bibleteacher.org

Jesus Commanded New Birth

Posted on July 29, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

The Book of John focuses on Who Jesus is, and who we are not. A few weeks ago we looked at the first command of Jesus, which is to “Repent”:

(Matthew 4:17 KJV) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

John the Baptist had just been imprisoned, and Jesus’ ministry was starting. He preached “REPENT”, which means to reject yourself and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. To choose a new god, a god better than the god you have been following. Jesus is the Good Shepherd Who loves His sheep, and lays His life down for His sheep (John 10).

If you’re going to go to Heaven, if you’re going to walk with Jesus, you must be a sheep, not a dog or a pig. Sheep follow the Shepherd. You must be born again.

We’re going to be in chapter 3 of John tonight, but before we go to chapter 3 let’s look at chapter 2. In chapter 2, Jesus is invited to a Wedding Feast in Cana, and they are out of wine. Jesus’ mother asks Jesus to intervene. Jesus has the servants fill six water pots to the brim with water. Each pot held from 102-162 gallons of water. Jesus turned that water into wine (vs 10), the “good wine” that out-shined all wine that had been served up to this point.

Jesus changed common water into exceptional wine. Water can be found anywhere. Wine requires special care and handling of grapes.

Then Jesus went to the Passover, and drove all out of the Temple that were using it as a money making endeavor. The Temple is where you worship God. They were worshiping not God, but money. Jesus ran them out of the House of God. Chapter 2 ends with these words:

John 2:23-25 Now when {Jesus} was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, MANY BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But JESUS DID NOT COMMIT HIMSELF TO THEM, because HE KNEW ALL MEN, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for HE KNEW WHAT WAS IN MAN.

People saw Jesus turn water into wine, and “BELIEVED IN HIS NAME”. They saw Jesus chase the moneychangers out of the Temple. They saw the miracles that Jesus did. Oh, they “BELIEVED IN HIS NAME”. Jesus was a miracle worker! He did great things! But notice that:

JESUS DID NOT COMMIT HIMSELF TO THEM, because HE KNEW ALL MEN

Jesus is the “GOOD SHEPHERD Who gives His life for His sheep.” (John 10:11). Jesus is the “GOOD SHEPHERD Who knows His sheep, and is known by His sheep” (John 10:14). The people in Jerusalem “BELIEVED IN HIS NAME”, but NOT UNTO SALVATION.

Jesus looked in their hearts. He knew what was in their hearts. He could not be their Shepherd, because they were not sheep. Oh, they believed He could do the miracles. But they had not surrendered their lives to Him. They were not born again. God spoke through the Prophet:

(Jeremiah 17:9-10 KJV) The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and DESPERATELY WICKED: who can know it? [10] I THE LORD SEARCH THE HEART, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings.

People came to Jesus believing He was a miracle man. They followed Him because He could improve the quality of their lives. Yet Jesus was not their Shepherd. He would not commit Himself to them, because their hearts were not changed. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. Jesus does not Shepherd the lost. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. Your heart must be changed.

The Shepherd Will Only Commit Himself To His Sheep

John 3:1-3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus BY NIGHT, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art A teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The Shepherd loves His sheep, and is concerned for His sheep. He loves everyone. But Jesus will not commit Himself to those who are not “born again”. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love us all. The Bible says:

1 John 4:19 We love him, because He first loved us.

Jesus will tell Nicodemus later in this chapter:

John 3:14-17 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that THE WORLD THROUGH HI MIGHT BE SAVED.

God loves His world. Jesus loves us, and laid His life down for us. But before Jesus can be our Shepherd, before we can be saved, we must do more than “BELIEVE IN HIS NAME”. A lot of people saw Jesus’ miracles and “BELIEVED IN HIS NAME”, but Jesus would not commit Himself to them. Why? They were NOT born again.

John 3:2 (Nicodemus) came to Jesus BY NIGHT

Nicodemus was curious. He was a Pharisee, and His friends were Pharisees. Nicodemus “BELIEVED IN HIS NAME”. He didn’t believe Jesus was the Christ, the Savior of the world. Nicodemus said what he believed about Jesus:

John 3:2 … we {Pharisees} know that Thou art A TEACHER COME FROM GOD: for no man can DO THESE MIRACLES that thou doest, except GOD BE WITH HIM.

There are a lot of people on the Church rolls today who believe the same things about Jesus. There are people who believe that Jesus is “ A TEACHER COME FROM GOD”. There’s a lot of teachers that God that God sent. He sent Moses, and Elijah, and Elisha. God sent Samuel, and David, and Hosea. Your Bible is filled with teachers sent by God, good men of God who wrote Holy Scripture. Beloved, Jesus is not just another teacher sent by God.

Jesus is THE SON OF MAN, the Christ, the Messiah that Daniel prophesied of. As the SON OF MAN Jesus speaks as God for God.

Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:11-13 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, WE speak that WE do know, and testify that WE have seen; and ye receive not OUR witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And NO MAN HATH ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, but HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, even THE SON OF MAN WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.

As Jesus talks to Nicodemus, He says “WE speak that WE do know, and testify that WE have seen”. Who is the “WE” Jesus is speaking of? It can’t be Nicodemus, for Jesus said “YE RECEIVE NOT OUR WITNESS”. Some have said that Jesus was referring to Himself, and John the Baptist. It can’t be this, because Jesus is talking about things that “WE KNOW, AND WE HAVE SEEN”. Jesus said “NO MAN HATH ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, but HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN”. John the Baptist has not ascended unto Heaven. So just Who is the WE Jesus speaks of? It is the Triune God. Jesus said, “I am telling you things that WE – Father, Son and Spirit, know … and YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE OUR WITNESS”. Then notice what Jesus says:

NO MAN HATH ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, but HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, even THE SON OF MAN WHICH IS IN HEAVEN

John the Baptist has not ascended to Heaven – but Jesus has. Jesus came down from Heaven. And Jesus – AT THIS VERY MOMENT – as Messiah “IS IN HEAVEN” as He speaks to Nicodemus. Jesus is not just A teacher sent from God. Jesus is God Himself. Jesus is the Son of God. The Father addresses Jesus:

(Hebrews 1:5-8 NKJV) For to which of the angels did {God the Father} ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”? [6] But when He again brings the Firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” [7] And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.” [8] But TO THE SON HE SAYS: “Your throne, O God, [is] forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness [is] the scepter of Your kingdom.

Nicodemus has “believed in His name”, but not as God, not as the Son of God, but as A teacher Whom God has sent. He came at night, because he was afraid of what the other Pharisees would say. Nicodemus is religiously lost. He must be born again.

Jesus Commanded Nicodemus To Do Something He Could Not Do. Only God Can Make Us Born Again.

When Jesus told Nicodemus “You MUST be BORN AGAIN”, Nicodemus said “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”. He was puzzled. The Bible tells us that:

(1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV) But the NATURAL MAN DOES NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD, for they are FOOLISHNESS TO HIM; NOR CAN HE KNOW THEM, because THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.

The “Natural Man” is detached from the Shepherd, but attached to sin, the flesh, the world and Satan. A mere “Teacher” cannot open the eyes of the soul. God must intervene.

A lost person – even if they are religious – cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God. Nicodemus is a “Teacher of Israel” (vs 10). He intellectually understands great teachings of the Bible. But he cannot receive spiritual truth – EVEN FROM JESUS – until he is born again. The Bible tells us:

(Romans 8:7-8 LSB) because THE MIND SET ON THE FLESH IS AT ENMITY TOWARD GOD, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so], [8] and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God.

A lost person must be born again. This is something that person cannot do for themselves. They must repent, and lay their lives down to Jesus, believing on Him as both Lord and Savior. They must call on the power of His Name as their Great Shepherd. Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is BORN OF THE FLESH IS FLESH; and that which is BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

New Birth requires that a person believe on the Name of Jesus as Lord and call on the Name of Jesus as Savior. At that point, God the Holy Spirit effects a change in the seeker.

Adrian Rogers said, “Do you know what we have done? We have begun to talk about Christians in categories. We say, ‘Well, he’s a born-again Christian.’ May I tell you very plainly that saying ‘born-again Christian’ is redundant and besides, that’s the only kind there is! It’s like saying female woman or tooth dentist. Jesus said, ‘Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.’”

You are not a Christian unless you are born again. When Jesus spoke of “being born of WATER and of the SPIRIT”, He was not talking about water baptism. Jesus was appealing to Scripture. God promised His people that there was coming a day when …

(Ezekiel 36:25-27 LSB) … I WILL SPRINKLE CLEAN WATER ON YOU, and YOU WILL BE CLEAN; I WILL CLEANSE YOU from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. [26] “Moreover, I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART and PUT A NEW SPIRIT WITHIN YOU; and I WILL REMOVE THE HEART OF STONE from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. [27] “I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments.

It is God – not man – that saves the believer. It is God Who washes us, “THROUGH THE WASHING OF REGENERATION AND RENEWING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Titus 3:5). It is God Who “GIVES US A NEW HEART” and “PUTS A NEW SPIRIT WITHIN US”. It is God Who gives us His Spirit, and causes us to walk in His ways.

Though Nicodemus was a “teacher” of the Law, he was spiritually dead. Those who are spiritually dead walk apart from God. Jesus told the Pharisees:

(John 8:37-39, 42-44 LSB) I know that you are Abraham’s seed; yet you are seeking to kill Me, because MY WORD HAS NO PLACE IN YOU. [38] “I speak the things which I have seen with [My] Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from [your] father.” [39] They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would do the deeds of Abraham. … [42] Jesus said to them, “IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER, YOU WOULD LOVE ME, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I HAVE NOT EVEN COME OF MYSELF, but THE FATHER SENT ME. [43] “Why do you not understand what I am saying? [It is] because YOU CANNOT HEAR MY WORD. [44] “YOU ARE OF YOUR FATHER, THE DEVIL, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own [nature], for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The spiritually dead cannot see the spiritual Kingdom of God. Nicodemus was standing next to the King of Kings, but he called Jesus “A teacher”. Humanity is divided into two camps:

those born of the flesh
those born of the Spirit

Jesus said of the Spirit:

John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

The wind moves around us without our intervention. The Holy Spirit also moves. When we REPENT, and call on the name of Jesus as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit moves into our lives. The Spirit does not improve us morally. The Spirit gives us life. We are given new eyes to see. We are born again.

Before he was born again, Nicodemus came to Jesus “by NIGHT”. Pastor Kyle Idleman wrote:

“At night no one would see him. At night he would avoid awkward questions from the other religious leaders. At night he could spend time with Jesus without anyone knowing. If he could speak with Jesus at night when no one was around, maybe he could begin a relationship with Jesus without having to make any real changes. …. Here is the reality that Nicodemus is about ready to have impressed on him: There is no way to follow Jesus without Him interfering with your life….. Following Jesus always costs something. For Nicodemus it would cost him a powerful position. It would cost him the respect of his co-workers. It would cost him the source of his income and livelihood. It would cost him friendships. It would cost him family relationships.”

Before he was saved, Nicodemus hid his relationship with the Lord Jesus. Jesus said:

(Mark 8:38 LSB) For WHOEVER IS ASHAMED OF ME AND MY WORDS in this adulterous and sinful generation, the SON OF MAN WILL ALSO BE ASHAMED OF HIM when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

After Nicodemus was saved by faith in Christ, his heart changed. Sheep love the Shepherd. When the Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus, Nicodemus stood up against them:

(John 7:50-51 LSB) Nicodemus … being one of them (a Pharisee), said to them, [51] “Does our Law judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing?”

They were not pleased with Nicodemus, and mocked him. But Nicodemus stood with Christ. Later when Jesus was crucified, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus would retrieve His body from the Cross. Then Nicodemus would provide the supplies to prepare Christ’s body for burial (John 19:39). Whereas he was previously ashamed of Jesus, he was not now. The sheep follows the Shepherd. Period. But we do not make ourselves sheep. God makes us sheep, when we REPENT and RECEIVE the Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 Peter 1:3 LSB) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to HIS GREAT MERCY HAS CAUSED US TO BE BORN AGAIN to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Those who are “born again” are changed forever. We will fail, but we will fail upward. As Jesus rose from the grave to live forever in glory, we will one day rise to walk with Him in glory. The sheep belong to the Shepherd, and we belong to Him. We are no more dogs or pigs, but are sheep, HIS sheep, children of God by faith in Christ.

We who are saved are saved by the Word of God, by His faithfulness. We have His guarantee.

Peter betrayed Jesus at the worst moment of our Savior’s life. Paul murdered Christians before he was saved. We are not saved because we are flawless. We are saved because HE is flawless. Our Shepherd is our Lord Jesus. Peter wrote:

(1 Peter 1:22-25 LSB) Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a love of the brothers without hypocrisy, fervently love one another from the heart, [23] for you have been BORN AGAIN NOT OF CORRUPTIBLE SEED, BUT INCORRUPTIBLE, [that is], THROUGH THE LIVING AND ENDURING WORD OF GOD. [24] For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, [25] BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” And this is the word which was proclaimed to you as good news.

One day you will stand before Almighty God. Imagine this, if you will. God asks you, “Why should you be allowed into My Heaven?” What is the first word you will say to Him? Will you say “Because I”, and then tell Him all the good things you did? If so, you have a problem. Your response should be – if you are sheep – “Because Jesus Christ is my Shepherd. He died for me. He owns me. I am His, and He is mine. I deserve nothing – but I cling to the Word of Christ’s Gospel”. Amen.

Posted in Commands Of Jesus, John, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, love God, salvation | 1 Comment

Flee Idolatry And Cling To God

Posted on July 25, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Logan Armstrong on Unsplash

God Establishes And Stabilizes The Nation,
But Idolatry Destroys Any Nation

When God saved Israel from Egypt, He saved His people from a nation filled with idolatry – with false gods. When God sent Moses to Pharaoh with the message,

Exodus 5:1 Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.

Pharaoh was quick to answer:

(Exodus 5:2 ESV) Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.

Pharaoh believed – along with his people – the HE HIMSELF was god. Egypt worshiped numerous gods and goddesses, animals and leaders. It was idolatry and defiance of the God of the Bible that caused Egypt – at one time a world power – to lose it’s power and influence among the nations.

When God stopped Israel at the base of Mount Sinai, He was going to take this ragged group of people and constitute them as a nation. The Bible tells us that “God reigns over the nations” (Psalm 47:8), and that:

(Daniel 2:21 ESV) God changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

God established Israel as His nation at Sinai. So in Israel’s constitution God established a series of principles of Law that His people were to follow. We call this foundation “The Ten Commandments”. The very first part of the commandments deal with WHO is God, and HOW God is to be treated.

(Exodus 20:2-7 NKJV) I [am] the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [3] “You shall have no other gods before Me. [4] “You shall not make for yourself a carved image–any likeness [of anything] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth; [5] you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth [generations] of those who hate Me, [6] but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. [7] “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold [him] guiltless who takes His name in vain.

If Israel was to survive as a nation, she needed to follow the God Who saved her. Israel was not to follow any other gods or goddesses. She was to cling to the Word of God, obeying Him in all that they did without question. Israel’s blessing relied on being obedient to God, honoring and upholding His Word.

Idolatry is a tool of Satan. Satan invents false gods to seek the destruction of mankind. When Satan revolted against God, he declared “I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). Satan carried this thought into the Garden of Eden in the guise of a serpent. Idolatry always follows this pattern:

1. Question the clearly presented Word of God. “Has God really said that you shall not eat of every tree”? (Genesis 3:1). Once humans decided to debate what God said, the devil next carries us to …

2. Defy the clearly presented Word of God. “God said you will die, but He lies. You will not surely die!” (Genesis 3:4). God just said that. God doesn’t know what He’s talking about. From this point, the devil …

3. Questions the integrity of God Himself. “God knows the day you eat of it, you’ll be just like Him!” (Genesis 3:5). Once Satan deconstructed humanity’s faith in God and His Word, then we progress to ….

4. Elevate human experience and feelings over what God has said. “The tree is good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and can make us wise like gods” (Genesis 3:6).

Then they eat – and sin enters Paradise. Idolatry destroys Paradise. Idolatry destroys a nation. Think about America today.

1. Teens are rising up, taking over areas of our country in riots. Police are being attacked. Why? Because children are not being taught:

Exodus 20:12 Honor your Father and Mother

Children are being raised not to honor authority, but to BE the authority. The Bible says “FATHERS, bring up your children IN THE DISCIPLINE AND INSTRUCTION OF THE LORD” (Ephesians 6:4). But many of the children born today do not have the presence of the father in the home. When the family unit breaks down, the nation breaks down.

2. Cities are demanding that governments “de-fund the police”. Why? Because if children are raised without respect for God, or are told that they themselves are gods, then they have no respect for authority. The Bible says:

(Romans 13:1 NKJV) Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT FROM GOD, and the AUTHORITIES THAT EXIST ARE APPOINTED BY GOD.

3. There is a push to endorse Socialism and Communism as replacements for Capitalism in America. We as Americans are on a pathway to destruction because of idolatry.

An oft quoted text is something that God told Solomon on the day that the Temple was constructed and dedicated to the Lord. God came to King Solomon at night, saying:

(2 Chronicles 7:12-14 NKJV) I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. [13] “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, [14] “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

What God was saying to Israel under Solomon was “If you sin, I will punish you. I’ll stop the rains. I’ll have the locusts consume the crops. I’ll send sickness into the populace. BUT if you, as My people, REPENT and RETURN to Me, I will forgive you and bless your nation.”

The First And Most Persistent Sin Of Israel

Before Moses could even get off the mountain with the Law that constituted Israel, God’s people began to create idols. We read:

(Exodus 32:1-5 LSB) Then the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain. So the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Arise, make us gods who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” [2] And Aaron said to them, “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring [them] to me.” [3] Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought [them] to Aaron. [4] And he took [this] from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” [5] And Aaron looked and built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow [shall be] a feast to Yahweh.”

The first commands God gave Israel was to avoid idolatry. And yet the first disobedience of Israel was to create an idol. Israel learned idolatry from Egypt. We learn idolatry from the lost world. As Christians, we are supposed to …

(2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV) … WALK BY FAITH, not by sight

An idol is a man created image or thing that visually represents God. But it doesn’t represent God. It represents our idea of Who God is. An idol lowers God to our level. God is not to be lowered, but exalted. The Bible says:

(Hebrews 11:6 KJV) … without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him]: for he that cometh to God must BELIEVE THAT HE IS, and [that] He is a REWARDER of them that DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.

We are to believe what God has said about Himself in His Word, and to pursue Him. God does not chase us. He is not a good luck charm that we wear about our necks, nor a little statue we put in our pockets. He blesses us when we PURSUE AND GLORIFY HIM.

The same King Solomon that God came to by night (remember this?) and said “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land”, this wise King ailed to heed to Word of God. The Bible says:

(1 Kings 11:1-2 ESV) Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, [2] from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” SOLOMON CLUNG TO THESE IN LOVE.

Solomon let his heart lead him, rather than the Word of God. The Bible says in 1 Kings 11:4, “Solomon’s wives TURNED AWAY HIS HEART AFTER OTHER GODS, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God. This started what I call a “domino effect” of destruction. God told Solomon:

(1 Kings 11:11-13 ESV) .. you have not kept MY COVENANT and MY STATUES that I have commanded you, I WILL SURELY TEAR THE KINGDOM FROM YOU AND WILL GIVE IT TO YOUR SERVANT. [12] Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I WILL TEAR IT OUT OF THE HAND OF YOUR SON. [13] However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I WILL GIVE ONE TRIBE TO YOUR SON, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.”

Solomon had a servant – a General named Jeroboam. Because of Solomon’s idolatry, God was going to take the Kingdom from Solomon’s son Rehoboam and give ten tribes to Jeroboam. God sent a Prophet named Ahijah to Jeroboam:

(1 Kings 11:29-37 ESV) And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country. [30] Then AHIJAH LAID HOLD OF THE NEW GARMENT THAT WAS ON HIM, and TORE IT INTO TWELVE PIECES. [31] And he said to Jeroboam, “TAKE FOR YOURSELF TEN PIECES, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and WILL GIVE YOU TEN TRIBES [32] (but he [REHOBOAM] shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), [33] BECAUSE THEY HAVE FORSAKEN ME AND WORSHIPED Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have NOT WALKED IN MY WAYS, DOING WHAT IS RIGHT IN MY SIGHT and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did. [34] Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes. [35] But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand [REHOBOAM] and will give it to you, ten tribes. [36] Yet to his son I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. [37] And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel.

God was going to divide Israel both North and South because of idolatry. It was a “domino effect” that started with Solomon

All of the tribes but Judah and Benjamin followed Jeroboam north, and Judah and Benjamin became known as Judah or Southern Israel. What happened to the Levites?

The Bible says that:

(2 Chronicles 11:13-16 ESV) And THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES who were in all Israel presented themselves to {Rehoboam} from all places where they lived. [14] For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because JEROBOAM AND HIS SONS CAST THEM OUT FROM SERVING AS PRIESTS OF THE LORD, [15] and HE APPOINTED HIS OWN PRIESTS for the high places and FOR THE GOAT IDOLS and FOR THE CALVES THAT HE HAD MADE. [16] And those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

God took the Kingdom from Solomon because of idolatry, and gave ten tribes to Jeroboam because of idolatry. Did Jeroboam honor God Who gave him the Kingdom? No! Idolatry, like poison in the life blood, spreads where it is allowed.

Jeroboam set up an idolatrous place of worship in Samaria in order to keep the ten tribes from going to Jerusalem to worship. The Bible tells us that:

(1 Kings 12:26-31 ESV) And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. [27] If this people GO UP TO OFFER SACRIFICES IN THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD AT JERUSALEM, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah. [28] So the king took counsel and MADE TWO CALVES OF GOLD. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. [29] And he set ONE IN BETHEL, and the other he put IN DAN. [30] Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. [31] He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, WHO WERE NOT OF THE LEVITES.

Jeroboam did not trust in the power and decree of God, Who had told him that ten tribes would be given him to rule as King. He was afraid to allow the ten tribes to go to Jerusalem to worship, so he set up his own system of idolatry to protect his reign.

Preach: The Ten Tribes that were broken off because of idolatry continued to pursue idols rather that the God of Scripture. Because of this Northern Israel would fall under Assyrian conquest 722 BC, about 136 years before Southern Israel would fall to Babylon (586 BC).

Idolatry Brings About The Wrath Of God, The Destruction Of The Family, And The Loss Of National Morality

The Apostle Paul described the horrors of idolatry in the first chapter of Romans:

Romans 1:18-23 (ESV) For the WRATH OF GOD IS REVEALED FROM HEAVEN against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, THEY DID NOT HONOR HIM AS GOD or GIVE THANS TO HIM, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and EXCHANGED THE GLORY OF THE IMMORTAL GOD FOR IMAGES RESEMBLING resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

You cannot serve God and an idol. You must “turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10). When Paul and Barnabas preached Christ crucified, they chastised the Gentiles for idol worship, saying:

Acts 14:15 … we bring you good news, that you should TURN FROM THESE VAIN THINGS TO A LIVING GOD, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

An idol cannot save. An idol cannot bless, or bring good fortune. God tells His Church, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Idolatry is one of the sins we are not only to recognize, but to run from:

(1 Corinthians 10:14 ESV) Therefore, my beloved, FLEE FROM IDOLATRY.

We live in a day of idols. Idolatry has crept into our nation. It is in our schools teaching “wokeness” and biological nonsense. We as God’s people must flee idolatry.

I found an interesting parallel that ties in to Solomon losing the Kingdom to his servant Jeroboam. Jeroboam was the first King over the Northern Tribes of Israel. King Ahab was the seventh King of Northern Israel. Jeroboam established the golden calf worship in Bethel and Dan. But King Ahab went even farther. He openly defied God, and killed the Prophets that God sent into the land.

So God raised up Ahab’s servant Jehu. The Prophet Elisha sent a messenger to Jehu, saying:

2 Kings 9:6-7 I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. And YOU SHALL STRIKE DOWN THE HOUSE OF AHAB YOUR MASTER, so that I may avenge on Jezebel THE BLOOD OF MY SERVANTS THE PROPHETS

Jehu did as God asked. He not only destroyed Ahab and his family, but Jehu “destroyed Baal from Israel” (2 Kings 10:28). But Jehu was selective in what idols he destroyed. The Bible says:

(2 Kings 10:29, 31 NKJV) However JEHU DID NOT TURN AWAY FROM THE SINS OF JEROBOAM the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, [that is], FROM THE GOLDEN CALVES THAT WERE AT BETHEL AND DAN. … [31] But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.

The Ten Northern Tribes of Israel (Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim, Manasseh) will eventually be taken into exile by Assyria. These tribes today are called “The Lost Tribes of Israel”. God will one day regather His people, and through 144,000 Hebrew Evangelists bring Israel to a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (see Revelation 7:4-8). Two of the Ten Northern Tribes – Dan and Ephraim – are not mentioned in Revelation 7. I suspect that has to do with unrepentant idolatry.

Flee idolatry. Cling to God. That is the only way to blessing and peace.

Posted in idolatry, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Bible Study, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, Jesus, Jesus Christ, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

Cast Not Your Pearls Before Swine

Posted on July 15, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Pascal Debrunner on Unsplash

(Matthew 7:1-5 KJV) Judge not, that ye be not judged. [2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. [3] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in THY BROTHER’S EYE, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? [4] Or how wilt thou say TO THY BROTHER, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam [is] in thine own eye? [5] Thou HYPOCRITE, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of THY BROTHER’S eye.

(Matthew 7:6 KJV) Give not that which is holy unto the DOGS, neither cast ye your pearls before SWINE, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

The Church Battles The Darkness

The Church of Jesus Christ is in the midst of a battle against darkness, and has been in that battle from the moment Jesus ascended into Heaven. Just as Satan attacked Jesus from the start to the end of His earth ministry (Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 16:21-23; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 22:53; Revelation 12:10-11), Jesus warned us that we would battle Satan as His Church. Our enemy is not humanity, but the forces of evil and darkness behind humanity. The Bible says:

(Ephesians 6:12-13 NKJV) For WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, but against PRINCIPALITIES, against POWERS, against the RULERS OF THE DARKNESS of this age, against SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS in the heavenly [places]. [13] Therefore TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The fallen world, under the influence and snare of Satan, is constantly attacking the truths of the Bible and the glorious Gospel of Christ. The Apostle said,

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, as a roaring lion, walketh about, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.

The solution for the Church – the only way we can survive – is to SUBMIT OURSELVES TO GOD while RESISTING SATAN (James 4:7).

Sadly, that’s not what happens in most cases. Instead of demanding that the world listen to Jesus, we as the church have begun to listen to the world. We begin to ask questions like, “How can we get more behinds in the pew”, rather than asking the right question “How can we glorify Jesus and honor our Heavenly Father?”. If we please Jesus, God will make sure the RIGHTEOUS are added to the Church. Look at the early Church testimony. When the Apostles preached:

Acts 2:40 … BE SAVED FROM THIS PERVERSE (skolios, crooked, wicked, surly) GENERATION

They made no apologies when preaching against the wickedness in the world. The early Preachers made no excuses for the darkness to hide in, but demanded that people REPENT – surrender their lives to Jesus so that He could save them. The Bible tells us that:

(Acts 2:41-42, 46-47 NKJV) Then those who GLADLY RECEIVED HIS WORD WERE BAPTIZED; and that day about three thousand souls were added [to them]. [42] And they CONTINUED STEADFASTLY in the apostles’ DOCTRINE and FELLOWSHIP, in the BREAKING OF BREAD, and in PRAYER. … [46] So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, [47] praising God and having favor with all the people. And THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED.

The early Church practiced judgment. It preached the Gospel to all, saying “BE SAVED FROM THIS PERVERSE (skolios, crooked, wicked, surly) GENERATION”. The preaching offended many, so much so that:

Preachers were arrested (Acts 4:1-3)
Religious leaders wanted to kill them (Acts 5:33)
Stephen was murdered for preaching repentance (Acts 7:54-58)
The Church was hated and persecuted (Acts 8:1)
Missionaries were beaten and imprisoned (Acts 13:50)
Whole cities came out to destroy Preachers (Acts 17:5-8)

And yet the Church grew, and prospered. Why? Because Christians were genuine, not apathetic. Christians knew that they were in a battle with Satan and the lost, and so believers took their faith seriously. The early Church had no buildings, but met house to house or in the Temple (at least, until the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD). The early Church was attacked, brutalized, scattered, but it grew because believers were serious about serving the Lord Jesus.

Then Satan had a brainstorm. He thought, “Let’s back off on the persecution, and blend Christianity with politics. Let’s make Christianity acceptable, and the law of the land”. In 313 AD Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the Edict of Milan. Though Constantine did not outlaw other religious belief, he made it fashionable to be a Christian. Then in 380 AD Emperor Theodosius I (Theodosius the Great) issued the Edict of Thessalonica, making Nicene Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. As Pagan religions were banned, those who were pagans and without Christ were encouraged the join with the state Church. Many did so bringing their false, unbiblical beliefs with them. To maintain unity, a series of offices unknown to Scripture were brought into the Church, the chief office being that of “Pope”. It is the “Pope”, not the Lord Jesus Christ, who is said to have supreme legislative, executive, and judicial power for the state Church. Popes brought horrible things into the state Church. To name just a few:

Pope Innocent III (1198-1216) authorized the murder of thousands in southern France

Pope Innocent IV (1243-1254) authorized torture by the Inquisition against suspected heretics or unbelievers

Pope Urban VI (1378-1389) ordered the torture and execution of Pastors who opposed them. He complained when their screams were not loud

The devil crept into the Church when the Church left the Word of God. When God’s people become apathetic or hypocritical, it isn’t long before the Church isn’t the Church at all.

The Devil Is The Master Of Twisting Scripture

The devil is always twisting and quoting scripture, seeking to ensnare the people of God. The text we’re looking at today has been widely quoted by unbelievers, and adopted as twisted by several denominations to the demise of that denomination. The text is:

(Matthew 7:1-2 KJV) Judge not, that ye be not judged. [2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Usually when this is quoted, people say “Jesus said you’re not to judge. The only one that can judge is God, not humans. Based on that, I can do thus and thus REGARDLESS as to what the Bible says, because the Bible is just an old outdated Book anyway”. And Beloved, this is not what the text is about.

Did Jesus Actually Tell Us Not To Judge Others?

As we look at our text, “Judge not, that ye be not judged”, is Jesus actually telling us not to judge the actions of others. For instance, if I see a child molester stalking a six year old, should I say “Judge not, that ye be not judged”, turn my back and walk away? If I see a man knock down a woman and begin to assault her, should I say “Judge not, that ye be not judged”, and mind my own business? Of if someone pulls a knife and attacks someone with the knife, should I not intervene because, after all, “Judge not, that ye be not judged”? I think most reasonable people would say, “No, you should get involved”. The Bible says:

Psalm 82:3-4 (NIV) Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; DELIVER THEM FROM THE HAND OF THE WICKED.

In order to do what God said, you must make judgments. The Prophet Isaiah said, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the
6 fatherless, plead the widow’s cause”. You must

make judgments. You must be able to weigh good against evil, light against darkness.

I cannot judge that which is unseen, the contents of the human heart. But I can judge external actions as right or wrong based on the teaching of Scripture.

We judge FRUIT, the outward actions of the life. The FRUIT will tell us much about the tree that bears it. I personally cannot distinguish an orange tree from a pear tree or a apple tree by it’s bark or leaves. But once the tree bears fruit, the fruit will tell me the type of tree it is. Jesus told us to “Judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Jesus told us:

(Matthew 7:15-18 KJV) BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. [16] YOU SHALL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? [17] Even so EVERY GOOD TREE BRINGETH FORTH GOOD FRUIT; but A CORRUPT TREE BRINGETH FORTH EVIL FRUIT. [18] A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Preach! You may not be able to tell what’s in the heart of the tree – but you can judge the fruit. Does the fruit that which the tree produces bring honor to our heavenly Father? Does the fruit glorify the Lord Jesus by advancing the Gospel? Does the fruit encourage repentance from the flesh, and walking in the power of the Spirit? Can the fruit be seen in the Scripture as a fruit to be desired? Does the fruit magnify Jesus while minimizing me?

Jesus never said we should not judge. The light must judge darkness and light. We are light, and not darkness. So we must judge – not based on our opinion as to right or wrong – but based on what God has endorsed or rejected via the Scripture.

Jesus Was Not Telling Us Not To Judge Others. He Was Telling Us To Judge Ourselves FIRST.

(Matthew 7:1-3 KJV) Judge not, that ye be not judged. [2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. [3] And why BEHOLDEST THOU THE MOTE that is in THY BROTHER’S {adelphos} EYE, but CONSIDEREST NOT THE BEAM that is in thine own eye?

The words that you see above were not addressed to the lost, but to the assembled Church. In Matthew chapter 5 verse 1 we read:

Matthew 5:1 (Jesus) went up into a mountain: and WHEN HE WAS SET, HIS DISCIPLES CAME UNTO HIM

Word Study: When you come to the end of Matthew chapter 7 we read “when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine”. From the beginning of Matthew 5 to the end of Matthew 7 we are hearing a sermon Jesus preached to HIS FOLLOWERS. The sermon wasn’t preached to unbelievers, but to believers. It wasn’t to the world at large, but about judging what is in “THY BROTHER’S EYE”. The word rendered “BROTHER” is the Greek adelphos, which means “those of the same family or of the same Kingdom”. The word is used frequently in the New Testament for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ (see Romans 1:13; 7:1; 11:25; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2:1; 3:1; 2 Corinthians 8:1, and so on).

So this verse has nothing to do with judging a lost or unchurched person. It has to do with making judgment against one another in the Church. Jesus said:

Judge not, that ye be not judged

When you are going to judge yourself, the first thing you need to do is ask yourself “Is what I am judging something the Scripture clearly supports?” Does the Bible say that what this fellow believer is doing is wrong? Or is this just my opinion? God is the One Who determines what is good or evil, not me. God told Israel,

Deuteronomy 6:18 (AP) Do that which is RIGHT AND GOOD IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, and you will be blessed …

Isaiah 33:22 (ESV) the LORD IS OUR JUDGE; the LORD IS OUR LAWGIVER

If I’m making a judgment based on what I think, then I may be judged by God as a false prophet.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

If I’m using the Word of God, and repeating what the Father has established as normal for His Kingdom, then I won’t be judged for that. But if I’m making up my rules and expecting others to live by them as if I am God, I will be judged harshly for that.

why BEHOLDEST THOU THE MOTE {karphos} that is in THY BROTHER’S {adelphos} EYE, but CONSIDEREST NOT THE BEAM {dokos} that is in thine own eye?

Word Study: The second thing the Christian should ask themselves is, “Have I examined MY LIFE before revealing this judgment to my brother or sister in Christ?” Jesus uses two words here – karphos and dokos. The word karphos means “a little chaff”. In the ancient world you made your own flour. You did so by tossing the head of the wheat plant into the air. The edible seed would fall back into the bowl, but the inedible chaff would fly up in the air, and sometimes get in your eye. It’s just a tiny thing that floats on the air. It would bother, but not blind. But the other word Jesus uses is dokos, which means “a stick of timber large enough to hold up a roof”. The word is found in the Septuagint in:

Song of Solomon 1:17 (Sept) The BEAMS {dokos} of our house are cedar

It’s not a tiny piece of chaff, but something along the line of a 2×8 construction grade board. If that were in your eye, you would be blinded by it. We are to judge ourselves first. When the Apostle Paul chastised the Church at Corinth he told the Church:

(1 Corinthians 11:31-32 NKJV) For IF WE WOULD JUDGE OURSELVES, WE WOULD NOT BE JUDGED. [32] But when we are judged, WE ARE CHASTENED BY THE LORD, that we may not be condemned with the world.

Christians are children of God, saved by faith in Christ. When we sin, the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Sin corrupts. Sin destroys. A brother or a sister who points out sin to another brother or sister has done them a favor. For if you will not repent of sin, GOD WILL CHASTEN YOU, EVEN UNTO DEATH. This is what was happening at Corinth. They had let sin in their midst, and were running around saying without foundation:

“Judge not, that ye be not judged”

And people were dying. Beloved,

We as Christians need to stop treating sin as if it were a pet animal. Sin is a wild beast that, if not bound, will eat you and those you love alive! Judge yourself first. Then help your brother or sister out of the snare of sin.

(Matthew 7:5 KJV) Thou hypocrite, first cast out the BUILDER’S BEAM out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the CHAFF out of thy brother’s eye.

Jesus is not telling us to not judge. He is telling us to make sure we are in union with Him and His Word before we judge a fellow brother or sister. Christians MUST judge – but not based on what we feel or think, but based on what the Bible says.

You Cannot Obey What Jesus Says In The Very Next Verse If You Do Not Judge

Usually a lost person will trot Matthew 7:1-5 out an tell Christians that Jesus said not to judge anyone for any reason. As I’ve shown you, this is a twisting of God’s Word. But the lost have NEVER quoted this verse, because to do so would ruin their fabrication of truth. Jesus said:

(Matthew 7:6 KJV) Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

It is impossible to obey Jesus in this verse if I don’t, as a Christian, make some judgments. Jesus said “Give not that which is holy”. I have to make a judgment as to what is HOLY, that which God has endorsed. I’m not supposed to give the holy “UNTO THE DOGS”. Is Jesus talking about Lassie? No. When the Bible speaks of “DOGS”, it is speaking of those who mock or reject the Kingdom of God, who endorse filthy things that God has rejected, who amplify and persist in what God has said is evil. The Bible says:

(Philippians 3:2 LSB) BEWARE OF THE DOGS! Beware of the EVIL WORKERS! Beware of the mutilation!

Dogs are people who twist the Gospel of salvation, who ignore repentance and reject the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unrepentant evil doers are dogs. Dogs of that type will not be in Heaven, but will be locked out because they have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

(Revelation 22:14-15 LSB) Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the authority to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. [15] OUTSIDE ARE THE DOGS and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

Dogs have no place in the Kingdom of God in Heaven, because dogs reject the Kingdom of Christ on this earth. Jesus said “Do not give what is holy to the DOGS”. Dogs aren’t going to Heaven (human dogs). Don’t share the Kingdom Truths with those who are unsaved. Give them the Gospel, but do not argue Kingdom truths with them. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV) … the natural man RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD: for they are FOOLISHNESS UNTO HIM: neither can he know them, because THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.

A spiritual Dog cannot understand the Trinity, nor the inspiration of the Scripture. A spiritual Dog invents 47 genders whereas God only created two. A spiritual Dog mocks the Cross of Christ, the sinlessness of Jesus. A spiritual Dog does not understand Biblical love. A Dog licks itself, and has no shame.

neither cast ye your PEARLS before SWINE

Among the Jews “SWINE” were considered unclean creatures. They were not to be eaten, or even touched (Leviticus 11:7-8). God lifted those restrictions in the Book of Acts (Acts 10:12-16) – but swine, hogs or pigs, are by nature dirty creatures.

God’s people are not to give the precious spiritual truths that He has given us to the lost world. The unsaved will not appreciate those truths, but will only trample them underfoot and mock them.

What is a “pearl” and how is it made? A pearl begins when something irritating and painful enters the life of a oyster. That thing comes into the soft tissue of the sea creature, and it can’t get rid of it. The oyster covers the irritant with calcium carbonate crystals, over and over again. The longer the process takes, the larger the pearl gets. In time, that which was an irritant is converted into something very valuable and desirable.

We don’t give pearls to the lost. We don’t promise them Heaven, nor share the promises that God has given to His people to them. What we share with the lost is the Gospel. The Gospel is not a pearl – but it makes pearls. Jesus talked about the Kingdom of Heaven as “a Pearl of Great Price”.

(Matthew 13:45-46 LSB) Again, the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, [46] and upon FINDING ONE PEARL OF GREAT VALUE, he went and SOLD ALL THAT HE HAD AND BOUGHT IT.

This life is hard. We, like oysters, have irritants and miseries that enter our lives. How do we fix it? We try to do it through human means, through doctors, self help gurus, through psychology. Nothing seems to help. No one but Jesus can help us.

We repent and come to Jesus.

Jesus Christ came into His Creation, and laid down His life for us. The Bible says:

(1 Corinthians 1:18 LSB) For THE WORD OF THE CROSS IS FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, but TO US WHO ARE BEING SAVED, IT IS THE POWER OF GOD.

When people are tried. When they are suffering. When hospitalized. When in depression. When that irritant comes into their lives, and they realize that they are helpless against it, we share the Cross with them. We tell them about Jesus. And, “if God grants repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25; Romans 2:4), if that lost person will grab the hand of Jesus,

God will cover the hurt with Grace. He will bring that lost soul into the Family of God. “Of Jesus’ fullness we receive, grace upon grace” (John 1:16). He takes our broken lives, and makes us His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus does what the Prophets said He would do:

(Isaiah 61:3 NKJV) To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

The pearl of great price belongs to those who have given
17 their lives to Jesus. Not to the dogs. Not to the swine

who mock and reject His mercy. But to those who will surrender their lives to Him, blessed be the name of Jesus.

Posted in Commands Of Jesus, Matthew, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, salvation | Leave a comment

Our Mission Is God’s Kingdom

Posted on July 15, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Mahamudul Hasan on Unsplash

(Mark 4:26-29 KJV) And HE SAID, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed INTO {epi, on} the ground; [27] And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. [28] For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. [29] But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

(Mark 4:30-34 KJV) And HE SAID, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? [31] [It is] like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: [32] But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. [33] And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear [it]. [34] But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

Those Who Are Saved Are Called To Be Like Jesus

When Adam was placed in the Garden East of Eden (Genesis 2:8), it was both a person and a place that were without sin. The Bible says that:

(Genesis 1:31 NKJV) Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed [it was] VERY GOOD…

Creation was literally heaven on earth. It was the Kingdom of God. The Bible says “out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that was pleasant to the sight and good for food” (Genesis 2:8-9). When the first Adam sinned and rejected the commandment of God, he brought spiritual death on both himself, his family, and on creation. Paul tells us:

(Romans 5:12 NKJV) … through ONE MAN SIN ENTERED THE WORLD, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because ALL SINNED–

Mankind died spiritually the day Adam sinned, and brought sin on creation itself. Everything went from being “very good” to “cursed”. God told Adam:

(Genesis 3:17-19 NKJV) Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “CURSED IS THE GROUND FOR YOUR SAKE; In toil you shall eat [of] it All the days of your life. [18] Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. [19] In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you [are], And to dust you shall return.”

What should have been Heaven on earth – the Kingdom of God – became the domain of sin and death. Whereas Adam and Eve were to rule the world for God, their fall to Satan gave him rule. The Apostle wrote:

(1 John 5:19 NKJV) We know that we are of God, and THE WHOLE WORLD LIES UNDER THE SWAY OF THE WICKED ONE.

From Adam until the coming of Christ people were:

Bondage to sin (John 8:34; Romans 6:16-20)
Spiritually blinded (1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
Subject to corruption (Romans 8:20-22)
Fear and Shame (Genesis 3:7-10)
Separated from God (Genesis 3:8-10, 23-24)
A sin nature (Psalm 51:5; Ephesians 2:3; Romans 3:23)
Under condemnation of God (Romans 5:16-18)

The first Adam destroyed the Kingdom of God on the earth. But God was not going to leave it at that. God the Father sent a Second Adam to correct what the first Adam did. The Second Adam is Jesus Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 15:45 the Apostle quotes the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures of

Genesis 2:7 (KJV) the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, AND MAN BECAME A LIVING SOUL

Paul writes (1 Corinthians 15:45-49 KJV) And so it is written, The FIRST MAN ADAM WAS MADE A LIVING SOUL; the LAST ADAM WAS MADE A QUICKENING SPIRIT. [46] Howbeit that [was] not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. [47] The first man [is] of the earth, earthy: the second man [is] the Lord from heaven. [48] As [is] the earthy, such [are] they also that are earthy: and as [is] the heavenly, such [are] they also that are heavenly. [49] And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

The first Adam, the Adam that sinned, is where humanity started. In the first Adam we have physical life, but are born separated from God and spiritually dead. But

The Second Adam, Jesus Christ our Lord, came to quicken us, to give us spiritual life. The Second Adam is the Lord from Heaven. We who believe in Him and who have received Him as Lord and Savior will BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY.

We who are saved are not to be like the first Adam, listening to the serpent, following the devilish desires. We who are saved are to be like the Second Adam. We are saved to be children of God. We are saved to be sons of God. Last Wednesday night God led us in our studies to:

(1 John 3:2-3 KJV) Beloved, NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see Him as He is. [3] And EVERY MAN THAT HAS THIS HOPE IN {Jesus} PURIFIETH HIMSELF, EVEN AS JESUS IS PURE.

Those who are saved are called to be like Jesus. We are to walk with Jesus daily, just as Adam walked with Jesus daily before he broke the Law of God. We are to walk in love with one another. We read this on Wednesday:

(1 John 3:10-12 KJV) In this the CHILDREN OF GOD ARE MANIFEST, and THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL: whosoever DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, NEITHER HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER. [11] For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER. [12] Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

A person says, “I am a Christian”. Fine. Are you DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS. I’m not asking what you’re NOT doing. The Pharisees were big on what they were NOT doing. “Teacher, I DON’T MURDER, I DON’T COMMIT ADULTERY, I DON’T STEAL, I DON’T CURSE GOD”. Well, that’s fine. We see what you’re not doing. But are you DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS? To DO RIGHTEOUSNESS means to DO what God says do. To DO RIGHTEOUSNESS means to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Are we doing righteousness? Are we following Jesus? Are we acting as sons of God?

Sons of God walk with God: (Romans 8:14 KJV) For as many as are LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD.

Sons of God shine for God: (Philippians 2:15 KJV) That ye may be blameless and harmless, THE SONS OF GOD, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom YE SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD

Sons of God walk in power: (John 1:12 KJV) But as many as received {Jesus}, to them gave He POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, [even] to them that believe on His name:

Adam Walked In A Perfect Kingdom And Gave The Kingdom To Satan. Christians Walk With The Second Adam, And Live To Glorify God Our Savior

When Jesus came to this earth, He knew what His mission was. He stayed focused on the mission. He never took His eyes off of what He had to do. Jesus came as the Second Adam to undo what the first Adam did. Jesus came to bring the Kingdom of God to this fallen world.

When I was in the Air Force, we knew what our mission was. We knew who the enemy was, and knew what we were supposed to do to defeat that enemy. Sadly, if you ask most Christians today “What is the mission of the Church?” or “What is YOUR mission?”, very few have a clue. That’s not Jesus’ fault. It is the fault of modern pastoring that focuses on noses and nickles. I don’t see any place where Jesus focused on crowds. He focused on planting the Word of God, sharing the Gospel message. We previously studied the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-9). In that Parable Jesus said:

Mark 4:14 (KJV) The sower SOWETH THE WORD

The seed that the sower sows is not the word of man, not the word of Satan, but the Word of God. Specifically it is the Word of God that emphasizes that which Jesus Christ has taught us. The whole point of the Parable of the Sower is that the Word of God is sown indiscriminately as you are going about your day. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus spoke of four grounds where the seed is sown – four types of hearts:

Mark 4:15 The heart possessed of Satan
Mark 4:16-17 The shallow “serve me” heart
Mark 4:18-19 The unrepentant heart

In each of those hearts, the Gospel does not lasting good. The person who hears the Word, hears it as the first Adam did, and does with it just as the first Adam did. But then you have the repentant, ready to receive heart:

(Mark 4:20 KJV) And these are they which are SOWN ON GOOD GROUND; such as HEAR THE WORD, and RECEIVE IT, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Those who are repentant, who are broken and ready to hear the Gospel of Jesus, receive the Word. We cannot make anyone receive the Word of God. We cannot coerce Christians. It doesn’t work. God must prepare the heart, but Beloved, we are to sow the seed, to tell others of Jesus, to let them see Jesus in us and in our actions. We are not responsible for growing or cultivating the seed. We merely sow.

(Mark 4:26-29 KJV) And HE SAID, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; [27] And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. [28] For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. [29] But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

Word Study: The Parable of the Sower is followed by the Parable of the Growing Seed. The Parable starts with “HE SAID”. This is the Greek word ἔλεγεν (elegen), which is the imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular form of λέγω (legō – to say, speak). The imperfect tense denotes continuous or ongoing action. Though translated as “HE SAID”, it is better translated as …

Jesus WENT ON TO SAY

Jesus wasn’t just rattling off these Parables about the Kingdom of God. He was preaching the mission of the Church, of HIS Church. He was telling us what He wants US as believers in Him to do.

Mark 4:26 …And {Jesus} KEPT SAYING, The Kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground

Jesus is following up the Parable of the Four Soils and the Sower with another Parable about a Sower – but this time the focus is on the SEED. The Sower is responsible for scattering the seed. That is his mission. So the Sower scatters the seed, then

(Mark 4:27 KJV) And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, HE KNOWETH NOT HOW.

The Sower does his mission. Then he goes home, and SLEEPS. He’s done his job. He can’t make the seed do anything, and he does not prepare the ground. The Sower trusts the process. When the Church at Corinth found fault with Paul, comparing him to other preachers who they considered better, Paul told them:

(1 Corinthians 3:4-9 LSB) For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not [mere] men? [5] What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? SERVANTS THROUGH WHOM YOU BELIEVED, even as the Lord gave to each one. [6] I planted, Apollos watered, but GOD CAUSES THE GROWTH. [7] So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but GOD WHO CAUSES THE GROWTH. [8] Now HE WHO PLANTS AND HE WHO WATERS ARE ONE, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. [9] For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

The Sower is to sow the seed, to share Jesus with others. But we need not toss and turn, for there is nothing we can do to make the seed grow. We do what we are to do, then we “SLEEP”. God works while the Sower is inactive. The miracle of life is beyond our power.

Why is one person saved when we share the Gospel, and another is not? Why does the seed grow differently in different people? Jesus said, “The Sower KNOWETH NOT HOW”. Spiritual growth is mysterious. Jesus told Nicodemus:

(John 3:8 LSB) The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but DO NOT KNOW where it comes from and where it is going; SO IS EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN BORN OF THE SPIRIT.

Billy Graham didn’t save people. God saves people. Billy just told them about Jesus. He stayed true to the Word of God. He trusted the process, and glorified Jesus. Billy stayed on track with his mission. Billy said:

“The Bible is the Word of God. It is not merely a book of history, a book of theology, or a collection of moral precepts. It is God’s message to the human heart. … The Bible is the compass that points us to the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Sower sows the seed, the Word of God. We share Jesus with those around us. Then we rest. We do not get discouraged.

(2 Thessalonians 3:13 KJV) But ye, brethren, BE NOT WEARY IN WELL DOING.

You cannot tell when the seed will sprout, nor even if it will sprout. But you are to sow.

(Mark 4:28-29 KJV) For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. [29] But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

God imparts life as we share the Word of God. We are to sow. The Gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). The seed of the Gospel is sown, and if the ground is good then there will be new birth, “not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Peter 1:23).

We are the sower. God is the Grower. He alone knows the time of harvest. We are to be faithful in sowing, not judging.

One commentary I found noted:

“Human ingenuity, emotional manipulation, man centered techniques, market-driven strategies, legislation, & coercion can’t create new life in the heart of a sinner. Regeneration is only by the Spirit of God (Ephesians 2:1–4; Titus 3:5). Though we’re called to faithfully proclaim the message, we can take no credit when someone responds in repentant faith (1 Corinthians 3:6–7). God’s kingdom work is ultimately His work & He’ll sovereignly bring it to pass. This doesn’t mean the sower abandons his work or is uninterested in what takes place. It means the seed must be allowed its appointed course, as the process of growth advances toward a harvest that’s coming. {We} cannot cause the seed to sprout & grow. We must leave that entirely to the One who created the seed, who knows it thoroughly, & activates it.”

Our Judgment Means Nothing. We Are Just To Be Faithful Sowers.

In the final Parable, the Parable of the Mustard Seed, Jesus tells us to stop making foolish judgments and JUST DO AS GOD SAID. When Adam began to make judgments apart from the Word of God, it wasn’t long before he destroyed Paradise and gave creation over to the Evil One. Sin reigns because Adam chose to judge God’s Word rather than to do it.

(Mark 4:30-32 KJV) And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? [31] [It is] like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is LESS THAN ALL THE SEEDS THAT BE IN THE EARTH: [32] But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

We often waste time making judgments, rather than just sowing the seed. The smallest seed can make the biggest change. The mustard seed is about the size of a grain of sand, the smallest of seeds that Jesus’ audience of that day knew of. If that seed is planted – small as it is – and it springs up, it will grow into a large, tree like shrub, sometimes 12 feet tall or higher.

Think about Jesus. He wasn’t born in a palace. He was born in a manger. He wasn’t born in Jerusalem. He was born in a tiny town called Nazareth. None of those whom Jesus called as Apostles was highly educated outside of Paul. All of the Apostles were broken, unknown and weak people.

After Jesus’ resurrection, only 120 people gathered in the upper room to pray until Pentecost. That’s a small church. But when those 120 did as Jesus told them to do, went out and shared the seed of the Gospel, they became 3000 souls added to the Church.

When we do what God tells us to do, the Kingdom of God grows. When we do not sow the seed, nothing happens. We sow the seed. We do what we can to glorify our King Jesus. We trust the process, and follow the Lord. We may not seed the harvest in our lifetime, but if we continue to sow the seed, the Kingdom will grow. Pastor R.C. Sproul wrote:

“We don’t know about the results of our lives & words. We have no idea how powerful a simple word can be. God can & does use the faithful living & witness of His Word, though we may never see the effect our words have. That’s the way the kingdom is. We often don’t know what God does with our service. We plant the seed, go to bed, and, while we sleep, God germinates the seed so that life grows & eventually produces a harvest. We need to forget about trying to see the fruit of our service immediately. It doesn’t matter if we ever see it in this life. We’re called to take the light & let it shine, then let God do with it whatever He pleases.”

For the glory of our Lord Jesus. Amen.

Posted in Mark Sermons, Parables of Jesus, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, First Adam, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, Jesus, King's Highway, Kingdom life, Kingdom Living, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Kingdom work, love God, salvation, Second Adam | Leave a comment

Jesus Commanded Follow Me

Posted on July 8, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

(John 12:20-26 KJV) And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: [21] The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired Him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. [22] Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. [23] And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. [24] Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. [25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. [26] If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will [my] Father honor.

The Great Commission Is About Believers Teaching Christ’s Commandments

Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, following His death, burial, and resurrection, He gave His Church a mission. We call it a “Great Commission”. Found in Matthew chapter 28, Jesus told those who believed in Him:

(Matthew 28:19-20 KJV) GO YE {poreuō} therefore, and TEACH ALL nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE {tēreō} ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU …

Word Study: Most English versions of the Bible translate the word poreuō as “Go”, making it sound like a direct command (as in “You will GO”). Technically, though, the word is best translated “As you go”. Jesus was not making “Go” optional, but was speaking to the Christians based on what we are supposed to be. Jesus said:

(John 4:14 LSB) … whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst–ever; but the WATER THAT I WILL GIVE HIM WILL BECOME IN HIM A WELL OF WATER springing up to eternal life.

And again in (John 7:38-39 LSB) HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME, as the Scripture said, ‘FROM HIS INNERMOST BEING WILL FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER .'” [39] But THIS HE SPOKE OF THE SPIRIT, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive…

The Christian – born again because we have obeyed the first commandment of Christ and have repented – is indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.

When we obey Jesus’ commandments, the Spirit of God empowers us. The Holy Spirit brings the Bible to our remembrance, teaching us about Jesus (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit empowers us to speak the Gospel to others (Mark 13:11). As we follow Him, power for living follows us.

Word Study: That’s what Jesus said. We are to teach others to “OBSERVE {tēreō} ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU”. The Greek tēreō means “to attend to carefully, to observe meticulously”. One of the commands that Jesus gave us is to follow Him.

Once Saved, The Key To Living Is Following Jesus

If we are to teach others the commands of Christ, we are to first learn the commands of Christ. And one of the commandments that Jesus repeated numerous times was “FOLLOW ME”. In today’s text we read:

(John 12:26 KJV) If any man SERVE Me, LET HIM FOLLOW ME; and WHERE I AM, THERE SHALL ALSO MY SERVANT BE: if any man serve Me, him will [My] Father honor.

1. Everyone serves someone or something. This is a fact of life. You can serve Jesus, or you can serve FEAR. The Christian should not fear. The Bible says,

Romans 8:15 …(AP) You (who are Christians) did not receive the SPIRIT OF SLAVERY TO FEAR, but you have RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION AS SONS, by Whom we cry, ABBA, FATHER!

Jesus came so that we might be freed from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). The Bible tells us that …

2 Timothy 1:7 God gave us a Spirit NOT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER, AND LOVE, AND SELF CONTROL

2. Everyone serves someone or something. This is a fact of life. You can serve Jesus, or you can serve SIN, which leads to destruction. The Bible says:

Romans 6:6, 20-22 (AP) (Christians), our old self was CRUCIFIED WITH JESUS IN ORDER THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE BROUGHT TO NOTHING, so that WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ENSLAVED TO SIN … NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN AND HAVE BECOME SERVANTS OF GOD the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life

and again in John 8:34-35 … everyone who practices SIN IS A SERVANT TO SIN … IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED

3. Everyone serves someone or something. This is a fact of life. You can serve Jesus, or you can serve SATAN, which leads to misery. Jesus told the Pharisees “you are of your Father, THE DEVIL, and you will is to DO YOUR FATHER’S DESIRES” (John 8:44). Those who are saved by following Jesus …

2 Timothy 2:26 … COME TO THEIR SENSES AND ESCAPE THE SNARE OF THE DEVIL, after BEING CAPTURED BY HIM TO DO HIS WILL

When you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior and follow Him, it is His desire to use you to free others from enslavement to lesser, evil and debilitating things. Jesus says …

(Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17) “FOLLOW ME, and I will make you fishers of men”

Following Jesus is so very important for your spiritual health. Jesus is to be FIRST, not last. Jesus is to be honored before all other commitments.

The Bible tells us that there was one who followed Jesus who had an aging father that he was watching over. He wanted an exemption to following Jesus, saying:

(Matthew 8:21-22 ESV) Lord, LET ME FIRST GO AND BURY MY FATHER. [22] And Jesus said to him, “FOLLOW ME, AND LEAVE THE DEAD TO BURY THEIR OWN DEAD.”

“I’ll follow Jesus once daddy is gone”. That’s what he’s telling the Lord. But Jesus made the statement,

“FOLLOW ME, AND LEAVE THE DEAD TO BURY THEIR OWN DEAD.”

Who are “THE DEAD” that Jesus refers to? It is those who have not been saved by Jesus. It is those who have never been born again. It is those who are, as the Bible describes the unsaved person,

Ephesians 2:1 DEAD in trespasses and in sins

Jesus wasn’t saying this man couldn’t bury his father when the time came. I believe the sense of what Jesus was saying is – if I can carefully examine His word:

“Following Me takes precedent over everything else in your life. Those who are spiritually dead follow other things. But those who are spiritually alive, the Children of God by faith in Me, they put following Me first above all”.

Following the Commandments of God is great. Jesus told the rich young ruler who wanted eternal life:

(Matthew 19:17 NKJV) … if you want to enter into life, KEEP (tēreō) THE COMMANDMENTS .

Word Study: There’s that word tēreō again that we saw in the Great Commission. The Lord wanted the young man to carefully observe the Ten Commandments. When the young man said “I have done these things from my youth. What do I lack?”, Jesus told him:

(Matthew 19:21 NKJV) If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and COME, FOLLOW ME.

Following the Ten Commandments is wonderful. But the Commandment to follow Jesus cannot be neglected. Put away all your golden calves and follow Him.

Sons of God follow THE Son of God. Sheep follow their Shepherd. Jesus told the Pharisees:

(John 10:27–28 NKJV) “MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, and I know them, and THEY FOLLOW ME. [28] And I GIVE TO THEM ETERNAL LIFE, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Jesus Christ is the Great Shepherd, the Author and Finisher of salvation. If you believe in Him, you follow Him. You will not follow perfectly, but you want to be near Jesus. In Him you are promised ETERNAL LIFE. Following Jesus is is what sheep do! The reason that we are saved is that Jesus laid down His life for His sheep. As the Good Shepherd He “LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS SHEEP” (John 10:11). Jesus’ death was on purpose, for us. He intentionally died on that Cross, bearing our sins on Himself. The Prophet Isaiah foretold of Christ:

(Isaiah 53:4-6 LSB) Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But HE WAS PIERCED THROUGH FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; The chastening for our peace [fell] upon Him, And BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED. [6] All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But YAHWEH HAS CAUSED THE INIQUITY OF US ALL TO FALL ON HIM.

Jesus surrendered His life to us. We only benefit when we surrender our lives to Him.

There Is No Spiritual Blessing Without Surrender

John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a CORN (kokkos, a grain, a seed) of wheat fall into the ground and die, IT ABIDETH ALONE: but IF IT DIE, IT BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT.

When Jesus spoke, His teachings contained deep spiritual meaning. If a “GRAIN OF WHEAT”, a seed from the head of the plant, refuses to “FALL INTO THE GROUND AND DIE”, then it just remains a seed. It will never bear fruit. Jesus uses the verses that come before this statement and after this statement to apply it.

Before this statement some Greeks came to worship at the Feast of the Passover. When these Greeks came to the disciples, the told Philip:

John 12:21 “Sir, WE WOULD SEE JESUS”

Why did these Greeks want to speak to Jesus? Why were they worshiping at the Feast of the Passover? Philip tells Andrew, and both go to Jesus. Our Lord tells them:

(John 12:23 KJV) … The hour is come, that THE SON OF MAN SHOULD BE GLORIFIED.

Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled Himself. He could have maintained His place in the Trinity. He could have rejected the Cross, and held His place in the Heavens. But Jesus, like a seed of corn, encouraged Iscariot to betray Him. He set what would eventually be His crucifixion and death into motion. The Bible says that:

Hebrews 12:2 Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is glorified because He laid His life down for us. He was “DESPISED AND REJECTED, A MAN OF SORROWS, ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus laid His life down for us.

The grain of wheat was cast into the ground.

Nailed to the Cross, His suffering as He hung between earth and sky was recorded by the Psalmist:

(Psalm 22:1-2, 6-8 NKJV) My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? [Why are You so] far from helping Me, [And from] the words of My groaning? [2] O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. … [6] But I [am] a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. [7] All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, [saying], [8] “He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

Every bit of this is prophetic, as to what happened with our Lord Jesus. He could have avoided the Cross. He could have rejected that horrid death. But Jesus did not. He gave His life for us. He made a way where there was no way, to the glory of God Almighty. Jesus would go to the Cross, not just for Israel, but for the whole world. The Greeks sought out Jesus because God was already opening the door to whosoever will.

Jesus surrendered His life to bring “MANY SONS UNTO GLORY”. He died for you. He died for me. We are told in:

(Hebrews 2:9-11 NKJV) But WE SEE JESUS, who was made a little lower than the angels, FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH CROWNED WITH GLORY and honor, that He, by the grace of God, MIGHT TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE. [10] For it was fitting for Him, for whom [are] all things and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. [11] For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified [are] all of one, for which reason HE IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM BRETHREN,

Jesus Christ died for us. He released Himself as a grain of wheat, being planted in the likeness of death for our salvation.

As Jesus Surrendered His Life For Our Good, We Who Are Saved Surrender Our Lives To Him

(John 12:25 KJV) … He that LOVETH HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT; and he that HATETH HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD SHALL KEEP IT UNTO LIFE ETERNAL.

Jesus did not love His life, but seemingly hated it so that He might bring us to salvation. But if we would be saved, “we must LOSE OUR LIVES”. Not save them, but lose them. Jesus gave everything for us. To be saved, we give everything to Jesus.

You can love your life the way it is – and one day you will lose your life. The life you have will not get you into the Presence of God. You are born into this world spiritually dead. Only God, through your surrender to the Cross of Christ, can make you spiritually alive.

(John 12:44-46 KJV) Jesus cried and said, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME, BELIEVETH NOT ON ME, BUT ON HIM THAT SENT ME. [45] And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent me. [46] I AM COME A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD, that WHOSOEVER BELIETH ON ME SHOULD NOT ABIDE IN DARKNESS.

The lost soul refuses to surrender themselves to Jesus. They cling to their current lives, and will in the end lose the life that God has meant for them. Eternal life. Glorious life. Life with Jesus both now and into eternity.

We would have never had salvation had Jesus clung to His life, and rejected the Cross. And we cannot have salvation if we cling to our godless lives while rejecting the Cross. If you want eternal life – life with Jesus – you must follow Jesus.

As He surrendered His life for you,
You must surrender your life for Him.
As He was shunned and misunderstood for you,
You must be willing to be shunned and misunderstood for Him.
And He died on that Cross and was raised from the dead,
We die on that Cross, allowing God to raise us to new life.

Are you born again? Is Jesus your Shepherd, your Guide? If not, today is the day to receive Him as Lord and Savior.

Posted in Commands Of Jesus, Matthew, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, Follow Me, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, salvation | Leave a comment

God The Trinity

Posted on July 3, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by The New York Public Library on Unsplash

Let’s Start By Discussing The Trinity Of God

According to the Holy Bible, there is only one God, one Creator of all. The God of the Christian is both ONE and THREE. The Apostle wrote:

(1 Corinthians 8:5-6 NKJV) For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), [6] yet for us THERE IS ONE GOD, THE FATHER, OF {preposition ek} WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, and we for Him; and ONE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THROUGH {preposition dia} WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, and THROUGH WHOM WE LIVE.

Word Study: God the Father is the PLANNER and DIRECTOR of the Godhead. The Apostle emphasizes this with the phrase “OF {preposition ek} WHOM ARE ALL THINGS”. The preposition¹ ek used with God the Father shows that the Father is the Source, the First Cause of all things. We have life because the Father planned it, and ordered its execution.

Word Study: God the Son is the AGENT or CHANNEL of creation. The Apostle emphasizes this with the phrase “THROUGH {preposition dia} WHOM ARE ALL THINGS”. Though the Father planned and authorized creation, this plan went through Jesus Christ, the Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24), Who intercedes for us with the Father (Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1). The Apostle explained His relationship in the Trinity in the text:

(Colossians 1:16 KJV) For BY {Preposition en} Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created BY {Preposition dia} Him, and FOR {Preposition eis} Him:

A simple way to understand the difference in roles between God the Father and God the Son is that the Father is the PLANNER and SENDER. The Son ACCOMPLISHES the plan FOR GOD’S GLORY.

God the Holy Spirit MOVES on God’s creation. We see the Spirit of God moving across creation in the beginning:

(Genesis 1:1-2 KJV) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And THE SPIRIT OF GOD MOVED upon the face of the waters.

In Creation, God the Father is its Source, its Planner. God the Son is the Mediator, the Agent of Creation. The Holy Spirit as the Third Person of the Trinity moves, applies God’s Will, empowers, teaches and comforts those who love Jesus. The Holy Spirit is a PERSON, not a POWER. These are the texts where Jesus taught us of the Holy Spirit:

(John 14:26 ESV) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, He will TEACH YOU all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

It is the Holy Spirit Who comes to and helps the believer in Christ. The Father SENDS the Spirit, as the Father is the SOURCE and PLANNER. The Spirit comes and TEACHES US THE WORD OF CHRIST.

(John 15:26 ESV) But when the Helper comes, WHOM I WILL SEND TO YOU FROM THE FATHER, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

You cannot receive the Holy Spirit unless Jesus Christ knows who you are. Jesus must request the Father to send the Spirit. If you are not a true believer in Christ Jesus, you will not receive the Holy Spirit.

(John 16:13-14 ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, He will GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. [14] HE WILL GLORIFY ME, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

As Jesus Christ is our Mediator, our go between with God the Father, the Holy Spirit is the Mediator through Whom Jesus addresses us. The most abused Member of the Godhead is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is ignored. The Holy Spirit is misunderstood, for many call Him “IT”, like He is a light bulb or electricity. He is not. The Holy Spirit is often mimicked by people.

Do you know how to tell if the Holy Spirit is active? He always glorifies Jesus. He always teaches the truths of God’s Word.

In Acts 5:3-4 Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit, and died because of it. The Apostles told Ananias, “You have lied to GOD”. In Acts 8:29 the Holy Spirit speaks to Philip, telling him to witness to the Ethiopian Eunuch. In Acts 13:2 the Holy Spirit told the Apostles to send Paul and Barnabas out as missionaries. In Acts 16:6-7 the Holy Spirit told Paul and Barnabas to avoid preaching in Asia. In Romans 8:26-27 the Holy Spirit prays for the believer. And in

(Ephesians 4:30 ESV) And do not GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

It is the Trinity of God that makes Christianity unique. Both Judaism as well as Islam reject the concept of the Trinity. These faiths teach that God is strictly ONE. Judaism quotes what they call The Shema, recited by Jews twice a day:

(Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ESV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD IS ONE. [5] You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

The reason that the Pharisees immediately rejected Jesus as the Christ is because He said:

John 10:30 I and the Father ARE ONE

When He said this, the Pharisees “picked up stones to stone (execute) Him”. When Jesus asked them why they wanted to kill Him, the Pharisees said:

(John 10:33 ESV) … because you, being a man, make yourself God.

The concept of the Trinity is not revealed very much in the Old Testament under the Old Covenant. In the Old Testament (which is the Old Covenant) you see hints of the Trinity. When God went to make humans, we read:

(Genesis 1:26 KJV) … And GOD (ĕlōhîm) said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness: and let them have dominion …

Word Study: The word translated “GOD” is a Common Masculine PLURAL Absolute Noun in the Hebrew, the word ĕlōhîm. The Pharisees explain away this verse by saying:

“God addresses Himself to the angels and says to them, “Let us make man in our image.” It is not that He invites their help, but as a matter of modesty and courtesy, God associates them with the creation of man.”

Sadly, this is supposition, not a clear reading of the text. Elohim said He would make man in “OUR IMAGE, AFTER OUR LIKENESS”. In the very next verse we are told:

(Genesis 1:27 KJV) So God {ĕlōhîm} created man in HIS OWN IMAGE, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

The Triune God Who spoke of Himself as US in verse 26 says that HE created man in “HIS OWN IMAGE”. We go from plural language to singular language referencing God (ĕlōhîm). It is clear that God is both SINGULAR (Unified) as well as PLURAL (more than One Person).

We see this type of thing at the Tower of Babel. God had commanded mankind to “multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:22), but sinful man following the Noahic Flood decided to rebel against God and stay in Babel. When they started their rebellion, the Bible tells us

(Genesis 11:6-8 KJV) And the LORD said, Behold, the people [is] one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. [7] Go to, LET US GO DOWN, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. [8] SO THE LORD SCATTERED THEM ABROAD from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

Yahweh – the Godhead – saw what people were doing. So Yahweh intervened, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, for the sake of mankind.

One of the clearest examples of the Trinity of God is found in Isaiah 48:12-16. In this text God speaks to Israel:

(Isaiah 48:12-13 KJV) Hearken unto Me, O Jacob and Israel, MY CALLED; I AM HE; I AM THE FIRST, I ALSO AM THE LAST. [13] MINE HAND LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, and MY RIGHT HAND HATH SPANNED THE HEAVENS: [when] I call unto them, they stand up together.

God gives us an indication in this text which Member of the Godhead is speaking. It is clearly God, for He “LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH” and His “RIGHT HAND HATH SPANNED THE HEAVENS”. But is this Father, Son, or Spirit? When God spoke to His people, He said “I AM HE”. Jesus applied this title of God to Himself. Jesus told the Pharisees when He spoke in the Temple Treasury:

(John 8:21, 23-24 KJV) Then said Jesus again unto them, I go My way, and YE SHALL SEEK ME, and SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS: whither I go, ye cannot come. … [23] And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I AM FROM ABOVE: ye are of this world; I AM NOT OF THIS WORLD. [24] I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for IF YE BELIEVE NOT THAT I AM HE, YE SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS.

Jesus Christ is the I AM HE speaking to Israel in Isaiah 48:12. The One speaking also says, “I AM THE FIRST, I ALSO AM THE LAST”. Our Lord Jesus used this same phrase for Himself when He told John the Revelator:

(Revelation 1:17-18 ESV) When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, “FEAR NOT, I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST, [18] and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

And again in

(Revelation 22:13, 16 ESV) I am the Alpha and the Omega, THE FIRST AND THE LAST, the beginning and the end.” … [16] I, JESUS, have sent My angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.

This is Jesus Christ speaking in Isaiah 48! It is Jesus Who says of His Israel:

(Isaiah 48:15-16 KJV) I, [even] I, have spoken; yea, I have called him (Israel): I have brought him (Israel), and he shall make his way prosperous (Jesus watches over Israel). [16] Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there [am] I: and NOW THE LORD GOD, and HIS SPIRIT, HATH SENT ME.

The One speaking in Isaiah is clearly God. The One speaking says that He called and watches over Israel. The One speaking then says that “THE LORD GOD, and HIS SPIRIT, HATH SENT ME”. There are numerous places in the New Testament where Jesus declares that The Father sent Him (John 3:17, John 4:34, John 6:38, and John 8:42). Isaiah 48 gives us a very clear picture of the Trinity of God.

The Trinity Is What Makes Christian Salvation Unique

The Father is the SOURCE, the Son is the AGENT, and the Holy Spirit the one Who MOVES and INSTRUCTS. Bringing this into salvation, the Scripture teaches us that:

The Father PLANNED our salvation.

(Ephesians 1:4-6 ESV) even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love [5] He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIS WILL, [6] to the praise of His glorious grace, with which HE HAS BLESSED US IN THE BELOVED.

(2 Timothy 1:8-9 ESV) Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, [9] WHO SAVED US and CALLED US TO A HOLY CALLING, not because of our works but BECAUSE OF HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE, which HE GAVE US IN CHRIST JESUS before the ages began..

The Son AUTHORED our salvation, dying for our sins.

(Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares [us], and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, [2] LOOKING UNTO JESUS, the AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus as God Incarnate and Perfect Man was able to go to Calvary for us, giving His life for ours. If Jesus were a man like us, He would be a sinner like us (Romans 3:23), and not the “Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)

The Holy Spirit APPLIES our salvation to us. He causes us to be “born again”(John 3:5). He causes the washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5). He seals and indwells us (Ephesians 1:13).

This is why when the Christian is saved Jesus directed that they be baptized in water:

Matthew 28:19 In the name OF THE FATHER, and OF THE SON, and OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The work of our redemption is carried out by the Triune God. We are told in

Ephesians 2:18 (KJV) For through Him [the Son] we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

A proper understanding of the Trinity helps the Christian to grow in their faith. I have heard preachers pray, saying things like

Jesus our Father, help us …

Jesus did say “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:9). But Jesus did not mean He was the Father.

Jesus prayed to the Father (John 17; John 11:41-42; Matthew 26:39; Luke 23:34, 46).

Jesus instructed us to pray to the Father (Matthew 6:9).

Jesus was sent by the Father (John 8:42; John 3:17, John 4:34, John 6:38, John 17:3). Though Jesus and the Father are One in nature, they are two Persons.

When Jesus did miracles, He did so through the movement of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28; Luke 4:14; Acts 10:38). The Holy Spirit led and empowered Jesus to do that which He did while on this earth (Matthew 4:1; Romans 8:11; Luke 4:1).

How does this effect how we live out our Christian lives? First, we are saved by repenting, and believing on the Name of the Lord Jesus. Peter preached:

(Acts 2:38 NKJV) Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS; and you shall RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

We are saved by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. We are empowered by relying on the Holy Spirit of God. And when we pray, we pray to the Father.

May God touch your hearts. May the Holy Spirit guide you into understanding the wonderful God we serve. Amen.

1Webster’s states “A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence, often showing place, time, direction, or manner. Examples include in, on, at, to, from, with, and under.”

Posted in Sermons Preached, topical | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

The First Command Of Jesus Is REPENT

Posted on July 3, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Honney Artkongharn on Unsplash

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Salvation Begins With REPENT

In our text today we’re going to look at Jesus’ first public sermon, His first command to us all. This public proclamation is found not just here, but in

(Mark 1:14-15 KJV) … Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, [15] And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.

Illustrative Opening: “REPENT”. You don’t hear this word much in modern preaching. By magic of the Internet I heard the late Pastor John MacArthur tell about a road trip he took one time. As he was driving, he saw a small sign that said “Handmade Quilts for sale, next home on the right”. John said, “My wife loves handmade quilts, so I decided to stop and see if I could buy her one”. Pulling into the driveway, he went up to the house, rang the door bell, and a woman came to the door. He explained he was interested in her handmade quilts. Inviting John in, the woman went in the back and – according to him – “Brought out the ugliest quilt I’ve ever seen”. He said, “The woman began to explain that this quilt was her pride and joy, years in the making. Every significant event in her life she saved a scrap of cloth, and sewed it into this quilt. And she was proud of it. What could I say? It’s like someone showing you an ugly baby. What can you say but, ‘Well, that’s a baby!’”. John told her that he’d like to look at another quilt, that this particular quilt “was the wrong color”. The lady responded, “Why, it’s EVERY color!” But she brought out another quilt, and he did end up buying that one.

But this wasn’t the end of the story. The woman’s husband was sitting nearby while this was going on, and all around him were religious books. Some were Mormon, others Jehovah’s Witnesses, several from Prosperity Preachers, then books from the Unity Network along with Universal Unitarianism and Billy Graham. John looked at the man and said, “You have quite a collection of books there”. The man replied, “Yes, and there’s GOOD IN ALL OF IT”.

This is the lie that modern Americanized Christianity would have us believe, that “There’s GOOD IN ALL OF IT”. Religious people take bits and pieces from here and there, sew them together into a crazy quilt, and then show it off, saying “Isn’t that beautiful?”. No, it’s not. When God looks at the crazy quilt of religion that many of us have sewn together, He isn’t impressed. What God says to us is not as diplomatic as John MacArthur was with this woman. God the Son says:

REPENT: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
…. BELIEVE the Gospel.

What Does It Mean To “Repent”?

Matthew 4:17 FROM THAT TIME Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT

Word Study: The word translated “REPENT” is the Greek (μετανοέω, metanoeō). The word is a verb, and it has two parts, meta and noeō. The word noeō refers to the mind, whereas meta means to move or change. To “REPENT” is to allow yourself to experience a change of your mind’s perceptions and purposes. Our focal text starts out with:

FROM THAT TIME

If we want to understand what repentance is, these three words tell us to look at our context – at the things that happened BEFORE Jesus started preaching repentance. If we look at the context we’ll know what Jesus meant by “REPENT”.

1 REPENT means to LET GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT LEAD YOU.

Matthew 4:1 … Jesus was LED OF THE SPIRIT into the wilderness to be TEMPTED OF THE DEVIL …

Jesus, though God the Son (Hebrews 1:8; Titus 2:13), surrendered to the leading of the Holy Spirit. God followed God. Though Jesus was no sinner (for in Him was no sin (1 Peter 2:22)), He followed the will of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. This is imperative for us who are sinners, who are not Christ. Every person born into this world outside of Christ are sinners.

Romans 3:23 ALL HAVE SINNED, and FALL SHORT of the glory of God

We are born into this world sinners. We are born into this world blind to God, but focused on ourselves.

(Ecclesiastes 7:20 LSB) Indeed, there is NOT A RIGHTEOUS MAN on earth WHO CONTINUALLY DOES GOOD AND WHO NEVER SINS.

The Apostle quoted and summarized Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3 when he wrote:

(Romans 3:10-12 LSB) as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; [11] THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; [12] ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME WORTHLESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”

We are born into this world fallen creatures, separated from God by our enslavement to sin and self. When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, our Lord told this holy man:

(John 3:3, 5-7 LSB) … Truly, truly, I say to you, UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN he cannot see the kingdom of God.” … [5] Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, UNLESS ONE IS BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. [6] “That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT. [7] “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Repentance is not something we can do for ourselves. God must open our eyes to our need for the Savior. But once He does so by His Spirit, we REPENT when we surrender to Him, when we give ourselves to Him.

When the Apostles (who were Jewish) saw the Gentiles receiving the Gospel, the Bible says:

(Acts 11:18 LSB) {they} glorified God, saying, “Well then, GOD HAS GRANTED TO THE GENTILES THE REPENTANCE [that leads] to life.

It is “God Who brings His people to REPENTANCE and forgives their sins” (Acts 5:31). The Apostle Paul told his student Timothy that when he was preaching:

(2 Timothy 2:23-26 LSB) But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. [24] And the Lord’s slave must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, [25] with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps GOD MAY GIVE THEM REPENTANCE leading to the full knowledge of the truth, [26] and THEY MAY COME TO THEIR SENSES [and escape] from the snare of the devil, HAVING BEEN HELD CAPTIVE BY HIM to do his will.

God must open the eyes of our hearts. He must awaken us to our need. When He does, we respond to His call and follow Him. This is repentance.

“REPENT” Means To Let God’s Scripture Lead You – Not Your Heart

God’s Word reflects God’s Will for our lives. While Jesus was in the wilderness, the devil repeatedly tempted Him to “follow your heart”.

“Follow your heart” is what the devil told Jesus in the wilderness THEN, and what the devil tells us TODAY.

Jesus was hungry, having been 40 days without food. The devil says:

Matthew 4:3 … If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Now it’s certain that Jesus could easily have turned stones to bread. Jesus turned water to wine (John 2:1-11). Sure, He could do this. But just because He CAN do it, SHOULD HE do it? When tempted, Jesus went to the Scripture. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, saying:

Matthew 4:4 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Those who have repented follow God’s Word. They refer to the Scripture, and live their lives by it’s teaching. Each time Jesus was tempted by Satan, He responded with “It is written”. The repentant follow God’s Word.

Then the devil appealed to Jesus’ pride. He took Jesus to Jerusalem, and put our Lord on the highest point of the Temple. The devil told Jesus:

(Matthew 4:6 KJV) If thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for IT IS WRITTEN, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Since Jesus referred to Scripture, Satan referred to Scripture. He quoted Psalm 91:11-12, twisting scripture to try and get Jesus to obey his evil desire. But Jesus refused, saying:

(Matthew 4:7 KJV) Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Those who have repented honor God in their lives. They don’t twist the Scripture so as to gain, but seek the glory of God in all they do. In the end, Satan told Jesus

“All the earth I will give You if You fall down
and worship me” Matthew 4:9

Those who have repented do not worship themselves, nor this world. They seek to worship and glorify God.

REPENT Will Cause You To LIVE YOUR OUTWARD LIFE PLEASING TO GOD

Matthew 4:12 Now when Jesus had heard that JOHN WAS CAST INTO PRISON, he departed into Galilee

Jesus was not the first Preacher of Repentance in the New Testament. The first Preacher of Repentance was John the Baptist. Outside of Jesus, there was no greater Preacher than John. How do I know? Because Jesus said “Among those born of women there has not anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11). It was prophesied by

Isaiah 40:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight (see also Luke 3:4-6)

John the Baptist was the Preacher who paved the way for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Jesus was able to better preach REPENTANCE because John was the FIRST PREACHER of REPENTANCE.

When crowds came out to be baptized by John, he told them was the fruit of repentance is. Repentance brings about an inward change that is shown in outward fruit. Think of a fruit tree.

A PEAR tree inwardly makes PEARS outwardly.
An APPLE tree inwardly makes APPLES outwardly.
A GRAPE VINE inwardly makes GRAPES outwardly
The fruit tree that will not bear fruit is CUT DOWN.

John told the crowds:

(Luke 3:7-9 LSB) So {John} was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [8] “Therefore BEAR FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. [9] “But indeed the AX IS ALREADY LAID AT THE ROOT OF THE TREES; therefore, EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT BEAR GOOD FRUIT is cut down and thrown into the fire.

As John preached “REPENT”, the crowd asked “What should WE DO?” John replied:

(Luke 3:11 LSB) The man who has two tunics is to SHARE WITH HIM WHO HAS NONE; and he who has food is to do likewise.

If you have repented, if you are following Jesus, you should not be heartless nor stingy. You will not hoard that which God has given you, but will share with others. Jesus illustrated this with the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. In Matthew chapter 25 Jesus was explaining the Kingdom of Heaven. Then Jesus explained His return to this earth, when He will rule and reign during the Millennial Kingdom. Jesus said:

(Matthew 25:32-33 KJV) And before Him (Jesus) shall be gathered all nations: and HE SHALL SEPARATE THEM ONE FROM ANOTHER, as a Shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: [33] And HE SHALL SET THE SHEEP ON HIS RIGHT HAND, but THE GOATS ON THE LEFT.

Now, how will Jesus determine the “sheep” from the “goats”? Jesus tells the “sheep”:

(Matthew 25:34-40 KJV) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: [35] For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: [36] Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. [37] Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed [Thee]? or thirsty, and gave [Thee] drink? [38] When saw we Thee a stranger, and took [Thee] in? or naked, and clothed [Thee]? [39] Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? [40] And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, INASMUCH AS YOU HAVE DONE IT UNTO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME.

Those who are sheep are loving to those in need. Their outward fruit is beneficial. They are not greedy, but they live as children of God, doing good even to the enemy for Christ’s sake. But then, what of the goats? How does Jesus determine the goats?

The GOATS look like children of God, but the fruit of their life is selfishness. They ignored those in need, and hoarded what they had.

Jesus puts the goats on His left side, and says:

(Matthew 25:41-45 KJV) Then shall {Jesus} say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: [42] For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: [43] I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not. [44] Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? [45] Then shall he answer them, saying, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, INASMUCH AS YE DID IT NOT TO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YE DID IT NOT TO ME.

Illustrate: Those who are repentant bring forth good fruit, fruit that honors the Lord Jesus Christ. I’ve been reading Henry and Richard Blackaby’s book, Developing A Christ Centered Church. Henry, his wife Marilyn and their son Richard visited what he called “a famous Church in our denomination. It boasted a large congregation that was steeped in history and great preaching. The Church had participated in our mission work in Canada”. Blackaby was invited to speak that day, and wrote:

“Marilyn and Richard found a pew near the front so I could join them when I finished. Suddenly, an older woman approached Marilynn. My wife thought, ‘The people at this Church are so friendly! Here comes someone to welcome us’. Then the woman, noticeably irritated, shared that she had sat in that very spot for twenty eight years! She clearly intended for my wife and son to vacate her pew of choice. … {My wife} smiled warmly at the woman and declared, ‘Well, I can certainly see why you sit here; it has a wonderful view! The woman grumbled and noisily found a seat one pew back. … When the Pastor introduced me … asking Marilyn and Richard to stand … the displaced woman gasped when she realized she tried to expel her Pastor’s guests!”

When Blackaby left that Church, he prayed:

“Lord, it doesn’t matter how large our Church grows or how many mission Churches we start if our people don’t reflect your character!”

When we repent and turn our lives over to the Holy Spirit, He not only saves us, but we become

(Ephesians 2:10 ESV) … His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We’re not done with John’s definition of “REPENT”. When the:

(Luke 3:12 LSB)… TAX COLLECTORS also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?”

Tax collectors were hated by the Jews because they often added additional fees to what they collected, then pocketed the fees. John didn’t tell them to stop being tax collectors. He said:

(Luke 3:13 LSB) Collect NO MORE THAN YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO.

Those who have repented, and belong to the Kingdom of God, are to do their jobs honestly. You should not be stealing from the company. And John told the soldiers who sought baptism:

(Luke 3:14 LSB) Do not take MONEY FROM ANYONE BY FORCE, or EXTORT [anyone], and BE CONTENT with your wages.

If your faith does not show in your secular life, then your faith does not honor God. True repentance surrenders the life to God. True repentance brings about a genuine, God given change that shows in how you live your life.

Jesus Came To Lead Us To Repentance

As Jesus preached:

(Matthew 4:17 KJV) Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

He called sinners to come to Him. Jesus said “I have not come to call the righteous, BUT SINNERS TO REPENTANCE” (Luke 5:32). Pastor John Piper wrote:

“Repenting means experiencing a change of mind so that we can see God as true and beautiful and worthy of all our praise and all our obedience. This change of mind also embraces Jesus in the same way. We know this because Jesus said, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God” (John 8:42). Seeing God with a new mind includes seeing Jesus with a new mind.”

When Jesus began to preach “REPENT”, He did so from Capernaum. This was a fulfillment of

(Isaiah 9:2-4 LSB) The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in the land of the shadow of death, The light will shine on them. [3] You shall multiply the nation, You shall make great their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. [4] For You shall shatter the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their taskmaster, as at the battle of Midian.

The monster that holds America in its grip today is darkness, it is sin. Sin has enslaved us as a nation. No political party can fix us. We need to hear the Voice of Jesus, Who said “Unless YOU REPENT, you will ALL LIKEWISE PERISH” (Luke 13:5). We are all born broken. We must all be born again. That only comes when we repent, and come to Jesus as Lord and Savior. If we will not repent and follow Jesus, His message is simple:

Woe to you (Matthew 11:21)

Our Lord Jesus suffered on the Cross of Calvary, and on the third day rose from the Grave so that …

Luke 24:47 REPENTANCE and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem

Repent! He is walking through this room today, just as He walked by the Sea of Galilee. Jesus says “Repent. Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men ” (Matthew 4:19). To repent is to follow Jesus. Will you follow Him today?

Posted in Commands Of Jesus, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, christianity, Commandments, Faith, Following Christ, God Is Faithful, Jesus, obey, obey God, obeying God, salvation, the sane obey God, the saved obey God | Leave a comment

The Beautiful Command Of Christ

Posted on June 26, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Rusty Watson on Unsplash

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

The Great Invitation? Or The Great Command?

Word Study: Jesus said “Come unto Me”. Some have declared that this section of Scripture is the Great Invitation. But that’s not what Jesus said. Jesus was speaking to a crowd of people when He uttered these words. The word “Come” is the Greek plural adverb δεῦτε (deute) used as an IMPERATIVE. The Imperative makes a command, not a suggestion. The plural means it is addressed to a group of people, not just one. As Jesus says it, it has the force of:

You All (or Ya’ll) Come Here Right Now!

When Jesus stood in front of His friend Lazarus’ tomb He used the singular form of this word: “Lazarus, Come Here {δεῦρο (deuro)}!” When Jesus speaks and people respond, the dead are raised, the leper healed, the blind given sight, and the deaf can hear. When Jesus walked this earth, He quoted the Bible, and gave 50 specific commands to those who would listen. Jesus told His disciples:

(John 14:15, 21 LSB) IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. … [21] HE WHO HAS MY COMMANDMENTS AND KEEPS THEM IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.

The one who loves Jesus will keep His commandments. The one who loves Jesus will realize that His commandments are given because He loves us, and wants the best for us. When we neglect His commandments, we do so at our peril. Before Jesus uttered this command, He spoke on the dangers of worldly peer pressure.

Neglecting Jesus As Lord Leads To Destruction

Matthew 11:16-19 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED OF HER CHILDREN.

One of the most divisive things in our world today is the misuse of social media. People do silly things on social media hoping to get a large following, hoping to “go viral”. They are not doing this to glorify God nor to bless our society. They are doing this to inflate their own ego.

Don’t this sound like social media. “Dance to our music. Agree with our assessment. We mourned, but you wouldn’t mourn. We celebrated, and you refused to celebrate with us”. Where is God in it? Where is Jesus Christ in it? He isn’t there.

John the Baptist “went viral” following God. Thousands flocked to hear him preach the coming of the Messiah. Many saw John baptize Jesus. Yet there were many more unbelievers who rejected Jesus as Messiah. They rejected the messenger, saying “John is demon possessed. He’s crazy. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about”.

And Jesus. Jesus can’t be the Messiah, because He eats with tax collectors and prostitutes. They said “Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.”. But Jesus said:

WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED OF HER CHILDREN

Those who hear the Word of God and live as children of that Word will always be proved right in the end. You may not have many “followers”. But if you love Jesus and do as He says, you will be blessed of God.

People mocked Jesus when He walked the earth, just as people minimized the God of the Scripture and killed His prophets. Why did nations cease to exist? Why are cultures erased from history? Why do people groups vanish?

The Pathway To Destruction Is When Peoples
Will Not Repent And Come To Jesus

Matthew 11:20-24 Then began {Jesus} to UPBRAID {oneidizō, reproach or revile} THE CITIES WHEREIN MOST OF HIS MIGHTY WORKS WERE DONE, BECAUSE THEY REPENTED NOT: 21 Woe unto thee, CHORAZIN! woe unto thee, BETHSAIDA! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in TYRE AND SIDON, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say unto you, It shall be MORE TOLERABLE for TYRE and SIDON AT THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, THAN FOR YOU. 23 And thou, CAPERNAUM, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in SODOM, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say unto you, That it shall be MORE TOLERABLE FOR THE LAND OF SODOM in the day of judgment, than for thee.

When Jesus went into the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum He did great and mighty miracles in those places. In the Old Testament, God called on the wealthy Phoenician port cities of Tyre and Sidon to repent, and they would not. God promised their destruction if they did not repent, and turn to Him for salvation. Jesus ministered in the Galilean cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida,calling on people to REPENT. He did mighty miracles in Capernaum, a fishing village on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus told Capernaum “it shall be MORE TOLERABLE FOR THE LAND OF SODOM in the day of judgment, than for thee”. Sodom was infamous for gross immorality, whereas Capernaum was a quiet Jewish fishing village. But Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida’s sin was that they saw the miraculous works Jesus did, but rejected Him as Lord and Savior. Their spiritual state was actually worse.

Failure to repent, to come to Jesus, to take His yoke upon you will eventually bring about the destruction of a people group.

The Bible – both Old and New Testaments – is about Jesus. There are 300 specific prophecies that point to the identity, birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus told the Pharisees and Sadducees:

(John 5:45-47 ESV) Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. [46] For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; FOR HE WROTE OF ME. [47] But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

The Father is the Planner of the Trinity of God, but Jesus is the Mediator between God and man. Jesus tells us:

Matthew 11:27 All things are DELIVERED (paradidomi, to put under direct control) unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; NEITHER KNOWETH ANY MAN THE FATHER, SAVE THE SON, and HE TO WHOMSOEVER THE SON WILL REVEAL {apokalupto, to uncover that which was veiled} HIM.

When God sent the Prophets to the nations, the Prophets were the servants of God – but they were not the Son of God. The Father has placed all things in Jesus’ hands. When Jesus came, He did not come just as a Prophet. He came as the only One Who can show us the Father. The Bible says:

(John 1:18 ESV) No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, HE HAS MADE HIM KNOWN.

Jesus is the fulfillment of what the Old Testament prophets spoke of. The Way to God is only through Jesus. Jesus manifests the will of the Father to us. He said:

(John 14:6-7 ESV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. [7] If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. …

Jesus is the only Way to the Father. In the Old Testament, God spoke through the Prophets – but now speaks directly to humanity through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-3). Those who come to Jesus, come to the Father.

The Most Beautiful Command Of Jesus

Matthew 11:28 Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

By speaking to the crowd, Jesus is giving a general call to salvation. The problem I have with Reformed Theology or Calvinism is that they teach a thing called Limited Atonement, that Jesus died only for the “elect” or the chosen of God. Yet Jesus offers a general call to salvation. The Bible says that when Jesus died on the Cross,

(1 John 2:2-3 ESV) {Jesus} is the PROPITIATION {hilasmos, that which appeases or pleases God} for our sins, and not for ours only but ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD. [3] And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

And again in 1 John 4:14 (ESV) And we have seen and testify that the Father has SENT HIS SON TO BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

When John the Baptist declared Jesus the Messiah, he said “Behold, the Lamb of God, WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD” (John 1:29).

Jesus is speaking to the crowd. Now we know that God knows all things. This is called the Doctrine of Omniscience (“God knows all things”, 1 John 3:20). God knows who will be saved, and who will not be saved. But the Omniscience of God does not negate what Jesus did on the Cross. The Scripture is clear:

(2 Peter 3:9 ESV) The Lord is … patient toward you, NOT WISHING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, but that ALL SHOULD REACH REPENTANCE.

(1 Timothy 2:3-4 ESV) This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, [4] WHO DESIRES ALL PEOPLE TO BE SAVED and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

When Jesus died, He died for the sins of the whole world, not just for those who would repent. When Jesus called out His Beautiful Command “Come unto Me”, He issues this to all.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto Me, all ye that LABOR and are HEAVY LADEN, and I will give you rest.

We bring our broken lives to Jesus. We bring our struggles. We bring our darkness, our inabilities. When you come to Jesus, you come surrendered. When you do, Jesus gives you rest. Salvation is a rest, a selah. When King David was being chased by his son Absalom, who wanted to kill his father and assume his throne, this was one of the darkest moments of his life. In Psalm 3 David wrote:

(Psalm 3:1-2 ESV) O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; [2] many are saying of my soul, “There is NO SALVATION FOR HIM IN GOD.” SELAH

The world said “If David’s son hates him so, he must be evil! There is no hope for David. David cannot be saved by God.” Oh, how horrible this was for David. But then he says SELAH.

SELAH means pause.
SELAH means reflect.
SELAH means stop.

David doesn’t listen to the world. He doesn’t listen to the discouragement. SELAH. He puts his emotions on hold, and runs to the arms of Jesus.

(Psalm 3:3-4 ESV) But you, O LORD, ARE A SHIELD ABOUT ME, MY GLORY, and THE LIFTER OF MY HEAD. [4] I cried aloud to the LORD, and HE ANSWERED ME from His holy hill. SELAH

David “LABORED and was HEAVY LADEN”. He ran to the Lord. SELAH!

SELAH means rest.
SELAH means surrender to God.

How many sleepless nights did David have before he came to the Lord. But once he gave it to Jesus,

(Psalm 3:5-7 ESV) I lay down and slept; I woke again, for THE LORD SUSTAINED ME. [6] I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. [7] Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.

The enemy has no force on us when we give it to Jesus. We let the Lord take care of it. We give it to Him. We rest in the Lord Jesus.

At the beginning of the Psalm David was terrified and hopeless. But giving it to Jesus, he is now blessed.

(Psalm 3:8 ESV) SALVATION BELONGS TO THE LORD; your blessing be ON YOUR PEOPLE! SELAH

David understood that which we must all understand. “SALVATION BELONGS TO THE LORD”. If you want to be saved, you must, too, belong to the Lord.

A Proper Salvation Brings A Yoke
An Improper Salvation Is A Joke

There are some who profess Christ who believe the free gift of salvation comes with no obligation to God. In other words, I can be saved, then live my life any old way I please, without regard to my Savior.

That’s not Biblical.

Salvation begins with REPENTANCE. Repentance means to surrender to God, to give yourself to Him. Salvation brings with it a delightful yoke. Jesus said:

Matthew 11:29 TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

A “YOKE” is, according to Webster’s,

“A piece of timber, hollowed or made curving near each end, and fitted with bows for receiving the necks of oxen; by which means two are connected for drawing. From a ring or hook in the bow, a chain extends to the thing to be drawn, or to the yoke of another pair of oxen behind.”

A yoke was placed on an animal so that someone walking behind that animal could control it. A yoke symbolizes domination or subjection of the will. An animal in a yoke was not free to do as it would – it had to walk as the Master directed it. If you want to find rest in Jesus, you must surrender to Him. You must allow Him to put His yoke around your neck. You kneel before Jesus, and let Him be your King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Those who are saved are saved to Christ’s yoke. But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He says,

learn of Me

Listen to the Master’s Voice. Do as He says. Love one another. Jesus commanded us:

John 13:34-35 (KJV) A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE UNTO YOU, That YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, that ye also love one another. {35} By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

As children of the King, we are to love sacrificially as He loved. We do not love the world nor the things that are in the world (1 John 2:15). But we do love our neighbors, and want the best for them.

We LEARN of Christ by studying His Word. We LIVE Christ. We walk where the Master directs. We are yoked to Him. We do as Jesus did. We hear His Words, then we put His Words in action. We DO what His yoke directs us to do. We do not walk and live blindly like the heathen, following the whim of the flesh, but we walk in the Word of our Master. We put on His yoke, and walk differently than the heathen. We walk as God’s own children, for we are God’s own children, born again by faith in Christ Jesus.

When you walk with Jesus, you find that His yoke is not difficult. Jesus said:

Matthew 11:30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

What does Jesus expect of us? To learn of Him. We learn of Him through the Scripture, then we do what He tells us to do. We pray, we love, we serve, we tell of Him, we glorify Jesus in our lives. We are to be overcomers. Jesus has overcome the world. We overcome the world by hiding in Him, by doing as He tells us to do. The Apostle wrote:

(1 John 5:4-5 ESV) For EVERY ONE WHO HAS BEEN BORN OF GOD OVERCOMES THE WORLD. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. [5] Who is it that overcomes the world except THE ONE WHO BELIEVES THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD?

Take Christ’s yoke upon you … and He will give you rest. Amen.

Posted in Matthew, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

The Mysteries Of The Kingdom Of God

Posted on June 21, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Tim Foster on Unsplash

(Matthew 25:13-19 KJV) Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. [14] For [the kingdom of heaven is] as a man traveling into a far country, [who] called his own servants, and delivered unto them His goods. [15] And unto one He gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to His several ability; and straightway took His journey. [16] Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made [them] other five talents. [17] And likewise he that [had received] two, he also gained other two. [18] But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord’s money. [19] After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

Why Did Jesus Speak In Parables?

One of the marks of Jesus’ teaching was that He taught by parable. The disciples asked Jesus “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”. That’s a great question. Jesus gave His disciples a very clear answer. He said:

(Matthew 13:11-13 NKJV) Because IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, but TO THEM IT HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN. [12] For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. [13] Therefore I SPEAK TO THEM IN PARABLES, because SEEING THEY DO NOT SEE, and HEARING THEY DO NOT HEAR, NOR DO THEY UNDERSTAND.

The difference between the Christ follower and the casual followeris that BOTH heard Jesus’ parables. But the lost person never hung around and asked Jesus what He meant.

The lost person or the casual follower of Christ will never understand the “MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”. They don’t want to know. The lost person – before they are saved – are not convinced that they are sinners in need of salvation. The Pharisees did not see themselves as sinners in need of Jesus. Jesus told these self righteous, law abiding people:

(Matthew 21:31-32 LSB) … Truly I say to you that the TAX COLLECTORS AND PROSTITUTES WILL GET INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD BEFORE YOU. [32] For JOHN CAME TO YOU IN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS and you did not believe him; but the TAX COLLECTORS AND PROSTITUTES DID BELIEVE HIM; and you, seeing [this], did not even regret afterward so as to believe him.

John the Baptist came preaching REPENT and BELIEVE IN JESUS. That is the “WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS”. But the Pharisees rejected Jesus so that they might follow their own path to God, a man made path, and lost the salvation they could have had through Christ.

Until a person REPENT and commit themselves to JESUS, they cannot walk the way of righteousness. Those who walk with Jesus can understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Parable Of The Talents

Matthew 25:13-14 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. 14 For the kingdom of heaven is as A MAN TRAVELING INTO A FAR COUNTRY, who CALLED HIS OWN SERVANTS, and delivered unto them his goods.

The parable that we’re looking at today is called “The Parable Of The Talents”. In this parable we see:

A MAN TRAVELING INTO A FAR COUNTRY

Jesus tells us Who this Man is in the context. In verse 13 Jesus warns us to “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the SON OF MAN cometh”. The “SON OF MAN” is a reference to the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Prophet Daniel used the phrase “SON OF MAN” when he prophesied the coming of Jesus the Messiah (Daniel 7:13). When Jesus came, He applied that phrase to Himself. When Jesus spoke of His upcoming crucifixion, He said:

Matthew 17:12 (LSB) the SON OF MAN is going to suffer at their hands.

Jesus is the Son of Man, the Messiah, the One Who has gone into “a FAR COUNTRY”.

He has ascended into Heaven. He “sits on the right hand of God the Father” (Acts 2:33). He is waiting for His Father, our God and His God, to send Him back to this earth. The Bible says – JESUS SAID:

Mark 13:32 Concerning the day or the hour (of My return) NO ONE KNOWS, not even the angels in Heaven, NOR THE SON, but ONLY THE FATHER (see also Matthew 24:36-42; Acts 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2).

Jesus Christ is the “Man traveling into a far country”. Before Jesus ascended to Heaven,

HE CALLED HIS OWN SERVANTS

The “SERVANTS” of the Lord are those who have given themselves to Jesus. Christians are called to serve the Lord. The Bible says,

(Romans 12:11 LSB) be fervent in spirit, SERVING THE LORD

(Colossians 3:23 LSB) do your work heartily, AS FOR THE LORD rather than for men

So Jesus calls the Christian to His side. He is in Heaven, traveling in that far country. What does the Lord do? The Bible says:

He DELIVERED UNTO THEM HIS GOODS

Jesus gave HIS SERVANTS HIS GOODS. Those who are saved by Grace are given TALENTS.

(Matthew 25:15 KJV) And unto one HE GAVE FIVE TALENTS, to ANOTHER TWO, and to ANOTHER ONE; to EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS SEVERAL {idios, “his own”} ABILITY; and straightway took his journey.

Jesus gives each Christian servant TALENTS. He gives one person FIVE, another person TWO, and another person ONE talent. He doesn’t give the talents based on who He loves more, or based on who He loves less. The text is very clear that He gives “TO EVERY PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS SEVERAL{idios, “his own”}ABILITY”.

The Parable Makes No Sense If
You Don’t Understand What A “Talent” Is

It’s impossible to understand this parable if you don’t know what Jesus means by “TALENTS”. In the ancient world a “talent” was both a weight as well as a value. A talent in denari weighed about 75 pounds. A talent was equivalent to 6000 denari, or 6000 days of labor – around 16.43 years of work. If we look at this from an average wage of $40,000 per year, then what was given each man was:

5 talents = $3,286,000
2 talents = $1,314,400
1 talent = $657,200

A “Talent” represented a vast amount of money for each person. Jesus gives us something much better, much more precious than money.

What do these “talents” represent?

Some people that the “talents” refer to human abilities. They take it like the word “talent”, as in “Elaine is a talented pianist”. Or “He’s a talented actor”.

Yet others have interpreted “talents” to refer to human riches or money. The Prosperity Preachers tell you if you invest in their ministries, God will give you more money.

A few Bible scholars believe that these “talents” to refer to spiritual gifts or the Holy Spirit of God. In a sermon preached at Duke University Chapel by Dr Sam Wells said:

“These talents are not natural abilities or big bucks but particular gifts suited to the time between Jesus’ first coming and his second. … The Holy Spirit is the talent Jesus leaves the Church for the time until He returns. So this parable is not telling us how to come to terms with the fact that we are super talented or super rich. It is telling us that, in giving us the Holy Spirit, Jesus has left the Church all the gifts it needs for the time between his first coming and his second, and that we must use those gifts or we’ll be in big trouble.”

The problem with seeing the gifts as the Holy Spirit or Spiritual Gifts is that one person received 5 Talents, one two, and another one. If the Talents are the Holy Spirit, did someone receive 5 Holy Spirits, and the other 2? And what about the one who we find out has his talent taken away. Jesus taught us that the Holy Spirit is not taken away.

Jesus said:

(John 14:16-17 NKJV) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that HE MAY ABIDE WITH YOU FOREVER– [17] the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

When you are “born again” of God’s Spirit, He comes to you and abides with you FOREVER. It is the Holy Spirit of God Who “SEALS YOU unto THE DAY OF REDEMPTION” (Ephesians 4:30). God has given us “the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:22). And the Apostle John said:

1 John 2:27 the Anointing which ye have received of Him ABIDETH IN YOU

God has promised “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus has said “I am with you always, even UNTO THE END OF THE AGE” (Matthew 28::20).

The “talent” cannot represent the gifts of God, nor the Holy Spirit. The “talent” does not refer to human ability, or money. At the beginning of this message Jesus told us that the talents are “The MYSTERIES of The Kingdom Of Heaven”

(Matthew 13:11-12 NKJV) Because IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, but TO THEM IT HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN. [12] For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

The “MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” are the truths and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are called “MYSTERIES” because they are completely different from what the world teaches is acceptable behavior. Jesus taught us:

(Matthew 5:43-48 LSB) You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ [44] “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on [the] evil and [the] good, and sends rain on [the] righteous and [the] unrighteous. [46] “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? [47] “And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing [than others]? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? [48] “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus teaches His people – saved by Grace – a way of life that is absolutely contrary to the ways of this world. It is a sacrificial way of life. It is a loving way of life. The Way of Christ – the Mysteries of the Kingdom Of Heaven – bring peace and blessing and joy to those who do them.

The “Talents” represent the “Mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven”, the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Child of God DOES these talents to be blessed.

(Matthew 25:14-15 KJV) {Jesus}called His own servants (the Christian), and delivered unto them His goods (the Word of Christ). [15] And unto one He gave five MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, to another two, and to another one; to every {person} ACCORDING TO HIS OWN ABILITY; and straightway took his journey.

Jesus’ Word has power. When you walk in His Word, doing as He says, you will be blessed. God’s Word will not return void, nor will it ever pass away. Jesus said:

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, BUT MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY

The Word that Jesus spoke is the Word of Life. It is MYSTERIOUS to the world, but our way of life.

Beloved, if you are saved then you are …

Romans 8:17 HEIRS OF GOD, and JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST

We sing, but often fail to listen to the words we sing.

When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.

When attacked as being less than other preachers, the Apostle Paul countered with these words:

(1 Corinthians 4:1-5 ESV) This is how one should regard us, as SERVANTS OF CHRIST and STEWARDS OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD. [2] Moreover, it is REQUIRED OF STEWARDS THAT THEY BE FOUND FAITHFUL. [3] But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. [4] For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. IT IS THE LORD WHO JUDGES ME. [5] Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then EACH ONE WILL RECEIVE HIS COMMENDATION FROM GOD.

The point of this parable is that Jesus has given us great talents, great truths that we are to follow if we love Him. If we follow the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, we will live blessed and full lives. Look at the parable again:

(Matthew 25:16 KJV) Then he that had received the five MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM went and traded with the same, and made [them] other five MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM.

One servant received FIVE TALENTS or FIVE MYSTERIES from the Lord. He went out and did what his Lord told him to do. He acted out what he was told. He heard Jesus, then did as Jesus commanded. He “loved the Lord his God with ALL his heart and with ALL his soul and with ALL his mind” (Matthew 22:37-38). He put Jesus first, and not himself. He “humbled himself under God’s mighty hand, and God lifted him up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6-7). Continue reading:

(Matthew 25:17 KJV) And likewise he that [had received] two, he also gained other two.

The second Servant of Christ was give knowledge of two mysteries. He heard what Jesus said, then went out and did EXACTLY AS THE MASTER DIRECTED. The servant with FIVE gained FIVE by being obedient. The servant with TWO gained TWO. Both individuals lived their lives according to the Word of our Lord.

The Disobedient Servant Is Never Blessed
Nor Will Jesus Walk With Him

(Matthew 25:18 KJV) But he that had RECEIVED ONE {mystery} went and digged in the earth, and HID HIS LORD’S MONEY {His valuable Word or Teaching}.

You cannot be blessed if you do not both HEAR and DO what Jesus says. Jesus told us this in other places.

(Matthew 7:24-27 LSB) Therefore everyone who HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND DOES THEM, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. [25] And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and fell against that house; and [yet] it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. [26] And everyone HEARING THESE WORDS OF MINE AND NOT DOING THEM, may be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. [27] And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell–and great was its fall.

God through Christ Jesus has given us a glorious salvation. “NOW we are the SONS OF GOD” (1 John 3:2). We have eternal life RIGHT NOW (John 3:16, 36). We are given the Word of Christ so that we can live as victors, doing what He has said RIGHT NOW. But sadly, there are many Christians who do as this pitiful servant did. They dig a hole in the ground, and bury His Word.

There Is A Day Of Reckoning Coming
For Every Person, Christian or Casual Follower

(Matthew 25:19-20 KJV) After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and RECKONETH WITH THEM. [20] And so he that had received five talents (MYSTERIES) came and brought other five talents (MYSTERIES), saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents (MYSTERIES): behold, I have gained beside them five talents (MYSTERIES) more.

The first servant did the five mysteries of the Kingdom of God. He was obedient to Jesus in what he understood and received. God’s Word never returns void. He did as Jesus said. How did Jesus reward him?

(Matthew 25:21 KJV) His Lord said unto him, Well done, [thou] good and faithful servant: THOU HAST BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS, I WILL MAKE THEE RULER OVER MANY THINGS: ENTER THOU INTO THE JOY OF THY LORD.

The Christian who both HEARS and DOES the things Jesus says, glorifying Him, honoring Him, will “ENTER INTO THE JOY OF THE LORD”. That person is blessed in this life, and in the life to come. Jesus continues:

(Matthew 25:22-23 KJV) He also that had received two talents (MYSTERIES) came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents (MYSTERIES): behold, I have gained two other talents (MYSTERIES) beside them. [23] His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; THOU HAST BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS, I WILL MAKE THEE RULER OVER MANY THINGS: ENTER THOU INTO THE JOY OF THY LORD.

Please note that the Christian who was given five mysteries and the servant who was given two mysteries are both given the exact same reward. Both Christians did their level best to honor Jesus with how they obeyed His Word. And both were eventually were made RULERS OVER MANY THINGS. But what of the servant who – having the Word of Christ – never invested it in life? He heard Jesus, received what he could, but did NOTHING with it.

(Matthew 25:24-25 KJV) Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: [25] And I was afraid, and went and HID THY TALENT (MYSTERY) IN THE EARTH: lo, [there] thou hast [that is] thine.

How did the Lord respond to this? Look what He says to the Christian who did nothing on this earth for the Lord:

(Matthew 25:26-30 KJV) His Lord answered and said unto him, [Thou] WICKED and SLOTHFUL SERVANT, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: [27] Thou oughtest therefore to have PUT MY MONEY TO THE EXCHANGERS, and [then] at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. [28] TAKE THEREFORE THE MYSTERY FROM HIM from him, and give [it] unto him which hath ten MYSTERIES. [29] For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. [30] And CAST YE THE UNPROFITABLE SERVANT INTO OUTER DARKNESS: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus did not say that this Servant is lost. But He does say that this servant is WICKED and LAZY. Those who are Christians are to walk with the Lord in the light. But Beloved,

1 John 1:5-7 God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

God will not walk with the believer who does not honor and follow Jesus. We are not to just HEAR His Word, but we are to live by it. Are you living by His Word to the best of your ability? Are you walking with the Lord in the Light of His Word? There is no joy for the lazy and wicked believer. We must walk with Him in love, doing what He says.

For His glory and our peace. Amen.

Posted in Matthew, Parables of Jesus, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, building the Kingdom, christianity, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, King's Highway, Kingdom life, Kingdom Living, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Kingdom work, living for Jesus, salvation | Leave a comment

Being Little Children In Eternity

Posted on June 15, 2026 by bibleteacherorg

Photo by Larm Rmah on Unsplash

Matthew 18:1-6 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

How Can I Be “The Greatest”?

Opening: In America, people have gone “social media” crazy. Young people go about with smart phones, dancing and acting foolish, so that their video and fame might go “viral”. Everyone wants to be famous on earth. I heard a phrase the other day where they said Jack Nicklaus (the Golden Bear) was the GOAT in golf. The man is 86 years old. When I heard that, I thought “How disrespectful to call him an old GOAT”. Then I found out that GOAT stands for GREATEST OF ALL TIME. He is – in golf. Nicklaus won 18 Major Championships, 73 PGA Tours, and was a runner up in major championships 19 times. So in golf he is the GOAT.

But what about Heaven? Will Jack be famous in Heaven? And let me ask you, Have you thought about Heaven?

In our text today the disciples came to Jesus. That very day Jesus had been to the Mount of Transfiguration. They heard the Father say, “This is My Beloved Son – HEAR HIM!” (Matthew 17:5). When Jesus came off the mountain, He cast a demon from a child (Matthew 17:18). Jesus paid a Temple Tax by having the disciples catch a fish – and find a gold coin in its mouth (Matthew 17:27).

The disciples had heard the Voice of the Father, and seen the miraculous work of the Son. So now they ask Jesus a good question:

“Who is the GREATEST (meizōn) in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Word Study: The Greek meizōn doesn’t mean “boss”. It means “elder”. I used to think that the disciples were battling over who would be in charge when they got to Heaven. But as I prayerfully consider the context, I believe that they were asking “who will be considered an elder by God”, or to put it another way,

How shall we live in the light of eternity
so as to impress God?

We should all live in the light of eternity. Too many people are focused on impressing other people on this earth. But you’re going to be on this earth just a relatively small amount of time. Even if you live to be 102 years old (as my grandmother did), that’s very little time compared to eternity.

Illustration: Here’s an interesting thing – I came across my obituary this week. I keep an eye on my hometown through the magic of the Internet. As a Pastor, I also watch the obituaries. Last Wednesday, June 10 2026 this popped up on my news feed:

David Buffaloe Obituary – Garner, North Carolina – David Buffaloe passed away June 6, 2026

That’s my hometown! When I read the obituary (obviously not mine) this David was a “man of faith who regularly participated in Church services, lived his beliefs by example, and remained steadfast in his walk with the Lord”. In the obituary the Bible was quoted:

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him

This had a different middle name (Michael), obviously a different wife (Karen), had three sons as I do, and was a member of First Baptist Church on St Mary’s Street. This David was much younger than I (53), and he now stands in the Presence of the Lord. Why is David Buffaloe in Heaven? Not because he’s the greatest in Heaven, but because he humbled himself as a little child, and came to Jesus.

Friends, we all need to be living in the light of eternity. We all need Jesus. This week we as a Church are going to be reaching out to children, to attempt to lead them toward Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus loved children.

What Impresses God? What Should
Elder (meizōn) Christians Do?

Being an elder Christian – a Christian who impresses God – is not based on your absolute knowledge of the Scriptures. You should:

(2 Timothy 2:15 KJV) STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.

You should cherish and read God’s Word. But you may not understand everything you read. You should nonetheless DO what God says in His Word (if you are an elder Christian).

Illustrate: A little boy was in Sunday School, listening to his teacher tell the story of Lot land his family leaving Sodom and Gomorrah. The teacher said: “Lot was warned to take his wife and FLEE out of the city. But Lot’s wife looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt.” The teacher asked, “Are there any questions”? One little boy asked,

“His wife turned to salt. But what happened to the FLEA”?

When the disciples asked “WHO IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?”, they went to the right Source. They went to Jesus. The Old Testament Jew – in particular the Pharisees, refused to go to Jesus, but instead went to the Law to impress God. You cannot impress God by going to the Law.

God gave Israel the Law at Mount Sinai because, though He had saved them by faith, they refused to follow and surrender their lives to God. So God gave them the Law. The Bible says:

(Romans 3:19-20 LSB) Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are in the Law, so that EVERY MOUTH MAY BE SHUT and ALL THE WORLD MAY BE ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD; [20] because BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW NO FLESH WILL BE JUSTIFIED IN HIS SIGHT, for THROUGH THE LAW COMES THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.

The Law was given to convict us as sinners. The Law was given to lead us to Jesus:

(Galatians 3:24-26 NKJV) Therefore the LAW WAS OUR TUTOR TO BRING US TO CHRIST, that we might be JUSTIFIED BY FAITH. [25] But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. [26] For you are all SONS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH in Christ Jesus.

You cannot hope to be meizōn – an elder in Christ
unless you first come to Christ.

(Matthew 18:1-2 KJV) At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? [2] And Jesus CALLED A LITTLE CHILD UNTO HIM, and SET HIM IN THE MIDST of them,

Jesus first of all CALLED THE LITTLE CHILD – and that child CAME. The child was not called to a PLACE, but to a PERSON. Jesus told the child, “YOU come to ME”. The child came to Jesus. The child allowed Jesus to handle him. This is the first step to impressing Heaven. To come to Jesus when He calls. Jesus said:

(John 5:23-24 LSB) so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. HE WHO DOES NOT HONOR THE SON DOES NOT HONOR THE FATHER WHO SENT HIM. [24] “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

The Christian way of life is not about walking an aisle. It’s about willingly putting yourself in the hands of Jesus. To come when Jesus calls. To serve Him, not self.

Jesus said in:

(Luke 9:23-24 LSB) … If anyone wishes to come after Me, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY and FOLLOW ME. [24] For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

To be a child of God, you must come when Jesus calls. You must love Jesus, for He loves you. To love this world more than Jesus, you will never be blessed – or even see the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus warned:

(Luke 9:25-26 LSB) For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? [26] For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and [the glory] of the Father and of the holy angels.

To achieve greatness in God’s Kingdom, you must glorify Him. You must magnify Jesus.

To Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven, You Must Be Converted

(Matthew 18:3 KJV) … Verily I say unto you, Except ye be CONVERTED {STREPHO}, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Word Study: The word for “CONVERTED” is the Greek strephō, which means “to turn from ones self. To turn from one course of conduct to another”. Coming to Jesus, we stop following the world, and follow our Master and Savior. We who are saved “BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN”. We are no longer the bosses. Jesus is the boss. We are to:

Be HUMBLE. (1 Peter 5:5-7 LSB) … all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. [6] Therefore HUMBLE YOURSELVES UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD, that He may exalt you at the proper time, [7] CASTING ALL YOUR ANXIETY ON HIM, because He cares for you.

TRUST Jesus. Put yourself in His hands.

Be TEACHABLE. Let God “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6)

Have a SIMPLE faith. You don’t have to understand it all. Just love Jesus.

Whosoever shall not RECEIVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS A LITTLE CHILD, he shall not enter therein. (Mark 10:15)

You cannot enter Heaven unless you receive Jesus. That child received Jesus. He called, and the child came. Who is Jesus? He is Lord. Jesus is called “Lord” 747 times in the New Testament. Salvation begins when you are converted – you stop trying to be God – and you come and rest in the arms of Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. That is not negotiable! Believing on Jesus is to rest in His arms. Jesus is very clear in His illustration:

(Matthew 18:4 KJV) Whosoever therefore shall HUMBLE HIMSELF AS THIS LITTLE CHILD, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

The little child who humbles themselves will be saved, for Jesus is with that little child. Jesus calls on His people to RECEIVE the little children in His Name.

We Impress God By Bringing Children To Jesus’ Side

(Matthew 18:5 LSB) And whoever RECEIVES one such child in My name receives Me

We can’t make a child believe in Jesus, but we can bring the children to Him. Beloved, your children and grandchildren will one day leave this plane of existence – and you don’t know when that will happen. You need to bring your children to Jesus. In the very next chapter of Matthew we are told:

(Matthew 19:13-15 NKJV) Then little children were brought to Jesus that He might put [His] hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. [14] But Jesus said, “LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME, and DO NOT FORBID THEM; for OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” [15] And He laid [His] hands on them and departed from there.

I have heard parents and grandparents say, “I’m going to wait for my children to choose Jesus for themselves”. When I hear this, I understand I’m talking to a Biblically illiterate Christian (if you are indeed a Christian). A child will never naturally gravitate to Jesus.

A child left to themselves will chase the flashy, the bright and impressive. A child in a friend group will follow the whim of the group. If the parent and grandparent will not parent, the world will parent – and the child will not meet Jesus.

When people brought their children to Jesus, He laid hands on them and prayed for them. Jesus told His disciples – those who had been following Him:

LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME, and DO NOT FORBID THEM

The little children were coming because the parents or adults of the families were bringing them. Every disciple of Christ should want the children to be saved. The madness we see in America today – at times total insanity – is because parents are not bringing their children to Jesus, but to social media, racism, and hatred.

You’ve all probably heard of the young Texan Karmelo Anthony sentenced to 35 years imprisonment for murder. This young man was just 17 years old when he stabbed another young man to death at a school track meet in Frisco, Texas. The argument was over nothing. Had either boy’s parents taught their children the sacredness of life? Had these children been told when they were younger that God’s standard is very clear:

Genesis 9:6 Whoever sheds human blood, BY HUMANS SHALL THEIR BLOOD BE SHED; for in the image of God has God made mankind.

Life is precious. Children are precious. They need to be led to Jesus at a young age, to where the Lord can reach out and touch them.

Jesus Protects The Children Who Come To Him

(Matthew 18:6 KJV) But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Jesus Christ protects those who are His. If you are born again by faith in Jesus Christ then trust Him. Rest in Him. Rest in His Word, and do as He tells you to do. Pastor John Piper said “Humility is the soil in which everything in the Christian life grows”.

As a Christian I know that if I please Jesus, it doesn’t matter who I displease. If I displease Jesus, it doesn’t matter who I please! Dear friends, are you trusting Jesus? Are you surrendered to Him? Oh, don’t wait. Run to His nail scarred hands. Let Him embrace you in ever area of your life. The question every Christian should ask every day is “Lord, what would you have me to do?” If you’re born again, you were born to the Family of God. You were saved to serve Him.

ILLUSTRATE: A Christian family went through one of the dark moments. A husband lost his precious wife to cancer. He lay in bed that night with his little daughter grieving. He heard his little girl stir next to him. “Daddy, its so dark. Are you there?” Yes honey, I’m here. “Daddy, I can’t see you. Is your face turned toward me?”

Yes child, though you can’t see me, my face is turned toward you.

As his little girl went to sleep the daddy quietly slipped out of bed. Kneeling next to the bed he prayed, “Father, its so dark … Are You there?” In his heart he heard the Lord reply. Yes son, I’m here. “Father, I can’t see You. Is Your face turned toward me?” Yes son, though You can’t see Me, My face is turned toward you. You are My child, and I love you.

We all need to be in the arms of Jesus. Like little children, we need to rest in Him.

Posted in Matthew, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

Today The Day of Salvation
August 2026

M T W T F S S

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31

« Jul

The Shepherd Will Only Commit Himself To His Sheep

Jesus is THE SON OF MAN, the Christ, the Messiah that Daniel prophesied of. As the SON OF MAN Jesus speaks as God for God.

Jesus Commanded Nicodemus To Do Something He Could Not Do. Only God Can Make Us Born Again.

New Birth requires that a person believe on the Name of Jesus as Lord and call on the Name of Jesus as Savior. At that point, God the Holy Spirit effects a change in the seeker.

We who are saved are saved by the Word of God, by His faithfulness. We have His guarantee.

Share this:

God Establishes And Stabilizes The Nation,But Idolatry Destroys Any Nation

The First And Most Persistent Sin Of Israel

Idolatry Brings About The Wrath Of God, The Destruction Of The Family, And The Loss Of National Morality

Share this:

The Church Battles The Darkness

The Devil Is The Master Of Twisting Scripture

Did Jesus Actually Tell Us Not To Judge Others?

I cannot judge that which is unseen, the contents of the human heart. But I can judge external actions as right or wrong based on the teaching of Scripture.

Jesus Was Not Telling Us Not To Judge Others. He Was Telling Us To Judge Ourselves FIRST.

We as Christians need to stop treating sin as if it were a pet animal. Sin is a wild beast that, if not bound, will eat you and those you love alive! Judge yourself first. Then help your brother or sister out of the snare of sin.

You Cannot Obey What Jesus Says In The Very Next Verse If You Do Not Judge

Share this:

Those Who Are Saved Are Called To Be Like Jesus

Adam Walked In A Perfect Kingdom And Gave The Kingdom To Satan. Christians Walk With The Second Adam, And Live To Glorify God Our Savior

Our Judgment Means Nothing. We Are Just To Be Faithful Sowers.

Share this:

The Great Commission Is About Believers Teaching Christ’s Commandments

Once Saved, The Key To Living Is Following Jesus

There Is No Spiritual Blessing Without Surrender

Share this:

Let’s Start By Discussing The Trinity Of God

The Trinity Is What Makes Christian Salvation Unique

Share this:

Salvation Begins With REPENT

What Does It Mean To “Repent”?

John the Baptist was the Preacher who paved the way for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Jesus was able to better preach REPENTANCE because John was the FIRST PREACHER of REPENTANCE.

The GOATS look like children of God, but the fruit of their life is selfishness. They ignored those in need, and hoarded what they had.

“Lord, it doesn’t matter how large our Church grows or how many mission Churches we start if our people don’t reflect your character!”

Jesus Came To Lead Us To Repentance

Share this:

The Great Invitation? Or The Great Command?

Neglecting Jesus As Lord Leads To Destruction

The Pathway To Destruction Is When PeoplesWill Not Repent And Come To Jesus

Failure to repent, to come to Jesus, to take His yoke upon you will eventually bring about the destruction of a people group.

The Most Beautiful Command Of Jesus

A Proper Salvation Brings A YokeAn Improper Salvation Is A Joke

Share this:

Why Did Jesus Speak In Parables?

The Parable Of The Talents

The Parable Makes No Sense IfYou Don’t Understand What A “Talent” Is

What do these “talents” represent?

The “Talents” represent the “Mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven”, the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Child of God DOES these talents to be blessed.

The Word that Jesus spoke is the Word of Life. It is MYSTERIOUS to the world, but our way of life.

The Disobedient Servant Is Never BlessedNor Will Jesus Walk With Him

There Is A Day Of Reckoning ComingFor Every Person, Christian or Casual Follower

Share this:

How Can I Be “The Greatest”?

How shall we live in the light of eternityso as to impress God?

What Impresses God? What ShouldElder (meizōn) Christians Do?

You cannot hope to be meizōn – an elder in Christunless you first come to Christ.

To Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven, You Must Be Converted

We Impress God By Bringing Children To Jesus’ Side

Jesus Protects The Children Who Come To Him

Share this:

David Buffaloe

Search

Recent Posts

Yesterday’s Word

Categories

Sermons On My Site

Today The Day of Salvation

God Establishes And Stabilizes The Nation,
But Idolatry Destroys Any Nation

The Pathway To Destruction Is When Peoples
Will Not Repent And Come To Jesus

A Proper Salvation Brings A Yoke
An Improper Salvation Is A Joke

The Parable Makes No Sense If
You Don’t Understand What A “Talent” Is

The Disobedient Servant Is Never Blessed
Nor Will Jesus Walk With Him

There Is A Day Of Reckoning Coming
For Every Person, Christian or Casual Follower

How shall we live in the light of eternity
so as to impress God?

What Impresses God? What Should
Elder (meizōn) Christians Do?

You cannot hope to be meizōn – an elder in Christ
unless you first come to Christ.