Put Them In Mind

Posted on April 14, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Titus 3:1-7 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Not Everyone Will Live

I heard a great statement the other day – it was in a Christian song by a man called Dax. He said:

“All people will die – but not everyone will live”

That is so very true. In the first two chapters the Lord tells His Church how the leaders should be – if they are indeed of Christ. Now in this chapter the Apostle focuses on how the the Church itself – each and every believer – should be. Now let me be very quick to point out that salvation is not something that is earned. A broken creature cannot work harder at self improvement in order to be saved. This isn’t a bootstrap program. Salvation is entirely of grace. The Apostle makes this clear in our text:

Titus 3:4-5 after that the KINDNESS and LOVE of GOD OUR SAVIOR toward man appeared, 5 NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, but according to his mercy he saved us

How are we saved? By “GOD OUR SAVIOR”. Not by us. Not by our hands. This is what the Pharisee thought saved them, the keeping of the Law of Moses. And yet, when confronted by Jesus Christ, Who told them:

Mark 7:8-9 (NKJV) For LAYING ASIDE THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, you HOLD THE TRADITION OF MEN–the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” 9 He said to them, “[All too] well YOU REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, that YOU MAY KEEP YOUR TRADITION.

Rather than surrender their lives to God in Christ, the Pharisees chased a “do it yourself” religion, attempting to do what they considered good in order to win the favor of God. Yet when broken people try to fix their brokenness, they may look good initially, but when tried or challenged they will fall back into obvious darkness. The Pharisees (John 11:53) “plotted to take Jesus’ life”. Knowing the Law of God,

Matthew 26:59-61 The CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE WHOLE COUNCIL were SEEKING FALSE TESTIMONY AGAINST JESUS THAT THEY MIGHT PUT HIM TO DEATH, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward.

They violated the ninth commandment, “You shall not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16; Deuteronomy 19:16-19). They violated the fifth commandment, “Honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12; Matthew 15:3-6). They violated the second great commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:37-39; Matthew 5:43-44).

A broken creature cannot make themselves right. Christianity is not a series of moral laws you must keep in order to be saved. Christianity is an act of God that only occurs when your eyes are opened to your brokenness, and you come to Jesus to be saved.

A Christian Comes To God From Brokenness

Titus 3:3-4 For WE OURSELVES also were SOMETIMES {pote} foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared

The Apostle does not speak of “THEY”, the Cretians, the lost people that the Church finds itself among. He says “WE OURSELVES”. What the world is NOW, is what we were THEN. I often hear the statement from unbelievers who refuse to go to Church:

I don’t go to Church, because there are hypocrites there!

I could point out that there are hypocrites everywhere. There are hypocrites at ball games, on the gold course, in movie theaters, at the grocery store, at the gym or the beach. There will be hypocrites at Church. But there should be less hypocrites in Church than in the general population. If you are saved by Jesus, then Jesus will call you out for hypocrisy just as He did when He walked this earth (read Matthew 23; Luke 11:39-44; Matthew 6:1-6, 16; Matthew 7:3-5; Matthew 15:7-9). If you are indeed a Christian, you won’t be a hypocrite. Paul is not a hypocrite. He said “WE OURSELVES”. Before God saved us, we were a mess.

Word Study: The Apostle writes “For WE OURSELVES also were SOMETIMES FOOLISH”. The word “SOMETIMES” isn’t the proper rendering of the Greek pote. The word means “formerly, in times past, before we were saved”. We are no different than the lost now but for the Grace of God.

* IN TIME PAST we were FOOLISH. The Bible says “The FOOL has SAID IN HIS HEART, THERE IS NO GOD” (Psalm 14:1; 53:1). God was not in our thoughts. We barely acknowledged that there was a God, unless we were in trouble and had expended all our other resources. THEN we would hypocritically call on God, on a priest, or some pastor we did not know. We were lifted up with pride.

Psalm 10:4 In his PRIDE the WICKED person does not SEEK GOD; in ALL HIS THOUGHTS THERE IS NO ROOM FOR GOD

* IN TIME PAST we were DISOBEDIENT. Since there was no real God in our minds, we rejected the Laws of God as fairy tales or ancient writings that had no place in modern society. We were like Pharaoh of old who, when God sent Moses to him saying “Let My people go, that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness” (Exodus 5:1), Pharaoh said:

Exodus 5:2 (LSB) Who is Yahweh that I should listen to His voice … I do not know Yahweh …

Darkness does not obey light, and we would not follow the Lord.

* IN TIME PAST we were DECEIVED. We were “the BLIND following the BLIND” (Luke 6:39). We followed the blind crowd, the world, whatever the current trend or fad was. As a result we “all fell in the pit”. Our minds were godless, disobedient, and chasing every silly thing. How did this affect our lives?

Titus 3:3 … LIVING {diagō} in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Word Study: We thought we were LIVING, but we weren’t. The word diagō doesn’t mean to live, but it means “to pass the time, to wander through”. Remember that quote I gave you at the beginning,

“All people will die – but not everyone will live”

Word Study: What we were doing without God, without Jesus in our lives was NOT living. We were just marking time. We were existing, but not LIVING. Our Lord Jesus quoted Exodus 3:6, when God approached Moses, and said that God told Moses:

Matthew 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the LIVING {zaō}.

Those who are without Christ are diagō, just existing, just passing through. But those who are with Christ are zaō. God is the Source of life. Those who belong to God are truly living!

Titus 3:3 SERVING {douleuō} divers lusts and pleasures,… LIVING {diagō} in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Word Study: Those without God are just passing the time. They aren’t living (zaō) because they are not bound to the God of the Living (zaō). So what do the lost do while passing the time? They create golden calves, man made gods and goddesses that they guard vigorously. Like Israel in Egyptian bondage, the lost person is busy “SERVING”, the Greek douleuō which means “to act as a slave toward, to do the function of the slave”. I hear people make the statement,

“I can’t change who I am. I was BORN this way.”

Of course you were. You were born into this life enslaved to sin, enslaved to lusts and pleasures. Your god was not the God Who created the universe, but your desires and wants. You had an old sin nature that made you hateful, and hating others. If anyone challenged your gods, your “pronouns”, your DEI initiatives, your perceptions of what is true, then you reacted in the most egregious way possible.

It Is God Who Saves

Titus 3:4 But AFTER THAT the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man APPEARED

I love the phrase. “AFTER THAT”. After our godless mindset. After our disobedience to God’s good Law. After our willingness to follow empty and blind people rather than the Creator Who loves us. After our enslavement to pleasures, and our hatefulness. “AFTER THAT”, after all the evil we willingly and with malice aforethought did, God came to us. We were mean and unkind. We cursed His name, and mocked His nature. But God was both “KIND and LOVING”.

God “APPEARED” to us. God spoke to Moses from a burning bush. But for us “God was MANIFESTED in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). The Eternal God the Son, the “Word Who is God … became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14). God reached out to each one of us in Christ Jesus. Jesus said:

John 14:9 He who has seen Me has seen the Father.

It is Jesus Who is the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being” (Hebrews 1:3). Why did Jesus come? Why did the Word become flesh and dwell among us? He came to invite us into a relationship with God. C.H. Spurgeon wrote:

“Man was in the dark, plunging onward to blacker midnight every step he took. I do not find, as I read history, any excuse for the modern notion that men are longing for God, and laboring to find Him. No, the sheep were never seeking the Shepherd, but all were going astray. Men everywhere turn their backs to the light, and try to forget what has been handed down by their forefathers, they are everywhere feeling after a great lie which they may raise to the throne of God. We do not by nature long after God, nor sigh for His holiness. The gracious Lord came in uncalled for and unsought, and in the bounty of His heart, and in the great love of His nature, He determined to save man. Methinks I hear Him say, “How shall I give thee up?” He sees mankind resolved to perish unless an almighty arm shall intervene, and He interposes in fullness of pity and power. You know how, in many ways, the Lord has intervened on our behalf, but especially, you remember how He came down from heaven, took our nature, lived among us, mourned our sin, and bore it in His own body on the tree.”

Jesus died for us that we might live.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY HE SAVED US

Mercy came from glory, was born in a manger in Bethlehem, born of a virgin, raised in an obscure place called Nazareth, was baptized by John in the Jordan River, and walked among us for 3 ½ years, healing and teaching. We were all born broken, with a fully operating Old Sin Nature, separated from God. Jesus came to give us live.

John 10:10 (KJV) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they MIGHT HAVE LIFE (zōē), and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

The thief, the devil and this fallen world, bids you to ignore God and to just keep on diagō, passing through, wasting time. But Jesus came to give us LIFE, abundant and everlasting LIFE. “The wages of sin is DEATH, but the GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE (zōē) THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD”. We can be saved because Jesus died for our sins.

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

Those who love Jesus, who have given their broken lives to Jesus, have been transformed. We no longer live according to our sin nature. We live according to the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus did not die just to get us to Heaven, but to bring the Kingdom of God into our lives.

1 Peter 2:24 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.

2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.

It Is God Who Changes The Christian

Titus 3:5-6Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the WASHING OF REGENERATION (palingenesia), and RENEWING of the Holy Spirit; 6 Which He shed on us ABUNDANTLY through Jesus Christ our Savior;

Word Study: God came to us Christians while we were busy damning ourselves. He awakens us to our sin through the operation of the Holy Spirit. Then the Holy Spirit brings “REGENERATION”. This is the Greek palingenesia, which means “new birth”. This word is used only one other time in the Bible, when Jesus talks about the new earth that God will one day bring about. Here’s the context:

Matthew 19:27-29 (LSB) Peter … said to {Jesus}, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” 28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that YOU WHO HAVE FOLLOWED ME, IN THE REGENERATION (palingenesia) when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 “And EVERYONE who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms FOR MY NAME’S SAKE, will receive one hundred times as much, and WILL INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE.

We are broken creatures in a broken world. All around us we see the damage inflicted by sin, by Adam’s folly. But there is another Kingdom beyond this one. There will be a day when Jesus will return, and there will be a new Heaven and a New Earth created (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-2, 5). God is one day going to make another earth, one in which sin does not reign. Those who surrender their lives to Jesus NOW are REGENERATED – that is, BORN AGAIN. We who believe and receive Jesus are changed from darkness to light. We are promised that “if we endure, WE WILL ALSO REIGN WITH HIM” (2 Timothy 2:12). Paul talked about this wonderful coming age in Romans 8:20-23.

Those who are born again by the Spirit of God will reign with Jesus one day in a born again world! “The night will be NO MORE. They will need no light of lamp or sun, FOR THE LORD GOD WILL BE THEIR LIGHT, AND THEY WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.” (Revelation 22:5)

When you are born again by the Spirit, you become a “Saint” of God, a person set apart as the property and inheritor of God. The Apostle told us, “Do you not know that the SAINTS will JUDGE THE WORLD? Do you not know that WE WILL JUDGE ANGELS?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). The New Birth brings new life. The New Birth brings eternal life. The New Birth changes your position with God. The New Birth brings you into the Kingdom and Family of God.

Now That I Am Saved – What Next?

Titus 3:1-2 PUT THEM IN MIND to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to BE READY TO EVERY GOOD WORK, 2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

You are not saved, born again of the Spirit, to sit. You are saved to serve. You serve God by “rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Citizens of the Kingdom of God are not anarchists. We obey the laws of man, as long as those laws are not in contradiction to the Law of God.

Romans 13:1 Let EVERY SOUL BE SUBJECT UNTO THE HIGHER POWERS. For there is NO POWER BUT OF GOD: the POWERS THAT BE ARE ORDAINED OF GOD.

1 Peter 2:13-14 Submit yourselves to EVERY ORDINANCE OF MAN FOR THE LORD’S SAKE: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

Christians should be good citizens, not lawless or law breakers. Christians should not be trouble makers. Christians are called to SHINE for Jesus. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:16 let your light shine before others, so that they may SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

We are called to “BE READY TO EVERY GOOD WORK”. You are not to be sitting still doing nothing. Salvation brings with it new birth, and new birth brings with it good works.

ELDERS are to “love what is good” (Titus 1:8)
FALSE TEACHERS are “unfit for doing anything good” (Titus 1:16)
OLDER WOMEN are to “teach what is good” (Titus 2:3)
YOUNGER MEN are to “do what is good” (Titus 2:6)
CHRIST redeemed us to be “eager to do good” (Titus 2:14)

Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that THEY WHICH HAVE BELIEVED IN GOD MIGHT BE CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Christian, you are called to SHINE for Jesus in the world in which you live. If you think that you are saved, but that you have no obligation to do anything whatsoever for the kingdom, then brother you ain’t saved! I end with these words:

Galatians 6:10 (KJV) As we have therefore opportunity, LET US DO GOOD UNTO ALL, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Hebrews 13:16 (KJV) But to DO GOOD AND TO COMMUNICATE FORGET NOT: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

James 4:17 (KJV) Therefore TO HIM THAT KNOWETH TO DO GOOD, and DOETH IT NOT, TO HIM IT IS SIN.

God shed salvation on us “ABUNDANTLY through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6). We are heirs of eternal life. Let us do good, and prayerfully lead others to the blessed salvation we now enjoy.

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The Great Supper

Posted on April 14, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Wesual Click on Unsplash

Tonight we’re going to start to study the Parables of Jesus. Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 14:15-24. While you’re turning there, I want to explain parables. A “parable” (Greek parabolē) is a teaching tool that Jesus often used. A parable will compare a spiritual truth by aligning it with a familiar physical event. The Bible says “Jesus spoke MANY THINGS to them in parables” (Matthew 13:3). Jesus’ disciples asked Him:

“Why do You speak to the crowd with parables?”
Matthew 13:10

Jesus told them:

Matthew 13:11-14 (LSB) {Jesus} said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 “For whoever has, to him [more] shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 “And in them the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9-10) is being fulfilled, which says, ‘YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;

Jesus spoke in parables for two reasons:

1 To teach Kingdom principles to those who were His followers, and
2 To hide Kingdom principles from those who lost, who were against the Kingdom

A parable was never given to help a lost person become saved. It was given to teach a saved person the things of God. It was given to perhaps chastise those who rejected what Jesus said. One pastor I heard explained it this way:

You never read a parable. A parable reads YOU!

Luke 14:15-17 (KJV) And when ONE OF THEM THAT SAT AT MEAT WITH HIM heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed [is] he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

Where Was Jesus When He Spoke This Parable?

Before you can understand a parable, you need to (1) be saved by the Grace of God, and (2) understand where Jesus was and to whom He spoke the parable. If you’re lacking either of these things, you will NOT understand the parable.

I am assuming you are all saved by the Grace of God, as it is Sunday night and you are here in Church with me. So where was Jesus, and to whom did He speak this parable? We read:

Luke 14:1 (KJV) And it came to pass, as {Jesus} WENT INTO THE HOUSE OF ONE OF THE CHIEF PHARISEES to eat bread on the sabbath day, that THEY WATCHED HIM.

Jesus didn’t just walk into a Pharisees home. Jesus was invited to supper, what the Pharisee considered a Great Supper. It’s not amazing to me that that these people invited Jesus to supper. What is amazing to me is that Jesus would go to the home of those who were so clearly His enemies. I know this if I was invited as a conservative Bible believing preacher to show up for an interview on “The View”, there is no way I would go. These people are rabidly liberal, left leaning, and Bible hating. Yet Jesus was invited to a lion’s den, where most of the guests there were Christ’s enemies. Jesus went anyway. Why? Because He didn’t give up on His enemies. I am so glad that Jesus didn’t give up on His enemies, that He was always reaching out, trying to save even the most difficult.

Jesus was there at the supper to save their souls. The “Great Supper” that the Pharisee hosted was not for Jesus’ benefit, but to gather evidence to destroy Him.

THEY WATCHED (ēn paratēreō) HIM

Word Study: Jesus wasn’t invited into this home to rest on the Sabbath. The word “WATCHED” is the Greek paratēreō, which means “they observed Him carefully, watching for fault”. The word is used in Mark 3:2 and Luke 6:7 for something by which they might accuse Jesus. Jesus accepted an invitation in order to perhaps lead someone to salvation. They gave the invitation so they might find more ammunition to destroy our Lord. In fact, they rigged this whole meal to catch Jesus out. They invited Jesus, but they also invited someone else. They were baiting a trap! They invited a man who had “DROPSY”:

Luke 14:2 (KJV) And, BEHOLD, there was a certain MAN BEFORE HIM WHICH HAD THE DROPSY.

What the heck is “DROPSY”? In olden days edema, or abnormal swelling of the legs, feet or abdomen was called “DROPSY”. Swelling like this happens when fluid leaks out of your blood vessels, and builds up in your body tissue. The causes of edema are heart failure, liver disease, or kidney disease. It was called “DROPSY” (Greek hydrōpikos) because it looked like the body was filled with “drops” of water. Edema is painful, and if untreated, fatal. With pulmonary edema you can drown in your own body fluid, and fluid around the heart can strangle your heart.

These critics of Jesus did not invite this poor man because they felt sympathy for him. In the hardness of their hearts they used this man like cheese on a trap, hoping to catch Jesus out. Before doing anything, Jesus asked these people a question from the Bible:

Luke 14:3 (KJV) Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, IS IT LAWFUL TO HEAL on the sabbath day?

These are SCRIBES, people who allegedly know what the Bible says. These are PHARISEES, people who claim to be masters of the Word of God. So Jesus puts them on the spot. He asks them, “IS IT LAWFUL, according to God’s Word, to HEAL on the Sabbath”? They weren’t expecting this. They thought Jesus would heal the man, then they could accuse Him. But Jesus put THEM on the spot. “You invited this man here. IS IT LAWFUL to heal him? What do YOU say”. What did they respond?

Luke 14:4 (KJV) And they held their peace.

Like most religious cowards, they wouldn’t stand up individually and speak truth. These type of people do better in crowds. They are, in fact, a cult, not a church. A church is based on what the Bible says. A cult is based on what the leaders of the cult say, not the Bible. Jesus healed the man, and then once more returned to the Bible:

Luke 14:5 (KJV) {Jesus} answered them, saying, Which of you shall have A DONKEY OR AN OX FALLEN INTO A PIT, and will not STRAIGHTWAY PULL HIM OUT ON THE SABBATH DAY?

The Law said that if a fellow Israelite saw a neighbor’s donkey or ox fall into a pit (Deuteronomy 22:4), then you were commanded to help them get the animal out of the pit. God said that “if you meet your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering astray, you are to catch it and return it to the enemy” (Exodus 23:4-5). The Jews had understood the Law that, if an animal was in distress, that you would rescue that animal – even if it were the Sabbath. And yet here was a fellow Israelite with edema, one they invited to a Great Supper. But they wanted him to suffer rather than Christ to heal him.

How Dark Is The Religious Heart?

These people invited this poor man in order to trap Jesus. Now Jesus speaks “The Parable of the Guests”.

Luke 14:7-14 (KJV) And {Jesus} put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8 When thou art bidden of any [man] to a wedding, SIT NOT DOWN IN THE HIGHEST ROOM {prōtoklisia, the chief place at the table}; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For WHOSOEVER EXALTETH HIMSELF SHALL BE ABASED; and HE THAT HUMBLETH HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED. 12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor [thy] rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. 13 But WHEN THOU MAKEST A FEAST, CALL THE POOR, the MAIMED, the LAME, the BLIND: 14 And THOU SHALT BE BLESSED; for they cannot recompense thee: for THOU SHALT BE RECOMPENSED AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST.

Jesus began by addressing those who were invited to this rich Pharisee’s Great Supper. When these people were invited to this Great Supper, they did not give Jesus the chief place. They themselves occupied the chief places.

They were not attending this Great Supper in honor of the Sabbath or of the Lord, but to puff up themselves, to hold themselves above even Jesus.

Jesus told these fine people that “WHOSOEVER EXALTETH HIMSELF SHALL BE ABASED; and HE THAT HUMBLETH HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED”.

This is not just a New Testament “Christian” concept. God throughout the scripture has said this over and over again.

Proverbs 29:23 (ESV) One’s PRIDE WILL BRING HIM LOW, but he who is LOWLY IN SPIRIT WILL OBTAIN HONOR.

Abraham humbled himself before God, and became the father of faith. Cain puffed himself up, and became the first murderer. The Bible says:

James 4:6, 10 (ESV) … God gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

God can and will work with broken people who humble themselves, but God despises arrogance. “God shows strength with His arm; He has scattered the PROUD in the thoughts of their hearts” (Luke 1:51). When Jesus came to this “Great Supper”, both He and this poor man with edema were set in the lower places.

If you are a saved person, a child of God’s Kingdom, then like Jesus you would want to bless the broken. God blesses the broken. God will not bless those who feel they are perfect!

Luke 14:13-14 But WHEN THOU MAKEST A FEAST, CALL THE POOR, the MAIMED, the LAME, the BLIND: 14 And THOU SHALT BE BLESSED; for they cannot recompense thee: for THOU SHALT BE RECOMPENSED AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST

What the rich Pharisee and his friends are doing at this “Great Supper” will never be rewarded in eternity. At this point I suspect there is a deadly and uncomfortable silence from those listening. How dare Jesus say anything critical of them? The silence perhaps went on for a minute or two while Jesus waited. Then one spoke up:

Luke 14:15 (KJV) And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, BLESSED IS HE THAT SHALL EAT BREAD IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

I was talking with Brother Ronnie Burns the other day, and he told me how one of his church members said something like “No one will be in hell”. What the member was saying is that anytime anyone dies, everyone says “they went to Heaven”. No one goes to hell but Hitler, Stalin, or maybe some President you don’t like. This Pharisee speaks up and says, “You’ll be blessed when you eat bread in the kingdom of God”.

How do you know you’ll even BE in the Kingdom of God?

If Jesus Christ is the King of the Kingdom, will you who are judging Him be invited into His Kingdom (Matthew 12:28)? It is Jesus Who preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15). As the King, Jesus told all who would listen “The Kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT and BELIEVE the Gospel”. Jesus said:

Mark 10:15 (KJV) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not RECEIVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS A LITTLE CHILD, he SHALL NOT ENTER THEREIN.

These people are puffed up with pride, fighting for the best seats at an earthly “Great Supper”. Will they be taking bread in the “Great Supper” in glory?

The Parable Of The Great Supper

Luke 14:16-20 (KJV) Then said {Jesus} unto him, A CERTAIN MAN MADE A GREAT SUPPER, and BADE MANY: 17 And SENT HIS SERVANT at supper time to say to them that were bidden, COME; FOR ALL THINGS ARE NOW READY. 18 And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The FIRST said unto him, I HAVE BOUGHT A PIECE OF GROUND, and I MUST NEEDS GO SEE IT: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I HAVE BOUGHT FIVE YOKE OF OXEN, and I GO TO PROVE THEM: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I HAVE MARRIED A WIFE, and therefore I CANNOT COME.

God made a Great Supper. God invites many, whosoever will come. Jesus was invited to an earthly “Great Supper” and came to win souls. God sent Jesus to invite whosoever will to His Great Supper.

Jesus is God’s Son, but He is also God’s Servant. The Prophet Isaiah (42:1) wrote, “Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; mine Elect, in Whom My soul delighteth…”. Jesus said,

Matthew 20:28 The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister

and we are told in Philippians 2:7, “Jesus took upon Himself the FORM OF A SERVANT”. The “CERTAIN MAN” that Jesus speaks of is God the Father. The “SERVANT” in the parable is Jesus Himself.

The self righteous invited Jesus to a human supper, but Jesus came to invite them all to a Great Supper, the Kingdom of God.

What was the invitation? “COME; FOR ALL THINGS ARE NOW READY”. What must we bring to God to eat bread in the Kingdom of God? Nothing! We as broken creatures just accept His invitation. We take the hand of Jesus, and let Him lead us to glory. God has said in:

Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the Lord; and BESIDE ME THERE IS NO SAVIOR.

Isaiah 45:21 {I am} a just God and a Savior; there is NONE BESIDE ME.

Everything is ready. Accept the invitation. Grab the hand of the Savior, and go with Him. Jesus is the Savior of His people (Luke 2:11; Titus 2:13). All things are ready. Just come to Him.

But the self righteous made excuses. The self righteous always make excuses. I hear them every week. I ask, “Why couldn’t you be at Church worshiping the Lord you say you love this past week?” Out pops an excuse out of Satan’s Pez dispenser.

The FIRST said unto him, I HAVE BOUGHT A PIECE OF GROUND, and I MUST NEEDS GO SEE IT: I pray thee have me excused.

Every one of these excuses, and the excuses people often tell me, are nothing but lies. Who in the world buys land without first looking at it? No one! The truth is, this person’s heart was on the earth, on the things of this world, and not on the Great Supper of the Kingdom. He didn’t want to be there – and he won’t be. The second person said:

I HAVE BOUGHT FIVE YOKE OF OXEN, and I GO TO PROVE THEM: I pray thee have me excused

Again, this is a silly excuse. And yes, it is a lie. No one buys a tractor without first test driving it. I remember years ago Tommy Hanvy and Billy Pilkerton offered to sell me a lawn mower. We started out with a John Deere lawn tractor, which started quickly, and ran well. It had a problem, though, that it smoked like a steam engine. I refused it for that reason. I ended up spending about $100 more for a Snapper 30 inch cut mower – and I still have it today. No one invests money in a bunch of oxen or a tractor without first trying them out! Again, this person’s heart was on the earth, on the things of this world, and not on entering the Kingdom for the Great Supper.

another said, I HAVE MARRIED A WIFE, and therefore I CANNOT COME.

This particular lie was mixed with the Law of God. The Law said:

Deuteronomy 24:5 When a man hath TAKEN A NEW WIFE, he SHALL NOT GO OUT TO WAR, neither shall he be CHARGED WITH ANY BUSINESS: but HE SHALL BE FREE AT HOME ONE YEAR, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.

Though this lie had a tinge of Biblical Law to it, it was nonetheless silly. I believe even a newly married man and his wife would love to come to a Great Supper where everything was already prepared. He could have brought his wife with him, and given her a break from the kitchen! She would have enjoyed the meal.

They all made sad and silly excuses. The Evangelist Dwight L. Moody wrote:

“”Christ brought the hand of the Father clear down to the world; He put the hand of the sinner into the hand of his Father and died that they might be reconciled. You have nothing to do then to bring about a reconciliation. God is already reconciled to us and is ready to save us. If you will, you will; if you won’t, you won’t. Do you think that God would come down here to give you salvation without giving you the power to take it, and then condemn you to eternity for not taking it? With the gift comes the power, and you can take it and live if you will. … Whosoever will, let him drink of the waters of life freely”.

For each of these people in Jesus’ parable, I want you to notice that they were asked but once. God does not chase and chase. He bid Abraham follow Him, but did not beg Abraham. So many hear the Gospel call, and reject it when they should have ran to seize it. Oh foolish person – God does not have to ask you twice!

Who came to eat bread in the Kingdom?

Luke 14:21-22 (KJV) So that Servant came, and shewed His Lord these things. Then the Master of the house BEING ANGRY said to His Servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and BRING IN HITHER THE POOR, and THE MAIMED, and THE HALT, and THE BLIND. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and YET THERE IS ROOM.

The well to do man who had land, the grand farmer who had oxen, the handsome man with the new wife all rejected the Great Supper. They “gained the whole world, but lost their own souls” (Matthew 16:26). Everything the sought was the things of this earth – and they lost their place at the Table in Eternity. So God told the Son, go out and “BRING IN THE POOR, and THE MAIMED, and THE HALT, and THE BLIND”. Bring Me the broken, God says. God wants the broken, not the self righteous.

It is only the ragged sinner that opens God’s wardrobe!

Luke 14:23-24 (KJV) And the Lord said unto the Servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and COMPEL [them] to come in, that MY HOUSE MAY BE FILLED. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

God has room in Heaven for the broken who repent and cast themselves upon Jesus. Space is not an issue. I have heard of that silly cult who was headed by a retail clothing merchant named Charles Taze Russell. Russell was a great salesman. He helped manage and expand several men’s clothing stores. Russell knew how to pitch a sale, so the cult he started said that only 144,000 would be in heaven. So if you wanted to get in to the Great Supper, you’d better do so while there was room!

There’s room in Heaven. There’s no room for the self righteous, the self made, the self sufficient. But there is room for whosoever will. Sadly, many won’t, and will find themselves excluded from the Great Supper. I hope you’re not one of them.

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Three Days And Three Nights Ago

Posted on April 6, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Shana Van Roosbroek on Unsplash

Matthew 26:66-68 … {The Rulers of Israel – the Sanhedrin ruled}{Jesus} is GUILTY OF DEATH. [67] Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, [68] Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

Matthew 27:22-24 (KJV) Pilate saith unto {the rulers pf Israel – the Sanhedrin}, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They ALL say unto him, LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED. [23] And the governor said, Why, what evil hath He done? But they cried out the more, saying, LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED. [24] When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I AM INNOCENT OF THE BLOOD OF THIS JUST PERSON: see ye to it. [25] Then answered ALL THE PEOPLE {the Sanhedrin and the crowd that stood thereby}, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Matthew 27:33-35 (KJV) And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha (also called Calvary), that is to say, a place of a skull, 34 They gave Him VINEGAR TO DRINK WITH GALL {to lessen the pain}: and when He had tasted [thereof], HE WOULD NOT DRINK. 35 And THEY CRUCIFIED HIM, and PARTED HIS GARMENTS, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet (prophesied in Psalm 22:16, 18), They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

John 19:33-37 (KJV) But when they came to Jesus, and saw that HE WAS DEAD ALREADY, they brake not his legs: 34 But ONE OF THE SOLDIERS WITH A SPEAR PIERCED HIS SIDE, and FORTHWITH CAME OUT BLOOD AND WATER. 35 And he that saw [it] bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, THAT YE MIGHT BELIEVE. 36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A BONE OF HIM SHALL NOT BE BROKEN. (quoted from Psalm 34:20) 37 And again another scripture saith, THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED. (quoted from Psalm 22:16-17)

John 19:40-42 (KJV) Then took they {His disciples} the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews IS TO BURY. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden A NEW SEPULCHRE (like a mausoleum), wherein was never man yet laid. 42 There laid they Jesus therefore BECAUSE OF THE JEWS PREPARATION DAY (following Passover begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The first day of that Feast is a Special or a HighSabbath [John 19:31], 15th of Nisan or Abib – See Leviticus 23:6-7. The day before a Sabbath is a “Preparation Day”, doing whatever is necessary so you will not work on the Sabbath); for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

Who Crucified Jesus?

The Jews crucified Jesus. We just read it. Jesus came according to Bible prophecy. He came “for the Jews first” (Matthew 15:24; 10:5-6; Romans 1:16). Jesus came to fulfill the promise that He made to Abraham so many years before:

Genesis 12:1-2 (KJV) Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: [2] And I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION, and I WILL BLESS THEE, and make thy name great; and THOU SHALT BE A BLESSING:

and again in Genesis 21:12, “IN ISAAC SHALL THY SEED be called”. The nation God would make of Abraham was Israel, and Jesus Christ became incarnate in order to save Israel, to be their Messiah. The Scripture says:

John 1:11 (KJV) {Jesus} CAME UNTO HIS OWN, and HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT.

Eternal God became mortal but perfect Man in order to save Jews everywhere. And the Jews killed Him. But was it only the Jews? No, Gentiles crucified Jesus.

We read that earlier. Pilate ordered Jesus’ death. Pilate’s soldiers mocked Him, and beat Him, and thrust a crown of thorns on His head, and nailing Him to the Cross carried out the crucifixion. But Jesus did not just come for the Jews. He came for the Gentiles as well. God promised Abraham:

Genesis 12:3 (KJV) … IN THEE SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.

“In thee shall ALL the families of the earth be blessed.” God sent His Son not just to die for the Jews, but for the Gentiles as well. Long before there was an Israel God told that Old Serpent Satan that “the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent” (Genesis 3:15). The promises God made to Abraham is that he would have a SEED FROM HIS NATION – ONE SEED – WHO WOULD BLESS ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH (Galatians 3:16). God became flesh through the line of David. God became flesh through a “virgin who would conceive, and bear a Son, and call His Name Emmanuel meaning ‘God with us’” (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).

So who crucified Jesus? Both Jews and Gentiles were involved.

Isaiah 53:3 (KJV) HE IS DESPISED AND REJECTED OF MEN; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and WE HID AS IT WERE OUR FACES FROM HIM; He was despised, and WE ESTEEMED HIM NOT.

“We esteemed Him not”. The Messiah came to bring salvation to us. Yet we all would reject Him. He would be rejected by the Jews, but He would also be rejected by the Gentiles. The Jews cried out for His crucifixion. But the Gentiles condemned Him and drove the nails.

But Man Did Not Engineer The Cross. God Did.

Though both Jew and Gentile played a part in Jesus’ death, neither Jew nor Gentile created the Cross, nor were the first cause of Jesus’ death. We all have a problem. We love sin. We are born broken, self willed, wanting things our way. God looks at the world and says “My creation has CONDEMNED itself”. How have we condemned ourselves? By sin. The Scripture says:

John 3:19-20 (KJV) 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.

When Light came into the world, when God became Man, Perfect Man, darkness immediately sought to kill Him. While a baby Herod sought to kill Jesus, for he feared that baby was the prophesied King of Glory. When Jesus started His earthly ministry, were His supporters the rulers of religion, the priests of the Temple? Absolutely not! Jesus was hated by religious people, for these people did not love God. Jesus went about all Judea healing the sick, the diseased, both Jew and Gentile.

At no point did anyone find sin in Christ. Here is the Perfect Man. And we found fault with the Perfect, and conspired both Jew and Gentile to kill Him because He was perfect.

We are born into this world with something worst than any cancer that Saint Jude has had to deal with. We are born into this world – loved by God and yet haters of God. We are born into this world spiritually dead but physically alive. We do not want God – we want sin. “ALL have sinned, and COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD” (Romans 3:23). We are born corrupt, broken in our first birth. We all need a SECOND BIRTH. We need a spiritual change.

So God engineered the Cross.

Jews and Gentiles killed Jesus, but it was God Who sacrificed His Son. “The FATHER SENT THE SON TO BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD” (John 4:14). God loved us all, and sent Jesus to be punished in our place for sin (John 3:16-17). The Bible says that:

Romans 5:8 God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The death of Jesus was not a travesty of justice, a cruel and unexpected martyrdom. No, the Father sent the Son to die for us. And Jesus Christ willingly came, tell any who would listen that He was going to die for our sins. He said:

Matthew 12:40 (KJV) For as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS in the WHALE’S {kētos, sea monster, huge fish} belly (referencing Jonah 1:17, not Esther, Jewish tradition, or a Talmud); so shall the Son of man be THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS in the heart of the earth.

Jesus knew He was going to die for our sins. Just as Jonah was in the belly of a great fish three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17) Jesus’ body would lie in a grave three days and three nights.

The Jews pushed for His death. The soldiers crucified Him. As Jesus hung bleeding between two thieves the crowd mocked Him. The crowd mocks Christ today. They use His name in curses. They misunderstand Him. When He cried out:

Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say,
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
(Matthew 27:46)

The crowd said “He cries out for Elijah. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him”. But none come to save Him. None help Him. But Jesus blamed no one for His death. He cursed no one as He suffered and died. Instead, Jesus said “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). As Jesus died, He said “It is finished” (John 19:30), and then “Father, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT” (Luke 23:46). Jesus “YIELDED UP THE GHOST” (Matthew 27:50).

Jesus died. Three days and nights ago Jesus died. How do we know He died? Because the Centurion in charge of His crucifixion drove a spear in His side piercing both the lungs and His heart. Blood and water came from the wound. In medical terms Hypovolemic Shock caused fluid to gather in the sack around the heart and around the lungs. This gathering of fluid in the membrane around the heart is called Pericardial Effusion, and the fluid gathering around the lungs is called Pleural Effusion. The blood and water pouring out told the Centurion Jesus was dead (John 19:33).

At The End Of The Weekly Sabbath Jesus Rose

Three days and nights ago Jesus was taken from the Cross. The body was hastily buried, because the 15 of Nisan (Abib), the Day after the Feast of the Passover, was the First Day of Unleavened Bread, a High Sabbath (Leviticus 23:6-7). The Bible is specific that:

Matthew 28:1 (KJV) In the END OF THE SABBATH {the weekly Sabbath, Saturday}, as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

It was early Sunday morning (Mark 16:1; John 20:1; Luke 23:56; Luke 24:1), and the women were returning to Jesus’ tomb to better anoint His body. But they discovered something.

The Tomb was empty. An Angel of God met the women, and told them

Matthew 28:5-7 (KJV) … 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 YOU SHALL SEE HIM: lo, I have told you.

The Gospel of salvation is not just that Jesus died on the Cross, but it is also that He rose from the Grave after that death. Our timing may differ (and that’s up to you), but you are not saved if you only believe a half Gospel. He died AND rose again, and sits at the right hand of the Father even now making intercession for His people.

If you do not believe this then you cannot be saved. The “word of faith” is this:

Romans 10:9 (KJV) 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.

The resurrection of Christ is non-negotiable. We cannot compromise on it. Jesus literally died on Calvary, and literally rose from the Grave. This is the Gospel that saves. This is the Gospel we stand in. The Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 15:1 (KJV) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you THE GOSPEL WHICH I PREACHED UNTO YOU, which also ye have RECEIVED, and WHEREIN YE STAND;

Word Study: The Gospel must be “RECEIVED” (Greek paralambanō), literally “to take to oneself, to join yourself to, to make it a part of your very life”. It is something that is not negotiable. The Gospel is what you “STAND” (Greek histēmi) or “uphold as absolute, the place where you find surety in”. What is this full Gospel?

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (KJV) For 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 (the first day of the week, Sunday) according to the scriptures

That’s the full Gospel. Jesus didn’t just DIE, but HE ROSE AGAIN on the third day, on Sunday. Saving faith believes what God has said. Faith trusts God for the impossible.

I believe that there are a lot of professing Christians who believe Jesus DIED on the Cross, but are shaky on the resurrection. The Apostle Paul went on to say:

1 Corinthians 15:5-8 (KJV) {Jesus} WAS SEEN OF PETER, then of the twelve: 6 After that, HE WAS SEEN OF ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED BRETHREN AT ONCE; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, HE WAS SEEN OF JAMES; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all HE WAS SEEN OF ME ALSO, as of one born out of due time.

How important is the resurrection of Jesus? Everything we believe is based on this grand truth. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 15:14-15, 17-19 (KJV) if Christ be not risen, THEN IS OUR PREACHING VAIN, and YOUR FAITH IS ALSO VAIN. 15 Yea, and WE ARE FOUND FALSE WITNESSES OF GOD; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. … 17 And IF CHRIST BE NOT RAISED, YOUR FAITH IS VAIN; YOU ARE YET IN YOUR SINS. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 IF IN THIS LIFE ONLY WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST, we are of all men most miserable.

If Jesus did not die and rise again, “YOU ARE YET IN YOUR SINS”. Calvary is half of the Gospel. Jesus died for your sins. But in that three day and three night period, the Bible says:

Hebrews 9:11-15, 24, 27-28 (NKJV) Christ came [as] High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 NOT WITH THE BLOOD OF GOATS AND CALVES, but WITH HIS OWN BLOOD HE ENTERED THE MOST HOLY PLACE ONCE FOR ALL, HAVING OBTAINED ETERNAL REDEMPTION. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, who THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT TO GOD, cleanse your conscience from dead works TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD? 15 And for this reason HE IS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. … 24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, [which are] copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; … 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so CHRIST WAS OFFERED ONCE TO BEAR THE SINS OF MANY. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Praise God. He is not here. He is RISEN, JUST AS HE SAID! Amen.

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True Christians Belong To God

Posted on April 2, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Proverbs 28:21 To have respect of persons {nāḵar pānîm} is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

Treat Others According To Christ’s Rule

Word Study: To have “respect of persons”{nāḵar pānîm}is to treat one person differently than you treat another person because you feel that the one person so treated can somehow benefit you better than the other person. A person who will hold one person above another based on how it benefits you is for sale. God forbade this in the courtroom, and forbade it from His people. When Moses set up judges throughout the tribes of Israel, he told them:

Deuteronomy 1:16-17 (NKJV) Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear [the cases] between your brethren, and JUDGE RIGHTEOUSLY BETWEEN A MAN AND HIS BROTHER or THE STRANGER WHO IS WITH HIM. 17 ‘You shall NOT SHOW PARTIALITY IN JUDGMENT; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for THE JUDGMENT IS GOD’S. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’

When judges and leaders have different standards for different people, it hurts the stability of the land. God said:

Deuteronomy 16:19-20 (LSB) You shall not distort justice; YOU SHALL NOT BE PARTIAL, YOU SHALL NOT TAKE A BRIBE, for A BRIBE BLINDS the eyes of the wise and PERVERTS the words of the righteous. 20 “Righteousness! RIGHTEOUSNESS, YOU SHALL PURSUE, that you may live and possess the land which Yahweh your God is giving you.

The stepbrother of Christ wrote:

James 2:1-4, 8-9 (KJV) My brethren, HAVE NOT THE FAITH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, [the Lord] of glory, WITH RESPECT OF PERSONS. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? … 8 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF, YOU DO WELL: 9 But if ye have RESPECT TO PERSONS, YOU COMMIT SIN, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

The Law of God is that we “love our neighbor as we love ourselves”. When we have one standard for one person, but a modified standard for another whom we consider more important or more valuable, we fail to honor our God. Our God does not show “respect of persons” or impartiality:

2 Chronicles 19:7 (KJV) Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do [it]: for [there is] no iniquity with the LORD our God, NOR RESPECT OF PERSONS, nor taking of gifts.

God judges sin in His children the same way He judges sin among the lost. “Call on the Father, Who WITHOUT RESPECT OF PERSONS judges every person ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS” (1 Peter 1:17). God does not show your child preferential treatment because you are saved by Grace, by faith in Christ. God does not look the other way because your grandchild is your grandchild. “There is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11). God treats all the same. Those who receive Christ as Savior, who are indwelt by the Spirit of God, who are born again by the blood of Christ, are all treated as God’s children. Those who do well will be blessed. Those who sin will be punished. God is even handed.

When King David murdered Uriah and took his wife to be his own, God did not give David a pass because he was King. David repented when confronted by Nathan, saying:

2 Samuel 12:13 … I have SINNED AGAINST THE LORD

God told David “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” (2 Samuel 12:13-14). Though David fasted and begged God for the life of that child, God took the child. And afterward, as God said, “the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me” (2 Samuel 12:10). God does not look the other way because He holds one above another. God has no respect of persons, and neither should we.

Another point is this: If you have one set of standards but are willing to sell them for some benefit to yourself, then the devil will see it and capitalize on it. Your integrity should not be for sale! If you compromise with the devil, he will continually ask you to lower your price!

Beware The EVIL EYE! Stay Far From It.

Proverbs 28:22 He that hasteth to be rich HATH AN EVIL EYE, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

Among Pagans and the godless, an “EVIL EYE” is a curse where someone can look at you and transmit harm. Someone with an “EVIL EYE” can through their stare bring you bad luck, illness, or misfortune.

In the Bible, the “EVIL EYE” is not something that will SEND a curse to others, but it is to focus your eye on the wrong thing and so bring a curse to YOU. Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 6:22-23 (NKJV) The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great [is] that darkness!

Biblically you control whether your eye is EVIL or GOOD based upon what you focus on. If you focus on goodness, on the things that God tells you to focus on, you have a GOOD eye. If you focus on that which is forbidden by your loving Heavenly Father, this is the EVIL eye. Jesus included the EVIL EYE in the list of sinful things that come out of the heart:

Mark 7:21-23 (NKJV) For FROM WITHIN, OUT OF THE HEART OF MEN, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, AN EVIL EYE, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these EVIL THINGS COME FROM WITHIN AND DEFILE A MAN.

The EVIL EYE does not defile others. It defiles the one who has it. If you focus on earthly riches rather than Heavenly riches, then in the end you will be impoverished. The EVIL EYE caused Judas Iscariot to lose his life, and his apostleship.

God has previously warned us to stay away from those who have the evil eye.

Proverbs 23:6-7 (KJV) EAT THOU NOT THE BREAD OF HIM THAT HATH AN EVIL EYE, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For AS HE THINKETH IN HIS HEART, SO IS HE: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but HIS HEART IS NOT WITH THEE.

The person with the “EVIL EYE” will never be your friend. Their intent is to get what you have, to make it their own, regardless as to what it does to you. Again, our Lord Jesus said:

Luke 11:34-35 (LSB) The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light, but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore WATCH OUT THAT THE LIGHT IN YOU IS NOT DARKNESS.

Beware The Flatterer – He Will Damn You

Proverbs 28:23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue.

Those who genuinely love you will speak even harsh truths in loving ways. When people are hurting or troubled, they do not need platitudes or calming lies. They need the truth. “SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, we are to GROW UP in all aspects INTO HIM WHO IS THE HEAD, that is, CHRIST” (NASB). People need to hear the truth, and to apply that truth to their lives. The Matthew Henry commentary notes:

“He that cries out against his surgeon for hurting him, when he is searching his wound, will yet pay him well, and thank him too, when he has cured it.”

When Peter played the hypocrite among the Gentile Church, Paul called out Peter before them all (Galatians 2:14). How did Peter handle that? He repented. Later Peter wrote:

2 Peter 3:14-15 (NASB) beloved, since you look for these things (new heavens and a new earth), be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; JUST AS ALSO OUR BELOVED BROTHER PAUL ACCORDING TO THE WISDOM GIVEN HIM, wrote to you

Those who are genuinely children of God will respond to Christ like rebuke when in error. A lost person, however, will often hate rebuke, and hate even the Word of God that is quoted. We previously read in Proverbs:

Proverbs 19:25 (NASB) rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

It is not loving to flatter people or to hide the truth from them rather than be offensive. Magician Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) is an atheist. A Christian man came to Penn one day and told him about Jesus. When asked how he felt about this later, Penn replied:

“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize {tell others about Jesus}. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life… and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward… How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? I mean, if I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe it… there’s a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”

There are a number of people who believe that Christianity is about morality. Christianity primarily has nothing to do about morality. It has to do with OWNERSHIP, to whom do you belong. I have often heard people say “If anyone deserved to go to Heaven, he or she did”. Can I tell you, NO ONE DESERVES HEAVEN. You can’t be moral enough to get to Heaven. How do you get to Heaven? By giving yourself to God in Christ. By entering into a Covenant Relationship with your Creator. Jesus said:

John 14:6 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.

Acts 4:12 (ESV) And there is SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given among men by which WE MUST BE SAVED.

John 10:9 (ESV) I AM THE DOOR. If anyone enters BY ME, HE WILL BE SAVED and will go in and out and find pasture.

Ephesians 2:18 For THROUGH HIM {Jesus Christ} we both have ACCESS in one Spirit TO THE FATHER.

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. Whoever BELIEVES IN ME, though he die, yet shall he live, and EVERYONE WHO LIVES AND BELIEVES IN ME SHALL NEVER DIE. Do you believe this?”

Someone may get angry with you if you speak the truth – but they will either get over it and improve, or live in the worst way and end up paying the price. We must uphold the Biblical truths regardless as to whether others agree or not.

Do Not Rob Your Parents

Proverbs 28:24-25 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer. 25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that PUTTETH HIS TRUST IN THE LORD SHALL BE MADE FAT.

The greedy person will steal from their parents and justify it by saying, “Well, I would have inherited it anyway”. My commentary notes:

“The person who makes excuses for sin—especially sin against their own parents—is on the same moral level as the one who robs or destroys outright.”

Our Lord Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for doing this. The Pharisees that Jesus addressed did not love God, but loved status and money. Jesus told them:

Mark 7:9-13 (LSB) You are good at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever you might benefit from me is CORBAN (that is to say, given to God),’ 12 you no longer leave him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.

Word Study: What were the Pharisees doing? When God gave His Commandments to Israel, the Fifth Commandment was to ‘HONOR your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God has given you’. That word “HONOR” is the Hebrew kāḇaḏ, which means “to honor or count worthy, to attribute weight to, to glorify or to hold in high esteem”. In the ancient world the adult child would take care of their parents. If the parents had a need, that child would respect the parents, and see to their needs.

What the Pharisees were doing was if their parents needed help, they would say “I’d help, mom or dad, but my funds are dedicated to God and the Temple. Sorry – I can’t do it!” They would hide from caring for their parents so they could keep the money to themselves. Our God knows the heart, and would respond accordingly. Failure to honor one’s parents could shorten the life according to the commandment. A good example is King David’s son Absalom who sought to take over his father’s throne, possibly because he knew that Solomon might be king. Absalom led a revolt against his father Davis in the forest of Ephraim (2 Samuel 18). When the battle turned against him, Absalom retreated. The Bible says:

2 Samuel 18:9, 14-15 (LSB) Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his HIS HEAD WAS CAUGHT FAST IN THE OAK, so he was LEFT HANGING between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him passed onward. 14 … {Joab} took three spears in his hand and THRUST THEM THROUGH THE HEART OF ABSALOM while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and STRUCK ABSALOM AND PUT HIM TO DEATH.

What killed Absalom? Was it the MULE who took him under the oak tree, or was it the OAK TREE that his long flowing hair was bound in? Was it JOAB and his ARMOR BEARERS who killed Absalom? The truth is this.

When Absalom chose to dishonor his father and steal his throne, his greed set him on a path that would ultimately shorten his life. This is why the Bible says if you honor your parents “your days will be long on the earth”.

Absalom was PROUD OF HEART. Had he trusted in God, and waited on Him, who knows how his life might have turned out? Hasn’t God said,

Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV) … BE CONTENT WITH SUCH THINGS AS YOU HAVE. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Do Not Follow Your Heart. Follow Your God

Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

One of the most popular sayings today is “Follow your heart”. Albert Einstein said “The only real valuable thing is intuition”, or following your heart. Steve Jobs, the Founder of Apple, said “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition”. Singer and songwriter James Taylor said “Let your heart be your compass”. Princess Diana said “Only do what your heart tells you”. Oprah Winfrey said, “Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself”. Every one of these people – though famous – are according to God “FOOLS”. The heart will lead you astray. But God won’t.

whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered {mālaṭ}

Word Study: Those who follow their hearts are asking for trouble. But those who “WALK WISELY”, that is, follow the Holy Spirit of God, will be “DELIVERED”. The Hebrew mālaṭ means “to save from destruction and decay, to be preserved, to escape a trap, to be freed from prison”.

Adam followed his heart, and allowed sin into Paradise.
Samson followed his heart, and got a bad haircut and death.
David followed his heart, and ruined two families.
Solomon followed his heart, and hurt his son Rehoboam.
Jonah followed his heart, and spent three days and nights in a fish.
Israel followed their heart, and wandered for 40 years.
Jezebel followed her heart, and was eaten by dogs.
Judas Iscariot followed his heart, and killed himself.
Herod followed his heart, and was eaten of worms.
Ananias and Sapphira followed their heart, and were killed by God.

I could go on and on, but I won’t. To follow your heart is to follow a madman. People followed their hearts, and mutilated their bodies attempting to switch sexes. People follow their heart and get sexually transmitted diseases. People follow their hearts and get addictions and destruction. The Bible says:

Romans 8:1 (KJV) [There is] therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are IN CHRIST JESUS, who WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, but AFTER THE SPIRIT.

Your life will be a bigger and bigger mess while you follow your heart. You need to GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS. You need to turn yourself over to Him, and call upon Him to save you, to make you “born again” (John 3:3), to allow His Spirit to indwell you.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The Christian belongs not to himself, but to the Christ Who saved Him. The “FOOL”, the godless person walks according to their heart. The Christian follows Jesus. We heed His Word. We pray to the Father, seeking His will for our lives. “Walk by the SPIRIT, and YOU WILL NOT GRATIFY THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH” (Galatians 5:16). If you are led by your heart you are not walking as a child of God. The Bible says:

Romans 8:14 (ESV) For all who are LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE SONS OF GOD.

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The Righteous Must Stand With God

Posted on April 2, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Ashford Marx on Unsplash

Proverbs 28:28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Proverbs 29:1-2 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. 2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Darkness Kills

Though the algorithms of Facebook will mute my message, it is imperative that America and the Church itself get back to Jesus and back to the Bible. We are the most prosperous nation in the world because our forefathers were Christians, who, knowing the sin nature of man, crafted a Constitution that was not democratic, but a Democratic Republic. We are not represented by popular vote, but by democratically elected representatives. Checks and balances are all throughout our system to prevent the majority rule of godless unsaved people. Why? Because our forefathers had seen other forms of government, and saw the limitation brought about by unrestrained popular wickedness. The Bible says:

When the WICKED {rāšāʿ} rise, men hide themselves

Disney put out a kids movie not long ago called “Wicked For Good”. There is no goodness in wickedness!

When wicked Presidents ascended to power praising sexual deviancy – contrary to what the Bible says (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:9-10) – it wasn’t long before it became a celebrated MONTH where such lifestyles were pushed. When our Judicial System endorsed nationwide abortion on demand through Roe vs Wade (which was law for 49 years), over 60 MILLION children were thrown into landfills. When national television shows began to show murders and sexual deviancy – hiding behind First Amendment privilege – generations of children grew up with no respect for the sanctity of life. In our modern Internet age, wickedness of all types is broadcast across social media and the news channels. What is the result? “MEN HIDE THEMSELVES”. People go along to get along. No one wants to rock the boat, to go against the flow.

This was the world that Jesus had to contend with. Israel was under Roman Rule. Tiberius Caesar ruled Rome, and demanded worship as a god. Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea. Herod Antipas – who had John the Baptist beheaded – ruled Galilee. The High Priest of Judaism, Caiphas did not love God, but he loved religion and his power. The religious rulers of Israel, the Sanhedrin, was a blend of both Pharisees and Sadducees, conservative and liberal, but neither side loved the Lord our God. When Jesus came, He had to stand against this darkness. And Jesus told us:

John 15:18-19 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I HAVE CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD. THAT IS WHY THE WORLD HATES YOU.

Darkness will always hate the light. Jesus is “the Light of the world” (John 8:12), and His people will be the Light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16).

Proverbs 28:28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but WHEN THEY PERISH {āḇaḏ}, THE RIGHTEOUS INCREASE.

Word Study: The word translated “PERISH” is the Hebrew āḇaḏ, which means “to destroy, to exterminate, to put to death”. God never calls on Christians under the New Covenant to physically kill the wicked with weapons like guns or knives. But it is our job to KILL THE WICKED. Not physically, but through conversion. The only way the darkness decreases is by ceasing to be darkness. The Apostle wrote:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (LSB) For though we walk in the flesh, WE DO NOT WAR ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, 4 for the WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT OF THE FLESH, but divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds, 5 as we TEAR DOWN SPECULATIONS and EVERY LOFTY THING raised up against the knowledge of God, and TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST

Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved HARDENETH HIS NECK, shall SUDDENLY BE DESTROYED {peṯaʿ šāḇar}, and THAT WITHOUT REMEDY.

Wickedness Kills its Host

Word Study: Those who will not hear the Word of God, who will mock the standards that God has established in the scripture, will “SUDDENLY BE DESTROYED”. This is the Niphal Imperfect of šāḇar, which means “to be broken, maimed, crippled, wrecked or crushed. By who? Not by the Christian. The Christian does not seek to physically harm anyone. But the person who will not accept reproof will actually bring destruction into their own lives. The Bible warns us that “the WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH” (Romans 6:23). To do that which God forbids (sin) is to bring destruction on yourself. God told Adam:

Genesis 2:17 … in THE DAY THAT YOU EAT OF IT, YOU SHALL SURELY DIE

God did not tell Adam that He Himself would destroy Adam. He told Adam that “when you do what I tell you not to do, YOU WILL KILL YOURSELF”. Sin doesn’t hurt God. Wickedness doesn’t hurt God. Sin and wickedness destroys the person who submits to it. God warns throughout the Scripture:

Ezekiel 18:4 The soul WHO SINS SHALL DIE

Ezekiel 18:20 The one WHO SINS IS THE ONE
WHO WILL DIE

The stepbrother of Christ wrote in James 1:15 “when YOUR DESIRE is concieved, it GIVES BIRTH to SIN, and SIN GROWS UP TO BRING DEATH”.

When Israel rejected the command of God and, fearing the Amalekites more than they feared God, God refused to allow them to enter the Promised Land. They DIED SUDDENLY in that they quickly lost the Source of Life and blessing, God Himself. And then over a period of 40 years, they stayed on death row in the wilderness not because God killed them – but because they killed themselves by rejecting reproof.

When the wicked refuse to hear God’s Word, they sentence themselves to sudden and inescapable death. God doesn’t kill them. They kill themselves.

Proverbs 29:2 When the RIGHTEOUS ARE IN AUTHORITY, the people rejoice: but when the WICKED BEARETH RULE, THE PEOPLE MOURN.

It is certain that wicked people will rejoice when a wicked ruler is in control. The darkness hates the light. Though God is merciful and filled with Grace, there will come a time when He will step back and let you have your own way.

Illustrate: When the Prophet Samuel was but a child, his mother Hannah sent him to live with Eli the High Priest at the Tabernacle. Eli had two sons who were priests, and these two sons “sexually laid with the women who served at the doorway of the Tabernacle” (1 Samuel 2:22). They were not even attempting to hide this atrocity, but did it openly. Eli rebuked his children (1 Samuel 2:25), but did not attempt to remove them from the priesthood. God came to Eli and rebuked him, saying:

1 Samuel 2:30-31 (LSB) Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now Yahweh declares, ‘Far be it from Me–for THOSE WHO HONOR ME, I WILL HONOR, and THOSE WHO DESPISE ME WILL BE CURSED. 31 ‘Behold, the days are coming, and I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your house.

God went on to say 1 Samuel 2:34-35 (LSB) ‘Now this will be the sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, HOPHNI and PHINEHAS: ON THE SAME DAY BOTH OF THEM WILL BE PUT TO DEATH. 35 ‘But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him a faithful house, and he will walk before My anointed always.

Because God’s Priests walked in wickedness, refusing the rebuke of God, the Bible says “word from Yahweh was rare in those days; VISIONS WERE INFREQUENT.” (1 Samuel 3:1). The leadership was wicked. When Israel went to war with the Philistines, they carried the Ark of the Covenant into battle with them. They did not carry the Ark in honor of God, but carried it as if it were a lucky rabbit’s foot. When the Philistines saw the Ark, they despaired:

1 Samuel 4:8 (LSB) Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all [kinds of] plagues in the wilderness.

Sadly, the unbelievers believed more than the believers believed! What happened?

1 Samuel 4:10-11 (LSB) So the Philistines fought, and ISRAEL WAS DEFEATED, and every man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there FELL OF ISRAEL 30,000 FOOT SOLDIERS. 11 And the ARK OF GOD WAS TAKEN; and the TWO SONS OF ELI, HOPHNI and PHINEHAS, DIED.

God didn’t kill HOPHNI and PHINEHAS. They killed themselves by wickedness. The died suddenly. When Eli found out what happened, he fell backward off his seat and broke his own neck (1 Samuel 4:18).

Without Vision, The People Perish

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no VISION {ḥāzôn}, the people PERISH {pāraʿ}: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Proverbs 29:18 has been misquoted and misapplied by many preachers over the years. When the congregation starts to grow and the pastor feels it is time for a building project he preaches “where there is no vision, the people perish”. When the congregation gets locked and stagnant and pastor wants to get them moving he preaches “where there is no vision, the people perish”. When the pastor is trying to vision cast and sell his congregation on a new program he preaches “where there is no vision, the people perish”. This proverb has nothing at all to do with property, programs, or a purpose driven agenda. This text deals with prophecy – the Bible itself.

Word Study: The word translated “VISION” is the Hebrew ḥāzôn, which refers to Biblical Prophecy or the proper application of Scripture to your life. God warned Israel in the days of Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 23:16 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a VISION {ḥāzôn} of their own heart, [and] not out of the mouth of the LORD.

This is why the Southern Kingdom of Judah was in a deep state of spiritual, moral, and political crisis. They had turned away from God, and began to worship idols like Baal, Asherah, Chemosh, Molech, Dagon, Astarte and Tammuz. The people of God were about to perish. Jeremiah warned that Babylon was going to conquer Judah, and destroy the Temple and Jerusalem. The people refused to repent. They hardened their necks, and continued in wickedness.

In 586 BC Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon. The Temple was burned. Much of Judah was carried away into captivity and slavery, and for those who remained they were in abject poverty. The people “PERISHED”, pāraʿ, showed lack of restraint and disrespect for God’s Word. Then the nation was “SUDDENLY DESTROYED {peṯaʿ šāḇar}”.

Our nation itself is headed toward sudden destruction. “He that KEEPETH THE LAW, happy is he”. America is visionless, without a Word from God. The Lord has set before our nation and our Church a way that leads to peace and prosperity. God has warned, “If you neglect this way, you will instead perish”. Beloved, we are perishing. We are perishing because we have stepped away from doing the Word of God, and instead is doing the word of man. Evangelist Franklin Graham remarked on how our nation has degraded from the way of Christ. He said:

“The spirit of anti-Christ is everywhere. … in our government today, you can’t pray to Jesus in many public meetings. You can pray to God or a god. You can mention Buddha or the name of Muhammad — but you can’t pray to Jesus Christ.”

“Where there is no revelation – no Word from God – the people perish.” Many Americans call themselves Christians but they have rejected the authority of the Word of God. There are many who know what the Scripture says, but refuse to do what the Scripture says. Christians are called to keep the Law – to follow God’s revealed Word if we want to be happy. We walk according to the Law of the Spirit (Romans 8:2). Jesus plainly told us:

John 14:24 (LSB) He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.

Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV) Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

If we would live a good life, we need to walk with our Great God in obedience to His Word. The world calls on the Christian to compromise his faith, to reject Scripture which does not meet its criteria – we must not do it. I must not compromise God’s Word. God has given us a revelation, a Word from Him, and all of it – ALL OF IT – is authoritative. Pastor J. C. Ryle said:

“Beware of manufacturing a god of your own: A god who is all mercy but not just, A god who is all love but not holy, A god who has a heaven for everybody but a hell for none. Such a god is an idol of your own. The hands of your own fancy and sentimentality have made him. He is not the God of the Bible.”

Proverbs 29:18 he that KEEPETH THE LAW, HAPPY is he.

Those who walk according to the Law of the Spirit – trusting in Him no matter what the world says – these are the ones who find happiness. We cannot trust the government to fix the government. We all need Jesus!

Proverbs 29:16 When the WICKED ARE MULTIPLIED, transgression increaseth: but THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL SEE THEIR FALL.

Who are the ones who can save us from wickedness? Not the government. A daddy sat down to read his little daughter a bedtime story. He started out, “Once upon a time …” The little girl interrupted him. “Daddy, do all bedtime stories begin with ‘once upon a time’”. Her daddy said,

“No honey. There’s a whole bunch of fairy that start out with ‘If elected, I promise’”.

The hope for us all is Jesus and His Word lived. Nothing else will do. When the Apostle Paul was captured for preaching the Gospel, in Acts 27 he was chained and taken by ship to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. When the ship hit a terrible storm, so much so that the crew quaked in fear, Paul told them:

Acts 27:22-26 (LSB) And now I advise you to be cheerful, for there will be no loss of life among you, but [only] of the ship. 23 For this very night AN ANGEL OF THE GOD TO WHOM I BELONG and WHOM I SERVE stood before me, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 Therefore, be cheerful, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26 “But we must run aground on some island.”

Do you belong to Jesus? Do you serve Him? If so, you need not fear standing up for Him. God is in control, and God will look after us until our mission on earth is completed. Do you belong to the God of the Universe? Do you serve Him? John MacArthur write in his book entitled “Slave”:

“to be a Christian, in the true sense of the term, is to be a wholehearted follower of Jesus Christ. As the Lord Himself said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”. The name suggests much more than a superficial association with Christ. Rather, it demands a deep affection for Him, allegiance to Him, and submission to His Word. “You are My friends if you do what I command you”

Amen

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The Helmet And The Sword

Posted on April 1, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Ivan Sabayuki on Unsplash

Ephesians 6:17-18 And TAKE the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 PRAYING always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and WATCHING thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The Christian is born into battle. Born again by faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:3), the Christian is a “new creature in Christ. The old things have passed away, and your life has become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Christian is not under the Law of Moses, but is under the Law of the Holy Spirit.

The Old Covenant believer walked according to external laws that he had to obey. The laws – ceremonial, sacrificial, and moral – were often not explained. The Old Covenant believer was told:

“I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children can live” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

The Law of Moses was external to the believer. It specified what you must do or not do, but provided no ability to do it. It was based on absolute free will – and was flawed because of this. People not only need to be saved by God, but they need to be enabled to serve God by God. This is where God promised the NEW Covenant:

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NKJV) Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah– 32 “not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33 “But this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR MINDS, and WRITE IT ON THEIR HEARTS; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 “No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for THEY SHALL ALL KNOW ME from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.

The key difference between the OLD Covenant of Moses and the NEW Covenant of Christ is the Holy Spirit of God. It requires the Holy Spirit to cause a person to be born again. It requires the Holy Spirit to enable us to follow God. Our Lord Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come to us after His sacrifice on Calvary. The reception of the Spirit is based on your relationship with Christ:

John 14:15-18 (LSB) IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, that He may be with you forever; 17 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. You know Him because HE ABIDES WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I WILL COME TO YOU.

The Holy Spirit would indwell the New Covenant believer, and He would represent Jesus so perfectly it would be like Jesus being with us. The Holy Spirit would mark the believer as a child of God. But the Holy Spirit would not just indwell us to mark us for Heaven. He serves a purpose. Jesus said:

John 16:13-14 (LSB) … when He, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, He will GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH; for He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 HE WILL GLORIFY ME, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.

The Holy Spirit would guide the believer into “ALL TRUTH”. Not the truth of the world, but the truth of God. The Christian is not under the Law of Moses, but is under the Law of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:18 If you are LED BY THE SPIRIT, you are not under the law.

You do not lead the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads YOU! The Christian is NOT LAWLESS. We are still under God’s Law. But the Law we are under now is not just external, but it is INTERNAL. “The LAW of the SPIRIT of life has set you free from the LAW OF SIN AND DEATH” (Romans 8:2). The relationship you have with Christ at salvation brings the Holy Spirit into your life. The Christian is in a living, breathing, daily relationship with God.

Here’s the thing. Some have said,

“Well, since salvation is by faith, and faith in Jesus frees me from the Law, now I am under no scriptural Law. The moral codes of the Bible have no relationship to how I live my life. Because I am forgiven, BEHAVIOR NO LONGER MATTERS.”

This is a false teaching that has crept into many churches, an ancient heresy called antinomianism (against law). We are warned in Jude 4 about “people who have crept into the Church who are ungodly, who turn the Grace of our God into SENSUALITY, and deny our only MASTER AND LORD, JESUS CHRIST”. Behavior does matter. If you are born again, a Christian by the Grace of God, a New Creature in Christ, you will walk WITH God, not AGAINST God. Your life will reflect RIGHTEOUSNESS, TRUTH, and LIGHT.

The HELMET of Salvation and The SWORD
of the Spirit Go Together

Salvation is called a HELMET, because it protects your head, the place where I hope your brains are. Every believer is targeted by Satan, who whispers lies in our thought process. If the head is damaged, the other parts of the armor are of no use. And the devil loves to attack the head.

Our enemies – sin, the devil and death – no longer have a hold on us. We know this because of what the Bible says. We read:

Romans 6:1-2 (LSB) What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! HOW SHALL WE WHO DIED TO SIN STILL LIVE IN IT?

The Christian became a Christian by DYING. We gave ourselves to Jesus, Who gave Himself to us. When the Holy Spirit entered us, we became His possession, not ours. We no longer follow the devil or the world. We follow Jesus. We model the Christ.

Romans 6:8-11 (LSB) Now if WE DIED WITH CHRIST, we believe that WE SHALL ALSO LIVE WITH HIM, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is NEVER TO DIE AGAIN; DEATH NO LONGER IS MASTER OVER HIM. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 EVEN SO CONSIDER YOURSELVES TO BE DEAD TO SIN, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Christian, you are not what you were. You belong to God now. God did not erase the Law, nor throw away the Bible once you were saved. God put His Spirit inside you so that you can follow His Law. Jesus died on the cross of Calvary so the Holy Spirit could come to us and enable us to live with Him daily.

Romans 8:3-4 (LSB) For what the Law could not do, WEAK AS IT WAS THROUGH THE FLESH, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that THE RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US, who do not walk according to the flesh BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT.

God did not destroy the Bible the day you got saved. God gave you the Holy Spirit so that you can understand the Word of God and apply it to your daily lives.

The devil will do everything he can do to get you to remove the helmet of salvation. The Apostle said:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (LSB) though we walk in the flesh, WE DO NOT WAR ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, 4 for the WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT OF THE FLESH, but divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds, 5 as WE TEAR DOWN SPECULATIONS and EVERY LOFTY THING RAISED UP AGAINST the knowledge of God, and TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST

The devil will tempt. The devil will suggest. The world will mock, and ridicule, and demand your compromise. What defense do we have?

TAKE {dechomai} the HELMET of salvation, and the SWORD of the Spirit, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD

The Bible is not eradicated, thrown away, obsolete, no longer needed because of salvation. This is a lie from the pit of hell. The word translated “TAKE” is the Greek dechomai which means “to take hold of with your hand, to receive that which has been given you”. The helmet and the sword go together. One is put on the head and worn. The other is held in the hand and used.

If you will not pick up and use the Bible, the Sword of the Spirit regularly, your evident salvation will be very weak.

There are times when doubts and hopelessness creep into us all. There are times when I am dismayed, frightened, uncertain as to what I should do. I am overwhelmed! When faced with frightening odds, God tells me:

Romans 12:1-3 (LSB) Therefore I exhort you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A SACRIFICE—living, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, but be TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect. 3 For through the grace given to me I say to each one among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to THINK SO AS TO HAVE SOUND THINKING, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

I turn to the Scripture. I ask myself, “What has God said about this? What is true to the Word of God?” I open the Book, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth. And you know what?

He does.

Illustrate: I heard someone say just the other day (and it’s a favorite saying of the lost world) “Jesus never addressed homosexuality, so we don’t know what He thought about it”. When I heard that, I asked myself “What does the Bible, the Sword of the Spirit, say?” Well here’s the answer. Jesus DID address homosexuality – various times.

Matthew 19:4-6 NKJV – {Jesus} answered and said to them, “Have you not read that HE WHO MADE THEM AT THE BEGINNING MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE 5 “and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 “So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER, LET NOT MAN SEPARATE.”

In that passage Jesus addressed the two genders and the relationship of Biblical marriage. The text is NOT supportive of homosexuality. But Jesus also said this about the Law (which includes the moral codes God gave us):

Matthew 5:17-18 (NKJV) Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I DID NOT COME TO DESTROY, BUT TO FULFILL. 18 “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Jesus Christ is a Orthodox Jew. He was circumcised on the eighth day (Luke 2:21-24), He affirmed the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17), He participated in Synagogue worship (Luke 4:16), He kept the Jewish festivals (John 2:13; 7:10), He told us to obey the Law (Matthew 23:2-3). Jesus righteously kept the Law of Moses – then died on the Cross for we who were unable to keep it of ourselves. But Jesus never came to erase the moral codes established in the Scripture. Murder was wrong in the Old Covenant. Murder is wrong in the New Covenant as well.

Ephesians 6:17-18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 PRAYING ALWAYS with all prayer and supplication IN THE SPIRIT

Now that we are saved, we are enabled to walk with God. We are in a daily relationship. We should be speaking to God ALWAYS, praying for others and for ourselves. We are to do this “IN THE SPIRIT”.

In Conclusion

The Bible is not a lucky charm that you put on a shelf, or carry in your pocket like a rabbit’s foot. You need to learn to use the Bible in battle with the darkness. Pastor John MacArthur wrote:

“Unlike the shield, however, which gives broad and general protection, the sword can deflect an attack only if it is handled precisely and skillfully. It must parry the enemy weapon exactly where the thrust is made.”

How do we TAKE the Sword of the Spirit. My commentary notes:

“FIRST, we must READ the Word. How can anyone claim to be a Christian who does not read the Bible? Read your Bible daily. Read it repeatedly. Read it consistently. Read it comprehensively. You must, you MUST read the Word daily or Satan will eat your lunch. SECOND, we must MEDITATE on the Word. This means reading slowly, thinking about what it says. When Billy Graham was asked what he would do differently if he had his life to live over again, he said, ‘Spend more time in the Bible.’ Psalm 1:2 speaks of the man who is ‘blessed.’ It says, ‘His delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.’ THIRD, we must STUDY the Word. Paul wrote to Timothy, ‘Be diligent [study] to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth’ (2 Timothy 2:15). FOURTH, we must MEMORIZE the Word. Psalm 119:11 says, ‘Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!’ Memorizing the Word is like carrying a concealed weapon against the devil!”

You must open your mind to the Bible, the Word of God, or the devil will eat your lunch! Scottish pastor Thomas Guthrie wrote: “The Bible is an armory of heavenly weapons, a laboratory of infallible medicines, a mine of exhaustless wealth. It is a guidebook for every road, a chart for every sea, a medicine for every malady and a balm for every wound. Rob us of our Bible and our sky has lost it sun”. Christians, TAKE your helmets and your swords. Pick them up. Use them. That is your power – your salvation and the Sword of the Spirit.

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The Lamb Has Come

Posted on April 1, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Yusuf Onuk on Unsplash

Matthew 21:1-11 And when {Jesus and His disciples} drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an {donkey} tied, and a colt {young donkey} with her: loose them, and bring them unto Me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet {Zechariah 9:9-10}, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an {donkey}, and a colt the foal of an {donkey}. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the {donkey, a Jenny}, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set Him thereon. 8 And a VERY GREAT MULTITUDE spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the MULTITUDES that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, ALL THE CITY WAS MOVED, saying, Who is this? 11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

It Was Holy Week In Jerusalem

Jesus was going to Jerusalem one last time. This was the week when all Israel was supposed to celebrate the Passover. The Passover commemorated the Grace of God, when He freed Israel from slavery to Egypt, and established the nation as His chosen people. The Passover reminded Israel that God keeps His promises, that God is faithful. God promised Abraham that a nation would come from his loins, and that nation was Israel. God also promised Abraham that from that nation Israel a Redeemer would come, the Messiah Who would offer salvation to the whole world (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:5-6; 17:4-8; 17:19). God promised:

Genesis 22:17-18 In Your Seed, Abraham, shall ALL THE NATIONS of the earth be blessed.

When God made this promise, as Paul tells us, the “SEED” of Abraham that would bless the whole world is Jesus Christ. The Apostle writes:

Galatians 3:16 (LSB) Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as [referring] to many, but [rather] to one, “And TO YOUR SEED,” that is, CHRIST.

The Passover was a time when lambs without spot or blemish were sacrificed at the Temple to commemorate the night that God saved Israel from Egypt. The lamb was to be slain, and its blood placed on the doorposts of the home. God said “When I see the BLOOD, I WILL PASS OVER YOU, and the plague will not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:13). The Judgment of God is coming tonight – and only believers who are under the Blood will be spared. The catastrophic events of that night caused Egypt to release Israel from slavery. God said “Let My people go, that they may SERVE ME IN THE WILDERNESS” (Exodus 7:16; 8:1; 9:1). Egypt let them go. And God ordered that the Passover be commemorated. God told Israel:

Leviticus 23:5-7 (ESV) In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD’s Passover. 6 And 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; you shall not do any ordinary work.

God was very specific. On the Passover, the 14th day of the first month (Israel was freed – Nisan also called Abib – Exodus 13:4; Esther 3:7) lambs were killed, and the Feast of the Passover was celebrated. The very next day was the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread – a special or high Sabbath. For 7 days the Jews would eat unleavened bread, reminding them that they could not loiter nor delay, but ran from Egypt. There was no time to make risen bread.

This was a long explanation, I know, but it sets the background for WHY Jesus is going to Jerusalem at this time. Jesus is going – as did all the Jews – to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. But Jesus is going for another reason.

On the Passover, lambs will be ceremonially killed in the Temple to remind Israel how God in Grace saved them from Egypt. But the slaughter of lambs was but a shadow of what Jesus was coming to do. Jesus Christ is:

John 1:29 … the LAMB OF GOD Who TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD

The animals that would be sacrificed on the Passover Day would only temporarily cover the sins of the people. Humans are not animals, and no animal can pay for my sins or yours. These lambs that were brought into Jerusalem, came on ropes, came as captives, came as unwilling sacrifices on a man made altar. But Jesus Christ came WILLINGLY. The REASON He is coming to Jerusalem is not to take a lamb to the Priests to be slaughtered. Jesus doesn’t even take a lamb with Him. JESUS IS THE LAMB!

The Apostle tells us in 1 Peter 1:17-20 (NKJV) … if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay [here] in fear; 18 knowing that YOU WERE NOT REDEEMED WITH CORRUPTIBLE THINGS, [like] silver or gold, from your aimless conduct [received] by tradition from your fathers, 19 but WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, AS OF A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

Jesus doesn’t tell His Apostles to go and get Him a lamb for the Passover. Instead, He tells them:

Matthew 21:2-3 Saying unto {The Apostles}, GO INTO THE VILLAGE over against you (Bethphage near Bethany), and straightway ye shall find an {donkey} tied, and a colt {young donkey} with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. … The Lord hath need of them

Preach! Why did Jesus ask His disciples to bring a female donkey and her colt? Our Lord Jesus came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17), to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15), and to fulfill the Prophecies of the Messiah (Matthew 5:17). We read:

Matthew 21:4All this was done, that it MIGHT BE FULFILLED WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET {Zechariah 9:9-10}, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Zion {a reference to Jerusalem}, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon a (donkey), and a colt {young donkey} the foal (offspring) of an (donkey).

Zechariah promised that when the Messiah – the King of Glory – rode into Jerusalem, that He would be seated on a female donkey or a Jenny. When a King rode into a capital city as a CONQUERER, He rode on a white horse. When our Lord Jesus returns to this earth at the end of time, HE WILL RIDE A WHITE HORSE (Revelation 19:11-16), and come JUDGING AND MAKING WAR.

Jesus does not enter Jerusalem this last time on a white horse. He comes on a donkey, leading a young donkey. Jesus comes with meekness, not to overthrow Rome, but to save us all by going to that terrible Cross!

The Multitude Wanted A Conquerer,
An Avenger Over Rome

Jesus is not coming to overthrow Rome. The Prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 said that “He (the Messiah) is JUST {ṣadîq, righteous, lawful, pleasing to God} and HAVING SALVATION {yāšaʿ, Niphal Active Participle, literally ENDOWED WITH SALVATION}”. When the Messiah came, the Prophet said, He would be without sin, and He would be the Possessor and the means of salvation. Jesus Christ is both of these. Jesus Christ has just spent 3 ½ years among Israel. Jesus “went all about Galilee, TEACHING IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES, and PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM” (Matthew 4:23). When His enemies met Him, they were both angered and amazed at Jesus. Men who were sent to arrest Jesus refused to do so, saying:

John 7:46 (AP) No one ever spoke like this Man

The Bible says “all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22, ESV). When Jesus taught, the Bible says:

Matthew 7:28-29 (ESV) … the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as One who had authority, and NOT AS THEIR SCRIBES.

Jesus taught as if He wrote the Bible. And no wonder, because Jesus is “The Word become flesh Who dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Jesus is God become flesh (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9; John 20:28; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; Philippians 2:5-6; John 10:30). As the early Church stated at Nicea:

“Jesus is Begotten, not made, being of One Substance with the Father,
by Whom all things were made”

We could not save ourselves. Animals could not be sacrificed to save us. God Himself would have to come to earth, and give Himself for our sins. We know He is God in the flesh by the miracles He accomplished. He raised a young girl from the dead (Matthew 9:24-25). Jesus healed a woman with an incurable disease (Matthew 9:21-23). JESUS DID 37 RECORDED MIRACLES, things that only God could do.

Jesus HEALED the blind, the lepers, the paralyzed.
Jesus CONTROLLED weather, WALKED ON water
Jesus MULTIPLIED a child’s lunch to feed thousands.
Jesus RAISED the dead
Jesus CAST OUT demons
Jesus TURNED WATER into wine

The King is coming! This is the long promised Messiah. We are told that:

Matthew 21:7-9 … they set Him thereon {on the donkey}. 8 And a VERY GREAT MULTITUDE spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the MULTITUDES that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the SON OF DAVID

In many of your Bibles – even in mine – there will be a man made header above our focal text that reads:

The Triumphal Entry Of Christ

Just out of curiosity I looked up “The Triumphal Entry”. The Biblical text never calls this “The Triumphal Entry”. From the 1stto the 4th Centuries of the Church this is not called “The Triumphal Entry”. From the 5th to the 12th Centuries of the Church two phrases were used among Latin Speaking Theologians:

adventus Domini in Jerusalem = The Lord coming into Jerusalem
ingressus triumphalis = Triumphal Entry

Was this a “Triumphal Entry”? Yes and no. Jesus will triumph over sin and death by – in just a few days – going to the Cross and dying for our sins. Jesus will rise from the Grave on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1), an event we will celebrate next Sunday we call “Easter”.

Hebrews 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that BY HIS DEATH he might BREAK THE POWER OF HIM WHO HOLDS THE POWER OF DEATH—that is, the devil—and FREE THOSE who all their lives were HELD IN SLAVERY BY THEIR FEAR OF DEATH.

Jesus defeated sin and death on that Cross of Calvary!

Colossians 2:13-17 (LSB) And you BEING DEAD IN YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS and the uncircumcision of your flesh, HE MADE YOU ALIVE WITH HIM, having graciously forgiven us all our transgressions. 14 Having CANCELED OUT THE CERTIFICATE OF DEBT consisting of DECREES AGAINST US which was hostile to us, He also has TAKEN IT OUT OF THE WAY, having NAILED IT TO THE CROSS. 15 Having disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them in Him. 16 Therefore, NO ONE IS TO JUDGE YOU in food and drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day– 17 things which are [only] A SHADOW OF WHAT IS TO COME; but the SUBSTANCE BELONGS TO CHRIST.

If you look at what Jesus would accomplish this week, how He would die on the Cross for us and rise again after the third day, how He would pay for our sins in His Blood, that indeed is a Triumph! But a “Triumphal Entry”? From the perspective of the crowd,

The multitude laying down palm branches before Jesus on a donkey, this same multitude in just a few days would be persuaded by the chief priests and elders to cry out “Crucify Jesus! Release Barabbas the murderer, but Let Jesus be crucified!”

Why would the crowd change so quickly? Because they thought that Jesus was coming to overthrow Rome.

Matthew 21:9 the MULTITUDES that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna {means “O save us, we pray”} to the SON OF DAVID: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the Highest.

As they laid down their palm branches, they shouted “HOSANNA”, a Hebrew word created by blending yāšaʿ (Deliver us) and nā’ (pronounced yaw-shah’-naw). It means “Oh save us, we pray!”. They are not asking Jesus to save them from their sins. They are asking Jesus to save them from ROME. To restore Israel to its rightful kingdom. They are not addressing the Son of God, but “the SON OF DAVID”. They know that it is the Son of David Who will one day sit on the Throne of Israel, not Herod or Pilate, but the Son of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16). They see ROME as the enemy.

Beloved, Rome is not the enemy. The reason that Israel has repeatedly found herself in captivity is because Israel ceased to follow the God Who saved them from Egypt. The Israel that loved God could walk through water. The Israel that loved God could make the wall of Jericho fall. The Israel that loved God their Savior could defeat thousands with 300 men, some candles and clay jars. The Israel that loved God drank water from Rock, bread (manna) as dew, and flocks of birds from the air.

The Problem Is Not Rome. The Problem Is The Creature.
We Need To Be Re-Created.

In just a few days – three by my reckoning – Jesus will be condemned to the Cross. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, few know why He is here.

Matthew 21:10-11 … ALL THE CITY WAS MOVED, saying, WHO IS THIS? 11 And the MULTITUDE said, This is JESUS THE PROPHET of Nazareth of Galilee.

They didn’t have a clue Who Jesus was. They knew He did miracles. They knew He was of the line of David. They wanted to make Jesus a KING, the KING OF a RESTORED ISRAEL. After Jesus fed the 5000 (John 6:14-15), “the MULTITUDE came to TAKE HIM BY FORCE to MAKE HIM A KING”. This same multitude wants to make Him a King over Israel this very day. Jesus refused it then, and refuses it now. You see, THE PROBLEM ISN’T ROME. The PROBLEM IS THE PEOPLE. The PROBLEM IS ISRAEL. The PROBLEM IS JERUSALEM. The PROBLEM IS RELIGION.

The problems you and I have aren’t from someone else.
The problem isn’t America.
The problem isn’t gas prices.
The problem isn’t the economy.
The problem isn’t the white man, the black man, or the man.
The problem isn’t the President.
The problem isn’t that you were born in the wrong gender.
The problem is US. We are born into this world BROKEN.
We need a King. We need a Savior. We need JESUS!

Jerusalem didn’t know Who Jesus was. The multitudes thought He was coming to replace Herod. They called Him “JESUS THE PROPHET of Nazareth”.

Jesus is more than that. Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Kingdom that Jesus establishes is by changing the HEART of His people. The Bible says:

Luke 17:20-21 (NKJV) Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 “nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU.”

Are you saved by the Grace of God? The multitudes weren’t. They’ll turn on Jesus in a few days. Jesus goes to the Temple, during this High and most Holy Week. What does He find in the Temple? Are the people worshiping the Lord? No – they are making merchandise of religion.

Matthew 21:12-13 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

At the beginning of His ministry, 3 ½ years ago, Jesus did the exact same thing. After 3 ½ years of preaching and teaching, of miracles, of being the Messiah – Israel has not learned a thing! They are still serving themselves and not God.

Beloved, hear me: If you are saved by the Grace of God, you are saved to serve Him Who saved you. Jesus did not come to be a temporary fix to our problems. He came to die for us, and to rise again for us. He came to save whosoever will receive Him as Lord and Savior.

The Kingdom of God is WITHIN You. Who is YOUR King? Is it YOU, or Jesus?

Religion will not save you. A change of outward circumstances will not save you. A motivational speech will not save you. Israel needed Jesus. The multitudes needed Jesus. YOU need Jesus.

Sadly, Israel would not receive Him as the Messiah. Jesus told them in Luke 19:41-45 (LSB):

“as Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He cried over it, 42 saying, “If you knew in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, 44 and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because YOU DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE TIME OF YOUR VISITATION.”

The King of Kings came – and Israel didn’t have a clue. They wanted a temporary fix, a replacement for Rome and Herod. But had they received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, they would have changed, and their circumstances would have changed.

What about YOU?

Don’t leave here today unless you have surrendered your life to Jesus. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will bless His people. Buy you MUST be His people.

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God’s Peculiar People

Posted on March 25, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Titus 2:11-12 (KJV) – For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world

Salvation Is Entirely A Work Of God

Opening: A Sunday School teacher was testing her class to see if they knew how to get to Heaven. She said, “If I sold my house and my car, and all my possessions, and gave all the money to the Church, would that get me into Heaven?” The children yelled, “No!”. “If I cleaned the Church building every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?” Again the kids yelled out, “No”! The teacher smiled. “What if I was kind to all the animals, and loved all the little children and loved my husband, too – would that get me into Heaven?” Again the kids cried out “No!” Bursting with pride the teacher said, “Well then, how can I get into Heaven?” One five year old boy yelled out, “YOU GOTTA BE DEAD”!

There’s a lot of truth to that – but not like you think. You do need to die to go to Heaven. You need to die to YOURSELF. You need to give your life to Jesus. Then and only then YOU WILL NEVER DIE!

In many Churches, all you ever hear about is the Grace of God and salvation. Well, that’s a wonderful thing. Let’s start out talking about the Grace of God.

For the grace of God that BRINGETH SALVATION {sōtērios, adjective}

The way that sōtērios is translated in most versions of our Bible in our focal text is “brings salvation, bringing salvation, offers salvation, for the salvation”. The problem with this is that it makes the word look like a verb as opposed to a noun. Sōtērios is not a verb, but an adjective.

A VERB shows an ACTION or a state of BEING.
An ADJECTIVE describes a NOUN or a PRONOUN.

In English we would better render this as “the SAVING Grace of God”. It is GRACE that the word sōtērios is describing. The same adjective was used when Simeon saw Jesus after His circumcision. Simeon had been waiting at the Temple, because the Holy Spirit told him that the Messiah would be there (Luke 2:25). As Mary and Joseph came out, Mary with the Baby Jesus in her arms, that dear old man

WHO brings salvation? JESUS and only JESUS!

Luke 2:28-31 (KJV) took {Jesus} up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy SALVATION (sōtērios, adjective), 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

Holding that Baby Jesus, Simeon described Him as sōtērios, “The Salvation”. Simeon said that “The Salvation, that Child Jesus, was prepared by God “BEFORE THE FACE OF ALL PEOPLE”. Paul says something similar in Titus,

The Saving Grace of God hath appeared to ALL MEN

God has showed ALL MEN or EVERY PERSON His Saving Grace. God prophesied He would do this in the Old Testament. We were told:

Isaiah 52:10 (ESV) The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF OUR GOD.

God has revealed His Salvation to all, to whosoever will, and His Salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Gospel. All have seen. All have been told. All will be told. Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. This salvation is offered to anyone who will REPENT and CALL OUT TO JESUS.

Romans 10:11-13 (ESV) For the Scripture says, “EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM {in JESUS} will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches ON ALL WHO CALL ON HIM. 13 For “EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord WILL BE SAVED.”

You cannot save yourself. Jesus must save you. Jesus must fix you. And Jesus will. This is what GRACE is. You do not earn nor deserve your GRACE. GRACE is freely given to those who REPENT and GIVE THEMSELVES to Him Who loves you and gave Himself for you. Now, here is where many of the megachurch pastors won’t tell you.

Salvation saves you from eternal damnation, a Lake of Fire that will not extinguish. Salvation saves you from hell. But salvation does not just save FROM hell, but saves you TO GOD’S KINGDOM. HE is King, YOU are not! You are to walk with the God Who saved you in good works.

Salvation Changes You. You Enter God’s Family.
You Become God’s Child. You Are Accountable.

My problem with many local Churches today is that most Pastor and most Church members just want to hear about going to Heaven, and not going to Hell. It’s more than that.

The Saved Person is Born Again (John 3:3, 5-6; 1 Peter 1:23).
The Saved Person is a New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15).
The Saved Person is a citizen of the Kingdom of God
(Philippians 3:20; Ephesians 2:19).
The Saved Person is a changed person (Colossians 1:13).
Grace BOTH saves AND transforms.

Titus 2:11-12 (KJV) – For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 TEACHING US {paideuō} that, DENYING ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world

Word Study: Saving Grace TEACHES US. The word translated “TEACHING” is the Greek paideuō, which means “to train or chastise so as to instruct a child”. Once you enter the Kingdom of God through Saving Grace, you become a child of God. Your Heavenly Father has sent the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scripture to teach you as His children. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 11:32 (LSB) when we are JUDGED, we are DISCIPLINED BY THE LORD so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

Hebrews 12:6-8 (LSB) FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE FLOGS EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” 7 It is for discipline that you endure; GOD DEALS WITH YOU AS WITH SONS; for what son is there whom [his] father does not discipline? 8 But if you are WITHOUT DISCIPLINE, of which all have become partakers, then YOU ARE ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN AND NOT SONS and not sons.

God trains His children. He takes a very personal interest with each child. God the Holy Spirit indwells every believer (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19). When Ananias and Sapphira lied to God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4), God took their lives. When the Church at Corinth defamed the Lord’s Table (1 Corinthians 11:29-30) “many were weak and sickly, and many slept the sleep of death”.

God will not long walk in the darkness with you, Beloved. Children of God belong in the Light with Christ.

DENYING ungodliness and worldly lusts

The person who tells me “I am a Christian”, but who lives in ungodliness and worldly lusts is either headed toward discipline, or lying about their relationship and headed toward hell. You cannot endorse sin and walk with God. He will not allow it. People say, “What about my free-will?” This is the question that I expect of children who were raised by overly permissive parents. The Kingdom of God is a KINGDOM, not a Democracy or even a Republic. We are not to follow the ways of this world. We are not to do anything that is ungodly, contrary to our Lord and his Scripture.

we should live soberly {sōphronōs}, righteously {dikaiōs}, and godly {eusebōs}, in this present world

IF you are saved, God expects and will work in you to create three characteristics. Let’s look at each of these. We are to live “soberly {sōphronōs}”, which means “of a sound mind”. A “sound mind” for a Christian means “to HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST” (1 Corinthians 2:16). Paul told the Philippians:

Philippians 2:5-8 (LSB) Have this [way of] thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a slave, by being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Though Jesus is Eternal God, He lowered Himself in order to save others and to fulfill the Plan of God. The “sound mind” is the person who imitates Jesus. Not the selfish world, but Jesus. We are to live for the glory of God, as good children would do. We are to be “RIGHTEOUS” (dikaiōs), to walk according to God’s standard. The Apostle wrote,

1 Corinthians 15:34 (KJV) Awake to “RIGHTEOUSNESS” (dikaiōs) and SIN NOT; for some have not the knowledge of God

The righteous person pursues God, not the world. We live to honor Him Who saved us. We are to be “godly {eusebōs}”, which means to honor God and His Statutes with your life.

What Is Our Accountability In The Church?

Paul told Titus (and all the Overseers):

Titus 2:1-2 But speak thou the things which become SOUND DOCTRINE: 2 That the AGED MEN be SOBER {nēphalios}, GRAVE {semnos}, TEMPERATE {sōphrōn}, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

The Pastor is to preach from the Word of God intentionally, so people can receive “SOUND DOCTRINE” {hygiainō didaskalia}, which is literally “teachings that promote good health or wellness”. Just as the body can be sickened by bad food, the soul can be sickened by bad teachings. The Pastor is to stay with the Word of God, not to divert into worldly speculation or vain philosophies. The Scripture says:

Colossians 2:8 See to it that NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which DEPENDS ON HUMAN TRADITION and the elemental spiritual forces of this world RATHER THAN ON CHRIST.

And again,

1 Timothy 6:20-21 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent babble and contradictions of what is FALSELY CALLED KNOWLEDGE which some have professed and in so doing have DEPARTED FROM THE FAITH.

Word Study: Paul addresses the “AGED MEN” first. They are to be “SOBER {nēphalios}”, serious in their faith. They are to be “GRAVE {semnos}”, honorable in their character. They are to be “TEMPERATE {sōphrōn}”, possessing the mind of Christ.

sound in faith, in charity, in patience

They should be a stabilizing force in the Church. Loving, patient, trusting in Jesus. This is what God wants the elder believer to be.

Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be SOBER {sōphronizō}, to LOVE THEIR HUSBANDS, to LOVE THEIR CHILDREN, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, OBEDIENT TO THEIR OWN HUSBANDS, that the Word of God be not blasphemed.

The older men stabilize the Church. The older women model holiness. They teach the younger women to have the mind of Christ. They teach the younger women how to love their families.

Titus 2:6-8 Young men likewise exhort to be SOBER MINDED {sōphroneō} 7 In all things shewing thyself a PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS: in DOCTRINE shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 8 SOUND SPEECH, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

And the young men are also taught to have the mind of Christ. Do you know what I see when I look at these words?

It is not just the Pastor who is instructing. Every person is helping another to model Christ. Every believer is discipling another believer. Every believer is investing time in helping others become more like Jesus.

Titus 2:9-10 (KJV) [Exhort] SERVANTS (doulos) to be obedient unto their own masters, [and] to please [them] well in all [things]; not answering again; 10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that THEY MAY ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR IN ALL THINGS.

In the ancient world – especially in Rome – slavery was widespread. The Apostle asked those who were SLAVES (doulos) not to run away nor to steal from their masters, but to serve the master well, to model Christ to the master. This is a shocking thing in our world today. But what the Apostle is telling us is that where ever you are, no matter what position you find yourself in, act as a Child of God. That concept is foreign in America today – but it should not be in the Church of Jesus Christ. We are children of Light and of Love. We are to live for Him, no matter where we find ourselves. If Christians did this, how much different would America be today?

In the Church, every believer should be pursuing the mind of Christ. We should all know what we believe, and why we believe it. God is honored when we obey Him. This is what God expects of us – to be obedient children.

We work together to help one another grow in the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord. You Are Not Supposed To Be Like The World.

Titus 2:13-14 Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior 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.

Jesus is coming back. When He comes, it will not be a “Secret Rapture”. The Bible is clear that Jesus is coming back. He is coming back for His Kingdom, His Church. He is coming back for His purchased possessions, His Children by faith.

1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 (NKJV) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [and] remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Why did Jesus give Himself on the cross? To save us? Yes. But Jesus died to “redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a PECULIAR PEOPLE, zealous of GOOD WORKS ”. When Jesus comes back to Rapture His Church from this earth, He will bring the saints with Him who previously departed through normal means. When you pass from this life, dear Christian, you are “absent from the body, but present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). If you are a Christian, you will stand before Him one day and be judged as to how you lived for Him. Were you a “peculiar people”, or are you no different than the lost world around you? God expects you to live for Him. Are you? Or is your salvation but a sham?

Today is the day to examine yourselves with “fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Do you know Him? Do you love Him? Make sure before you leave here. You are either with Jesus – or with condemnation. May God guide you as you examine YOUR life.

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Watch Who You Walk With

Posted on March 21, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash

Proverbs 28:17 A man that doeth VIOLENCE TO THE BLOOD OF ANY PERSON shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

Life Is Sacred, Given By God

People are made in the image of God. All life has value because of that. Animals are NOT made in the image of God, but people are. I heard a young woman the other day say that she wished all women had abortions, as many as they could, to exercise their rights as women. Other women have had abortions and celebrated it on social media platforms.

When human life becomes cheap, and we have more value for animal life, then civilization begins a fall that it cannot recover from.

When the first murder was committed by Cain against Abel, God did not require that Cain die for his sin, but marked him instead and gave him a life long curse. God told Cain:

Genesis 4:10-15 (NKJV) “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” 13 And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.

When innocent blood is spilled on the land, God hears it. When Cain destroyed his brother, he also destroyed the “image of God”. To do this without just cause is to commit treason against God. God is the Giver of life. The Prophet Job (33:4) said, “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life”. The Apostle Paul declared, “God Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else”. When people begin to hold life as cheap, it destroys civilization. When Cain killed Abel, God took away Cain’s livelihood. A farmer brings life from the ground. A murderer cannot prosper, nor bring life. Cain also became a “fugitive and a vagabond on the earth”. All would know the evil that he did. He would have no acquaintances unless God protected him. God put a mark on Cain that identified him as a murderer, but also noted he was under God’s protection. Later in the Scripture God would mandate death for the murderer, but with Cain, God did not order him dead. Why?

Cain was a living Signpost, a Billboard advertising to all how much God hates murder. Murder steals from two people. It steals life from the murdered, but it also steals life from God.

God told Cain “your brother’s BLOOD cries out to Me from the ground”. Abel loved the Lord, and was faithfully serving the Lord. Cain stole that from God, robbing the Lord of glory. Murder also steals stability from civilization.

The murderer steals.
The murderer steals the life of the victim.
The murderer steals what the victim
might have accomplished had he lived.
The murderer steals from society the benefit of that life.
The murderer steals the lives that may have come out of that person.
The murder steals what the victim’s children
might have accomplished.

Illustrate: In the movie Unforgiven, the main character was William Munny (played by Clint Eastwood), a gunman who had killed many people. In one scene Munny (Eastwood) said, “It’s a h___ of a thing, killing a man. You take away all he’s got … and all he’s ever going to have”

Before God ever gave the Ten Commandments at Sinai, He established the sacredness of life. God told Noah when he and his family got off the Ark:

Genesis 9:6 (NKJV) Whoever SHEDS MAN’S BLOOD, BY MAN HIS BLOOD SHALL BE SHED; For IN THE IMAGE OF GOD He made man.

Man is NOT an animal. Animals are NOT made in the image of God. Humans are. When humans begin to kill humans without just cause, we have lowered ourselves into the place of animals.

The Sixth Commandment of God given at Mount Sinai is “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). In America, we have allowed the Justice System to categorize murder:

First Degree Murder: Intentional and Premeditated
Second Degree Murder: Intentional but not preplanned
Manslaughter 1st Degree: Intentional,
but you acted in the “heat of passion”
Manslaughter 2nd Degree: Death caused by recklessness

Under God’s Law if you killed someone without just cause, you were subject to capital punishment – period. God said:

Numbers 35:33 (NKJV) you shall not pollute the land where you are; for BLOOD DEFILES THE LAND, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, EXCEPT BY THE BLOOD OF HIM WHO SHED IT

When murder is committed, the very act defiles the land. This is what God was showing when Cain lost the ability to farm successfully. When people begin to think that life is cheap and disposable, the idea itself destabilizes civilization. How is that to be corrected? Not by an animal sacrifice, but by requiring the life of the murderer.

Proverbs 28:17 A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall FLEE TO THE PIT {bôr}

Word Study: What does it mean to “FLEE TO THE PIT {bôr}”? The Hebrew bôr is a word used for a cistern, a dungeon, or a well. It is a man-made place dug in the ground used for holding things like water or, when the cistern or well is dried up, as a holding cell for people. When Joseph’s brothers decided they wanted him gone, they plotted:

Genesis 37:20 (KJV) Come now therefore, and let us SLAY HIM, and CAST HIM INTO SOME PIT {bôr} and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

They ended up not doing that, but they did throw Joseph in a PIT {bôr} until they could sell him to slave traders (Genesis 37:28). The Bible also refers to the GRAVE as a PIT {bôr}, and King David referred to deep depression as a PIT {bôr}:

Psalm 88:3-4, 6 (KJV) For my soul is full of troubles: and MY LIFE draweth NIGH UNTO THE GRAVE. 4 I am counted with them that GO DOWN INTO THE PIT {bôr}: I am as a man [that hath] no strength: … 6 Thou hast LAID ME IN THE LOWEST PIT {bôr}, in darkness, in the deeps.

Under the Law, God did make two distinctions in regard to the taking of human life. There was MURDER, and there was MANSLAUGHTER. MANSLAUGHTER was accidental, but MURDER was on purpose. When you killed the relative on someone, that relative had the authority to kill you back. Here’s how that worked. In Numbers 35 God had Israel establish SIX CITIES OF REFUGE (Numbers 35:13). Once someone was murdered, if the murder was deliberate (Numbers 35:16-21) then a relative of the deceased call the AVENGER OF BLOOD was authorized to kill the murderer.

Numbers 35:18-19 (NKJV) … he is a murderer; the MURDERER SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH. 19 The AVENGER OF BLOOD HIMSELF SHALL PUT THE MURDERER TO DEATH; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

HOWEVER, is the killing was accidental, the one who killed the victim could run to a city of refuge. Once in the city of refuge we read:

Numbers 35:11-12 (NKJV) you shall appoint cities to be CITIES OF REFUGE for you, that the MANSLAYER WHO KILLS ANY PERSON ACCIDENTALLY MAY FLEE THERE. 12 They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the MANSLAYER MAY NOT DIE BEFORE HE STANDS BEFORE THE CONGREGATION in judgment.

The BLOOD AVENGER would pursue the manslayer. If he caught him, he could justly kill him. But if the manslayer got to a city of refuge, the BLOOD AVENGER could not kill the manslayer until the officials of the city judged him. If it was determined that the death was accidental, then:

Numbers 35:25-28 (NKJV) the congregation shall DELIVER THE MANSLAYER FROM THE HAND OF THE AVENGER OF BLOOD, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and HE SHALL REMAIN THERE UNTIL THE DEATH OF THE HIGH PRIEST who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer at any time GOES OUTSIDE THE LIMITS OF THE CITY of refuge where he fled, 27 and the AVENGER OF BLOOD FINDS HIM outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, HE SHALL NOT BE GUILTY OF BLOOD, 28 because HE SHOULD HAVE REMAINED IN HIS CITY of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.

Proverbs 28:17 A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall FLEE TO THE PIT {bôr}; let no man stay him.

The BLOOD AVENGER could get the manslayer if he left that city of refuge. The manslayer had to stay in that city, away from his family and friends, until after the death of the High Priest. The murderer or the manslayer in essence was a fugitive for life, a fugitive to the grave. That’s how serious God is about not unjustly taking life.

Those Who Walk With God Will Be Blessed

Proverbs 28:18 Whoso WALKETH uprightly shall be saved: but he that is PERVERSE IN HIS WAYS shall fall at once.

The Bible uses the word “WALK” to imply a habit or pattern of behavior. Those who walk “UPRIGHT”, that is, as God directs, will be blessed and protected. Those who are “PERVERSE” or crooked in their walk will in time fall into a pit .

The Lover of God falls UPWARD. The lover of perversity falls into a PIT {bôr}!

There is entirely too much compromise and tolerance among American Christians today. We are called to reach out to the lost, to share the Gospel of Christ with them in hopes that they might be saved. But we must NEVER compromise with the darkness. King Solomon, the writer of this Book, was a great King UNTIL he compromised with the darkness.

1 Kings 11:1-4 (NKJV) King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2 from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David.

God punished Solomon for his disobedience. Though He did not punish Solomon directly, He told him:

1 Kings 11:12-13 (NKJV) … I will tear {the Kingdom} out of the hand of your son {Rehoboam}. 13 However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I WILL GIVE ONE TRIBE TO YOUR SON for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.

Though Solomon would not lose his Kingdom, his son Rehoboam would lose his. Under Rehoboam’s reign God would abandon him, and because Rehoboam was not Christ oriented Israel split into North and South. The Ten Northern Tribes established their own Kingdom under Jeroboam I. Because these kings separated from honoring the Lord Who loved them, the nation would eventually fall.

Psalm 1:1-2 (ESV) BLESSED is the man who WALKS NOT in the counsel of the wicked, nor STANDS in the way of sinners, nor SITS in the seat of scoffers; 2 but HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.

When we depart from following our Lord Jesus, when we reject the “LAW OF THE LORD”, there is no blessing. Christian, you are commanded to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). We are to reach out to the lost, but never to “walk” with the lost world, nor to compromise with its darkened paths. Jesus said:

John 8:12 (ESV) … I am the light of the world. Whoever FOLLOWS ME WILL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS, but will have the light of life.

We are to be led not by the spirit of this age, but by the Holy Spirit of God. “Walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16), for …

Romans 8:1, 4 (ESV) There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS … 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, WHO WALK not according to the flesh but ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT.

People say, “Pastor, what is God’s will for my life?” The answer is very simple. As you walk, walk with God. Do not walk to please the world. Walk so as to always walk with God our Savior.

Romans 8:1 (KJV) [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Do Not Walk After Empty People

Proverbs 28:19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but HE THAT FOLLOWETH AFTER {rāḏap̄, to run after} VAIN {rêq, empty} PERSONS shall have poverty enough.

Word Study: It is better to follow a plow and work the land, than to follow “VAIN PERSONS”. The word rendered “VAIN” is the Hebrew rêq, which means “empty or useless vessels”. If you are following a plow, you are tilling in hope. You are tilling to plant seed. What you are doing is productive. But if you follow an empty person – someone who is chasing after useless things that cannot bless you – then you will have plenty of nothing. We saw a similar verse earlier in Proverbs:

Proverbs 12:11 (KJV) He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth VAIN {rêq} [persons is] void of understanding.

How many people have wasted their lives chasing after heroes who were empty inside. Be careful who you follow, that the one you follow is following Christ.

We live in a day where anybody with a “smart phone” feels that they can be a social media influencer. Be careful who you run after. Run from anything and anyone who does not support the Biblical truths and Jesus Christ.

Paul never just said “Follow Me”. No Apostle did. No man of God would just demand you follow them. The Apostle said

“Be imitators of me, as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

and …

1 Corinthians 4:15-16 (KJV) … in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Wherefore I beseech you, BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME.

Philippians 3:14-17 (NKJV) I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, HAVE THIS MIND; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to [the degree] that we have already attained, let us WALK BY THE SAME RULE, let us BE OF THE SAME MIND. 17 Brethren, JOIN IN FOLLOWING MY EXAMPLE, and note those who so walk, as YOU HAVE US FOR A PATTERN.

All people are broken. You can follow a broken person who follows Jesus – but don’t just follow some so called famous person. If they are without Christ, then it is as Jesus said, “If the BLIND lead the BLIND, BOTH FALL INTO A PIT” (Matthew 15:14).

Chase After God, Not Money

Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that MAKETH HASTE {ûṣ} to be rich shall not be innocent.

Word Study: The phrase “MAKETH HASTE” is the Hebrew ûṣ (pro. oots), which means to “have a pressing urge, to be compelled to get”. In America we live in the richest and freest nation in the world because our forefathers were Christ followers. Those who love Jesus will be consistent, loyal, and focused on the Lord Who saved them. There is great blessings to those who desire to be with the Lord.

Last Sunday night we had an EF1 Tornado pass through our community. I was awakened by a screaming telephone as I was informed there was a tornado sited – TAKE COVER. As I was in the bed I pulled my covers up over my head, held my trembling dog, and thanked the Holy Spirit for His Presence. About 6500 customers lost power. Though the storm whipped outside our house, our power only flickered three times. The tornado passed near our Church, and though there’s some damage, it is very little.

People, we were blessed. Not lucky. Blessed. God is good. Some people spend their whole lives chasing riches. Those riches did them no good.

Judy Garland, who sang “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” in the movie “The Wizard of Oz”, died by suicide in 1969. Nobel Prize winning author Ernest Hemmingway killed himself in 1961. Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of the group Nirvana, died by suicide in 1994. I could go on and on. Do you know what makes life richest? To know the Lord Jesus. To walk with God every day. If you walk with Jesus daily, if you are faithful to Him, you will be blessed beyond measure.

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The Ordained Leader

Posted on March 18, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR on Unsplash

Titus 1:5-9 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Our Recap

The last couple of weeks we have started studying the Pastoral Epistles of Titus and Timothy. Though we’re focusing on Titus, we took a brief journey into Timothy last week. The Apostle Paul left Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in the Greek Isle of Crete to establish local churches there. Timothy worked with the Jewish congregations, Titus with the Gentiles. Yet whether they were Jewish or Gentile congregations, the same rules applied to both.

Titus was given the responsibility of “ORDAINING ELDERS IN EVERY CITY” in Crete. We found out last week that the office of Elder (Greek presbyteros), the spiritual leader of the Church, were also called “OVERSEERS” (Acts 20:17; Acts 20:28, Greek episkopos) or “BISHOPS” (1 Timothy 3:1), or “PASTORS” (Ephesians 4:11, Greek poimēn) which means “Shepherds”. Neither Timothy nor Titus were to just ordain anyone to this very important calling of God.

Over the past 30 years I have been privileged to be on the Ordination Council for a number of men who felt God calling them to be Pastors/ Overseers/ Elders. I was privileged to be included in the examination of Jarrett Scott, a fine young man and a great Pastor. There were several others on various councils I attended who did not meet the qualifications.

Why is it important that you know the qualifications of the Pastor? Because the Pastor is to spiritually feed the Church of God. The spiritual truths you are fed, that you digest, will determine your continued walk with God.

The Elder/ Pastor Must Be BLAMELESS

Titus 1:6, 7 If any be BLAMELESS … 7 For a bishop must be BLAMELESS, as the steward of God;

The very first quality the Apostle tells Titis to look for is that the Elder/ Pastor be “BLAMELESS”. This is the Greek anegklētos, which means “to be above reproach or unaccused”. Does this mean that the Pastor should always please the people? No! It has nothing to do with pleasing the people. Paul tells us what he means by “BLAMELESS” when he writes,

as the steward of God

The Pastor does not own the Church. The spiritual needs of the Church are entrusted to the Pastor, but the Church belongs to Jesus Christ. Every believer is purchased with the Blood of Christ. The Steward, the Pastor, the Shepherd oversees the flock, and

Acts 20:28 … feeds the church of God, which JESUS HAS PURCHASED with His own blood.

To be “BLAMELESS” means that the Pastor must NECESSARILY OFFEND the people who will not do as God directs. He is to please God, not man.

The Apostle Paul was an Elder, a leader in the Church. Paul wrote:

Galatians 1:10 (NKJV) … do I seek to please men? For IF I STILL PLEASED MEN, I WOULD NOT BE A BOND SERVANT OF CHRIST.

Illustrate Paul vs Peter: The Pastor should not preach or lead so as to please the Church, but to please the Lord Jesus. No Christian should be a “manpleaser, but a servant of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6). Even more so should the spiritual leader of the Church live so as to glorify God. There is a good illustration of this in the Book of Galatians. As Apostles, leaders in the Church, they were called to be “BLAMELESS”. We read:

Galatians 2:11-16 (NKJV) Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I WITHSTOOD HIM TO HIS FACE, because HE WAS TO BE BLAMED; 12 for before certain men came from James (these are Jerusalem Jewish Christians), he would eat with the Gentiles; but WHEN THEY CAME, he withdrew and separated himself, FEARING THOSE WHO WERE OF THE CIRCUMCISION. 13 And the REST OF THE JEWS ALSO PLAYED THE HYPOCRITE WITH HIM, so that even BARNABAS WAS CARRIED AWAY BY THEIR HYPOCRISY. 14 But when I saw that THEY WERE NOT STRAIGHT FORWARD ABOUT THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL I said to Peter before [them] all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 “We [who are] Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

When the Apostle Peter was with Paul on the mission field, as long as he dealt with only Gentiles, then he received them with open arms as Christians. But when Jewish Christians from Jerusalem came down to visit, Peter shunned the Gentiles. Why? Because he was not being a good steward of the Church. He FEARED THE JEWISH BELIEVERS. Paul stood up to Peter and called him on it. He said “I WITHSTOOD HIM TO HIS FACE, because HE WAS TO BE BLAMED”.

Illustrate Moses: When the Pastor is more concerned about pleasing others than he is about pleasing the Lord, he is a BAD STEWARD and IS TO BE BLAMED. One of the finest believers in the Bible was a man called MOSES. Moses wasn’t perfect. Moses killed a man, murdered him, and hid his body. But God called Moses at the burning bush in Midian. Moses led God’s people out of Egypt. Moses stood up to Pharaoh. Moses stood up to worst. The people he led constantly murmured against him and Aaron. Nothing Moses did was right. Before Moses came down the mountain at Sinai God tested him. We read:

Exodus 32:7-10 (ESV) And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for YOUR people, whom YOU brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 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 and I MAY CONSUME THEM, in order that I MAY MAKE A GREAT NATION OF YOU.”

This is a test. God said, “these are YOUR people”. He doesn’t say they belong to Him, but to Moses. God says, “Let Me destroy them – and I’ll make a GREAT NATION OF YOU”. But Moses – a great Elder – prays to God. “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?” (vs 11). Moses told the Lord that this would not bring glory TO HIM, but allow the Egyptians to mock Him. Moses prayed and reminded God of the covenants He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (vs 12-14). And God withdrew his anger.

Moses was blameless.
He remembered that Israel belonged to God.
Moses glorified the Lord in his stewardship.

Yet after 40 years of dealing with Israel, Moses led Israel to Kadesh. First his sister Miriam died (Numbers 20:1), then the people rose up against Moses and Aaron because there was no water. Moses goes to the Lord in prayer, and tells him:

Numbers 20:8 (ESV) 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 let his temper take control. The Bible says:

Numbers 20:10-11 (ESV) Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “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, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.

Moses – the Elder – did not speak to the Rock. He spoke to the crowd. He did not give God the glory, but claimed that HE AND AARON were the Source of the water. God in His grace allowed the water to flow, but He told Moses and Aaron:

Numbers 20:12 (ESV) … 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.

Moses was to be blamed. Less that one year passed before Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land, but Moses lost out because he put his glory above the glory of God.

I see this quite often in the Church of America. I heard of a Pastor, an Elder whose son “came out” as a homosexual, and then this Pastor began to preach that the Scripture is in error on homosexuality. The Pastor Charles Stanley (now with the Lord) has a son named Andy Stanley, who leads North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. Though Charles was a God fearing, conservative Pastor, his son has gone in a different direction. In 2018 Andy Stanley preached,

“We need to unhitch the Christian faith from the Old Testament”

This is foolish, because the Bible the Apostles and Jesus used WAS THE OLD TESTAMENT. Jesus repeatedly quoted the Old Testament, as did the Apostles. Stanley has also said strange things like,

“Christians need to stop saying, ‘The Bible says.’
We need to start saying, ‘Jesus says.’”

Stanley is a far cry from Billy Graham, who said:

“The Bible is the only book whose Author is always present when one reads it. … The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible. … The Bible is God-breathed—it is God’s revelation to man”

The Pastor who begins to teach “laying aside the commandment of God for the traditions of men” (Mark 7:8-9; Colossians 2:8) is not to be praised nor followed. He is to be blamed!

Other Qualities Of The Leader/ Pastor

Titus 1:7 For a BISHOP {episkopos} must be blameless, as the steward of God; NOT SELF-WILLED {authadēs}, NOT SOON ANGRY {orgilos}, not given to wine, no STRIKER {plēktēs}, not GIVEN TO FILTHY LUCRE” {aischrokerdēs};

Word Study: In verse 5 the Pastor is called “ELDER” (presbyteros), and in verse 7 “BISHOP” (episkopos) or “OVERSEER” (Acts 20:28). The Pastor is to be “NOT SELF WILLED”, the Greek authadēs which means “arrogant, self-pleasing”. This same word is used humorously in the Septuagint, in

Proverbs 21:24 (BES) A bold and SELF-WILLED {authadēs} and insolent [man] is called a pest …

When Israel lay dying, he prophesied of his firstborn son Ruben, “hard to be endured, hard and self-willed”, that his people would be scattered. Because Ruben was “unstable as water”, his father said “you shall not excel”. Rather than be the leader of Israel, the leadership passed to Judah (Genesis 49:8-10). The Bishop or Leader is to be God oriented, not self oriented.

Word Study: The Pastor must not be prone to anger (orgilos). Again, this word is found in the Septuagint in:

Proverbs 22:24 (BES) Be not companion to a FURIOUS (orgilos) man …

Word Study: When Moses lost his temper, he lost the Promised Land. The Pastor may get angry, but it needs to be a controlled anger and a godly anger. He is not to love to drink. Nor is to be a “STRIKER”, the Greek plēktēs which means “someone always ready to punch out another, a quarrelsome or contentious person”. Nor is the Overseer to be greedy, “GIVEN TO FILTHY LUCRE” {aischrokerdēs}.

Titus 1:8 (KJV) But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, SOBER, JUST, HOLY, TEMPERATE;

The Pastor/ Elder/ Overseer should care for people. He should like to be around people. But even around people he should model:

SOBER = sōphrōn “Of a sound mind, sane”
JUST = dikaios “Keeping the commands of God” (Micah 6:8)
HOLY = hosios “unenslaved by sin” (Galatians 5:1; Romans 6:6-7)
TEMPERATE = egkratēs “to be strong, self controlled”

Above All, The Elder/ Overseer/ Pastor
Must Cling To God’s Word

Titus 1:9-11 (KJV) HOLDING FAST THE FAITHFUL WORD as he hath been taught, that he may be able BY SOUND DOCTRINE both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

The most important thing for the Pastor is that he “HOLD FAST THE FAITHFUL WORD”. Paul was not only giving Titus directions for the choosing of God called men to be Pastors, but he was reminding Titus that he was going into a mess.

The Godly Leader must keep His eyes on Jesus, and cling to the Bible as God’s true written Word.

There was a lot of charlatans in Crete, just as there are a lot of charlatans in America today. The Apostle said “there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision”. Titus was going into a battle ground, where the enemy was already entrenched. There were many Gentiles who hated Christianity, for it claimed that Jesus is the only Way to God (John 14:6). The Pagan religion does not care if you bring your own version of god with you, as long as you make allowances for their false gods.

There were many “ Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for FILTHY LUCRE’S sake”. These people do not care about the Kingdom of God nor its advance. They just are about “FILTHY LUCRE”, about making money. They don’t care about souls being saved. They just want to fill their pockets. As it was in Crete, so it is in America today:

Kenneth Copeland has a net worth of $300 million, and lives in a $10 million mansion. Joel Osteen has a net worth of $100 million+ and lives in a $10 million mansion. T.D. Jakes has a net worth of $60 million, and lives in a $5.5 million mansion. Joyce Meyer has a net worth of $15 million, and lives in a $2 million mansion. Creflo Dollar has a net worth of $30 million, and owns multiple homes worth millions. Steven Furtick has a net worth of $60 million. Andy Stanley a net worth of $45 million. Rick Warren a net worth of $25 million. Pat Robertson a net worth of $100 million. Is it a sin to have money? No. But Jesus told the rich young ruler:

Matthew 19:21 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, SELL WHAT YOU POSSESS AND GIVE IT TO THE POOR, and you will have treasure in heaven; and COME, FOLLOW ME.”

I’m not saying these people are doing anything wrong. Only God knows the heart. But how much house do you need to live in? How much money do you need to feed yourself and your family? How many cars, trucks, boats do you own? Is your treasure in Heaven, or on this earth? Each one of us will have to give an account one day to the Lord God Almighty.

Why would a Pastor need a million dollar home to live in?
Paul was a tent maker by trade.
And Peter a fisherman.

Paul tells Titus:

Titus 1:12-14 (KJV) One of themselves, [even] a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians [are] alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore REBUKE THEM SHARPLY, THAT THEY MAY BE SOUND IN THE FAITH; 14 Not giving heed to JEWISH FABLES, and COMMANDMENTS OF MEN, that TURN FROM THE TRUTH.

When confronted by the culture – as Titus was in Crete – the Pastor/ Overseer must not compromise with the darkness.

The only way that light can compromise with darkness is by becoming darkness itself.

The world will never agree with the Church – nor should it. Paul says of the Cretian culture, “REBUKE THEM SHARPLY”. Don’t go along with them. Tell them NO! Set an example so that the Flock of Christ can see what to do.

I was reading an article the other day by Christian author Pierce Taylor Hibbs entitled “The Bad News We Still Need”. In that article, Brother Hibbs compared sin to cancer. Listen to this:

“sin takes something good away from us and actively introduces defects and distortions. Just as cancer both destroys tissue and multiplies abnormal cell growth, sin kills holy motivations and compounds unholy ones. Unlike cancer, sin is not a substance, a thing we can examine and measure with a microscope. It is a nothingness that eats away at us until we are so weak that we cave in on ourselves. … sin is moral heart-sickness, any desire, thought, or action that turns us away from God and his revealed will for our lives. ”

Sin kills. Sin erodes. Sin spreads like cancer.

In Michigan, a man rams a truck into a Jewish Synagogue and a preschool. In Virginia, at Old Dominion University a man opens fire in a classroom, killing one and injuring others. In California, two are killed by gunfire at a bar, and several others wounded. The world looks at it and demands that guns be outlawed. Guns are not the problem. Sin is.

People want to fix sin with “JEWISH FABLES, and COMMANDMENTS OF MEN” which do absolutely NOTHING but “TURN FROM THE TRUTH”. All the while, people pretending to be Pastors preach nothings and compromise from fancy pulpits, filling their pockets with money and living luxuriously while the flock suffers.

You cannot compromise with the culture.

Titus 1:15-16 (KJV) UNTO THE PURE ALL THINGS ARE PURE: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD; but in works they deny [Him], being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Who are the “PURE”? It’s certainly not the worldly. Those who “PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD” but who deny Him by their works – the things they do – they are not pure. Those who are “PURE” refer to those who are Christ followers – those who love the Lord and have received the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Those who are “PURE” are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, and who seek to honor the Jesus Who saved them by their lives. The article that I cited earlier goes on to say this:

“The good news is that while sin is moral heart-sickness, God offers moral heart-healing through his Son. That’s why in Christ God gives us new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26). And that’s exactly what we need. … Grace means a new heart, and new hearts have restored and holy motivations, desires, and thoughts. Why? Because of Jesus. “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). A new heart is guarded in Christ. Because of him, God’s grace-given goodness combats the deprivation and active corruption of sin. Through the Spirit and by Christ’s person and work, we respond with faith and repentance, trust and turning — movements in the heart enabled and executed by God himself.”

The Pastor must “REBUKE THEM SHARPLY”, not whisper sweet nothings in your ears. You need to know that – if you do not have Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior – your life will be miserable. The cancer of sin will slowly erode all the blessings of living, and replace it with misery. You need to know that – if you die in your sins – you will continue on to a hell that will never end. There is no joy, no rest beyond the grave for those without Christ. Only torment, forever torment, because you rejected the only means by which you can come into a right relationship with God.

You rejected the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible is clear:

John 3:16-18 (KJV) 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.

If your Pastor soft pedals sin, and preaches to make you feel good, you need to find another Pastor. The only solution for sin and its destructive force is to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Once you have received Him, you are to follow Him daily, to do as He has said. A Christian is a member of God’s Kingdom, and Jesus is your King. Amen.

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