Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ Is Alive

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Jesus Is Alive

Book of Luke Chapter 24

People sometimes ask, what is the greatest discovery that has ever been made throughout the history of our world?

Immediately, they think about material things or certain medicines.

That answer should be simple. The greatest discovery that has ever been made in this world is the empty tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ!

His tomb is still empty today because it was a borrowed tomb; the Lord Jesus only needed it for three days.

Much of this world does not know this, and most of the world does not believe this is true to their loss.

We should be very clear: if the Lord Jesus Christ had not risen from the dead, there would be no such thing as Christianity.

Christianity would be just another religion serving a false god.

The empty tomb and our risen Savior have to become a personal discovery for each individual on this earth.

If my God cannot do the impossible, then He cannot be my God!

If my God is not alive, then I am no more than a fool and bound for Hell with no means of salvation.

The Passover is past. The Lord Jesus was buried just before six PM on the day of the Passover.

The first day following Passover was to be a holy convocation treated as a special Sabbath, and it did not matter what day of the week it was; it could well have been on a Friday.

Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover.
Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
Lev 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

It was on Tuesday when the Lord Jesus had these words.

Mat 26:2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Two days after Tuesday would be Thursday. The words of Jesus are more reliable than calendars; this Passover was on a Thursday.

The day after the preparation day, which was Passover, would be the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which was treated as a Sabbath, a High Day. Then, in this particular year, the true Sabbath would follow that day, meaning that when Sunday came, Jesus would have been in the ground for three days and three nights.

The Lord Jesus had been in the grave three days and three nights just as He had said.

At least this is where my Bible study leads me.

Mat_12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so, shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jhn_19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

Luk 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
Luk 23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
Luk 23:56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

*Luk 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
Luk 24:2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
Luk 24:3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

It was the death of the Lord Jesus Christ that would bring the history of this world and eternity to their fulfillment according to God’s plan.

God plans that every living soul be provided with the opportunity for atonement.

The day of atonement was the only day of the year in which the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, but not without blood, which he offered for himself.

On this day, he wore none of his colorful clothes to enter behind the Veil but wore white linen clothes.

On this Passover, the Lord Jesus offered His own blood for the atonement.

When the High Priest fulfilled his purpose, he left those clothes in the Holy of Holies just as the Lord Jesus left His white linen clothes behind, and He is not only our Mediator, but He is our true High Priest.

Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

The meaning of the word is at-one-ment, and it means the state of being at one or being reconciled to God.
Until you are washed in the blood of Jesus, you cannot be reconciled to God!
Atonement is reconciliation. It signifies the truth of the Gospel which flows from the death of Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ died in our place! The Lord Jesus Christ took our punishment, which we were rightly due for the sins we committed against our Heavenly Father, our Creator.

Our guilt was imputed to Him, and this is why He came at the First Coming.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

This was God’s plan, and it was executed by His only begotten Son.

The Old Covenant is over, and the New Covenant has begun.

These women were not aware of these things, yet all they knew was that the body of the Lord Jesus Christ had not been properly cared for, and it had been three days.

At four days, the body of Jesus would be corrupted.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had rushed to get the body of Christ into a grave on the day of Passover.

The Lord Jesus had been dead three days, just as He had said.

Mat_12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The Lord Jesus Christ arose on the first day of the week, which is Sunday on the Jewish calendar.

We now look at Monday as the first day of the week and Sunday as our Sabbath.

Act 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

This Sunday would have had its beginning at six o’clock the previous day, and these ladies came to the Tomb of Christ early that next morning.

Because His resurrection had occurred just as He had said, another order of things had occurred.

It was love that brought these ladies to the tomb of Jesus, and it is love and truth that should bring us all to the cross of Jesus.

Death reigns no more in our earthly flesh if you are reconciled to God.

The curse of Adam has ended for you.

The rules of death have been broken by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why? Because His tomb was empty, but that was not all.

1) The Scriptures were opened: Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

2) Eyes were opened: Luk 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

3) The mind is opened: Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

4) Heaven was opened: Luk 24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

That stone was not rolled away to let the Lord out of that grave. He was already out before the angels rolled away that stone.

That stone was rolled away to allow these women who loved Him so much to go inside and look at an empty tomb.

This was the first victory of God’s amazing grace.

Now, mercy and grace are the rules God will use toward all mankind.

These ladies were perplexed about what they had seen.

*Luk 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

One of the best proofs of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the testimony of these ladies.

They witnessed the body of the Lord Jesus being placed into that tomb, and they now see that the tomb is empty.

They knew He was dead, and they knew where He had been laid, and the door had been sealed.

It was the penalty of death to remove this seal unauthorized.

None of those who came to the tomb of Christ had believed Him when He said He would be three days in it and then He would arise from that death until it took place.

As they arrive, they see the stone rolled away, and no one man could do such a thing, and they knew that they could not do it themselves.

Mar 16:3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
Mar 16:4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
It was the angels who rolled away the stone.

Mat 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

An angel of the Lord cannot lie; they are only messengers.

The body of Jesus Christ was not in the tomb.

These angels had taken on the form of humans.

They looked like men, but their clothing was not of this world but shining garments.

One angel was on each end of the slab where the Lord Jesus had lain, which gives us the vision that the mercy seat was no longer in the Holy of Holies.

Jesus is first called Lord Jesus in this passage after His resurrection, for He is now our risen Savior.

What was the message of the angels?

*Luk 24:5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Luk 24:6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
Luk 24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
Luk 24:8 And they remembered his words,

They were not so much afraid of those angels as they were about the missing body of Christ.

The truth is, God the Father has fully accepted the work of His Son for our atonement, and life has returned to Him.

Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

The Lord Jesus becomes the Living God because death cannot hold our Savior!

Not many living will stay in a dead man’s tomb for very long.
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These angels also reminded these women of what the Lord Jesus had said before His death.

We had better be clear in our hearts, we do not honor a dead Savior, we honor the Living God!

Because they now remembered the words that Jesus had spoken, they had conviction and boldness to witness to others this truth.

The Lord Jesus had declared that the grave could not hold Him.

Heb 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

It is the power of His resurrection that removes any doubt that the Lord Jesus is the true Messiah, God in the Flesh.

None of those who had followed the Lord Jesus had truly accepted that He would arise from His death.

They had not accepted that He would die until it happened.

It is an eye-opening event when we realize that we were wrong about God!

God is who He says He is!

God does as He says He will do!

*Luk 24:9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
Luk 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
Luk 24:11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

What is the greatest lesson we can learn from this passage?

We need to pay attention to what the Lord Jesus Christ says!

The Lord Jesus always speaks the truth!

Not finding the Body of Jesus puzzled these women when it should have brought faith.

Many will say that an empty tomb is not proof of a resurrection.

Full belief required the appearance of Jesus Christ.

Faith would know that He is alive!

We should understand that the Holy Spirit did it this way so the Church would know that the grave was empty and it was the actual body of Jesus and not some ghost.

Many commentators will say that those two angels are Moses and Elijah, but the Bible does not lead us in this direction.

The angels quickly told these ladies that if they wanted to see the Risen Savior, they had come to the wrong place.

We know our Savior cannot be bound by any tomb, and you will never find Him there again.

The angels told these ladies to remind the eleven Apostles that He would meet them in Galilee.

The angels also said, “Do you not remember what Jesus said?”

Luk 18:31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
Luk 18:32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
Luk 18:33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

The body of Jesus Christ had not been removed; Jesus had walked out of that grave, going straight through the rock because it was the angels who rolled that heavy stone away.

The enemies of Jesus were still rejoicing, but this rejoicing was about to end.

It took a while for these women to believe that the Lord had risen from that grave, and the Apostles did not believe these women.

The greatest sin in all the Bible is to not believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The Apostles had no excuse for rejecting the truth of the resurrection, for the Lord had told them He would arise on many occasions.

They did go to Galilee, but they were quitting. They felt they had no one to serve after the death of Jesus.

This is where they would witness the truth of the Lord Jesus.

There is a lack of clear direction. They are no longer full of the Lord Jesus, and activities they previously abandoned for Him have a chance to creep back in.

It is never a good time to quit on Jesus!

Mar 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Peter was still suffering because he had denied Christ.

*Luk 24:12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Many say that those linen clothes lay in that grave just as they were wrapped, meaning that the body of Jesus had passed through those wrappings, leaving them in place.

Jesus had folded the napkin that was over His face and laid it in another place, and we all know the meaning of this. “I will be back.”

As I said earlier, the High Priests would always leave those white linen clothes in the Holy of Holies, so that the empty tomb had become the Holy of Holies, and that place in the Temple was no longer important. The Veil had been torn into two pieces.

Peter came to the tomb of Jesus.

Peter saw what manner His clothes were laid.

Peter departed, wondering within himself what had actually happened.

What we now know is that it is dangerous not to understand the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We cannot spiritualize the Word of God because it will lead to unbelief and serious problems.

All we need to do is be open to the evidence that the Holy Spirit gives us in the Gospels.

1) The tomb is empty.
2) Jesus has risen just as He said.
3) The Holy Spirit will convince us of the truth if we listen to Him.

Joh 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
Joh 8:24 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.

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The risen Messiah was not some spirit, He was not some vision, not some phantom, not a hallucination or the figment of man’s imagination, He was the risen Savior.

One day, not so far into the future, we will have a glorified body just like the Lord has.

*Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Luk 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

The road to Emmaus is another great picture of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but our lesson goes to the teaching of the Lord Jesus to the Apostles after they knew that the resurrected Christ is the same Christ who had died for their sin and ours.

Now that these Apostles know that Jesus is a risen Savior, they can better understand the lessons He had taught them.

All prophecies up to the point of the Cross had been fulfilled just as they were written.

Jesus makes a point to teach these men that every word of God would be fulfilled just as written.

We can depend on the Word of God and a proper translation of the Word of God, such as the KJV.

Many translations are nothing but trash and should be done away with.

1) The death of Christ and the Resurrection had to take place just as they happened. Some of the brutalizing of our Savior was unnecessary, but foretold.

None of these things should have been a surprise to these men, and certainly not to the Scribes and Pharisees who were supposedly Bible scholars.

The Lord Jesus had preached these things Himself.

2) It was necessary that the death of Christ and His resurrection take place. His death was imperative, or we would still be bound with our sin, unforgiven.

His resurrection also had to take place, showing us the power of God and our own future resurrection of our bodies.

The Lord Jesus gave us His own division of the Bible of that day.

The Law
The Prophets
The Psalms

Basically, the entire Old Testament.

3) The Lord Jesus opened their eyes so they could understand:

1Co 2:14 But 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.
1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

4) These prophecies had to be fulfilled.

Christ had to suffer a terrible death and then rise from that death.

Repentance and forgiveness must be preached.

The Holy Spirit and the Power of Heavenly Father must be sent.

Every believer was to be equipped for witnessing the truth of God.

The source of the Holy Spirit and His Power can come from God the Father only.

Jesus Christ was to send the promises of God the Father.
It was God the Father who made the promises.
We are to wait upon the Lord Jesus Christ to return while praying for the promises of God.

God the Father is the source of all power.

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

His work finished, the Lord went home to be by His Father’s side.

*Luk 24:50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

Luke closes his Gospel with the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He had remained on earth for forty days since His resurrection.

The Lord Jesus came to this world on a mission to save the people of this world, and He provided a means of salvation and reconciliation with God to every individual who has lived since that time.

His ascension closes His earthly ministry, but it opens His Heavenly ministry, His mission of intercession for the world.

He now bears witness through the lives of those who believe Him.

He is now the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

God’s Son returned to the right hand of God the Father.

His ascension proves that Heaven is a real place!

Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

His ascension assures us that we have a very special Helper in Heaven who really loves and cares for us.

Amen

Mock Trials, Crucifixion, and Burial

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Mock Trials, Crucifixion, and Burial

Book of Luke Chapter 23

Who is this Jesus?

Luk 22:67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

Luk 22:68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
Luk 22:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
Luk 22:70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

This is the Jesus who was born of a virgin.

Luk 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

This is the Jesus who received His commission at His baptism.

Luk 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

This is the Jesus who was proclaimed at His first sermon.

Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

This is the Jesus who was proclaimed by His disciples.

Luk 9:20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.

This is the Jesus of Nazareth.

Act_22:8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

This Jesus is the Son of Man: Luk 22:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

This Jesus is the Son of God: Jhn_11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

This is the same Jesus, who the Scriptures prove is God’s Messiah, and was rejected by the Jews.

This is the same Jesus who was crucified for all the sins of this world.

This is the Jesus that should not be seen as a helpless idealist who died in weakness, but who was and who is the Lord of Glory.

1Co_2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

What were the charges against the Lord Jesus Christ?

1) Jesus was charged by the Sanhedrin Court with perverting the nation of Judah and with committing sedition against Rome, which was a false charge.
2) Jesus was charged by the Sanhedrin Court with disobeying the Laws of Judah and not paying His taxes, which were all false charges.
3) Jesus was charged by the Sanhedrin Court with claiming to be king and being a rival to Caesar, which was also false.

*Luk 23:13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
Luk 23:14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
Luk 23:15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.

We first saw Pilate, who was the great compromiser.

It is by this Roman that the most innocent man to have ever lived, the Lord Jesus Christ, was put to death.

This was the greatest tragedy in human history, though it was deemed necessary by God the Father.

He found no fault in Jesus because there were no faults, as these Jews brought only false charges, and they knew it.
He had sent the Lord Jesus to Herod, who also found no faults in the Lord Jesus.
He gave in to worldly pressure.

Herod was also a compromiser who used this instance to repair his relationship with Pilate.

Pilate hated the Jews because of their religion, and the Jews hated Pilate for the same reason. He worshipped idols.

Among the things he had done was that he had stolen money from the treasury of the Temple for a water project, and he was never forgiven for this.

Pilate was certainly a wicked man.

Pilate knew that these same elders and High Priests would go to Caesar if he did not do as they requested.

We see that they all were worried about their standing and their riches, all material things.

Pilate decided to appease the Jews because it was certain that they would cause Him trouble in Rome.

Pilate was concerned about himself, not truth and justice.

A compromising man is self-centered. They will always protect themselves at the expense of all others!

Pilate said, “I will just chastise this Jesus and let Him go”.

Pilate subjected our Lord Jesus to a horrible punishment of scourging, just to try to satisfy the religious leaders of Judah.

He thought that the sight of Jesus after this cruel treatment might perhaps cause the people to pity Him.

The High Priests had the people in such a false uproar that they made a tragic mistake.

Mat_27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

*Luk 23:16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
Luk 23:17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
Luk 23:18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
Luk 23:19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
Luk 23:20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
Luk 23:21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

The Romans had a custom of releasing a prisoner on certain special days and Pilate brought this custom to Judah. It was never a Hebrew custom.

At the time of the Passover, Pilate would release a prisoner from his cells, many just political prisoners, and Pilate decided he could release our Lord Jesus, and all sides would be satisfied, but the elders and the High Priests so stirred up the people, and they would have no part even in this.

Pilate may have tried many ways to release the Lord Jesus when all he had to do was just release Him; he had this power all along.

The Lord Jesus was completely innocent and Pilate knew this.

We see that word envy: Mrk_15:10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

What is the truth of envy? Envy leads to strife, division, railing, and sometimes murder.

We see all these things in this mockery of a trial of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

There was a man named Barabbas who was the guiltiest prisoner in Pilate’s cells at that time.

He was a murderer.
He was a thief.
He was a seditionist.
He was an insurrectionist.
He was guilty.

There are some who say that this Barabbas was also named Jesus, but this is not true.

In the Armenian version of the Scriptures, it says: “whom will you that I shall deliver unto you, Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus that is called Christ?”

The Armenian Church does not follow the Doctrine of the Apostles, which is the Doctrine of Jesus Christ.

One commentary says this text was written by a bigoted transcriber.

Matthew wrote that Barabbas was a notorious prisoner.

Mat 27:16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

These disciples of the Devil had their way with Pilate because he was just as wicked as they were.

Psa 69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

One thing is missing. When the truth is known, it should be proclaimed and not compromised!

This is the only thing that our politicians know how to do today: compromise with the Devil and his ways.

Compromise weakens principles.
Compromise weakens life!

God will never accept compromise!

Much of the Church has compromised with the world today, and they will find that God will not accept them.

1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

They cried crucify Him, crucify Him.

Luk 23:24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

The Lord said the same thing that we say about our children. We just cannot fathom how our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will survive in this wicked world if the Lord Jesus does not return soon.

Luk 23:28 But Jesus, turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

The Lord Jesus was crucified, and the Lord Jesus Christ died a real death.

*Luk 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Luk 23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
Luk 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

The sixth hour would be midday, around twelve o’clock, when the Sun was high in the sky.

At this very moment, the brightest time of the day, it became completely dark.

This was not an eclipse of the Sun, and it can be proven.

An eclipse of the Sun only lasts about six minutes, but this darkness at the death of Jesus Christ lasted for three hours.

Another proof is that the time of the Passover is the time of the full Moon, and Eclipses of the Sun do not take place at the time of the full Moon.

The Sun withdrew its rays when the Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us.

If He had not been made sin, there would be no means of salvation.

The Sun of Righteousness is led into darkness.

Ecc_3:16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

In those places, people are selfish and ambitious. The greatest injustice in the place of justice is the trial against the Lord Jesus.

Mal_4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

The sun is the symbol of dominion over the day (Gen_1:16 ). Thus, the day of the LORD is marked by His dominion over Sunday, but truly every day.

Jesus is the day star.

2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

The “daystar” appears in each of us once we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

He is the bright and morning star: Rev 2:28 And I will give him the morning star.

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

At this time, the light of Our Daystar was out because the Lord Jesus had taken on all the sin that this world had committed.

It was darker than it had been since that first Passover.

It was so dark you could feel the darkness, and it did not feel good!

There is no goodness in darkness!

Exo_10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

There was no light anywhere to be seen for three hours.

This darkness tells us just how much God hates sin!

In the darkness, all of mankind also stood in the darkness, having no way to see God.

For three hours God forsake His Son.

This was the thing that the Lord Jesus hated the most.

God had to break fellowship with His own Son for three hours.

The Lord Jesus Christ hung lonely on an old wooden cross between Heaven and Earth.

The Earth did not want Him and lifted Him, and Heaven closed itself above Him.

God had stopped the Sun from shining, and the Glory of the Lord went dark for a period of three hours.

That is not all: The veil of the Temple was ripped from top to bottom because the Almighty God had ripped what could not be ripped by man.

The way to God has now been opened and it is through His Son.

Oh, the Lord Jesus Christ was dead, but He could not stay dead and still be God!

God dwells in darkness, and He invites the entire world to come to Him by the Light of His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus said, “Father, into thy hands I commend My Spirit”.

The work that provided every human being a way to Heaven to live with God was now finished; all we need to do is accept this truth as fact.

The unshakable foundation of the Kingdom of God had been laid!

Psa 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

The Lord Jesus came to die, and this work was now complete.

*Luk 23:47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

This thing that happened got the attention of a man who had fought many battles and survived but was still in the hands of the Devil.

He had been in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, but he knew he was never in charge at all.

He had made sure that Jesus was nailed to the cross, but since that time, all these things that happened were between the Lord Jesus and God the Father.

No one could have changed what happened.

Old Satan was celebrating, but his joy would not last exceedingly long!

This Centurion was a Gentile, and the Church would soon turn to the Gentiles who began to see the truth of Jesus Christ in the coming generations, but we must understand that God will soon turn back to the Jewish people, and almost all of them will believe what they first rejected, and God will close the Door to the Gentiles.

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind,

Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

It was time to place the Body of Christ into a borrowed tomb.

*Luk 23:50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
Luk 23:51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
Luk 23:52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
Luk 23:53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

This man we know of as Joseph of Arimathea was a secret believer who failed to confess the Lord Jesus publicly until His death.

He had ignored what the Lord Jesus had said.

He had stepped forward for Jesus, but only after His death.

The Bible does say that he had not committed to the false trial and deeds of those who had pushed for the death of Jesus.

He was afraid to stand up for God, and there are many like him today in the Church.

This is a question we should ask ourselves: would we take a stand with Jesus if that time came to us?

We need to be settled on this question now!

We must never be afraid to make a public confession of our faith!

Joseph was a highly educated member of the ruling body of Israel.

He was a good and just man to those around him.

He was a man looking for the Messiah.

He was a man looking for the Kingdom of God.

These things meant nothing because he was a man who refused to stand up for Jesus, who was also the Messiah, as Scripture proved so easily.

He feared the loss of his position more than his fear of God.

Joh 19:38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
Joh 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
Joh 19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Here we see another man named Nicodemus, a man similar to Joseph.

Luk 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.

It makes no sense for us to be this way because it just makes us losers.

Luk 12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Our fear does not come from God; it can only come from the Devil.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Joseph got his courage back at the death of our Savior, and he went to Pilate to demand the body of Christ because he knew that the Romans usually just dumped the bodies of crucified criminals.

Pilate, being fed up with the Jesus matter, still did not want the disfavor of the Sanhedrin Court and gave the body of Christ to Joseph, who was a part of the Sanhedrin Court.

Every secret believer needs to go to the foot of the cross and meet the Savior who died for us there.

Joseph is careful with the body of Jesus and laid the body of Jesus in his own tomb he had prepared for himself.

When the Lord Jesus Christ was born, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Now, as He has died Jesus was wrapped in clothes again.

While everyone else is preparing for the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the Lord Jesus is laid in a borrowed tomb.

Many who had stood by the Lord wanted to get close to Him now, but there was no sign of the eleven disciples.

The cross had changed many lives just as it does today.

Just remember we serve a Living Savior who can never die again.

Amen

The Beginning of the End

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Beginning of the End

Book of Luke Chapter 21

This is one of the chapters in the New Testament that is known as the Olivet Discourse.

The Lord Jesus will teach us:

1) The destruction of the Temple.
2) His return.
3) The end of the world.

The Book of Matthew, Chapters twenty-four and twenty-five, along with the Book of Mark Chapter 13, should also be studied to get a complete picture of what the Lord Jesus is teaching here.

The Lord Jesus begins with the destruction of the Temple.

We should understand that this Temple was intended to be a House of Prayer.

Mat_21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Mrk_11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Luk_19:46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

The Temple had been made into a house of commerce and was no longer the house of God, but a house of men.

Only for faith did it have any value, such as that poor widow who had given all she had in faith.

The disciples of the Lord were still blind to the corruption in the House of God at this time.

Much of the Church is blind to the corruption in many houses of God today, which are more entertainment centers than they are Houses of Prayer.

What is wrong with the Houses of God today? Repentance is no longer required, and the Bible is not preached, or it has been changed to reveal a false gospel.

*Luk 21:5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
Luk 21:6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

The Lord Jesus begins to reveal to them what will happen to this Temple that they are so proud of, and some of them may have still been alive to see it happen.

The Lord Jesus describes to them the destruction of Jerusalem and the total destruction of the Temple that took place in 70 AD.

The siege of Jerusalem began in April 70 AD, led by the Roman general Titus, as part of the First Jewish Revolt against Roman rule (66-73 AD).

The city was already weakened by internal strife among various Jewish factions, including the Zealots, which hindered their ability to mount a unified defense against the Roman forces.

After months of intense fighting, the Romans breached the city walls and captured Jerusalem. The climax of the siege occurred in the summer of 70 AD when the Romans set fire to the Second Temple.

Estimates suggest that over a million Jews died during the conflict, with many more enslaved or displaced.

The Romans systematically destroyed much of the city, leaving only a few structures, including parts of the Western Wall, which remains a site of pilgrimage today.

The fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple fundamentally altered Jewish religious life and still does today.

The destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 AD was a significant event that reshaped Jewish history, culture, and religion, with effects that are still felt today.

It is said that Titus did not want the Temple to be destroyed, but he lost control of his armies and Temple was set on fire to melt all the gold that could be captured.

Josephus the historian wrote that, except for Herod’s three great towers and part of the western wall, the whole circuit of the city was so thoroughly levelled and dug up that no one visiting it would believe that it had ever been inhabited.

This is why the Muslim say today that Israel never existed.

The disciples then wanted to know when these things would take place.

*Luk 21:7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

The Book of Mark tells us that Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked this question.

They also asked if there would be a sign before it happened.

The Jews did love their Temple. We know that King Herod had spent forty-six years making the Temple one of the great wonders of the world.

The government of the Jews had no respect for Jehovah God.

The disciples had already begun to see that the Lord Jesus was not going to sit as King of the Jews at this time, and this thing told of the Lord made this more real to them.

The Lord Jesus told them that this destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was not one of the signs of the end times.

The Apostles of Jesus Christ would face some terrible times as they taught the first words of Christianity and the beginning of the Church.

In other words, there will come a time of the destruction of Jerusalem and a new rebuilt Temple, which would take place during the time of the Gentiles.

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

We get the idea that it would certainly be centuries before the return of Jesus Christ, first to get His Church and Second to reclaim Jerusalem and all the earth.

2Pe 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

What is the greatest sign mentioned by the Lord Jesus Christ?

The sign of deception!

Mat 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.

The Lord Jesus is dealing with the end of the Temple and the end of the world, the destruction of the Temple and the destruction of the world.

It is sin that causes the judgment of God upon this entire world and not just the sin of the Jews!

Deception is the state of being misled.

As Christians, we recognize that the Church Age will end with the judgment at the return of Jesus Christ.

Because God is Holy, He must judge all that is unholy; otherwise, He would no longer be Holy Himself.

God is judging in this present age as every true Christian has been justified, but this future judgment goes much further than this.

At some point in the past, God judged Lucifer and the fallen angels.

God judged the people of the earth when He sent the flood.

God judged the people at the Tower of Babel, and the different languages began.

God judged the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and then later He judged the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

None of these things were the final judgment.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Unbelievers will stand before the White Throne Judgment!

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

At the end of the ages, God will judge Satan and his demons together with the beasts and the false prophet.

Yes, judgment is coming to all God’s created people!

A great deception is already in place today in the Church and in the world.

We believe that after the Rapture of the Church and the Church meets the Lord Jesus in the air, it is at this time or near this time that a covenant of peace will be signed with Israel, and the Temple will be rebuilt, and the priestly duties, along with animal sacrifices, will begin again.

This begins the time of Jacob’s trouble, when Israel has relative peace until they find out that the Antichrist, who is the great deceiver, has no intention of peace, the sacrifices will stop, and the Temple will again be destroyed in what we know of as the Great Tribulation.

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Mat_24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

This is the time of Israel, and God has removed the Church just as he promised before this takes place.

Some things should not bother us too much, for the Church will not see this wrath of God as He has promised.
As long as the Church is upon this earth, we are to stay busy spreading the Gospel.

The Lord Jesus says that we will live in a time of unrest, and we are today, and it may get worse before we go home to Heaven.

We have seen this unrest since the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of the Church Age.

*Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

What have we seen?

1) We have seen nations fight each other and kingdoms take up arms against each other.
2) We have seen that the earth has been moved by great earthquakes and natural disasters.
3) Heaven has also spoken; terrible things have happened that make great impressions, and great signs in the heavens have already been seen.

The Lord Jesus said that these things are going to happen, but they are not necessarily signs that the end is imminent.

The Lord Jesus Christ was preparing His Apostles for His death and departure and preparing them to carry on without Him.

We already know that these eleven men and the Apostle Paul faced some terrible times in which they were all martyred, but the Apostle John.

The most important thing we can gain from this message of Jesus Christ is that we must not grow weary in waiting for His return.

He was telling us all that we will see and experience so much trouble in our world that our faith might falter, and we must guard against this happening.

Many walk this earth today after their own lusts, not even caring if Christ will return, in fact stating, where is He, where is His promise.

One of the key signs of the return of Jesus Christ is what we see today: 1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
1Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

Many of the doubters come from the Church itself.

We see a falling away from the Church today, but this speaks of those who belong to Satan who have become leaders in many churches and now deny Jesus Christ.

We should know that God is never caught off guard. He is still on the throne and still in charge of His creation.

We should not get caught off guard ourselves. We can expect these things from a corrupt world, so we must not get discouraged.

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

We will face challenges that will try to draw us away from God, our Savior.

We must concentrate our trust on New Heaven and the New Earth and not in this world.

We must remember that the Lord Jesus was not preaching a sermon here; He was answering the questions from His Apostles.

Joh 16:31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
Joh 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We should also understand that the turmoil we see in our world is not part of the plan of God; He just knows that these things will happen.

It is because of the lust, the greed, and the wickedness in this evil world, which never goes away.

Jas 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

We must not get caught off guard by these things we see every day!

We see how violent our world has become, so we believe that the end is near, and it may be, but it may not be.

We are to remain busy with the work of the Lord!

Jer 51:45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.
Jer 51:46 And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.

There will most certainly be natural disasters, which may increase and have.

We do live in a cursed world!

*Luk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

We can say that since the time of the flood, there have been great earthquakes.

We seem to forget sometimes that when the Lord Jesus first created this earth, all the land was in one great continent.

During and after the flood, this big continent broke apart, and volcanoes and earthquakes began as the tectonic plates began to shift and are still shifting.

Gen_7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

Gen_10:25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.

What do we know about earthquakes?

Just on March 30th.

Map data from National Geographic
5.1 magnitude Celebes Sea
3.9 magnitude Road Town, British Virgin Islands
4.9 magnitude, Lakatoro, Malampa, Vanuatu
4.2 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla
4.1 magnitude, Road Town, British Virgin Islands
4.6 magnitude, Fiji
Another 5.0 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla
Another 3.9 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla
Another 3.6 magnitude, Road Town, British Virgin Islands
Another 3.7 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla

There have been 195 earthquakes in the past 24 hours
1,278 earthquakes in the past 7 days
5,452 earthquakes in the past 30 days
50,842 earthquakes in the past 365 days

Earthquakes are one of the most feared disasters among people.

The historian Josephus made a record of the earthquake that fulfilled the prophecy of the Lord Jesus upon the cross.

Josephus also thought the world was coming to an end on the day Jesus died.

He wrote: There broke out a prodigious storm in the night, with utmost violence, and very strong winds, with the largest shower of rain and continuous lightnings, terrible thundering, and amazing concussions and bellowings of the earth, that was in an earthquake.

He added: These things were a manifest indication that some destruction was coming upon men, when the system of the world was put into this disorder, and anyone would guess that these wonders foretold some grand calamities that were coming.

The Lord Jesus speaks of “great earthquakes” more powerful than what we see daily.

Food is one of the necessities we cannot do without. Jesus said there would be a great famine before Jerusalem falls again.

Rev 6:5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
Rev 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

The Bible says that those who are slain with the sword are better off than they that die from hunger.

There will be great diseases, and we know disease shows no partiality.

No one can buy their way out of an epidemic of disease.

There will be fearful sights and great signs in the heavens.

We know that the earth can be darkened by the dust of volcanoes, windstorms, and even smoke from huge fires.

Whatever darkens the sun will also affect the moon.

Meteorites fall from the sky, and we have been seeing very large meteorites pass through our solar system lately.

Large enough to destroy our planet.

The earth is primed for all these things to take place, but if we believe that the “Rapture” is the next event on God’s calendar to take place, then there is one more thing that will take place.

*Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

This is the sign that concerns the Christian that will happen before God removes His Church.

Right now, there is a Christian murdered every two hours just for following the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is only going to get worse.

For them, following the Lord Jesus Christ has cost them everything!

They are tortured and murdered just for saying “I believe in Jesus Christ”.

This is the reality for Christians who live in the Islamic World.

More than 388 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.

We had better understand that we will face persecution for claiming our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We stand for godliness; the world is not godly, nor does the world seek to become godly.

The Muslims claim to serve the God of Abraham, yet they reject the Lord Jesus Christ, so this is an outright lie; they serve the Devil.

All those who live for the world do not think they should have to change; therefore, the message of Jesus Christ is that they will die in their sin.

Repentance is not even taught in many so-called houses of God today because few people left are willing to change their lives.

When this persecution happens, we must be settled in our hearts that we will remain with Christ, and the Holy Spirit will use our own mouths to speak the words of Jesus Christ.

Without a test of our faithfulness, we will never have a testimony!

What will our persecution look like?

Luk 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
Luk 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

*Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Many believe that the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in 70 AD was the fulfillment of this prophecy.

1.1 million Jews were slaughtered.

97,000 were taken captive and removed from Jerusalem.

Not one Jew was left alive in Jerusalem.

Not one Christian died because they fled Jerusalem before the siege of Jerusalem took place.

Many Jews have used this as an excuse to hate Christians ever since, but our main job is to obey the Word of God and not this world.

The Romans not only destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem, but they also ransacked the entire area around Jerusalem, so that it looked as if no one had ever lived there.

Was this even what the Lord Jesus described?

After the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews predicted by Jesus in the previous verses, there would come a long period when Jerusalem would be dominated by Gentiles.

But miraculously, in 1948, Israel again became a nation, and in 1967 Jerusalem was captured again by the Jews and is now again one of the mightiest nations on this earth.

As long as the Muslim rule on the Temple Mount, Jerusalem is still trampled by the Gentiles, there remains prophecy to be fulfilled.

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

As Christians, we believe that this one week is the seven years of tribulation that have not taken place yet and will not until the Rapture of the Church has taken place.

The truth is that no one knows exactly when these things will happen, and the Lord Jesus says to watch and pray.

To watch means to keep up with what is going on in Israel and Jerusalem at all times.

*Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

No doubt these things took place in the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Some who Jesus was teaching were alive to see these things happen.

Some of the Apostles and the Christians fled to a place called Pella in the district of Decapolis.

In reality, we are still to be prepared for the coming judgment of the end times because we know they have not taken place yet.

As Christians, we may be actual witnesses to the beginning of these things of the end times.

*Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

We should understand that Jesus describes things that did not happen in the years around 70 AD, so the Lord Jesus is describing a future event.

Revelation Chapters 6, 8-9, 15-18 give us a much clearer picture of what the Lord Jesus is teaching here.

Our universe will be in complete turmoil.

What Size Asteroid Would it take to destroy Earth?

It is believed that no single asteroid can completely and utterly destroy the Earth as a planet. However, an asteroid approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in diameter or larger could trigger a global catastrophe that renders the planet largely uninhabitable for humans and many other species.

In the last few years, there have been asteroids or comets that have entered our solar system larger than this.

Gravity is another power in the heavens, and gravity in some way must fail before the stars of heaven can fall.

The power above all power is in God, the Holy Trinity, who only can cause such things to fail.

It is at the end of these things that the Lord Jesus will return to this earth.

The Church will already be in Heaven or will be returning with the Lord Jesus, so those who are gathered would be those who were saved during the Great Tribulation, and they would be mostly Jews, who still have God’s covenant.

Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.

This is the remnant that is mentioned throughout the Bible.

Isa 10:21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

This is a lot to take in, but when we see any of these things begin to take place, then we need to look up, lift our heads high, because we are soon going home.

Remembering that deception is the main culprit affecting the Church, we should be holding our heads up high now and not be deceived.

The Church will be out of here soon.

Amen

Parables and Blessings

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Parables and Blessings

Book of Luke Chapter 18

Besides the Holy Spirit, prayer is our greatest weapon in this world against the evilness and wickedness of our world.

*Luk 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Prayer is the meeting of our soul with the mind of God.

1Sa 1:15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

Prayer is beseeching the Lord.

Exo 32:11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

Prayer is crying out to Heaven.

2Ch 32:19 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.
2Ch 32:20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

Prayers are seeking and making supplication.

Job 8:5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

Prayer is drawing near to God.

Psa 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

Prayer is the bowing of the knees.

Eph 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph 3:15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

We must persevere in prayer because it is our duty!

We must put forth the effort to talk with God even when it seems He is not listening because He is always listening!

*Luk 18:2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
Luk 18:4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Luk 18:5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

What is persevering prayer? To persevere means to be constant in our purpose for praying.

When we look around, we see that we are in similar days of Noah and Lot where God brought destruction.

God has already promised a future destruction, and we are very near to it now.

Psa_2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Isa_9:19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

Isa_13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Zep_1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

There is power in persistence.

Continuous prayer is the only thing that gives us the strength to persevere.

Continuous prayer shows that we are confident in our God.

We are to pray and continue to pray until the Lord Jesus Christ returns to take us home.

In this parable, we see an unjust judge who disregards the laws, hates God, and hates those who come before him.

Yet he feels like he has the power to do as he wishes.

This is the way of our world today.

Everyone wants to reach in and grab a piece of power to do the things they desire.

We live in the day of the unjust judge, and it is very noticeable.

There was this widow who had been wronged and was seeking help from the judicial system, but this judge had no feelings for the truth, and he hated to be bothered with such trivial matters.

Every judge in our nation needs to understand there is a Higher Judge who has His eyes on them, and they, too, will be judged the same way that they judge others.

It is a fact that on that day of the widow, that most every widow, especially those who had no children, lived in helplessness and defenselessness.

Luk 7:12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
Luk 7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

Many times, this judge just ignored her and her problems.

We know this is not the way of the Lord Jesus, who is a most compassionate God.

This judge began to realize that if he did not do anything to help this widow, she was going to continue to come before him.

Finally, this self-centered judge did the right thing just to free himself from her ceaseless pleading.

The Lord Jesus is saying that if a corrupt judge on this earth will attend to the pleas of this poor widow whom he cared not for, how much more will God be moved by those He loves.

It is a fact that God is biased in favor of innocent victims of persecution.

We may never have to plead with God, but we must also understand that God will not answer every prayer at the time we think it is needed.

God knows what we need and when we need it.

God does not get mad at us if we ask for the same thing over and over again until we receive it or God says no.

*Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

We must not think that this judge is a type of God; he is not. He is just an unjust judge who does not care about the suffering of any people.

The Lord Jesus wants us to continue in prayer of faith until we get an answer.

It is not that God is just too busy; it is just that God knows what we need and when we need it.

God knows our needs, and He promised to meet our needs.

God will avenge His own elect!

God’s elect are those who follow His Son, Jesus!

As God’s elect, we know that only God can meet our needs!

We also know that only God is the Judge of all His creation.

Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

God is patient with all of us, but we know He is so full of mercy and grace that He will always meet our needs.

We must also realize that just as Jesus suffered, we will also suffer, and this will make us stronger witnesses and servants.

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

These things will make us stronger, and God wants us to learn from all our trials.

God will also avenge His elect without hesitation.

*Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Our God is the only true Judge in this cosmos.

That word elect means God’s favorites, God’s preferred, God’s believers, the disciples of Jesus Christ.

God will preserve all Christians from all their adversaries and save them from the seven years of Tribulation that is soon to come to this world.

Remember, this is God’s choice, and He did not have to make this choice.

Only God can do the choosing of those who will not be a part of His wrath.

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

If an unjust judge grants the petition of a defenseless person he cares nothing for, how much more shall our just Judge, our merciful God hear the cries and avenge the cause of those He loves.

We may have to cry out day and night before God will answer but He will answer.

He never said we would not suffer; in fact, He said we would.

Keep in mind the Jews suffered many years before God sent Moses to Pharaoh.

We should know that once God chooses to avenge His elect, He will come speedily.

*Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

We must understand that persevering prayer is tied to our faith! He may not come soon but it will be suddenly.

Our adversaries will not know what hit them until it is over.

Jesus then adds, when He comes, will He find faith on this earth?

The Lord wants us to continue to pray even though it has been so long that we are losing heart, even though the answer is delayed, and we see evil increasing daily.

God is still hearing our prayers, but we must persevere until He comes.

We could ask how many will keep the faith until He comes?

We must guard against losing our faith!

God will always remain faithful to do as He says, but will we?

We swore an oath to be saved based on faith, and that faith must remain with us.

God does not have to think about whether He will return or not.

He knows He is coming and He knows when He is returning, and it will not take Him long to get here when He does come.

The Church may pass through a period of oppression in this world, but we must cling to our faith.

We should begin now by praying more earnestly.

If Jesus Christ seems to be delaying His return, then He has His reasons, and it has nothing to do with the Church.

The vengeance of the Lord will be a terrible time upon this earth, and the Lord will have to put aside His compassion to do those things, but He will do what He says He will for His Church.

Whenever deliverance comes, it will be sudden!

Then the Lord speaks with another parable.

*Luk 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

The fact is that self-righteous people do not need to pray at all!

These people will never lose heart because they never had it to begin with.

They do not need faith to be confident in this world.

They feel that all they need dwells within them in their bodies and minds.

Pro 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

We are in the generation of the return of Christ, but we are also in the generation of self-righteousness.

The Lord continues.

*Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

When we think we stand head and shoulders above all others, we are no better off than King Saul.

This Pharisee was a religionist.

This publican was a sinner.

Both these men went to the House of God to pray, which the Lord Jesus said was a house of prayer.

There is no better place to pray than in the House of God!

They both wanted to please God.
They were both seeking God to feel His presence in their lives.

Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

This Pharisee represents the religious world in its most respected form.

This publican represents people who have no honor to maintain. He knows he is a sinner and is looking for the mercy of God.

The Pharisee prayed only with himself, only to himself.

He glorified himself before God and just told God how great a man of God he was.

This was not true prayer, and it did not reach into Heaven.

Joh 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Prayer is a means of worship, but this Pharisee only worshipped himself.

In fact, he actually thanked God for making him who he was.

God does not make us self-righteous, and God does not cause us to be sinners, and God does not tempt us in any way.

This Pharisee said he had not fallen into sin, which means he made himself to be equal with the Lord Jesus Christ, who truly had no sin.

He fasted twice a week, and he tithed. Both of these are good things and are pleasing to God, but these things do not make up for self-righteousness.

The publican.

*Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

This man was ashamed and embarrassed by his sin, and others would not get near him because of his sin.

Remember Publicans were tax collectors for Rome, and the Jews hated them.

This publican stood far off, much like a leper.

He felt cut off by God and mankind. The Jews had a special hatred for publicans and considered them traitors to the nation of Israel.

I feel somewhat like this for all Democrats and many Republicans.

He would not even lift his eyes toward Heaven, but he did lift his heart toward Heaven.

He knew he did not deserve God’s forgiveness!

He beat on his chest because he was angry with himself for his sin.

He pleaded with God to forgive Him. He pleaded for God’s mercy.

We can only appeal to God’s “Grace” when we do not deserve it.

There is no other way to be received by God than to acknowledge our sin before God and plead for God’s forgiveness.

Mercy is not getting what we deserve, which is eternal death.

Grace comes from the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is receiving what we do not deserve, eternal salvation.

We should understand that as long as we are in these bodies of flesh, we will never be righteous; we are only “counted righteous” by our Holy God because we are covered by the Blood of Jesus.

2Th_1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Who then was justified?

*Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

We can see that the words of Jesus do not line up with what the world says.

In fact, the words of Jesus do not line up with what many churches teach today.

It is the one who acknowledges that he is a sinner who has been justified by his faith.

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

*Luk 18:15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
Luk 18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Luk 18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

We must be humble when we approach the Lord for forgiveness of our sins.

The first characteristic that fits the Kingdom of God is that of a child.

When we doubt that the Lord Jesus can save little children, we are acting like a Pharisee.

When we think the Church is spending too much money on our youth, we act like Pharisees.

When we do not look at our youth as being the future of the Church, we are acting like a Pharisee.

When we do not look at our youth as being the future of our nation, we act foolish because we need to train them to be the future of our nation.

God cares about every stage of the process of our growth, starting from childhood.

God loves the little children as much as He loves any of us!

Most children are obedient to their parents, and they can learn right from wrong at an early age.

Most children are far more forgiving than most adults.

When we get to Heaven, we will find that we are all children, God’s children!

There is no way to get into Heaven except by receiving God’s Kingdom like a child!

Mat 18:3 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.

Amen

In Hell He Lifted Up His Eyes

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Unjust Manager and the Reality of Hell

Book of Luke Chapter 16 Verses 19 through 31

What is the truth of the Scriptures? People will spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell after our death, based on our belief about what the Word of God tells us about being saved.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

When we come into the House of God, we come in as the sons and daughters of the Almighty Living God.

When we leave to go outside the House of God, we are to leave as stewards. We are to be stewards outside the House of God as long as we are upon this earth!

In the first part of Chapter 16, we have a parable that describes us as we leave the Church to go outside the Church.

The rich man in this parable is a picture of God. We already know that we are to be the stewards.

Not many of us can say we have been perfect stewards in our lives after our salvation.

When we go outside the Church, we are to be the light of the earth, but to be quite honest, most of us have been kind of dull most of the time. I know I have failed the Lord many times. Far too many times.

God has given us the Gospel through His Son, Jesus, and we are to share the Gospel with those outside the Church.

God will call us to account one day, just as this Master called his steward.

What will we say because it will not be time for excuses?

This steward was removed from his position, so what did that make him?

In this parable, it made him be at the mercy of those people around him.

He needed some way to make them his friends.

He made a personal contract with each of the Master’s debtors, which meant robbing the Master of his just repayment.

He reduced one debt by fifty percent.

He gives another twenty percent discount.

He does similar things to all the Master’s debtors.

He did this, looking to his future on this earth to secure shelter and food, material things of this earth.

He did this without any knowledge of his Master.

He was an unjust man, but he was wise, looking ahead when he had no means to care for himself.

What the Lord Jesus is teaching the Church is that we are not that wise.

We have a certain future written with the blood of Jesus Christ, but we live as if we have forgotten the debt we owe to the Lord.

It is the love of money, the craving for riches, that is the root of all the evil we see in our world.

1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

So, the big question for each believer is what we will give to the Lord and what we will try to keep for ourselves.

The Lord Jesus gave His life for us, and He asks whether we are willing to do the same for Him.

Luk_9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

God has given us Spiritual blessings that we never have to repay, but each of us is still God’s property with all that we possess.

Our life and our property are on loan from God.

The importance of earthly wealth is lost forever!

It is how we deal with these things that shows our relationship with God.

As Jesus said to His disciples, we cannot have or serve two masters!

God knows what is in our hearts.

The Lord moves on to the story of the rich man and Lazarus.

We should know that when the Holy Spirit uses real names, then a story is no longer a parable, but it teaches us like a parable.

*Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

We should see this story in the Bible as the actual truth and not as a parable.

The Lord gives the name of Lazarus, and the Lord also gives us Abraham as if he is still living, which we know to be true of all those in Heaven who have gone on before us.

This man had everything his money could buy.

The Lord Jesus does not recognize those whose name is not written in Heaven, so we do not have his name.

Mat_7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

All those in Heaven are more alive than they could have ever been when they were in this life.

Luk 20:37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Luk 20:38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

This rich man had done very well while he was living, and he was enjoying himself very much.

Today, nothing this rich man did would be called a sin, but the poor beggar would be just some homeless beggar who could get no help.

Lazarus was a poor, disabled man who had to be laid at the gate of this rich man because he could not walk by himself.

Lazarus was covered with sores and had no way to get help.

Lazarus lay at the gate of this rich man in the hope of just getting a few crumbs from the rich man’s table.

This rich man had everything, but God said Lazarus had nothing but God.

When a dog licks a wound, they are able to detect any changes in the scent or taste of the wound. This can be helpful in detecting infections or other issues that may need attention. Dogs are also known to have antibacterial properties in their saliva, which can help to clean and disinfect wounds.

Dogs may lick wounds as a form of comfort or reassurance, much like how a mother dog would groom her puppies. It is a way for them to show love and support.

*Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Life on earth can be good at times, but at some point, we die to this world.

The one thing that happens is that there is a big difference in life with Jesus and life with the Devil.

For Lazarus, he was no longer in misery, and angels delivered him to a wonderful place where he would never suffer again.

Abraham’s Bosom:

We know that Abraham is the patriarch of the Hebrew children. The word “Bosom” suggests kindness, secrecy, intimacy, and security.

Christ was in the Bosom of His Father: Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Jesus Christ our Savior carries His children in His Bosom: Isa 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

The theory of Abraham’s Bosom was taught as a place of happiness where the souls of believers could expect to be upon their death before the time of Christ.

They were sitting down and feasting with Abraham the Hebrew Father in Paradise until the Messiah came to live and die and rise to new life, for all God’s children.

Abraham’s Bosom was a place of honor and the safekeeping of souls until the work of the Messiah.

As for the rich man, he had an elaborate funeral, and then he was just buried, but that was not all; he woke up in Hell.

Lazarus lived as he had never lived here on earth.

He did not die. Oh, he might have left that old body wherever it was thrown.

On the day of Lazarus, many of the poor were just tossed into the trash dump and not buried at all.

Before that old cold body hit the ground, Lazarus was in the arms of God’s angels getting a free ride to true Paradise.

Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Before the Lord emptied Paradise and took them on to Heaven, all the Old Testament Saints would have been in this place called Paradise, at least this is what the Pharisees taught.

They would have welcomed Lazarus right on in.

It was not the same for the rich man.

*Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

It was the death angel that snatched that rich man from his comfort and pleasures from the material things of this earth.

The English word “Hell” comes from the Greek word “Hades”. The Hebrew word for Hell is Sheol, for the world of the dead.

This is the place the rich man was sent to. He was unfit for Paradise.

He had lived in the only paradise this world has to offer, and the world only offers this paradise to those who are rich.

He had lived off the material world and refused to share any part of it with the poor.

Pro 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

This rich man only got to peek at the glory that Lazarus was now enjoying.

*Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

This rich man was in a place where he was alone.

A big mistake the rich man made was praying to Abraham. Abraham had no power to help him, even if he chose to do so.

He could see no one else in Hell, but he could see what was happening in paradise.

This should dampen the spirits of all those who say there will be a big party in Hell when they get there.

What Jesus is saying is that a person will be tormented in Hell, and part of that torment is an eternity in loneliness.

Jesus said they would face an eternal burning sensation of agony. If one drop of water could provide some relief, then this man was indeed suffering.

Lazarus had plenty of water, but it was not to share with those in Hell.

The rich man would never find any relief in Hell.

The Lord Jesus says nothing about Lazarus being aware of the Hell this man was suffering.

The Lord Jesus explains just how much misery there is with eternal life in Hell.

We already know that there must be some places in Hell with different degrees of suffering, and it seems that this man is in a place of the least amount of suffering, but it is still eternal misery.

The rich man begged Abraham for another chance, which could not be granted.

He then begged Abraham to make sure someone would go to his brothers to witness to them about salvation so they would not go to Hell.

He was saying that He did not want to ever see his brothers again and prayed they would be wiser than he had been.

Everyone in Hell today is a prayer warrior, but it is much too late for them to pray in Hell when they should have prayed while they were alive.

No matter what any denomination says, there are no second chances in Hell once you get there.

No one upon this earth can pray you out of Hell!

If they cannot trust the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation while they live, there is nothing that can change their eternal destiny.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who tells us of a great gulf that is fixed between this Paradise and Hell.

*Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Matthew Henry writes: “In this world, blessed be God, there is no gulf between a state of nature and grace; we may pass from sin to God, but if we die in our sins, there is no coming out”.

This verse is hard to explain because if we look at the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus, then we see that Moses and Elijah were already in their glorified bodies, so we cannot say they came from a place called Paradise, but they had to come from the presence of God the Father, who spoke to the Apostles Peter, James, and John.

This was certainly the belief of the Jews, and the Lord Jesus was teaching in front of the Pharisees.

The theory that Hell has two compartments, one for the righteous and the other a place of torment for the wicked, may be just a theory taught by the Jews.

It is believed that the Lord Jesus is using the beliefs of these Pharisees to prove them wrong in their interpretations of the Scriptures.

The Lord Jesus is teaching us about the contrast of life between the wicked and the righteous.

Then the Lord Jesus teaches us the contrast between the death of the righteous and the wicked who end up in Hell.

The Lord Jesus tells us that He drew back the veil to give us a glimpse of our life in the true Paradise.

Where was Lazarus actually located? Rev_22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

It was too late for the prayers of the rich man.

*Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

If we think about it, it is this rich man who dug this great chasm that separated him and his abundance from Lazarus. He had never thought about God being on the side of Lazarus.

When he shut out Lazarus, he had shut out God.

We have to be careful of these types of things as we live our lives.

It was also too late to think about his other family members.

Lazarus could no more bring him a drop of water than he could reappear to go warn this man’s brothers.

We can assume that this man’s brothers lived by the same set of values as he had lived by.

Abraham replied that this man’s brothers had the same Word of God that he had, the Books of Moses and of the prophets.

The rich man said a great truth: the Books of Moses cannot save anyone. The Law can only take you so far. Only Jesus can take us to the true Paradise, Heaven.

The truth is that people who are deaf to Moses and the Prophets would pay no attention to someone who was raised from the dead.

*Luk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

They had a lot of evidence from the time of Christ, but they had ignored the evidence that they had.

The same thing is happening today!

We must be believers in the Word of God to accept the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Notice that the rich man in Hell still thinks he is smarter than Abraham, who was already in Paradise.

The message of Hell must be presented along with the Gospel, but it must be taught in love, like all the Gospel.

The fire we know of here upon earth is material and temporary.

Earthly fire does not last forever!

Nothing on this earth will last forever!

The fires of Hell are spiritual and are eternal, never-ending.

We cannot shrink away from the truth of Hell.

The worst part of Hell will always be eternal separation from God!

This one thing is much worse than any physical experience that we can imagine here in this life.

This is the most important point that the Lord Jesus is making here.

We must do everything we can to stay out of Hell!

2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2Th 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Luk 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

Amen

The Prodigal Son

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Jesus Uses Parables to Preach the Gospel

Book of Luke Chapter 15

We have answered this question before, but what is a parable?

The Webster dictionary describes a parable this way: “A fable or allegorical relation or representation of something real in life or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction”.

In truth, a parable is not a fable nor an allegory.

One commentary says: A parable makes it evident that an essential feature of the parable lies in the bringing together of two different things so that the one helps to explain and to emphasize the other.

To make it simple, a parable was often used in a more restricted sense to denote a short narrative, under which some important truth is veiled.

In these parables, it proves the great love God has in seeking lost sinners and His forgiveness for them if they will only repent and return to Him.

Luke Chapter 15 begins with the Parable of sinners coming to Jesus, and next the Parable of the Lost Coin.

We could say that Luke Chapter 15 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible.

Our lesson spends its time on the Lost Son, whom we call the Prodigal Son.

Praise the Lord, for He knows how to find lost things!

I was once one of those lost things that He found.

The Pharisees and the scribes of today see searching for the lost as a waste of time.

What does God say? Luk 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Luk 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

If we make a few substitutions, we can better understand this parable.

1) The lost son teaches us about sinful living and true repentance.
2) His father represents our Heavenly Father.
3) The other son in this parable teaches us about the self-righteous and those who reject the truth.

Remember this is the Lord Jesus speaking.

****Luk 15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
Luk 15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

We could say the problem in this family is a problem of relationships.

The problem of the relationship of the father to his two sons.
The problem of the relationship between the two sons and their father.

One son will represent the sinner.
The other son will represent the Pharisee who was always against Jesus.

The father represents the love of God for both of these sons.

The Lord Jesus Christ died for every sinner and every Pharisee and all others on Mount Calvary.

Those in the past, those who live now, and those who would live in the future. This also includes every Israelite.

The truth is that man’s love is narrow, shortsighted, and selfish.

We do not see much love in the world today.

God’s love is boundless, profound, reconciling, and unreserved.

Both of these sons, in their own way, sin against the love of God.

When we reject our Creator, we are sinning against His love!

There are so many differences between these two sons, so it is hard to believe they are brothers.

The one thing they have in common is that they have the same father.

The youngest son is rebellious, as we see in many of our youths today, driven by the desire to leave home and treat his parents as if they do not exist.

This son wants to make grown-up decisions and be his own, but no person alive then or today becomes so mature that they can declare their independence from God.

This reminds me of all those politicians and preachers who claim to know the truth of God, but they do not uphold the truth of God’s Word when dealing with the lost.

How can any so-called Christian defend any kind of immorality when God says it is an abomination?
How can any so-called Christian defend any sin when God says for us to repent of our sinful ways?

No one can claim they are saved and in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and then defend the sin, the wickedness, and the immorality in our nation or in our world; no matter what they say, they are liars.

Even in Israel at the time of Jesus, it was the custom for the property to be divided among the sons after the death of the father, with the firstborn getting a double portion.

Today, if there is a last will, the possessions of that father would be divided according to that will.

This foolish young man convinced his father to divide his estate, which he did, and gave to both sons their inheritance while he was still alive.

He was declaring that to him, his father was dead!

The young man immediately exchanged his property for money.

On that day, land and animals were a sign of wealth and not money.

He had no intention of honoring his parents in their old age, which in that day was the responsibility of the sons.

He severed his relationship with his father and wanted nothing else to do with his family.

There have been many such sons and daughters who have done this today, and a great many of them have come back home because independence and the world are not what they thought they were.

This is the picture of the sinner who wants to do with his life what he wants to and to heck with everybody else.

*Luk 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
Luk 15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

In most family homes, the children are first trained to help keep the home clean, and they will have more responsibility as they get older.

This young man wanted his independence from any such responsibility. He wanted to do his own thing and live as he wished.

This father gave his son what he asked for.

There is no clearer way to deny God than to give in to your own will and ignore the will of God!

What do we see? He wasted all that his father gave him on riotous living.

He tried to live in luxury.
He was wanton, he became immoral, and lived without moral restraints.
He was licentious, giving in to festive indulgences, which meant he lived the party life, ignoring the laws of his upbringing.
He ate only the best foods this world had to offer, no matter the cost.

He chose a country that was far different from his father’s home.

He chose a country that was full of wickedness and immorality, where he could live a worldly, fleshy life.

We could say he was living for pleasure.

We know that King Solomon tried this lifestyle and found it a vain way to live.

Solomon had much more money than this prodigal son.

What does the word prodigal mean? One that expends money extravagantly or without necessity; one that is profuse or lavish; a waster; a spendthrift.

In a short time, this son had spent every dime he had, as he had wasted his inheritance and was now broke in a foreign country.

He had nothing left on this earth to help him.

The world we live in is only nice to those who can afford it, but this world will take away everything that you have and laugh at you.

When you wrap your life up in pleasure, you will find that the pleasures of this world get old fast.

There is only pleasure in sin for a season.

Isa 21:4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

This young man had found out that the world we live in is a corrupt world.

I used to think we live in a nation that could not be corrupted, but I know no better.

A certain political group has corrupted our nation, and they fight with the strength of the Devil to keep it that way.

Proverbs 11:19 says so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

Not only was he dead broke with no help, but a famine came to the country he was now living in, and he, being an illegal immigrant, would suffer even more.

He became a slave and could only get the worst jobs.

*Luk 15:15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Luk 15:16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

We should know that a Jew was forbidden by law to attach themselves to a Gentile.

Even if we disregard this, the humiliation of cleaning hog pens was a terrible pain for this young man.

The attitude of the Jews toward swine was also governed by the Law.

Lev 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
Lev 11:8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

In typology, those hog pens give us the picture of sin when a man is enslaved to it.

Sin will enslave us!

Pro 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
Pro 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
Pro 5:23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

His bodily hunger became so great that he would have eaten the food that was given to the swine.

The Greek text of the Bible says those husks were the pods of the carob tree, which was used for the feed of animals.

Some say it had a sweetish taste, but it would tear your bowels up, and only the very poor would attempt to eat it.

This young man came to his senses.

*Luk 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
Luk 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
Luk 15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

He had sunk as low as he could go. Trying to do things his way just was not working out.

When he could only see how his freedom had turned out, he began to think about home and the only one who had loved him, his father.

Heaven will be so wonderful that God considers any person who rejects the Lord Jesus to be mad or insane for wanting to live in this unreal, wicked world.

Our world is not only vain, but it is also fake.

Our nation has been known as the land of opportunity, but it is fake.

Only Heaven is the true land of opportunity.

Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Ecc 9:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Inner conviction began to lead this young man to repentance.

Repentance is the beginning of reality and the basis for building a sound life.
The beginning of repentance is thought, thinking about the need to repent and turn back to God.

The Holy Spirit will first convince us that we are sinners.
Then He will put in our hearts that there is a God who loves us.
It is the heart that will convince us of our lost condition.
It is the heart that will bring us to confession.

This is how the Holy Spirit works to bring us under conviction.

God is Light, and God is Love.

As Light, He works in the Heart to convince us of our lost condition.

As Love, we can see in Him in His Goodness.

1Pe_5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

This son knew one thing for certain. If he remained in his condition, he knew he would perish!

His sin is staring at him in the face.

When we sin against God, we have sinned against His Love for us.

He began to think about his father and how his father had many servants, but not one of them were slaves.

They were hired help, taken care of, and fed from his father’s table.

He realized that he was no longer worthy to be considered a son and sought to just become one of his father’s servants.

He knew he needed to get moving before he perished.
He knew he would have to turn from his sinful life.
He knew he would have to turn toward and move toward God.

This is repentance!

When we repent, we must turn from this world and turn toward God’s New Heaven.

This begins after confession of our sin!

It was time to do this before another day passed.

*Luk 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Luk 15:21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

Many a soul on this earth realizes their sinful life and realizes that they are not worthy to receive forgiveness, but they feel they cannot be forgiven, so they remain in their misery or seek an early death, having no hope.

When we do this, we dishonor not only ourselves, but we dishonor our Heavenly Father, who is waiting for us with open arms, with healing in His wings.

Mal_4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

The greatest decision this young man would ever make was the decision to return to his father.

We need to reconcile ourselves with God!

Heb_2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

God is always ready to receive us!

God is omniscient, so this son was forgiven before he even confessed!

Repentance is the sign that we are sincere when we confess.

There is a movement in many places of worship to remove this step to salvation.

People want to be saved and then work on repentance, but repentance will not come without the help of the Holy Spirit.

God sees we are sincere when we turn from our wicked ways!

This is why the father ran to meet his son!

The God of the New Testament, the Father of all mankind, is most clearly revealed in His compassion.

When we take one step toward God, He will take two steps toward us!

Psa 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

When this son returns to his father, he finds out that his father has never stopped loving him.

His heart had gone with his son even when he was far off.

This is the example the Lord Jesus was making.

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

It was time for a feast.

*Luk 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
Luk 15:23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
Luk 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

This young son was now accepted and restored, but it would not have happened if he had not returned.

Before this son says just make me one of your servants, the heart of the father has taken over.

It is the position of our Heavenly Father that determines that we are still His sons and daughters.

Repentance is the key to returning to the arms of God.

When we walk through Heaven’s Gates, we will walk in as a son or daughter who has returned home!

Luk_15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Our dirty, rotten, sinful clothing will be removed, and a robe of salvation will be given to us.

Notice an important point: the servants of this father knew exactly where this robe had been hanging in anticipation of the return of this son.

Not only do we have a mansion in Heaven prepared by the Lord, but there is also a Robe of Righteousness awaiting us.

Isa_61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

The best robe we will ever wear is the robe we receive when we get to Heaven.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

We will receive a ring as a sign of special honor and dignity: Gen 41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

Those new shoes show that we now walk with our Heavenly Father.

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

We should notice that this son receives much more than he received when he left.

That fatted calf is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was slain for our sins.

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

There is much more that we can get from this parable of the Prodigal Son if we just take it to heart and remember our own salvation.

Amen

Repentance False Religion and the True Way

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Repentance, False Religion, and the True Way

Book of Luke Chapter 13

The Lord Jesus Christ was preaching about the signs of the times, or we could say the sins of the times.

These are the same sins we have today, only they are getting worse.

If we analyze the present time according to the Word of God that we have, we should be able to see that time is running out to make a decisive choice about the truth of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said to the crowd: Luk 12:54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
Luk 12:55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
Luk 12:56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

The Lord Jesus called them hypocrites because they could look at the patterns of the weather to see what was coming next, but they kept their eyes closed when it came to their spiritual condition.

Most of the time we think much too much of ourselves!

They knew the laws of nature and how to apply them, but they were ignoring the Law of God, and they lived according to their own thoughts and the ways of the world.

God had explained that judgment was coming, but the Word of God was ignored.

They did not think about the time in which they lived because they did not want to repent and place their lives in the hands of God.

Their greatest mistake they made was not considering that our lives are already in the hands of God!

If we know only one thing, it is that we are responsible for knowing right from wrong!

Normally, this is the first lesson we try to teach our children.

If we have a personal relationship with God, then we can be where God wants us to be, and God can save us.

The Lord Jesus always seeks the salvation of each of us so He can show us mercy.

Mercy means we will not get what we deserve, which is eternal death.

Num 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression,

Psa 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

The next question would then be, “Why do good people suffer”?

One answer would be that we do not suffer more because we are far worse than others, so we can remove this from our thought process.

*Luk 13:1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Luk 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
Luk 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luk 13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Luk 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Rome considered the Galileans the most turbulent and seditious people under their control.

They were always ready to cause problems for Roman authority.

The Apostles that Jesus had selected were all Galileans, either by birth or by where they lived.

Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Most of the Jews could tell if you were a Galilean by the way that you talked. Just ask Peter.

Mat 26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

It would be sort of like the speech of us Southerners and those who live in the North of our own nation.

Many would actually call Jesus Christ the Galilean God.

This was used many times to keep from using the title Christian during the time of the early Church.

The truth was, Pilate hated the Galileans so much that his army surrounded a group of Galileans at the Temple, where they had gone to worship, and murdered them and poured their blood on the sacrifices that were being made to God.

By doing this, Pilate also showed his contempt for the sacrificial services of the Jews.

The question to the Lord Jesus Christ was that these Galileans must have been sinners far greater than other men.

They suggested that it was not so much the cruelty of Pilate as it was the judgment of God.

The Lord Jesus said: “It is not up to any of us to decide whose sins are worse than others”.

Jesus’s answer to these Jews was “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish”.

We know that there were not many of the Jews who did repent, and they were all slaughtered by the Romans in 70 A D.

The Romans did to the Jews what Pilate had done to these Galileans.

The answer is that we do not suffer more in this world just because we are greater sinners than most others.

We are all sinners in need of repentance!

Every sin has the same “judgment” from God, eternal death without God.

In fact, totally innocent people suffer, and we do not know any reason beyond the providence of God.

We do know this verse we see so much: Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Then the Lord Jesus adds another incident.

There was a great tragedy in Jerusalem when eighteen men were killed because a guard tower at the pool of Siloam fell and killed them all.

Some commentaries say it was eighteen construction workers who were killed.

Some say that Pilate used the Temple money to construct an aqueduct into Jerusalem, and some of the Jews said this was the reason these men were killed, again by God Himself, but it was merely an accident that happened to men trying to make a living for their families.

Were these eighteen greater sinners than others in Jerusalem?

Did they deserve to die more than others who live?

We might ask ourselves, why are we allowed to live and others are not?

The Lord Jesus said it was not because they had greater sin than others.

There again Jesus said: “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish”.

It is not up to us to raise the question of the guilt of others.

Do I believe there may be different levels of suffering in Hell? Yes, I do.

Most suffering of the sinner upon this earth is caused by themselves.

Go to the hospitals and see if you can tell who is good and who is bad.

Much of our suffering as we get older is because of the way we lived our lives when we were younger.

No one suffers upon this earth because we think they are greater sinners than others.

These things are all in the hands of God!

The greatest thing we can do is to repent and be saved, so we know we will not suffer in Hell.

Heaven is going to be so wonderful. Why would anybody not want to spend eternity there?

We cannot afford to die without Jesus Christ!

Again, the Lord Jesus teaches us with a parable.

*Luk 13:6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Luk 13:7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
Luk 13:8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
Luk 13:9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

Israel is God’s people.

The Church is God’s people.

God expects us all who love Him to bear fruit.

The fruit God expects from all His people is the Fruit of the Spirit!

Isa 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
Isa 44:4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Joh 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Israel thought they were safe because they were the seed of Abraham under the promises of God.

Israel did not even realize the precarious state in which they were in.

(By the way, the Church is sinking so fast that the Church does not realize the precarious state it is in).

It was totally inappropriate to speculate about the Galileans, and it was foolish to forget the people of Jerusalem.

We could understand this parable as showing these Jews their own history that hangs over their heads.

But without a doubt, it should also wake up the Church, which lives by the Grace of God.

There will come a time when God elects to cut down fruitless trees.

We must understand the need for repentance: Mat 21:28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
Mat 21:29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
Mat 21:30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
Mat 21:31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Repentance is a change of mind that brings a complete change in the heart. It is a heartfelt sorrow for sin and a confession of that sin, turning to God and righteousness.

One day God’s patience will run out with this world: 2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

Israel is the fig tree of the Lord. Israel must stand before God in its righteousness.

Adam and Eve, after falling into sin, tried to cover themselves with the leaves of a fig tree.

Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

This man-made apron could not cover their nakedness, so God made them garments of skin.

They then stood before God covered by a sacrificial lamb, which we know now as Jesus Christ.

This is the only way every single sinner can stand before our Holy God.

We know of another Scripture that says the Lord Jesus sought fruit again from the fig tree and could not find it, and the fig tree withered away and died after the Lord Jesus cursed it.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who spent three years trying to convince the Jews to repent, but they would not.

Jhn_1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

The Church also needs to repent and get busy for the Lord!

It is God Himself who is looking for fruit!

All those places of worship producing no fruit are just wasting space!

Mat 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

*Luk 13:10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
Luk 13:11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
Luk 13:12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
Luk 13:13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

This is possibly the last time that the Lord Jesus got to teach in a synagogue of the Jews.

This healing took place on a Sabbath, and we see that healing was not allowed on the Sabbath because it was considered to be work and not a movement of God.

The Lord Jesus was doing exactly what He came to do.

Luk_19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

We can see that the Jewish synagogues were places where women could also worship along with religionists.

That phrase “spirit of infirmity” probably means that this illness she had was because of a demon.

So, we see that the devil and his demons try to be present in every worship service, and he still does this today.

This woman had reached a point where she could no longer lift herself, but if she had not been committed to worship, she would have missed this opportunity when the Lord Jesus showed up at the worship service.

Worship at church reaches another level when the Lord Jesus shows up to worship with us!

We already know that God sings with us when we sing in our worship service.

Zep 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

When we rejoice in the Lord, we can have the Holy Spirit with us, the Almighty God singing, and the presence of the Lord Jesus to heal us.

This illness this woman suffered with was for eighteen years, and she may not have been able to make it to another worship service if not for Christ also being there on that day.

This type of illness is, in typology, a spiritual weakness in those who are weighed down by the Laws of Moses.

This is what the Law does: it requires those who follow it to meet certain conditions before they can claim righteousness and escape the judgment of God.

Today, we call this legalism!

The Law cannot make anyone righteous!

Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

This woman had a true Spiritual need!

The Lord Jesus laid His wonderful healing hands upon her.

This woman had not asked for anything; the Lord Jesus just knows our needs.

She was no longer bowed over but was straightened.

Such wonderful things are overlooked by traditionalists.

*Luk 13:14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
Luk 13:15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
Luk 13:16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Luk 13:17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

The Lord stepped into a synagogue and just ruined the service for all those religionists, and they would not allow Him into another synagogue during the time He had left.

Much of the Church would not allow the Lord Jesus to preach in any service today.

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
This man worshipped God, but he did not worship the same God as this woman who was healed.

The ruler of this synagogue was an arrogant man who was self-righteous because he followed the traditions of men rather than the Word of God.

This woman sought God to meet her needs.

This synagogue leader sought God through form and rituals, ceremony and rules.

This is not what the worship of God is to be about.

This man lost his temper with the Lord Jesus Christ, and this is not a good thing in any worship service.

The Lord Jesus said he was a hypocrite and he was.

He had already taken care of his animals before he came to worship, all these things done on the same Sabbath.

He was a leader who put his own animals and his own rules above the people and above the Word of God.

There are church leaders who do this same thing today!

The Jewish people had allowed their religious leaders to corrupt the Word of God.

The people inside this synagogue began to see the truth and rejoiced to hear the truth from the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus continued to travel and teach through the cities and villages that were between Him and Jerusalem.

*Luk 13:22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
Luk 13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

Just who are the saved?

Will many of the world be saved?

Jesus will answer these questions Himself.

The Lord Jesus Christ knew exactly what was going to happen to Him in Jerusalem!

This did not alter His message.

The Lord Jesus would be killed by the hands of the Jewish people.

Mat_27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

The Lord Jesus just kept doing what His Father sent Him to do as He traveled to His death.

Then someone asked Him: Lord, are there few that be saved?

Notice the Lord Jesus is not so much concerned by the question as He is by that person who asked the question.

This is still one of the biggest questions asked by those who are religious.

Many religions, including some Christians, still try to find some way to deny those whom they do not like the opportunity to get to God’s Heaven.

It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who can set the boundaries of getting to Heaven.

It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who can separate the sheep from the goats.

Only God can open the door to Heaven, and it is by His Grace through His Son Jesus!

This doorway is narrow, and the Lord is the door!

Jhn_10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Jhn_10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

There is a great price to be paid to get the Lord Jesus to open the door to Heaven.

No halfhearted people can get through the door!

The Apostle Paul wrote: 1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

It is by repentance and by renouncing our self-righteousness, our arrogance, and our own self-will.

It is difficult to enter this door when it is open and impossible once it is closed!

We must be doers of the Word of God!

Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

The Lord Jesus continues:

*Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

The way to salvation is specific, very specific!

1) There are not many ways to salvation; there is only one way to salvation.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

2) The way to salvation is straight, very straight!

It is not crooked in direction, it is not crooked in purpose, it is not crooked in morals.

There is nothing in salvation that will make us great, so we must become small.

We must be in the right relationship with God!

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

We must diligently seek God!

Most of those in our world are not willing to pay the price.

The Lord knows it so, therefore the gate is narrow.

*Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

We must understand that God is long-suffering and truly patient, but there will come a moment when God puts an end to entering the Door of Jesus Christ!

In the Bible, we have a great example in Noah.

Gen 7:15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.
Gen 7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: “and the LORD shut him in”.

The salvation of God is now, today, that door may be closed tomorrow.

If your name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, then the Lord Jesus will say that He does not know you, and if He does not know you, then the God of Heaven does not know you.

Luk_10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

It will be too late to call for the “Mercy of God,” and He will cut off the flow of “Grace” from His throne.

*Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

Then those who have had one foot in the Church and the other foot in the world will be rejected.

They were friends of true Christians.
They listened to the preacher, and they may have even attended Sunday School.
They had witnessed great movements of the Holy Spirit and had seen souls who were truly saved.

They were citizens of so-called Christian nations.
They even allowed their streets to be used for evangelism.

However, they professed a relationship with Jesus Christ that they did not have.

Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

We should understand that the Lord Jesus was outside the doors of the Church at one time, knocking, almost begging for them to let Him back in.

Now we see just the opposite. We see those who were playing Church on the outside of the door of salvation begging the Lord Jesus Christ to let them in.

What will the Lord Jesus say to them?

*Luk 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
Luk 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

We see that the saved shall be separated from the lost, and it appears that those who are lost will get to see those who are saved enter into the Kingdom of God.

Mat 18:3 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.
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

On the day of the Rapture, many will look around and wonder why they were left behind.

They will be upset with themselves and with God’s saints who are no longer on this planet.

They will see godly parents, friends, children, and neighbors enter the Kingdom of God and see themselves shut out.

They had not denied themselves: Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

*Luk 13:29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
Luk 13:30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Those who were saved are mainly Gentiles, and the Lord will do a new work on the Jews after and during the seven years of Tribulation.

There is a revival of sorts today in many nations, though not in the USA.

We need to be praying for a revival while there may still be time to have one.

I have never seen so much sin and corruption in our nation as I see today, and no one seems to care.

Our politicians have allowed these things to go on for far too long.

Those who are lost have their conscience seared with a hot iron and do not see the sin and corruption in our land today.

Those who are corrupt accuse everyone else of being corrupt to hide their own corruption.

They have it in their minds that we are all fools when they are not fooling anybody.

The great “Marriage Supper” of the Lamb of God is closer than we think, and we must know that we know we are saved.

There will be no classes of people in Heaven. Race will not be considered, nor riches, nor classes of people.

Only Christians will be there, those who love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart.

Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Amen

Rejoice Because Your Name is Written in Heaven

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Rejoice Because Your Name is Written in Heaven

Book of Luke Chapter 10

Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 

Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 

Many who deny the deity of Jesus Christ do so by referring to the term firstborn. If this term relates to Jesus, it must imply that He had a beginning in time, but they are wrong.

In the Old Testament, the culture was all about the status of the oldest son.

Deu 21:17  But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

In reality, the word firstborn denotes priority or supremacy, and this is the way it is used of Jesus Christ.

Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 

Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church and preeminent in all His creation.

Heb 1:6  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 

Heaven’s angels will not worship anyone but God!

Psa 89:27  Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

God’s Messiah will be the firstborn who is resurrected to New Life to rule this entire earth.

The firstborn of the Church, who are all those whose names are written down in Heaven. Born Again, Regenerated,

Tit 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 

Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 

Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 

Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 

Joh 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

These are those whose names are written down in Heaven.

If we cannot rejoice because our names are written Heaven, then we need to question our salvation.

*****Luk 10:1  After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. 

1) We should be able to tell that there are many disciples of the Lord Jesus, just as there are many more today.

Most of these disciples would not meet the qualifications to become an Apostle, but many of them were still committed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

These seventy disciples were so committed that the Lord Jesus could send them to preach and teach the Gospel.

There may have been at least one hundred and twenty who met the qualifications to be an Apostle, but were not chosen by the Lord Jesus.

Act 1:12  Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey. 

Act 1:13  And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 

Act 1:14  These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. 

Act 1:15  And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) 

Act 1:16  Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 

2) The Lord Jesus also sent them out two by two.

This does not mean we are not to go out alone to witness for Jesus Christ, but two together are much stronger against our enemy, Satan. With the two, there could be mutual encouragement and help when help was needed.

3) There was a tremendous need for people to hear the truth of the Messiah and the truth of the Word of God.

If that need was great at that time, it is certainly much greater now.

We know that the Lord had sentenced that generation to death, and Jerusalem and the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D.

We now know that all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ are sentenced to eternal death, and the Lord Jesus could return at any moment.

There is certainly a greater need to spread the Gospel!

4) These seventy were sent as forerunners. They were to prepare the people for His coming.

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

We have the same job today!

Our time to serve the Lord grows short!

*****Luk 10:2  Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

1) The first thing they were to do was to pray!

Who is this Lord of the Harvest? We know only one Lord and He is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Every believer has a duty in this work for the Lord Jesus! 1Co 3:5  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 

1Co 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 

1Co 3:8  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 

1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 

2) What kind of people are in the world to be witnessed to?

*****Luk 10:3  Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 

Notice that the Lord Jesus Christ does not call them the “Lost Sheep of Israel”; He calls them wolves.

We see a reversal of sorts; the disciples are now the lambs, and those who are lost are the wolves.

Going out for the Lord is not a victory march, but it is a bit dangerous and is growing more so today.

The lambs of God’s House are defenseless against the wolves of this world unless they walk in faith and the purpose of the Holy Spirit.

The key, they must still go out with “faith,” but the Holy Spirit will be working on the hearts of those they witness to.

There is still the danger of persecution.

It is the wolves of this world who are trying to rid the world of the followers of God.

So, the next time you see your politician going against the Word of God, remember they are wolves out to destroy your nation and allow sin to rule.

The next time your preacher preaches against the Word of God, remember they are just wolves employed by Satan.

The next time your News Source defends sin, remember they are just wolves trying to regain control of our nation.

*****Luk 10:4  Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. 

If we do not trust God, then we will never be of much use to Him!

They were not to worry about money for food, housing, clothing, or an extra pair of sandals.

If they had to pack and prepare all these things, they would not be able to cover as much ground.

Friendliness is all good and well for things of this earth and the time we live in, but as witnesses for the Lord, we must think about our eternal salvation.

Here we see that the Lord Jesus told them not to waste time on needless conversation.

All their time was to be used on their ministry and prayer.

The Lord intended to instill in them the urgency and the commitment to enter the Kingdom of God.

2Co_6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

As believers, we know that the Lord could return at any moment now, and those who are lost need to understand this.

*****Luk 10:5  And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 

Luk 10:6  And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. 

We must clearly understand that the message of salvation is a message of peace with God, our Creator.

The Lord Jesus said, Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

One of the greatest things I have realized as a believer is that I can rest each night knowing that I am at peace with God.

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 

Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 

As witnesses for Jesus Christ, we are to proclaim peace in any household we enter.

If the head of that household was a man of peace, then God’s peace could be proclaimed.

If the head of that household did not proclaim peace, then the message of God was not to be forced upon that house.

God will never force anyone to accept His message of truth.

Rev 22:11  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 

Psa 81:15  The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever. 

*****Luk 10:7  And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 

We must understand that those who carry the message of the Kingdom of God in truth are worthy to be supported by those who receive the truth of God!

1Ti 5:17  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 

They were to seek compensation, but they were not to seek luxury.

They were not to be embarrassed or self-conscious in receiving payment.

There is certainly nothing wrong with living a simple life!

Our Heavenly Father is already committed to providing our needs.

They were to eat whatever food was placed before them without question, regardless of the Jewish food laws.

*****Luk 10:8  And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 

Luk 10:9  And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 

The Apostle Paul wrote, guided by the Holy Spirit: 1Co 10:25  Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 

1Co 10:26  For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof. 

1Co 10:27  If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 

We know that the number twelve has a particular significance in the Bible, and we can be sure that the number seventy also has significance to the Jews.

Notice the Lord Jesus also gave these seventy disciples the power to heal the sick.

We are never to take on the sin of that person we are witnessing to, but they must feel that we have compassion on them, and we may have to change our own customs and habits to reach these people.

Those we witness to must see that they are accepted just as they are, and they should see that we care for their souls just as the Lord Jesus does.

We must remember that the Lord Jesus died for us while we were still sinners.

He could have just as easily said: “no Father, I do not want to have anything to do with that bunch of sinners”.

Thank you, Lord, for your precious love for us!

When the Lord Jesus walked upon this earth, He was the Kingdom of God in the flesh.

When we take the exact Word of God to others, we are taking the knowledge of the Kingdom of Heaven to them.

One day soon, we will be witnesses to the actual Kingdom of God, and this should also be mentioned.

We may not know what Heaven looks like, but we know it will be wonderful.

1Co_2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

We do know more of what the Kingdom of God will be like during the Lord’s reign from Jerusalem for one thousand years.

Zec 8:3  Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. 

The “Good News” is for those who accept the truth of God’s Messiah.

Those who reject the “Good News” will be told of their coming “Judgment”.

*****Luk 10:10  But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 

Luk 10:11  Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 

Luk 10:12  But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. 

Luk 10:13  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 

Luk 10:14  But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. 

Luk 10:15  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. 

The Lord’s disciples were told to walk away from all those who rejected the truth of God.

We are not to argue with non-believers. We are never to create a bad situation that might reflect upon our character; we must just leave.

We have the truth of God, and they can only offer the meaningless thoughts of the Devil.

1) There would be cities that rejected the disciples of Christ.

They symbolized God’s rejection by shaking the dust off their feet as they left that city. This was a silent testimony that was clearly understood on that day.

This was a symbol of serious judgment. It meant that not even the dust of that city was worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, much less the people.

That city was to be left to itself just as they had wanted.

The Lord Jesus will not force the truth upon anyone!

2) There would be those who professed to be God’s People. These were mostly Jews.

These are people who only make a profession of faith but stick to their old lives, and there is no change.

The truth is, you cannot claim to be God’s people if you reject God’s Son.

The world needs to wake up to this fact!

The judgment of God would be greater on those who claim to be God’s people and reject Him than was God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah.

These would include Chorazin and Bethsaida, and would be far worse than the judgment upon Tyre and Sidon.

We know that Chorazin and Bethsaida do not exist as cities any longer, nor do Tyre or Sidon.

3) There would be those who had a constant witness.

Capernaum was the city where Jesus Christ was raised, and Jesus was the One who never committed even one sin.

He was known as the Carpenter, which means He was a good carpenter.

The Lord Jesus healed every sick person in this city. Things that only God could do, and they knew this to be true.

He was accused of having worked these great works with the power of the Devil.

This is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, which cannot be forgiven.

The residents of Capernaum went straight to Hell because they rejected God’s Son and the truth of the Gospel.

These are the Scriptures that give us the thought that there are degrees of punishment even in Hell, but there is no joy in Hell at all!

Mar 8:36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 

Mar 8:37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

Mar 8:38  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. 

When the Lord Jesus Christ uses the word “woe”, it is not a call for vengeance but is a call of deep regret and a warning to others.

Jud 1:14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 

Jud 1:15  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

When we hear the Word of God by God’s called people, we are hearing from God Himself.

*****Luk 10:16  He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. 

We must understand that when we speak the Word of God, just as it is written by the Holy Spirit, we are speaking the words of our Savior and our God!

2Ti_3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 

Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 

Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen.

Every person who has lived and who will live upon this earth needs to know what God has said.

1Jn_4:15  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Act_2:21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Rom_13:2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

Rev_20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

As witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ, we provide the opportunity to know the truth of Jehovah God. Yeshua. Yahweh.

Our lesson picks back up as these seventy witnesses sent out by the Lord Jesus Christ have returned.

*****Luk 10:17  And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 

The seventy have returned with great joy, but they do not speak a word about their preaching and teaching or the results.

They could only talk about the authority they had over demons.

They did not mention:

1) How much they had done for Jesus Christ.

2) How hard the work had been.

3) How strongly the Devil fought back to keep his own.

They could only talk about the power that is in the name of Jesus Christ.

Any power we have as Christians comes from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

There is great power in the rich red blood of Jesus Christ!

1) Demons deceive people. 1 Thessalonians 3:5, Ehphesians 2:2

2) Demons inflict disease. Luke 13-16

3) Demons deceive nations. Revelation 16:14

4) Demons influence the mind. Gen 3:1-5

Every victory over Satan and his demons should bring great joy!

Satan is a defeated foe!

*****Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Satan has fallen from his position in Heaven and can no longer be there where he once had the power of angels.

Col 1:12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 

Col 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 

Col 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 

Satan and his demons may still be able to cause many problems for a short time longer, but Satan is a loser, and we need to remind him of that at all times.

Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 

Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 

Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me; 

Joh 16:10  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 

Joh 16:11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

The power of God given to each believer is for the purpose of defeating Satan!

*****Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 

We should understand that if God has called us for some special mission, some special purpose, there is nothing on this earth that can cause us harm until that purpose has been fulfilled.

Satan certainly has some power: Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

The Lord’s power is far greater: Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 

The Lord Jesus will give His believers power over the enemy: Luk 9:1  Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 

God’s servants are perfectly safe against all enemies: Joh 17:11  And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 

These are not the most important things in our lives as Christians.

*****Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. 

We should rejoice far more in our salvation than in any power the Lord may have given to us.

Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 

Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

Gal 4:7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

Amen

Wise Enough to Listen

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Wisdom’s Instructions for Right Living

Book of Proverbs Chapter 13

A father who gives instructions to his children or administers corrections to them is wise, but a father who says, “Do as I say and not as I do,” will hardly get his point across.

A father who does not walk in righteousness cannot instruct righteousness.

The greatest proof of wisdom is a willingness to learn from those who know more than we do.

It is the same for us today that we can learn from the Word of God because He knows much more than we do.

We could say that this lesson today is the contrast between the two sons.

One son is wise and listens to and learns from his father, while the other is a foolish son who will not listen to anyone and goes his own way.

As Christians, we are the sons and daughters of God, and if we are the true children of God, we will hear and obey the instructions of our Heavenly Father.

We show our wisdom as we submit cheerfully to His discipline because we know that He is the only God.

1Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

*Pro 13:1 A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
Pro 13:2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.
Pro 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

The father who gives wise instructions is wise, and the son who listens to those instructions and takes that advice shows himself to be wise also.

There are many things in this world that are not as simple as they seem.

We can also say that there are many things in this world that are not as complicated as they seem to be.

It is not a complicated thing to become the child of our Heavenly Father!

We must only be wise enough to listen to what He has to say and then be obedient to those things.

Wise children obey their righteous parents.

Foolish children mock their parents and refuse to listen to them.

To mock is to ridicule and scorn.

Mockers rebel against instructions by refusing to listen to them.

Wise children listen, learn, and change their behavior.

Pro 15:12 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.

A wise child has control of his mouth, but the foolish will harm all others through their quarrelsome and perverse mouths.

The hearts of the wicked are only satisfied by violence, and they will not stop until they get what they are craving for!

We see this all over America today.

Some are so full of themselves that they will go anywhere in the U.S. to ridicule and scorn if you will pay them.

Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

The wise will control their words and preserve their lives.

All of us know that the human tongue needs guarding!

We know that many of the victims of mockery and ridicule will sometimes strike back, and many of them are stronger and fiercer than those who mocked them.

They hit harder and fight more with malice than anticipated.

At the same time, the wise will guard their lips so that they do not let inflammatory words escape their mouths, even though this is hard to do.

The wise will bite their tongue and walk away.

The wise will not take the bait that violent people dangle in front of them.

Doing this will preserve their lives for much of the time.

Angry words can be very painful at times.

Foolish people say hurtful words if they get their feelings hurt by someone else.

Jas 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

Pro 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

As the world we live in goes from bad to worse, these things will become even more important for the Christian.

*Pro 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

A sluggard is anyone who has a habit of being lazy.

They may have a desire for a lot of things, but they are just too lazy to work to obtain them!

Handouts have made much of our nation this way today.

Those who have never had to work to obtain the important things in life will refuse to work to get them!

Pro 21:25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

*Pro 13:5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
Pro 13:6 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
Pro 13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
Pro 13:8 The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.
Pro 13:9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

It is verse five that hits the nail on the head.

We trust too much in our own understanding instead of trusting in the Lord.

We must show the Lord, we trust Him by trusting with all our heart because when He looks at us, He looks into the heart rather than what is on the outside.

1Sa_16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Most righteous people are people of integrity and have a solid work ethic.

Lazy people are just the opposite; they are unreliable.

If we are to have a personal relationship with the Lord, then we have to trust Him with all our hearts!

This is the greatest lesson we should learn first in our relationship with our Savior.

We are to love what He loves and hate what He hates.

This does not mean we are not using our own understanding.

God does not expect us to run to the Bible every time we have something to do, but if we question what we are about to do, we should.

We are to use our understanding while we depend upon God and His directing and His overruling providence.

Jer 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Some try to show they are rich but are not.

Some pretend to be poor, but they are just misers, while they have wealth.

This means that we can never trust in appearances, and God did not call us to judge to begin with.

If we are not rich toward our Heavenly Father, then we do not have true riches!

Our riches lie in the inheritance of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Rom_8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Gal_3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Tit_3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

A rich man may be able to save himself from many of life’s difficulties, such as he may be able to pay a ransom if he or one of his children is kidnapped.

But a poor man does not have to worry about these things because he is too poor for the robber to mess with and can live in peace.

The light of the righteous man is the child of the Divine command of God.

Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Gen 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

The light of the wicked will be put out because God will divide the light from the darkness.

Light comes naturally through the Word of God.

Psa 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Those who reject the Word of God will live in darkness.

Pro 24:20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Light refers to life!

Jhn_8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

*Pro 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
Pro 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

Wealth that you receive without working for it, or by illegitimate and dishonest means will not last very long.

This includes gambling, and it could include charging someone a high rate of interest on a loan.

Jas 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Jas 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Jas 5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

Righteous people work hard, save as they can, and prosper in this world. It does not mean we become rich, but we do possess integrity and honesty.

Life without the Lord is vain even if you are rich.

It is an empty life that has no lasting value.

Many who win the lottery are broke again soon after.

Many sports figures die broke.

God has determined that we should earn our bread by the sweat of our brows: Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

This is part of the sin of Adam we have inherited.

Those who refuse to work who are healthy and able should just listen to what God has to say: 2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

This does not include those who are unable to work.

On those, we are to have compassion.

The Church is to be a people of integrity, who live in truth and try to live honestly according to the Word of God.

*Pro 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
Pro 13:13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

When we were lost and out in the world, most of us had the same hopes as we have now, but we knew we had no way to fulfill our hopes by the world’s standards.

We just knew that we live for a while and then we die, and we thought that was it.

We did not understand life.

Now, after becoming a child of God, hopes and dreams are an important part of our lives.

It is our dreams of Heaven that keep us going through the dark days when nothing is going right for us.

Remember that old cripple at the pool of Bethsaida, he knew he would not get the chance to get healed because he knew he could not be the first one to get to the pool of water once the angel had stirred the waters.

He had high hopes, but he knew those hopes would never be true.

You see he had to meet Jesus then his hopes became a reality, and his dreams would bring joy to his heart.

He now lived close to the “Tree of Life”.

The “Tree of Life” is the knowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ is the giver and the taker of life.

Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

When our hope is gone, we will be miserable, and we will see no purpose for living.

We find these truths in the Word of God, so if we despise the Word of God, we will have no life!

When we despise the Word of God, we are subject to the penalties for violating the Word of God, even if that penalty is death.

At the same time, God rewards those who fear His commandments and reverence Him and obey His laws.

We all should have a reverent fear of God, but we should also realize we need to fear the Awesome Power of God; He is All-Powerful.

God will richly bless all those who submit to Him!

We need to understand what God is saying.

*Pro 13:14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Pro 13:15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
Pro 13:16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.
Pro 13:17 A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.
Pro 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
Pro 13:19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

The Law of the Wise is the Word of God!

It concerns me when most of the world looks on the Word of God as the words of man, but they are just confused.

The Word of God came by writers who were used of God to communicate His will to mankind for our benefit.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

God’s Word cannot fail because it was written under the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit and free from error.

All saving knowledge can be found is obtained from the infallible Word of God!

1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

It is the wisdom of God; He has shared with all who ask Him.

Most people just do not realize this world is filled with the snares of death.

Many animals that fall into the snares of man die some instantly, and some slowly.

The ones that die slowly or even escape do everything they can to escape because death is so frightening.

Some animals caught by a leg or an arm will bite that arm or leg off just to escape death and go through their remaining life maimed.

It is no different when humans fall into Satan’s snares.

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Satan has no intention of making anyone his friend; his purpose is to destroy anyone who might turn to God.

It is a foolish human who thinks Satan will not harm them.

Even with the knowledge of Satan’s treachery, people will continue to ignore the Lord Jesus Christ and play games with the Devil. There is no better definition of being a fool than this.

As ambassadors for Jesus Christ, we have been handpicked to tell the world about its Savior.

Satan’s cohorts intentionally misrepresent their wicked leader. This is what liars do!

Jhn_8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Pro 15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

With the wisdom of God, we can reach most of the goals we set in this life, if not all of them, knowing that our main goal is to reach the New Heaven and spend eternity with our Savior.

Not many foolish people who hate the Lord Jesus will ever have peace in this life and will certainly not have peace in Hell.

I have no greater hope than to spend eternity with our Redeemer!

It is this hope that keeps me going day by day.

I understand that I need God’s instructions to succeed.

The Word of God will lead me to the glory world.

I must think through every action that I might take and act wisely, knowing that wisdom comes from the mind of my Heavenly Father.

I must live my life so that my Heavenly Father can trust me.

I can do this if I apply the Word of God to my every action before I take that action.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

I must be a good steward of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

*Pro 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Pro 13:21 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.

It may be more important today to watch who we associate ourselves with than it ever has been.

One of the biggest decisions our children will make as they grow up is the choice of companions they hang out with.

As parents, we know this to be true.

We must also realize it is just as important to each Christian to choose the right companions.

The Bible says 1 Thess_5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Our lives can be influenced by the people we hang out with.

God has placed wise men and women in our lives for this reason.

We get most all our wisdom from God Himself, but we can call gain wisdom from that true Saint of God.

What is a shepherd?

What does the shepherd do?

In the early morning, he led forth the flock from the fold, marching at its head to the spot where they were to be pastured. Here he watched them all day, taking care that none of the sheep strayed, and if any, for a time eluded his watch and wandered away from the rest, seeking diligently till he found and brought it back. In those lands, sheep require to be supplied regularly with water, and the shepherd for this purpose has to guide them either to some running stream or to wells dug in the wilderness and furnished with troughs. At night, he brought the flock home to the fold, counting them as they passed under the rod at the door to assure himself that none was missing.

Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

We must know that fools will influence those whom they are allowed to lead. That influence will not be good!

When we remain firmly in the hands of God, we will be rewarded with good things.

When we associate ourselves with those who are immoral and those who live wicked lifestyles, we will get caught up in their trouble and their influences.

These are proven things, and God says to avoid them.

Look at King Solomon, who did not follow His own advice, and see where it took him. Not only him, but his sons.

1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

*Pro 13:22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
Pro 13:23 Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.
Pro 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Pro 13:25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.

Most righteous people care about family.

Righteous people respect the institution of marriage.

Righteous people value the sanctity of life.

So, wherever God places us, we want to do the very best we can.

A poor person usually has only a small portion of land, but if they work hard in tilling the soil, that small piece of land will yield enough food to feed their family.

Righteous people will always try to leave something of benefit to their family.

Divine justice will determine the final disposition of that inheritance.

God has a way of making sure the righteous come out on top.

It is the righteous who are rewarded with the blessings of God.

It is the judgment of God that gives the wealth of sinners to the people of God.

We see this all through the Scriptures.

It is a foolish person who steals from the poor!

Many a rich man has lost everything they have by dishonest practices.

We all must be good stewards of the things God has given us, or the things God has loaned to us.

Everything upon this earth belonged to our Heavenly Father and he has given all those things to His Son Jesus Christ.

No matter what we have, this world we live in will try to take it away from us.

We must remember that if we do not correct our children while they are children, we will never be able to correct them after they are grown.

We know how foolish we were when we were growing up, and this world is much more wicked today than it was then.

The Word of God will correct us at any age, but the Scriptures say, if we refuse to correct our children, then we must hate our children.

Pro 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

Pro 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Pro 23:13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Pro 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

God is not talking about a severe beating. God is talking about firm discipline!

God will bless the righteous.

God promised to provide our needs.

Mat 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Our Heavenly Father loves family.

He has chosen us as His family. He has chosen all those who want to be in His family.

When we walk in the wisdom of God, we will live a righteous life, and we will be more like the Lord Jesus Christ, which is what being Christian is all about.

When God’s wisdom works in our lives, we will walk in the Spirit of God!

Psa 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Amen

The Wise God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

A Wise God and Carnal Christians
 
Book of 1 Corinthians, Chapters 2 and 3
 
 
What is “wisdom”? According to the dictionary, “wisdom” is the right use of knowledge.

Then, this being true, there must be a wrong use of knowledge.
 
Scriptural wisdom comes from our Creator and is in opposition to carnal blindness: Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
 
Wisdom is the knowledge of things in their proper nature and relations with the power of using them in the most useful manner.
 
This wisdom can come only from God!
 
Jesus Christ in His glory shows us the power of God.
 
Jesus Christ in His humanity shows us the wisdom of God.
 
1Co 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
 
The world says the preaching of the Word of God is foolishness, but preaching the truth of God is far wiser than all the wisdom of mankind.
 
1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
 
We know that many in this Church at Corinth had forsaken the Lord to chase the world, and though Paul could not return to this church at that time, he had written this Epistle.
 
1Co 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
1Co 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
 
The Church of Corinth was deeply divided.
 
They could not decide what kind of preacher they wanted.
 
They were undecided about which one of God’s servants contributed most to the church.
 
They did not understand what preaching really is.
 
We must understand what preaching is all about!
 
1) A prophet of God revealed God to man.
2) The preacher’s job is to reveal man to God.
 
Heb 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
 
Preachers are to follow our Great High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ with the power to lead each sinner to Christ.
 
Heb 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
 
Because the Lord Jesus had no sin and He died for all our sin, we can be freed from all our sin.
 
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
 
We can see that each Preacher is to preach Jesus and the work that He did for our salvation.
 
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
 
Sound preaching is not eloquence.
Sound preaching is not about superiority. Not elevation, preeminence, not rising above his congregation.
Sound preaching is not human wisdom or philosophy.
Sound preaching is declaring the testimony of God, which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified for us!
 
Jesus Christ, “all in all”. All other subjects, political and philosophical, are insignificant.
 
Preaching is about saving souls!
 
The success of the Gospel does not depend upon the skill of the preacher, but on the demonstration of the Holy Spirit.
 
1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
 
Those who are perfect are those who understand the Doctrines of Christianity.
 
Those who are perfect are those who are no longer “babes in Christ”.
 
Those who are perfect are those who understand the mysteries of godliness.
 
The Apostle Peter wrote: 2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
 
The Apostle Paul wrote:
 
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Rom 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Rom 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
 
Had this evil world understood the reason Christ came to this earth, we had better believe they would not have crucified our Savior.

They would have locked Him away.
 
The truth is, this evil world does not understand the truth of God, the Gospel, today, after all these years.
 
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
 
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not going away!
 
To those of us who are saved, we understand the truth of God is that only those whose name is written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life will get to see and take part in the things God has prepared for His children.
 
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
 
Only the Holy Spirit knows all things of God, and He will come to live in every believer in the salvation work of the Lord Jesus Christ and share His wisdom with us.
 
Just as no one really knows what is on our mind unless we say, it is the same with Jehovah.
 
This is what the Bible teaches us, what is on the mind of our Creator, our God.
 
We can know nothing about our God unless He tells us.
 
We cannot penetrate the Spirit world without God’s assistance.
 
No person has ever seen God, no matter what some people have claimed.
 
As Christians, we see God in our hearts, but we will one day see Him face to face.
 
We will be able to see Him because of the work Jesus Christ did to reconcile us to our Heavenly Father.
 
The mysteries of the Gospel are no longer mysteries to true Christians.
 
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
 
We know how to get to Heaven!
We know how to earn rewards while we are still upon this earth.
We know that we have a job to do while we are still in these bodies.
We know we are to assemble with like-minded Christians.
We know we are to be witnesses of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We know the next sound from Heaven will be the Trumpet of Gabriel calling us home.
 
Every gift of wisdom we receive after we are saved comes by the Holy Spirit!
 
Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
 
The spirit of the world, which we did not receive, can only tell us what men have invented or what the Devil has whispered in their ears.
 
With the spirit of the world, no one can know anything related to the things of God.
 
The spirit of the world is in contradiction with the things of God!
 
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
 
There are only two types of people on this Earth!
 
1) The Spiritual man, whose spirit is the temple and dwelling place of the Spirit of God. We can know the thoughts of God because we are living in union with His eternal mind. All God’s gifts are freely given.
 
1Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
1Jn 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
 
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
 
2) There is the natural man who possesses only the intellect and conscience of ordinary humanity and who is under the power of the Devil. The natural man will have to pay his way into the filth of the Devil.
The natural man receives not the things of the Holy Spirit. He cannot receive them, and he cannot know them.
 
Just as the deaf man cannot enjoy music and the blind man cannot enjoy beauty, the natural man cannot know the truth of our Creation nor the truth of our Creator.
 
We know that the Holy Spirit has given us all the Word of God, and we also know that the world rejects the truth of God the Holy Spirit!
 
The spirit of the natural man is dead to God!
 
If we never have a revelation of the Holy Spirit after we are saved, we know that He has already given us the truth of God.
 
Only the Word of God can interpret the Word of God.
 
All we have belongs to God!
 
1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
 
Paul is saying that these brethren of the Church at Corinth were still acting like men in the flesh rather than Jesus Christ.
 
They were living as though they were nothing but flesh, they were still living at the human level of life.
 
They had never gotten beyond the affairs and the material things of this life.
 
Many Christians still live this way today and remain baby Christians all the days of their salvation.
 
We know the flesh has no good things about it: Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
 
When we are in the flesh, we cannot please God: Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
 
When we are under the Spirit of God, we are removed from being under the influence of the flesh: 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
 
Even a Born-Again child of God can be carnal for a season!
 
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
 
We all know that the more we read and study the Bible the more we will grow in the Spirit.
 
It is those who refuse to read and study the Scriptures who get caught, who so easily bring the world into the Church because they have remained baby Christians.
 
They are divided by their own beliefs, and they bring that division into the Church.
 
It is carnal Christians who are the downfall of many churches!
 
Carnality brings envy and strife. Envy leads to jealousy, and jealousy leads to division!
 
Carnality begins when the members of the Church walk and act like the men of the world!
 
Whole denominations are divided today because of baby Christians are bringing the world into the Church.
 
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
 
There is only one remedy: Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
 
We give ourselves to the Lord just so we can serve Him.
 
Not as slaves but as willing servants who honor the truth of God!
 
1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
 
Those who minister the Word of God are never to be lords over God’s people!
 
They are here to give us the LORD’s message, but that message will never be different from the Word of God that He has already given to us.
 
We are never to forget that the LORD is in the soul-winning business, and this is the same occupation as the Church.
 
Ministers are the instruments of God for this purpose!
 
Ministers are not to be praised other than for preaching the truth of God, the message of the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
The Gospel is always to be the focus of their attention; anything else is second to this.
 
The building of schools is second.
The building of hospitals is second.
Feeding the world is second.
Soul winning and discipleship are to be the main functions of the Church period!
 
The servants of God are nothing compared to God.
 
No preacher or pastor or whatever they are called has any cause for glory, praise, honor, or recognition.
 
There is no reason for any servant of God to feel pride until all the work is done.
 
We are to respect our pastor.
We are to love our pastor.
We are to thank God for our pastor.
We can esteem our pastor because he has the most difficult job on this earth.
 
Our pastor preaches four times a week to the Church.
He leads Bible College one night, which is separate from this.
He often goes to other churches and preaches even more times.
 
We know that one pastor waters because someone before him has spread the seed.
 
We can be a part of this, but we must never hinder the work of the ministers of God!
 
The growth of the Church is in the hands of God.
 
We are to honor and praise the Lord and not our pastors and preachers!
 
2Co 3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2Co 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
2Co 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2Co 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
2Co 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
 
If our Lord Jesus is not sufficient, then the Church will soon perish from this world.
 
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
 
All preachers and pastors or whatever they are called in the many denominations, are equal in God’s eyes if they preach and teach the truth of God’s Word.
 
Every one of them is personally responsible to God.
 
Each one will be rewarded for what they have done and not what some other minister has done.
 
Trying to be like others is not his job.
 
His job is to be what our Heavenly Father called him to do.
 
Not one of them has been called to go against the truth of God’s Word. (Let that sink in)
 
We are all called to be the ministers of God’s Word!
 
We are all to be coworkers with God.
 
As much as we can, we are all to be more like Christ Jesus as we grow in the Word of God.
 
So, those who plant the Seed of God and those who water the Seed of God are one tool in God’s Hand.
 
Joh 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Joh 4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
Joh 4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
 
The Lord Jesus Christ is the sole Agent of God’s salvation plan.
 
I know that this statement will upset a lot of religions, but this is the truth of the Word of God.
 
This is why Christianity differs from religion!
 
Some would say that God requires us to spread the Gospel, but the truth is that God wants us to give ourselves freely to the work of Jesus Christ.
 
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
 
We are God’s fellow workers.
We are God’s husbandry.
We are God’s building.
We are laborers together with our Savior!
 
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Source of all that concerns His Church, and we are His Church.
 
We never belong to our Pastor or any pastor or preacher, or evangelist, or the Pope, but we belong to God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ.
 
It is a family affair to spread the Gospel!
 
Mat 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
 
The truth then is that many of God’s family lack the compassion to be a laborer in God’s family.
 
The Pastor and all believers are to be workers together with our Holy God!
 
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
 
The Lord Jesus is the only foundation of the true Church.
 
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
 
Though Jesus Christ is rejected by the world and religion, He is the only foundation of God’s Church.
 
Mat 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
 
Jesus Christ is the same Stone that will fulfill prophecy.
 
Dan_2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
 
All foundations, whether they be of the remnants of all previous world powers, will fall to the humble Shepherd who will be King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Jesus Christ Himself is the only foundation upon which men can build their lives.
 
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
 
There are two types of preaching that we hear today.
 
1) One type of preaching leads to permanent results.
 
This preaching is for the glory of God and builds upon Jesus Christ.
This preaching is for the well-being of mankind.
This preaching leads to permanent results.
This preaching leads to rewards for that preacher.
 
2) The other type of preaching is not according to the knowledge of God or Jesus Christ.
 
This preaching is for the glory of the preacher.
This preaching is not for the well-being of man.
These preaching leads to fuel for the fires of Hell.
This preacher will burn in the hottest part of Hell, closest to the Devil.
 
1Pe_4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
 
The inspection of the Church is very near.
 
The Church began so that it could be finished by the time of the Rapture of the Church.
 
The Lord Jesus is soon coming to approve or disapprove of those in the Church.
 
Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Mat 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Mat 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
Mat 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
 
Then our Lord and Savior will accept the true Church into His Heavenly family while those who belong to Satan will burn!
 
Amen