddressed and unconfessed
Leads to terrible distress

Word Study: In Judges Chapter 9 we come to the story of a false judge named Abimelech. The title Abimelech (Hebrew ăḇîmeleḵ) is found 67 times in the Bible. The name means “Moloch is my father”, Moloch being a false god of the Canaanites. The name is NOT one you would expect to find among the children of God. The first time Abimelech is found in the Scripture is when Abraham told Abimelech the King of Gerar that Sarah was his sister (Genesis 20:2) because he feared for his life. When there was famine in the land, Isaac went to Abimelech King of the Philistines (Genesis 26:1) for aid, also claiming his wife Rebekah was his sister in fear for his life. When David ran from Saul, he changed his behavior before Abimelech (Psalm 34:1) and acted as a madman out of fear.

Abimelech is Gideon’s unconfessed sin come to life!

Gideon did a wonderful job in leading Israel to victory over the Midianite forces. At the end of the battles, the people came to Gideon and said:

Judges 8:22 … Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

They wanted Gideon to be their King, claiming he was the source of the victory over the Midianites. But Gideon refused, and rightly so. It was God Who gave the victory. In refusing to share glory with God, Gideon honored the Lord. But then Gideon let sin come into his life. He asked for all the earrings collected from the dead Midianites, and had them made into an Ephod, a Trophy that the people began to worship.

Judges 8:27 … all Israel went thither a whoring after {the Ephod}: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

If you worship ANYTHING above God, this horrible sin will become a SNARE that will entrap you. Gideon – also known as Jerubbaal {killer of Baal} – set and baited his own trap. The people began to worship and serve the Ephod instead of God. Gideon then began to sexually wander from God. God designed marriage to be a covenant between man and woman. We read:

Judges 8:30-31 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

Gideon not only had “many wives” (which gave him 70 children), Gideon had a girlfriend on the side, a “concubine that was in Shechem”. This is where “Abimelech” came from. In other places in the Scripture, Abimelech is a TITLE. But here we see Gideon NAMING this illegitimate child “Abimelech”. When Abimelech came of age he started a conspiracy. Again,

Judges 9:1-3 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal {Gideon’s child by a concubine} went to SHECHEM unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. 3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

When Gideon sinned sexually, he did so in SHECHEM. Shechem is a very important place in the Scripture. It was at Shechem that God promised Abraham the land of Canaan. Shechem is where a Levitical city of refuge was given to the Kohathites (Joshua 21:20-21). It was in Shechem that Joseph’s bones were buried (Joshua 24:32). It was at Shechem that Abraham and his grandson Jacob built an altar to God (Genesis 12:7; 33:18-20). Gideon’s son Abimelech was from Shechem. Abimelech goes to his uncles, his mother’s brothers, and asks them to start a campaign to make him king of Israel. He did not do this because God raised him up. God raised up JUDGES once Israel repented, and the JUDGES led Israel to victory over those who had afflicted them.

Abimelech wanted what his father Gideon himself had turned down. He wanted to be king.

Abimelech did not believe in God, but in himself. His platform in gaining office was:

Judges 9:2 … Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you?

What he suggested was that – if he were NOT made king – then the 70 sons of Gideon {Jerubbaal} would become kings. Abimelech hated his half brothers because he was the “non-inheritance” son of a concubine. One commentary notes:

“Among the early Arabians, a concubine or secondary ‘wife’ stayed with her own clan and was visited by her ‘husband’ from time to time. The children of the union belonged to the wife’s clan. Abimelech, the son of a concubine, had close relations with the family of his mother. He sought their help in supporting his claims to the throne.”

Judges 9:4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.

Word Study: Abimelech had “threescore and ten” half brothers. He rejected them, and was given “threescore and ten” pieces of silver to “hire vain and light persons” that would follow him around and support him. The words “vain and light” is the Hebrew rêq pāḥaz, which means “worthless and wanton, absolutely useless”. The only purpose these people had was to follow Abimelech around like “yes” men and make him look good. This is the absolute opposite of what God ordered of those He chose for leadership. When Moses was overwhelmed with the leadership he had to give to the people, God told him:

Numbers 11:16-17 (ESV) … the LORD said to Moses, Gather for Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

The Council of 70 that God had Moses gather would later be known as the “Sanhedrin”. The Great Sanhedrin was a type of Supreme Court in Israel, led by the High Priest. The Got Questions site notes,

“The Sanhedrin as a body claimed powers that lesser Jewish courts did not have. As such, they were the only ones who could try the king or extend the boundaries of the Temple and Jerusalem, and were the ones to whom all questions of law were finally put.”

The 70 assistants were not there to prop up a false king, but to guide God’s leadership in doing God’s work. Abimelech was not interested in God. This is shown in his murderous acts.

Judges 9:5-6 And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

All but “Jotham the youngest son” of Gideon was murdered by Abimelech. Before Jotham went into hiding, under the inspiration of God he prophesied the eventual disaster that would come about because those of Shechem chose to make Abimelech King. This is known as …

The First Parable In The Bible:
Leadership Matters!

Word Study: The name “Jotham” (Hebrew yôṯām) means “Jehovah is perfect”. Jehovah – our God – is perfect. When we choose Him to be our King, we can only expect blessing. But when we choose people divorced from God to be our leaders, we get the leadership we deserve. As “Jehovah is perfect” recites what is called the first parable in the Bible, he stands “in the top of mount Gerizim”:

Judges 9:7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

“mount Gerizim” sits directly opposite Mount Ebal, with Shechem in their valleys. Mount Gerizim is about 30 miles from Jerusalem. When Israel entered the Promised Land, God had the Israelis build an altar to God on Mount Ebal. God had the tribes divide up:

Deuteronomy 27:12 (ESV) … these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

Deuteronomy 27:13 (ESV) … these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

Gideon’s tribe was of Manasseh. It was Manasseh and Ephraim together which formed the Tribe of Joseph. So Jotham stood on Mount Gerizim where his ancestors stood, pronouncing the blessings of God on the obedience of His people.

As Jotham stood on Mount Gerizim, he cried out:

Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you

He is calling for the REPENTANCE of the men of Shechem. They have made a bad decision in calling for Abimelech, and their bad decision will end up hurting them badly. In the parable, the olives, fig trees, and grape vines represent GOOD leadership, the leaders that they should have chosen. The brambles represent Abimelech.

Judges 9:8-9 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

The “trees” decided that they wanted a King. So they went to the “olive tree”, and asked him to leave his God given assignment to become their King. But the “olive tree” was too wise. He said, “Should I leave my fatness” – for the tree was richly blessed. Why? Because when you do what God calls you to do with ALL your strength, God will bless you with FATNESS. You honor God when you live for Him.

Proverbs 3:9-10 (NLT) Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.

Romans 14:8 (ESV) if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

Psalm 37:4 (ESV) Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

The Olive Tree had better sense than to leave his God given calling to be elevated above the other trees. Then the trees went to the Fig Tree:

Judges 9:10-11 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

The TREES were emphatic. They wanted a King but did not want that King to be God. But the “fig tree” was equally smart. Why leave his God given calling to be “promoted over the trees”? The missionary Elisabeth Elliot said:

“I have one desire now – to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it.”

Abimelech passionately hated his brothers, a hate they did not deserve. The fig tree loved its sweetness and its good fruit. No good leader ever hates God, nor is indifferent about God’s love. Solomon was such a great King because he said:

Song of Solomon 3:4 (ESV) … I found Him whom my soul loves. I held Him, and would not let Him go …

Oh, the joy of finding and serving the Lord! The Fig Tree would not give up one moment of that bliss for the fame of fallen man!

Judges 9:12-13 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Again the trees sought a King outside of God. Though rebuffed by two great leaders, they turned to the “vine”. The fruit of the vine blesses both God and man. Why would the vine leave its calling to puff up itself with pride?

Proverbs 16:18 (CSB) Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.

None of the productive leaders would take the place of God as King. So finally the trees go to the “bramble”.

Judges 9:14-18 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

My commentary notes:

“Brambles bore no fruit and offered no shelter or protection. They only injured those who got too close to them. Moreover, brambles sometimes spontaneously burst into flames in hot weather, and consequently caused much damage (v. 15). …

Even today when a good ruler comes into office, many folk say, ‘God raised him up.’ What about the wicked ruler? God permits him to come to the throne also [cf. Daniel 4:17]. Do you know why? Because the principle is ‘like priest, like people.’ That is, people get the ruler they deserve. The people of Israel wanted this boy Abimelech to rule over them; and they got the caliber of man they deserved. Friend, when we look around our world today, we find this principle is still true.”

God allows the wicked rulers to rise up to punish us when we reject Him as King. That “BRAMBLE” Abimelech would not only murder 69 of his brothers and shame the legacy of his father Gideon, but he would end up destroying those who so faithfully supported him. Jotham now pronounces:

Judges 9:19-21 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

Though Jotham went into hiding, it wasn’t long before the Parable came to pass. God allowed Abimelech to come to power and reign three years before problems came.

Vengeance Is Mine Saith The Lord

Judges 9:22-25 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. 25 And the men of Shechem set liers {sat in wait – ambushed} in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

We are told that after three years “God sent an evil spirit” between Abimelech and his family. God is the ultimate Source of all things. Just as God would later send a harmful spirit to afflict King Saul (1 Samuel 16:14; 18:10; 19:9) and to entice King Ahab that he would be defeated at Ramoth Gilead (1 Kings 22:19-23), God sends an evil spirit on Abimelech and his family. His family begins to rob travelers, humiliating the King. It is on thing when strangers are lawless, and quite another when your family is lawless.

Judges 9:26-29 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him? 29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

“Gaal” was a Canaanite who hated Abimelech because he was Gideon’s son. So he conspires with the men of Shechem to go to war against Abimelech and his army. What happens next is a bloodbath! In Judges 9:30-45 Zebul the ruler of the city of Shechem tells Abimelech about the insurrection in the city, so Abimelech surrounds the city with four companies of soldiers. As Gaal and his men were defeated, we are told:

Judges 9:41 … Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

As Gaal and his men were thrust out, Abimelech led three companies of men against them (Judges 9:43), and utterly destroyed the opposition. Abimelech then led his men to cruelly burn to death (Judges 9:48-52) a thousand men and women. Yet, as Abimelech ordered the burning of these people, a woman who was high up in the tower …

Judges 9:53-57 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull. 54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A women slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place. 56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Be sure your sin will find you out! You can no more tame sin than you can a rabid dog. Turn away from evil, and follow God. REPENT! Choose Godly leadership while you can. May God touch your hearts with his Word! Amen and Amen.

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, love God, repent, repentance, sin, sin is death, sin kills | Leave a comment

Three Bear Record In Heaven

Posted on April 24, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Taryn Elliott: https://www.pexels.com/photo/back-view-of-a-person-standing-on-a-vast-green-grass-field-4652275/

1 John 5:6-7 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record ….

One of my favorite Christmas programs is “Miracle on 34^th Street”. Not the modern “remakes” of the movie, but the original 1947 classic that won three Academy Awards. It starred Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood (when she was but 8 years old), and Edmund Gwenn (as Kris Kringle). If you remember the show, Kris Kringle was put on trial because he claimed to be the one and only Santa Claus. The movie climaxed when Kris’ lawyer (Payne) has about 18 sacks of mail brought in from the Post Office, all delivered to the Courthouse by the Post Office. Based on this final “witness” the Judge declared Kris to be sane – and the only Santa Claus.

It’s a cute story – and a fantasy. But it bears what our text is covering today.

Word Study: When our Lord Jesus walked the earth, the name “Jesus” (the Greek iēsous or the Hebrew yᵊhôšûaʿ) was a fairly common name. The name “Jesus” literally means “Jehovah is salvation”, which is also what the Hebrew Joshua means. There were many named “Jesus” who walked the earth at the same time our Jesus did. The well known successor of Moses, Joshua (Hebrew name) was called “Jesus” in the language of the New Testament (see Acts 7:45; Hebrews 4:8). The Apostle Paul ministered with a Jewish Christian named “Jesus, also called Justus” (Colossians 4:11). When Jesus stood before Pilate, Pilate asked the people if they would release Jesus or Barabbas. Some ancient manuscripts tells us that Barabbas was actually named Jesus Barabbas. If so, Pilate was asking the people in effect “Which “Jesus” do you want to release?” They executed our Lord.

Our Jesus told us:

Matthew 24:5, 24 (ESV) For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. … 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

How do we KNOW that OUR Jesus Christ – the One found in the New Testament – is the ONLY WAY to God? The Bible itself establishes the means by how we make this determination. God told His people:

Deuteronomy 17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

Had Jesus alone declared Himself to be the Messiah – the Christ – this alone would not be proof that He is Who He says He is. There must be “At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses”, that is, two or three people must declare that they saw and know that Jesus is the Messiah. They must verbally declare Him as Messiah. They must be authoritative. So now Scripture calls its Witnesses:

Jesus Christ Came By WATER And BLOOD

1 John 5:6 This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.

Word Study: What does it mean that Jesus “CAME by WATER and BLOOD”? Let’s deal with the word “CAME”, the Greek erchomai. This word means “to come from one place to another”. When the Wise men searched for Jesus “born King of the Jews” they told Jerusalem “we have seen His star in the east, and are COME to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2). The Wise Men came from the east – probably from Babylon – hundreds of miles to see Jesus. But Jesus came from much farther away than that. Jesus Christ came to us from Eternity. Jesus “CAME by WATER”, a phrase used in John 3 by Jesus to represent normal human birth. Jesus said:

John 3:5-6 … Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

To be “BORN OF WATER” is to be born of the flesh, of a human mother. Jesus was “BORN OF WATER” of a normal human female – but His birth is unique in that He is born of a virgin. It was prophesied that the Messiah – “God with us” – would be born of a virgin.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Only Jesus Christ fulfilled this prophesy. The Angel of God told Joseph, the husband of Mary:

Matthew 1:21 And {Mary} shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His Name JESUS {God our Savior}: for HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS 22 All this was done, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken of the Lord {in Isaiah 7:14}, BEHOLD, a virgin shall be with Child, and shall BRING FORTH A SON, and they shall call His Name EMMANUEL which being interpreted, GOD WITH US.

Only Jesus Christ is virgin born. Only Jesus Christ is “GOD WITH US”. Jesus was normally born of water, of woman. But Jesus Christ was conceived of God. The Angel told Mary His mother:

Luke 1:35 … The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

As Eternal God, Jesus was with God the Father and God the Spirit in eternity past. But Jesus “was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us” (John 1:14). Jesus did not COME INTO BEING through Mary, but CAME INTO HUMANITY through Mary. Jesus came of water.

Jesus coming of water not only refers to His supernatural and unique BIRTH, but He CAME INTO HIS MINISTRY through the witness of water baptism.

Jesus was sent by the Father to be the Savior of the world. As Eternal God the Son, Jesus had a Herald that went before Him, that Herald being John the Baptist. John’s ministry was prophesied through Isaiah, just as the virgin birth of Jesus was prophesied (see Isaiah 40:3). The Pharisees and Scribes asked John in he was the Messiah because of his following, and John told them “I am NOT the Messiah” (John 1:19). John was the Herald of the Messiah. Our Lord Jesus came to John, and commanded that he baptize Him in water. Though John initially refused (Matthew 3:14), he soon did so. As Jesus came up out of the water the Bible says:

Matthew 3:16-17 when {Jesus} was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

At Jesus’ baptism both God the Father as well as God the Spirit witnessed that He and He alone is the Messiah. Our Lord Jesus came by water. He was sent of God from glory to become flesh on this earth. He came by the water of baptism, receiving the witness of both Father and Spirit.

1 John 5:6 … not by water only, but by water and blood.

Jesus was uniquely born into this world to be our Savior. But Jesus did not come by WATER only, but “by water and blood”. Why is “BLOOD” important? Because when Adam sinned, God covered Adam’s sin with the blood of the innocent (Genesis 3:21). It is the blood of humans that contains our life force. The Bible says:

Leviticus 17:14 (NLT) … the life of every creature is in the BLOOD …

When Adam sinned, he brought the penalty of death on himself and his progeny. God told Adam “in the day you eat thereof, you shall surely die”. Adam was due death because of his sin, but God gave him an escape by the spilling of blood of the innocent.

God established animal sacrifices that would temporarily cover the sins of humans. These sacrifices were repeated over and over because they were only temporary. A Once and for All Innocent had to come to make payment for our sins. God told Israel under the Old Covenant:

Leviticus 17:11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life …

It is the BLOOD that covers sin – “makes atonement for one’s life”. The Blood of the guiltless substitute made payment for the sins and shortcomings of the people. Yet these were only temporary. The Bible says:

Hebrews 10:1 (NLT) The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship …

God sent His Son Jesus into the world to once and for all fulfill the Law of sacrifice. When Jesus was sent into the world, He told the Father:

Hebrews 10:5 (NLT) … You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer …

God the Father was never satisfied with the animal sacrifices, but winked at them until the Lord Jesus Christ came. The Bible says:

Hebrews 1010 (ESV) … we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

It is the Blood of Jesus Christ that “purified our consciences from sinful deeds so we can worship the Living God. Jesus Christ offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins” (Hebrews 9:14, my paraphrase). Jesus came by water so He could enter this life as the unique Messiah. Jesus came by BLOOD to die on Calvary for our sins. We who are saved have …

Revelation 7:14 … washed their robes and made them white in the BLOOD of the Lamb.

One commentary notes:

“Believers are cleansed, forgiven, and made right with God by the blood of the Lamb, God’s guiltless substitute. The life that Christ emptied of its blood now pumps everlasting life into our veins. Oh, how astounding it is that God would shed His own blood to pay the penalty for our sins!”

The Three Witnesses In Heaven Lead
To The Indwelling Witness In You

1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record ….

There are “THREE THAT BEAR RECORD IN HEAVEN”. We spoke of these THREE before. The first Witness in Heaven is God the Father. God spoke from Heaven, saying not just at the Baptism of Christ, but also at the Mount of Transfiguration:

Matthew 17:5 … THIS is My BELOVED SON, in Whom I am well pleased; HEAR YE HIM

The Apostle Peter, the leader of the Apostles, declared that “{Jesus} received from God the Father honor and glory {when He spoke from the glory of Heaven, saying} THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, in Whom I am well pleased.” The Apostles Peter, Mark, and Matthew all heard and testified of this Voice from glory. But not only did the Father speak from Heaven to earth, The Scripture says that the Father said before the Angels:

Hebrews 1:8 … unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.

Jesus was declared both the Son of God as well as equal to God by God the Father. The Holy Spirit declared Jesus to be the one and only Messiah. Before Jesus went to the Cross for our sins, He told His disciples:

John 16:7-15 (ESV) Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

The Holy Spirit witnesses of Christ in Heaven, and on the earth. It is the Holy Spirit that leads people to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

1 John 5:8-10 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

John now brings out an interesting point. Jesus came by “WATER and BLOOD”. He was uniquely born of the virgin into this life. Both the Father and the Spirit witnessed that Jesus is the Christ. Once you believe on Jesus, follow this,

1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself

What is John talking about? Once you receive Christ’s birth and death as true, and receive Jesus as the ONE AND ONLY MESSIAH, then YOU HAVE THE WITNESS OF GOD WITHIN YOURSELF. God the Holy Spirit moves into the framework of your life.

The lost do not have the indwelling Spirit, nor do the lost care about the Word of God. Only those “Born Again” of Christ have the Spirit of God!

The world in its lostness follows after darkness and evil. People ask, “Why the Nashville shootings? Why all these shootings that we are seeing around America today?” The simple answer that liberals and progressives will give you is “let’s blame the guns and the bullets”. It’s not that the lost have guns and bullets that we have problems. It is that the lost have NOT the Spirit of God indwelling in them”. They are indwelt by darkness, by selfishness, by greed. The Christian proper, however, has the Witness of God within them. What does the Bible say?

Romans 8:13-16 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

It is not the DENOMINATION that makes the Christian, but that the DIVINE lives within you. The Spirit of God leads the Child of God, just as the Pillar of Fire led Israel from Egypt. “if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live”. The person who claims to be a Christian who continually “LIVES AFTER THE FLESH” is not a Christian. Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 7:16 … Ye shall know them BY THEIR FRUITS …

If you are constantly and apologetically living in darkness, then the Holy Spirit of God does not live in you. The Holy Spirit is not a Visitor to your life. Jesus said, “He lives WITH you and WILL BE IN YOU” (John 14:17). Even clearer and more applicable to the “American” Christian today is the warning from God about sexual sin:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Glorify God in YOUR BODY. Do not live selfishly and niggardly as the lost do. Because the Witness of the Spirit lives in you, Christ Jesus also lives in you (Colossians 1:27). Because the Holy Spirit lives within you, God the Father is also in you (1 John 4:15).

You Will Not Live Forever HERE –
But Christian, You WILL Live Forever!

Who indwells you? The Spirit of God, or the spirit of darkness? Jesus said “if your focus is bad, your whole body will be filled with darkness (Matthew 6:23). Christians are NOT in darkness – but the lost are. In the last few years, a biological MALE …

has been named “Woman of the year” on several magazine covers
is referenced as a “Top Ranking Female” in the White House
is named the NCAA Women’s Swimmer of the year
is making millions being the face of women for Nike, Tampax, and Bud
took home the “Best Actress” award at the Golden Globes

This is no more than a mental health crisis brought on by the Antichrist and the spirit of darkness. The Christian does NOT walk in evil, but walks with GOD daily. We finish with this:

1 John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Word Study: The word translated “record” is the Greek martyria, from which we get our word “Martyr”. The Witness or Martyr’s Testimony given to us at great cost is that “God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son”. If you have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you have “eternal life”. That doesn’t mean you will live on this earth forever. These old bodies are breaking down daily. But Beloved, as Jesus is, so you shall be. You will one day pass from this place to glory because you have the Son – and having the Sn, you have LIFE. May God lead you to eternal life this very day! In Christ’s name I pray, and through His Spirit I ask. Amen and Amen.

Posted in 1 John, Sermons Preached | Tagged mental illness, mentality, Spirit Led, Spiritual, the saved love, the saved obey God | Leave a comment

Noble Faith Matters

Posted on April 21, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Rodolfo Clix: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-image-of-person-praying-1615776/

What Is “Faith”?

Please turn with me in your Bibles to John 4:43. The Bible has quite a bit to say about “Faith”. In fact, the world has quite a bit to say about “Faith”. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “Faith” as:

“Allegiance to duty or to a person. Belief and trust in and loyalty to God. Firm belief in something for which there is no proof. Something believed especially with strong conviction, especially a system of religious beliefs.”

Everyone has faith. The …

– Atheist has faith there is no God, and the
– Humanist believes that people are gods. The
– Evolutionist has faith in Darwinism and so called evolutionary science. The
– Diseased often place their faith in medicines and medical science. The
– Politician believes their party is perfect, whereas the
– Progressive SJW has faith in one’s ability to reimagine oneself. The
– Christian is called to have faith in Christ and His Word, the Bible.

Those who are not Christians put their faith in various pagan gods and goddesses, various processes, types of people or political parties. Everyone has faith. When you drove to Church tonight, you had faith that your fellow motorists do not want to forfeit their lives. When you pass a car on the highway, you are about 24” from death. Yet you continue to drive. Why? It’s FAITH. You have faith that the person hurling toward you at speed is not texting, or that the driver is not suicidal.

Faith in people and things can be misplaced. Faith in Jesus is NEVER wrong. Because the Samaritan woman had faith in Jesus, she went to Sychar and told her friends about Him. Because others expressed faith in Christ, He went to Sychar and stayed two more days.

God will come to you if you believe in His Word! God went to Sychar because they believed in His Word.

John 4:41-42 And many more believed because of Jesus’ own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

Faith is something that YOU must have. We are saved by FAITH in Jesus. As I’ve often quoted:

Ephesians 2:8 For by GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH and that not of yourselves …

Because you placed FAITH in your CAR, you got here tonight. If you had no faith in your car, you would still be at home. Faith proves itself by action. Faith goes, and does. Faith in God draws God to us. We read:

John 4:43-44 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in His own country.

Faith In God’s Word Brings God To Us, Whereas
NO Faith In God’s Word Pushes Him Away

Jesus went to Nazareth to minister, but the people had no faith in the Son of God. The Scripture says:

Mark 6:2-6 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief.

When Jesus grew up in Nazareth, He grew up waiting on God the Father, waiting to reveal Himself as the Christ. Other than one brief time when Jesus taught the priests in the Temple the Law of God (Luke 2:42-49), Jesus grew up and worked with His stepfather Joseph as a carpenter. Because those in Nazareth grew up around Jesus and saw nothing particularly special in Him and His earthly family, they discounted Him when He revealed Himself as the Messiah. Because His hometown had no faith in Him “he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them”. Faithlessness binds the blessings of God away from us. Jesus left Nazareth, and went to Samaria and Galilee to do His work as Messiah. Why? Because there was NO FAITH in Him in His hometown. “a prophet hath no honor in His own country”.

John 4:45 THEN when He was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received Him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

Word Study: When Jesus came into Galilee the “Galilaeans received Him”. The word translated “received” is the Greek dechomai (pronounced dekh’-om-ahee), which means “to take hold of, to take up, to receive or grant access to as a VIP, to receive into intimate relationship with”. The Bible says:

John 1:11-12 {Jesus} came unto His own, and His own RECEIVED {paralambanō} Him not. 12 But as many as RECEIVED {lambanō} HIM, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.

The word RECEIVED – which in the Greek can be dechomai, paralambanō or lambanō, are words that illustrate FAITH. FAITH receives. FAITH does. FAITH moves toward.

It matter what or who you have faith in. The Samaritans had faith in Jesus because they heard His Words. They said:

John 4:42 … we have HEARD HIM OURSELVES

They BELIEVED JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH “BECAUSE OF HIS OWN WORD” (John 4:41). They believed the Word of God. They believed the SCRIPTURE Jesus quoted as His own. They believed that Jesus is the LIVING BIBLE, the WORD OF GOD COME TO LIFE. But what of the Galileans, the Jews of Galilee? What did they believe in? We read:

John 4:45 …. the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast …

The Galileans did not focus on the Word of Christ, but the Works of Christ. They believed Him a Prophet because of what He DID, not because of what he SAID.

They were at Jerusalem, and saw the Lord overturn the tables of the moneychangers and chase away the buyers and sellers. The Bible tells us that “when {Jesus} was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in His name, when they saw the miracles which He did” (John 2:23). Yet the Bible tells us that “Jesus would not commit Himself to them” (John 2:24), because they believed the WORKS, but not the WORD. The Galileans believed Jesus to be a Great Prophet, or a Great Magi. But they believed based on the miracles He did, not based on the Word of God that He spoke. Their faith was a false faith. Henry Morris wrote in his commentary:

“The enthusiasm of the Galileans was not soundly based. It was dependent on the WONDERS arising from their sight of the signs, not on a realization that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Their very acceptance of Him was thus in its way a rejection. They gave Him honor of a sort, but it was not the honor that was due to Him.”

Saving faith believes that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s Word, and a fulfillment of the promises that God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Saving faith believes that Jesus is the Christ because the Bible says so, not just because Jesus did miracles.

Satan can make himself appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14. The Magi of Egypt were able to imitate Moses when his rod turned into a snake. During the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will “by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10) deceive the people into following him. Jesus told us that “false prophets would come and perform great signs and wonders, deceiving many” (Matthew 24:24). There were many people who believed on Jesus, but NOT unto salvation.

We Are To Believe Jesus’ WORD

The Bible talked about different types of faith (faith in the WORD or faith in the WORKS), and now gives us a example of what Christ would have of us. We read:

John 4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

Jesus comes into “Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine”. This was His first miracle ever performed. As soon as Jesus enters Cana, a “certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum” comes to Jesus. Who was this nobleman? The word “NOBLEMAN” is the Greek basilikos, which means”a royal official”. He was a man who served the puppet King Herod Antipas (Mark 6:14) in a civil or military capacity. The “NOBLEMAN” had a son sick at Capernaum, some 20 miles from Cana.

John 4:47-49 When {the Nobleman} heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

The Nobleman wanted Jesus to travel from Cana to Capernaum to heal his son. A Jew, the Jews often rejected Jesus as Messiah, demanding that Jesus show them “SIGNS AND WONDERS”. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day – the Pharisees and Sadducees – constantly asked Jesus for “signs from Heaven” (Matthew 16:1). Jesus told them:

Matthew 16:4 (NIV) A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.

A person is not saved because of signs and wonders, but is saved by believing the Word of God.

Illustrate: Israel saw incredible signs at Sinai under Moses, and even heard the Voice of God (Exodus 19:16-20:1), but in just 40 days they forgot the signs and demanded Aaron create a golden calf for them to worship (Exodus 32:1-6). Faith in signs and wonders will never save. What saves is trust in God’s Word through God’s Messiah. The Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 1:18-24 … the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

When the Pharisees often demanded signs from Jesus (Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; Matthew 12:38-41), He told them “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” The proof that He is Messiah was given from the Word of God and through the resurrection and the empty tomb. God will fulfill His Word.

You Are Not Saved Unless You Believe Jesus.
Believing Is To ACT On What He Commands.

Jesus tells the nobleman:

John 4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

The nobleman is at a crossroad. He was demanding that Jesus come to Capernaum and heal his son. But Jesus tells him to “GO THY WAY – go home”. The Christ has spoken. The son is not dying, but has been made whole. What will the man do? Will he continue to demand Jesus come with him? No, the Bible says “THE MAN BELIEVED THE WORD THAT JESUS HAD SPOKEN”. He believed the Word of God. The man quit pleading with Jesus, and headed home. We now he believed for he did what Jesus said do.

Jesus Christ is more than a miracle Man, more than a great Teacher. Jesus Christ is the Messiah. So many today are – as the Scripture says –

2 Timothy 3:7 (NASB) always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

– Some have a NAZARETHFAITH. They are so FAMILIAR with Jesus, that they can’t believe He is the Christ.
– Some have a GALILEAN FAITH. They will believe Jesus, but only when they see a SIGN.
– The saved, however, have a SAMARITAN SYCHAR FAITH. They believe the Word of Jesus, and act on what they believe.

The nobleman believed the Word of Jesus, and headed home to his son. We are told that “the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him”, and based on the Word of God headed home. He obeyed the Word of the Lord. What was the result?

John 4:51-53 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

If you are merely trusting in Jesus Christ as a good teacher (the Nazareth faith), or if your trust is based on the good things He can give you, then you have traded the best things for the merely good things. Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to adopt many children into God’s Kingdom. He came to destroy the power of death, and to redeem those who lived under the shadow of death. Sooner of later every one of us will stand before the Creator and give Him a reason as to why you should be allowed to enter into Glory with Him. The only answer that matters is that you know Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. I pray that you have made that choice. Your eternity depends on it! Amen and Amen!

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible is accurate, Bible Study, Faith, faith in God, God Is Faithful | Leave a comment

Whosoever Is Whatsoever Is All

Posted on April 19, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

https://pixabay.com/photos/stone-tablets-ten-commandments-1242854/

1 John 5:1-5 KJV Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. (2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. (3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. (4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. (5) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

We’re always hearing bad news in the news, and many of us long for the time when there was less sexual perversion and more common sense in America. But surprisingly, a recent Barna Survey reported:

“Recent data show that Americans are trending toward spiritual openness. As of October 2022, Barna data show three out of four U.S. adults (74%) say they want to grow spiritually. Additionally, the same proportion (77%) say they believe in a higher power. Nearly half (44%) say they are more open to God today than before the pandemic.”

The door is open to the growth of God’s Kingdom. How will God’s people respond. Sheldon Vanauken, the author of “A Severe Mercy” (a beautiful book) wrote:

“The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians—when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.”

Christians have always been attacked. People call us names. “Homophobic. Transphobic. Misogynistic.” Let them call us names. Regardless as to what the world feels, let us stand firm on God’s Word. The world called Jesus “Drunkard. Sinner. Illegitimate Son. Insane.” Jesus stuck with God’s Word. Over and over He declares,

“It is written.”

Let the world call you anything – but beware of the title “hypocrite”.

Jesus called the religious right of His day “hypocrites” because they departed from the Word of God in favor of human traditions.

Christianity is indelibly tied t the clear Word of God. And …

True Christianity Has “Strings” Attached To It

1 John 5:1 KJV Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him

Look at those first words.

1 John 5:1 KJV Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God

Salvation is a free gift from God. However, that free gift comes with consequences or strings attached. It is only in America that people believe that Christianity comes with no strings attached. I hear this nonsense all the time. Deceived people and deceiving preachers say,

“Christianity is a free gift from God. Just believe on Jesus, and you’ll go to Heaven. God expects nothing from you. He’ll accept you just the way you are – and you don’t need to change. He loves you as you are. It’s just a free gift.”

There’s a “church” down the street from us that has on their sign,

“Come as you are. Change if you will.”

That’s hogwash! That’s secular religion. That has nothing whatsoever to do with Christianity. Christianity is a free gift from God. It is necessarily free, because there is NOTHING you can do to earn or deserve it. One of my favorite Scriptures on salvation is not John 3:16 (which is a beautiful but often abused and misinterpreted text) but instead,

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, it is the GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast. Here we pause before I quote VERSE 10. Salvation is a FREE GIFT not earned OF OURSELVES. The Scripture is clear on this. However, you need to now read VERSE 10. For WE ARE HIS {GOD’S} WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus UNTO {to DO} GOOD WORKS, which God hath BEFORE ORDAINED {ORDERED/ COMMANDED} that we should walk in them.

If you are SAVED, you are God’s WORKMANSHIP. God will work on you. God will change you. Entering the system is free – but once in the system God will begin to form Christ in your life. God has expectations of those whom He saves. Once you freely enter into the family of God by the Blood of Christ, you are

(1) subject to the Fatherhood of God,
(2) indwelt by the Spirit of God, and
(3) commanded to live according to the Word of God.

Illustrate: God gave us an illustration of this in His nation Israel. Saving them from enslavement to Egypt, God demanded they obey His rules. When Israel refused to do so, God punished them. This has not changed from Old to New Testament. We are told in

Hebrews 12:6-8 (ESV) For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

You cannot get away with sin! The giant string attached to Christianity is the loving Fatherhood of God. If you are saved, you are changed, and are being changed. Christians will behave differently. You will willingly obey His Word.

You Will Love Your Brother And Sister In Christ

1 John 5:1 KJV Whosoever (PAS) believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one (PAS) that loveth Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him

Word Study: The words translated “Whosoever” and “every one” is the same Greek word pas, which simply means “ALL”. Salvation is offered to ALL. ALL who believe that “Jesus is the Christ”, the One and Only Messiah, they are “born of God”. When you are “born of God” your being changes. Your state changes. Your position changes. You become a Child of God, and you love God. Now as I’ve said before, the LOVE that God speaks of is not emotional, but it is to do the thing that God said do. So if you love God:

every one that loveth Him that begat (made you born again)

ALL who love Him that gave us life, that made us born again, we will

loveth him also that is begotten of him

Word Study: “loveth” is the Greek agapaō, which does not refer to emotional love, but to doing what God said the way God said it. If you love God, if you are born again, you will love others who are born again. You don’t have to like them – but you WILL LOVE them. You will do the right thing, the Godly thing, the thing that Jesus would have you do.

If you are begotten of God – born again – you will love and do the right thing toward others who are begotten of God, those born again and in His family.

But our love for those in the Family will not supersede the love we have for God our Father and His Word. We only KNOW that we love the Children of God WHEN WE LOVINGLY KEEP GOD’S COMMANDMENTS. Read it!

1 John 5:2-3 KJV By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. (3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Word Study: The word translated “know” is the Greek ginōskō, which means “to perceive, to be aware that I am actually loving my brother or sister in Christ. To intimately or personally know”. How can I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am loving my brother or sister in Christ? Because I

love God, and keep his commandments

Illustrate: Let’s go back to God’s Israel. When God saved Israel from Egypt, He brought them through the Red Sea, gave them fresh water at Marah, and gave Israel manna from Heaven. God led Israel to the base of Mount Sinai, and told them to wait while Moses came up into the mountain to talk with God. Moses went up into the mountain, and for 40 days talked with God. We read:

Exodus 24:12 And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to Me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

God showed His love to Israel by giving Moses His Commandments. Moses was to show his love for Israel by “teaching them”. As the 40 days ended, something extraordinarily evil happened. The Bible says:

Exodus 32:1 (ESV) … the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

This has happened in Churches all across America. The people have said,

“Pastors make us gods that shall go before us.” And the Pastors have said, “Give us your jewelry – your treasures – and we’ll cook them in the fire of desire. And out comes the golden calves!

If the Pastors, like Aaron, had loved God, they would have refused to do this. They would have reminded God’s people that God sets the standard. Even if ALL of Israel gathers together and demands that an idol be made, the Pastor is to show his love by KEEPING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS. We love God by doing what He says, regardless as to what others may like. Aaron complied, making a golden calf (Exodus 32:4). Too many Pastors today comply with the desires of the people. Is God pleased No, for He told Moses:

Exodus 32:8-10 (ESV) They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them …

Moses interceded for Israel, and God did not destroy that nation. That was a good thing. Moses came down the mountain bearing the tablets,

Exodus 32:16 (ESV) The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

The tablets belonged to God. The commandments were God’s commandments. If Moses loved Israel, he would cherish the commandments of God, for:

God’s Commandments Are Not Grievous

1 John 5:3 KJV For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Word Study: God’s Commandments are “not grievous”, the Greek barýs which means “burdensome, heavy, overly stern”. The Pharisees were accused of Jesus of …

Matthew 23:4 … binding barýs, grievously heavy burdensome traditions on people’s shoulders … (my paraphrase)

Humans do that. People do that. They put their made up, unScriptural rules founded on tradition or customs on people. We as Christians are not to do that.

The Apostle Paul warned us all that,

Acts 20:29 … after my departing shall grievous {barýs} wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

What happened? The Pharisees came into the Churches and told Christians they must be circumcised and keep the feast days. They told Christians they must continue in the blood sacrifices – though Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, fulfilled the ceremonial laws. Christians are to keep God’s commandments, not man’s traditions.

God’s commands are not weighty, not overwhelming. God’s commands are for our good. Had Aaron loved Israel, he would have refused to compromise with their worldly mental attitude, and refused to make an idol. Had Moses loved God, he would not have cast down the tablets of stone, God’s commandments, breaking them in his anger (Exodus 32:19).

We keep God’s Commandments regardless as to what the world thinks.

1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Word Study: In verse 1 we saw that the words translated “Whosoever” and “every one” were the same Greek word pas, which simply means “ALL”. Now in verse 4 we read:

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh

Word Study: Again, “whatsoever” is the Greek pas, which means “ALL”. ALL who are born of God – born again believers – overcomes the world. The word “overcometh” is the Greek nikaō, which means “to conquer, to prevail, to get the victory or come away victorious”. When you are saved, and love God by keeping His commandments, you will NOT compromise with what the world says. There is no peace in living in worldliness. The Apostle said in

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Those who are saved will not become ONE with the world, but will become ONE with Jesus.

We who are saved are Children of the New Covenant. We are God’s Workmanship. We are predestined to Heaven, not hell We will follow our God! He has promised:

Hebrews 8:10-12 … I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Saved from sin and the world, we do not go back into the world. Saved from Egypt, we keep our eyes not on Egypt, but on the Promised Land. The Christian, saved for Heaven, behaves saved on the earth. If we err, we correct, we repent, we return to the Blood of Christ and to our Great High Priest. We do not bind ourselves to the world.

This same John who – under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit – wrote the text we are reading today, wrote to the Churches in the Book of Revelation. He writes to us in this Book:

1 John 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Five times in the Book of Revelation John
speaks of OVERCOMING

Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh {nikaō} will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

OVERCOMERS go to Heaven.

Revelation 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh {nikaō} shall not be hurt of the second death.

OVERCOMERS will not go to the Lake of Fire, and burn eternally.

Revelation 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh {nikaō} will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

OVERCOMERS will be forever in God’s family.

Revelation 2:26 And he that overcometh {nikaō} and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

OVERCOMERS will rule and reign with Jesus.

Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh {nikaō} will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

OVERCOMERS will be possessed of God for all eternity.

Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh {nikaō} will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcometh {nikaō} and am set down with my Father in his throne.

OVERCOMERS shall abide with Jesus forever.

As Christians in America, we are at a crossroad. We can choose to go the way of the world – which is certain destruction of both Church and country – or we can cling to God. I beg you, cling to God and His Word! Amen and Amen!

Posted in 1 John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, GodsWordTrue, gospel, Jesus Christ, keepHiscommandments, love God, salvation, standfirm | Leave a comment

Drifting Away From Jesus

Posted on April 14, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Andrew Neel: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-black-shorts-sitting-on-white-boat-7400140/

Please turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 4.

Last week we saw that Jesus “must needs go through Samaria” (vs 4). Jesus had a divine appointment to share the Gospel with a Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob. As Jesus shared the Gospel with this woman, we read a parenthetical statement – John 4:8 – which said:

John 4:8 (For His disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat).

What CITY had they gone to? It’s the city of Sychar. Now this Bible is written by God, through Holy Men who love the Lord. There are no coincidences in this Bible. Every word is important. So when it tells us that the “disciples were gone away unto the city”, we need to look at the city of Sychar. This city is only mentioned one time in the Scripture, in this chapter. The name “Sychar” has an interesting meaning. The Greek meaning is “to be drunken – a place of drunkenness”. Jesus is on a mission to save the soul of a woman a a well, but His disciples – Christians – are off doing what they think is more important. They are buying “MEAT”.

Are ALL the disciples off somewhere else buying meat? No. The Apostle John, who loves Jesus, is still with the Lord. We know this because John wrote down what happened with the woman at the well.

John stayed with Jesus – but the other disciples thought it was more important to go to Sychar – a place called “Drunken” – and buy “MEAT”.

It is so easy to drift away from God in your faith. The drifting is very subtle. You have important things to do. You want to spend some time with your family. There’s something you want to see on television. You need to go to the store. So you leave Jesus sitting beside a well with a Samaritan woman while you go and do something much more important.

When we follow these patterns – when we are distracted by the less important over the much more important (Jesus) – it isn’t long before we are no better than the lost world around us. If the devil can not keep us in our state of lostness from God, he will do the next best thing for hell – he will entice us to be no better than a lost person.

Illustrate: We often see the behavior of “professing” Christians in public – and are shamed by what they do. I pulled into my bank’s drive through yesterday to purchase a roll of quarters. Pulling in behind a lady who was at the teller’s window, I could hear this woman talking with the teller about opening a charge account with the bank. I thought such things should be done inside. As she asks about the “rewards” program, and the teller dutifully answers her questions, what should have taken me just a minute is running into time. I looked to back up and go around, but I was blocked by others behind me. Trapped, I had to wait. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes pass. She and the teller are still having a leisurely discussion. I practiced praying, because I was tempted to lean on the horn. At 22 minutes she finally pulled away. When I got to the teller, she asked “How’s your day going?” I said, “a whole lot better 15 minutes ago”. As the rude woman pulled away I noticed she had a large CROSS hanging from her rear view mirror. More than likely she professed to be a Christian.

Too many who profess Christianity put the temporal and the silly above what is the most important. Our Lord Jesus traveled the distance between Judea and Sychar (a city of Samaria), some 24.85 miles. We are not told, but He was most likely on foot. This journey would have taken Him several hours, an exhausting trek, and Jesus went because the most important thing in the world to Him was that woman’s soul.

Christians, are the souls of those around you important? Or are you drifting from God, more impressed with “MEAT” than you are with the Kingdom of God? Let’s look at that word “MEAT”, what was so important to the other Disciples.

Word Study: The word translated “MEAT” in John 4:8 is an interesting Greek word. It is the word trophē (pronounced trof-ay’), and it does mean “meat, food, or nourishment”. The Disciples left Jesus to get nourishment. When they come back we read:

John 4:30-34 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. 31 In the mean while his disciples prayed (erōtáō, [pronounced er-o-tah’-o]}, literally BEGGED) Him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

They went to Sychar to get trophē or “nourishment”, and literally beg Jesus to eat. But here Jesus uses a different word for “meat”. This time He uses the Greek word brōsis, {pronounced bro’-sis}. The word brōsis doesn’t refer to “MEAT”, but to the act of eating. What Jesus is saying is,

“I have eaten food that you have not eaten”

This puzzled the Disciples. We read:

John 4:33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

When they left Jesus at the well, the Lord had not eaten all day. But Jesus says that He is satisfied – that He is nourished. So they wonder if perhaps someone brought Him food. Perhaps John stepped away, or the woman of Samaria fed Jesus something. But Jesus tells them:

John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

What sustained Jesus? It was that He followed the will of God the Father. The Father sent the Son on a mission. We are told in:

1 John 4:14 (ESV) … the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

Jesus came to save “whosoever will” receive Him as Messiah. Jesus came to be the payment for our sins. Jesus came to invite the lost to follow Him. Jesus was not sent by rabbis. He was not sent by the Sanhedrin, the ruling elders of Israel. Jesus was not sent by Himself. There was no inner hunger or need for power that sent Him. Jesus – Himself God – is sent by God for the most important mission ever devised. He was sent by God to save the lost.

It is God’s Word that brings life. It is God’s Word that sustains life. Jesus told the Devil when he tempted the Lord to “make stones into bread”, that …

Matthew 4:4 … Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The Disciples thought that the food they found was so very important. But Jesus told them …

John 4:34 … My {brōsis FOOD} is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish His work.

God sent Jesus to build the Kingdom of God on this earth. God sent Jesus to grow a Church, a collection of broken people redeemed by the Blood of the lamb. When Jesus preached His only sermon in His home town of Nazareth, He read from the scroll of Isaiah 61:1-2:

Luke 4:18-19 (ESV) …“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

When Jesus finished reading this scroll, He said

Luke 4:21 Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

God the Holy Spirit empowered Jesus “to proclaim good news to the poor … to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed”. This was the mission that He came on, a mission He has left for us to do.

Jesus Wants Us To Not Wander Off To Sychar For Food, But To Look For Opportunities
To Spread His Kingdom

John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

The devil is very busy sowing seed, spreading misinformation and confusion, and drawing people away from God. The Soniclight Commentary notes:

“Jesus’ reference to four months was probably proverbial. That was the approximate time between the last sowing and the earliest harvest reaping. His point was that between the spiritual task of sowing the gospel and reaping belief, the intervening time may be very brief.

The disciples needed spiritual vision. They could obtain it by lifting their eyes and looking on the fields of lost people, which are white for harvest, rather than being completely absorbed in their physical needs. As with physical grain, the opportunity for harvesting spiritually is relatively brief. If left unreached, like unreaped grain, people die in their sins.”

The devil does not pause in his sowing. This is why transgenderism, transhumanism, and the LGBTQ+ movement has taken such hold. Those who follow Christ need to stay with Christ, to stay true to Him. If we drift away, and start to put other things above the Father’s calling, then Satan will triumph in America.

John 4:36-38 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors.

The conversion of Samaria was thousands of years in the making. The prophets sowed the seed f the Gospel in the Old Testament era. In sowing and reaping, there is often a long period of time between the two. There are crops I love to grow that take months to sprout, so I often sow in trays, and use heat lamps to try and coax the seed out of the soil. Hopefully I will have a sprout I can transplant, and get an early harvest.

But human souls are different. With human souls, “One soweth, and another reapeth”. We plant the seed of the Gospel, but we may never see the fruit bear. But every one of us must be as faithful as we can be to stay with Jesus, and keep doing what He has called us to do. The Bible tells us in another place:

2 Corinthians 9:6 … He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

What others have sowed, you can reap. What you sow, you can sometimes reap. If you sow much, you can reap much. But if you sow nothing, you reap nothing. The Apostle wrote:

Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

You ask the question, “What harm am I doing if I do nothing for my Lord?” The answer is simple. If you are not sowing, nor serving, Satan is. And there will be a harvest! There will be a harvest!

Who Can Tell What One Seed Will Do?

The Disciples saw Sychar as a SUPPLY depot for their needs, and a SAMARITAN problem without a solution. God saw Sychar as a valuable area. Jesus took the time to sow ONE SEED at a well. What happened? We read:

John 4:39-42 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought Him that He would tarry with them: and He abode there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

The ONE SEED that Jesus planted at Jacob’s well sprouted, and went out sowing throughout Sychar or “the drunken place”. Many Samaritans came to receive Jesus as Messiah, and “besought Him that He would tarry with them”. They wanted to walk with and talk with Jesus. They were able to profess, “this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world”.

My question to each and every one of you is, what are YOU sowing? Are you as professing Christians living your lives to glorify God your Savior? Or are you only following Jesus when it is convenient? God expects those whom He has saved to live in love with Jesus. The work of God is to believe on Jesus. To share Jesus with others. To share the great love of God with this present world. What filled Jesus’ so that He was not hungry was doing the will of God. He said:

John 6:38-40 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

We desperately need Christians walking WITH Christ, not apart from Him, in America today. John Stonestreet noted in a recent Breakpoint article:

“In his book, The Way Of The Modern World, author and theologian Craig Gay wrote … The most common thing we encounter (in America today) is ‘practical atheism’. In other words, what shapes our world is not so much a proliferation of people who believe that God does not exist; rather, it is that so many people live as if God does not exist, as if God is irrelevant to most of life.”

We as Christians cannot afford to be “practical atheists”. We must live as if Christ matters to us and to those around us. We must walk through our lives following Jesus. We cannot afford to be off to Sychar, looking to feed our own bellies. Oh, that God would set our souls on fire, to share Christ and His love as we are given opportunity to do so! May God the Holy Spirit and this precious Scripture move on all our hearts, and bring us back to Him, our Hope and our Lord, this very day. Amen and Amen.

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged backsliding, drifting away from God, putting God last, salvation, slow fade, walking with God, walking with Jesus | Leave a comment

When Angels Preached The Gospel

Posted on April 12, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by S Migaj: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-standing-inside-cave-776987/

Luke 24:1-12 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembered his words …

The Bible Is God’s Book!

People ask me why I believe that this Bible is God’s Book, written through the Prophets and Apostles. Why do I believe that “no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21, CSB)? It is because I have experienced the power of this magnificent Book. God has given us – you and I – a Book written by His Spirit, and taught by His Spirit (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13).

Every time I come to the Bible, if open to the Holy Spirit, I nearly always find something new.

For instance, as I read this story of the resurrection of Jesus, a message I have preached before, I thought “what could be new in this text?” then God answered.

Angels Preached The Gospel The Day Jesus Rose

I was reading a commentary the other day when I came across this statement:

“During the current dispensation in which we live – the church age – angels are not permitted to preach or share the Gospel (the message of Jesus) with people. They are, however, involved in the process of people being saved or born again”.

Christian, there are lots of good commentaries out there, and I’m sure this isn’t a bad commentary. But never take the word of man above that of God. Men and women make mistakes. I make mistakes. “Try the Spirits, whether they be of God or not”(1 John 4:1). Is it true that “angels do not preach the Gospel”? Let’s look at what the Bible says. The Apostle Paul wrote:

Galatians 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. [9] As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

The Apostle suggested that an Angel could preach the Gospel – and called the curse of God on any Angel that preached a contrary Gospel to that which is presented in the Scripture. I do not believe that Angels normally preach the Gospel, as the Great Commission was given to the Church by Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). However, on the Sunday that Mary Magdalene and Mary the wife of Cleopas we are told an angel rolled the stone from the tomb of Christ, and said:

Matthew 28:5-7 … Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

An Angel preached the Gospel! In our Sunday School lesson today (I wish you would attend Sunday School – you’d be blessed!) we’ll see the resurrection account in John chapter 20. When Mary Magdalene gets to the tomb of Jesus, she sees the stone rolled away. The Bible says:

John 20:11-13 Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

Mary thought that someone had stolen the body of Jesus. As she and the other women came to the tomb, they came to finish preparing Jesus’ body for burial.

When they took Jesus down from the Cross to bury Him, He was hastily buried because the next day was the High Sabbath, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Leviticus 23:6-7 …. on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation (Hebrew miqrā’, a special time where Israel was called together to worship) ; you shall not do any ordinary work.

Had Jesus’ body been stolen, He would have been defiled by Jewish law. His preparation was not complete! Mary was devastated. We’ll see in Sunday School that Mary will look into the Tomb and see …

John 20:12 … two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain

There are two angels there. In our text today we read in Luke that, when they looked into the tomb perplexed …

Luke 24:4 … behold, two men stood by them in shining garments…

These “TWO MEN” in “SHINING GARMENTS” were angels. Though angels do not normally carry the Gospel, God used the angels to remind the disciples to get busy and spread the Gospel.

Sadly, we as humans are fickle. Sometimes we need an angel to get us moving in the right direction. The disciples did not need to waste time wondering where Jesus is. Jesus is where He is supposed to be. Let’s get busy!

The Great Physician Luke was used to God to write both the Gospel of Luke, as well as Acts. At the empty tomb Luke tells us that “two men in shining garments” share the Gospel. After Jesus is reunited with His disciples and gives us the Great Commission, Jesus ascends into Heaven. The Bible tells us that:

Acts 1:10-11 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

I believe that this is the same “TWO MEN – ANGELS – IN SHINING APPAREL” that were at the empty Tomb. Stop staring where Jesus went up to Heaven. He is coming again. Get busy, and tell others that He has risen just as He said.

The Gospel Is That Jesus Died, But Rose Again

The Gospel that Jesus gave us – a Gospel first preached by Angels – is very simple. We read:

Luke 24:5-7 … Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

The Angels redirected the gaze of the disciples, reminding us that death has no hold on Jesus. Jesus repeated told His disciples that He had to die on the Cross. In this same Gospel we read:

Luke 9:22 {Jesus said} The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and BE RAISED THE THIRD DAY.

Jesus often used the title “Son of Man” for Himself. In the Old Testament the term “son of man” was used to describe fallen man. The Prophet compared man to God, saying …

Job 25:6 How much less man, that is a worm (rimmâ, that which causes decay)? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Though God put man on a perfect earth, and gave us all that we needed for a great life, man chose to try and be like a god (Genesis 3:5). It came to my attention the other day that some of these television preachers are saying that we as humans can be gods This is hogwash! God has said,

Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me …

There is NO GOD beside our God. We cannot be gods. We are sons of men. But Jesus Christ – Eternal God in the flesh – became the Son of Man so that He might bring us to God. Jesus Christ – the Only Begotten Son of God – became the Virgin Born Son of Man. “What is man, that God would remember us? What are the sons of men, that God would come down to visit us?” (Psalm 8:4).

Jesus is the Son of Man prophesied in Daniel, the Messiah come to bring us to God (Daniel 7:13).

Jesus told His disciples …

Luke 9:44-45 .. Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. 45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

Jesus would be “DELIVERED” over to judgment to make payment for our sinfulness. Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in Scripture. Just three days before the empty Tomb, Jesus told His disciples:

Luke 18:31-33 … Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be DELIVERED unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: AND THE THIRD DAY HE SHALL RISE AGAIN.

“DELIVERED unto the Gentiles” Jesus was beaten and bruised.
“DELIVERED unto the Gentiles” Jesus was stripped and mocked.
“DELIVERED unto the Gentiles” Jesus was spitted on and scourged.
“DELIVERED unto the Gentiles” Jesus as nailed to the cross, and died.

Pierced with a spear, Jesus’s dead body yielded blood and serum (John 19:34). Hastily buried, the Disciples came looking for His body. Three days and three nights Jesus did as He said:

Matthew 12:4 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of a great fish because of his disobedience to God. Jess, however, stayed three days and three nights among the dead. He has paid the penalty for our sin, fulfilling the promise of God in the Scripture. The Scripture says:

Galatians 3:13-14 Christ (the Son of Man) hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Jesus died to make PAYMENT to God for our sins. Jesus rose from the grave to give us CONTINUING REDEMPTION from sin.

Titus 2:13-14 … Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

He lives, so we live. He died, so that we will never die. Jesus defeated sin and Satan, death and destruction. The Angels preached:

“Why seek ye the living among the dead?”, the Angels preached. He is not here – He is risen, just as He said!

The Resurrection Is A Key Part Of The Gospel

When the women ran to tell the disciples what the Angels preached, we are told:

Luke 24:11-12 … And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. 12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulcher; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Peter went to the Tomb to inspect it for himself. When he got to that tomb, he found something interesting. If Jesus’ body had been stolen from that tomb, the grave robbers would not have taken the time to take off His linen burial cloths, laying them neatly to the side. When a person was buried, the Jews would tightly bind a NAPKIN, the Greek soudarion. The soudarion is a larger version of what I carry in my pocket, a handkerchief or a veil, also equated to an apron (Acts 19:12). When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the Bible says:

John 11:44 … he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin (soudarion). …

The “soudarion” was not laid on the head, but bound AROUND the head. Lazarus had to be released from his “soudarion” (also John 11:44). When Peter saw the “soudarion” the Bible says:

John 20:7 … the napkin (soudarion) that was about {Jesus’} head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

This was not the act of grave robbing. Grave robbers would have taken the body of Christ along with all His coverings. Instead, the body was carefully unwrapped, the grave cloths neatly folded. Jesus’ death was carefully planned by God to save us. Jesus rose from the grave to walk with those whom He saved.

The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen …

The actual death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very foundation of the Gospel of salvation. You cannot be saved unless you believe Christ both DIED then ROSE AGAIN. Jesus walked on this earth for forty days following His death and resurrection. He was SEEN by many who, in turn, were willing to die affirming that they saw a Living Savior. The Apostle Paul said:

1 Corinthians 15:17 … if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

In order to be “saved” a person must “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that GOD HAS RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD” (Romans 10:9-10). Without the resurrection death is still man’s greatest enemy. But since Christ has conquered death we can say with the Apostle: 1 Corinthians 15:55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

One day, dear soul, physical death will come to each and every one of us. If you have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, death will have no hold on you. Where Jesus is, we who love him will someday be. But to those of you who have resisted the Gospel, rejecting Christ as the Son of Man – you will not only die PHYSICALLY, but you will remain in SPIRITUAL death. Your ending will be never ending. You will be relegated to a place where the Son of Man says,

Matthew 7:23; 25:41 … depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. I never knew you, you who work at iniquity.

The choice is yours. Believe He died for you, and rose again for you Receive Him as SAVIOR in His death, and SOVEREIGN in His resurrection. May God the Holy Spirit guide you to give yourself to Him today. Amen and Amen.

Posted in Easter Messages, Luke, Sermons Preached | Tagged Celebrate Salvation, Easter, Ressurection, salvation, Son of God, Son of man | 1 Comment

Resurrection Sunday Sunrise Service: What The Tomb Teaches Us

Posted on April 9, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Tetyana Kovyrina: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-wheat-1600139/

Mark 16:1-4 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun.

3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?

4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James (the mother of the Son of God), and Salome (perhaps one of Jesus’ sisters – Matthew 13:56) went to the Tomb following the end of the weekly Sabbath. It was their intention to finish preparing Jesus’ body for burial. The question foremost in their minds was,

“Who shall roll us away the stone
from the door of the sepulcher?”

A large stone covered the entrance to Christ’s grave, a cave borrowed from Joseph of Arimathaea. When the stone was put in place three days before,

Matthew 27:65-66 Pilate said to {the Pharisees and chief Priests}, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the Tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

When the Tomb was sealed, it was done by the King to prevent anything happening to the contents. When Daniel was cast into the lion’s den we are told,

Daniel 6:17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

By sealing the stone, it became an act of treason to open the door. This is much like the police tape put on a crime scene that says, “Do not enter, on penalty of law”. Jesus was laid to rest, but He was also effectively locked up. To insure that the seal was not broken, Pilate put his guards – Roman soldiers – on the door to guard it. The stone was in place, and it “was very great”. Who would move the stone for the women? Or would their trip be all in vain.

As they got to the sepulcher they found out:

Mark 6:4 … they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

The seal of the Law was broken. The immense Rock was already moved. The Roman guards – seasoned and worldly soldiers – were no where to be found.

Jesus was not in the Tomb!

Entering the Tomb, we read:

Mark 16:5-11 entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulcher; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

Leaving the empty Tomb, the two Mary’s and Salome were frightened and ran away – but Mary Magdalene came back to the Tomb. It was when she returned to that empty Tomb that Jesus came to her. Telling her “touch Me not, for I have no yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17), Jesus tells Mary to return an tell the disciples what she has seen. Jesus has risen!

What are the three great truths we get from the empty Tomb of Christ?

1 The Lawful Seal on the Tomb was removed.

Pilate as Governor lawfully sealed the Tomb of Christ, sealing His dead body away from the Living. The Bible tells us that our God is “the Living God”. And yet the Scripture says that

We are ALL dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13).

God is LIVING, but we are naturally spiritually DEAD.

Romans 3:23 … all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…

Romans 5:12 … by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned …

The seal of the Law stands between us and God. He is perfectly righteous, but we are NOT. He is perfectly HOLY, but we are not. Like David, we cry out for God.

Psalm 42:2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

How can we stand before the Living, when we are dead? As the Prophet said in Deuteronomy 5:26, “For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?”. The answer is, no one can of themselves approach God.

But Christ died for our sins! Our Jesus came “not to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to FULFILL them” (Matthew 5:17, ESV). By believing on Christ, He takes away the seal of the Law that keeps us from God. Just as the Tomb cannot hold Jesus as the seal of the Law is removed, the seal of the Law does not keep us from the Living God. God has “quickened us” given us life, because Christ fulfilled the requirements of the Law once and for all.

Romans 10:4 (ESV) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Romans 7:12 (ESV) So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Romans 8:3-4 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The Law no longer holds Jesus in the Tomb, nor does the Law hold the Christian in spiritual death. Jesus broke the seal of the Law.

2 The stone was rolled away.

The two Mary’s and Salome, though they had every intention of serving Jesus, could not do so unless the stone was rolled away. There are many people today who believe that they can “get on God’s good side” by doing “good works”. Yet the Scripture says:

Isaiah 64:6-7 (ESV) We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7 There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.

Though we may want to work our way to God – and are as sincere as the Marys and Salome were – yet we cannot. Like Paul we cry out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24, ESV). We are not strong enough to roll the stone away. But Jesus rolled the stone away. As the Apostle said:

Titus 3:3-7 (ESV) For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Jesus did what was impossible for us, so that we can be children of God.

3 The soldiers were chased away.

The world, the flesh, and the devil did all that they could to keep us in the Tomb, just as the Roman guards tried to keep Jesus in the Tomb. They could not keep Jesus in death, and cannot hold the believer in death. Those who belong to Jesus by faith will not continue to walk in darkness. The seal is broken. The stone is rolled away. The soldiers are gone. Jesus promised:

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

There is a lot of nonsense spouted off today about “I was made this way, so I can – guilt free – stay this way”. Hogwash! The Scripture tells us that

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

You who are saved by faith in Christ do not belong in the grave no more than Jesus belongs in the grave. The Tomb is empty. Blessed be the name of the Lord. May God lead you to Christ’s side this very day.

He is not in the Tomb. He is risen, just as He said!

Amen and amen.

Posted in Easter Messages, Mark Sermons, Sermons Preached | Tagged Easter, Following Christ, Resurrection, Resurrection Sunday, salvation | 1 Comment

The Enemy Within

Posted on April 4, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by David McEachan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/gray-pyramid-on-dessert-under-blue-sky-71241/

Turn with me in your Bibles to Judges chapter 8. When we ended last week, Gideon or Jerubbaal (Judges 7:1) at the direction of God led 300 men to utterly destroy the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the men of the east (other Canaanites). God only wanted 300 men with trumpets, clay jars, and lamps to come to the enemy. On smashing the clay pots and blowing their trumpets, the forces of Midian ended up killing one another with their own swords (Judges 7:22).

The Enemy Within

When you have a mountaintop experience with God, it doesn’t take long before the enemy will attack. The enemy doesn’t normally come at us from the outside, but the greatest enemy is the one who comes from the inside. When you serve God – Jesus said – “a person’s enemies will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:36). It was prophesied that the Messiah – our Jesus – would be betrayed by “My close friend in whom I trusted, who ate My bread – he lifted up his heel against Me” (Psalm 41:9). Though Jesus chose Judas Iscariot to be an Apostle, and even gave him a trusted position as treasurer of the Apostles, Jesus did so knowing that Judas would betray Him with a kiss (John 13:18) for just 30 pieces of silver – the price of a slave.

The worst evil comes at us not from the outside,
but from within the house!

Judges 8:1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.

Gideon and his 300 warriors are still chasing the enemy, fleeing for their lives, when they cross the boundary of the land of “Ephraim”. Gideon had previously sent messengers throughout Mount Ephraim …

Judges 7:24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

Gideon is from the Tribe of Manasseh. Manasseh and Ephraim were the two sons of Joseph (of the coat of many colors, right hand to the King of Egypt) that together shared in the blessing of Jacob (see Genesis 48:5). Ephraim was therefore very close to Manasseh, and felt as if their brothers had betrayed them. Furthermore, Ephraim is the largest and most powerful tribe of Israel – the Tribe of Joshua and Samuel.

Ephraim felt that they had been disrespected, discounted, and discarded. They felt they should have been with Gideon and the 300 at the outset of the battle.

Word Study: Ephraim “did chide with him {Gideon and Manasseh} sharply”. This is the Hebrew rîyb ḥāzqâ, which literally means “pushed to fight him with all their strength”. Ephraim wanted to make war with Gideon! Their pride was hurt. The Bible tells us that:

Proverbs 6:16-18 (NKJV) These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

God despises pride. It is pride that led to the fall of man. Pride is the king of all other sins! The Bible says that “when PRIDE cometh, then COMETH SHAME” (Proverbs 11:2) and “only by PRIDE cometh CONTENTION” (Proverbs 13:10). How does Gideon respond to this attack?

Gideon lets fear rather than faith lead him. It was God’s decision as to who to use in the initial battle. It was God’s decision to choose the 300 men who Gideon used. Gideon was following God’s orders. Gideon should have said, “I was following Gods orders”. God had already promised to protect Gideon if he would just be obedient. But Gideon allowed his eyes to get off of God and focus on Ephraim.

Judges 8:2-3 And {Gideon} said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

Instead of glorifying God in the battle, Gideon minimized the great victory of the 300. Gideon told them, “What have I done now in comparison of you”? He made the victory of God a small thing, and made out that Ephraim’s part in the battle – the cleanup – was much greater. He said that the “gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim {is} better than the vintage of Abiezer”. Ephraim’s “gleaning” or harvest of the running Midianites was “BETTER THAN THE VINTAGE or WINE of ABIEZER {Gideon’s Family}”. Gideon went on to say that Ephraim’s capture of the warlords “Oreb and Zeeb” made the victory of the 300 insignificant.

Gideon’s sin in excluding God from the victory in order to pacify Ephraim would not just hurt him
but it will hurt Ephraim.

What would have happened in the early Church if, when the Pharisees and Chief Priests commanded the Apostles not to reach Christ – they had submitted in order to “keep the peace”? Had they done so, the Gospel would have never went into the world. But when commanded to stop preaching, the Bible says ….

Acts 5:29-32 (ESV) … Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

The Devil will often suggest we “compromise” our faith – just go along to get along. This is an ancient trick that he has often used.

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were commanded by the King to bow down to the golden idol, or be cast into a fiery furnace, they said:

Daniel 3:16-18 … O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Jesus protected the Hebrew Children from that furnace – but there have been many times when believers have been martyred for the faith. There is always a temptation to go with the flow, to go along to get along, to submit to what is politically correct in order to find peace. Yes, the Bible says “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9, NIV), we are never to make peace at God’s expense. The Apostle Paul said:

Galatians 1:10 (NLT) … I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

Is God Who “sets the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him” (1 Corinthians 12:18). As God’s people we have a stewardship “with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4, ESV; Colossians 3:23).

Gideon Drifts From God’s Glory

Judges 8:4-9 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. 6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

When God found Gideon, he was hiding in a winepress while he gleaned his wheat. Fearful, God called him from the winepress to lead 300 to defeat a much greater Midianite army. Now Gideon’s faith burns! He knows that God is with him. Gideon leads his men to pursue the fleeing Midianites, moving south along the Jordan River.

Word Study: Gideon comes to the town of SUCCOTH (Hebrew Çukkôwth, [pronounced sook-kohth’], which means “booths”). Succoth is a place rich in history. It was where Jacob put up booths for his cattle (Genesis 33:17), as well as the first stopping place of Israel when they were freed from Egyptian slavery (Exodus 12:37). When Moses prepared the people to go into the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership, two of Israel’s Tribes came to Moses – the Tribes of Reuben and Gad – came to him with a request. The land they were on was just before the Promised Land. Reuben and Gad said:

Numbers 32:5 (ESV) … If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan.

Reuben and Gad wanted to stay in the safe place, to take the easy ground of faith. They are much like the “easy believism” we see so frequently in our Churches today. Faith is a battle – not a party! Moses told them:

Numbers 32:6-12 (ESV) “Shall your brothers go to the war while you sit here? 7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the Lord has given them? 8 Your fathers did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the Lord had given them. 10 And the Lord’s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, 11 ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me, 12 none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the Lord.’

God caused Israel to wander in the wilderness 40 years until the rebellious were destroyed. Moses warned Reuben and Gad, “if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people”. That very day the Tribes of Reuben and Gad promised God:

Numbers 32:16-18 “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, 17 but we will take up arms, ready to go before the people of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. And our little ones shall live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the people of Israel has gained his inheritance.

What does this have to do with Succoth? Succoth was the place given the Tribe of Gad – along with Penuel – when they promised to support the other the tribes.

Gideon stops at Succoth not asking that they participate in the battle, but asking for “loaves of bread” to support God’s work. The men of Succoth – the Tribe of Gad – decided that they would take the low ground. They in effect told Gideon, “When you’ve captured Zebah and Zalmunna, then and only then will we give you bread!”. Gideon makes them a promise:

Judges 8:7 when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, THEN I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers

Gideon doesn’t say IF I capture these kings, but WHEN the LORD DELIVERS THEM to me. After he is done with God’s work, Gideon will complete God’s work by punishing their faithlessness. Gideon next goes to “Penuel” – inhabited by the Tribe of Gad – and once more they refuse to assist. Penuel had a tower that they thought made them invincible. Gideon told them …

Judges 8:9 When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower

When we put our faith in anything but our God and His Promises, we deserve the thorns and thistles of Succoth and the false towers of Penuel to fall.

Judges 8:10-12 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. 11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the host was secure. 12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.

Of the 135,000 Midianite warriors Gideon battled, only 15,000 remained – and Gideon still had his 300 original men. Not one person who followed God was lost. The enemy thought they were in a safe place. There was more of them than there was of Gideon’s – but with God there is a majority. God told us:

Malachi 3:11 (ESV) I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts.

Though Midian was like a plague of locusts, they could not stand against one man focused on God. When the Apostle spoke of our calling and adoption as God’s sons, he wrote:

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (ESV) we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

God’s will will be fulfilled! Before the day was over, Gideon destroyed the last of Midian’s forces, and conquered their warlords. But he hasn’t forgotten the promise he made to Succoth and Punuel.

Sin Is Punished Righteously –
Those Who Knew Better Are First Punished

Judges 8:13-16 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

Our Lord Jesus said in

Luke 12:47-48 (ESV) … that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Word Study: God reserves His greatest punishments for those who knew better, but would not do. When Gideon goes to Succoth after finding out who are the PRINCES (Hebrew śar, “rulers” or “governors”) and ELDERS (Hebrew zāqēn, “those who were sage or older in the faith”). God expects those whom He has placed in positions of authority to do the right thing.

If the leadership fails to follow God,
the people will fail to follow God.

The Leadership knew that Gad promised to support their brothers and sisters in the battle for the Promised Land. When they refused to assist Gideon, they refused to obey God. Gideon took “threescore and seventeen men”, or 77 men who should have known better. We are told that Gideon “took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth”. The 77 elders were publicly punished for disobeying the Covenant that Gad made with God. Public punishment taught the other men of that city that obedience to God is not optional – but MANDATORY. God expects those whom He saves to follow Him. Beating the men with THORNS AND BRIERS very possibly brought death, and certainly produced scarring that would long remind the survivors the dangers of sin against God.

Judges 8:17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

It seems that Gideon only killed to 77 leaders of Succoth, but destroyed all the men of Penuel. Why is this? Perhaps because they stood behind the “high tower” of their human works rather than the High Tower of God.

2 Samuel 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; thou savest me from violence.

Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Did Gideon destroy the whole city? Matthew Henry’s Commentary notes:

“He slew some of the men of the city that were most insolent and abusive, for terror to the rest, and so he taught the men of Penuel”.

Judges 8:18-21 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. 19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. 20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

As Gideon prepared to kill the Midianite warlords, he first asked his son “Jether” to kill them. This would not only give the honor of the kill to his son, but it would also humiliate the warlords to be killed by a youth. Gideon killed the warlords, and “took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks”. Professor Herbert M. Wolf (Wheaton College) notes:

“The crescent-shaped ornaments (lit. “little moons”) on the camels’ necks are still in common use among the Arabs. Made of silver or gold, they are mentioned again in Isaiah 3:18 among articles highly prized by women. The Midianites, along with many other Semite people, probably worshiped the moon-god.”

Gideon Honors God – Almost

Having defeated the enemy, the people come to Gideon and ask him to rule over them as King:

Judges 8:22-23 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.

Gideon refused to be made king. He told Israel, “the Lord shall rule over you”. He had the right attitude. Only God shall reign. It was God Who gave Gideon and the 300 their victory, so only God should be honored. Gideon only had one request. As Gideon’s troops killed the Midianites, they took their gold earrings as trophies of their kill. Gideon asked that …

Judges 8:24-26 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

Here Gideon failed God. He took all the earrings – 1700 shekels of gold – about 71 pounds – and melted it down into an EPHOD (verse 27), a free standing idol (Judges 17:5; 18:14, 18; 1 Samuel 2:28; 14:3; 21:9). This became a thing that Israel began to worship. Gideon meant to show honor to God, but God forbade that any image be made of Him (Exodus 20:4-5). Though the land rested for 40 years while Gideon lived, as soon as he died we read:

Judges 8:33-35 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: 35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

If we will be blessed, we must stay the course in following the Lord our God. Amen and Amen.

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged battling evil, fighting Satan, obedience, obey God, obeying God | Leave a comment

Try The Spirits

Posted on April 4, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Nita: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-dandelion-flower-shallow-focus-photography-54300/

1 John 4:1-4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

I was listening to a “Christian” Radio Station the other day, hearing some of the “Contemporary Christian Music” that is being put out by Millennials and Generation Z. It was a song called Banks by a group called Needtobreathe. They’ve released 8 albums, have been nominated for a Grammy in 2014. The tune was catchy But as I listened to it, I realized –

It had absolutely nothing to do with God, the Bible, or anything Christian.

There are a lot of songs out there that sound Christian, but are not. There are a lot of things out in the world that sound Christian but are not. There are a lot of preachers out in the world that sound Christian, but are not. There are a lot of sermons out in the world that sound Christian but are not. The devil is the master of deception.

Opening Illustration: One of my favorite television shows is The Andy Griffith Show. I know that Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Generation Z (anyone born 1997-2012) will probably have never heard of this show, but it’s a classic. A single father, Sheriff Andy Taylor, raises his young son OP along with his Aunt Bee. The show ran October 1960 – September 1968, and never placed lower that seventh in the Nielsen ratings. In one episode Aunt Beewas feeling her age, and went to the doctor. The doctor told Bee, “We’re no spring chickens anymore” – about the same thing the doctor told my brother Bill when he said “It’s age related”. There’s nothing that can be done to fix it if it’s “age related”. As Bee came home from seeing the doctor, she came across a Medicine Man selling elixir named Colonel Harvey (John Dehner). Buying a few bottles, she does feel better. In fact, she feels so much better that she convinces her friends at the Ladies Aid Church Committee to invest – and drink – the 100 proof tonic. When Andy comes home he finds Aunt Bee and the Church Committee all roaring drunk! When Bee sees Andy, she says, “Oh girls, look who’s here – Sheriff Matt Dillon! Where’s Chester?”

So many Christians fall into Satan’s traps, just as Aunt Bee did. It looks good – but IS it good? The devil is constantly setting up traps. He is constantly spinning lies.

On of Satan’s greatest lies is that you can be a Christian, you can be Heaven bound, and yet live no different from the world around you. That’s just not true.

This is a philosophical confusion of Grace. Several years ago Evangelists began to teach that since salvation is a free gift from God, there are no strings attached to salvation. Salvation is necessarily a free gift from God. There is no way that you can earn nor deserve salvation. Salvation is offered through Grace, not through works. One of the best explanations I can find in a few verses is one that I have oft quoted:

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

In verses 8-9 we are told that salvation is a gift given by God’s Grace, and received by faith. It is “not of yourselves”. As Paul often does, he repeats himself, saying “not of works, lest any one should boast”. You are not saved because you are worthy. You are saved because Christ is worthy. You are saved because Jesus gave Himself for your sins. But verse 10 tells us that there are strings attached. When you are saved, you become “His workmanship”, the property of God. When you are saved as His property, as His children, you are to do good works – which God orders us to do. Salvation changes your state in God, and your relationship to God. Whereas you once walked in darkness (Ephesians 2:1-2), you now walk in light with God. Whereas you once walked with Satan (Ephesians 2:2-3), you now walk with Christ in God.

The Christian Is Beloved Because
The Beloved Became Man

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

As Christians, we are “Beloved”. Why are we “Beloved”? It is because what God did for us. What did God do for us? We read:

1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

How can we determine the false prophets from the true? The true prophets – backed by the Spirit of God – “confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”. The word “confesseth” is the Greek homologeō, which means “to say the same thing about”. In the Old Testament, God foretold that Christ would come in the flesh. The very first prophecy of Jesus is found in the Garden of Eden, and was spoken to the devil by God. God told the serpent:

Genesis 3:15 … I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

When the Messiah came, He would come as “the SEED of the woman”. Women do not have SEED, but EGGS, so God foretold a supernatural event. Christ would come in the flesh – but He would come differently than any other. His birth would be miraculous. Later God would tell King David:

2 Samuel 7:12-13 (ESV) When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Though David as King would reign a relatively few years, God promised David a Son to come from his line. This Son would come, and He would have a never ending throne because Gd Himself“will establish the throne of his kingdom forever”. How can a mere man have a throne that lasts forever? He cannot. We as mortals come and go. But God promised a Messiah Who would last forever. How can this be? The Prophet said:

Isaiah 7:14 (ESV) … the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

The name “Immanuel” (also “Emmanuel”) means “God with us”. God would become Man. God would come in the flesh, lowering Himself to be with us, lowering Himself to save us. The “Word that was with God, and was God” (John 1:1-2) would “become flesh and dwell among us” (John 1:14). The Only Son of God would allow Himself to be born among humanity. He Who is “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Price of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) would come down from glory to be with us. Jesus Christ came into this world flesh, not by the normal means that most are born. He was born of a virgin. The Angel told Mary:

Luke 1:35 … The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God

Jesus Christ came in the flesh! He is the One and only Messiah.

Today is known as “Palm Sunday”, a day often recognized as the “Triumphal Entry of Christ”.

This is one of the few events in the life of Jesus that are found in all four Gospels (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19). On that day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a borrowed donkey’s colt – one that had never been ridden before. The Bible says that His disciples laid their cloaks on the back of the donkey for Jesus to sit on. Crowds went before Jesus laying palm branches before Him, shouting:

Mark 11:9-10 (ESV) … Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!

Jesus’ purpose in riding into Jerusalem was to make public His claim that He is Messiah and King. In ancient times when a King rode into a city, if He rode in on a white horse this signified he came as conqueror. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, showing that He was not there to conquer, but to bring peace. Jesus was fulfilling the Messianic prophecy of:

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Israel believed that Jesus was coming to conquer Rome and free Israel from her oppressor. Jesus will one day free Israel – but Israel’s true oppressor was not Rome, but the sin that so easily beset her (Hebrews 12:1). The people praise God for Jesus because they see Him defeating Caesar. As the crowd celebrates Christ, The Pharisees tell Him:

Luke 19:39-40 (ESV) … “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 {Jesus} answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

The people did not see Jesus as SAVIOR, but as a LORD, One Who would give them temporal blessing. Jesus would fix their trials, then move on. This is how so many see Jesus today.

Jesus did not enter Jerusalem to conquer Caesar, but to save His people from their sins. He entered Jerusalem to pay our penalty, to take our place of punishment.

In the Scripture, the Fig Tree symbolized Israel. The day after Palm Sunday Jesus cursed a fig tree (Mark 11:12-14), because the Israel that loved Him the day before would begin to call for His crucifixion. When Jesus comes into Jerusalem, what does He find on this holy Passover Week? He finds people buying and selling in the Temple. Jesus chased the blasphemers out of the Temple, saying:

Mark 11:17 … Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.

The Pharisees, who should have known better, plot Jesus’ death. The Fig Tree withers. Why? Because …

sin has enslaved Israel, and secularism is ruling as a god.

Rome is not the problem. The lostness of God’s Israel is the problem. Our lostness is the problem.

1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Why did Jesus have to come in the flesh? Because of sin. Because of Adam’s failure. The Bible tells us that Adam, disobeying God, brought the entirety of his progeny into sinful separation from God. People think of sin as BIG SINS and little sins, but to God sin is sin. When Adam failed in the Garden he brought the curse of his sin on all creation. One man – Adam – failed in the Garden.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as BY ONE MAN sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

God could have allowed civilization to end at this point. He could have said “That’s it! I told Adam, Adam failed, he’s made his bed, let him lie in it!” But God did not do this. The God Who is holy could not compromise where sin is concerned. The same God, Who is love, moved to act on our behalf.

Romans 5:15 … if through the OFFENSE OF ONE {Adam} many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is BY ONE MAN, JESUS CHRIST, hath abounded unto many.

The Man Adam was made out of the dust of the ground. He was perfect, but followed Satan into sin and death. The Eternal God the Son Jesus Christ is come in the flesh to make restitution for what Adam did. When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, what Jesus did on the Cross – in the flesh – is applied to our lives.

Romans 5:17 For if BY ONE MAN’S OFFENSE DEATH REIGNED by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness SHALL REIGN IN LIFE BY ONE, JESUS CHRIST.

Adam, formed of the dust of the ground was made perfect, but caused all to fall. We could not live up to God’s Law – we could not save ourselves. Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.

Romans 8:2-4 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. {3} For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: {4} That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Jesus Christ came in the flesh to bring us peace with God. The Apostle said:

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Because the Father said of Jesus, This is My Beloved”, we who believe on Him are “Beloved”.

Just As Jesus Is Unique, The Christian Is Unique

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

God the Holy Spirit became the Agent that caused Eternal God to enter humanity through a virgin. God did this so that He could pay for our sins. Once you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, God enters the temple of your body. You enter into a daily relationship with God. Your life and all that you have belongs to God! You are the “Beloved” of God.

Illustrate: A missionary and his wife was working in Dutch New Guinea, far in the bush. They had a small shop and a small mission there, and were trying to reach the people for Jesus. One day the missionary decided that he would import and plant some pineapple plants, and hire a local farmer to plant them. This is what he did, and after about three years the pineapples started to bear fruit. When the missionary went out to pick ripe pineapples he discovered they were all stolen! When he asked the farmer about it, the farmer said “if I plant it, I eat it”. This angered the missionary, and out of anger he shut down the store and the local clinic to punish the thieves. The missionary tore up the pineapple plants, imported more, and had a local farmer plant them. Again, three years pass, and three years later the locals steal the pineapples. The missionary asks the farmer why he is stealing what doesn’t belong to him and the farmer says, “My hands plant them. My mouth eats them.”. That was the Law of the Jungle, and the people understood no other Law. The missionary tried everything to protect that which belonged to him, but nothing worked. Every year the locals stole what was his and used it for themselves, angering the missionary.

Then the missionary gave the field to God. When the pineapples were stolen, he didn’t get upset. The farmer asked him why, and he told him “the pineapples belong to God”. That story got around, and no one stole pineapples anymore. The missionary began to give the pineapples away – and souls began to come to Christ.

If we are saved, we and all that we possess belongs to God. We are immortal creatures because of the Blood of the immortal and flawless Christ. The Scripture says:

Colossians 3:1-4 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. {2} Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. {3} For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. {4} When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory

We who are saved re not like the lost souls looking for Jesus to give them a temporary blessing. Our blessing is that we are the Beloved of God. Recognize the Primacy of Jesus. He is Lord, Lord of you, Lord of your circumstances. If you are submitted to the Spirit, then you will give all glory to Jesus. If submitted to the flesh or the world, then these will receive the glory. Surrender yourselves to the Lord, to God Who abides within you, and recognize your limitations. Make yourselves sensitive to His desires, listen for His calling in your heart.

Christ did not save you so that you can be waited on. Christ saved you so that you can make a difference in this evil world. Christ saved you to serve God, to glorify Him, and to bring souls into the Kingdom. We are not to be part of the problem, but part of the solution.

1 John 4:5-6 They {the false prophets} are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

If you are saved, you are saved because Christ became flesh. If you are saved, Christ is in your flesh through His Spirit. The false prophets will not remain. The Apostle said:

2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. {2} And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. {3} And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Do you know Him? Do you know my Jesus? I will end with these words from Adrian Rogers:

“You may know all sorts of facts, but if you don’t know the Lord, it’s all wasted. You can understand biology, but if you don’t know the Giver of life, you’re still uneducated. You can comprehend geology, but if you don’t know the Rock of Ages, you don’t really know anything of importance. You can know all about botany, but if you haven’t met the Lily of the Valley, your knowledge is useless. You can know all the facts of history, but if you reject the central figure of history, your time has been wasted.”

Do you know Him? He rode into Jerusalem to die for your sins and mine. He rose from the grave to rule a people immortal. Do you know Him? My prayer is that you will give your lives to Him this Holy Week, this very day. Amen and Amen.

Posted in 1 John, Sermons Preached | Tagged born again, God of Living, living for Jesus, living water, Simple Gospel | Leave a comment

Jesus Came To Defeat Sin And Satan

Posted on March 30, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-red-apple-fruit-4661297/

Let’s turn in our Bibles to John 3:26-36. Last week we finished studying the words that Jesus said to Nicodemus, telling us that He is the Savior of the world. John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the world as the Christ, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.

John is still preaching, and John’s disciples hear that Jesus is preaching, and baptizing people. This bothers John’s followers, so they come to John and tell him:

John 3:26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

What Does John The Baptist Think About Jesus?

What do you think they expected John to say? They expected John to speak harshly of Jesus. Jesus is getting followers from John. Jesus is hurting John’s Church. But what did John reply? He said:

John 3:27-30 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

John started with “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven”. God is in control of all things. It is God that gave John the Baptist his ministry, not John. But John goes on to say that he told them at the beginning that “I am not the Christ”. John is the Herald of Christ, the Messiah. John compared himself to the best man at a wedding. Jesus is Heaven’s Bridegroom. Jesus is the main attraction. Without the Bridegroom, there would be no Bride. Without Jesus, there will be no Church. John played a supporting role, and knew it. He said, “He must increase, but I must decrease”.

The reason we come to Church is to learn more about Jesus – to not only be SAVED by Him, but to be CLEANSED by Him, SANCTIFIED or set apart from sin. Only Jesus can cleanse us from our sins. John said:

John 3:31-34 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. 32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

Jesus is “He that cometh from above”. Before Jesus was born of a virgin, He was eternal God. Jesus still is eternal God the Son, though He is in human form. Jesus would later say:

John 8:23 … You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

The Bible says that “Christ is God over ALL, blessed forever” (Romans 9:5). Jesus is the

John 6:33 … Bread of God … Who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world..

Jesus Christ came to us from Heaven to tell us the things of God. John said “what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth”. Jesus has the Holy Spirit without measure, for God walks with God. Why did Jesus come?

Jesus came to destroy the power of sin and of the devil.

There is no other way to defeat sin, but by Jesus. John speaks of this in absolutes:

John 3:35-36 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Jesus will heal people’s sicknesses. He will cause the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the cripple to walk. Jesus will raise the dead, and cure the leper, Jesus will cast out demons. He will be able to do this because “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand”. Only Jesus has the power to destroy sin.

Sin Will Destroy Us If We Do Not REPENT
and COME To Jesus as Lord and Savior

People do not think that sin is deadly. It is. They think a little sin is fine. It isn’t. Sin always leads us down a terrible path.

Illustrate: I love to drink water. It’s good for you! I have a bottle here with a little color to it (prepare bottle with 3 drops red food coloring). Let’s say this bottle represents you and I. The devil comes along and whispers to us, “A little sin won’t hurt you. Jesus just wants to control your life, and keep you from being happy.” So you say, “Sure, I’ll try a little sin”. When you do (put 3 drops of green food coloring in the bottle) it shakes your life up (shake the bottle). Look at what’s in your life now! How can we fix this? We can’t. But Jesus can. When you hear Jesus and give yourselves to Him, He will save you. When He does, He will come into your life, and make you more like a child of God each and every day. He will teach you to love yourselves, and to love others. My prayer is that God will reach each one of you for Himself!

Dismiss the children at this point! The following is adult content.

On March 27, 2023 a confused and sin ridden young lady named Audrey Elizabeth Hale went into the Covenant School, a Presbyterian private school in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. Just 28 years old, this confused woman shot her way into the school, and killed six people. One victim, 9 year old Evelyn Dieckhaus, is being grieved by her 5^th Grade sister Evelyn. She cried as she said, “I don’t want to be an only child”. Little 9 year old Hallie Scruggs was the daughter of Chad Scruggs, the Senior Pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church. William Kinney, also 9 years old, was murdered. A substitute TeacherCynthia Peak, was but 61 years old when evil called.Also murdered was the Principal Katherine Koonce, 60; and the Custodian Mike Hill, 61. Mike was a father of seven children and 14 grandchildren. When the police thankfully stopped Audrey’s evil rampage, she was killed just 14 minutes after the first emergency call.

Sin is no toy. Sin is a horror. I watched the video as this disturbed young woman stalked through the halls of the school. Dressed in military camouflage, she was intent on killing all she found. The liberal news outlets were incensed that – when the police reported the incident – they identified Audry as a “woman”. Bowing to public pressure, police later said that Audry “was a transgender man assigned female at birth”, which is just more anti-Christian hogwash from Satan and his forces. The President Joe Biden declared,

“We have to do more to stop gun violence. It’s ripping our communities apart, ripping the soul of this nation, ripping at the very soul of the nation. And we have to do more to protect our schools, so they aren’t turned into prisons.”

The problem isn’t gun violence, but sin. It is sin that told this young woman she could be a man. It is sin that whispered to her, that she could be happy if she but kill innocent people. Sin dressed her up. Sin speaks through the President and the news channels. Sin calls “she” a “he”. Back in 1972 when I was 13 years old Lou Reed came out with a song, “Walk on the Wild Side”. The song celebrated sin. The very first stanza is (in part):

Holly came from Miami, F.L.A.
Hitch-hiked her way across USA
Plucked her eyebrows on the way
Shaved her legs and then he was a she
She says, “Hey, babe – Take a walk on the wild side”

The devil wants us to “Take a walk on the wild side”. Jesus came into this world to defeat sin and Satan – not to enable it. Jesus said, “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Hale did not become a murderer overnight. The 5 gun shops that she bought her weapons from did not make her a murderer. She became a murderer when she began to slip away from God and His Word. The Scripture says:

Galatians 1:4-5 {Jesus Christ} gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

As Hale was a past student of this Christian school, I suspect she was presented with the Gospel of salvation. Sadly, the Presbyterian Church (USA) which sponsors that school has a confused view of what the Bible determines is sinful. The Gospel demands REPENTANCE toward God.

Repentance does not mean to continue in your current behavior, but to stop doing what God says stop,
and turn to Jesus.

Repentance is the first step in salvation. Hear the Scripture:

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Luke 5:32 {Jesus said} I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

Matthew 12:41 {Jesus said} The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Luke 13:3, 5 {Jesus said} Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Pastor John Piper notes:

“The first demand of Jesus’ public ministry was, “Repent.” He spoke this command indiscriminately to all who would listen. It was a call for radical inward change toward God and man. … Repenting means experiencing a change of mind that now sees God as true and beautiful and worthy of all our praise and all our obedience. This change of mind also embraces Jesus in the same way. We know this because Jesus said, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God.” Seeing God with a new mind includes seeing Jesus with a new mind. … No one is excluded from Jesus’ demand to repent.”

A Good Example Of Repentance & Salvation

John 4:1-6 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) 3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

The Pharisees hated Jesus from the very beginning. The Pharisees believed in a “SHOW religion” not a “KNOW religion”. They loved to SHOW everyone how holy and righteous and good they were. Jesus spoke of the Pharisees some 80 times in the Gospel, and in most cases it was negative. Jesus said,

Matthew 5:20 (ESV) … unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven…

Jesus said “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees”. Their doctrine promoted outward righteousness to be seen of men and not of God, and as a result was hypocritical and unsaving. When Jesus called them on it, it enraged them. So Jesus leaves Galilee and moves into Samaria. The Bible says that

vs 4 {Jesus} MUST NEEDS go THROUGH SAMARIA

Why does Jesus feel the need to go through “SAMARIA”? Because there was a woman here who needed to hear not Pharisaic nonsense nor politically correct, virtue signaling silliness. This woman needed to hear THE TRUTH. The Enduring Word Commentary notes:

“Because the Samaritans had a historical connection to the people of Israel, their faith was a combination of commands and rituals from the Law of Moses, put together with various superstitions. Most of the Jews in Jesus’ time despised the Samaritans, disliking them even more than Gentiles – because they were, religiously speaking, “half-breeds” who had an eclectic, mongrel faith. The Samaritans built their own temple to Yahweh on Mount Gerizim, but the Jews burned it around 128 B.C. This obviously made relations between the Jews and the Samaritans even worse.”

Jesus gets to this well “about the sixth hour”, which would be six hours from daylight or about noon. All the other women have already gathered their water in the morning while it was cooler. This woman waited until noon to get her water. She has been bullied, or shunned because of her lifestyle choices. She expected to see no one – but here comes Jesus! Alexander Maclaren wrote:

“She is frivolous, ready to talk with strangers, with a tongue quick to turn grave things into jests; and yet she possesses, hidden beneath masses of unclean vanities, a conscience and a yearning for something better than she has.”

She needs Jesus. Our Lord “Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (vs 7)” Barclay notes in his commentary,

“The strict Rabbis forbade a Rabbi to greet a woman in public. A Rabbi might not even speak to his own wife or daughter or sister in public.”

A Pharisee would not have asked to drink from a Samaritan’s cup. Yet this is what Jesus does. It startles the woman. She questions Jesus.

John 4:9 … How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Jesus doesn’t answer her question. He is not drawn into silly side issues, but sticks to the power of the Gospel. The Apostle said:

Romans 1:16 … I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The devil loves to draw us away from the Gospel and the promise of the Scripture. If he can get us onto side issues or endless debates, he can keep us from sharing Jesus. Jesus ignored her question, and said:

John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee Living Water.

Jesus tells this woman that He alone is the Giver of “Living Water”. In the Old Testament God called Himself the Fountain of Living Waters:

Jeremiah 2:13 (NKJV) My people have … forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters

Jeremiah 17:13 (NKJV) … All who forsake You shall be ashamed. “Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, Because they have forsaken the LORD, The fountain of living waters.

God is the “fountain of living waters”. Jesus applied this prophecy to Himself when He would later say:

John 7:37-39 … If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit

Those whom Jesus saves receive the Holy Spirit of God. This is why a person saved is a “IN CHRIST A new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Saved, a person is brought from death unto life, from sin unto saint, from cripple unto whole, from blind unto seeing, from child of Adam to Child of God. The woman asks Jesus another question:

John 4:11-12 … Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Again, Jesus does not answer her questions. He continues to share the Gospel.

John 4:13-14 … Whosoever drinketh of this water {the well water} shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Those who come to Jesus and “drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst”. Those who come to Jesus are spiritually blessed and – becoming children of God – are released from the power of sin and Satan. Is this woman ready to be saved? No for she is still bargaining with Jesus.

Many people come to Jesus for a temporal or passing blessing. Jesus did not come to give us “Consumer Christianity”. He came to give us life.

The woman says, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.” (verse 15).She wants a temporary blessing. She wants to not have to come to this well at noon because of her messed up life. She wants to avoid the comfortableness which her sin has brought into her life, and in the life of her family. Jesus tells her, “Go, call thy husband, and come hither.” He didn’t promise to give her anything, but Jesus wants to expose her SIN. She replies:

John 4:17-18 … I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

The woman has made numerous bad lifestyle choices in her lifetime, choices that now keep her from interaction with the moral society of her day. She next seeks to argue with Jesus about the proper place of worship. She and the Samaritans believe they should worship in the mountain. The Pharisees and priests believe that all worship must be in the Temple of Jerusalem. But Jesus will not argue with her. He says:

John 4:21-24 … Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Worship is not a thing tied to one place. It is tied to one Person, to God. God cannot be worshiped unless He is worshiped “in spirit and in truth”. God calls people to worship Him not just on Sunday, but every day of the week. The woman’s heart opens up to Jesus. She is ready to repent and turn to Him. We read:

John 4:25-26 … I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

The woman has been search for the Messiah, the Christ, our Lord Jesus. Jesus confirms that He is the One and Only Messiah. The woman is saved. How do we know? We know by her actions. The Bible says:

John 4:28-29 The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

She received Jesus as the One and Only Christ, then went her way to ask her friends to come see Jesus the Christ. The life saved does not stay in sin, but moves away from evil and toward God. Though no Christian is perfect, the Scripture is quite clear:

John 8:34-35 (ESV) … Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.

Sin I not a friend or an associate, but a SLAVE MASTER. It binds you to death. May God lead you to Christ TODAY while there is time. TODAY is the day of salvation (Psalm 95:7-8; Hebrews 3:7-8). Amen and Amen.

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged gospel, repent, repentance, Simple Gospel, sin | Leave a comment

God Works With a Few

Posted on March 28, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Hakan Erenler: https://www.pexels.com/photo/flaming-gray-candles-289770/

Last week we ended with Gideon being given a mission from God. He was to go to his father Joash’s Altar to Baal and, using a 7 year old bull, tear the altar down. Tearing it down he was then to kill the bullock, and offer a sacrifice to the God of Israel.

God’s Leaders Must Publicly Stand Up For God

Gideon’s action was a public profession of his faith in God. Those who claim to be children of God are to publicly stand up and affirm their faith in God, regardless as to what others think. Jesus said in

Luke 9:26 (ESV) For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Matthew 10:32-33 (ESV) So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Luke 12:8-9 (ESV) And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

I have often heard people say, “I have faith, but my faith is a private matter”. It cannot be a “private thing” if you’re saved. John MacArthur rightly said in reference to Luke 12:8 …

“If you have a very private, personal faith of your own, you’ll take it to hell. …

We do not come together as people who have a personal, private faith. We come together as people who have made a public confession …”

After destroying the Altar to Baal, the people demanded Gideon’s death. Joash renamed Gideon “Jerubbaal” which means “The One Who Threw Down Baal”.

God demanded Gideon stand up for his faith before he become a Judge, just as God demanded that Moses circumcise his son (Exodus 4:24-26) before he could lead Israel.

Judges 6:33-35 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. 34 But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

As the Midianites (descendants of Abraham through his second wife Keturah) and Amalekites (descendants of Esau) gathered with the Children of the East, the Bible says:

the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon

Word Study: The Hebrew for “came upon” (lāḇaš) literally means “to clothe, to cover with clothing”. This phrase occurs only three times in the Bible – here, and in 1 Chronicles 12:18 and 2 Chronicles 24:20. As Gideon felt vulnerable and fearful, God “clothed” him and gave him the courage to blow the shofar, rallying Israel to prepare for war. We are told that Gideon – emboldened by the Spirit – SENT MESSENGERS to the Tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and unto Naphtali. Manasseh was Gideon’s Tribe, and the other three tribes were adjacent to Manasseh. As the troops began to show up, Gideon – like Simon Peter – started looking at the water rather than at Jesus.

So Gideon asks God for a sign.

God’s Leaders Must Call On God To Declare His Will

Judges 6:36-38 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, 37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. 38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

Though God had already promised to be with Gideon (see Judges 6:14, 16), he was still uncertain in his calling. So he asked the Lord to give him a sign. Gideon would “put a fleece of wool ON the {threshing} floor”, and leave it there overnight. When he woke up he asked that God make the threshing floor dry, but the fleece full of water. Yet Gideon was still uncertain.

Judges 6:39-40 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. 40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Gideon asked that God reverse the miracle, and let the fleece stay dry while the ground be very wet. Gideon knew that he was treading on dangerous ground. He told the Lord, “Let not thine anger be hot against me”. Why did he ask for the second sign? The Keil and Delitzsch Commentary (pages 339-340) notes:

“The woollen [sic] fleece represented the nation of Israel in its condition at this time, when God had given power to the foe that was devastating its land, and had withdrawn His blessing from Israel. The moistening of the fleece with the dew of heaven whilst the land all round continued dry, was a sign that the Lord God would once more give strength to His people from on high, and withdraw it from the nations of the earth. Hence the second sign acquires the more general signification, ‘that the Lord manifested himself even in the weakness and forsaken condition of His people, while the nations were flourishing all around’ (O. v. Gerl.)…”

When people came after Jesus looking for a sign, He said:

Matthew 12:39 … An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign …

God gave the Pharisees sign after sign that Jesus was the Messiah. God had given Gideon sign after sign that He was going to bless his work. And yet, Gideon still asked for signs. People today talk about “putting a fleece before the Lord” as if that is a good thing. We live in a different age, under a New Covenant.

Gideon did not have the completed Scripture as we have.
Gideon did not have the Cross and empty Tomb to look back on.

God’s people today are to “let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16) while we “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17). We rely upon a – as Peter wrote:

2 Peter 1:19-21 (ESV) we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Gideon did not have a full Scripture. He did not have a Temple to seek God’s face in. So Gideon called upon God, using the two fleeces to determine the will of God. God tells us in the Scripture that we are to call on God. We are told:

James 1:5-7 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

God did not “upbraid” or chastise Gideon for the asking. Gideon cried to God in his weaknesses and uncertainty, and God – without condemnation – answered his prayers.

God’s Leaders Must Understand It Is God Who Works

Judges 7:1-3 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

God knew the heart of His people. He knew that Israel would take the credit for defeating the Midianites if there were too many Israelites in battle. This s a common problem among humans. We love to take credit! God says:

Isaiah 42:8 (NASB) I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images

Very few people in America today worship graven images like Buddhas or Hindu gods, but we do worship ourselves. Even the most religious can fall into self worship. Jesus chastised the Pharisees because:

Matthew 23:5-8 (ESV) They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

The Pharisees loved to be seen of men. Their prayer, their giving, their attendance at Synagogue, whatever they were doing was for their own glory. This is idolatry, a violation of the 1^st and 3^rd commandments. Only God is to be glorified. The Lord says,

Isaiah 48:11 … How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another …

God will not give His glory to others because “all glory, honor, and praise belong to God alone” (1 Chronicles 29:11). One of the greatest defeats in the history of Israel was when King David wanted to “number” or take a census of his armies (1 Chronicles 21). Though his General Joab begged David not to do so, he commanded it anyway. What did God do in response?

1 Chronicles 21:7, 10-14 (NLV) God was not pleased that Israel was numbered so He punished Israel. … 10 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says. “I give you three things to choose from. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.”’” 11 So Gad came to David and said, “This is what the Lord says. ‘Choose one of these. 12 Three years of no food in the land; three months to be destroyed by the sword of those who hate you; or three days of the sword of the Lord. This would be a disease sent upon the land. The angel of the Lord would destroy with disease through all the land of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I should give Him Who sent me.” 13 David said to Gad, “I am in much trouble. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord. For His loving-kindness is very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man.” 14 So the Lord sent a disease upon Israel. And 70,000 men of Israel died.

God will not be mocked by His people! He alone is to be glorified. He tells Gideon, “Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand” (7:3). Having lost over half the people, God tells Gideon:

Judges 7:4-7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

What is interesting about this test is that God was examining the position of the warriors. There are two ways to get water out of a river. You can lower your head down to the water, and drink directly from the river. But here’s the thing: if you do this, your eyes will be on the river, and not on the things that are around you.

God wants to use people who are careful in how they do His work. He wants their focus on His instruction.

The other way to drink water from a river is to keep looking around, but dip your hand into the river and lap it like a dog. Of the 10,000 men that were there, only 300 used this method to drink. God told Gideon, “Those are the men I want – men focused on My will and My work!”. 9,700 men were sent home.

Judges 7:8-11 So the people took victuals (tsêydâh, provision, food) in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley. 9 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: 11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

After sending the 9,700 away, the Bible says that God told Gideon “the same night” to go down to the Midianites with his soldiers. God knew that Gideon was still frightened, so He told him to go down to the enemy camp with his armor bearer “Phurah”. God had given a dream to a Midianite Warrior, and He wanted Gideon to hear what this man would say. So Gideon and Phurah head down to the encampment.

Judges 7:12-14 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. 13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

Though the Midianite forces were overwhelming, Gideon and Phurah heard one soldier tell another how he dreamed that Gideon would destroy their forces because “God delivered Midian, and all the host”. With this, Gideon stopped WORRYING and started WORSHIPING.

When We Do As God Says, the Enemy
Will Defeat Themselves

Judges 7:15-22 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshiped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. 16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

It was the “beginning of the middle watch” (vs 19), the darkest part of the night, when the Midianite watchmen changed their shifts. As they are changing the shift, Gideon blows his horn – and his 300 men that surround the caps blow their horns. Inside of empty food containers – clay jars – they have lamps. They shatter the clay jars, which causes the light of the lamps to pour out suddenly. They have the clay pitchers and lamps in one hand, and trumpets in the other.

They have no hands available to hold a sword – but they don’t need a sword. All of the flashes of light and crashes of pottery along with the trumpets and the shouts of “The Sword of the Lord and Gideon” convinces the enemy that they are overwhelmingly surrounded. They begin to strike out with their swords in a panic, killing whoever is closest. In a panic, the Midianites and their forces run home. As they run we read:

Judges 7:23-25 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. 25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

What is happening here? Of the 32,000 soldiers that were gathered at the beginning of this chapter, all but 300 were sent home. But once the Midianites and their forces began to run, the 31,700 who were sent home left their homes and started chasing Midianites. The Midianites were defeated by God Himself, not by Israel. The lesson we learn is that …

It is not our responsibility to understand how God is going to keep His Word and accomplish His work. It is our responsibility to obey Him and to do what He commands (Inrig)

May God grow our faith through his Word and His Spirit. Amen and Amen!

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged defeating enemy, Faith, Holiness, Judges, obedience, Trusting God | Leave a comment

Divine Love

Posted on March 26, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sphere-shaped-miniature-of-earth-with-googly-eyes-5217883/

Please turn with me in your Bibles to:

1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

We Desperately Need To Understand What “Love” Is

One of the most misunderstood (but most popular) verses in the Bible is what our Lord Jesus Christ said to a Rabbi named Nicodemus. Yes, I’m talking about

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Children are taught this verse in Vacation Bible School and Sunday School It is well known and probably the most memorized of all scripture. But it is misunderstood, because people do not know what the word LOVED means. In our world the word “LOVED” refers to a positive emotional response that leads to happiness and satisfaction. Years ago it became popular to say in the pulpit:

God loves the sinner but hates the sin.

The Bible doesn’t say this. People are always quoting things from the Bible that are NOT in the Bible. For instance,

God helps those who help themselves.

Is not in the Bible. This actually comes from Aesop’s Fairytale “Hercules And The Wagoner”. Aesop was a Greek storyteller, and the actual quote is “The gods help them that help themselves”. Then I’ve heard,

Cleanliness is next to godliness.

Our Lord Jesus told us to be more concerned about the sinfulness of our hearts than the dirt on our hands (see Matthew 15:16-20). “The evil which comes from the heart defiles a person, not to eat with unwashed hands”. The statement,

God loves the sinner but hates the sin.

Doesn’t come from the Bible is a loose quote of non-Christian (Hindu) Mahatma Gandhi, who said in 1929, “Hate the sin and not the sinner”. What does the Bible say?

Psalm 5:5 (ESV) The boastful shall not stand before your eyes {O Lord}; You HATE ALL EVILDOERS.

Psalm 11:5 (ESV) The Lord tests the righteous, but HIS SOUL HATES THE WICKED AND THE ONE WHO LOVES VIOLENCE.

Hosea 9:15 (ESV) Every EVIL of theirs is in Gilgal; THERE I BEGAN TO HATE THEM. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house. I will love them no more …

Leviticus 20:23 (ESV) … You shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, FOR THEY DID ALL THESE THINGS, AND THEREFORE I DETESTED THEM.

Matthew 7:23 (ESV) And then will I {Jesus} declare to them, I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WORKERS OF LAWLESSNESS

I could go on an on. God hates sin – and God regards the sinner an enemy of His. You then say to me, “Well, why does it say that “God so LOVED the world”. I’ll tell you why.

Because we misunderstand Biblical Divine Love. We confuse Biblical Divine Love with emotional love. Part of our problem is that the Bible speaks of four types of love.

Eros – Sexual or Romantic love. This is passion, and emotional.

Phileos – love between friends. This is emotional.

Storge – love within the family. This is emotional.

But then there is a FOURTH LOVE that God references and commands. This love is not tied to good feelings or happy desires. This love – AGAPE – is a Divine Love.

AGAPE is a love that DOES GOOD regardless as to how you feel.

Divine LOVE Is To Do GOOD To Your Enemy Regardless Of Feeling

So let’s go back to …

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The word translated “loved” is the verbal form of AGAPE {agapaō}. AGAPE is not tied to emotional love. It is tied to doing the right thing. Since the world was doing the WRONG thing (chasing sin), GOD LOATHED THE WORLD. We were enemies of God. The Scripture tells us this:

Romans 5:6, 8-10 (ESV) Christ died for the ungodly. … 8 … God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Before God LOVED the world, God LOATHED the world. But even though God hates sin and is the ENEMY OF SINNERS (that is so clearly in our text just quoted), though we DESERVED WRATH (and rightfully so), God gave his Son for us.

So how do we PERCEIVE the love of God? How do we understand the statement:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Go back to today’s focal text.

1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Even though God despises sin – even though everything in His nature says to eradicate it, to purge it from the face of the earth – God “laid down his life for us”. When people began to reinvent God in their own image, God was not pleased. When God looked down on the world in Noah’s day, did God say “I will hate the sin but not the sinner?” No. The Bible says:

Genesis 6:5-7 (ESV) … The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

Emotionally God hated what mankind had become. And yet – there was Grace. The Bible says that (Genesis 6:8) … Noah found GRACE in the eyes of the Lord. Grace is the undeserved LOVE (Agape) of God in action. God could have totally erased humanity from the face of the earth. Instead, “God so LOVED the world”.

God did GOOD to those Who do BAD to Him.
This is DIVINE LOVE. It is not emotion, but DOING.

God LAID HIS LIFE DOWN FOR US. Eternal God the Son became incarnate, that is, He took upon Himself human flesh. Why did He come to us? There are a myriad of reasons.

Jesus came to make God known. It is hard to understand God as a Person until we see Him. Jesus not only came from God, but came from the right hand of God to make Him KNOWN to us (John 1:18). Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen ME has seen the FATHER” (John 14:9).

Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament promises. Jesus is the “Seed of the Woman” prophesied in Genesis 3:15. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. Jesus is the Son of David that reigns forever (2 Samuel 7:12). Jesus is the “Son of the Most High” God promised to Mary (Luke 1:31-33).

But the greatest reason that Jesus came was to bring peace between God and man. When man sins, he breaks the Law of God. Jesus came to pay the penalty for that breaking (Matthew 5:17-18). Because we sold ourselves to sin, Jesus came to be our Ransom for sin (Matthew 20:28). Whereas we were the enemies of God – and justly due His condemnation – Jesus came to put us in a right relationship with God.

We are reconciled to God because
God laid His life down for us!

2 Corinthians 5:19, 21 (ESV) God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation . . . he made him sin for us that we may be made the righteousness of God in him

We who are saved are no longer bound to Satan nor this world. We are bound to God by the LOVE DOING of God. We are bound to God by the Cross of Calvary.

What Does this Mean From A Practical Standpoint?

1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

What should we PERCEIVE as a practical application of the Cross? Very simply, “because he laid down his life for us”, that is, while we were undesirable and sinful, Jesus died for us. Because he did that for us – and we are children of God – “we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren”.

Illustrate Every time I pick up the Southern Baptist Paper “The Baptist and Reflector”, I cringe a little. The most recent article came across was, “Johnny Hunt Sues SBC, EC, And Guidepost”. The article states in part:

“The suit seeks unspecified damages related to allegations of defamation and the invasion of privacy based on accusations made against Hunt in the 2022 Guidepost report stemming from an investigation into the alleged mishandling of sexual abuse by the SBC EC {Executive Committee}.

Hunt filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Nashville on March 17. Hunt is represented by Nashville-based Cole Law Group.

In the report, Guidepost stated, “During our investigation, an SBC pastor and his wife came forward to report that SBC President Johnny Hunt (2008-2010) had sexually assaulted the wife on July 25, 2010.”

I’ve heard Johnny Hunt preach. I’ve been to His Church. I was shocked to hear that not only he, but other well known pastors were accused of wrong doing and sexual misconduct. I’ve seen this more and more, not just within the Southern Baptists, but among numerous denominations and so called non-denominations. Ravi Zacharias, a preacher I well respected, was found guilty of sexual misconduct following his death. God used Johnny Hunt and Ravi Zacharias, even though deep flaws were found.

There but for the grace of God go you and I. Any of us can fall at anytime if we get our eyes off of Jesus! There is no need for you to tell me, “I’d never do that”. Pharisees are more likely to “do that”, because self righteousness blinds. Given the right circumstances, you can fail just as grievously!

But here’s the problem that I have with the article,“Johnny Hunt Sues SBC, EC, And Guidepost”. Even if Johnny did NOT sexually sin with another pastor’s wife, even if the allegations were totally false, Johnny has no right to sue Christians. The Bible is very specific on that. The Apostle Paul addresses this in:

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 (ESV) When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!

As Jesus laid His life down for us, we are to lay our lives down for others. Johnny Hunt has no scriptural right to sue the SBC, or any Christian. The lawsuit states, “[Hunt]’s life forever changed when the Defendants publicly released their report. He lost his job; he lost income from speaking engagements; and he lost income from publishing opportunities. His losses are substantial, and Defendants should be held liable.” Johnny’s focus should be on promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As Christians we are to “lay our lives down for our brothers”. We lay our lives down just as Jesus laid His life down. Even if Johnny was totally misrepresented, so was Jesus. We are told that when Jesus went on trial,

Mark 14:56 (GNT) … Many witnesses told lies against Jesus …

When Jesus cast out devils, the Pharisees spread the lie that

Matthew 12:24 (GNT) … “He drives out demons only because their ruler Beelzebub gives him power to do so.”

Jesus was often falsely …

– accused of breaking the Sabbath (Matthew 12:10; Mark 3:2, John 5:14; 9:14–16), and

– accused of blasphemy (Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26; John 10:30-33)

– accused of being insane (John 7:20; 10:20; Mark 3:21), and

– accused of being illegitimate (John 8:41)

As Jesus hung dying on the Cross, He did not rail against His accusers, but prayed,

Luke 23:34 … Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do …

As He laid His life down for us, we are to lay our lives down for Him. We do this by “doing good” to even our enemies.

When Jesus was establishing what He expects us to do as Children of God, He was very clear. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:43-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

If you are saved, you were saved because “while you were an active enemy of God, God laid His life down for you”. If you are a Child of God by faith in Christ, then you are to do good to those who do bad even to you. You are not to compromise with the world and its standard of “truth” whatsoever. You are to look unto Jesus, believing and following Him.

In Conclusion

I gave you a white stone today with 1 John 3:23 written on it. The white stone is a reminder as to who you are, if you are a Christian. One day you will – if you are a Christian – stand in the presence of Jesus. Jesus said:

Revelation 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

In ancient Greece, if you were put on trial, at the end of the trial you were given a black stone if found guilty, but a white stone if found innocent. If you received the white stone your name was cleared. We who are saved are cleared of the barrier of sin because God laid down His life for us. The Scripture says:

1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

The text doesn’t say “this is his commandment(s)” {plural}, but “this is his commandment” {singular}. What is His commandment? That “we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ”, because there is no other way whereby we might be saved. He laid His life down for me that I might be redeemed, a Child of God by faith in Him and Him alone. But His Commandment s ALSO to “love one another, as he gave us commandment”. The two go hand in hand. This is a supernatural thing. We see this in the next verse

1 John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

If you believe in Jesus and have been saved by Him, then the Spirit of God indwells you. You MUST love your neighbor. You MUST love your brother or sister in Him. That is not a reference to emotion, BUT TO DOING. You are to do the right thing to others, regardless as to what others do to you.

This is the way of the Child of God. This is the “overcoming” expected of you. You don’t have to LIKE it, but you do have to DO IT. This is Divine love. May God draw you as His Church to Divine Love. Amen and Amen.

Posted in 1 John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

The Two Lifting Ups Of Jesus

Posted on March 23, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Donald Tong: https://www.pexels.com/photo/grey-and-brown-snake-opening-mouth-23817/

John 3:10-15 Jesus answered and said unto {Nicodemus}, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Last week we saw Nicodemus – a Rabbi of the Pharisees – come to speak to Jesus at night. Jesus told Nicodemus,

“You MUST be BORN AGAIN”

Everyone that hears my voice has been born one time – born of the flesh. But to be right with God, you must be BORN AGAIN, that is, born a second time. As Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about being born again, He says:

John 3:11 … We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

Our Salvation Is Secured By God’s Partnership

When Nicodemus came to Jesus, he said “WE know you are a Teacher from God because of the miracles you have done!” (vs 2). The “WE” Nicodemus spoke of was himself and the Pharisees. But Jesus responded with His own “WE”. Jesus was referring to Himself and the Holy Spirit of God. Though Jesus Christ is fully God …

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV) For by {Jesus} all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

1 Corinthians 8:6 (ESV) … for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

Though fully God and fully human, Jesus did all that He did on this earth in His first coming through the Spirit of God. When John the Baptist spoke of Jesus coming, he said:

Matthew 3:11 {Jesus} shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire …

The Apostle said of Jesus:

Acts 10:37-38 (ESV) you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

Salvation is something that comes upon us when God the Holy Spirit moves in our lives, opening our eyes to the Gospel of salvation, a Gospel fund only in Christ. When Jesus spoke of the need to be “born again” this is a plan that came from the Throneroom of God. Both Jesus and the Spirit – with the Father – planned our salvation. This is not a figment of Jesus’ imagination, but the plan of God. Before the earth was ever made, the Father loved the Son (John 17:24). Salvation only comes to those who are “in Christ”

Ephesians 1:4 … the {Father} has chosen us in {Christ} BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD …

Jesus was FOREORDAINED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (1 Peter 1:20) to be the means of salvation. Believing on Him, the Spirit moves on us to make us “born again”. Jesus alone of all of humanity has ascended into Heaven, and has face to face confirmation of our salvation through Him. Jesus said:

John 3:12-13 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Only one Person has ascended to Heaven and returned to tell us about it, and this is Jesus Christ. Later on in the Scripture God will allow the Apostle John to look into Heaven and tell us what he sees. But of all the Rabbis – Moses included – only One has gone to Heaven, and returned to tell us what God has said. This is Jesus.

Enoch was translated that he not see death (Hebrews 11:5). Elijah went up to Heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11). But only Jesus as God has Heaven as His home. He was INCARNATE – God made perfect Man – so that He could bring us to God. Of all the other Bible Teachers who have ever been, Only Jesus has sat at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus is uniquely suited to tell us of Heaven and how to get there.

The “Son Of Man” Must Be “Lifted Up”
Like The Serpent

Since only faith in Jesus is God’s method by which we may be saved, then you would expect there to be some Old Testament allusions to the Cross of Calvary. At this point Jesus tells Nicodemus:

John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Jesus Christ came from Heaven, and would one day return to Heaven. But He would also be lifted up in another way found in the Old Testament. Some have taken this “lifted up” out of context and thought that this means “Jesus must be EXALTED”. But this “lifted up” is tied to an event in Jewish history. Turn with me to Numbers chapter 21:

Numbers 21:1-3 And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners. 2 And Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. 3 And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and He {the Lord} called the name of the place Hormah.

A new generation of Israel moves toward Canaan, “king Arad of the Canaanites” comes against Israel and defeats them. Israel does what she should do – Israel prayed and sought God’s Will.

Israel “lifted up” their voices to God in prayer, and God “lifted up” His people in power.

Word Study: Israel prayed and promised God that – if He gave the enemy into their hands – that they would totally destroy the pagan cities. The cities were “devoted” to destruction. God heard Israel’s prayer, and empowered them to do as they asked. The cities of King Arad were utterly destroyed. We are told that “He {the Lord} called the name of the place Hormah”. The Name “Hormah” (Hebrew ḥārmâ) literally means “Devotion”.

Someone asked Pastor John MacArthur, “If God is a God of love and mercy and compassion, and He knows people are going to go to hell, why does He continue to create them?” He replied, “This is the ultimate agnostic/ atheistic problem. We say God is all powerful, and all loving. If He’s all powerful why doesn’t He save everybody? And if He’s all loving, why would He send anyone to hell? The answer to that is simply this.

God is Who He is. And you can’t invent Him and you can’t change Him and you can’t alter Him. You can either believe in Him or not believe in Him.

You can’t accommodate Him to your own thinking. And that means if you don’t understand His perfect righteousness and perfect holiness, the problem’s with you and not with Him. I don’t expect to fully understand God because I have a jaded view point because of my own fallenness and my own sinfulness.”

When Israel destroyed the cities of King Arad, God named those desolate places filled with death “Devotion”. God was satisfied with what occurred. He was satisfied because His people called on Him and obeyed His Word. He was satisfied because evil – horrible evil – was eradicated from the earth. He and His people were in one accord. C.H. Spurgeon said:

“{Israel} did not depend upon their own prowess in war. God had enabled them to rout the Amalekites, and to defeat many other adversaries; but when this new foe appeared, they did not rely upon their own swords, or spears, or bows, but they went at once to the Lord, and spread their case before him. In humble, earnest prayer, they sought his aid.”

Then Israel went against God. The going got tough and, instead of calling on God, they spoke against God!

Numbers 21:4-5 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

God knows we get discouraged. But in our discouragement we must never speak against God. The Bible says “the people spake against God, and against Moses”. What was the nature of their blasphemy? They first of all accused God of hating them. “Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” They said that God saved them to kill them – a horrible untruth. Then they declared God would not give them the least of necessities. They said they had no “BREAD” nor “WATER”. This was a lie. They came by the “WAY OF THE RED SEA” where there was plenty of drinkable water. As they were nomadic, they could raise no wheat, so they had no regular bread. They did, however, have what they called “LIGHT BREAD”, which was Manna from Heaven. David wrote:

Psalm 78:23-24 {God} commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven, 24 Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.

What a wonderful blessing this was. But instead of being grateful,

Israel “lifted up” themselves instead of God!

God’s response was immediate.

Numbers 21:6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Israel despised the BREAD from Heaven.
God gave them SERPENTS from earth.
Israel despised God’sGOODNESS.
God gave them burning poison.
Israel despised the life God gave them.
God gave them death.

We are reminded of the Scriptures “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and “It is a FEARFUL THING to fall into the hands of the Living God” (Hebrews 10:31). You never want to be on the wrong side of the Almighty! Suffering, the people do NOT go to God …..

Numbers 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

Their mind was in the wrong place. No MAN can forgive sins against God. Only God can forgive sins. Had Israel went DIRECTLY to God, I suspect that He would have taken the serpents away immediately. However since they went to a mere man (though Moses was a good man), God uses this as a teachable moment. Moses prayed for the people – but God did not remove the death from Israel. Instead, God told Moses:

Numbers 21:8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

Moses was NOT told to put a dead snake on a pole, but a bronze serpent, one that looked like a serpent. In order to pass from death to life, Israel would have to LOOK UP at the bronze serpent. Why not a LIVE or NEWLY DEAD serpent?

The serpent symbolized the sin of the people. A REAL serpent put on the pole would imply the people could pay for their sin. They cannot. A BRONZE Serpent implies that a Savior must be made, a Savior must be given. This is Jesus.

Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus repeatedly stated that He must “be LIFTED UP”.

John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

John 12:32, 34 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

Our Lord Jesus is the Bronze Serpent, affixed to the pole of crucifixion. God incarnate for us, Jesus Christ became Perfect Man to make payment for our sins. The Scripture says:

2 Corinthians 5:21 For {God} has made {Jesus} to be SIN FOR US, WHO KNEW NO SIN; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

When Jesus died on the Cross, He was not a sinner dying for sinners. Jesus was a bronze serpent. He was MADE TO BE SIN FOR US. He died in your place. He died in my place. When we look on Him believing, just as Israel looked on the bronze serpent believing, death ceases to be. We live, because He paid the penalty.

We Do Not Lift Up The Cross – But The Son Of God!

After Israel was healed by looking at the bronze serpent, they kept it and years later began to worship it (2 Kings 18:4). People today worship the empty Cross, genuflecting and bowing to it. It is not the Cross that paid the penalty for our sin. It is JESUS and JESUS ALONE Who did this. We are not to worship the Cross, but to remember that the Cross is empty and the Tomb is empty. Jesus Christ alone paid the penalty for our sin!

After speaking of being “lifted up”, Jesus gives us the Gospel in a short summation:

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

When we look to Jesus in faith, we do not see Him as a man like us who died unjustly on a Cross. Instead, we see God become Man, Perfect Man, to die in our place. He died for my sin, in my place. I believe on Him, receiving Him as both Lord and Savior.

In order for Israel to be saved, they had to REPENT and LOOK UPWARD to the bronze serpent. In order for a person to be saved, we must REPENT and LOOK UPWARD at Jesus, made of God for us. We must believe that – looking upon Him – we have everlasting life.

John 3:18-20 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Just as Israel had to repent of blasphemy, the Christian repents of our old way of life. We walk away from evil, and walk with God our Savior daily. Some refuse to be saved, because they wish to cling to their old way of life. This will not work Those whom God saves, He changes. God promises,

Isaiah 45:22 (NKJV) Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I [am] God, and [there is] no other.

Repentance is the necessary first step in salvation. We turn away from our sins, and turn toward Christ, receiving Him and Him alone as sin’s solution. Oh that all who read this would give themselves to Christ. Do not be confused. If you are not in Christ, that is, if you have not received Him as Lord and Savior, you are “condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”. There is n purgatory. There are no other ways to God. Turn to Him this very day and live! May God the Holy Spirit move in your life today. Amen and Amen!

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged crucified, crucifixion, Jesus Christ, paid for sins | Leave a comment

Jerubbaal, Mighty Man Of Valor

Posted on March 21, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

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So far in Judges we have seen the judges, the Avengers of God:

Othniel, the nephew of Caleb (3:7-11) defeat Mesopotamia
Ehud defeat the fat Moabite King Eglon (3:12-30)
Shamgar defeat 600 Philistines (3:31), and
Deborah directing Barak as he defeats King Jabin of Canaan

We now come to the Judge Gideon. God spends more time discussing Gideon and Samson that He does any other judges. We will cover Gideon in at least two installments.

Before Gideon Comes, The Midianites
And A Prophet Comes

Judges 6:1-2 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

Gideon’s calling by God is very similar to His calling of the other Judges. The phrase:

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them …

is the same pattern we see in Judges 2:11; 3:7 and 3:12. The “children of Israel” forgot that they were Children of God. Instead of following God they “did evil in the sight of the Lord”. Our God watches us as His Children. He saved us so that we can serve Him. The Bible tells us:

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV) Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV) Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

God watches our labor IN HIM, and will eventually bless us if we continue to serve Him. But the Bible is careful to remind us to “Do not be deceived – God is not mocked. What ever you sow, you will reap (Galatians 6:7)”. If you sow GOOD, you reap GOOD. If you sow NOTHING, you reap NOTHING. But if you sow EVIL, you reap EVIL. Some call it Karma. The Bible calls it Divine Justice. When Israel did evil we read:

the Lord delivered them

Word Study: The word “delivered” means “to give as a free gift”. God gives us the free gift of salvation, and calls us His own. But when we turn away from Him, He can “re-gift” us to our enemy. God gave Israel as a gift to Midian. Father Abraham had more sons than just Isaac and Ishmael. He had six sons by Keturah, the wife he married when Sarah died. The fourth of Keturah’s children by Abraham was Midian. Though the Midianites are descendants of Abraham, like Ishmael they did not come through Sarah as the child of promise.

During the time of Moses, when he fled Egypt after killing a taskmaster and traveled to the Desert of Midian. He married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro a priest of Midian (Exodus 2:15-16). At 80 years old God called Moses out of Midian, and had him lead Israel out of Egypt. Though the Midianites initially knew the God of Abraham and Moses, they drifted away from God and into idolatry. God directed Moses to “kill the Midianites” (Numbers 25:17-19) because of their evil.

God turned the fallen Israelites over to the fallen Midianites for punishment. The moral? Act like a pagan, God will treat you like a pagan!

Judges 6:2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

How far we as God’s people fall when we become one with the world! When God’s people follow Him, He becomes “the Rock of our salvation”. We live in power when we live in Christ. We sing with the Saints:

2 Samuel 22:47-48 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of the Rock of my salvation. 48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me.

Word Study: Israel should have been standing above the enemy on the Rock that is Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). But instead, they are burrowing into the mountains, and hiding in caves to get away from their enemies. For “seven years” Israel is in this state. Seven is the number of REST in the Scripture, the number of completion. God created all in six days, and rested on the seventh day. Israel is not resting in God, but in their abilities, their subterfuge, their sneakiness. Why are they hiding in cages?

Charles Spurgeon said, “The Lord does not permit His children to sin successfully”.

Judges 6:3-5 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; 4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. 5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

The Midianites lead the Amalekites (the descendants of Esau) in pillaging Israel. When Israel sowed their crops, as the harvest came the enemy came like locusts, and stole their crop. Furthermore, the Midianites had vast herds of sheep, oxen, and donkeys along with cattle and camels without number. All these beasts ate the grass of the lands where Israel was, so much so that their own beasts starved. What was frightening about the Midianites was that “they entered into the land to destroy it”. God warned Israel when they entered the Promised Land to “dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. … But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them. (Numbers 33:53, 55-56)

The Midianites did not want to settle the land. They moved into an area like locusts, destroyed it, then moved on. This terrible suffering caused Israel to call out to God.

Judges 6:6-8 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. 7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites, 8 That the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

The Children of Israel cried out to God because of the Midianites. Before God raised up Gideon, “the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel” to explain why they were being punished. This is different from all the Judges we have had up to this time. Though we do not know the name of the Prophet, he speaks for God. “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel”. The Lord speaks through this Prophet reminding Israel of His great grace given to them.

Judges 6:9-10 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; 10 And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

The Israelites were not to fear the gods of the Amorites – but they were to have fear or respect for their own God. Though the Amorite “was like the height of cedars, and strong as the oaks (Amos 2:9), our God was greater. We do not fear God as you would a poisonous snake or a bear, but we fear God in the sense that we have reverence, respect, and awe for Him. The Scripture tells us:

Hebrews 12:5-6 (NASB) My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; (6) For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And he scourges every son whom He receives.

God wants Israel to know that their low estate with the Midianites is not because God has forgotten them, nor is it because God is a poor God unable to do right by His people. They are in the mess they are in because God is disciplining them – just as He does all His children. “As a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord Thy God chastens thee!” (Deuteronomy 8:5).

Enter Gideon

Judges 6:11-12 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.

God has an unnamed Prophet speak to Israel about their failure. Now an unnamed Angel speaks to Gideon. The Angel finds Gideon hiding near a winepress. The grapes are not near harvest, but Gideon has gathered a small harvest of wheat from the fields. He is threshing the wheat – separating the grain from the chaff – so he can feed his family.

Gideon’s name (giḏʿôn) means “One who hews down, that bruises or breaks”

Gideon hewed down wheat in the dead of night, and carted it over to a hiding place near a “winepress”. Here he is gathering little in his own power. The Angel of the Lord tells him that it is God’s plan that he not just hew down and “thresh wheat” while hiding from the enemy. God wants to use Gideon as He used the unnamed Prophet. God will one day judge this earth and “cast it into the great winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 14:19-20; 19:15). The Angel tells Gideon:

The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor

This is somewhat amusing, for Gideon is anything BUT a “mighty man of valor”. But the Angel speaks of what God INTENDS Gideon to be, if he will but allow God to work in his life. Instead of worshiping God, Gideon begins to whine:

Judges 6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

Now what is interesting about Gideon’s whining is that the unnamed Prophet told Israel WHY they were being afflicted of the Midianites. Where was Gideon when the Prophet shared this news?

There are times when God clearly speaks to us, but we do not hear Him. Sometimes He gives us a clear message from the Pastor or Bible Teacher on Sunday – but we decided to stay home that day. Perhaps when the Prophet preached, Gideon skipped Synagogue. Or perhaps Gideon was there when the Prophet spoke, but he was preoccupied in fixing his own problems. Gideon was too busy worrying and too little praying. He missed the memo! Gideon blames God, just as Adam blamed God when he sinned in the Garden. Adam said, “The woman whom YOU, GOD gave to be with me, she gave me the fruit and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12). Gideon blames God. “YOU, GOD have forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites”. It’s all God’s fault!

The Lord does not argue with a fool! He merely replies:

Judges 6:14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

My commentary notes:

“The angel, in His greeting (“valiant warrior,” v. 12), was addressing Gideon as the man he would become, by God’s enablement, not the man he was then. In the same way, God had called Abraham the father of a multitude before he had any children. He called Peter a rock before he behaved like one. He also calls Christians saints, even though we are not yet as saintly as God will make us.”

The Bible says that when God chose Israel, that “The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people” (Deuteronomy 7:7). The Bible says of the Christian

1 Corinthians 1:26-28 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are:

God calls the broken, the weak, the unable, and makes us whole, strong, and able. We cannot, but God can. “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), and yet Jesus said “apart from Me you can do NOTHING” (John 15:5). Gideon is God’s chosen Judge.

But Gideon is not sure.

Judges 6:15-16 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

Gideon is “the least” or the youngest in his family. Normally the firstborn child would be chosen to lead the family, and to lead the warriors. Yet God often uses the younger over the older. God chose …

Abel’s offering, but rejected the elder Cain’s (Genesis 4)
Jacob over Esau (Romans 9:13)
Moses to lead Israel, though Aaron was 3 years older (Exodus 7:7)
David over his brothers (1 Samuel 16:12-13) to be King
Solomon over his older brothers to be King (1 Chronicles 22:6-10)
Ephraim was greater than his older brother Manasseh (Genesis 48)

Judges 6:17-21 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. 18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again. 19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. 20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.

Gideon asks for a sign from God that the Lord was really talking to him. This is the first of three signs that Gideon will ask of God in this chapter.

Gideon first asked that God stay there while he prepared a meal, just as he would do for any honored guest. This is time consuming. There are no refrigerators, nor cook tops or microwaves. The flour was already ground, but had to be mixed and cooked on a flat rock. The goat had to be killed and the meat prepared for eating. The “angel of God” waited patiently until the meal was served. The Angel had Gideon put the food on a rock. The Angel extended a staff that he held in his hands, and “touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes”. The fire came up OUT OF THE ROCK, not from some man made source. Gideon believed that this was of God. We read:

Judges 6:22-24 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. 23 And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. 24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon was at first frightened when he was assured that this Angel spoke for God. But when God assured him that he would not die, Gideon “built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovahshalom”, which means “The Lord is Peace”. God commands Gideon – the younger son – to destroy his father’s false altar to Baal. Before Gideon can lead Israel into battle, he must put God above his own family. Our Lord Jesus said:

Luke 14:26-27 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

God must be greater in our lives than anyone or anything. He demands our number 1 treatment – not second place. God told Gideon:

Judges 6:25-27 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: 26 And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

We see some interesting parallels here. Israel has been in bondage to Midian for 7 years. Now God demands Gideon take a “bullock of seven years old” and tear down his family’s altar to Baal. An altar to the True Jehovah is to be built over top of this false altar, and a sacrifice made to Jehovah. Gideon does as God says, but “he did it by night” because he was afraid of what his family would do to him. Sadly, doing it by night didn’t protect him. We read:

Judges 6:28-30 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. 29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.

The people of the city called out for the death of Gideon. But “Joash”, Gideon’s father, refused to do so. He told them:

Judges 6:31-32 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar. 32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

Gideon was given the nickname “Jerubbaal” (the Hebrew yᵊrubaʿal), which means “Let Baal fight him”. If Baal was indeed a true god, he himself could take care of Gideon. From that day forth Gideon would also be known as “Jerubbaal” – mocking the gods of the Midianites. In God we have nothing to fear! Next week we’ll study the fleece of Gideon. May God bless you as you grow in Him. Amen and Amen!

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, God Is Faithful, salvation | Leave a comment

Doing Righteousness

Posted on March 21, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Duané Viljoen: https://www.pexels.com/photo/couple-hugging-and-holding-sing-with-enough-is-enough-inscription-5097418/

1 John 3:10-11 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

J.K. Rowling, the author of the “Harry Potter” series of books (something I’ve never read, nor am I interested in reading) spoke up about transgender issues. Her statements were quite mild. She rejects the popular phrase, “people who menstruate” in favor of the word “woman”, as only biological women do this. Popular comedian and talk show host Bill Maher said:

“{Rowling} doesn’t hate trans people. Everybody has to stop saying they hate the thing that they don’t hate. Like pro-life women don’t hate women. … They think it’s murder. And it kind of is. I’m just okay with it. (emphasis mine) I’m totally okay with that kind of murder. But it is kind of, it’s becoming a life. But they don’t hate women. That’s not why pro-life people are against abortion. They think it’s murder.”

I’ve never heard anyone in Hollywood admit what we all know, that abortion is “kind of murder”, nor say they were okay with murder. The reason I quoted this to you today is because this is where the devil as taken the world. When we disagree in America today, and do not go along with whatever is the vocal majority – then we are branded as “haters”. Yet Jesus said this would happen. Jesus calls on His people to be attached to Him. He said:

John 15:5 (ESV) I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Since the believer in Christ is attached to Christ, then Jesus told us to expect the same kind of treatment He got. He said in the same chapter:

John 15:18-20 (ESV) If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. … 25 They hated me without a cause.

They had no cause to hate Jesus – but hated Jesus anyway. Why? Because Jesus came teaching us that we are to love God the Father and one another. Beloved, according to the Bible,

What we are seeing in the world today is NOT love,
but hatred. All sin is at heart HATRED.

John brings this out in our text today. We read:

1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

John asks, “How do we spot a Christian?”, and then gives us TWO criteria to determine what a Christian looks like. The Christian,

1. DOES Righteousness, and
2. Loves his or her brother

The Christian DOES Righteousness Because The Christian Loves God

Jesus said that the very first commandment of God is that:

Matthew 22:37 (ESV) You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

God is to be put FIRST in your love and adoration. When our God gave the Ten Commandments from Sinai, He wrote with His finger:

Exodus 20:2-7 (ESV) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

Since God saved Israel from enslavement to Egypt, since God elevated these people to be His, God demanded that they love Him exclusively. This meant that they were to worship no other gods or goddesses. They were to put away their past experience in Egypt, and follow where God led. They were to honor God with their life, and serve God with their hands, feet, and lips.

God hates sin, but loves righteousness. Why does God hate sin but love righteousness? Because sin is the very basis of lovelessness. Sin is lovelessness of God. When God put Adam in the Garden of Eden, He told Adam to love Him. God told Adam,

Genesis 2:16-17 (ESV) … You may SURELY eat of EVERY TREE of the Garden. But the Tree of the Knowledge of good and Evil you SHALL NOT EAT, for in the day you eat of it YOU SHALL SURELY DIE

God in his love gave Adam a parameter. God said, in effect, “I establish good and evil. I love you. I gave you life. I gave you a great job. I will give you a great wife. You have paid for none of these things. You work a job you never sweat at, and do something you can never fail at. JUST LEAVE THE GOD DECISIONS TO ME.”

When the serpent came into the Garden to tempt Adam, Adam had a choice. Would he love God and do as God said? Or would he follow his wife and the serpent, placing both above God.

You know what he did. “By one Man SIN ENTERED THE WORLD, and DEATH BY SIN, and so death passed upon ALL MEN, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

Adam did not DO RIGHTEOUSNESS. Adam loved his wife and himself more than he loved the Lord. Adam ate what was forbidden because he put himself first above God. His bad decision brought death into the world.

Righteousness is what God has said is RIGHT. God is always right. The Bible defines what is righteous, and what is unrighteous.

You cannot say “I love God” if you do not DO RIGHTEOUSNESS. The two are tied together. The Scripture says:

Psalm 89:14-16 (ESV) Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, 16 who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted.

Because God is RIGHTeous and because god is JUSTice, God is both STEADFAST in His love for us, and FAITHFUL in keeping His promises to us. You cannot divorce RIGHT from LOVE. The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 33:5 {God} loves RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTICE, the earth is FULL O THE STEADFAST LOVE of the Lord.

If you love God, you love what God says is right. If you love God, you hate what God says is wrong. Sin is bound to a loveless attitude toward God. When God reached out to save Israel from Egypt, why did He do it? Because it was the RIGHTeous thing to do. God told Israel:

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (ESV) It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

God told Israel that He freed them because (1) He LOVES them, and (2) He is DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS, that is, KEEPING THE OATH He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God’s love is tied to doing what is right.

The Devil And The World Will Demand
We Do As They Say

1 John 3:11-12 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

In our world today if we do not agree with whatever trend is currently fashionable, then we are despised as haters. But it is not loving to do that which God says NOT to do. God must be loved FIRST above all else. The Bible says:

Amos 5:15 Hate evil, love good

Psalm 97:10 You who love the LORD, hate evil

God does not look the other way on sin. Sin is anything that God has said is bad, and sin destroys God’s creation. The Scripture says:

Psalm 5:4-6 … You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man

God HATES those who reject Him, who pursue evil. Why? The Biblical story of Cain and Abel tells us why. Just before God sent a banished Adam and Eve from Eden, the Bible says:

Genesis 3:21 (ESV) … the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

God COVERED their sin – their nakedness – with the skins of animals. In order for this to happen, God had to kill some animals, and shedding their blood use what was the innocent’s flesh to cover them. The Bible says that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). It was from this first sacrifice in the Garden that God showed mankind that sin is no trifle. Sin caused Adam and Eve to be cast from Eden. Sin caused pain to enter the world. Sin caused the death of animals.

Cast from the Garden, Adam and Eve knew that the shed blood of the innocent would cover sin. They taught this principle to their children. This brings us to Cain and Abel. Abel was a herder of animals, and Cain a farmer. We are told in:

Genesis 4:3-5 (ESV) In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

Two brothers bring an offering – a sacrifice to God. Abel brings a sacrifice of “the firstborn of his flock”, but Cain brings to God “the fruit of the ground”. God rejects Cain’s offering, but receives Abel’s offering. And this makes Cain very angry at both God and his brother! Cain’s attitude is much like those in the world today who say,

“God, if YOU love ME, then YOU will change what YOU say in order to make ME happy!”

This s very prevalent in the world today. But God rejected Cain’s offering, though He received Abel’s. Why? There’s a few reasons why? First, God’s example in the Garden of Eden was that “without the shedding of blood, there is NO FORGIVENESS OF SINS” (Hebrews 9:22, ESV). God covered Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden by the shedding of blood. Cain as the firstborn child of Adam would know what was expected. God would establish this much clearer later on to the Priests of Israel, saying:

Leviticus 17:11 (ESV) For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement {a covering} by the life.

Sin is no trifle, but it is a bold act of lovelessness toward God. Sin is covered only by the shedding of blood. Abel shed the blood of a lamb but Cain did not. Therefore God would not receive Cain’s offering. But there’s another reason.

Genesis 4:3 (ESV) In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground…

The Bible tells us that God would accept an offering from the ground, but it had to be the FIRST FRUIT of the field (Deuteronomy 26:5-10). Cain did not bring God the FIRST FRUIT or First Harvest of his field. Cain satisfied his own needs and the needs of his family FIRST – then and only then did he bring God an offering. Charles Pope notes:

“Abel gives of the firstlings (first fruits) of his flock. There is no mention that Cain gave of the first fruits of his crop. In biblical legislation, God commanded that the tithe be given. But it was not any tenth that was to be given, rather it was the first tenth that was to be given (see Exodus 23:16,19; 34:26; Leviticus 23:10 to name just a few). Thus Cain erred by not presenting first fruits, and God did not regard his offering. We are not to give God leftovers.”

Cain brought God the leftovers. When Cain got angry, God spoke to him, saying:

Genesis 4:6-7 (ESV) …. Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.

If you DO WELL, that is DO RIGHTEOUSNESS, then God will accept it. But God does not want your leftovers. God does not want what YOU think is best. God wants you to love Him more than anyone or anything, and then He will receive you as sons and daughters.

Cain refused to DO RIGHTEOUSNESS. Since Cain could not kill God, he killed his brother Abel. Why did Cain kill Abel, the first murder in human history?

1 John 3:12 …Because {Cain’s} own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous

The evil will always want to kill the good. Cain should have REPENTED, and turned from his error, doing what God said do. He would not, and bore the consequence of his sin.

Love Always Follows God

1 John 3:13-14 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

We love others – especially “the brethren”, that is, other believers. But we love all people. We love God first and foremost. But we love our brothers and sisters by DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS toward them. “we love the brethren” by “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). God establishes what is or is not truth in his Word. We affirm His Word because we love Him. We share His Word with others – even when it is difficult.

As believers, we are commanded to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). When a brother or sister moves into worldliness and sinfulness, we are to do as the Scripture says:

James 5:19-20 (ESV) My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

If a brother or sister “wanders from the truth” as God has established it, we are not to support their wandering. We are love them enough to counsel them – privately – in what the Word of God says. We are to tell them what God has said:

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 … ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We who are saved by faith in Christ are saved to love God and do what God says. We are saved to hate sin and love righteousness AS GOD DEFINES IT. We are to be like Jesus! We are to share Jesus with the lost world. We are to share Jesus with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

1 John 3:15-16 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

As Jesus laid His life down for us, we are to lay our lives down for or brethren. We are not to compromise with sin and evil. We are to stand strong in the Word of our Lord, the Holy Scripture.

Jesus Christ is God! God laid down His life for us to save us from sin. If we would be saved, we must repent. If we would be blessed as His Children, we must love God with our all. God does not save us by the Blood of Christ so that we might follow after this world. We give no quarter to the world, but as Ambassadors of Christ tell the world to REPENT and TURN TO JESUS. We tell people that – once they are saved – they are no longer sons of Adam, but sons of God. You have His promise:

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

May God through His Spirit draw you into the arms of Christ. Amen and Amen!

Posted in 1 John | Tagged follow Christ, follow God, follow Jesus | Leave a comment

The Great Need Of Our Age

Posted on March 17, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Sunvani Hoàng: https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-little-baby-lying-on-bed-in-morning-7973662/

John 3:1-2 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

We recently moved our clocks forward to observe “Daylight Saving Time”. It was NOT implemented to help the farmers (they have lobbied against it since its inception), but was started During World War I to conserve energy sources. In 1966 the Uniform Time Act standardized Daylight Saving Time. The same Act keeps states from going to a permanent Daylight Saving Time, though states are free to return to standard time. States cannot go to a permanent DST (which Tennessee wants to do) until the U.S. Congress passes the “Sunshine Protection Act”. The Senate passed this March 15, 2022, but it died in the House. Don’t hold your breath waiting for a change!

The ancient Jews and Gentiles didn’t move the clock around like we do. In Jewish tradition, the day began when night fell. When three stars could be seen in the night sky, this was the start of their day. The reason for this is that the Jews believed in the Genesis account of creation. In Genesis chapter 1 we are told that:

Genesis 1:3 (ESV) … there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

God’s day – it was believed – began with “evening”, and days were reckoned from evening to evening. It was considered “night” when there were three stars visible in the sky.

Nicodemus Came To See Jesus At Night

When the sun set for the Jews, it was a “new day”. Nicodemus meets Jesus, and this meeting will bring “a new day” to his life. We find out some things about Nicodemus. First of all, his name. The name Nicodemus (Greek nikodēmos) means “Conqueror, One Victorious among his people”. Nicodemus is a man who is successful, who pursues victory, and seeks excellence. He is not a run of the mill man. He wants to win, wants to succeed. We read that:

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

There were around 6000 Pharisees, very devout keepers of God’s Law. We are told that Nicodemus is “a ruler of the Jews”. The Phrase “the Jews” used in the New Testament is usually a reference to THE Jews, that is THE Jews who were particular about keeping the Law. In short, “THE Jews” is another term for the “Pharisees”. Nicodemus has studied the Bible, and excelled in learning its truths. As a result he has risen to the top tier. He is a “ruler” of these people, people who called themselves “Pharisee” or “Separated unto God”.

John 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night

Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus “by night”? Some have suggested that this was just when Nicodemus came, that there was nothing significant about him coming at night. I don’t believe this. Nicodemus is mentioned three times in the Book of John, in John 3 (where we are tonight), and again in John chapter 7 when the Pharisees plotted against Jesus. They sent men to take Jesus by force, but the men refused to grab Jesus when they met Him. They asked, “Why didn’t you bring Jesus to us?” The hired men replied,

John 7:46 … No one has ever spoken like this Man.

The Pharisees told them, “You have been deceived. The Pharisees do not believe on Jesus. Only those ignorant of the Law believe on Him”. It is then we read that Nicodemus speaks up for Jesus:

John 7:50-51 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

Nicodemus, though a Ruler of the Pharisees, spoke up for Jesus by reminding them that the Law forbids judging a person without first hearing them out. The fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night is mentioned once more, and again in John 19:39. The Law required that an accused man be given an opportunity to speak and clear His name. The Law required that the man’s accusers – in this case those who accused Jesus – hear him out before passing judgment.

Three times in Scripture it notes that Nicodemus comes to Jesus BY NIGHT. This is because – of all the Pharisees – the only one who ever heard Jesus’ was Nicodemus!

Nicodemus wanted to hear Jesus explain Himself. During the daylight hours Jesus was busy healing, blessing, resurrecting, teaching. Jesus had crowds around Him during the day – and Nicodemus wanted a quiet time to sit down and access Who Jesus is. When do not exactly know where Jesus is. We know that Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, and has cast the money changers and sellers of sacrifices out of the Temple. The Chief Priests and Pharisees were in partnership with these people. Perhaps this is part of the reason Nicodemus is here. But the greatest reason why Nicodemus is here because he has been watching Jesus

John 3:2 … Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Jesus Is More Than A Rabbi

Nicodemus has seen Jesus doing miracles, and believes that God was with Him. Nicodemus is like many people. They think that God is WITH Jesus – but that Jesus is just a mere mortal man. Nicodemus calls Jesus “Rabbi” or rhabbi, which means “Teacher” or “honorable One”. The Pharisees called one another Rhabbi, but Jesus condemned them for that. He said:

Matthew 23:8-10 be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

The only One Who can truly be called “Rabbi” or “Honorable One” is The Christ sent from God, just as the only One Who can truly be called “Father” is God the Father. The Only “Master” (Greek kathēgētēs) or Superior Teacher is THE Christ. As humans, we all fall short.

Nicodemus is calling Jesus “Rabbi” to tell the Lord “You’re just as good as we Pharisees are”. He was sadly mistaken. Those who are lost think themselves good. They classify themselves by comparing their own self made rules, and how they live in comparison with others. They are like many of the “woke” crowd today who believe themselves to be morally superior because their color is more acceptable, or because they have the elite stamp of approval from some liberal arts college.

We are all fallen creatures. Nicodemus, Jesus isn’t as good as we are. We aren’t worthy to tie His shoe laces!

People who are spiritually blind cannot see this. Jesus, Who is THE Christ, now speaks to Nicodemus, one of THE Jews, and says:

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Word Study: Jesus begins with “Verily, verily” which is literally “amēn amēn”. The word means “this is absolute truth”. As Jesus speaks, He ties what He says to Himself. He doesn’t say “This is absolute truth per the Scripture”, though Jesus often quoted Scripture and said “It is written”. Nicodemus has already said that God was WITH Jesus. Based on his own words, Jesus is going to make a judgment on Nicodemus. His judgment is “Nicodemus, you are spiritually blind. You have come to Me in darkness, and I am now going to open your spiritual eyes. You must be born again!”

The Bible teaches us that people are all born into this world separated from God both physically as well as spiritually. Those who are without Christ walk through this life …

Ephesians 4:17-19 (ESV) … in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

The Bible does not tell us that all people are born basically GOOD, and then over time they drift toward evil. The Bible tells us that when Adam sinned, he brought spiritual death on all his progeny. The Scripture declares:

Romans 3:9-18 … (ESV) … all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

People are not good until they are bad. People enter this life physically bereft of God. The Prophet said:

Micah 7:2-4 … there is no one upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net. Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together. The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge.

Jesus looked at Nicodemus and said, “Unless you are BORN AGAIN – born not just of flesh but spiritually born – you CANNOT SEE the Kingdom of God”. The Pharisees relied on their schooling, on their position in society, in their elitism to make themselves right with God. And yet Jesus would later tell the Pharisees:

Matthew 23:27-28 (ESV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

The Pharisees – as do we all – needed to be “born again”. Nicodemus is blind to his spiritual need. He asks:

John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

Nicodemus response is like the rich young ruler who asked Jesus, “What must I DO to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17, ESV). Jesus told the young man to keep the Law of God. Affirming that he had done this “from my youth upward”, Jesus told him, “Sell everything you have, give it to the poor, and follow Me”. The man refused to do that …. and yet, this is the only way to eternal life. You must receive eternal life through Jesus. It is a free gift that He grants to those who REPENT and GIVE THEMSELVES TO HIM. Jesus tells us:

John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Who can enter into the Kingdom of God? Not the fallen angels. There is no provision made for their salvation. Then who? Only the sons of men. Only those who have been “born of water”, that is, born as a son of Adam, can enter Heaven. But those born of water must ALSO be born of the Spirit. The Bible says:

1 Peter 1:22-23 (ESV) Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God

When a person hears the Gospel and God opens their spiritual eyes to its truth, they are given the opportunity to receive or reject that Gospel. If they receive that Gospel truth the Holy Spirit moves upon them, and they are spiritually washed, born into the Kingdom of God.

Some believe that the washing of the “water” is a reference to the Prophecy of

Ezekiel 36:25-28 (ESV) I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

God cleanses His people with the Word of God rightly applied (see Ephesians 5:25-27). Salvation is a gift of God – not of works, lest any boast. When we come to Christ He and He alone has the power to save us. Believing on Him, the Spirit of God is sent to our lives – and we are “born again”.

John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Jesus compares the New Birth (you must be born again) of the Spirit with the wind or the breeze. The word translated “wind” is the Greek pneuma, whereas the word for the “Spirit” is the Greek πνεύματος, pneumatos. The words are very similar to one another. Why did Jesus compare the Holy Spirit to the wind? Is the Holy Spirit just a force of God, as the wind is?

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is not a power, but a Person. A Person has their own identity or individuality, and are able to make conscious decisions. The Bible tells us that God the Spirit knows God’s thoughts (1 Corinthians 2:10). No human is able to do this, but God the Spirit does. The Holy Spirit has a mind:

Romans 8:27 (ESV) He who searches hearts {God} knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

God the Holy Spirit intercedes for the believer, praying for us as we live within God’s Kingdom. The Holy Spirit has a mind, and volition, the ability to choose. The Spirit not only has a mind, but the Spirit has feelings like a Person. We are warned,

Ephesians 4:30 (NIV) … do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

You cannot “grieve” a power or a force. You cannot grieve electricity or the wind. You grieve God when you as believers live in sin. Kurt Selles, the Director of Reframe Ministries, stated:

“Paul reminds his readers—and that includes us—that they should no longer live like unbelievers in the darkness and “futility of their thinking.” All who believe have been purchased with the precious blood of Jesus, and now they are called to live in his light. Living in Jesus’ light means following him in our thoughts, words, and deeds.”

The Holy Spirit is a Person – the Holy Spirit is actually God. In the early Church the Apostle Peter told Ananias and Sapphira:

Acts 5:3-4 (NASB) “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

You cannot “lie” to a power or a force – but Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit, they lied to God. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. He is God.

The Holy Spirit is the One Who causes a person to become “born again”. When the Gospel is shared, the Scripture is quoted, God the Holy Spirit will move to open eyes and, if that person is willing, the Spirit will cause him or her to be “born again”. The Spirit is lie the wind in that:

1 Both the Spirit and the Wind are INVISIBLE. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

2 Though both the Spirit and the Wind are invisible, their WORK can be seen. When the Spirit moves on a person’s life, the change is very visible.

3 The work of the Holy Spirit and Wind are both POWERFUL. When the Holy Spirit “moved over the face of the water” (Genesis 1:2) during creation, He brought order to chaos. Where the Spirit is, order is brought from chaos.

4 The work of the Holy Spirit and the Wind is AMAZING. Why would God love us so? The Bible says, “Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed Him as His counselor?” (Isaiah 40:13).

5 Just as the Wind blows where it blows, the Spirit moves where He wishes. The Scripture tells us that “all the gifts are given by the Holy Spirit as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11) … God sets the members in the Body of Christ {the Church} as it pleases Him (1 Corinthians 12:18)” {author’s paraphrase}. We are warned not to

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit …

When you hear the Gospel of salvation, and hear that Jesus Christ is God’s Messiah, the Only Way to salvation (John 14:6), you have a choice. You can heed the call of the Spirit and turn your life over to Jesus. Or you can reject Him. Yet I would warn all, reject the Gospel call with caution. Quenching the Spirit may cause Him to depart – and none can come to Jesus except the Father which sent Him draw him (John 6:44). It is the “Spirit that makes alive” (John 6:63). It is the Spirit that bids the lost come to Christ.

Revelation 22:16-17 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Do you know Jesus? Have you believed on Him Who gave His life for you? Have you received Him as lord and Savior of your life? If not, today is a great day to do so. My prayer is that God would reach out to everyone who reads these words. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”” (Romans 10:10, 13 – ESV). Amen and Amen!

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged born again, Holy Spirit, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

God Uses Both Men And Women

Posted on March 15, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Ali Arapoğlu: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-inside-dome-tent-on-cliff-2193527/

Judges 3:30 {Because of Ehud} … Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years. 31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel. Judges 4:1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.

Last week we studied about Ehud, the left handed Judge who saved Israel from the fat king of Moab. We also talked about Shamgar, a man who’s name meant “sword”, but who had no sword. Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad, what is a hardened pointy stick. The similarity between Ehud and Shamgar is that both Judges lived at the same time, and both killed the enemy with something pointy and sharp. The Book of Judges has been known as a bloody book, for it shows in graphic detail the horrifying effects of sin. One commentary notes:

“Altogether, roughly a quarter of a million people perish in Judges!”

Both Shamgar and Ehud were Judges at the same time. Shamgar’s death is not mentioned in Scripture, but as Ehud dies, Israel returns to their apostasy.

Judges 4:2-3 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 3 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Israel began to worship the fertility gods of Canaan, and to move into sexual sin. Since they chose to walk away from God the Lord “gave them over” to what they wanted. The same language is used in the New Testament to describe how idolatry leads into destructive sexual sin. The Scripture says:

Romans 1:24-28 (ESV) Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

God is the REDEEMER of His people. When Israel rejected His rightful leadership, God “sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan”. Jabin worked from the capital city of “Hazor”, a chief Canaanite stronghold of the north. Though Joshua destroyed this city in Joshua 11, it was repopulated, probably because of Israel’s sin. We lose ground when we do not follow our God!

4:3 {Jabin} had nine hundred chariots of iron

The Israelites did not possess the skill to work iron as did the Canaanites and the Philistines. For “twenty years” Jabin oppressed Israel, until they cried out to God for relief. Again, we see Israel becoming harder and harder in their hearts. God does something different.

Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

God raises up “Deborah, a prophetess” to be a Judge of Israel.

God Uses Both Men And Women To Bless Nations

In Scripture wives are commanded by God to follow the leadership of their husbands:

Ephesians 5:22-24 (ESV) Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

This does not mean that God cannot use a wife to lead and deliver a nation. There are many women in places of leadership in the Bible. When God used Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, he did so with his elder brother Aaron and younger sister Miriam by his side (Numbers 26:59). Miriam is a prophetess (Exodus 15:20).

When the boy-King Josiah reigned in Israel, in his 18^th year of ruling (he would have been 26 years old) the Book of the Law was discovered in the Temple. When Josiah read the Book, he grieved, for he knew that he and his people were not following the Lord. Josiah sent Hilkiah the Priest to find “Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah” (2 Kings 22:14) to find out what God thought of all this. God spoke to the King through Huldah, and said, “Thus says the Lord: Because Israel turned away from My Command and followed other gods, I will punish her – and My wrath will not be quenched. But because Josiah humbled himself, because he repented and turned to Me, he will never see Israel’s desolation” (paraphrase of 2 Kings 22:17-20).

On the day that Jesus was circumcised, Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:36-38) was waiting to see Him in His mother’s arms. In the early Church one of the Deacons named Philip (the evangelist) had four unmarried daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-09). God uses women throughout Scripture. God used Deborah as a Judge of Israel.

Judges 4:5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

Word Study: The name “Deborah” (Hebrew dᵊḇôrâ) means “a bee”. Bees collect what God gives, and hovering over it, provide sweet honey. God’s Word is sweeter than honey! The Psalmist said:

Psalm 119:102-103 I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. 103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Deborah is open to the Word of God – and God speaks to her.

Though Men And Women Are Of Equal Priesthood And Equal Value, We Are Designed By God
With Different Roles In Mind

Let’s pause and discuss Divine Design. When God created the earth and put humanity on it, God put Adam into the Garden first. It was Adam that God “put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it”. It was Adam’s job to “dress” (Hebrew ʿāḇaḏ) and “keep” (šāmar)the Garden (Genesis 2:15). The word ʿāḇaḏ means to “labor over, to work in, to till, to serve as a servant to”. God gave Adam the muscle structure to work the soil, to lift burdens, and the bone structure to endure heavy loads. He was given a methodical mind, one that paid attention to detail, and had focus. Adam was also created to šāmar or to act as a watchman over, to guard and preserve the Garden. It was to Adam God said:

Genesis 2:16-17 … Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Adam was the direct representative of God, entrusted with the care and preservation of the Garden of Eden.

After this commission, we read:

Genesis 2:18 … the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

God made a “help meet” (Hebrew ʿēzer) for Adam, which literally means “One Who helps or assists, one who lifts up”. The woman, unlike man, was made from the rib of Adam, NOT from the dust of the ground. Adam was made from what he was to serve. Eve was made from what she was to help. Her muscle structure is lighter, as is her bone structure. Eve was not designed for the heavy lifting and for war, but to assist Adam. This has not changed from the beginning of time. Though in the New Testament we are told:

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Women as well as men are equally believer-priests through faith in Christ Jesus.

God speaks to women, through women, and uses women. However, the same Apostle Who wrote what I just quoted – that women and men are of equal spiritual value in the eyes of God – this same Apostle wrote:

1 Timothy 2:11-14 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Word Study: Does this mean that women cannot teach men? No, it doesn’t. But it does mean that women are not to “usurp authority over the man”. The phrase “usurp authority” is the Hebrewauthenteō, which means “to act on your own authority, to exercise dominion over”. Neither man nor woman has leave to violate God’s design.

Once we begin to modify what we believe to be true based on feelings or what culture says apart from what God has written in His Bible, we begin to lose our walk with God.

Illustrate: February of this year the Southern Baptist Convention withdrew fellowship from Saddleback Church in Southern California. Why? Because Pastor Rick Warren and the leadership of that Church decided to ordain women as pastors. The Southern Baptist Faith and Message states in section VI. The Church”:

“While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture”.

This is based on what the Scripture says is the qualification of a Pastor:

1 Timothy 3:1-2 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife

The man is called to be the leader of the Church. This is according to the Scripture. God has a design in creation, and has directed the man to lead. So the question before us now is,

If This Is True, Then What About Deborah?

Let’s go back to Deborah, the “Bee” of God.

Judges 4:5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

Deborah did not “USURP AUTHORITY” from anyone. God spoke to Deborah as a Judge, but her leadership was distinctly different from all the other Judges we’ll see in this Book. The Bible says: “the children of Israel came up to her for judgment”. It is God Who “raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them” (Judges 2:16). God raised up Deborah. But instead of sending Deborah out, God allowed the people to come to Deborah.

God used Deborah within her divine design.

When God raised up OTHNIEL (Judges 3:10),
Othniel went out to war.
When God raised up EHUD (Judges 3:15),
Ehud went to kill the evil king of Moab.
When God raised up SHAMGAR (Judges 3:31),
Shamgar went after and killed 600 Philistines.

But Deborah judged from the “palm tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim” (Judges 4:5). Deborah acted as a mother and a helper to Israel. Deborah’s heart was open to God, and she served Him without denying His design for her life.

Judges 4:6 And {Deborah} sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

Word Study: Some versions mistranslate this. The word translated “commanded” is the Piel Perfect 3^rd Person of the Hebrew ṣāvâ, which refers to a completed action. God had already commanded “Barak” to move ten thousand warriors from Naphtali and Zebulun to Mount Tabor. What is interesting is that “Barak” (whose name means “a flash of lightening”) is dragging his feet! Why? I suspect fear had much to do with it. Israel had been in bondage 20 years, and Barak has lost hope. Since Barak would not listen to God, God used Deborah to speak to him. Deborah acted as a helper – a help meet! God through Deborah told Barak:

Judges 4:7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

God tells Barak that when he does as he is commanded (by God, not by Deborah), that God will draw the enemy forces led by “Sisera” the Captain of the Canaanite Army, and God would defeat them. God said, “I will deliver him into thine hand”.

Barak is willing to go, but tells Deborah:

Judges 4:8-9 … If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. 9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

God is speaking through Deborah, so Barak asks her to go with him. There is no usurption of authority when the man asks you to accompany him!

But because Barak will not go forward on his own faith, he will not gain honor for what happens. Since he is dependent upon the faith of Deborah, God said,

“the Lord shall sell Sisera
into the hand of a woman”

The “woman” God is speaking of is not Deborah, as we will soon find out. Let’s continue.

Judges 4:10-15 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh. 12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. 13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. 14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 15 And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

God did exactly what He said He would do. When Barak led his troops to Tabor, he met with Sisera and his 900 iron chariots – and cleaned their clock! We read that the battle went so badly that “{General} Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet”. Barak and his troops won the battle, but Sisera got away. Or did he? Here’s what Paul Harvey used to call “The Rest Of The Story”.

We read in verse 11 “Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh”. So Sisera leaves the battle, and begins to run. Where do you think he runs?

Judges 4:16-17 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left. 17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

Sisera knew that the Canaanite King Jabin and Heber the Kenite were friendly. So General Sisera ran to “the tent of Jael the wife of Heber”, thinking it a place to hide.

Judges 4:18-20 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. 19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. 20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

“Jael the wife of Heber” tells Sisera to come in and rest. He lays down, and she “covered him with a mantle”, and gave him milk to drink. Sisera asked her to stand guard, to protect him while he slept.

In the ancient world, it was the WOMEN who put up the tents each time a caravan would stop.
The women had no swords – but they had tent pegs.

Judge 4:21-22 Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. 22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

Sisera was given an “Excedrin™ Headache”! Barak gained no honor for his weak faith, though God used him to defeat the enemy that day. It was “Jael Heber’s wife” who killed Sisera. But Who ultimately gets the glory? We read:

Judges 4:23-24 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. 24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

We serve an awesome God! Let us serve Him, and honor Him by living according to His Word, within His design, for His glory. May God the Holy Spirit bless and keep you. Next week, praising God for His goodness.

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged Adam, Adam and Eve, divine design, Eve, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, Jesus Christ, women | Leave a comment

Why Did Jesus Come?

Posted on March 15, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Noe De Angelis : https://www.pexels.com/photo/wave-on-sea-coast-at-sunset-15784095/

1 John 3:4-6 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

The world has always demanded that Christians do what it says. This has never changed. Sometimes the world creeps into the Church. When the world infiltrates the Church, it twists what believers should do.

You’ve probably never heard of Thomas von Imbroek. Thomas was a Christian who believed in his Bible. The “Established Church” at that time was the Catholic Church. Backed by the German state, the Catholic Church began what they called “The Inquisition”, a religious court that examined and executed those they deemed “heretics”. Thomas was considered a “heretic” What was his crime? He refused to have his young infant children baptized. Thomas rightly believed that only believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should be baptized, and he cited Scripture as his proof texts. Catholics teach that water baptism is a SACRAMENT that frees a person (even an infant) from original sin, and brings the child into the Catholic Church to be saved. Catholics equate water baptism to the Old Testament practice of circumcision. The Catholic Catechism states, “1250. … The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth”.

Though there is no instance in Scripture that infants were ever baptized in water, Thomas was brought before the Inquisition. Thomas was tortured for days, and pressured to have his children baptized. While imprisoned, his wife wrote him letters, encouraging him to stand firm in his faith. Thomas replied, “the Lord refreshes the afflicted souls that thirst for Him. He is a shadow from the heat of the sun. Tell the brethren to take care of the novices (young believers) and to pray earnestly for me. I will also pray for them, as much as is in my power. Remember my bonds. The Lord be with your spirit. Amen.” Thomas told his persecutors,

““I am willing and ready, both to live or to die. I do not care what happens to me. God will not let me down. I am comforted and in good spirits while yet on the earth. God gives me friendly assurance, and my heart is encouraged through my brothers. Sword, water, fire…cannot frighten me…All the persecution in this world shall not be able to separate me from God.”

At just 25 years old Thomas was sent to the execution for the crime of being “Anabaptist”. His head was chopped off on March 5, 1558 – about 465 years ago.

Thank God that we have religious freedom in America. However, if we as Christians don’t stand up for the Lord, and stand up for righteousness, we will lose our freedoms. A virulent form of religion has taken over in America – and we as believers need to stand up against it. This secularized religion called “Humanism” has taken over state governments. Recently Governor Gavin Newsom has canceled the renewal of Walgreens Contract because Walgreens will not dispense the abortion medication Mifepristone in 21 states that restrict its use. Humanism in California believes that women should be allowed to abort the child within them – period.

Another Governor Ron DeSantis is battling Humanism in Florida. The Governor said “In Florida, pornographic and inappropriate materials that have been snuck into our classrooms and libraries to sexualize our students violate our state education standards. Florida is the education state and that means providing students with a quality education free from sexualization and harmful materials that are not age appropriate”. Some material that was found in school libraries was so pornographic, that it was not even allowed on television. Of the 175 books removed from libraries across the state, “153 (87%) were clearly pornographic, violent, or inappropriate for their grade level”.

Humanism is the great secular religion in America today. And Christians, we need to lovingly call out the heresy – and stand with our God!

Sin Is The Transgression Of The Law

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

What is “SIN” and what does God think about “SIN”? To put it in Southern terms,

God is agin sin! He ain’t fer it!

God hates sin so much that He has LAWS against it. When Israel went into the Promised Land God told them:

Deuteronomy 12:31 (ESV) You shall NOT WORSHIP the Lord your God as {the Canaanites do}, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for THEY EVEN BURN THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN THE FIRE TO THEIR GODS …

God hates sin because sin always leads to DEATH. Sincere and well meaning people ignore the Word of God in order to pursue Humanism. Yet in the end result, they BURN THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN THE FIRE. Some children are never born, forcibly aborted through chemical burning or drug induced horrors. Some children are raised without the love of father AND mother. A little girl told me the other day “Mama has a new boyfriend”. Years ago a little girl I know was raped by one of her mother’s special friends. Sin is a horror!

Sin is contrary to the nature of God. Humanism and Christianity are absolutely NOT compatible. God is HOLY (Isaiah 6:3). All three Members of the Godhead are holy. The Bible tells us that (1 John 1:5) “God is LIGHT; in Him there is NO DARKNESS at all”. The Bible speaks of those who …

Proverbs 30:12 (NIV) … are PURE IN THEIR OWN EYES, and yet are NOT CLEANED OF THEIR FILTH (see also Ezekiel 24:13)

The stepbrother of Jesus warned the Children of God to (James 1:21, ESV)

“Put away ALL FILTHINESS and RAMPANT WICKEDNESS and receive with meekness the IMPLANTED WORD (of God), which is able to save your souls …

Sin is a killer. It kills children, it kills families, and it kills YOU. Sin is subtle. The Pharisees rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior because Humanism told them they were good enough. Jesus told them:

Matthew 23:27 (ESV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

What a horrible statement that is! God looks at the heart of a person. Are you loving HIM, or are you loving YOURSELF? Humanism promotes love of self regardless as to what God’s Word says.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Word Study: Sin is something you have to “commit”, the Greek poieō which means “to do, to act out, to produce or cause”. It starts in the heart. Jesus said,

Matthew 5:28 (ESV) … I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This is why Humanism is pushing pornography among our schoolchildren. If you can get a child to look at a woman or a man with “lustful intent”, this is the seed planted that will bring about the violation of the Law called “adultery”. What is it Jesus said?

Mark 7:20-23 (ESV) … What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.

Why are there school shootings? Is it the guns? No, the source goes back to the heart. The child raised on violent television shows, bloody movies, vicious killer video games, that child begins to devalue life.

Humanism elevates self love and minimizes respect for others. Humanism shouts down the Law of God and the Laws of Nature.

Sin Is Transgression Of The Law.
What Is Sin’s Solution?

1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Why did God send His Son Jesus to this world? John tells us that Jesus was “manifested” to “take away our sins”. Let’s look at “manifested”, the Greek phaneroō which means “to make visible, to become known”. The Bible tells us that “God was MANIFEST in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16) in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was “MANIFEST as our Savior” (2 Timothy 1:10). Jesus Christ came to be our Savior. Does the text say that …

This is what some would have us believe. Some say that they can be a practicing _____ (you fill in the blank) and be a Christian. The Bible doesn’t say that. You cannot be comfortable with what God calls sin – the transgression of the Law – and be saved. The Scripture is quite clear:

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Jesus Christ was MANIFEST not to enable sin, but to eradicate it. Jesus Christ died for our sins so that He can FREE us from our sins, and bring us into a right relationship with God.

2 Corinthians 5:19-21 (ESV) …. in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

When a person comes to Christ, calling on Him as both Lord and Savior, God enters that person’s life. God made Jesus Christ to be SIN on our behalf, so that we might “become the righteousness of God”.

Jesus did not come to this earth to ERASE or ERADICATE the Law – but to “FULFILL IT”
(Matthew 5:17-20)

As “the Lamb of God” Jesus took the penalty for our failures before God (John 1:29). As the “Good Shepherd” Jesus daily walks with His people, guiding them away from sin and into a right relationship with God (John 10:11-14). The Scripture says:

1 Peter 2:24-25 (ESV) {Jesus} himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

No Christian is saved to follow Humanism’s god. We are saved FROM sin to follow Jesus. We are saved FROM death to follow life. We are saved FROM darkness to follow God’s light.

1 John 3:6-7 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

The proof of your salvation is in the life you live. If you live following Humanism, making light of sin, then Beloved you have neither “seen him, neither known him”. Your faith is a pretense! You who are Christians indeed are called to “do righteousness”. Now what does that mean? Are you to “do righteousness” as I or someone like me defines it? No! You are to “do righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous”. You are called to imitate Christ. You are called to DO as Jesus said.

The world will call on you to compromise, to go along to get along. But God tells us:

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Those who lightly sin are not of Christ, but of the Devil. The Scripture commands us to “be IMITATORS OF GOD, as Beloved Children” (Ephesians 5:1). We are to be “IMITATORS OF THOSE who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12). Our Lord Jesus “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26).

Jesus Christ came to destroy the works
of the devil – not to enable them.

The Pharisees were religious, but not saved. The Romans were militant, but not saved. What saves a person? The Holy Spirit of God. You must hear the Gospel of salvation. You must hear that Jesus Christ came to give Himself for your sins. You must hear that sin is no trifle, but a horrible thing that enslaves, keeping you from the life of God through Christ.

But God so loved YOU, that He gave His Only Begotten Son for YOU. If you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God will literally change your life!

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Those who are “born of God” have the indwelling Holy Spirit of God within them. Those people will not long live in sin. God despises sin! Other versions render verse 9 as:

1 John 3:9 (ESV) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

1 John 3:9 (NLT) Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.

There is a Governor on the life of each and every Christian, and that Governor is the Holy Spirit of God. Is it possible for a Christian to fall into sin? Yes. The Scripture says,

Romans 6:11-18 (ESV) So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Christian, you do not belong to Humanism, the Devil, or this Dark World. You belong to God! Your works are to reflect to allegiance.

1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

The Christian DOES RIGHTEOUSNESS, and the Christian LOVES HIS BROTHER. These are the twin marks of the genuine Christian. The Christian does not behead a brother or sister because we do not agree. But a Christian DOES righteousness, and LOVES – even our enemies.

Sin is incompatible with the Christian walk – as is lovelessness. Do you know Jesus? If not, today would be a wonderful day to call on Him. Humanism cannot fix what ails us. But Christ can. God’s Holy Spirit can. Believe on Him, and receive Him as Lord and Savior. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen and Amen.

Posted in 1 John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ, Following Christ, Jesus Christ, love God, salvation, true vs false believers | Leave a comment

When Jesus Was Angry

Posted on March 10, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/human-fist-163431/

John 2:12-16 After this {Jesus} went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. 13 And the Jews’ Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

The first two words we see in our text today is “After this”. Last week we saw Jesus turn dirty wash water into wine. The wine He made was the very best wine anyone had ever tasted. Just as Jesus can take a dirty water and make it clean wine, He can take a broken life and make it complete. Jesus loves to fix the broken. If you’re broken, you need Jesus!

The Jewish Passover Shows The Love Of God

Tonight we’re going to see one of the times in Scripture “when Jesus gets angry”. Jesus has just done His first miracle, and now He goes to Jerusalem for “the Jews’ Passover”. The “Passover” is a fantastic time in the life of the nation of Israel.

The first Passover was in Egypt in the Spring of 1446 BC.

Israel had been enslaved by Egypt for many years, and they cried out to God to be released. God raised up a man named Moses, a man from the Tribe of Levi, to stand up for Israel. Moses went to Pharaoh and said, as God told him, “Let My people go” (Exodus 5:1; 7:16; 8:1; 8:20-21; 9:1, 13; 10:3-4). Each time the evil King Pharaoh refused to let Israel go. It was then that God told Israel:

“I am coming to strike down the enemy. Take a lamb without spot or blemish, bring it in your home for 4 days, then kill that lamb. Put it’s blood on the house where you are. Where I see the blood, I will not destroy in that family, but will PASS OVER that home” (author’s summary of Exodus 12:1-14, 21-27)

The home that did not have the blood of the lamb would experience death – God would kill the first born in that family. That night, God did as He said. He passed through Egypt, and where He did not see the blood of the lamb, He took the life of the firstborn child (Exodus 12:29).

Egypt let Israel go. God told His people:

Exodus 12:24-27 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshiped.

Israel was supposed to keep the Passover every year, FOREVER. The Passover was used to teach God’s Israel to celebrate the salvation they had through Him. It was to be a time of worship. Every Jew was required to celebrate the Passover, to go to the Temple and make a sacrifice to God, to worship the Lord for His salvation.

As Jews were scattered throughout the land, many were far away from the Temple during the time of Passover. The Jews did not have cars and trucks and planes like we have. They had to walk to Jerusalem, or else ride a donkey or a mule all that way. If you’re going a long way to the Temple, that makes it hard to bring a lamb with you. So over time those who worked in the Temple, the Priests, began to open up the courtyards to people who were selling animals for sacrifice.

John 2:12 … {Jesus} went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

Jesus lived in Nazareth, but once He started preaching those in Nazareth did not believe He was the Son of God.

Jesus moved to Capernaum (Matthew 4:13-16), a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-3.

Capernaum became His home, which is why His “his mother, and his brethren” along with those who followed Him went to the same place. Capernaum is around a four day walk from Jerusalem, moving at normal speed and taking breaks as you go. Since Jesus is a Jew, He is required to go to the Passover, so He and His family take that trip.

When Jesus gets there, we read:

John 2:14 {Jesus} found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

What has Jesus found? Since people had to sacrifice animals on the Passover, shrewd businesses sold “oxen and sheep and doves”. Rich people would sacrifice OXEN, middle class people SHEEP, and the poorest people DOVES. These merchants were not selling these sacrificial animals at cost, but were marking the prices up. On top of this there were changers of money there. The Jewish Businesses that were selling sacrifices would not accept Roman money. So the money changers would convert your money from non-Jewish to Jewish currency (of course, at a mark up).

Now some have said that God is against making money, against capitalism. I don’t think that is what made Jesus upset. What has upset Jesus is these three words:

found in the temple

In the ancient world, most businesses operated in the gates of the city. The city of Jerusalem had eight gates, and business was often conducted outside those gates. The Temple itself had twelve gates. The gates (1) controlled access and provided defense. The gates also (2) marked the boundary, from the secular to the holy. And finally, (3) the gates were economic centers. A scholarly paper written by Talitha Hart notes:

“Like the city, the temple seems to have had a market in or near its gates where those seeking to offer sacrifice to Jehovah could purchase the animals they needed to offer. (E.P.) Sanders (in his book Judaism: Practice and Belief”, page 87)finds serious problems with the idea of animals being sold actually within the temple{emphasis mine}precincts, based on the requirements of holiness described in both Leviticus and Philo’s On the Special Laws”.

The merchants could have sold their sacrifices in the gates of the Temple, but instead carried the sacrifices into the Outer Court of the Gentiles. Here they sold their goods. How did Jesus respond?

Jesus Was Angered Because God’s Love Was Hidden

John 2:15-16 And when {Jesus} had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

As animals were sold for sacrifice, their leads or ropes used to lead them into the Temple grounds were removed. I believe Jesus went toward the altar, where He found ropes and leads that had been removed and tossed on the ground. Using these ropes as a scourge or a small whip, the Bible says that Jesus:

Matthew 21:12 (ESV) Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

Mark 11:15 (ESV) {Jesus} … entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

Luke 19:45-46 {Jesus} entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”

Some have said that Jesus drove out only the animals from the market, but this isn’t what the Scripture says. Jesus drove out not just the sacrifices, but “those who sold and those who bought in the temple”. “Those who bought” probably refers to the money changers, as they were purchasing money for exchange rates. “Those who sold” refers to those who were selling sacrificial animals. Why was Jesus doing this?

Because they were at the Temple for the wrong reasons. Jesus said, “make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise”. The Temple existed to draw people closer to God. It was not there to make money on. Jesus said:

Luke 19:46 It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.

Our Lord was quoting from

Isaiah 56:5-7 (ESV) … I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. 6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

Jesus was angry because the Israelites – and in particular the priests – had forgotten that the purpose of the Temple was to bring people into a right relationship with God. By their actions they were hiding the love of God. They were hiding the Gospel of God.

The Temple itself stood for God reaching out to the lost in love. It was in the Temple that God promised:

Isaiah 56:5 I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off…

It is within the Temple that God will first reveal His Son Jesus to those who would worship Him. It is Jesus Christ that …

Philippians 2:9-11 …. God also hath highly exalted {Jesus}, 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.

Jesus Christ is the “Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, 36). Jesus Christ is the “Good Shepherd Who gives His life for His sheep” (John 10:11). It is Jesus Who will “give His life for the world” (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus chased out those who would hide the love and mercy of God.

By What Right Do You Do This, Jesus?

After Jesus chases out the buyers and the sellers, we read:

John 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

The followers of Christ remembered a Messianic Psalm, a prophecy of the Coming Messiah:

Psalm 69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

The Messiah when He came would be zealous – almost fanatical about honoring the House of God. Jesus Christ, a lone Man, chased people away from their money! But not only would the Messiah be zealous of God’s House, but “the reproaches of those who reproached God would fall on Him”. The Messiah would take the penalty of our sin against God on Himself.

The Pharisees were upset with Jesus for breaking up their business! We read:

John 2:18-19 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

Word Study: They wanted to know what Jesus’ authority was in breaking up their little enterprise. This is not the first time the Pharisees and Priests asked for a “sign” (Greek sēmeion), meaning “a miraculous or God ordained event, something supernatural”. If Jesus were the Messiah, they expected Him to manifest some Messianic “sign” to prove Who He was. Jesus told them:

Destroy this temple, and in three
days I will raise it up

They heard this, and thought that Jesus was speaking of the Temple of Herod. Herod’s Temple took 46 years to build. The Jews said:

John 2:20-21 … Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

Jesus was foretelling His death and resurrection. At the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus will be betrayed in to the hands of His enemies, crucified, and will die on the Cross of Calvary. Jesus will be buried in a borrowed Tomb – but will rise again on the third day. The death and resurrection of Christ are the only proofs He would give to the Pharisees and Priests that He is the Messiah. Though they repeatedly asked Jesus:

Matthew 12:38 … Master, we would see a SIGN {sēmeion} from Thee

Yet Jesus told them:

Matthew 12:39-40 … An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Matthew 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Luke 11:29-30 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonah. the prophet. 30 For as Jonah. was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

Jesus Christ proved Himself by rising from the Grave. He died for our sins, and rose again for our salvation. We read:

John 2:22-25 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

Though Jesus did many miracles in Jerusalem at this first Passover, the miracles themselves are not mentioned. Many believed Jesus to be a Prophet because of the miracles, but did not believe on Him unto salvation. Jesus knew their hearts – “he knew what was in man”. He did not trust those who followed Him, but knowing the human heart, placed all His trust in the Father.

May God draw us all closer to Jesus every day. Amen and Amen.

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged love of God, Passover, Temple | 1 Comment

A Left Handed Assassin And A Man With A Pointy Stick

Posted on March 7, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Bakr Magrabi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-portrait-of-a-soldier-holding-a-spear-5353141/

Last week we looked at the first Judge of Israel, Othniel. Othniel was a representative of the Tribe of Judah, and a man who was filled with faith for the Lord. As we turn to Judges 3:12-13, we’re going to see that Israel was obedient to God as long as Othniel ruled. Once he died, we see there is no godly leadership. Without godly leadership, Israel once more drifts away from the Lord. We read:

Judges 3:12-13 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. 13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

The Devil Destroys By Demolishing Divine Design

With all the weirdness and “wokeness” in America today – the Black Lives Matter movement, the Radical Left, the LGBTQ2S+ movements, the “Use My Preferred Pronoun” madness, the Radical Feminism and push for Abortion, the Transgender Modification of young children, and on and on – you might wonder what in the world is happening to our country. What is happening is that Satan has mounted an all out offensive against the Divine Design of Civilization. Satan is attacking the FAMILY.

When FAMILY as God designed it is attacked, modified, twisted, renamed, chaos ensues. When people pull away from God, God “gives them over to a reprobate {adokimos, a false or fake, a pretense, a counterfeit} mind, to do those things that are not convenient {kathēkō, fitting or proper}” (Romans 1:28). God says,

“I am your Father. I am your Savior. I gave you the gifts you have. You live in the land I gave you by grace. You want to reject Me, and my commanded Design. Fine! Then I will back up and let you do do.”

Now God has both a sense of humor as well as a sense of what is right. Israel backed away from the Fatherhood of God. So what did God do?

Judges 3:12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord…

Word Study: God could have used ANY nation to attack Israel. But He chose to use the Moabites, led by “Eglon”. The Hebrew ʿeḡlôn means “Calf Like”. When Israel first rejected God’s leadership at Mount Sinai (right after He had saved them from Egypt) they demanded that the High Priest Aaron make them a golden calf (Exodus 32:4) to worship. Israel refused to follow God, so they followed a golden calf. Now Israel refuses to follow God, and God causes a FAT CALF LIKE King lead them .

But here’s the other truth we see here. Eglon was the King of “Moab”. Where did the Moabites come from? Back when God called Abraham to follow Him, Abraham left his homeland with his nephew Lot. At one point Lot and Abraham had to separate because their flocks and herds had gotten so large that the land would not sustain them. Abraham allowed Lot to choose which direction he wanted to go with his family.

Lot chose Sodom.

The land of Sodom and Gomorrah had become so devoid of righteousness that the traditional Biblical family was no longer the norm. God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, but sent two angels down to Sodom to rescue Lot and his family from destruction. The angels took Lot, his two daughters, and his wife out of Sodom. Lot’s wife looked backward (Genesis 19:26), turning to a pillar of salt. Jesus warned His Church to stay true to Him, especially as His Coming is ever near. Jesus said:

Luke 17:32 Remember Lot’s wife.

Lot found himself in a cave with his two daughters as God rained fire and brimstone from Heaven on Sodom (Luke 17:29). The Bible tells us that:

Genesis 19:35-37 … {Lot’s daughters} made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.

The lie the devil tells us is that sin doesn’t matter, or sin matters so little that it is inconsequential. The truth is, sin is a horrible decision to walk away from God’s best for us. The Bible says “be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Lot’s sin with his eldest daughter – a violation of the Divine Design of the family – created a nation called Moab, and that nation would afflict Israel.

Israel walks away from God’s design – and is punished by an aberration of that hideous sin!

But not only this, we read:

Judges 3:13 And {Eglon the king of Moab} gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

Eglon is descended from Lot’s bad decision with his elder daughter. Eglon gathers “the children of Ammon” or the Ammonites to help him afflict Israel. Where did the Ammonites come from? Return back to Lot’s two daughters. We read:

Genesis 19:38 The younger {daughter} also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

The Ammonites came from the dysfunctional family of Lot, just as the Moabites did. From these two roots great and mighty trees were formed, trees that would rain down poisoned fruit on Israel. Then there is yet one more nation mentioned, “the children of Amalek” or the Amalekites. Where did these these people come from?

Abraham’s son Isaac had two children, Esau the older and Jacob the younger. It was God’s will that the younger Jacob receive the blessing of the elder (Romans 9:13). Rather than wait for God to resolve what God Himself desired, the mother of the children (Rebekah) conspired with Jacob to deceive Isaac and Esau, thus securing the blessing. The fallout from this deception made Esau an enemy of his brother Jacob.

When Esau moved into manhood, he became the father of a mountain people called the Edomites. Esau had a son Eliphaz (Genesis 36:4) who had a concubine Timna who bore him a son named Amalek. None of these things I just mentioned are part of God’s design for the family.

God does not want family internally plotting against one another.
God does not want wives dishonoring husbands.
God does not want husbands keeping concubines.
God does want children dishonored.

Out of this dysfunction came the Amalekites. The Amalekites, the Ammonites, and the Moabites were all dysfunctional families that departed from God’s Divine Design. God used these aberrations to punish Israel. Do not believe that anyone – and I’m speaking to YOU, AMERICAN CHURCH – can depart from God’s Design and go unsullied.

Judges 3:13 {the Amalekites, Moabites, and Ammonites} went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

The “city of palm trees” is another name for Jericho, the place where Israel fought her first battle under the leadership of Joshua. Jericho was:

“a heavily fortified city that stood between God’s people, the Israelites, and the “Promised Land.” Jericho had a massive, impenetrable wall around it that the Israelite army had no hope of getting past, and even if they did, they would have to face an enemy army.”

God knocked down the walls of Jericho when Israel did as He said (Joshua 6:15-20), and the city was easily defeated. “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days (Hebrews 11:30, ESV)”. Faith in God tore down walls and defeated the enemy. Faithlessness in God caused Israel to lose that which she was given.

You cannot expect to retain God’s blessing if you will not follow God’s commandment.

Sin Is Like A Cancer That Grows And Hardens

Judges 3:14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

The Bible says:

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

And our Lord Jesus said:

John 8:34-36 … Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

You will serve either sin or the Sovereign Savior. When you serve sin, it becomes your master, and will draw you into death. Sin is sneaky. But notice also this:

When Israel sinned against God in Judges the first time, they were in bondage 8 years until they repented and God raised up Othniel (Judges 3:8). When Israel sins against God the second time, they are in bondage 18 years – over twice as long – until they repent and God raises up a second Judge.

Over time, sin hardens the conscience (Titus 1:15; 2 Peter 1:9).

Judges 3:15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left handed: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

Word Study: As soon as God’s people repented, God raised up a “deliverer” (Hebrew yāšaʿ, Savior) named “Ehud”. His name is interesting, for it means “I will be praised”. I do not think that Ehud wants to be praised. I think that God uses him because GOD wants to be praised, to be glorified. Ehud is a “Benjamite”, from the Tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe of Israel. Judge Ehud, the Prophet Jeremiah, and Paul the Apostle are all from the Tribe of Benjamin. What else do we see about Ehud? He is “a man left handed”. Why is this significant?

Among humans, less than 10% of us are left handed. When we meet one another, we shake hands with the right hand. Why? Because the right hand is where most people would hold are a sword or spear. You shake your right hand to show no weapons are hidden in the sleeves. If people wore a sword, it was worn on the LEFT side of the body to facilitate easy drawing. During the middle ages, knights on greeting one another would raise their right hand, and open their helmet face shield to show they meant no harm. I am told that this is where the original salute came from.

Ehud was left handed. We are told “by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon”. Now Eglon’s body guards would not have allowed Ehud to enter into his presence without first searching him.

Judges 3:16-17 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

Ehud made a dagger – pointy and sharp on both edges – about 18 inches long (the length of a standard cubit). When Ehud came in, the guards searched his left side, the side that a right hand person would conceal a sword. But since Ehud was left handed, the sword was under his clothes on his right side. They just didn’t see a sword here!

Judges 3:18-20 And when {Ehud} had made an end to offer the present, {Eglon} sent away the people that bare the present. 19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. 20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlor, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

After delivering the tribute money, Ehud and those who were with him headed out of the King’s Palace. They all got to Gilgal (Joshua 4:19-24) where Joshua had Israel set up twelve memorial stones commemorating their passage through the Jordan on dry land. At Gilgal, Ehud returned to King Eglon’s Summer Palace, telling him “I have a secret message for your ears alone!” King Eglon sends all his people out. Ehud says:

I have a message from God unto thee

King Eglon rises from his throne, and Ehud strikes. He pulls the double edged dagger – 18 inches long – from under his clothes, and strikes with his left hand.

Judges 3:21-23 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. 23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlor upon him, and locked them.

Driving the blade into Eglon, he was so fat that the rolls of his flesh encompassed the handle and the haft of the blade. The Bible says “the dirt came out”, that is, it penetrated his bowels and that which was in the bowels gushed out. The length of the blade would have made it come out his back – a horrible death! One commentary notes:

“Although God will often use other nations to discipline His people, after the discipline is over, God has a tendency to destroy the nation that was used to oppress His people. Even though they had been chosen by God as a rod of discipline, God keeps His Word – those that bless Israel are blessed, and those that curse Israel are cursed.”

Judges 3:24-26 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlor; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

Locking the doors behind him, Ehud uses this time to escape. The smell of Eglon’s “dirt” causes the servants to believe their King is relieving himself. The phrase “covereth his feet” is an idiom for going to the restroom.

Judges 3:27-30 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valor; and there escaped not a man. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

Following Ehud, Israel destroyed the enemy that had afflicted them for 18 years. God was in the battle, and Ehud was careful not to take credit for killing the King, or defeating the enemy. Ehud said “the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand”. This was proven when Israel went against the Moabite Army, battle hardened men – and destroyed the entire army.

Our God is an awesome God!

God Used A Left Handed Man –
And A Man With A Pointy Stick

Judges 3:31 And after {Ehud} was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

The third Judge of Israel has very little said about him, a man named “Shamgar”. His name means “a Sword”, but Shamgar did not use a sword. Shamgar battles the Philistines – ancient enemies of Israel – with an “ox goad”. What’s an “ox goad”? It’s a pointy stick that you use to poke an ox when it doesn’t want to move.

Shamgar used an ox goad to fight the Philistines. Why did he use an ox goad? Because he didn’t have a sword. Shamgar used what God allowed him to have. What else do we learn about Shamgar? He is,

Shamgar the son of Anath

Now “Anath” is the Canaanite goddess of war. Shamgar isn’t Jewish – he’s Gentile. Shamgar wasn’t born a follower of God, but came from an unbelieving family. We don’t know how Shamgar became a champion of Israel, nor do we know who led him to the Lord. But Shamgar met God and, believing in God, began to follow God. The Bible tells us later in:

Judges 5:6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,…. the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways.

The people were frightened of the Philistines, and avoided the highways and normal routes. They hid their travel for fear of being harmed. Not Shamgar. Shamgar took the highways. He went looking for Philistines, he and his pointy stick. He made no excuses as to why he couldn’t do what God called him to do. Shamgar trusted God, stepped out in faith, and started poking holes in Philistines.

Shamgar did what he could with what he had
where he was every day of his life.

It is time that we as Christians and we, the Church of Christ, follow the example of Shamgar. The late Dr. R.G. Lee said before he went to be with Jesus:

“The Church needs more action and less faction. More workers and fewer shirkers. More backers and fewer slackers. More praying and less straying. More burden bearers and fewer tale bearers. More tongues of fire and fewer fiery tongues. More zealous effort and less jealous thoughts. More love for the Word and less love for the world. More seeking for grace and less seeking for place.”

May God the Holy Spirit move on our hearts to do as Shamgar did while there is time. Let us let our light shine for God’s glory and Satan’s destruction. In Christ’s name I pray this. Amen and Amen!

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, following God, Following Jesus, Judges | Leave a comment

We Are Called Son Of God

Posted on March 5, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Alexey Makhinko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/baby-in-white-and-red-floral-pajama-929435/

1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

On May 12, 2022 the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University led by veteran researcher George Barna released the results from a nationwide survey called “The American Worldview Inventory 2022”. In that survey it was found that only 37% of Pastors held a Biblical worldview. I find that disturbing – maybe you don’t.

What Is A “Biblical Worldview”?

A “worldview” is a set of basic beliefs, assumptions, and values that arise from a narrative about the world. The worldview produces individual and group external action. “Truths” are defined based on your worldview.

A “Biblical worldview” is a worldview dependent on God’s Word, the Bible. Not all professing Christians believe the Bible is the Word of God. For instance, Andy Stanley, the son of Charles Stanley and pastor of North Point Ministries has said:

“The Christian faith does not rise and fall on the accuracy of 66 ancient documents. It rises and falls on the identity of a single individual: Jesus of Nazareth.”

At first glance that might sound fine. The reality is, all we know about Jesus of Nazareth is tied to the Scripture. Is Jesus the One and Only Messiah? It is the Bible that declares this. We read in:

1 John 2:22-23 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

It is the Bible that tells us “Jesus is the Christ”. The word “CHRIST” is NOT Jesus’ last name, but the Greek Christos which means “Messiah” or “The One Sent from God”. There is but ONE Messiah, and the Bible declares it is Jesus.

People say, “There are many ways to God”. The Scripture says, “You are a LIAR if you believe this! There is only ONE WAY to the Fatherhood of God.”

Word Study: “Whosoever DENIETH the Son”. That word “DENIETH” is the Greek arneomai, which means “to refuse that which is offered, to disavow”. If you REFUSE Jesus, then God is NOT your Father. This is the clear sense of the text. One of the greatest passages on salvation is:

John 3:16 For GOD so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

God is the CREATOR of all, but He is not the FATHER of all. God remains “God” until you receive His Son as Lord and Savior. The Scripture goes on to say:

John 3:17-18 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on {Jesus as Christ} is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Word Study: If you DENY the Son {arneomai}, God is NOT your Father, and you are NOT God’s son. If you acknowledge {Greek homologeō, to say the same thing about the Son that the Scripture says}the Son then you HAVE THE FATHER.

The Father says – through the Scripture – “If you receive My Son as your Savior and Lord, I receive YOU as my Child. When I receive you as My Child, you get all the blessings that come with this high state of being.

HOW do we know Jesus is the One and Only Messiah. Because the BIBLE says so. It is the BIBLE that tells us He is the fulfillment of prophecy. For instance,

Matthew 1:22 {Mary will bring forth Jesus} THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED what was written by the Prophet {Isaiah 7:14}

Matthew 2:15 {Joseph took his family to Egypt} until the death of Herod, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED the Word of the Lord by the Prophet {Hosea 11:1}

Matthew 2:23 {Joseph took his family and} dwelt in a city called Nazareth, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED the Word of God spoken by the PROPHETS, {Messiah} shall be called a Nazarene.

Matthew 4:13 {Jesus departed into Galilee, and} dwelt in Capernaum … THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED the Word of God spoken by the Prophet {Isaiah 9:1-2}

Matthew 8:16-17 … {Jesus} cast out spirits with His Word, and healed all that were sick, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet {Isaiah 53:4}

Matthew 12:16-17 {Jesus} told them to tell no one {that He was Messiah}, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED that which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet {Isaiah 42:1-4}

I could continue along this vein all day – but I won’t. The fact that Jesus is indeed the One and Only Messiah is that His ministry fulfilled every Scriptural prophecy that foretold His coming and manifestation. One of my commentaries notes:

“One scholar, J. Barton Payne, has found as many as 574 verses in the Old Testament that somehow point to or describe or reference the coming Messiah. Alfred Edersheim found 456 Old Testament verses referring to the Messiah or His times. Conservatively, Jesus fulfilled at least 300 prophecies in His earthly ministry.”

God Gave Us His Spirit To Teach Us The Bible

If you are saved and a child of God, this is only possible because you have believed what the Bible has said. It is the writings of the Bible that are the FOUNDATION of the Church. We are told in:

Ephesians 2:19-20 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone…

The writings of the Apostles and Prophets, that which we call the Holy Bible, is the foundation of the Church that our Lord Jesus died for. We are saved by faith in what we have presented to us from the Bible. We live our lives by what the Scripture has said. We read:

John 2:24-27 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Are you saved? We are told “IF”. We read, “If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father”. I was saved by the preaching of the Word of God, the Bible. I dare not walk away from that Word. IF that Word by which I was called “shall remain in” me, then I “shall continue in the Son, and in the Father”. What is this saying? I believe it’s saying this:

You cannot CHERRY PICK what you want to believe out of this Bible. You believe it as God’s Word, or you believe it as something else.

A lot of people today come in – like the serpent in Eden – and say “has God really said”? The proper response to the serpent is, “it is WRITTEN”. The Apostle speaks of the Son of God, the Christian, saying:

the anointing which ye have received
of him abideth in you

What is this “anointing” John is speaking of? The “anointing” is God the Holy Spirit. The day that you received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to you, just as He promised. Jesus said:

John 16:7, 13-15 (ESV) 7 I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you … 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

When you call on the name of Jesus for salvation, the Holy Spirit comes and causes you to be “born again” (John 3:3, 7; 1 Peter 1:3). You become a “Child of God by faith in Christ”,

1 John 3:1 … Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God …

It is the Holy Spirit that causes your “new birth”. But this Same Spirit comes to live within the framework of your life. Jesus told His disciples, “The Spirit lives WITH you, and WILL BE IN YOU” (John 14:17). If you are a Child of God, your very Body “is the TEMPLE of the Holy Spirit Who lives in you” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The Holy Spirit indwells you so that He can teach you the Word of God, the Holy Scripture. The Bible says of itself:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

It is the WORD of God that shows us the WILL of God, and teaches us how to do the WORK of God.

When the Chief Apostle spoke of the Old Testament Scripture, he wrote:

2 Peter 1:20-21 (ESV) knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit wrote the Scripture through holy men dedicated to God. The Spirit gives us understanding of the Scripture, so that we can understand the mind of Christ. The Spirit indwells us, and draws us closer and closer to the image of Christ in our own lives.

The devil hates that.
The world hates that.
The false preacher hates that.

While you are alive, dear one, Satan and the world will do all it can to draw you away from the image of Christ. The Bible warns us:

Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The world will demand your conformity, but God the Holy Spirit will demand you be a Child of God.

The Spirit Through The Scripture Makes Us
More Like The Son Of God

People are fond today of appropriating Christianity, and then twisting it into their own image. The devil has done this from the beginning.

The Christian – a Child of God by faith in Jesus, a born again Child of God by the empowerment of the Spirit – is called to ABIDE. We ABIDE in the Scripture.

When someone comes to me with some “alternate theory” as opposed to what the Bible says, the Spirit whispers … ABIDE. We are to ABIDE in His Word. When God spoke of creation, we read these truths:

Genesis 3:1-3 (ESV) In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

It was GOD Who CREATED all things. It was the SPIRIT OF GOD Who worked order from chaos. Each day of creation was a 24 hour day, as is clearly presented in the Scripture. “The evening and the morning was a day” (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). Who was it that made all things “very good” (Genesis 1:31)? It was GOD, not man. It was GOD, not the angels. What did MAN contribute to the Creation? The Bible says:

Romans 5:12 (ESV) … as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned …

We messed it up – but God fixed it in Christ. We as humans are always trying to mess it up. But praise God, our God is MERCIFUL. Again we read:

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us

Word Study: God in Love with His fallen creation BESTOWED something on us. The word BESTOWED is the Greek didōmi, which means “to grant, to give as a present, to pass over to stewardship of something to another”. What did God BESTOW on us? Jesus. Jesus went to that Cross to die for our sins. The Scripture says:

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus did not die on the Cross of Calvary to save us from our sins so that we might continue to sin. Children of God follow after righteousness. We are told:

1 John 2:29 If ye know that He (God) is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

You cannot be a Child of God and DO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. Sin and the Child of God are incompatible. The Christian does not pursue after sin. We pursue the will of God. We pursue the image of Christ. Let me use big word: oxymoron. Do you know what an oxymoron is?

Sin Loving Christian

If you are a Child of God, you are to DO RIGHTEOUSNESS. Now, what is “righteousness”? It is what God has said is righteous in His Word. It is what God has clearly defined as right. If you are saved, we read:

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

As “now … sons of God” we work along with the Scripture and the Spirit to “put off” the old man, and “put on” the new man. We are told in:

Ephesians 4:22-25 put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

What does this mean? When you are saved, you put away everything that God says is abnormal and put on everything that God says is acceptable. You heed the scripture, the Word of God. You “cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12). You “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make NO PROVISION FOR THE FLESH, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:14).

In short, if the Bible condemns it, you walk away from it because you are a Child of God. Salvation is by Grace, through faith in Christ. But once saved, you are to be like Jesus.

You cannot be a Christian, and practice racism.
You cannot be a Christian, and practice sexual sin.
You cannot be a Christian, and deny the Word of God.

So are you a Christian? If you are, the Spirit of God indwells you, and guides you to God’s Word to determine how to live your life so as to please the Father. You live to please the Father. You live to glorify the Son. You live not for yourself, but for Him Who …

2 Corinthians 5:15 … died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

May God the Holy Spirit move through this Word, and draw many to Him this very day. Amen and amen.

Posted in 1 John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ, Following Christ, righteousness, salvation, Scripture truth, the saved obey God, unrighteousness | Leave a comment

Whatsoever He Saith Unto You, Do It

Posted on March 3, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Please turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 2.

In the Book of John we will see seven miracles that reveal the goodness and Godness of Jesus. We will see Jesus:

Heal a dying boy (John 4:46-54)
Cause a crippled man to walk (John 5:1-18)
Feeding a the multitude with little (John 6:1-15)
Walk on water (John 6:16-21)
Restore sight to a blind man (John 9:1-41)
Raise a friend from the dead (John 11:1-57)

Today we see Jesus turn water into wine.

John 2:1-11 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

Back when Jesus walked the earth, the Jews celebrated marriages much differently than we do today. In a Jewish Wedding Feast the Bride and Groom would come together, and usually the whole village would turn out for the event. It was the responsibility of the Groom’s family to provide the food and drink for the celebration. Back then there was no Coca Cola, Mountain Dew, Pepsi Cola, coffee – all things served at our weddings today. It goes without saying there was no southern sweet tea, either. The Jews used wine – a very mild form of wine – at their celebrations. People did not drink wine at weddings to get drunk, but to celebrate. God never gives us anything that we are supposed to abuse or take too much of. The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 104:1, 14-15 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty. … 14-15 {The Lord} causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; 15 and wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

The Bible forbids drunkenness – and the wine that was used at Jewish weddings had very little alcoholic content. Christians are never to get drunk. The Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 5:11 (ESV) {Do not} associate with anyone who bears the name of “brother” if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

Christians are priests before God. We are God’s Children. The lost person “walks in EXCESS OF WINE” (1 Peter 4:3), and often engages in “rioting and DRUNKENNESS” (Romans 13:13). The Lord tells the Christian to:

Ephesians 5:18 (ESV) … do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

The Jews used a very mild wine in their celebrations.

If the Groom’s family allowed the food and beverage to run out, it was a stain on the marriage!

On The Third Day

John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee

It’s very important to read EVERY word of the Bible, for it is GOD’S WORD. Look at the words “And the third day”. What does this refer to? Well, here’s another thing about the ancient Jewish Wedding Feast. IT WASN’T JUST ONE DAY. The Groom’s parents were to supply the food and drink for up to 1 week of celebration. The Wedding Feast is now in “the third day”.

The “third day” is a very significant number in the Scripture. When God led Israel to Mount Sinai, He told the people through Moses:

Exodus 19:10-11 (ESV) … “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments 11 and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.”

“on the third day” God would come down from His Holy Mountain, and let Israel see Him. When they saw God in all His holiness “there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled” (Exodus 19:16). The people were not glad to see God, for the God of Sinai is the God of the Law. The “people in the camp trembled” because they realized they were so far from God’s holiness and righteousness.

“on the third day” has another significance in the New Testament. Jesus told us that,

Matthew 12:40 (ESV) For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jesus Christ would go up a mountain called Calvary, and be executed, crucified for our sins. Jesus would be laid in a borrowed Grave, and would stay there for three days and three nights. Jesus said:

Luke 24:7 (ESV) the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.

(see also Luke 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24:21; 24:46)

Our Jesus would die for our sins, and rise from the grave “on the third day”. He would descend from the Mountain of God and walk among us – and we no longer tremble, because Jesus makes us right and righteous with God.

Family Matters

Let’s get back to our text.

John 2:1-3 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

We are in the “third day” of this Wedding Feast. The earthly “mother of Jesus was there”. His mother is Mary, and she is related to the Groom’s side of the family. We are told that “Jesus was called” because, related to Mary, He is also related by blood to the Groom’s side of the family.

Family matters to God. When God came to an old man named Abraham in the Old Testament, Abraham and Sarah his wife were without children. God told Abraham:

Genesis 12:1-3 (Author’s paraphrase) “Follow Me. Go where I tell you, put Me first, and I will change you from a childless couple to a GREAT NATION. I will bless those who bless you, and punish those who harm you. And Abraham, through your children I will bring the GREATEST BLESSING on the earth.”

It was God’s intention to one day through the family to bring the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to this earth. This is why the devil in our day attacks the family. It is through family – the family of Abraham – that God sent Jesus to be with us. It is through Jesus that we are invited into the Family of God.

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Family matters to God. God designed the family male and female. The Bible says that when God created Adam,He said:

Genesis 2:18 It is NOT GOOD that man should be alone

God made the family. God commands “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25). God commands “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). God commands “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right”(Ephesians 6:1). Anytime we see an attack against the family, whether it be “I have two mommies” or “men aren’t necessary”, you are seeing a Satanic attack on the stability of civilization. Family matters. This is why Mary is at this wedding, and why Jesus came to the wedding feast. When they run out of wine, Mary tells Jesus:

John 2:3 … They have no wine

There were no stores where you can get wine. Wine was made through natural fermentation. Grapes were picked, crushed, and put in leather wine sacks so it could naturally ferment. The Groom’s parents are out of wine – and will be shamed if they do not get some quickly. The Soniclight Commentary notes:

“To fail to provide adequately for the guests would involve social disgrace. In the closely knit communities of Jesus’ day, such an error would never be forgotten and would haunt the newly married couple all their lives.”

So Mary turns to Jesus. Jesus Christ is …

Luke 1:32-33 … the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Jesus is the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). There is nothing that Jesus cannot do. Mary knew that Jesus – her Savior and Lord – could fix the problem. Beloved, Jesus can fix your problems. So often we say, “I’ll not take that to the Lord – it is so petty, so small, that I’ll just try to fix it myself”. Oh no, Beloved. Jesus wants us to take our burdens to Him. THE POWER IS NOT IN ME, BUT IT IS IN JESUS. When Mary asked Jesus to handle the problem, our Lord replied:

John 2:4 … Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

When Jesus says “Woman” to His mother, He is not being disrespectful. Jesus came to this earth to “be about His Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). Jesus said,

John 14:9 … he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father

The Catholics believe that, if you pray to Mother Mary, the Virgin, that she will command Jesus for you. I believe Jesus used the word “Woman” instead of “mother” because Jesus does not follow the whim of anyone – not even His earthly mother. Jesus came representing the Father. When Jesus said:

what have I to do with thee?

This is an idiom that means “Your concern and Mine are not the same”. Jesus was not dishonoring Mary, but they weren’t on the same page. She wanted to help her family avoid embarrassment. Jesus came to earth not to enable a smooth human wedding feast, but to bring those who believe in Him into the Family of God.

Throughout the Gospels there is NO PLACE where Jesus refers to Mary as His mother.

Do What Jesus Says!

Mary says nothing else to Jesus, but turns to the servants or waiters at the Wedding Feast:

John 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

Notice that Mary “saith unto the servants”. The words translated “the servants” is the Greek διάκονος diákonos, {pronounced dee-ak’-on-os}, which means “those who wait on others, deacons, ministers, attendants”. Those who were waiting on the guests of the Wedding Feast had a need. Mary told them, “You have a need you can not fix. Whatsoever Jesus says unto you, DO IT”.

Jesus can do anything He wants to do!
Jesus Christ is God Incarnate, God in the flesh.

Colossians 1:15-17 {Jesus} is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Only God can turn nothing into something. Only God can do what Jesus does. Only Jesus can do what God does.

Mary tells the servants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it”. Just DO what Jesus says. WHATSOEVER. What ever He asks, do it. Only by this can Jesus bring a blessing to those at the Feast.

John 2:6 And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.…”

There are “six water pots of stone” at the Feast, and the purpose of these water pots is for the “purifying of the Jews”. What are these water pots and their significance?

First, there are “six water pots”. Not seven, not five, but six. God created the Heaven and the earth and all that is in it in six days, and rested on the seventh day. When God created everything – humans and animals included – God said it was all “very good” (Genesis 1:31). It was man that brought sin into the world, and death by sin. Not God, but man.

Romans 5:12 by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned

These six water pots were made “of stone”. Clay pots absorbed water, and could hold bacteria. So these water pots were “of stone” to make them more sanitary. These pots – each holding about 20 gallons of water – were used by the Jews attending the Feast. The Jewish tradition was that People were to wash their hands before eating (Mark 7:3; Luke 11:37–38). These water pots held the water that was used for washing the hands. Though people did not wash their hands directly in the pots, water was dipped out, and this water was certainly not sterile!

Jesus tells the servants in charge of this (suspect) water:

John 2:7 … Fill the water pots with water.

Jesus did not tell them to rinse out the pots, but merely to top them off. The water in those pots would not have been clean or fresh. Jesus did not ask the servants the scour the pots before filling them.

John 2:7 … Fill the water pots with water.

Beloved, Jesus does not ask us to clean up our lives when we come to Him. He asks us – commands us – to REPENT, to stop following our own way, and to follow Him.

God asks us to do the possible, and He will do the impossible. “Top off the pots”. Obey Christ’s command. He will do the rest!

In an article I read on this event, published by Revival Ministries International, I read …

“Many Christians want God to use them in a mighty way, but they are too full of opinions, questions, reasonings, and arguments! They say that they have faith, but they really don’t because they will not make a move without an explanation. They want to understand everything before they do what God is telling them to do.”

Murmuring or complaining against God stays His hand of blessing, and can bring His punishment down on us. The first generation of Israel murmured and delayed in doing God’s will, and lost the Promised Land. The Jews often murmured at Jesus as He ministered to the sinners. The Bible says:

Philippians 2:14-15 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world …

If you would be blessed by Jesus, do what Jesus says without argumentation. The Bible commands us …

Colossians 3:17 … whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Do not do what Jesus asks you to do halfheartedly. Do it with relish. Do it fully, completely. The servants heard Jesus say “Fill the water pots with water”. That’s what they did. We are told …

John 2:7 … And they filled them up to the brim.

Do not do things halfway when doing what Jesus says. Do it all the way. Excel in obedience to your God. We have studied these words before, but it bears repeating. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock…

When you both HEAR and DO what Jesus says, THEN you are blessed. Trials will come your way – trials come to all of us – but if you are in the habit of HEARING and DOING what Jesus said, your house will stand. Jesus said:

Matthew 7: 26-27 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

There Is NO Blessing Without Obedience

John 2:8-10 And {Jesus} saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

That which you receive from Jesus is the very best. Christ established a pattern throughout His earthly ministry of command – obedience – blessing. Though Jesus could have created wine – and the water pots – out of thin air, He came to this earth to be the Bridge between God and man. Jesus came to establish a relationship between fallen man and infallible God. Jesus came to give us a purpose filled life through faith in Him. Let us trust and obey Him. Let us take our problems – all our problems – to Jesus.

For He is able – and we are not. May God touch your hearts with His Spirit and His Word. Amen and Amen!

Posted in John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Following Christ, miracle, obey, obey God, wine | Leave a comment

Othniel And The Spirit of God

Posted on February 27, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Mikhail Nilov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/masquerade-masks-on-gray-surface-9393609/

Judges 3:1-4 Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; 3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. 4 And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

One of the prayers that Christians have prayed for years is:

Psalm 2:1-3 (ESV) Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

Every preacher of the Gospel has wrestled with this. The Prophet prayed:

Jeremiah 12:1-2 (ESV) “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts”

How is it possible that a pervert named Hugh Hefner entice and deceive young women, and build a Playboy Empire worth $412 million? How can God allow Pablo Escobar – the King of Cocaine – to amass over 33 billion dollars of wealth? How many people did his drugs enslave, how many lives ruined? How is it that actors like Alec Baldwin can kill an innocent person, and get only a slap on the wrist? That ancient preacher Job asked:

Job 21:7 “Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?”

God answers His people. The wicked have not escaped judgment, but a judgment day is coming. We who are mortal want this to come today. Our God tells us:

Psalm 37:1-7 (ESV) “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes”

There Are Two Reasons The Wicked Are Blessed

The Bible tells us that God allows the wicked to prosper for two reasons. The Apostle said:

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

God allows the wicked to live and even be blessed in their wickedness because HELL is FOREVER.

Those who leave this life without faith in Christ will find themselves in a place of “everlasting burnings” (Isaiah 33:14). God did not prepare hell for humans. It was made for the fallen angel. Jesus says to the unbeliever, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:14). Hell is a place of unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). The believer in Christ will:

Daniel 12:2 (ESV) … awake … to everlasting life, (but the lost) to shame and everlasting contempt.

Hell is not a place of destruction – but of eternal punishment. If it were a place where you just burn up, our Lord Jesus would have never said:

Mark 9:45-48 (ESV) … if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

When Jesus pictured hell (like in Luke 16:23-24), it is a place of torment, not destruction. It is a place of suffering and sadness. God wants no one to go to hell – He sent His Son to provide a way out of eternal damnation. So God allows the wicked to prosper – for a time – which is nothing compared to the length of eternity. But there is another reason God allows the wicked to prosper, and our enemy to be among us.

Judges 3:1-2 Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know

Word Study: God leaves us in the midst of the wicked to “prove” us. The word translated “prove” is the Hebrew nāsâ (pronounced naw-saw’), which means “to assay as to the quality of, to test, to try”. Back during the California Gold Rush in the 1800’s, around 300,000 people flooded that state looking for riches. The way that gold was assayed was by fire (called cupellation). That which is NOT gold will burn off or float to the top, and gold will be left behind. God uses trials to test our faith so that WE will know where we are on faith’s spectrum. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:10-12 (ESV) Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

When you walk with Jesus, you will be persecuted. Why? Because the darkness will bid you to join with it. “Let’s just go along to get along”. If you belong to the Lord, you are to walk so as to please the Lord, not the world.

God tests INDIVIDUAL believers, but also tests His KINGDOM.

God left the unbelieving nations in Canaan because He wanted …

the children of Israel {to} know

God’s people need to know when to war, and when to walk. We need to understand NOT to compromise with anyone that will effect our walk with our Savior and King. The enemies that God left were the

Judges 3:3 … five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites

The Philistines were ancient enemies of Israel, much like land based Pirates or Vikings. The Philistines were very skilled blacksmiths, and were experts in forging swords, spears, and arrow heads, as well as making plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles (1 Samuel 13:19-21). The Sidonians (inhabitants of Sidon) were sea faring Phoenicians who relocated around the Mediterranean Sea. The Hivites or Horites (Genesis 36:2, 20, 29) were a warrior class of people. Together these enemies ruled the land and the water of the Promised Land. They were – together – undefeatable. We are told:

Judges 3:4 … they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

Surrounded by the enemy, would Israel cling to the Word of God, or would Israel compromise with the lost in order to live more comfortably?

Judges 3:5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

You cannot control who is around you. You cannot control how other people behave. God never expects His people to move off into monasteries and hide behind walls. Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV) You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

God’s people are to reflect the Light of God into the world. We are a “city set on a hill”. We are not to hide, but to stand up. The Bible says that the “children of Israel dwelt among” the unbelievers. That is not a sin. What is a sin is to allow the practices of the lost world to come into your life. Israel compromised.

Judges 3:6-7 And they {the Israelites} took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. 7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

Israel allowed themselves to be intimately connected to the lost. They intermarried with unbelievers. It is fine to eat with unbelievers (1 Corinthians 10:25-33). It is fine to work with unbelievers. But we are to be very careful not to get intimate with unbelievers. We are told in:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (ESV) Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

When you get into an intimate relationship with an unbeliever – especially if that relationship is sexual in nature – that unbeliever will cause you to drift into their way of thinking. King Solomon found this out when he married numerous women outside of our faith. He said,

“Above all else, GUARD YOUR HEART,
for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23)

I was asked the other day if I would consider binding with another mainline denomination in order to work together for the Lord. When I was told the name of that denomination I said, politely, “I’m sorry, I can’t do that”. I cannot compromise with any denomination or any people who do not believe the Bible as God’s Word establishes right behavior and life. I have decided I will not compromise with the “Woke Churches” of this age. I’ll love you – but I can’t walk with you, for you are walking in darkness.

Once Israel compromise with the lost world, they forgot Who God was. They forgot what God told them, and commanded them. Then they began to worship other gods.

Judges 3:8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.

God is generally known as the “Redeemer” of His people. The Prophet Isaiah (47:4) said, “Our REDEEMER, the Lord of Hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel”. It was God Who “REDEEMED Israel from the house of slavery” (Deuteronomy 13:5). It is God Who “REDEEMS our life from the pit” (Psalm 103:4). God has …

Colossians 1:13-14 … rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Oh Redeeming Love, how can it be, You lived and died for me? Though “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). God had redeemed Israel – but now He is selling her back to her chosen master. She chose to follow the false gods of those around her, so God turned her over to the one she served. We are told:

the children of Israel served
Chushan-rishathaim eight years

This Mesopotamian King is called “Chushan-rishathaim”, which means “Cushan of the double wickedness”. Israel served this wicked unbelieving king for 8 years. Why eight years? Because it took that long for them to REPENT.

Judges 3:9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

I suspect that, over the eight years “Chushan-rishathaim” ruled Israel, that the Israelites used various methods to free themselves from their predicament. This is what we all do. We wander away from God, and get into a worst and worst state, much like the prodigal son that Jesus spoke of in Luke 15. After it becomes unbearable, the prodigal stopped eating out of the pig trough, and said “I’ll return to my Father – even if I’m no more than a servant”. Israel had gotten tired of eating at the pig trough.

Word Study: “when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord” I want you to notice that God does not delay. When they cried out, “the Lord raised up a deliverer”. The word “deliverer” is the Hebrew yāšaʿ (pronounced yaw-shah’) which means “A Savior” or “A Avenger”. The idea that “The Lord raised up” this Savior tells us that this is not a human solution to Israel’s problem. God RAISED UP Othniel, the nephew to Caleb. What did OTHNIEL do? God raised him up to be a Savior to Israel, and Othniel SAVED (yāšaʿ) them. But Othniel didn’t do this because he was particularly good or powerful.

Othniel was of the tribe of Judah, a nephew of Caleb, but just as we all are subject to failure. God raised him up … and God EQUIPPED him to do what he was called to do.

Judges 3:10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

Othniel is the first of twelve judges that God would raise up to save Israel. Over and over we see that these Judges or Saviors are not able to do what needs doing. God raises them up, then “The Spirit of the Lord comes upon them”. When God works through a human, it is the Holy Spirit Who does the work. Our Lord Jesus Christ – though Eternal God in human form – did the work that He did for the Father through the Holy Spirit. Jesus visited the Synagogue at Nazareth, His home town, and read from Isaiah 61:1-2:

Luke 4:18-21 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

The Spirit of the Lord was on Jesus. Jesus said “If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, the Kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28). It is the Spirit of God Who enabled Kings and Prophets to do the work of God. It is the Spirit of the Lord Who empowered the Apostles (Acts 5:9; 8:39) to do amazing things . It is the Spirit of the Lord Who enables us to be saved by convicting of sin (John 16:8-11). The Spirit of the Lord is on the Christian, making us more like Jesus through the intake of the Word of God and prayer (2 Corinthians 3:18).

With the other Judges, we will see God do amazing things. But with Othniel the emphasis is on the Holy Spirit of God. Othniel is open to God’s Spirit, and so God moves through him to defeat the enemy.

Judges 3:10-11 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim. 11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

Here are two key take-aways from the life of Othniel. First, If you serve God, you will find victory. But if you serve self, you will find slavery. Othniel focused on pleasing God. Though we know little about Othniel’s war, we know he was victorious. Second, Serving God, you will find rest. We read that while Othniel led Israel to follow God, “the land had rest forty years”. Contrast that the the first generation of Israel, who wandered in the wilderness 40 years. God says:

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Let us find our rest in God. Let us let His Spirit come upon us. Let us surrender our souls to Jesus. May God touch your hearts with His Word. Amen and Amen!

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christian responsibility, Judges, obedience, repentance, Savior, serving God | Leave a comment

Love Not The World

Posted on February 27, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Benjamin Suter: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-photo-of-cityscape-at-night-2362004/

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Worldly Solutions Will Not Fix Worldly Hearts

So I was reading an article in our local paper “Main Street Maury”, a letter written to the editor entitled “USA 37,000, Japan 101: but it’s not a game” (sic). It was the standard opinion piece where – in comparison to other countries – the gun deaths in the United States are much higher. It was obvious the author had access to the Internet, and knew how to research. The conclusion of the article was, “I know the U.S. will not adopt Japan’s strict standards, but it’s time to consider adopting regulations to lower the number of gun deaths in the U.S.”. The author then quoted Jesus, though he did not give Jesus credit for the quote (which is in Matthew 26:52). Continue quote, “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.” Many innocent people are dying because we are living by the sword in America’s obsessive gun culture”. There’s a few things I’d like to note in reference to this article.

First, Jesus not only said “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword”, He also said at the conclusion of the Communion, also called “The Lord’s Table”:

Luke 22:35-38 {Jesus} said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” 38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

When Jesus said “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword”, He was responding to Simon Peter’s rash attack against a Priest of Israel. Jesus did not tell us to use the sword offensively or aggressively. We are not to attack others (though, if part of the military, allowance is made for that in the Scripture). However Jesus never opposed use of the sword defensively, to protect yourself, your family, your community, and your country.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was hated, and lies were told about Him. Though His Judge Pilate could find no sin nor crime in Jesus, He was nonetheless executed. Why? Because the human heart is “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). Jesus encouraged His disciples to “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:38-48), but was not against the defense of life. Life is precious. Every life is precious. God does not expect you to allow the rapist into your home, then look the other way while he molests your loved ones. We who are Christ’s are allowed to defend ourselves and our loved ones.

Secondly, I thought it amusing that the author would compare the U.S. to Japan. In its history Japan has had a long history of weapons bans, going all the way back to 1429 under King Sho Hashi, beginning the first Sho Dynasty. In 1470 the new Sho Dynasty prohibited the carrying of weapons. In 1609, the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan permitted the Satsuma clan to invade the island of Okinawa. The Satsuma samurai renewed the ban on all weapons. As the Japanese were forbidden to carry arms, they developed a fighting system using their farming tools. The martial arts weapons such as the Bo, the Sai, the Kama, Tonfa, or Nunchaku were repurposed from the field to the battlefield. As a young boy I often went to Bruce Lee movies to watch him defeat the enemy with many of these weapons. Japan has less guns because of oppressive laws, but it is no paradise. An article entitled “Despite Japan’s low crime rates, it’s seen a number of mass stabbings in the past decade” cites a killing spree where a 51 year old man kills a 39 year old man, a 12 year old school girl, and injures 15 school children. He carried no guns, but two knives. In 2016, 19 disabled residents were stabbed to death by an employee of that home. The employee said, “It is better that disabled people disappear”. In 2008 a 24 year old man went on a stabbing spree, killing 2 people and injuring 7. That same year a 25 year old man stabbed and killed 7, and injured 10 in a shopping hub of Tokyo. I could go on and on, but I won’t. The data is there.

Until the human heart is changed, no amount of law enforcement is going to lessen our self inflicted hurts. No human law can fix what ails us. We need to get back to the Bible. We need to meet with and surrender ourselves to Christ’s leading. Only through Jesus will our hearts be calmed. Only through faith in Him will we stop tearing one another apart.

Do Not Love The World’s Ways, Dear Christian

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

When you read this text, your first thought might be, “Isn’t John contradicting what Jesus said in John 3:16?” You know the text:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Word Study: The Greek word for “world” is kosmos, which can simply refer to humanity as God’s creation, or it can refer to a godless mindset. When God created the world, the kosmos, He created Adam and Eve distinctly separate from the animals around them. God created Adam and Eve as His representatives on the earth. The Bible says:

Genesis 1:26-30 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.”

God made Adam and Eve to have dominion over the earth and all that is in it. They were to oversee the planet as stewards of God. In their stewardship they were to “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion”. They were to build the family of humanity, and to oversee all things, maintaining order in the Name of God. But they didn’t do that. What did Adam and Eve do? Well, in particular, what did ADAM do?

Adam became WORLDLY.
He stopped working for God.
He chose another employer – Satan.

The WORLDLY mindset is incompatible with a child of

Christians Are To Walk Christ’s Pathway

John is referring to a lifestyle characterized by guiltless sinning, and denial of who Christ is.

You are not “religious” if you are not in a daily “relationship” with Christ.

Those Who Have God ABIDE InThe Doctrine Of Christ

What is the “Doctrine Of Christ?”

If you believe that there are multiple paths to God, then you are off the path, walking without God!

What is fantastic to me is that people today believe that they can “make themselves right with God” by doing “penance”. Jesus BY HIMSELF purges our sins.

No one is “elected” to hell.Jesus tasted death for EVERY MAN.

Jesus Christ Is The High Priest Of A Nation Of Priests

The Church Is Warned About CompromisingThe Doctrine Of Christ

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The Mystery Of The Manna & Christ

Just as God provided manna for Israel as they journeyed toward the Promised Land of Canaan, God provides Jesus to SAVE us, to SHEPHERD us, to FEED and PROTECT us as we head toward our Promised Land.

The World Is Focused On Common Grace,But Saving Grace Is More Important

Esau sold that which was of great worth – his birthright – for a temporary blessing. Many people today do the same thing. They sell their birthright of eternal life in Jesus for lentil stew – the temporary pleasures of life. These are “Profane Persons”.

Jesus Is The Only Seal And Sign Of God

They wanted Jesus to “show us a sign”. But they still didn’t understand – Jesus IS THE SIGN. He IS THE MANNA from Heaven.

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What is interesting about this is that “God hearkened to the voice of Manoah”, but God did NOT send the Angel to Manoah himself. Why?

The Amazing Love Of God

Samson – Though Flawed – Was Gifted Of God

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Try The Spirit By The Scripture

Does God love us? Yes, He does. Does God love us as we are? No, He doesn’t. That is not Bible truth.

The Love of God Cannot Be Divorced From Jesus

The Love Of God Cannot Be Divorced FromGod’s Commandments

We, Dear Believers, Are In A Spiritual Battle

If we as Christ’s Church do not wake up and start to stand up for Jesus, we can lose our nation, we can lose our freedoms.

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We Love Taking Shortcuts,But Shortcuts Are The Devil’s Tool

Israel needed to be saved, not from Rome nor any human conquerer, but from herself.We all need to be saved from ourselves.

Jesus Could Easily Have Become King

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From A Foolish Vow To An Arrogant People

Pride Divides And Destroys

Three Minor Judges Follow Jephthah

From The Broken, God Brings A Miracle:Introducing The Nazarite Judge Samson

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The devil loves to attack the truth. The devil attacks the truth today, just as he did in John’s day, just as he has done from the beginning.

Love Dwells In The Truth

The TRUTH cannot work in you if you do not receive it, and you will not receive it if you believe it a fable.

What Are Your Pronouns? Who The Heck Are You?

When Jesus said “YOU must be born again”, that “YOU” is in the PLURAL. If Jesus were Southern, He would have said “Y’all MUST be BORN AGAIN”.

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What In The World Is An “Idol”?

In idolatry, we as humans create Godin our own image, after our own likeness.

Homosexuality and Lesbianism is the unnatural consequence of idolatry.

Idolatry disposes of God, and creates a lesser more fallible god for the creature to heed.

Idolatry is the king of sins.

Idolatry Cannot Make Us Children Of God

BECOMING and BEING a Christian requiresyou be like a LITTLE CHILD.

The way to ENTER Christ’s Kingdom is by the faith of a child. The way to ADVANCE in Christ’s Kingdom is by the faith of a child. Jesus called a child to His side & said:

Idolatry Will Rob Us Of Our Heritage

When the MINORITY is standing with God, the MINORITY becomes the MAJORITY. This is proven over and over in the Scripture.

Abraham could have made an idol of Isaac,cherishing his son above God.

Idolatry Hurts More Than Just You

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Jephthah Did Not Let Abuse Define His Life

GIVE up, GRIEVE or GRUMBLE about our treatment, or we can, LOOK up, and LET God LIFT us up.

Jephthah Is A Skilled Diplomat

Jephthah Makes A Foolish And UnnecessaryVow Unto God

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Jesus Is The Sent Member Of The Trinity:Modalism Does Not Compute!

These three are One. They are equal in substance and in power as well as purpose. This is the Godhead.

Though Equal To Father and Spirit,Jesus’ Ministry Submits To The Father

The Pharisees are upset with Jesus because He told the man to carry his bed on the Sabbath. They claim that Jesus is a law breaker.

The One sitting on the Throne of God is Jesus Christ.It is Jesus Christ.

If I Rise Up To Jesus, Take Up My Bed, My Cross, And Follow Him, I Will Follow Him Into Glory!

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Failure To Repent And Pursuit Of SinBrings Hardening Of The Conscience

Those Who Have God ABIDE In
The Doctrine Of Christ

**If you believe that there are multiple paths to God, then you are off the path, walking without God!**

No one is “elected” to hell.
Jesus tasted death for EVERY MAN.

The Church Is Warned About Compromising
The Doctrine Of Christ

The World Is Focused On Common Grace,
But Saving Grace Is More Important

The Love Of God Cannot Be Divorced From
God’s Commandments

We Love Taking Shortcuts,
But Shortcuts Are The Devil’s Tool

Israel needed to be saved, not from Rome nor any human conquerer, but from herself.
We all need to be saved from ourselves.

From The Broken, God Brings A Miracle:
Introducing The Nazarite Judge Samson

In idolatry, we as humans create God
in our own image, after our own likeness.

BECOMING and BEING a Christian requires
you be like a LITTLE CHILD.

Abraham could have made an idol of Isaac,
cherishing his son above God.

Jephthah Makes A Foolish And Unnecessary
Vow Unto God

Jesus Is The Sent Member Of The Trinity:
Modalism Does Not Compute!

Though Equal To Father and Spirit,
Jesus’ Ministry Submits To The Father

The One sitting on the Throne of God is Jesus Christ.
It is Jesus Christ.

Failure To Repent And Pursuit Of Sin
Brings Hardening Of The Conscience

What is missing with the next two judges – Tola and Jair – is that Israel never repents.
Israel is suffering hardness of the heart.

The Hardened Hearts Of Israel Lead To Jair,
The Compromising Judge

If God Has SAVED You, God OWNS You,
And You’d Better Follow Him!

John does not want you to have a hope so salvation,
but a know so salvation.

The million dollar question is :
“What does the Bible say about what I want?”

Sin which is NOT discontinued will
eventually snowball into death!

Christians WALK With God In The LIGHT,
Not With The Devil In The DARKNESS.

Those Who Are Saved Follow
And Heed The Lord Jesus

Sin unaddressed and unconfessed
Leads to terrible distress

The First Parable In The Bible:
Leadership Matters!

The Three Witnesses In Heaven Lead
To The Indwelling Witness In You

You Will Not Live Forever HERE –
But Christian, You WILL Live Forever!

Faith In God’s Word Brings God To Us, Whereas
NO Faith In God’s Word Pushes Him Away

You Are Not Saved Unless You Believe Jesus.
Believing Is To ACT On What He Commands.