John 12: 47 - 50.
This passage is quite interesting and deals with the time that Jesus spoke those words all the way to the end of the world. Jesus tells the people that hear these words and still do not believe, Jesus does not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me,
and does not receive My words, has that which judges him-- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. Clearly, here Jesus says that if you reject My words you will be judged on the last day. Then Jesus goes on to say "For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.
Jesus message has been the same, if you want eternal life, you must hear My Words and keep My Commands. You have the same choice that the people did that first heard these words, you can receive or reject His words. Remember that if you choose to reject, those words will come back to bite you on the last day. But, then again if you reject those words, you really don't believe that Jesus will come again anyway. You will be there among all of those who chose to reject Jesus and His words, including Caiaphas (Matthew 26:64). Choose today who you believe, as for Me I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
61st Post Jesus On His Mission Con't - John 12: 23 - 28.
John 12: 23 - 28.
This passage is from a very busy time for Jesus at the end of His ministry. John chapter 12 opens with Mary, Lazarus' sister anointing Jesus with costly perfume, a week after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Greeks coming to Jerusalem to see Lazarus, the man raised from the dead. The religious leaders plotting to kill Lazarus. The Triumphal Entry of Jesus. Jesus tells the people again that He is going to die. "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." What does this mean? If you love your life you will lose it? Jesus was saying that to follow Him you must deny yourself, pick up your cross daily and follow Him. Luke 9:23. When you follow Christ, Jesus becomes the most important thing in your life. You will stand for Him at any cost. It will cost you, that is why Jesus said you will lose it; it may not cost you, your life but it could. Now look carefully at the second part of Jesus statement, "and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." You become new by putting off the attributes of this world, and putting on Godly attributes. This process is called walking with God. If you look and act the same way you did before you were baptized, maybe you should consider making a stronger commitment to God. When you die, you should be the most like Christ you can be, until God completes that work in you. God promises to complete what He starts. Like Jesus' disciples, we also have to make a choice. Are you ready to follow Christ??
This passage is from a very busy time for Jesus at the end of His ministry. John chapter 12 opens with Mary, Lazarus' sister anointing Jesus with costly perfume, a week after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Greeks coming to Jerusalem to see Lazarus, the man raised from the dead. The religious leaders plotting to kill Lazarus. The Triumphal Entry of Jesus. Jesus tells the people again that He is going to die. "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." What does this mean? If you love your life you will lose it? Jesus was saying that to follow Him you must deny yourself, pick up your cross daily and follow Him. Luke 9:23. When you follow Christ, Jesus becomes the most important thing in your life. You will stand for Him at any cost. It will cost you, that is why Jesus said you will lose it; it may not cost you, your life but it could. Now look carefully at the second part of Jesus statement, "and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." You become new by putting off the attributes of this world, and putting on Godly attributes. This process is called walking with God. If you look and act the same way you did before you were baptized, maybe you should consider making a stronger commitment to God. When you die, you should be the most like Christ you can be, until God completes that work in you. God promises to complete what He starts. Like Jesus' disciples, we also have to make a choice. Are you ready to follow Christ??
Monday, April 26, 2010
60th Post - Jesus On His Mission Con't - John 9: 39
John 9:39 For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may be blind
To understand this passage you need to go back to the first verse of John 9. This is after Jesus heals a man that was born blind. The disciples came upon this blind man on their way to the Temple. They asked Jesus how this man came to be blind, was it the sins of this man's parents, or his own sin that made him blind? At the time of Jesus, many believed that all physical problems were God's judgment on you for your sins. This was the reason for their question. Notice Jesus answer, "Neither, this man was born blind so that the Son of Man might be glorified." This man was blind from birth, and was now an adult waiting for Jesus to come along and heal him. Notice the day on which this healing took place. Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath. The religious leaders could not accept this. For you to understand the situation, you need to know that the priests were the only ones who could work or were expected to work on the Sabbath. They knew Jesus was not one of them. The religious leaders were more interested in finding out who healed this man, then they were in praising God that this man born blind had been restored. Redeeming the lost, that is what this chapter of this book is about. Since the man could not tell them who it was that healed him they sought out his parents. They were afraid of being thrown out of the Synagogue, if this happened they would be thrown out of fellowship with believers and God. This was very serious, and still is, in Church they call this ex-communication. If this happened, it would mean that two innocent people were judged falsely. Jesus healed physical blindness that day, but spiritual blindness was the big problem.
To understand this passage you need to go back to the first verse of John 9. This is after Jesus heals a man that was born blind. The disciples came upon this blind man on their way to the Temple. They asked Jesus how this man came to be blind, was it the sins of this man's parents, or his own sin that made him blind? At the time of Jesus, many believed that all physical problems were God's judgment on you for your sins. This was the reason for their question. Notice Jesus answer, "Neither, this man was born blind so that the Son of Man might be glorified." This man was blind from birth, and was now an adult waiting for Jesus to come along and heal him. Notice the day on which this healing took place. Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath. The religious leaders could not accept this. For you to understand the situation, you need to know that the priests were the only ones who could work or were expected to work on the Sabbath. They knew Jesus was not one of them. The religious leaders were more interested in finding out who healed this man, then they were in praising God that this man born blind had been restored. Redeeming the lost, that is what this chapter of this book is about. Since the man could not tell them who it was that healed him they sought out his parents. They were afraid of being thrown out of the Synagogue, if this happened they would be thrown out of fellowship with believers and God. This was very serious, and still is, in Church they call this ex-communication. If this happened, it would mean that two innocent people were judged falsely. Jesus healed physical blindness that day, but spiritual blindness was the big problem.
Friday, April 23, 2010
59th Post Jesus His Mission Con't - John 8:26.
This passage is from John 8: 26. "I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him." This passage needs more information in order to understand it. Go back to beginning of this chapter, you will see that it starts off with the scribes and Pharisees bringing a woman caught in adultery. They bring this woman to Jesus and say that the Law of Moses says we are to stone such women, what
do you say? The Jewish leaders were trying to trick Jesus. The Law of Moses required both man and woman to be stoned. They only had half the guilty party. Jesus' problem with the Leaders of the Temple was that they had forgot that not only is God a God of Justice; He is also a God of Mercy. When Jesus told them that the one without sin cast the first stone, He was making the Leaders admit that they were sinners also. The religious leaders thought that since they read the Torah they were without sin. They thought about sin much the same way they thought about Leprosy if you touched a sinner or came into contact with them you would become unclean. This is why they gave Jesus such trouble about eating at Matthew's house a tax collector.
If you look at the passage John 8:26, I have reminded you of some of the things Jesus will judge concerning them and us. Jesus stayed true to His Father and in every case judged correctly, even when the leaders tried to stack the situation to their advantage. God could always see the Truth. This was true then and is true now. Do you need this Savior?
do you say? The Jewish leaders were trying to trick Jesus. The Law of Moses required both man and woman to be stoned. They only had half the guilty party. Jesus' problem with the Leaders of the Temple was that they had forgot that not only is God a God of Justice; He is also a God of Mercy. When Jesus told them that the one without sin cast the first stone, He was making the Leaders admit that they were sinners also. The religious leaders thought that since they read the Torah they were without sin. They thought about sin much the same way they thought about Leprosy if you touched a sinner or came into contact with them you would become unclean. This is why they gave Jesus such trouble about eating at Matthew's house a tax collector.
If you look at the passage John 8:26, I have reminded you of some of the things Jesus will judge concerning them and us. Jesus stayed true to His Father and in every case judged correctly, even when the leaders tried to stack the situation to their advantage. God could always see the Truth. This was true then and is true now. Do you need this Savior?
Thursday, April 22, 2010
58th Post Jesus Mission Con't - John 7: 6 -7
John 7: 6 - 7.
The whole story starts in the beginning of Chapter 7 of John. This is during the Feast of Booths, also known as the feast of Tabernacles; this feast is to remind the Hebrew people that for 40 years God took care of them in the wilderness. They are to make temporary shelters and live in them for 8 days. This feast falls in the Jewish Month of Tishri September to October of our calendar. This is one of four feasts that fall within the Hebrew month of Tishri. The others are: Rosh HaShannah Feast of Trumpets, Jewish New Year, 1st day of Tishri; Yom Kippur Day of Atonement, 10th day of Tishri; Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) 15-21 day of Tishri; Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Law)
22 - 23 day of Tishri.
In this passage of John, Jesus tells the disciples to go to Jerusalem by themselves, He (Jesus) is not going. You need to understand that Jerusalem was not a safe place for Jesus. Since the Temple was there, the Sadducees and Pharasees were at their strongest there. Jesus had made enemies of them by telling the people they were not living up to the Law they loved, and like the common people needed a Savior. Jesus enemies would be watching the gates looking for Him and his disciples to pass by. It would be much safer to enter Jerusalem by Himself, he would draw much less attention to Himself. We learned that one of Jesus favorate routes into Jerusalem was through the "Dung Gate". What a model for us to follow, enter through the Dung Gate. Do you need this Savior??
The whole story starts in the beginning of Chapter 7 of John. This is during the Feast of Booths, also known as the feast of Tabernacles; this feast is to remind the Hebrew people that for 40 years God took care of them in the wilderness. They are to make temporary shelters and live in them for 8 days. This feast falls in the Jewish Month of Tishri September to October of our calendar. This is one of four feasts that fall within the Hebrew month of Tishri. The others are: Rosh HaShannah Feast of Trumpets, Jewish New Year, 1st day of Tishri; Yom Kippur Day of Atonement, 10th day of Tishri; Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) 15-21 day of Tishri; Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Law)
22 - 23 day of Tishri.
In this passage of John, Jesus tells the disciples to go to Jerusalem by themselves, He (Jesus) is not going. You need to understand that Jerusalem was not a safe place for Jesus. Since the Temple was there, the Sadducees and Pharasees were at their strongest there. Jesus had made enemies of them by telling the people they were not living up to the Law they loved, and like the common people needed a Savior. Jesus enemies would be watching the gates looking for Him and his disciples to pass by. It would be much safer to enter Jerusalem by Himself, he would draw much less attention to Himself. We learned that one of Jesus favorate routes into Jerusalem was through the "Dung Gate". What a model for us to follow, enter through the Dung Gate. Do you need this Savior??
57th Post Jesus His Mission Con't - John 4:34
John 4: 34.
This passage deals with the Samaritan woman at the well. Since I have already covered this story in the first section of this Bible Study titled "His Identity"; I will not repeat the story here, you can refer to it by going to the "His Identity" section of this blog (hint) it is the first chapter I wrote about.
Jesus' disciples have left Jesus at the well and went into the town to bring back food and drink for Him because He was tired. While Jesus was at the well, He engaged a Samaritan woman in conversation. This story is found in both these locations because this story is part of both chapters.
When we looked at this story in the section titled "His Identity", we focused on Jesus revealing to this woman that He was the Messiah. Now we are looking at this story from a different perspective, Jesus Mission was to reach the lost and bring them back to God. Jesus did this through His conversation with the woman. Now Jesus was doing quite well with the woman before the disciples came back from town. Imagine their surprise, Jesus was alone when they left Him, now He has a woman who he is talking to. This is very early in His ministry, so the disciples are surprised, but know enough not to cause a scene here, by questioning Jesus why He would waste His time with a woman, and a Samaritan at that! All they knew was Jesus was tired when they left Him, and now He seems fully recovered. Jesus told them, that when I am doing the work of My Father, that is Spiritual Food for Me. As you mature in your walk with Jesus, you also will do the work of the Father; when you do this, you will see that God gives you the strength, the words and the ability to administer to those He picks for you to Minister to. God does all the work, and makes you feel good at the same time.
This passage deals with the Samaritan woman at the well. Since I have already covered this story in the first section of this Bible Study titled "His Identity"; I will not repeat the story here, you can refer to it by going to the "His Identity" section of this blog (hint) it is the first chapter I wrote about.
Jesus' disciples have left Jesus at the well and went into the town to bring back food and drink for Him because He was tired. While Jesus was at the well, He engaged a Samaritan woman in conversation. This story is found in both these locations because this story is part of both chapters.
When we looked at this story in the section titled "His Identity", we focused on Jesus revealing to this woman that He was the Messiah. Now we are looking at this story from a different perspective, Jesus Mission was to reach the lost and bring them back to God. Jesus did this through His conversation with the woman. Now Jesus was doing quite well with the woman before the disciples came back from town. Imagine their surprise, Jesus was alone when they left Him, now He has a woman who he is talking to. This is very early in His ministry, so the disciples are surprised, but know enough not to cause a scene here, by questioning Jesus why He would waste His time with a woman, and a Samaritan at that! All they knew was Jesus was tired when they left Him, and now He seems fully recovered. Jesus told them, that when I am doing the work of My Father, that is Spiritual Food for Me. As you mature in your walk with Jesus, you also will do the work of the Father; when you do this, you will see that God gives you the strength, the words and the ability to administer to those He picks for you to Minister to. God does all the work, and makes you feel good at the same time.
56th Post Jesus & His Mission Con't - Luke 19: 9 - 10.
Luke 19: 9 -10. The Story of Zacchaeus, Luke 19: 1 - 10.
The background for this story is that Jesus started His journey from the Sea of Galilee and is heading up to Jerusalem. Jesus is on His way to be in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The crowd has been building the whole time they have been walking. The crowd is not yet to the city gates of Jericho, when a small man named Zacchaeus a tax collector hears the crowd and asks "What is happening?" "Jesus is coming" was the reply. Zacchaeus wanted very much to see Jesus, so he climbed a tree to get above the croud for a better look. Imagine his surprise when Jesus looked up in the tree and called Zacchaeus by name. They have never met, how did this man know my name? Then Jesus asked Zacchaeus if He could go to Zacchaeus' house and have a meal with him. Zacchaeus did not know what to think. After eating and talking with Jesus, Zacchaeus became a believer; and told the crowd that if he had cheated anyone he would pay back everything up to four times what was owed. Zacchaeus was a rich man, so he could afford what he promised. Tax collector's made their money by charging the Jews the taxes demanded by the Romans, the Romans did not pay the tax collector's so they had to charge more in order to eat. They were hated by the Jews because of this. This story shows what happens when a man truley repents.
The background for this story is that Jesus started His journey from the Sea of Galilee and is heading up to Jerusalem. Jesus is on His way to be in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The crowd has been building the whole time they have been walking. The crowd is not yet to the city gates of Jericho, when a small man named Zacchaeus a tax collector hears the crowd and asks "What is happening?" "Jesus is coming" was the reply. Zacchaeus wanted very much to see Jesus, so he climbed a tree to get above the croud for a better look. Imagine his surprise when Jesus looked up in the tree and called Zacchaeus by name. They have never met, how did this man know my name? Then Jesus asked Zacchaeus if He could go to Zacchaeus' house and have a meal with him. Zacchaeus did not know what to think. After eating and talking with Jesus, Zacchaeus became a believer; and told the crowd that if he had cheated anyone he would pay back everything up to four times what was owed. Zacchaeus was a rich man, so he could afford what he promised. Tax collector's made their money by charging the Jews the taxes demanded by the Romans, the Romans did not pay the tax collector's so they had to charge more in order to eat. They were hated by the Jews because of this. This story shows what happens when a man truley repents.
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