Taking in the whole of 1 Corinthians 15,

we have the following

descriptions of the body we have now

versus the future resurrected body:


earthly vs. heavenly (verse 40)
perishable vs. imperishable (verse 42)
dishonorable vs. glorified (verse 43)
subject to weakness vs. raised in power (verse 43)
natural vs. spiritual (verse 44)
bearing Adam’s image vs. bearing Christ’s image (verse 49)
mortal vs. immortal (verse 53)


All the way through the text, the word body is used.

Earlier in the chapter, Paul lays the foundation for his discussion of the spiritual body:

“Not all flesh is the same:

​People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another”


(1 Corinthians 15:39).

Note the illustration of differing kinds of flesh:
• fish have a body perfectly suited for their life in the water
• birds have a body perfectly suited for flying through the air
• animals have a body perfectly suited for their needs in the animal kingdom
• people have a body perfectly suited for life on this earthly plane

The passage continues: “There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor” (1 Corinthians 15:40–41). So, we can also say that the resurrection body—the spiritual body—will have a different “splendor” than our earthly, natural body.

The spiritual body is suited to eternal life. It is not subject to decay or death; it will not be inconvenienced by any of the physical functions necessary for life here and now. The spiritual body will be a real body, but in a different mode of being. It will be an upgrade: at the resurrection, our bodies will go from Version 1.0 to Version 2.0. Better yet, to extend Paul’s illustration in 1 Corinthians 15:39, our bodies now are the “seed”; our bodies then will be the blossom. Just as a poppy is more glorious than the seed from which it came, the spiritual body will be more glorious than the physical body that died.

To be spiritually blind is not to see Christ, and not to see Christ is not to see God (Colossians 1:15-16; 2 Corinthians 4:6). Spiritual blindness is a grievous condition experienced by those who do not believe in God, Jesus Christ, and His Word (Romans 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:12). Those who reject Christ are the lost (John 6:68-69). Being spiritually blind, they are perishing (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Revelation 3:17). They choose not to accept the teachings of Christ and His authority in their lives (Matthew 28:18). They are blind to the manifestations of God as revealed throughout His Word and Jesus Christ (John 1:1; Acts 28:26-27). They are described as those who “do not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Peter spoke of such people as “scoffers [who] will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” (2 Peter 3:3; see also Proverbs 21:24; Jude 1:18). Those who reject Christ and His Word are spiritually blind and cannot understand the truth of the Scriptures. The truth sounds foolish to them (Isaiah 37:23; 1 Corinthians 1:18). The Bible describes those denying God as fools (Psalm 14:1; Matthew 7:26). Because of their blindness and rejection of God and His Word, they are in a perilous, unsaved condition (John 12:48; Hebrews 2:2-4).

The spiritually blind are simply unable to understand God’s Word (Matthew 13:13; Deuteronomy 29:4). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17). Paul echoed this when he told the believers in Rome, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:8-9). Those outside of Christ are not of God because their lives are steeped in the things of the world with all its passions, their eyes blind to the Spirit of God. The Apostle John said, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” but that person’s love “is from the world” (1 John 2:15-16).

The cause of spiritual blindness is made quite clear in the Scriptures: “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Paul refers to Satan as the “god of this world.” Extraordinarily evil (John 8:44), Satan destroys the flesh (1 Corinthians 5:5), masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and is the cause of all temptations (Luke 4:2; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 7:5). He revels in scheming against and trapping the unbelievers (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:26). Satan’s goal is to devour the weak who fall prey to temptation, fear, loneliness, worry, depression, and persecution (1 Peter 5:8-9).

Without God and left to ourselves, we easily succumb to the devil’s schemes. We can become so mired in the affairs of this world and its moral darkness that, in the end, God turns us over to spiritual blindness and eternal condemnation (John 12:40; Romans 1:24-32). 

As believers, we have the Spirit of God reigning in our lives to ward off the debilitating effects of Satan’s power and the world’s influence (1 John 4:13). John tells us, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). Satan wars within and without us. His weapons are deceitful and crafty schemes to make us doubt and stumble (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 4:14). Yet God has provided us with powerful weapons to ward off his flaming arrows (Ephesians 6:10-18). As believers we can overcome the evil one and remain in the Light and never become spiritually blind. For, in truth, Jesus has given us His wonderful promise: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
​
One of the disciples has asked Jesus what it means that He will "manifest" to them, and not to the world (John 14:22). Prior to this, Jesus had mentioned how the world would no longer see Him (John 14:19–21). In that statement, Jesus tied together the ideas of love and obedience. His essential statement was that those who love Christ obey Christ (John 14:15). 

Here, Jesus repeats that idea, specifically as an answer to the question asked in the prior verse. Believers love Christ, and have the Holy Spirit, therefore they follow His commands (John 14:16–18). This is what allows them to "see" God, and to know Christ (John 14:19–21). Deeper love for Christ opens us to deeper understanding of Him and His will (John 14:28). 

This verse deepens the idea of the Holy Spirit "living inside" someone. It also reiterates the idea of the Trinity: that God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are equally God and identical in nature. This follows earlier statements where Jesus claimed to be "the" truth (John 14:6), and referred to the Holy Spirit as the "Spirit of truth" (John 14:17). He also claimed that to see Him was to see God (John 14:9) and that He and the Father were united (John 14:11). In this statement, Jesus explicitly says "we will come…make our home" within a believer. This also echoes the idea of God as three persons in a single being. 

Jesus includes a word translated as "home," which is the same word used in John 14:2, referring to "dwelling places" or "rooms."

John 14:15–31 contains a prediction about the Holy Spirit. Jesus refers to this as the Spirit of Truth, and promises that the Spirit will arrive to help the disciples carry on after Jesus is ascended to heaven. Throughout this section, a person's love for Christ, their obedience to His teachings, and the indwelling of the Spirit are intertwined. As in prior statements, Jesus is focused on comfort and encouragement. He will continue to highlight the need to maintain faith, based on all He has said and done so far. Later, after advance warnings about what Christians will face, Jesus will return to describing the work and purpose of the Holy Spirit under the new covenant.

Christ reassures His followers that faith in Him is faith in God. To know Christ is to know ''the way, and the truth, and the life'' (John 14:6). The words, actions, and miracles of Jesus should give Christians confidence to trust that He will make good on His promises. Among those are His guarantee that He is preparing to come for us, so we can be where He is. Jesus also predicts the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is only available to believers, and this Helper acts to guide, teach, and remind us. Both for the disciples, and for future Christians, these words are meant to be comforting during hard times. Since Christ knew, in advance, what would happen, we can be even more confident to trust Him.

When Jesus was asked about the most important commandment, He invoked the spirit of the law: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37–40). Every Old Testament law and every standard of behavior for the Christian can be summed up in these two commands because they embody the spirit of the law; that is, the two greatest commandments express the ultimate point of all the other laws.

The key to understanding the relationship between the Christian and the Law is knowing that the Old Testament law was given to the nation of Israel, not to Christians. Some of the laws were to reveal to the Israelites how to obey and please God (the Ten Commandments, for example). Some of the laws were to show the Israelites how to worship God and atone for sin (the sacrificial system). Some of the laws were intended to make the Israelites distinct from other nations (the food and clothing rules). None of the Old Testament law is binding on Christians today. When Jesus died on the cross, He put an end to the Old Testament law (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25; Ephesians 2:15).

In place of the Old Testament law, Christians are under the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2), which is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). If we obey those two commands, we will be fulfilling all that Christ requires of us: “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40). Now, this does not mean the Old Testament law is irrelevant today. Many of the commands in the Old Testament law fall into the categories of “loving God” and “loving your neighbor.” The Old Testament law can be a good guidepost for knowing how to love God and knowing what goes into loving your neighbor. At the same time, to say that the Old Testament law applies to Christians today is incorrect. The Old Testament law is a unit (James 2:10). Either all of it applies, or none of it applies. If Christ fulfilled some of it, such as the sacrificial system, He fulfilled all of it.

“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). The Ten Commandments were essentially a summary of the entire Old Testament law. Nine of the Ten Commandments are clearly repeated in the New Testament (all except the command to observe the Sabbath day). Obviously, if we are loving God, we will not be worshiping false gods or bowing down before idols. If we are loving our neighbors, we will not be murdering them, lying to them, committing adultery against them, or coveting what belongs to them. The purpose of the Old Testament law is to convict people of our inability to keep the law and point us to our need for Jesus Christ as Savior (Romans 7:7-9; Galatians 3:24). The Old Testament law was never intended by God to be the universal law for all people for all of time. We are to love God and love our neighbors. If we obey those two commands faithfully, we will be upholding all that God requires of us.

In Romans 10:4, the apostle Paul writes, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (ESV). The Greek word translated as “end” means “aim or purpose.” Christ is the aim and purpose of the law not because He abolished it but because He fulfilled it: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17, ESV). By fulfilling the law, Christ guarantees the imputation of His righteousness to everyone who believes.

Apart from Christ, no one is righteous (Romans 3:10). The prophet Isaiah bluntly says, “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (Isaiah 64:6, ESV). Unfortunately, Israel had deluded itself into believing that righteousness could be obtained through the law. Paul argues, however, that the law cannot make us righteous. He says, “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by the works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19–20, ESV). The law effectively reveals our sinfulness, but it cannot justify or make us right before God.

Elsewhere, Paul says, “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:23–24, ESV). The law, then, was a promise of things to come. Nay, it was a promise of the One to come. Christ, in perfect obedience to the Father’s will (John 8:29), fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law and became the end of the law. Those who trust in Christ have received His righteousness; not because we have earned it, but because of His grace: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Romans 3:23–25, ESV). Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Israel should have known that the law pointed to Christ: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39, ESV). However, they were “ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” (Romans 10:3, ESV). Here, we have a biblical definition of sin. It is failure to submit to God’s righteousness. This is a spiritual and moral failure rather than an intellectual one (see John 3:19–21). To overcome this failure, God “gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV). In Christ, we graciously receive His righteousness, a righteousness that could not be obtained through our own law-keeping (2 Corinthians 5:21). In this way, Christ is the end of the law.

​In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says several times, “You have heard that it was said . . .” and follows it up with “But I tell you. . . .” Using the formula, Jesus creates a contrast between the Law of Moses (as interpreted by the Pharisees and scribes) and His own command. In doing this, Jesus is obviously claiming an authority greater than that of the scribes. But it also seems like He is negating the Law.

Rest assured, Jesus did not contradict the Law in any point. In the same sermon, Jesus makes sure no one misunderstood: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

Jesus’ point in the Sermon on the Mount was that God sees the heart, and that we are actually held to a higherstandard than external conformity to a set of rules. The Pharisees taught that, as long as you did the right things, you were “holy.” Jesus said not so; “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

Jesus is teaching the necessity of having a heart to follow God. Putting on an act and going through the motions of serving God is dishonest. It is also futile, because God sees through the masks we wear (see Mark 7:6). A person who pretends to be holy on the outside yet nurtures a sinful heart is a hypocrite. The Pharisees, who everyone thought were holy, were guilty of just such dissimulation. God doesn’t want more religious activity; He wants a heart dedicated to Him. Holiness starts on the inside.

In Matthew 5:21-22, for example, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” The external command was “do not murder.” This is a good command; we should not murder people. But we make a mistake if we think that’s where our responsibility ends. Jesus said, in essence, God sees your heart. If you have hatred in your heart, then you are just as guilty as the murderer in God’s eyes. The Pharisees’ attitude was, “I am good; I haven’t murdered anyone.” Jesus countered, “No, you are guilty because there is murder in your heart.”

It’s the difference between the letter of the Law and the spirit behind it. Keeping the letter of the Law doesn’t make you righteous (see Galatians 2:16). None of us can keep the whole Law perfectly, anyway. God requires a heart transformation; we must be born again (John 3:7).

God is looking for more than the external practice of religion. People might seem holy to other people, but that’s not the standard. Over and over, the Bible stresses purity of heart before the One who examines the heart (1 Chronicles 29:17; Psalm 24:4; 51:10; Matthew 5:8; 2 Timothy 2:22).

The Law was good and proper. Its purpose was to define sin and delineate holiness. Jesus was not in any way negating the Law; He was showing us the reason for the Law. Jesus fulfilled the Law in that He was the only person to ever keep the whole Law, even in His heart, without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

The phrase “the Lord of the Sabbath” is found in Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28, and Luke 6:5. In all three instances Jesus is referring to Himself as the Lord of the Sabbath or, as Mark records it, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28). In these verses, Jesus is proclaiming that He is the One who exercises authority even over the rules and regulations that govern the Sabbath day.

As such, Jesus was proclaiming to the world, especially to the legalistic Pharisees, that He was greater than the Law and above the laws of the Mosaic Covenant because, as God in flesh, He is the Author of those laws. Unable to keep the Law, however, the Pharisees had instituted a complex and confusing system of Sabbath laws of their own that was oppressive and legalistic. They had set up strict laws regarding how to observe the Sabbath, which included 39 categories of forbidden activities. In essence, these religious leaders had made themselves lords of the Sabbath, thus making themselves lords over the people.

As Creator, Christ was the original Lord of the Sabbath (John 1:3; Hebrews 1:10). He had the authority to overrule the Pharisees’ traditions and regulations because He had created the Sabbath—and the Creator is always greater than the creation. Furthermore, Jesus claimed the authority to correctly interpret the meaning of the Sabbath and all the laws pertaining to it. Because Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, He is free to do on it and with it whatever He pleases.

As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus had the right, power, and authority to dispense it in any way He pleased. The Lord of the Sabbath had come, and with His death and resurrection He became the fulfillment of our “Sabbath rest.” The salvation we have in Christ has made the old law of the Sabbath no longer needed or binding. When Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), Jesus was attesting to the fact that, just as the Sabbath day was originally instituted to give man rest from his labors, so did He come to provide us rest from laboring to achieve our own salvation by our works. Because of His sacrifice on the cross, we can now forever cease laboring to attain God’s favor and rest in His mercy and grace.

Revelation 17:1–7 depicts a system of corrupt religion from which God calls upon His people to withdraw (Revelation 18:4; 2 Corinthians 6:14–18). This religious system is referred to using the name Babylon; the following chapter will use similar names and symbols to describe a ''political Babylon.'' This religion is state-sponsored, like the Baal worship imported from Phoenicia by Jezebel, King Ahab's wife (1 Kings 16:29–33). Just as Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4), so religious Babylon will murder many tribulation believers. In a literal sense, this suggests the one-world religion of the Antichrist and the False Prophet, but it also has implications for worldly and false religious teachings of our present time.

Revelation 17 zeroes in on God's judgment of Babylon as the center of religious corruption in the tribulation. The target of this wrath seems to be an eclectic form of all apostate religions. This might be a concrete, single religion. Or, it might be a near-religious blending or equalizing of all spiritual beliefs. God views religious Babylon as ''the great prostitute'' that has support from heads of state. This system is both extremely rich and murderous, guilty of martyring saints. It has a past and a renewed existence as a religious-political system. Together, the political heads of state and religious Babylon battle Jesus, the Lamb, but He defeats them. The end of religious Babylon comes when the ten kings turn against her and ruin her. They destroy religious Babylon because God puts it in the hearts to do so.

John has been ordered to observe a vision of a "great prostitute," a figure commonly referred to as the "Whore of Babylon" (Revelation 17:5). This figure represents an ungodly approach to religion and spirituality, as Scripture often uses the concept of sexual sin as a parallel to spiritual infidelity. The imagery here is meant to be seen just that way: as symbols, explained later in this chapter by the same angel (Revelation 17:8–18). 

This verse reports that John's vision involved being carried to a desert. There he saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast. The beast is the head of the system that incorporates all antichrist (1 John 4:3) corrupt religions, and is supported by a vast political alliance. The beast is described as "scarlet," which is a popular color of the religious trappings of so many false religions. The woman was full of blasphemous names, indicating the religious system's utter disdain for God and her vicious opposition to God and His people. Verses 9, 10, and 12 identify the beast's seven heads as seven mountains and seven political rulers, and its ten horns as ten kings. This corrupt religious system receives support from a confederacy of world leaders that support the head of the Revived Roman Empire, also known as the Antichrist. 

Based on these verses, many interpreters believe the end times will produce a fusion of state-supported religion which is corrupt, blasphemous, and powerful.

The Bible clearly teaches that the child of God is to be separate from the world. “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17; see also 1 Peter 1:14-16).

Ecclesiastical separation involves the decisions of a church concerning its ties to other organizations, based on their theology or practices. Separatism is implied in the very word “church,” which comes from the Greek word ekklesia meaning “a called-out assembly.” In Jesus’ letter to the church of Pergamum, He warned against tolerating those who taught false doctrine (Revelation 2:14-15). The church was to be separate, breaking ties with heresy. A modern example of ecclesiastical separation could be a denomination’s stance against ecumenical alliances which would unite the church with apostates.

Biblical separation does not require Christians to have no contact with unbelievers. Like Jesus, we should befriend the sinner without partaking of the sin (Luke 7:34). Paul expresses a balanced view of separatism: “I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world” (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). In other words, we are in the world, but not of it.

Paul has just urged the Corinthians to open their hearts to him again. Now he turns to a direct command: that believers in Christ not be yoked with unbelievers. The imagery of the "yoke" brings to mind the rigid harness used to keep livestock locked together and pulling in a consistent direction. The Old Testament used a form of the word to forbid mating cattle of different species (Leviticus 19:19). The Law also forbids harnessing together an ox and a donkey to plow a field (Deuteronomy 22:10). 

The point of this phrase will soon become clear. Those in Christ are something other than those who are not in Christ. They are not the same—spiritually—and should not be locked together into any kind of binding relationship. Paul begins to ask a series of questions to show the absurdity of a believer in Jesus being "unequally yoked" with an unbeliever. 

Paul asks: what cooperation can there be between virtue and wickedness? Those in Christ have "become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Those outside of Christ continue in their status as unrepentant, lawless sinners. The two cannot—must not—be joined together. To do so makes as little sense as trying to join light and darkness in fellowship. It can't be done. As soon as the light arrives, the darkness must vanish. 

It's essential to realize Paul is not saying believers should never associate with unbelievers, at all (1 Corinthians 5:9–10). Believers should continue to live and function in the world, which includes contact with unbelievers (1 Corinthians 10:25–26). He has written to the Corinthians previously, though, not to sue each other in pagan courts of law (1 Corinthians 6:1–11), not to join themselves sexually to temple prostitutes (1 Corinthians 6:12–20), and not marry unbelievers (1 Corinthians 7:39). 

Rather, Scripture's teaching here is that Christians must not enter into binding, partnering agreements with non-Christians.

​The story of Blind Bartimaeus occurs in the Gospel of Mark and concerns the healing of a blind beggar called Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus. A parallel account mentions two blind men (Matthew 20:30), but Mark focuses on the one who was no doubt familiar to his readers. On his way out of Jericho, Jesus was surrounded by a huge crowd, when, from the roadside, Bartimaeus called out to Him to be healed. The events that follow tell us something profound about God’s nature and shed light on the type of faith and prayer that are pleasing to God.

As Jesus was walking by him, Bartimaeus heard who it was that was passing and called out to Him: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47). By calling Jesus the “Son of David,” the blind man was affirming his belief that Jesus was the Messiah (see 2 Samuel 7:14–16). The people told Bartimaeus to be quiet, but he kept calling out, even more loudly and persistently than before. This is further proof of his faith. In addition to his proclamation of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, the blind man showed that he believed in Jesus’ goodness and deference to the poor and needy. Bartimaeus believed that Jesus was not like the other religious leaders, who believed that an individual’s poverty or blindness or bad circumstances were a result of God’s judgment. Bartimaeus appealed to Jesus according to the revelation of God’s character in the Psalms—a God who cares for the poor and the brokenhearted (e.g., Psalm 34:6, 18).

Jesus responded to Bartimaeus’s cries by telling His disciples to call the blind man over. Blind Bartimaeus jumped up and went to Jesus, and Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). The beggar could have asked for money or for food, but his faith was bigger than that. Bartimaeus said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” There is no pretention or religious pride in this interchange between God and man. The blind man had a desire, and he ran to Jesus with that desire. He did not preface his petition with a list of good works he had done or with any false humility; he simply expressed to Jesus his desire, trusting that Jesus was both willing and able to fulfill it. Jesus said to him, “Go . . . your faith has healed you,” and Blind Bartimaues instantly recovered his sight and followed Jesus (verse 52).

By saying, “Your faith has made you well,” Jesus emphasizes the necessity of faith. Blind Bartimaeus had the kind of faith that pleases God—a wholehearted trust in the Healer. Jesus showed once again that God “rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Blind Bartimaeus understood this truth. He earnestly sought the Lord, and his actions reflected the kind of faith that is pleasing to God.

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Daniel 2:39-45

Chapter

Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. 41And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter 's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure."

Revelation 19:11–21 presents one of Scripture's most spectacular moments of victory: the second coming of Jesus Christ. In this event, Christ returns to earth at the close of the tribulation. At His first coming to earth, Jesus appeared as a baby and sacrificial Savior. This time, He arrives as King of kings and Lord of lords. Many prior Scriptures prophesied this epic day of victory (Matthew 25; Zechariah 14:1–4; 2 Thessalonians 2:7–12; Hebrews 9:27–28; Jude 1:14–15). Christ arrives in a blaze of glory, obliterating His enemies single-handedly, at the head of the armies of heaven. The Antichrist and False Prophet become the first two cast into the lake of fire, ushering in the beginning of Christ's millennial reign on earth.

Revelation 19 begins with a multitude in heaven singing a doxology to God. He is praised for judging religious Babylon and avenging the martyrs. They are joined by the twenty-four elders (Revelation 4). Voices cry out joyfully that the Lord reigns and the marriage supper of the Lamb is ready. Then, John sees heaven open and observes Jesus—now coming as the glorious and invincible King of kings and Lord of lords—as He descends from heaven to execute judgment. The armies of earth gather to battle the Lord. The battle concludes with the Antichrist and False Prophet being thrown into the lake of fire and the graphic slaughter of their followers.

Daniel Removed to Babylon

1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar,a to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.

3Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

5The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.

6Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

Daniel’s Faithfulness

8But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.

9Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official, 10but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”

11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 
12“Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink. 
​13Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food,
​and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
​
14So he consented to this and tested them for ten days. 15And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food. 16So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead.

Daniel’s Wisdom

17To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom.
And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.

18Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.

20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. 21And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

​

Matthew 11:1–19 

deals

​ with John the Baptist,

who is

in prison at this point


(Matthew 4:12)



John sends his own disciples

to ask if

Jesus is really the Messiah



Jesus gives them an answer and then upholds John to the crowds. He reminds them of John's strength and affirms that John was the prophet who fulfilled the prophecy about the one who would

prepare the way for the Messiah.

This generation, though, rejected John's message of repentance, saying that
John had a demon and that Jesus was a glutton and a drunkard.


Jesus insists He and John will be proved right in the end.
​

Fasting is a practice found throughout Scripture. A fast in the Bible is usually a voluntary, total abstinence from food for a set time for the purpose of devoting oneself to seeking God. Fasting denies our flesh what it wants so that we can focus more clearly on strengthening our spirits.


It doesn’t seem that Jesus fasted often.

In fact, His critics

condemned Him for “eating and drinking”


(Matthew 11:19).


There is only one recorded instance in Scripture of Jesus fasting.

This fast immediately followed His baptism (Matthew 3:13),

which inaugurated Jesus’ public ministry. 


Matthew 4:1–2 says that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to fast for forty days and nights.

During that time of fasting, Jesus was repeatedly tempted by the devil.

This testing time prepared Him for the three-year ministry that would change the world.


During those forty days,


when Jesus’ flesh was at its weakest,

He endured relentless temptation from Satan. Satan offered Him alternatives to God’s plan, compromises that would satisfy His natural desires, and attacks upon His very identity as the Son of God (Matthew 4:3).

Jesus used the Word of God, not His own strength,

to defeat those temptations and remain victorious over sin.

He demonstrated for us that fasting can strengthen us spiritually when we use it to draw closer to God.

After Jesus’ fast, the devil left Him and “angels came and attended him”

(Matthew 4:11). 

Luke 4:14 concludes the account of this testing time by saying,

“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.”

He had conquered temptation and was

ready to embrace

the purpose for which the Father had sent Him.


He would not rely on His humanity to perform miracles,

deliver the oppressed, or defeat death.


Fasting was a way to declare mastery over His human nature so that He would live every moment

directed by the “power of the Spirit” (Luke 10:21).


He set the example for us who

“are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit”

(Romans 8:9).



If the Son of God did not

​rely on His flesh

to live in obedience to God,

then we can’t either


Scripture does not command Christians to fast. God does not require or demand it of Christians. At the same time, the Bible presents fasting as something that is good, profitable, and beneficial. The book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:2; 14:23). Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2:37; 5:33). Too often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. Instead, the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world to focus completely on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God, and to ourselves, that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Fasting helps us gain a new perspective and a renewed reliance upon God.


Although fasting in Scripture is almost always a fasting from food, there are other ways to fast. Anything given up temporarily in order to focus all our attention on God can be considered a fast (1 Corinthians 7:1-5). Fasting should be limited to a set time, especially when fasting from food. Extended periods of time without eating can be harmful to the body. Fasting is not intended to punish the flesh, but to redirect attention to God. Fasting should not be considered a “dieting method” either. The purpose of a biblical fast is not to lose weight, but rather to gain deeper fellowship with God. Anyone can fast, but some may not be able to fast from food (diabetics, for example). Everyone can temporarily give up something in order to draw closer to God.

By taking our eyes off the things of this world, we can more successfully turn our attention to Christ. Fasting is not a way to get God to do what we want. Fasting changes us, not God. Fasting is not a way to appear more spiritual than others. Fasting is to be done in a spirit of humility and a joyful attitude. Matthew 6:16-18 declares, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”


The books of Daniel and Revelation are often studied together, because their prophecies concerning the end times dovetail with each other nicely. Both books mention a certain number of days during the tribulation: Daniel mentions 1,290 days and 1,335 days; Revelation mentions 1,260 days, for a total “discrepancy” of 75 days (1,335 – 1,260 = 75).

Daniel 12:11–12 says, “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.”

Revelation 11:3 says,


“And I will appoint my

two witnesses,

and they

will prophesy for 1,260 days,

clothed in sackcloth.”


Both of these prophecies deal

with

specific time periods associated

with the


seven-year tribulation


Another verse in Daniel establishes the length of two time segments in the tribulation: “[The prince who is to come] will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him” (Daniel 9:27)



The

​ “prince who is to come” is the Antichris 

or the “beast” of Revelation

known as anti



​Chris

​

Leader of the Roman Government,

opposer of



Christ

​

According Daniel 9:27, the tribulation begins with the signing of a peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel, intended to be for one “seven,” that is, a set of seven years. But the “seven” is divided into halves: midway through the seven years, the Antichrist breaks the treaty and sets up in the temple a sacrilegious object (the “abomination that causes desolation”). The phrase “in the middle” indicates that the first half of the tribulation lasts for 3½ years (1,260 days, using a “prophetic year” of 360 days). Likewise, the second half of the tribulation lasts another 1,260 days (another 3½ years), for a total of seven years
​

Revelation 11:3 

specifically mentions 1,260 days, which corresponds

exactly with Daniel’s prophecy

of the


abomination of desolation.


In Revelation, we have an added detail:


 two divinely appointed witnesses 


will preach and perform miracles for half of the tribulation—the first half, according to the chronology of Revelation. These two witnesses are killed at the midpoint of the tribulation; their bodies will lie in the streets for three and a half days as the world celebrates their demise; then they will be resurrected and taken up to heaven (Revelation 11:7–13).

The 1,260 days of the second half of the tribulation begins as the Antichrist breaks the treaty, occupies the third Jewish temple, and sets up a profane and sacrilegious object of worship. This 1,260-day period ends when the Antichrist is defeated at the battle of Armageddon upon Jesus’ return to earth. At that time, the tribulation will be at an end.

Daniel 12:11 mentions 1,290 days, however, which is 30 days more than the second half of the tribulation. Different ideas have been put forward to explain what happens in those 30 extra days. One likely theory is that the land of Israel will be rebuilt in that month after the devastation it endured during the tribulation.

Then, according to Daniel 12:12, there will be an extra 45 days, on top of the extra 30 days, after which something else will happen. Daniel does not say explicitly what will happen, but he says those who remain until the end of that segment (1,335 days after the breaking of the treaty and 75 days after the end of the tribulation) will be “blessed.” The blessing here is entry into the millennial kingdom. What will take place during those 45 days?

​Very likely, this is when the judgment of the Gentile nations, described in Matthew 25:31–46, will take place. In this judgment, also called the judgment of the sheep and the goats, the Gentiles are judged for their treatment of Israel during the tribulation. Did they aid Jesus’ “brothers and sisters” (Matthew 25:40),

or did they turn a blind eye

to the Jews

’ troubles or, worse yet, aid in their persecution?

So, those who survive the tribulation

and

survive the sheep and goat judgment


will enter the millennium

​
This is a blessing, indeed.

In summary, here is the timeline as we see it:

• Sometime after the rapture of the church, the Antichrist enters a treaty with Israel.

This begins the seven-year tribulation.

• At the midpoint of the tribulation (1,260 days later), the Antichrist breaks the treaty,

desecrates the temple, and begins to persecute the Jews.

• At the end of the tribulation (1,260 days after the desecration of the temple),

Jesus Christ returns to earth and defeats the forces of the Antichrist.

• During the next 30 days (leading up to 1,290 days after the desecration of the temple),

Israel is rebuilt and the earth is restored.

• During the next 45 days (leading up to 1,335 days after the desecration of the temple),

the Gentile nations are judged for their treatment of Israel.

• The dispensation of the millennium begins, and it will last for 1,000 years

(Revelation 20:3, 5–6).


The Daniel Fast is a partial fast based on two accounts of the prophet Daniel fasting. When done as a fast, it is intended to be a time of drawing closer to God. The Daniel Fast, or perhaps more properly the “Daniel Diet,” has also been popularized as a healthy eating regime. In either case, the fast usually lasts ten to twenty-one days. Some adopt principles of


the “food plan” into their “lifelong diet”

​
The Daniel Fast is so called because it is based on the way the prophet Daniel is recorded to have eaten in Daniel 1 and Daniel 10. When Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and other young Israelite men were taken into Nebuchadnezzar’s service, they were to be given food and wine from the king’s table while undergoing a three-year training program. “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way” (Daniel 1:8).


It is likely the royal food did not follow kosher laws.


The official was fearful that Daniel would be unhealthy and that the king would be upset.

So Daniel asked him to do a ten-day test in which he and his three companions would eat vegetables (or “pulses”) and drink water. “At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead” (Daniel 1:15–16).

Later, under the rule of Cyrus, Daniel received a frightening vision. He “mourned for three weeks. [He] ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched [his] lips; and [he] used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over”

(Daniel 10:2–3).

Then Daniel saw an angel who explained the vision to him and strengthened him.

The

fast was a time of mourning

for Daniel

and also part of


HOW he


“set [his] mind

to

​gain understanding

and

to humble [himself]

before [his] God”


(Daniel 10:12)


Since the Daniel Fast is only styled after Daniel’s eating pattern, which is not elaborated on in the Bible, different resources have different regulations for what can and cannot be consumed while on the fast. Generally speaking, the eating plan is comparable to a vegan diet, though with more restrictions. All meat and animal products are disallowed (meat, eggs, fish, dairy), as are sweeteners (added sugar and natural sweeteners like honey or agave), solid fats, yeast, caffeine, alcohol, additives, and processed foods.

The Daniel Fast includes vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and water. These guidelines are based on Daniel’s requesting “nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink” (Daniel 1:12) and eating “no choice food; no meat or wine” (Daniel 10:3).

The Hebrew word for “vegetables” is sometimes translated

as “pulses”

and is

thought to refer to food that

comes from a seed.


“Choice food”


is seen to include things like sugar and sweeteners.

Those following the Daniel Fast are not limited in the amount of the approved foods they can eat.

That being said, part of

the benefit of a fast from a spiritual

perspective

is spending

less time with food and


more time focused on God


In fasting the intent is to deny the flesh and be reminded of our need for God and to draw near to Him.


Those using a Daniel Fast primarily as a healthy-eating program often


find unprocessed food to be more satiating, and thus they


naturally eat less


The medical community seems to agree that the Daniel Fast is well-tolerated and can have some health benefits for people. As the Daniel Fast has become more popularized in culture, at least one study has been done on its physical effects, the results of which can be reviewed here.

It is important for believers to care for their bodies. In discussing sexual immorality, 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 says,


“Do you not know that your bodies are

temples of the Holy Spirit,

who is in you,

whom you have received from God?


You are not your own; you were bought at a price.

Therefore honor God with your bodies.”


Our bodies ultimately belong to God;

we should steward them wisely,

which includes taking care of our physical health.

From a spiritual perspective, a Daniel Fast can be a helpful way to focus on God. Changing our habits and not relying so much on the comforts of food can be a physical reminder that we rely on God. True satisfaction is found only in Him. Those wanting to use the Daniel Fast in this way should be certain of their motives and make steps to use the fast in a way that will be spiritually beneficial. For example, spend more time with God in prayer and in reading His Word while on the fast. Also, be certain to prepare in advance for the dietary changes. Without proper preparation, the Daniel Fast could cause an overemphasis on food instead of being a tool for spiritual growth, particularly in cultures where fad diets abound and where processed or prepared foods are popular. There are ample resources online and in book form to help people complete a Daniel Fast. Pray for God’s wisdom before beginning, and then trust Him to guide along the way.

​
The phrase “sign of Jonah”

was used by Jesus as a typological metaphor for


His future

crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.


Jesus answered with this expression when asked by the Pharisees for miraculous proof that He was indeed the Messiah. The Pharisees remained unconvinced of Jesus’ claims about Himself, despite His having just cured a demon-possessed man who was both blind and mute. Shortly after the Pharisees accused Jesus of driving out demons by the power of Satan, they said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:38–41).


To fully appreciate the answer that Jesus gave, we must go to the Old Testament book of Jonah. In its first chapter, we read that God commanded the prophet Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and warn its people that He was going to

destroy it for its wickedness.

Jonah disobediently

ran from the Lord and headed for the city of Tarshish by boat.

The Lord then sent a severe storm that caused the crew of the ship to fear for their lives.

​Jonah was soon thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish where he

remained for

“three days and three nights”

(Jonah 1:15–17).

After the three-day period, the Lord caused the great fish to vomit Jonah out onto dry land

(Jonah 2:10).

It is this three days that Jesus was referring to when He spoke of the sign of Jonah.

Jesus had already been producing miracles that were witnessed by many.

Jesus had just performed a great sign in the Pharisees’ presence by
healing a deaf man who was possessed of a demon.


Rather than believe,

they accused Jesus

of doing

this by the power of Satan.


Jesus recognized their hardness of heart

and refused to

give them further proof of His identity.


However, He did say that there would be one further sign forthcoming,

His resurrection from the dead.

This would be their final opportunity to be convinced.

Jesus’ paralleling of the Pharisees with the people of Nineveh is telling.

The people of Nineveh repented of their evil ways

(Jonah 3:4–10)

after hearing Jonah’s call for repentance,

while the Pharisees continued in their

unbelief despite

being eyewitnesses to the miracles of Jesus.


Jesus was telling the Pharisees that they were

culpable for their unbelief,

given the conversion of the people of Nineveh,

sinners who had received far less

evidence than the

Pharisees themselves had witnessed.


Interestingly, from the time of Jonah’s preaching,

the people of Nineveh had 40 days to repent,

and they did,

sparing their city from destruction.

From the time of Jesus’ preaching,

the people of Jerusalem

had 40 years,

but they did not repent, and Jerusalem was destroyed.


God would often use signs (or miracles) in the Bible to authenticate His chosen messenger.

The Lord provided Moses with several miraculous signs in order to prove to others that he was appointed by God (Exodus 4:5–9; 7:8–10;19-20).

God sent down fire on Elijah’s altar during Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:36–39).

He performed this miracle to prove that the God of Israel was the one true God. Jesus Himself would perform many miracles (or “signs”) to demonstrate His power over nature

(Matthew 4:23; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 8:22–24; John 6:16–24).


The “sign of Jonah” would turn out to be Jesus’ greatest miracle of all. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead

would be

God’s chief sign that Jesus was Israel’s long-awaited Messiah

(Acts 2:23–32)

and establish Christ’s claims to deity

(Romans 1:3–4).

John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask if

Jesus is really the Messiah.

Jesus gives them a specific answer to use to reassure

John and then upholds John to the crowds.

John fulfills the prophecy

about the one who would prepare the people for the Messiah.

This generation, though, refused to hear John or Jesus,
deciding John had a demon

(really? Demons are not apart of biblical new Covenent reality)

and

Jesus was a glutton and drunkard. Did you hear that?

This Man from .nazareth, whom

You


Call Jesus

​and doesn’t sin,

This wrongly personified

 “hippie Jesus” as

​Kent Munsey Describes,

(Please pastor me later on how that’s socially inappropriate,
​ thank you)


In Real


Historical Reality
​

was called a drunkard. Ponder that
​

​Viewpoint


Can you image what 2000 years of

storytelling

can alter about the Truth? 

Jesus was a Living, Human Man

The Concept of Sin is in your
​
​Ego
​
I never heard the word sin until  

my mid 20s

When I met Neighbirhoid Christian’s

who talked about

God and sin all the time

I grew up Catholic, Methodist, and Jewish,

Sin is not a.

New Covenant Message

Scripture and the concept of sin

isn’t associated with the

Gospel of Christ, 

because it’s the Gospel

and sin is nailed to it

The Messiah fulfills the law and Prophets,

but again, that’s christ

​Christ is the culmination of the law

​and the Destination

​It’s Christ and that’s the Point

You can still look at the Law

but its function is still

​to point you to Christ

So it’s function is to kill the prophets

and reveal humanity’s deprevity

The law is not how we relate to God

it doesn’t contribute to our identity and it’s

​not a part of our intimacy with christ


God ordained Israel the the mission of 

​Crucifying and killing

Christ and the prophets

​its like


​John the Baptist… the law it’s a


​forerunner  


Thats the Message

We all sin and fall short of his Glory

So what is .sin?

The corruption of the .roman Empire?

Yes, because they are not in 
​
Christ 

Sin was done away with at

​the Cross

​We have a New Covenant 

Yes, there’s Right and Wrong

Yes, we have a moral Compass 

from Gods Standards but they’re

written in our heart
​

We should know this


The law of Christ


That is also something

humans naturally discover through

trial and error

and natural consequences

​you treat others the way

​you want to be treated


is to treat your neighbor as yourself

So if pastors proclaim

to know the concept of sin and salvation

while having thousands upon thousands

of ex church

members traumatized by their

​unbiblical conduct,

Perhaps they haven’t found


​ The Law of Christ 
​

The Apostles

​ and

​prophets in NT were there to 

for the goal of bring


Everyone into the


Full knowledge of Christ


It’s unsettling

when you come across pastors that 

claim to preach the Gospel

yet can’t decipher good from evil


It should change your perspective

to truly understand

that when

Jesus roamed this planet as a human being,


he was purely hated


Thats not what you hear in Wednesday Youth .Group

Christ was a

​Human Being and Prophet,

He is God, Diety

A messenger of God

​who suffered at the

hands of sinners

and faithfully did the


fathers Will
​
​
Jesus condemns the cities

that

refuse to repent

and

thanks the Father

for


revealing the truth

to
​

little children.



He offers rest for those who are weary and burdened.
​

As you know, we are in the midst of what may be called an Old Testament Survey, a series entitled “From Creation to the Cross.” The purpose of this series is to provide us with a better working knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, a better understanding of God’s progressive revelation, and a fresh look at the unfolding drama of redemption which culminates in Jesus Christ. 

The previous two lessons discussed the ministry of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, which has given us some insight into the deteriorating situation in Israel, Judah, and the divided kingdom. Following on the heels of Elijah and Elisha, God raised up new prophets to speak for him. These new prophets continued in the prophetic tradition of Moses. They continued in the spirit of Elijah. I call these new prophets the writing prophets to distinguish them from their predecessors, for they are unique in that their prophecies are written down for us. I am referring of course to the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel) and the Twelve Minor Prophets (the final twelve books of our Old Testament). In fact, it may be helpful to turn to the Table of Contents in your Bible to see them all listed. 

It should be pointed out that the minor prophets are so-called only because these books are relatively short in length; the major prophets are relatively long books. The terms imply nothing about their relative importance.251 It would perhaps be more appropriate to refer to them as the longer and shorter prophets.
​
Why We Have Difficulty Understanding the Prophets I think most of us would agree at the outset that these prophetic books are among the most difficult parts of the Bible to interpret or to read with understanding. We shouldn’t be embarrassed to admit we have difficulty reading the prophets, for actually we are in good company if we do. In referring to the prophets, Martin Luther once said the following: 


“They have a queer way of talking,

like people who,

instead of proceeding in an orderly manner,

ramble off from one thing

to the next so that you cannot make

​heads or tails

of them or see what they are getting at.”





The Meaning of Prophecy –


The primary difficulty for most modern readers of the prophets stems from an inaccurate understanding of the words “prophet” and “prophecy.” The word prophet refers to one who tells forth (or proclaims), as well as one who foretells. But we often limit the meaning of prophecy to foretelling the future, so many Christians refer to the prophets only for predictions about Christ’s first coming, or his second coming, and the end times as though prediction of events far distant to their own day was their main concern.

It should be pointed out that less than 2% of Old Testament prophecy is messianic. Less than 5% specifically concerns the New Covenant age. And less than 1% concern events still future to us.The prophets did indeed announce the future. But it was usually the immediate future of Israel, Judah, and the surrounding nations they announced – not our future. One of the keys to understanding the Prophets, therefore, is to recognize that for us to see their prophecies fulfilled, we must often look back on times that were still future to them, but for us are past.

To see the prophets as primarily predictors of future events is to miss their primary function, which was, in fact, to speak for God to their contemporaries. 

Historical Distance – Another matter that complicates our understanding the prophets is the problem of historical distance. By the very nature of things, we will have a harder time understanding the words of the prophets than the Israelites who heard those same words in person. We are far removed from the religious, historical, and cultural life of ancient Israel, and we simply have trouble putting the words of the prophets in their proper context. It is often hard for us to see what they are referring to and why. Things clear to them tend to be opaque to us.



The Spoken Nature of the Prophets 


Finally,

the spoken nature of their prophecies

causes many

of our difficulties in understanding


For example, of the hundreds of prophets in ancient Israel in Old Testament times, only 16 were chosen to speak oracles that would be collected and written down into books. We know that other prophets, such as Elijah and Elisha, played a very influential role in delivering God’s Word to His people and to other nations as well. But we know more about these prophets than we do of their actual words. What they did is described in far greater length than what they said -- and when we are told what they said, it is placed very specifically and clearly in the context of the narratives in which they appear. Generally, in the narrative books of the Old Testament, we hear about prophets and very little from prophets. In the prophetic books, however, we hear from the prophets and very little about the prophets themselves. That single difference accounts for most of the problem people have making sense of the prophetic books.

Furthermore the prophetic books, especially the longer ones, are collections of spoken oracles, not always presented in their original chronological sequence, often without hints as to where one oracle ends and another begins, and often without hints as to their historical setting. On top of that, most of the oracles were spoken in poetry. We’ll talk more about oracles later, but I think you get the point.

Now, if these are the reasons we have difficulty with the prophets, then in order to really understand the prophets, we have to get a better handle on: (1) the function of a prophet; (2) the historical context of their writings; and (3) the form of their writings.

Function of the ProphetsCovenant Enforcement Mediators – To understand what God would say to us through these inspired books, we must first have a clear understanding as to the role and function of the prophet in Israel. The prophets spoke for God to His people. They functioned to call Israel back to God, which meant a call back to faithfulness to their Covenant relationship with God; i.e., back to the Law of Moses. In accomplishing this primary purpose, they confronted Israel’s sin and demanded repentance. Simply stated, the prophets were “covenant enforcement mediators.”

There was a covenant relationship between God and His people. This covenant contained not only the rules which they were to keep, but it describes the sorts of punishments that God will necessarily apply to His people if they do not keep the Law, as well as the benefits He will impart to them if they are faithful. What is important is that God does not merely give His Law, but He enforces it. Positive enforcement is blessing; negative enforcement is curse. This is where the prophets come in. God announced the enforcement of His Law (both positive and negative) through the prophets.

Moses as a Model – Moses was the mediator of God’s Law when he first announced it, and thus is a paradigm (or model) for the prophets. They are God’s mediators, or spokesmen, for the covenant. Through them, God reminds people in the generations after Moses that if the covenant is kept, blessing will result, but if not, judgment will come. 

Blessing and Cursing – The kinds of blessings that come for faithfulness are found in Leviticus 26:1-13, Deuteronomy 4:32-40, and Deuteronomy 28:1-14. Generally, these may be categorized as life, health, prosperity, agricultural abundance, respect, and safety. But these blessings are announced with a warning of curses (punishments) if Israel is not obedient and faithful to the covenant. The curses are found in Leviticus 26:14-39, Deuteronomy 4:15-28, and Deuteronomy 28:15-32:42. Generally, these may be categorized under ten “D’s”: death, disease, drought, dearth, danger, destruction, defeat, deportation, destitution, and disgrace.

These same categories apply in what God communicates through the prophets. One must always bear in mind that the prophets did not invent the blessings and curses they announced. They reproduced God’s Word, not their own. Through them, God announced His intention to enforce the covenant and always in accordance with the categories of blessing and curse already contained in the Law. If we will take the trouble to learn those chapters from the Pentateuch, we will be rewarded with a much better understanding of why the prophets say the things they do.

When God wants to announce blessing for the nation through the prophet Amos, He does so in terms of metaphors of agricultural abundance, life, health, prosperity, respect, and safety (see Amos 9:11-15). When He announces doom for the disobedient nation of Hosea’s day, He does so according to one or more of the ten “D’s.” For example: destruction in Hosea 8:14 or deportation in Hosea 9:3. These curses are often metaphorical, though they can certainly be literal as well. They are always corporate, referring to the nation as a whole. Blessings or curses do not guarantee prosperity or dearth to any specific individual. 

Statistically speaking, a majority of the prophets announce curse because in the time of their prophecies (generally 800 - 587 BC), the Israelites (north and south) were heading for punishment. After the destruction of both kingdoms, i.e., after 586 BC, the prophets were moved more often to speak of blessings rather than curses because once the punishment of the nation is complete, God resumes His basic plan, which is to show mercy. Deuteronomy 4:25-31 gives a nutshell description of this sequence:

25 “When you become the father of children and children’s children and have remained long in the land, and act corruptly, and make an idol in the form of anything, and do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord your God so as to provoke Him to anger, 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you shall surely perish quickly from the land where you are going over the Jordan to possess it. You shall not live long on it, but shall be utterly destroyed. 27 “And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the nations, where the Lord shall drive you. 28 “And there you will serve gods, the work of man’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. 29 “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. 30 “When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. 31 “For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.

As you read the prophets, look for these simple patterns: either (1) an identification of Israel’s sin followed by a prediction of cursing, or (2) an announcement of God’s faithfulness and love for her followed by a prediction of blessing, depending on the circumstance. Most of the time, that is what the prophets are conveying.
​
The Context of Their WritingsThe prophetic books require time and study. People often approach these books casually, as if a surface reading through the Prophets will yield a high level of understanding. This isn’t done with textbooks in our ordinary schooling, and it doesn’t really work with the Prophets either. Specifically for understanding and interpreting the Prophets, one must be willing to consult outside resources, such as Bible dictionaries and commentaries, which can shed light on the background information so we will be able to catch the point of what a Prophet conveys.

God’s Word came through the prophets to people in particular situations. Its value depends partly on our ability to appreciate those situations so we can in turn apply them to our own.

Historical Context – It is interesting to note that the 16 prophetic books of the Old Testament come from a rather narrow band in the whole panorama of Israelite history. Why is there such a concentrated writing down of prophetic word during the time between Amos and Malachi? It is probably because this period in Israel’s history called especially for covenant enforcement mediation, which was the task of the prophets. That is along with the evident desire of God to record for all subsequent history the warnings and blessings that those prophets announced on His behalf during those pivotal years.

Those years were characterized by three things: (1) unprecedented political, military, economic, and social upheaval; (2) an enormous level of religious unfaithfulness and disregard for the original Mosaic covenant; and (3) dramatic shifts in populations and national boundaries. In these circumstances, God’s Word was needed anew. God raised up prophets and announced His Word accordingly.

The Books of 1 and 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles provide the biblical context of the writing prophets leading up to the Babylonian exile. There we see that by the time the writing prophets come on the scene, Israel was a nation permanently divided by a long ongoing civil war. The northern kingdom’s disobedience to the covenant had far outstripped anything yet known in Judah, and Israel was slated for destruction by God because of its sin. Amos, beginning around 760, and Hosea, beginning around 755, announced the impending destruction. God raised up the Assyrians as the new superpower at that time and the instrument of judgment on Israel. In 722 BC, Assyria sacked the capital city of Samaria and thus conquered Israel

The people of Judah witnessed the destruction of the northern kingdom, as did Isaiah and Micah, who warned that they were not immune to God’s wrath and were, in fact, on the same road to destruction. Thereafter, the mounting sinfulness of Judah and the rise of another superpower, Babylon, became the subject of the prophets Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, as well as Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Judah, too, was destroyed for its disobedience and carried off into exile. Perhaps this is where an example of the importance of historical context can be best illustrated. 

The Babylonians rose up and defeated the Assyrians (612 BC), and then defeated the Egyptians at the battle of Carchemish in 605 BC to become the number one power in the civilized world. Following the defeat of the Egyptians, Nebuchadnezzar headed south into Judah and entered Jerusalem as conqueror. Then begins the exile. When we think of the exile, however, we need to know that there were actually three deportations. The first occurred in 605 BC when Daniel was taken to Babylon. The second deportation occurred in 597 BC when Nebuchadnezzar returned to quell a resistance movement; this is when Ezekiel was taken to Babylon (during all this, Jeremiah remained in Jerusalem). The final deportation occurred in 586 BC when Jerusalem was finally destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.

Now take, for example, the writings of Jeremiah and Ezekiel: Both prophesied before and after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The Book of Jeremiah was written before the destruction. Jeremiah, an eyewitness to the destruction, wrote Lamentations afterward. Ezekiel’s prophecies in chapters 1-32 were given in Babylon before the fall of Jerusalem. Chapters 33-48 were prophecies given after. The focus of the prophet’s ministry changes with respect to that event. Before the destruction of Jerusalem, they spoke mainly of judgment. After the destruction, they begin to talk more of restoration. If you know the historical context, it is easier to understand why they said what they did.

After the exile, when the people were allowed to return to Jerusalem, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi announced God’s will for the rebuilding of the temple, the rebuilding of the nation, and the reinstitution of orthodoxy. 

Unless we know these events and others within this era too numerous to mention here, we probably will not be able to follow very well what the prophets are saying. Each prophetic oracle was delivered in a specific historical setting. God spoke through His prophets to people in a given time and place, and under given circumstances. A knowledge of the date, audience, and situation, therefore, when they are known, contributes a great deal to a reader’s ability to comprehend an oracle.

Literary FormA. They Spoke in Oracles – When we come to the actual study of the prophetic books, the first thing we must learn to do is to think oracles (just as we must learn to think paragraphs in the epistles or narrative sections of the Bible).

 This is not always an easy task, but to know the difficulty and the need to do this is the beginning of some exciting discovery. For the most part, the longer prophetic books are collections of spoken oracles, not always presented in their original chronological sequence, often without any indication as to where one oracle ends and another begins, and often without hints as to their historical setting. To top it off, most of the oracles were recorded in poetic form. 

Most of the time, what the prophets said is presented in their books in run-on fashion. That is, the words they spoke at various times and places over the years of their ministry have been collected and written down together, without divisions to indicate where one oracle ends and another begins. Moreover, even when one can assume by a major change of subject that a new oracle has probably begun, the lack of explanation still leaves one asking, “Was this said on the same day to the same audience, or was it said years later -- or earlier -- to a different group under different circumstances?” The answer can make a big difference as to one’s understanding.
Some parts of prophetic books provide exceptions. In Haggai and the early chapters of Zechariah, for example, each prophecy is dated. With the help of a Bible dictionary, handbook, or commentary, we can follow the progression of those prophecies in their historical context rather easily. And some of the prophecies in other books, notably Jeremiah and Ezekiel, are likewise dated and placed in a setting by the inspired author. But it simply does not work that way most of the time. A good commentary or Bible dictionary is often helpful in explaining such things to us as we read. 

Literary Form of the Oracles – Since the isolation of individual oracles is one key to understanding the prophetic books, it is important to know something about the different forms the prophets used to compose their oracles. Just as the Bible as a whole is composed of many different kinds of literature and literary forms, so also the prophets employed a variety of literary forms in their divinely inspired messages. The commentaries can identify and explain these forms. Perhaps the three most common forms are the lawsuit oracle, the woe oracle, and the promise oracle.

They each have different literary features. Understanding the features of these prophetic literary devices helps one to comprehend the message of God more accurately. I’d like to take the time to look at some examples to show you what I mean.

The Lawsuit Oracle – Let’s turn to Isaiah 3:13-26, which constitutes an allegorical literary form called a “covenant lawsuit.” In this and scores of other lawsuit allegories in the Prophets (e.g., Hosea 3:3-17, 4:1-19, etc.), God is portrayed imaginatively as the plaintiff, prosecuting attorney, and judge in a court case against the defendant, Israel. The full lawsuit form contains a summons, a charge, evidence, and a verdict, though these elements may sometimes be implied rather than being explicit. In Isaiah 3, the elements are incorporated as follows: The court convenes, and the lawsuit is brought against Israel (verses 13-14a).

The indictment or accusation is spoken (verses 14b-16). Since the evidence shows that Israel is clearly guilty, the judgment sentence is announced (verses 17-26). Because the covenant has been violated, the sorts of punishments listed in the covenant will come upon the people of Israel: disease, destitution, deprivation, and death. The figurative style of this allegory is a dramatic and effective way of communication to Israel that it is going to be punished because of its disobedience, and that the punishment will be severe. The special literary form helps get the special message across.

The Woe Oracle – Through the prophets, God makes predictions of imminent doom

using the device of the


 “woe,” 


and no Israelite could miss the significance of the use of that word. Woe oracles contain, either explicitly or implicitly, three elements that uniquely characterize this form: an announcement of distress


(the word “Woe,” for example),


the reason for the distress, and a prediction of doom. Read Habakkuk 2:6-8 as
an example of a woe oracle spoken against Babylon.


The oracle announces


 “woe”
​

in verse 6.


The reason is also given in verse 6, where Babylon is personified as a thief and extortionist. Disaster is predicted in verses 7-8, when all those Babylon has oppressed will one day rise up against it. This form is allegorical, though not all woes are; cf.
​

 Micah 2:1-5; Zeph. 2:5-7. 

The Promise (or Salvation) Oracle – Another common prophetic literary form is the promise or “salvation” oracle. You will recognize this form whenever you see these elements: reference to the future, mention of radical change, and mention of blessing. Amos 9:11-15, a typical promise oracle, contains these elements. The future is mentioned as “In that day” (verse 11).

The radical change is described as the restoration and repair of “David's fallen tent” (verse 11), the exaltation of Israel over Edom (verse 12), and the return from the exile (verses 14, 15). Blessing comes via the covenantal categories already mentioned (e.g., life, health, prosperity, agricultural abundance, respect, and safety).

All these items are included in Amos 9:11-15, though health is implicit rather than explicit. The central emphasis here is upon agricultural abundance. Crops, for example, will be so enormous that the harvesters will not be finished by the time the sowers are to start planting again (verse 13). For other examples of promise oracles, see Hosea 2:16-20 and 2:21-23, Isaiah 45:1-7, and also Jeremiah 31:1-9. 

B. They Were Poets – God spoke through His prophets largely in poetic form. People were used to poetry, and they could remember it much better than prose. The prophets often used what may be called “poetic prose,” a special, formal style employing the same characteristics as poetry, though less consistently. Because it is so much more regular and stylized than colloquial prose, it too was better remembered. 

All the prophetic books contain a substantial amount of poetry, and several are exclusively poetic. As a matter of fact, poetry is the second most common literary feature and comprises almost one-third of the Bible.265 Therefore, we must have some understanding of biblical poetry in order to better understand Scripture. The language of poetry is imagery. It is designed to stir the emotions and create vivid mental pictures, not feed the intellect. Consequently, poetry uses devices such as simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole to create images that evoke a sensory experience in our imagination. It is therefore important that we be able to identify and interpret the devices of poetic language. Poetry must be read, understood, and interpreted as poetry.

Finally, the structure of poetry is parallelism. Parallelism is the verse form in which virtually all biblical poetry is written.266 Hopefully, you have some knowledge of poetic parallelism in the Bible, but I’ll touch on it just a bit anyway since it is so prevalent in the prophets. When we speak of parallelism, we are referring to the Hebrew technique of presenting a thought using parallel literary members. It is the phenomenon whereby two or more successive poetic lines strengthen, reinforce, and develop each other’s thought. The most common types of parallelism are Synonymous, Antithetical, and Synthetic parallelism as illustrated below: 

​
Synonymous parallelism is where the second or

​subsequent line repeats

or reinforces the sense of the first line,


as in Isaiah 44:22:267


“I have swept your offenses like a cloud, 
your sins like the morning mist.” Or,
“Then I shall turn your festivals into mourning
And all your songs into lamentation” (Amos 8:10a)

Antithetical parallelism, on the other hand, is where the second or
subsequent line contrasts the thought of the first,

as in Hosea 7:14:

“They do not cry out to me from their hearts, 
but wail upon their beds.”

Synthetic parallelism, perhaps a little harder to discern, is where
the second or subsequent line adds to the first line in any manner
which provides further information,

as in Obadiah 21:


“Deliverers will go up from

Mount Zion 

to govern the mountains

of Esau. 

And the kingdom will be

the Lord’s.”


It should be noted that the literature discusses other more extensive and sophisticated forms of parallelism found in biblical poetry. It would certainly be worthwhile to become more familiar with this poetic structure.

As with oracle forms, a general familiarity with Hebrew parallelism can be quite rewarding as we read the prophets. The presentation of ideas in poetic forms such as this need not be confusing, as long as we read carefully and are aware of the unique features. Poetry is just as comprehensible as prose if we know the rules.


There  is another feature in the prophetic books which I find fascinating. This feature is primarily seen in the narrative portions where we are told something about the prophets themselves. Many of the Old Testament prophets became what may be called a “pedagogy in biography.”

This means that what they did



became a teaching experience for the onlookers.



Very often


the prophets of God

had

to endure unusual hardship

so that

their lives and experiences

could be an instrument

of teaching


to those around them


It is interesting to look for these “pedagogy’s in biography” in the narrative sections of the prophetic books. You will find the prophets have some hard days to live through and some hard experiences to endure as they
provided themselves as visual aids for the prophecies which God would deliver to the people.

Examples of “Pedagogy in Biography” in the life of Ezekiel – A striking example is found in Ezekiel 4:1-13. He was instructed to take a brick, lay it on the ground, and inscribe the word Jerusalem on it. Making believe the brick was “Jerusalem,” he was to build a siege wall, pitch toy camps around it, and place battering rams against it on all sides.

The reason for this is given in verse 3. It was to be a sign to the house of Judah. This was prior to the final invasion of Nebuchadnezzar in 588, which lasted until 586 when the city was breached. Ezekiel’s prophecy took place between 592 and 589 BC.

In addition, Ezekiel was commanded to lie on his left side for 390 days (apparently beside his little model of the city under siege) to bear the iniquity of the house of Israel, and when that was completed, he was to lie on his right side and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah for 40 days. For nourishment, he was to eat only peasant’s food cooked over cow dung. All this was to symbolize the pollution with which Israel and Judah had defiled themselves.

A second good example is seen in chapter 12:3-7. God commanded Ezekiel to dig a hole in a wall, to gather the baggage of an exile by day, throw it over his shoulder, and to go out through the wall in the evenings like an exile leaving his city. He was apparently to do this over and over so the people would ask him what he was doing. He was to say, 

“I am a sign to you. As I have done, so it will be done to them

(in Jerusalem).

They will go into exile, into captivity.”

Other Examples of “Pedagogy in Biography”: 

Hosea is another example of pedagogy in biography

(Hosea 1:2-9)

God had Hosea

​experience the heartbreak of an unfaithful wife as both a

picture of

Israel’s unfaithfulness

to Him and a preparation of

Hosea for his prophetic ministry

​
Isaiah went about barefoot and naked as a sign for the Lord


“Even as My servant Isaiah

has gone naked and barefoot

three years

as a sign against Egypt and Cush,

so the king of Assyria

will lead away the captives of Egypt

and

the exiles of Cush”


(Isaiah 20:2-4)


Jeremiah became a participant in the technique of “Pedagogy in Biography” when God commanded him to make a yoke for his neck and then to walk around wearing it (Jeremiah 27:2-3). This was to illustrate God’s prophecy that Judah was to soon come under the yoke of Babylon. And since this was God’s judgment, Jeremiah told them to submit to Babylon rather than resist. The people hated Jeremiah, not only for this message of coming judgment, but for his call to submit and surrender. He was branded a traitor.
​
SummaryWe have touched on a number of characteristics and features of the writing prophets, which hopefully will encourage us to spend more time reading them. In summary, let’s remember that in order to understand the prophets, we must understand the function of the prophet (which is not merely to tell the future), the historical context (not only in general, but specifically with regard to each prophet and, ideally, each oracle). We must also understand the literary devices used in the prophetic writing (the poetic and oracle forms). And we must be willing to devote a little time and prayer to the endeavor. We must remember that the prophets were primarily covenant enforcement mediators. They spoke for God to His people. They confronted Israel’s sin and called them back to the Law. They called them back to a covenant relationship with God. 

There is much more that could be said about the writing prophets. I have only scratched the surface and talked of some of the features they have in common. They each have their own unique features, their own unique structure, and their own unique contribution to the Old Testament, which are well worth our study.


​

​The phrase the

​law and the prophets

 refers to the entire

​Hebrew Bible,

​what we call the Old Testament.


Jesus spoke

​ of “the law and the prophets”

multiple times, such as

​when He listed the two greatest commandments

(Matthew 22:40)
​

In the Sermon on the Mount,

Jesus pointed to His absolute perfection, saying,

​ “Do not think that I have come

to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
​
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”

(Matthew 5:17)


On the Emmaus Road, Jesus taught two disciples “everything written about himself in the Scriptures, beginning with the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets” (Luke 24:27, CEV). Clearly, all Scripture, indicated by “the law and the prophets,” pointed to Jesus. The same passage also contains a three-fold division of the Old Testament: “the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (verse 44), but the two-fold division of “the law and the prophets” was also customary (Matthew 7:12; Acts 13:15; 24:14; Romans 3:21).

The books of the law, properly speaking, would comprise the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The prophets, in the two-fold division, would include the rest of the Old Testament. Although it may seem strange that poetic books such as Job or Proverbs would be included in the “prophets” category, it was common for the Jews to see any writer of Scripture as a prophet. Further, many of the psalms are clear messianic prophecies.

When Philip invited his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus, he referred to the whole of Hebrew Scripture in its two-fold division: “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about—Jesus of Nazareth” (John 1:45, NET). Philip was right that all of Scripture has a common theme: the Messiah, the Son of God, who is Jesus.

Prophets had the task of faithfully speaking God’s Word to the people. They were instrumental in guiding the nation of Israel and establishing the church. God’s household is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20).

More than 133 named prophets are mentioned in the Bible, including 16 women. In addition, numerous others prophesied, such as the 70 elders of Israel (Numbers 11:25) and the 100 prophets rescued by Obadiah (1 Kings 18:4). The first named prophet in the Bible is Abraham. In Genesis 20:7 God spoke to Abimelech in dream, saying, “Now then, return [Abraham’s] wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you will live.” God had revealed Himself to Abraham on numerous occasions.

Jacob and Joseph, descendants of Abraham, both had dreams regarding the future that could be categorized as prophetic. Moses was called a “man of God” and was considered a great prophet (Deuteronomy 34:10). Joshua and many of the judges served as prophets, with the last judge, Samuel, hearing the voice of God as a young boy (1 Samuel 3:4). He would later anoint David, who served as both king and prophet in Israel.

The time of Elijah and Elisha was marked by a high level of prophetic activity. In fact, a school for prophets thrived during their lifetimes (see 1 Kings 20:35). Both Elijah and Elisha performed many miracles as well.

​
In the New Testament, 

John the Baptist foretold

​the Messiah
​

(Matthew 3:1)


Jesus Himself

came as prophet, priest, king,

and Messiah,

fulfilling many of the

messianic

prophecies of the Old Testament.


The early church also included prophets. For example, Ananias was given
a prophecy about the apostle Paul’s future (Acts 9:10–18). 
​Acts 21:9 mentions four daughters of Philip who could prophesy.

​Prophecy is listed as a spiritual gift in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14.


In the end times,

two “witnesses”

​will prophesy from Jerusalem


(Revelation 11)

​

Usually,


the prophets God sends

are

despised and their message unheeded

What a Terrible Job



 Isaiah described his nation as a “rebellious people, deceitful children,

children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.

They say to the seers, ‘See no more visions!’ and to the prophets, ‘Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions’” (Isaiah 30:9–10).

​Jesus lamented that Jerusalem had killed the prophets God sent to them

(Luke 13:34).

Of course, not everyone who “speaks forth” a message is actually a prophet of God. The Bible warns against false prophets who claim to speak for God but who actually deceive the people they purport to inform. King Ahab kept 400 such false prophets in his employ to tell him what he wanted to hear (2 Chronicles 18:4; cf. 2 uTimothy 4:3). In the New Testament we have many warnings against false prophets. Jesus taught, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15). He later noted that, in the end times, “false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). Revelation speaks of a false prophet who will arise in the Tribulation and deceive people around the world (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). To avoid being led astray, we must always “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).

A true prophet of God will be committed to speaking God’s truth. He or she will never contradict God’s revealed Word. A true prophet will say, with the prophet Micaiah just before his fateful confrontation with Ahab, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says” (2 Chronicles 18:13).
​

A prophet in the Old Testament was someone

who was used by

God to

communicate

His message to the world


Prophets were also

called

“seers”

​because they could

​ “see,”

spiritually speaking,

as

​God gave them insight


(1 Samuel 9:9)


The prophets can be divided into the

“writing prophets”

such as Isaiah,

Daniel,

​Amos, and Malachi; and the “non-writing prophets”
​such as

(1 Kings 11:29),

Micaiah (2 Chronicles 18:7), and Elisha

(1 Kings 19:16)

There are also some anonymous prophets

​ in the Old Testament,

​such as the unnamed prophet

​in Judges 6:7–10.

The prophets came from a variety of backgrounds, spoke to different audiences, possessed unique styles, and used assorted methods. Most of the Old Testament prophets’ messages concerned the people of Israel; if other nations were mentioned in the oracles, it was usually in connection to those nations’ dealings with Israel. Most prophets of God were men, but the Old Testament also mentions prophetesses such as Miriam (Exodus 15:20, ESV), Deborah (Judges 4:4, ESV), and Huldah (2 Kings 22:14, ESV). All prophets shared some characteristics that made their ministries “prophetic.”

A prophet was called by God to be a prophet. Isaiah and Ezekiel were given visions of God’s glory (Isaiah 6; Ezekiel 1). God told Jeremiah that he had been picked out prior even to his birth: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, / before you were born I set you apart; / I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). A common description of the source of the message is that “the word of the Lord came” to the prophet (Jeremiah 1:2; Ezekiel 1:3; Hosea 1:1; Joel 1:1; Jonah 1:1; Micah 1:1; Zephaniah 1:1; Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:1). Another description is that the prophet received an “oracle,” that is, a special revelation from God (Isaiah 13:1; Habakkuk 1:1; Numbers 24:16, ESV).

A prophet was required to deliver God’s message accurately. The prophet Micaiah put it well: “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell [the king] only what the Lord tells me” (1 Kings 22:14). Those who, like Jeremiah, tried to keep silent found they could not (Jeremiah 20:9). Those who, like Jonah, tried to avoid their responsibility were corrected (Jonah 1:3–4). Others, like the unnamed prophet from Judah who directly disobeyed the divine command, lost their lives (1 Kings 13:15–24).

A prophet sometimes had a unique appearance. Elijah was known for wearing “a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist” (2 Kings 1:8). Elijah’s mantle that he left for Elisha was also seen as a symbol of the prophetic office (2 Kings 2:13–14). God told Ezekiel to shave his head and beard (Ezekiel 5:1). Other prophets were set apart in other ways: Jeremiah, for example, was told he could not marry (Jeremiah 16:2); Hosea was told to marry a prostitute (Hosea 1:2). All prophets were recognized as those through whom God spoke (even if their message was not welcome).

A prophet often led a hard life. Isaiah was sent to a people “ever hearing, but never understanding”

(Isaiah 6:9),

and (according to tradition) he was eventually murdered for his efforts.

Ezekiel ministered to “a rebellious people”

​ (Ezekiel 12:2).

The queen of Israel sought to take Elijah’s life

(1 Kings 19:2).

Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern, where he “sank down into the mud”

(Jeremiah 38:6).

Jesus spoke of Jerusalem as those “who kill the prophets and

stone those sent” to them (Luke 13:34),

and, speaking to the Jewish leaders of his day,

​Stephen asked this condemning question:


“Was there ever a prophet your

ancestors

did not persecute?


​(Acts 7:52).


The Old Testament also mentions false prophets. 

(Numbers 23:19)


The role of Old Testament prophet

reached its consummation

in the person of John the Baptist,

who was predicted in 

Malachi 4:5 (cf. Luke 7:26–27);

and in Jesus Christ,

who was the Prophet “like Moses”

predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15 (cf. Acts 3:22).

Sovereign


​grace combines two

of

​God’s attributes,

​
His sovereignty and His graciousness


Both of these characteristics of God are so vast that many volumes have been written about each. Briefly though, the doctrine of sovereign grace is the melding of the two into a thrilling truth that gives us a glimpse into the mind and heart of our great God. The sovereignty of God is His total control of all things past, present, and future. Nothing happens beyond His knowledge and control. All things are either caused by Him or allowed by Him for His own purposes and in accordance with His perfect will and timing (Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6). He is the only absolute and omnipotent ruler of the universe and is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption.

The other half of sovereign grace is grace. The grace of God is His unmerited favor toward those who have not earned it. It is undeserved favor. There are numerous examples of God’s grace in the Bible, both to His people and to those who reject Him. Mary found grace in the eyes of the Lord who bestowed upon her the privilege of bearing the Savior of mankind (Luke 1:28). She may have been a godly young woman, but nothing she could have done would have made her worthy of such a blessing. She was the recipient of God’s grace, and He sovereignly chose her for the task—sovereign grace. The apostle Paul admits that he was a servant of God only by grace and it was by grace that he labored effectively for the cause of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:10). Sovereign grace chose to save Paul on the Damascus Road, and sovereign grace showered him with untold blessings.

As Christians we, too, benefit from God’s sovereign grace. “For by grace are you saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Our very salvation and position in Christ is due to His grace through the faith that He gives us (Hebrews 12:2). Even those who hate God receive His grace. Every breath God allows them to take is a product of His common grace to all creation: “He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Even the atheist enjoys the effects of God’s sovereign grace through God’s beautiful creation and His provision of the resources necessary for food, clothing, and housing. God doesn’t owe these things to us, but He sovereignly provides them to exhibit His grace.

The sovereign grace of God is noted most often by theologians in the matter of election. We see it best explained in Ephesians 1:5–6: “He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Here, in the same sentence, we have a reference to predestination (God’s sovereignty) and God’s glorious grace—sovereign grace. God sovereignly chose those He would save through His gracious act of sending His Son to die on the cross for their salvation. Sinners were unable to save themselves or, like Mary, to merit God’s favor because of their transgression of His Law. “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound”

(Romans 5:20)


Therefore, Christians are


“justified freely by His grace

through the

redemption that is in Christ Jesus”
​

(Romans 3:24)

God in His sovereign grace has chosen to save those on whom He has set His love (Romans 9:8–13). They are picked out of the stream of helpless men and women cascading into hell. This is a humbling truth and should result in immense gratitude on our part. Why did God bestow His sovereign grace on believers? Not because we deserve salvation but to demonstrate “the riches of His glory” (Romans 9:14–23). Our only proper response is to proclaim, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ”

(Ephesians 1:3).
​

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[b] from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.[c]So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life[d] because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,[e] you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,[f] you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children[g] of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[h] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”[i] 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

The Future Glory18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[j]including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope  for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn[n] among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[o]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[p] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Philippians 4:19 says, “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” This statement is a powerful declaration of God’s abundant provision for believers. We may not have everything we want, but God has blessed us with everything we need.

To understand why you can trust that God will meet your needs, you must first recognize the vastness of God’s riches. Scripture consistently affirms that God owns everything. For example, in Psalm 24:1, the psalmist declares, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters” (ESV). God’s ownership of everything assures us that He is able to meet our needs.

Another reason to trust that God will meet all our needs is that He said He would. If God said it, then He will do it. Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19, ESV). Therefore, we can “be content with what [we] have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’”

​(Hebrews 13:5, ESV).

In Lamentations 3:22–23, Jeremiah declares, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (ESV). God’s steadfast love, mercy, and faithfulness guarantee that He will meet all our needs.

God’s provision for His children manifests itself in practical ways. For instance, in Matthew 6:25–34, Jesus explains why we should not worry about things like food and clothes. If God cares for the birds of the air and the lilies in the field, will He not also care for us? Since God cares for these things, we can be confident that He will meet all our needs. So, instead of worrying about the future, we should focus on delighting ourselves in the Lord (Psalm 37:4).

It is important to note that God’s provision is not about excess, greed, or luxury. Rather, it is about necessity and sufficiency. As God said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV). God’s grace is sufficient to meet all our needs, but it may not align with our desires and expectations. Instead, His provision will always align with His will and purpose for our lives.

God’s greatest gift of all is His Son, Jesus Christ. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (ESV). This corresponds to Romans 8:32, which says, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (ESV). If God is gracious enough to give us His Son, the greatest gift of all, will He not also meet all our needs in this life?

The assurance that God will meet all our needs is a promise based on God’s character, His ownership of creation, and His commitment to His children. Regardless of what the future holds, we can trust the One who holds the future in His hands.



​Jesus' rebuke


to James and John

appears surprisingly

gentle


Perhaps this is because

He knows

they will suffer for Him

and

​
the gospel before

they

receive any glory
​

To "drink someone's cup" means to share in their fate. The tense used for the verb "drink" here may mean that Jesus is in the process of drinking, not that the "cup" is yet to come. But it also may refer to an action in the future that is so assured it can be considered already present.

The Old Testament frequently uses

"the cup of God's wrath"

as a metaphor for

His judgment for

humanity's rebellion against Him


(Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Ezekiel 23:31–34)


It is this "cup" that Jesus drinks when

He hangs on the cross, the Father's face turned away

(Mark 15:34). 

The reason Jesus came is so that we will not have to drink the cup of God's wrath, and Jesus does not ask us to drink the cup of God's wrath with Him.

He asks us to drink the cup of His blood, so we are covered by His sacrifice and protected from God's wrath

(Mark 14:22–25),

as the Israelites were during the Passover

(Exodus 12). 


In our churches today, we drink the cup,

symbolic of that blood,


at the Lord's Supper


This shows our oneness with the church and our

acceptance of a joined fate,

including the

persecution needed to further the gospel

(Colossians 1:24)
​

and the glorious

marriage of the Lamb and

the church


(Revelation 19:6–10)


Those who reject Jesus

in the tribulation

will feel

the full cup of God's wrath,

however, as

God's judgment rains down on the world


(Revelation 6—18). 

In Greek culture, baptism is a metaphor

for being

overwhelmed or immersed in something.

This is similar to the modern cliché

"baptized by fire"

used when we mean overwhelmed by challenges

​from the beginning.

Jesus is, in a sense,

baptized or immersed in our sins and

God's wrath on the cross

(1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
​

But this meaning is not familiar to the Jews of

​Jesus' time although

Isaiah did use it (Isaiah 30:27–28).

At the time, baptism was a sign that one

followed the teachings

of a specific rabbi or school.

In Jesus' ministry,

​people are baptized
as a sign
​of their repentance from sin,
and
​we apply this meaning,
as well.

After the crucifixion and resurrection,
the symbolism of baptism becomes richer.

Now, baptism

is a metaphor for dying to sin and

rising

​again in new life in Christ

(Romans 6:3–4; Colossians 2:12).

​
“What do you want Me to do for you?”


 Jesus asked

“Rabboni,” said the blind man,


​ “let me see again.”



“Go,” said Jesus, 


“your

​FAITH has HEALED you.” 



And immediately


He received his SIGHT

and


followed


Jesus along the road

​


The Parable of the Workers

​
For the kingdom of heaven

is like a

landowner who went out

early in the morning

to hire

workers for his vineyard


He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day

and

sent them into his vineyard.


about the third hour 

he went out and saw others

standing in

the marketplace doing nothing


You also go into my vineyard,’

he said,


‘and I will

pay you whatever is

RIGHT.’

so they went. 



He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour 

and did the same thing.

about the eleventh hour he went out and found

still others standing around.


‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

he asked.


Because no one has hired us,

’ they answered. 


So he told them,


‘You also go into my vineyard.’



when evening came, the owner of the vineyard

said to his foreman,


‘Call the workers and pay them their wages,

starting with the

last ones hired and moving on to the first.’


the workers

​who were hired about the eleventh hour

came

and each received a denarius. 

so when the original workers came,

they assumed

they would receive more.

But each of them also

received a denarius.


on receiving their pay,

they began to

grumble against the landowner


the men

who were hired last worked only

one hour,’


they said,


“and you have made them

equal to us who have

borne the burden

and the scorching heat of the day.’



but he answered one of them,



“Friend,

I am

not being unfair

to you.


Did you not agree

with me on one



denarius?


Take your PAY and go


I want to give this

last man

the same as I gave you


do I not have the right to do

as I please



with what is mine?


Or are you envious because

​
I am generous?’


so the last will be first, and the first will be last.”


​
The Third Prediction of the Passion

(Mark 10:32–34; Luke 18:31–34)


As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside and said, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.”



A Mother’s Request

(Mark 10:35–45)

20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him.

21“What do you want?” He inquired. 

She answered,


“Declare that in

Your kingdom

one of these two sons of mine

may sit at Your right hand,

and the other at Your left.”


“You do not know what you are asking,” 


Jesus replied. 


“Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”


“We can,” the brothers answered.


“You will indeed drink My cup,” 


Jesus said. 

“But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant.

These seats belong to those

for whom My Father has prepared them.”



when the ten heard about this, they were indignant with

the two brothers. 

but Jesus called them aside and said,

 “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord

​it over them,

and their superiors exercise authority over them.

It shall not be this way among you.

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you

must be your servant,


and whoever wants to be first among you

must be your slave--

just as the
​

Son of Man did not come

to be served,

but to serve,

and to give

His life as a ransom for many.”



The Blind Men by the Road

(Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43)


As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd

followed Him.

and there were two blind men sitting beside

the road.


When they heard that Jesus was passing by,

they cried out,


“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”


The crowd admonished them

to be silent,

but they cried out all the louder,


“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”



Jesus stopped and called them.


 “What do you want Me to do for you?” 

He asked.


“Lord,”

they answered,



“let our eyes be opened.”


Moved with compassion,


Jesus touched their eyes,


and at once they
​


received their sight

and

followed Him
​

​
The Request of James and John
​
(Matthew 20:20–28)


Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus

​and declared,

“Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

What do you want Me to do for you?” He inquired.

they answered,



“Grant that

one

​of us may sit at

Your right hand

and the other at

Your

left in Your glory.”


You do not know what you are asking,” 

Jesus replied. 


“Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?”


We can,” the brothers answered. 


“You will drink the cup that I drink,” 

Jesus said, “and you will be baptized with

the baptism that I undergo.

 40But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant.


These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”


When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.

so Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”



Jesus Heals Bartimaeus

(Matthew 20:29–34; Luke 18:35–43)


Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder,

“Son of David, have mercy on me!”
​
Jesus stopped and said, 


“Call him.”

So they called the blind man. “Take courage!” they said. “Get up! He is calling for you.”
50Throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus jumped up and came to Jesus.
51“What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked. 

“Rabboni,” said the blind man, “let me see again.”

52“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” 

And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

​



​
The Parable of the Banquet


(Luke 14:15–24)


once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables: 

2

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who

prepared a wedding banquet for his son.


 he sent his servants to call

those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.

again, he sent other servants and said,

‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner.

My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed,

and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’


But they paid no attention and went away, one to his field,

another to his business.

The rest seized his servants, mistreated them,
​

and killed them.


The king was enraged, and he sent his troops

​to destroy those murderers and burn their city.

Then he said to his servants,

‘The wedding banquet is ready,

​but those I invited were

not worthy


Go therefore to the crossroads

and invite to

​the banquet as many as you can find.’

So the servants went out

into the streets and gathered everyone they

​could find,

both evil and good,


and the wedding hall was filled with guests

​
But when the king came in to see the guests,

he spotted a man who was

not dressed in wedding clothes


 Friend, ,’ he asked, ‘how did you

get in here


without wedding clothes?’ 


But the man was speechless


Then the king told the servants,


‘Tie him hand and foot,

and throw

him into the outer darkness,

where

​there will be weeping and

gnashing of teeth.’

For many are called,

but few are chosen.”




Paying Taxes to Caesar
​

(Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:19–26)


then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words.

They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,”

they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God

in accordance with the truth.

You seek favor from no one, because


You pay no attention to external appearance.


 so tell us what You think:


Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”


But Jesus knew their evil intent and said,


 “You hypocrites, why are you

testing Me?


show Me the coin used for


the tax.”


And they brought Him a denarius.


“Whose image is this,” He asked, “and whose inscription?”


“Caesar’s,” they answered. 


So Jesus told them,


 “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s,


and to


God what is God’s.”



And when they heard this, they were amazed.


​So they left Him and went away.




The Sadducees and the Resurrection

(Mark 12:18–27; Luke 20:27–40)
​

That same day the Sadducees,

who say there

is no resurrection, came to


Jesus and questioned Him.


“Teacher,” they said,


“Moses declared that if a man dies without having children,


his brother is to marry

the widow

and raise up offspring for him


Now there were seven brothers

among us.


The first one married and died

without having children.

So he left his wife to his brother.

 The same thing happened to the second and

third brothers,

down to the seventh. 

And last of all, the woman died. 

In the resurrection,

then, whose wife will she be of the seven?

For all of them were married to her.”


Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not

know the Scriptures or the power of God.

 In the resurrection,

people will neither marry nor be given

in marriage.

Instead, they will be

like the angels in heaven.

​ but concerning the resurrection of the dead, have

you not read what God said to you: 

‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
​
and the God of Jacob’?

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”


When the crowds heard this, they

were astonished at His teaching.

​
​

The Greatest Commandment


(Deuteronomy 6:1–19; Mark 12:28–34)


And when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,

​they themselves gathered together.

​ one of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question: 


Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?”


37Jesus declared, “


”Love the Lord your God with all your heart

and with

all your soul and with all

your mind.’



 this is the first and greatest commandment.


And the second is like it:

“Love your neighbor as yourself.’


all the Law and the Prophets

hang on

these two commandments.”



Whose Son Is the Christ?


(Mark 12:35–37; Luke 20:41–44)


While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus questioned them:

“What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?”


“David’s,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, 


“How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord’?

For he says:


‘The Lord said to my Lord, 


“Sit at My right hand 

until I put Your enemies 

under Your feet.”’


So if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be David’s son?”


No one was able to answer a word,

​and from that day on no

one dared to question Him any further.



​In Psalm 110:1, David says,


“The LORD says to my Lord:

‘Sit at my right hand,

until I

make your enemies your footstool’”

​(ESV).


In Matthew 22:44,


​ Jesus

quotes this verse in a discussion

with the

Pharisees in order

to prove that the



Messiah is more than David’s son;

He is David’s Lord

​

The clause the LORD says to

my Lord contains

two different Hebrew words for “lord”

in the original.


The first word is Yahweh,

the Hebrew

covenant NAME for God


The second is adoni, meaning “lord” or “master.” So, in Psalm 110:1, David writes this:


“Yahweh says to


my Adoni. . . .”


To better understand Jesus’ use

of Psalm 110:1,

we’ll look

at the identity of each “Lord”

separately.

The first “Lord” in “the LORD

says to

my Lord” is the eternal God

of the universe,

the Great I AM who revealed Himself

to Moses in Exodus 3.

This self-existent,

omnipotent God speaks in 


Psalm 110 


to someone else

who is also David’s “Lord.”


The second
​

“Lord” in “the LORD says to

my

Lord” is the Messiah,

or the Christ



Psalm 110 


describes this second “Lord” as follows:

● He sits at God’s right hand (verse 1)

● He will triumph over all His enemies and rule over them (verses 1–2)

● He will lead a glorious procession of troops (verse 3)

● He will be “a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (verse 4)

● He will have divine power to crush kings, judge nations, and slay the wicked (verses 5–6)

● He will find refreshment and be exalted (verse 7)


In Matthew 22:44,

Jesus unmistakably identifies the second “Lord” of Psalm 110:1 

as the Messiah,

and the Pharisees all agree that, yes,


David was speaking of the Messiah


When David wrote,

“The LORD says to my Lord,”

he distinctly said that the

Messiah (or the Christ)

was his

lord and master—his Adoni.

​

A common title for the Messiah in Jesus’ day was “Son of David,” based on the fact that the Messiah would be the descendant of David who would inherit the throne and fulfill the Davidic Covenant (see 2 Samuel 7). Jesus capitalizes on the Jewish use of the title “Son of David” to drive home His point in Matthew 22. “While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ‘What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?’ ‘The son of David,’ they replied. He said to them, ‘How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him “Lord”? For he says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’” If then David calls him “Lord,” how can he be his son?’” (Matthew 22:41–45).

Jesus’ reasoning is this: “Son of David” is your title for the Messiah, yet David himself calls Him “Lord.”


The Messiah, then, must be much more than just a son—a physical descendant—of David. According to Psalm 110:1, this “Son of David” was alive during David’s time and was greater than David. All of this information is contained in the statement that “the LORD says to my Lord.”



Jesus is David’s Lord;


He is the Christ,

the Jewish Messiah,

and 

Psalm 110 is a promise of

Jesus’ victory

at


His second coming



Another important point that Jesus makes in 

Matthew 22 is that

David wrote the psalm

under the guidance of the


Holy Spirit;


David was “speaking by the Spirit,”


Jesus says (verse 43)


Clearly,

Jesus taught the inspiration of Scripture.

When David wrote,


“The LORD says to my Lord,”


he was recording exactly what God wanted him to write.


​

Luke 14:16-24

But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. / When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ / But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’ ...

Revelation 19:7-9
Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. / She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints. / Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Isaiah 25:6
On this mountain the LORD of Hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all the peoples, a feast of aged wine, of choice meat, of finely aged wine.

Proverbs 9:1-5
Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars. / She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. / She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city. ...

Luke 15:23-24
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. / For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

John 6:50-51
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. / I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”

Isaiah 55:1-3
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! / Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods. / Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.

Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

John 2:1-11
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, / and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. / When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.” ...

Isaiah 65:13-14
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. / My servants will shout for joy with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart and wail with a broken spirit.

Matthew 8:11
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

John 4:10
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

1 Corinthians 5:7-8
Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. / Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.

Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Zephaniah 1:7
Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests.

​Luke 10:1-16
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… 

Luke 24:46,47
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: … 

​Acts 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.

Proverbs 9:1,2
Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: … 

Song of Solomon 5:1
I am come into my garden, my sister, myspouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

John 6:50-57
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die… 
and all.

Matthew 22:8
Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Nehemiah 9:17
And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Psalm 86:5
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.


​John 1:1–18 is a poetic introduction

of

Jesus Christ


Jesus is referred to using the Greek word logos, meaning "the Word." This passage clearly describes Jesus as God, and co-creator with God the Father. These verses summarize Jesus' ministry and mission on Earth. The passage also explains how John the Baptist—a different John from the author of this gospel—was sent ahead of Christ to prepare for His arrival.

​

In the middle of His great 

Sermon on the Mount,

the Lord turns

to the topic

​of anxiety or worry,

encouraging

His followers to trust

in

God as their provider


He asks His followers, “Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

(Matthew 6:28–30, ESV)


This section of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25–34) might be titled simply “Stop Worrying!” Jesus repeats the word worry or worries at least five times. The Lord had just finished teaching about wealth, contrasting temporary earthly riches with eternal heavenly treasure (Matthew 6:19–24). He drives home the point that true kingdom servants aren’t to live for transient esteem here on earth, but instead are to look toward heaven and the rewards being stored up for them in eternity.

The purpose of this life,

Jesus reveals, is to prepare us

for the world to come

Building on the theme, Christ teaches that the pursuit of wealth may be the single greatest rival for our devotion to God: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). The Lord desires our undivided loyalty and affection.

After addressing the topic of money, the Lord moves straight to worry, which is likely the next biggest contender for our time and devotion. Jesus tells His disciples, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25). The faithful servant who is wholly committed to the King need not worry about everyday life. The essence of our existence is so much more than what we will eat and what we will wear.

Jesus uses food and clothing as general examples to signify our basic needs. We might just as easily insert “the rent,” “the power bill,” “the grocery budget,” or any number of everyday concerns that are a source of anxiety for us.

We should consider the birds of the air, according to Jesus. They don’t farm the soil or store their food in barns. No, their heavenly Father feeds them. “Aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are?” asks Jesus (Matthew 6:26, NLT). It does us no good to worry about our basic needs. Jesus asks, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (verse 27). Trusting God as our provider means believing He will take care of what we need. God has the power of life and death in His hands, and He will sustain His servants as long as they need to endure (Job 1:21; 33:4; James 4:12).

We should also consider the lilies of the field. They grow and yet don’t have to work to produce their clothing (Matthew 6:28). “Yet I tell you,” Jesus stresses, “that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these” (verse 29). The lilies of the field are here today and gone tomorrow, explains Jesus. If God cares so tenderly for short-lived wildflowers, how much more will He care for us who are of great value to Him (verse 30)? Not only does Jesus encourage us to trust in our heavenly Father, but He also affirms our great worth in God’s eyes.

Nearing the close of this section on worry, Jesus asks, “Why do you have so little faith?” (Matthew 6:30, ESV). Bible commentaries suggest that Jesus’ tone here is not condescending or scolding, but persuading and reasoning. He punctuates His main point with a penetrating question: “Do you truly trust your Heavenly Father?” Jesus encourages the disciples to look up and look beyond this life, just as Paul urges the Corinthians: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). If our priorities are in proper order, if we “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,” then “all these things” (our basic needs for this life) will be provided for us by the King (Matthew 6:33).

We should consider the lilies of the field because they remind us to trust our Heavenly Father to care for us and provide for our everyday needs. God loves us deeply and therefore will feed and clothe us. “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind,” says Job 12:10. We don’t have to worry because our lives are in God’s hands. We should also consider the lilies of the field because they represent the fleeting nature of our time on this earth (see Isaiah 40:8). Our focus must remain on eternity and our real purpose in this life. And we should consider the lilies of the field because they call to mind how precious we are in God’s eyes.


​Philippians 4:19 speaks of God’s abundant provision for believers. Paul writes, “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Here, the phrase riches of his glory is a testament to God’s gracious ability to meet the needs of His children.

In the immediate context of Philippians 4:19, Paul expresses gratitude to the Philippians for their financial support during his imprisonment. The support was sent through Epaphroditus, a partner with Paul in the ministry of the gospel. Because of their generosity, Paul assures the Philippians that God will not overlook their good deed: “My God will meet all your need according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). This assurance is a wonderful reminder that God’s provision for believers is not limited to human resources but flows from God’s infinite storehouses of glory.

In Scripture, God’s glory is associated with His majesty (Psalm 8:1), power (1 Chronicles 29:11), and presence (John 1:14). The glory of God is manifested in all His attributes together. It is the beauty of His nature, eternal and excelling in splendor.

In Ephesians 3:16, Paul prays that “according to the riches of [God’s] glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (ESV). Likewise, in Romans 9:23, Paul mentions “the riches of his glory [made] known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory.” In both passages, God’s glory involves His nature and His active engagement with believers. The glory of God provides a spiritual treasury of blessings for those who trust in Him.

The “riches of his glory,” according to Paul, are found “in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). This suggests that the riches of God’s glory are made possible through the finished work of Christ. In Christ, believers have access to every spiritual blessing from the Father. Paul writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3, ESV). Through the finished work of Christ, believers have access to an overabundant supply of blessings that are more than sufficient to meet our needs.

God’s abundant grace is part of the riches of His glory. Paul writes, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9, ESV). Here, the word rich refers not to material wealth but to the spiritual riches that come through the sacrificial death of Christ. He became an earth-bound pauper so we could know the abundant fulness of heaven.

In short, the “riches of his glory” in Philippians 4:19 refers to the abundant resources with which God meets the needs of believers. He possesses all things, and He has an inexhaustible ability to supply their needs. Because God is infinitely glorious and infinitely gracious, He is able and willing to provide for every need.


This assurance is rooted

in the

person and work of Christ,

who is

“full of grace and truth”


(John 1:14, ESV).



​John 1:14
​
This verse mentions the third of

John's Seven Names

for Jesus


"the Son of God." 


A critical facet of the gospel is the fact that Jesus was truly, fully, physically human. The first eighteen verses of John's gospel not only introduce Jesus, they also counter false spiritual beliefs. One of these errors is the idea that Jesus was only a mirage, or an illusion. This is not true: Christ was a one hundred percent authentic human being. John makes this explicitly clear using the name of "the Word," while saying very directly that He "became flesh," living among human beings. This means Jesus was not a hologram, or a ghost disguised as a person. He was a real, living, breathing person. As a result, He could claim to have experienced everything we do as mortal people

(Hebrews 4:15)


The Greek word used here is skēnoō, which suggests the tabernacle of the Old Testament. The tabernacle was a temporary structure, symbolic of God's "dwelling" with His people, while at the same time a literal physical place

​ (Hebrews 9:24)


Jesus is with us and among us, in human form, much as God was among His people in the tabernacle. 

Also appearing here is a critical term, found also in John 1:18 and John 3:16: monogenēs. This is the source of the phrase, "one and only," or "only begotten," and it means that Jesus is of the exact same "stuff" as God

(Hebrews 1:3)




God’s Faithful Messiah


(Genesis 14:17–24; Hebrews 5:1–10)



A Psalm of David
​

1 The LORD said to my Lord: 
“Sit at My right hand 
until I make Your enemies 
a footstool for Your feet.”

2The LORD extends Your mighty

​scepter from Zion: 

“Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
​

3Your people shall be willing 
​
on Your day of battle. 

Arrayed in holy splendor, from

​the womb of the dawn, 

to You belongs the dew of Your youth.

4The LORD has sworn 

and will not change His mind: 

“You are a priest forever 

in the order of Melchizedek.”

​
5The Lord is at Your right hand; 

He will crush kings in the day of His wrath.
​
6He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead; 

He will crush the leaders far and wide.


7He will drink from the brook by the road; 

therefore He will lift up His head.

​This phrase is a bold declaration by

James and John, the sons of Zebedee,

in response to Jesus' question

about their ability to

endure the

same suffering He is about to face


The Greek word used here

​ is "δυνάμεθα" (dynametha),

which conveys the idea of

having the

power or ability to do something


This statement reflects their confidence, albeit misguided, in their own strength and understanding.
Historically, this moment highlights the common human tendency to overestimate one's capabilities
​without fully grasping the gravity of the situation.

It serves as a reminder of the

need for

humility and reliance on

God's strength rather than

our own.
​

You will drink the cup I drink


The "cup" in biblical terms often symbolizes a person's
​ divinely appointed experience or destiny,
particularly in the context of suffering or judgment.

The Greek word "ποτήριον" (potērion)
is used here, which can
refer to a literal cup but is metaphorically
used to describe the trials
and tribulations Jesus is about to endure.


This phrase foreshadows the

suffering and martyrdom

that James and John will eventually

face,

aligning their path with that

of Christ.

It underscores the Christian call

to share in

Christ's sufferings as part of

discipleship,

a theme echoed throughout the

New Testament.


and be

baptized with the baptism

I undergo


The term "baptized" here,

from the Greek


"βαπτίζομαι" (baptizomai),

is used

metaphorically to describe


being overwhelmed or immersed

in a

particular experience, in this case,


suffering


The "baptism" Jesus refers to

is His impending


crucifixion and the associated suffering


This phrase emphasizes the depth and

​ intensity of the

trials Jesus will face and indicates that


​His followers, too,

will undergo

similar experiences
​


Historically, baptism was a rite of initiation

​and

purification,

and here it symbolizes the profound

transformation

and commitment required of Jesus' disciples.
​

It serves as a powerful reminder

of the

cost of true discipleship

and the call

to follow Christ's example,

even unto death.



Matthew 20:22-23

“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered. / “You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.”

Luke 12:50
But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

John 18:11
“Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”

Romans 6:3-5
Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? / We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. / For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.

1 Corinthians 10:16
Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

Philippians 3:10
I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,

2 Timothy 2:11-12
This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; / if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;

Revelation 1:9
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.

Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 3:21
To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Isaiah 51:17
Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His fury; you who have drained the goblet to the dregs—the cup that makes men stagger.

Isaiah 51:22
Thus says your Lord, the LORD, even your God, who defends His people: “See, I have removed from your hand the cup of staggering. From that goblet, the cup of My fury, you will never drink again.

Jeremiah 25:15-16
This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from My hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it. / And they will drink and stagger and go out of their minds, because of the sword that I will send among them.”

Psalm 75:8
For a cup is in the hand of the LORD, full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours from His cup, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to the dregs.

Psalm 116:13
I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.

Mark 14:31
But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

John 13:37
Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

Mark 14:36
And he said, Abba, Father, all things arepossible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Matthew 10:25
It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

John 15:20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

In Bible times,


the dusty and dirty

conditions of the region

and the wearing of

sandals necessitated


foot-washing


Although the disciples most likely would have been happy to wash Jesus’ feet, they could not conceive of washing each other’s feet. This was because in the society of the time, foot-washing was reserved for the lowliest of menial servants. Peers did not wash one another’s feet, except very rarely and as a mark of great love. Luke points out (22:24) that the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest among them, an attitude that precludes a willingness to stoop to wash feet. When Jesus moved to wash their feet (see also John 13:1-16), they were shocked. His actions serve also as symbolic of spiritual cleansing (vs. 6-9) and a model of Christian humility (vs. 12-17). By washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus taught the lesson of selfless service that was supremely exemplified by His death on the cross.

The foot-washing was an example, a pattern. Many groups throughout church history have practiced literal foot-washing as a church ordinance. However, present culture in many lands does not call for washing dust from the feet of one’s guests. Although the Lord’s Supper was practiced, the early church apparently did not practice foot-washing as an ordinance in church gatherings.

This passage emphasizes inner humility, not a physical rite.


A Christian widow’s

practice of


"washing the feet of the saints"


(1 Timothy 5:10)


speaks not of her involvement in a church ordinance but of her humble, slave-like service to other believers.

​To refuse to follow the example of Jesus is to exalt oneself above Him and to live in pride. “No servant is greater than his master” (John 13:16).

A theme in the apostle John’s writings is the love of God exemplified in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. As John introduces the scene where Jesus humbly washes the disciples’ feet, he highlights the full extent of Christ’s love: “It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13:1).

John emphasizes that Jesus loved his own to the end. “His own” were the disciples. The Lord shared a private, profoundly intimate farewell dinner with His closest companions. He knew the hour of His death and departure from this world were imminent, and He wanted to impart a message—an object lesson—that would stay with them forever. The lesson started with the humble act of washing their feet, but that was only the beginning.

In the original Greek, the phrase translated as “to the end” means “to the full extent; to the limit; to the uttermost.” Jesus would demonstrate the full extent of His love, not just through the lowly service of washing the disciples’ feet but also through His patience with Judas and His forgiveness of His disciples’ betrayal and abandonment after His arrest. Christ’s manifestations of love would ultimately reach the uttermost limits through His suffering death by crucifixion.

John explains that Jesus, knowing Judas planned to betray Him, still rose from the table and began to wash all the disciples’ feet (John 13:2–5). With grace and compassion, Jesus gave Judas every opportunity to repent and return to Him.

It’s important to understand that the menial task of foot-washing performed by a master to his servants was unheard of in first-century culture. Jesus initiated a shocking lesson they would never forget. Although He was their Sovereign Lord, Christ took the place of a servant to demonstrate how He loved His own to the end.

Peter, in typical fashion, could not contain himself. He strongly resisted the Lord’s ministrations until Jesus reassured him, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me” (John 13:8, NLT). Then Peter enthusiastically submitted to the Lord, exclaiming, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” (John 13:9, NLT).

Peter and all the disciples would soon comprehend the deeper meaning behind Christ’s words and actions. The foot-washing was a symbolic foreshadowing of His cleansing sacrifice on the cross. Through His death, Jesus would serve them beyond the limits of human understanding to the full extent of divine love: “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6–8, NLT).

Along with Peter and the other apostles, believers today desperately need to grasp the Lord’s teaching on humility and service: “Since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them” (John 13:14–17, NLT). Serving one another humbly, dying to our own selfish desires for the benefit of others, reveals the full extent of our love: “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16, NLT).

The fact that Jesus loved His own to the end means He loved them to love’s fullest extent and uttermost limit. It is the heart of the gospel message: “God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:9–10, NLT; see also John 3:16–17). John revealed that he had learned the lesson of the foot-washing, saying, “Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. . . . If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us” (1 John 4:11–12, NLT, see also 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 19–21).




In John 14:1,
​

Jesus tells His disciples,


“Let not your hearts be troubled”

(ESV)


As always, the meaning of any particular passage of Scripture can only be ascertained by understanding the context. So we will back up and take a look at what leads up to Jesus’ command to “let not your heart be troubled.”

In John 12, Jesus tells the crowds (including the disciples) that He would be crucified. In John 13, in the intimate setting of a Passover meal, the meal that later became known as “the Last Supper,” Jesus tells His disciples that one of them would betray Him. He then goes on to tell Peter that he will deny and disown the Lord. Obviously, all of this was upsetting news to the disciples.

After the Last Supper, before He is arrested, Jesus assures His disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). The information that He goes on to communicate, about heaven and about the Holy Spirit, is the antidote to the disturbing information that they have taken in.

When Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” He was comforting His disciples, who definitely had troubled hearts. Jesus promises them that His death will not be the end, and Peter’s denial will not be the end for Peter, either. He explains that His death and subsequent ascension into heaven, rather than leaving them destitute, will bring about two specific blessings: it will enable Him to prepare a place for them, and it will allow Him to send the Holy Spirit to comfort them.

When Jesus said He was going to “prepare a place” for the disciples, He was speaking of His death (John 14:3). We should not imagine that Jesus has been “building heaven” for the last 2,000 years and that it is still “under construction.” Rather, His words mean that His death was the preparation for us to receive a place in the Father’s house. It is ready now.

As part of allaying the disciples’ fears, Jesus also promised that, when He did leave the earth, He would send the Holy Spirit to the disciples and to all believers. Throughout John chapters 15 and 16, Jesus speaks of the disciples’ victory over the world by the power of the Spirit. The book of Acts gives the historical fulfillment of these promises as believers, in the power of the Spirit, took the gospel to the world. The Spirit is still at work in all believers today.

The admonition “do not let your hearts be troubled” was spoken specifically to the disciples in the face of Jesus’ impending death. Believers today are not in the same specific situation, but the admonition still applies. We should not let our hearts be troubled by anxiety or worry about Jesus’ care and plan for us.

When we face trouble, we may think that, if only Jesus were here with us, in person, standing beside us so that we could talk face to face, we could get through the trial. We are tempted to think that we could trust Him better if He were visible and in the flesh. When we begin to have these thoughts, we need to let our hearts be comforted by two key facts: Jesus has done everything that needs to be done for us to be welcomed into the Father’s house, so we are children of the King; and the Holy Spirit lives in us to help us, if we will yield ourselves to His leading. When we rest in the salvation that Jesus provided and rely on the Holy Spirit to help us navigate the dangerous world around us, we can keep from being troubled in our hearts.

As Jesus prepared to depart this world,

​He knew that difficult days lay ahead for His disciples.

He wanted them to be ready for the most challenging times they would ever face. Jesus explained how they could endure through the troubles of this life: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world”

​ (John 16:33, NLT).

Amid the storms of life in a dark and fallen world, inner peace is only possible through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The disciples could not depend on themselves to survive the trials and persecution they would soon endure. Instead, they would have to rely entirely on Jesus and everything He had taught them while living and ministering with them.

Fearing for their lives, the disciples would abandon Jesus at the cross (Matthew 26:56). They would be scattered (Mark 14:50; Acts 8:1), arrested (Acts 5:17–21), thrown out of synagogues (John 16:2; Acts 13:14–52), and martyred for their faith in Jesus (Acts 7:54–8:3), but they would not go astray because they would remember the Lord’s words: “Take courage! I have overcome the world” (NASB).

The Greek word translated “overcome” means “to defeat, to win a victory over, as in a contest or military conflict.” The “world” is the created physical realm, the domain of existence here on earth, which is considered distinct from the heavenly or spiritual realm. Jesus knows that here on earth we encounter trouble and sorrow. But He has overcome the world and every earthly obstacle for us.



What has Jesus overcome for us in the world?


Christ’s victory over the world is multifaceted. First, He gives His followers peace to overcome their troubled hearts: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Those who believe in Jesus Christ don’t have to live with anxious hearts but can experience the gift of His otherworldly peace (John 14:1). We do this by bringing every situation to Him in prayer, depending wholly on Him to meet our needs (Philippians 4:6). The Lord’s peace transcends all the confusion, fear, and anxiety of this world like a shield set over our minds and hearts as we live secure in Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:7).

 It’s important to remember that Christ’s victory over the world does not physically remove us from the battle. We will face the same hatred Jesus did: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:18–20). We overcome the world because we belong to God. His Spirit lives in us and “is greater than the one who is in the world”

​ (1 John 4:4).

Paul asked the Romans, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?” (Romans 8:35, NLT). He answers his own question with a resounding, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us”

(Romans 8:37, NLT).

Temptation to sin will always be a part of our lives in this world, but Christ gives us victory over sin. Before salvation, the Bible says we lived like we were dead in disobedience and sin “just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God” (Ephesians 2:1–2, NLT). We used to follow only the passions and inclinations of our sinful nature (Ephesians 2:3). “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. . . . For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus”

(Ephesians 2:4–6, NLT).

Jesus not only paid the penalty for our sin, but He also won a pivotal victory over Satan and all the supernatural powers of evil who are aligned with him (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14). The devil has been defeated through Jesus Christ. As believers,

we appropriate Christ’s victory when we put on the whole armor of God

(Ephesians 6:10–18).

 Death is an inevitable reality for all people, but for believers in Jesus Christ, death means victory over our last enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26–27). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection, Jesus overcame the world by conquering death. He shares that victory with all who repent and believe in Him as Lord and Savior: “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God”

(1 John 5:4–5, NLT).


Christ’s death

grants salvation and

eternal life

to all who believe in Him.

Jesus told Martha 

after

​ the death of her brother

​Lazarus,


“I am the resurrection and the life.

The one

who believes in me, even if he dies,

will live.

Everyone who lives and believes in me

will never die”


(John 11:25–26, CSB)


Christ grants that we overcome the world in Him, and He gives us the right to sit with Him on His heavenly throne at the right hand of God the Father (Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 10:12; Romans 8:34). There, in our eternal home in God’s kingdom, we will live forever in the Lord’s presence: “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever”

(Revelation 21:3–4, NLT).




John 15:3
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

John 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.

Hebrews 10:22
let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 Peter 1:22-23
Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. / For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Corinthians 6:11
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.

2 Corinthians 7:1
Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1 John 5:6
This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth.

Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,

Colossians 1:22
But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence--

Romans 6:4
We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.

Ezekiel 36:25-27
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. / I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. / And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.

Psalm 51:7
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Isaiah 1:16-18
Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil! / Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.” / “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.

John 17:17-19
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth… 

Acts 26:18
To open their eyes, and to turn themfrom darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

​1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.


Ezekiel 16:9
Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

Ezekiel 36:25
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

Zechariah 13:1
In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

John 15:8
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

John 17:7
Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

​James 1:18
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.



Jesus Heals a Paralytic
​
(Matthew 9:1–8; Luke 5:17–26)

1A few days later Jesus went back to Capernaum. And when the people heard that He was home, 2they gathered in such large numbers that there was no more room, not even outside the door, as Jesus spoke the word to them.

3Then a paralytic was brought to Him, carried by four men. 4Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat.
5When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

6But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking in their hearts, 7“Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8At once Jesus knew in His spirit that they were thinking this way within themselves. “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” He asked.9“Which is easier: to say to a paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” He said to the paralytic, 11“I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

12And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”




Jesus Calls Levi


(Matthew 9:9–13; Luke 5:27–32)


once again

Jesus went out beside the sea.

All the people came to Him,

and He taught them there

as He was walking along,

He saw Levi son of Alphaeus


sitting at the tax booth



 “Follow Me,” 


He told him,

and


Levi got up and followed Him


while Jesus was dining at Levi’s house,
many tax collectors and sinners
were eating with Him and His disciples--
for there were many who followed Him.

when  the scribes who were Pharisees saw Jesus

eating

with these people,

they

asked His disciples,


“Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?”


on hearing this, Jesus told them,

 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”



Questions about Fasting


(Matthew 9:14–15; Luke 5:33–35)


Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were often fasting.

So people came to Jesus and asked,


“Why don’t Your disciples fast like John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees?”


Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom

fast

while He is with them?


As long as He is with them,

they cannot fast.

But the time will come

when the bridegroom will be taken from them;

then they will fast.




The Patches and the Wineskins


(Matthew 9:16–17; Luke 5:36–39)


No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment

If he does,

the new piece will

pull away from the old, and a worse tear will result


And no one pours new wine into old wineskins.

If he does, the wine will burst the skins,

and both the wine and the wineskins

will be ruined. Instead,

new wine is poured into new wineskins.”



The Lord of the Sabbath

(1 Samuel 21:1–7; Matthew 12:1–8; Luke 6:1–5)


One Sabbath


Jesus was passing through

the grainfields,

and His disciples began

to pick the heads


of grain as they walked along


so the Pharisees said to Him,

“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”


Jesus replied, 


“Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 


During the high priesthood of Abiathar,


he entered the house of God and ate the

consecrated bread,

which was

lawful only for the priests.

And he gave

some to his companions as well.”



Then Jesus declared,


 “The Sabbath was made for man,

not man for the Sabbath.

therefore,


the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”



Imitators of God

​
Be imitators of God,

therefore, as beloved children,

and walk in love, just as

Christ

loved us and gave Himself up

for us as a

fragrant sacrificial offering to God


3But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. 7Therefore do not be partakers with them.

25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her 26to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.
​
28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 

indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church. 

for we are members of His body.


31“For this reason a man will leave his

​father and mother

and be united to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh.”


This mystery is profound,

but I am

speaking about Christ

and

the church. 
​

Nevertheless, each one of you

also must love his wife as he loves himself,

and the wife must respect her husband

​
The Church Must Respect Christ

​Matthew 9:17
Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Luke 5:37-38
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. / Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

Romans 7:6
But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Galatians 6:15
For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.

Ephesians 4:22-24
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; / to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; / and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 3:9-10
Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices, / and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Hebrews 8:13
By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

Jeremiah 31:31-34
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. / “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. ...

Ezekiel 36:26-27
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. / And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.

Isaiah 43:18-19
“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old. / Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

Isaiah 65:17
For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

Joel 2:28-29
And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. / Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

John 3:3-7
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” / “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?” / Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ...

John 1:12-13
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— / children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

Joshua 9:4,13
They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; … 

Job 32:19
Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.

Psalm 119:80,83
Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed…

---

"'Woe to us!


Who shall deliver us from

the hand

of

these mighty gods?

​
These are the gods who smote the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. Take courage and be men, O Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you; therefore, be men and fight'" (1 Sam 4:8-9)
​
Being a sensitive reader of Scripture requires us to pay special attention whenever an analogy is explicitly referenced within the biblical text since most analogies are implicit. Here, the Philistines draw an analogy to the story of the exodus and the plagues in Egypt.

By doing so, they hand us the interpretive keys to unlock the meaning of the following storyline. Even though the Philistines assume they've defeated Israel's God by capturing the ark, God strikes them with plagues just as he had to the Egyptians (1 Sam 5) and defeats them singlehandedly. By providing such literary clues through the lips of the Philistines, the author of Samuel wants us to beg to read what
​

follows as

a "new exodus,"

thereby also casting the

prophet Samuel as

a "new Moses."


This exodus analogy is crucial for

​evaluating

​the "narrative present"

​(i.e., the story right before us)


and laying

the foundations for the LORD's

future deliverances.

Therefore, we shouldn't be surprised

when the

Book of Revelation


describes the future plagues


(hail, darkness, water to blood)


as yet another,

in fact, the final exodus, when

the LORD,


through his


Messiah (Yeshua),


finally defeats

the

Most Evil Pharaoh

this

World has Ever Known


​
Passover, therefore, is not just the celebration of a past redemption. It is a victorious token of future redemption when God's people shall never know the bitterness of slavery again! "And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, 'Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?


For You alone are holy;

For

ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND

WORSHIP BEFORE YOU,

FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS

ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED'"

(Rev 15:3-4).

​John the Baptist’s 

statement that


“He must increase, but I must decrease”


(John 3:30, ESV)


is simple but remarkable, and it

is one of the

most imitable statements ever made

In the narrative

we find that disciples of

John expressed concern to him that

many were

following Jesus and being baptized by Him

(John 3:26)


Because John’s ministry was as a


forerunner to the Messiah,


John’s ministry

had begun much earlier,

and

many were following John


So it was concerning to some that


Jesus was preaching the same message

and baptizing and that some

were

bypassing John

altogether and going straight to Jesus


John responded by reminding his followers

that one has nothing

unless it has been granted from heaven

(John 3:27),


implying that Jesus had obtained

His following rightly

and that

it was

​a heavenly blessing


John also was implying that,

if his own ministry

was granted from heaven,

its conclusion


could also

likewise be determined by


God’s Plan


In making these statements,

John showed tremendous


humility and understanding

of


God’s design


He also reminded his disciples that he had never claimed to be the Christ but that he was simply announcing the arrival of the Christ (John 3:28). John added that his being in such proximity to the Christ gave him great joy (John 3:29), so he was not disturbed in the least by the growth of Jesus’ following.

​It was by design, and John was rejoicing about that.

In this context, John made his definitive statement that “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30, NKJV), or, as the NIV has it, “He must become greater; I must become less.” With this statement John acknowledges that it was by design that Jesus should become more prominent and that John’s own ministry should begin to decrease. Malachi 3:1 had prophesied a forerunner to the Messiah, and John was that forerunner, according to Jesus (Matthew 11:10). It is natural that the forerunner—the one who goes before—or the messenger of the Messiah would step out of the way once Jesus began to fulfill His own ministry. That is exactly what John was doing, and he gently helped his own disciples understand that.

So often, it is easy for us to want to hold onto our own positions or roles. We expend a great deal of effort trying to protect those roles and keep them for ourselves. John shows us by his example that there is a much better way. John shows us how to graciously step aside to allow others to fulfill their roles. Even more importantly, when John says, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” he is modeling for us how to exalt God and humble ourselves before God. This is obviously an important characteristic in God’s sight. God opposes the proud but gives grace to those who are humble (James 4:6). When we get out of the way and let God accomplish what He intends, then much is accomplished. On the other hand, when we step in and try to help God along, we may find ourselves actually working against what God desires to do. Recall how, after Jesus prophesied how He would die (Matthew 16:21), Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him, denying that Jesus would die as He prophesied (Matthew 16:22). Peter then heard the dreaded words, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23), because Peter was pursuing his own interests rather than God’s interests.

Unlike Peter in that situation, John understood that Jesus must increase and that John must decrease. Because John had the proper esteem for Christ, he could humble himself and step out of the way. This is an incredible lesson and example of humility for us.




The Suffering Servant

​
(Acts 8:26–40; 1 Peter 2:21–25)


who has believed our message? 

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, 
and like a root out of dry ground. 
He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, 
no beauty that we should desire Him.

he was despised and rejected by men, 
a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. 
Like one from whom men hide their faces, 
He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

surely He took up our infirmities 
and carried our sorrows;

yet we considered Him stricken, 
struck down by God, and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions, 
He was crushed for our iniquities; 

the punishment that brought us peace
was upon Him, 
and by His stripes we are healed.

we all like sheep have gone astray,

each one has turned to his own way; 
and the LORD has laid upon Him 
the iniquity of us all.

he was oppressed and afflicted, 
yet He did not open His mouth. 

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, 
and as a sheep
before her shearers is silent, 

so He did not open His mouth.

by oppression and judgment He was taken away, 
and who can recount His descendants? 
For He was cut off from the land of the living;

He was stricken for the transgression of My people.



A Grave Assigned
​
(Matthew 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42)


he was

​assigned a grave with

the wicked, 

and

with a rich man in His death, 

although

He had done no violence, 

nor was any

deceit in His mouth
​

Yet it was the LORD’s will

to crush Him 

and to cause Him to suffer; 

and when

His soul is made a guilt offering,

He will see His offspring,

He will prolong His days, 

and the

good pleasure of the LORD will

prosper in His hand.

after the anguish of His soul, 

He will see the light of life

and be satisfied
​

By His knowledge My righteous Servant

will justify many, 

and

He will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will

allot Him a portion with the great,

and He will

divide the spoils with the strong,

because


​He has poured out

His life unto death, 

and He was

numbered with the transgressors


Yet He bore the sin of many 

and made

intercession for the transgressors

​





The Living Stone

and

Chosen People


(Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22)


Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice,

deceit,

hypocrisy, envy, and slander.


Like newborn babies,

crave pure spiritual milk,

so that by it you

may grow up in your salvation,

now that you

have tasted that the Lord is good


As you come to Him,

the living stone, rejected by men

but chosen and precious

in God’s sight,

you also, like living stones, are

being built into

a spiritual house

to be a holy priesthood,

offering spiritual sacrifices

acceptable

to God

​through Jesus Christ.


for it stands in Scripture: 


“See,

I lay in Zion a stone, 

a chosen

and precious cornerstone; 

and the one who believes in Him 

will never be put to shame.”

to you who believe, then,

this stone is precious.

But to those who do not believe, 

“The stone the builders rejected 

has become the cornerstone,”

and, 

“A stone of stumbling 

and

a rock of offense.”


They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
​
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul. Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.



Christ’s Example of Suffering

(Isaiah 53:1–8)
​

for to this you were called, because

Christ also suffered for you,

leaving you an example,
that you should

follow in His footsteps:

He committed no sin, 

and no

deceit was found in His mouth.”

when they heaped abuse on Him, 
​
He did not retaliate; 

when He suffered, He made no threats, 
​
but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

He Himself bore our sins
in His body on the tree, 
so that we might die to sin 
and live to righteousness. 

“By His stripes you are healed.”

for

“you were like sheep going astray,”

but now you have

returned to the

Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.



​
God’s Vengeance on the Nations


who is this coming from Edom, 
​
from Bozrah

with crimson-stained garments? 

Who is this robed in splendor, 

marching

in the greatness of His strength? 

“It is I, proclaiming vindication,
mighty to save.”

Why are Your clothes red, 

and Your garments

like one who treads the winepress?

I have trodden the winepress alone, 

and no one

from the nations was with Me. 

I trampled them in My anger 

and trod them down in My fury; 

their blood spattered

My garments, 

and all My clothes were stained.

For the day of vengeance was in My heart, 

and the year of My redemption had come.

I looked, but there was no one to help; 

I was appalled that no one assisted

So My arm brought Me salvation, 
​
and My own wrath upheld Me

I trampled the nations in My anger;

in My wrath I made them drunk 

and poured out their blood on the ground.”

​

God’s Mercies “Recalled”


I will make known

​ the LORD’s loving devotion 
​
and His praiseworthy acts, 

because of all

that the LORD has done for us--

the many

​good things for the house of Israel 

according to

His great compassion and loving devotion
​

For He said,


​ “They are surely My people, 

sons who will not be disloyal.” 


So He became their Savior

In all their distress,

He too was afflicted, 

and the


Angel of His Presence saved them

In His love and compassion

He redeemed them; 
​

He lifted them up and carried them 

all the days of old

But they rebelled 

and

grieved His Holy Spirit. 

So He turned and became

their enemy, 

and He

Himself fought against them

Then His people remembered the

days of old, 

the days of Moses. 


Where is He who brought them

through the sea 

with the shepherds of

His flock? 


Where is the One who set 

His Holy Spirit among them,

who sent His glorious arm 

to lead them

by the right hand of Moses, 


who divided the waters before them 

to gain for

Himself everlasting renown,

who led them

through the depths 

like a horse in the wilderness, 


so that they did not stumble?


like cattle going down to the valley, 


the Spirit of the LORD gave

them rest

You led Your people this way 

to make for


Yourself a glorious

NAME



A Prayer for Mercy

(Jeremiah 14:19–22)

look down from heaven and see, 

from Your holy and glorious habitation. 

Where are Your zeal and might? 

Your yearning and compassion for me

are restrained.

yet You are our Father, 

though Abraham does not know us 

and Israel does not acknowledge us

You, O LORD, are our Father; 

our

Redeemer from Everlasting is


Your NAME

Why, O LORD, do You make us stray from

Your ways 

and harden our hearts from fearing You? 

Return, for the sake of Your servants, 

the tribes of Your heritage

for a short while Your people possessed

Your holy place, 

but our enemies have trampled

Your sanctuary.

we have become like those


You never ruled, 

like those

​not called by Your  

NAME
​


Everyone seeks freedom


Freedom in Christ


is not the same

as

political or economic freedom


In fact,


some of the most harshly

oppressed

people in history

​
have had complete freedom
​

in Christ
​

The Bible

tells us that, spiritually speaking,


no one is free



In Romans 6,


Paul explains that we are

all slaves.

We are either slaves to sin

or

​
slaves to righteousness


Those who are slaves to sin cannot free themselves from it,

but once we are freed

from the penalty and power of sin through the cross,

we become a different kind of slave,

and in that slavery we

​Found 

complete peace and true freedom


Although it seems like a contradiction, the only true freedom in Christ

​comes to those who are His slaves.

Slavery has come to mean degradation, hardship, and inequality

But the biblical paradigm

is the

true freedom of the slave

of Christ

who experiences joy and peace,

the products of the

only

true freedom we will ever know in this life.

There are 124 occurrences in the New Testament of the

​word doulos,

which means “someone who belongs to another”

or

“bondslave with no ownership rights of his own.”

Unfortunately, most modern Bible versions,

as well

​ as the King James Version,

most often translate doulos as “servant” or “bond-servant.”

​But a servant is one who works for wages,

and who, by virtue of his work,

is owed something from his master.

The Christian, on the other hand, has nothing to offer the Lord in payment for his forgiveness,

​and he is totally owned by the Master who bought him with His shed blood on the cross.

Christians are

​purchased by that blood and are the possession

of their
​

Lord and Savior


We are not hired by Him; we belong to Him

(Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 7:


So “slave” is really

​the only proper translation of the word 


doulos


Far from being oppressed,

the slave of

​
Christ is truly free


We have been set free from sin by the Son of God

​who said,

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”

(John 8:36).

Now the Christian can truly say, along with Paul,


“Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death”

(Romans 8:2)


​We now know the truth and that truth has set us free

(John 8:32)


Paradoxically, through our bondage to Christ, we have also become sons and heirs of the Most High God (Galatians 4:1–7). As heirs, we are partakers of that inheritance—eternal life—which God confers on all His children. This is a privilege beyond any earthly treasure we could ever inherit, while those in bondage to sin inherit only spiritual death and an eternity in hell. 

often we don’t realize that we have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20) and that we have been reborn as completely new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Christian life is one of death to self and rising to “walk in the newness of life” (Romans 6:4), and that new life is characterized by thoughts about Him who saved us, not thoughts about the dead flesh that has been crucified with Christ.

We strengthen the new nature by continually feeding on the Word of God, and through prayer we obtain the power we need to escape the desire to return to the old life of sin.

​
Then we will realize that our new status as slaves to Christ

is the only true freedom,

and we will call upon His power to

“not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires”

(Romans 6:12)


Throughout Scripture,


God encourages

His people to

be brave because He is with them

(Isaiah 41:13; Luke 12:7; Revelation 2:10).
The command for us to be brave or courageous usually accompanied an instruction that seemed impossible, which indicates that God knows how frail we often feel when the challenge is great.

Bravery is not outward bravado. Bravery is acting in the face of fear; it’s being afraid to do something and doing it anyway. The world provides us with many opportunities to be afraid. Many of those fears are real threats to our lives and families.
​

It is not wrong to be afraid; it is wrong to

​let fear 

make our decisions.


And that’s where bravery comes in


We are brave when we

remind ourselves of all God’s promises

and

press on in the direction He leads


​(Philippians 3:14)


Choosing to

obey

Christ in everything,


regardless of the personal

cost,

is the ultimate Act of


Bravery


(Luke 9:23).



​Trust in God

will counteract the

effects of fear

​
The Bible’s

admonition to not be afraid

naturally implies

​

 Faith in God

​

​​
​Home of The

Free

because of The

Brave


​Today I look at

the concept of

Spirit and camouflage

Are there any

​creative designers

​ that can make
​
Camouflage

​look 

​More sophisticated?
​

Its a challenge to appropriate the

depth

​ of history it represents

​ with

Progressive and unfamiliar

Prospects



In John 8:59


Jesus hid himself from

the Jews who

were about to Stone him
​

This was not just a physical

​hiding,

but a demonstration of his

Divine

​ Authority and Control


It also showed that
​

His Mission
​
was

Not yet Complete


​In the context of


Christianity,

camouflage can also refer to 

the act of

Hiding issues in

one's life

behind spiritual words


The Bible says that


God looks at the heart,

not the

outward appearance

​
​My Husband 

​
John


Is no Stranger to

​Being ​a


Servant of War


He joined the US army at 17

​and

Faithfully Served to

​Preserve our Rights and Freedoms

around the globe; Including Iraq after


911
​
Though John wasn’t

Given

​ Direction or support in upbringing
as his
mother did her best becoming
a mother at 16, and merely  22
when she had him, her 4th child
Then soon divorced from a traumatized

PT.SD Vietnam Vet…

​He steadfastly

looked up to his grandfather,

 a Baptist Pastor and Hematologists

I, on the other hand, Grew Up

​with a

Methodist Mother, Catholic Father,

and 

My best friends Very Jewish Mother


John Embodies

the

​ American Dream

on

​the Pure Facets of

determination, ambition and intellect
​
​
Hopefully this
is
a continuum of American Behavior,

In Light of

the current trajectory of this country

We Remain

​Hopeful in the Integrity

​of the majority
​
regarding the Sustainment

​ of

Founding principles

​
Declaring that Gods Standards
​

​override Man 


As Written, 


​All are Created equal

under God..

In the Image of God

As God is Authoritative

and

​Supreme

Over human government


Any other (non biblical)

Viewpoint
​
​ will eventually dismantle itself
as
exhibited through out history


“Human Government”

that

​ isn’t rightly predicated 

on Gods Cornerstone

won’t
​

Stand the Test of Time

My mothers father and his two brothers

were

Pilots

then POW deployed at


Pearl Harbor

My grandfather was a professional race car driver

and his father

was a professional Horse Racer around the

​ Ohio Bank
​

Patriotism apparently lives in our

blood,

as the current

Innovation of dna and ancestry

sites have

Graciously Led me to   
​
Our direct

ancestry of the

First

May Flower;

Ambitious, strong willed

​Christian’s

Seeking Religious Freedom 

​
These people documented Everything

And My .great .great .grandfather partook

 the establishment

of the

Underground Railroad

​ in Ohio


(I will certainly clap for that!)



In Freemasonry,


 Bezaleel


​was the

​

Chief Artisan

who built

the

Ark of the Covenant,


with the assistance of

Oholiab: 


In Exodus 31:1-6, Moses chose Bezaleel as

the chief artisan based on

his vision

of how God wanted

the

​ tabernacle to be constructed. 


In Exodus 36 to 39, Bezalel and Oholiab,

along with

other artisans and workers,


built the
​

Ark of the Covenant

in

​accordance with Moses'


Vision


The Ark of the Covenant


was a central part of the

Israelites' conquest

of

Canaan and was eventually


Brought

to


Jerusalem by King David


It was placed in the


Inner

Sanctuary of Solomon's Temple


around 950 BCE. 


The name "Bezalel"

​means


in the shadow [protection] of God


Bezalel and Oholiab


were -two men-


​God chose to

Aid

in the

construction

​ of


The tabernacle,


The

Holy Tent


where


God dwelled

in the
​

Midst of His people

​

During the Israelites


’Journey
​

from

​
Egypt to the Promised Land,


God called Moses to Mount Sinai,

where

​He gave His Law to the people

(Exodus 19–24)


In the course of His conversation with Moses, God instructed Moses to gather the people and build the tabernacle (chapters 25–31). As these events took place over 1,500 years before the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit would reside in this tabernacle.


God gave specific instructions

for the building of the tabernacle,

including

plans for the tent itself, the courtyard,

the consecration of the priests,

the priests’

garments, and even the furniture



The rich materials to be used in the construction

​were to be

donated as an offering from the people


​ (Exodus 25:1–7; 30:11–16)


In the end, the people

​were generous and brought even more than was needed

(Exodus 36:3–7)
​

Many

craftsmen would be needed for this work,

and in Exodus 31:2–6 God tells Moses that


He had given many men

the skills

they would need

to bring His plans

for the

tabernacle to fruition


​Two of these men God mentions by name: Bezalel from the tribe of Judah and Oholiab from the tribe of Dan. Bezalel in particular was filled with God’s Spirit (verses 31:2–3), a rare occurrence in Old Testament times.


​​God’s Spirit

empowered Bezalel and Oholiab

with talent and intelligence,

giving them the ability to work

in every kind


of crafting, including woodwork,

stonework, metalwork,

engraving, embroidery, and weaving.


The Spirit’s empowering

​gave

Bezalel and Oholiab

skill to work

with the raw materials

and to form

the artistic designs


(Exodus 31:4–5; 35:30–32, 35)


Bezalel himself

constructed the 

Ark of the Covenant


 (Exodus 37:1).


In addition,

God inspired

both Bezalel and Oholiab

to teach

all the other craftsmen

who had

been given special skill by God



Together,


led and aided

by

Bezalel and Oholiab,


the craftsmen were able to complete

the tabernacle

according to God’s specifications

​
(Exodus 36:8–39:43)


The story of Bezalel and Oholiab

shows us that

God cares about aesthetics;

He is a God of 

beauty and design.

Fine

craftsmanship and skill

in various artistic endeavors

is a

gift from God.



Bezalel and Oholiab should encourage


Christian artists today


to create

works of art for the

glory of God


​
​Mary Magdalene has suffered millennia-long

​stereotyping as a reformed prostitute.

Any woman in the Gospels

who

doesn’t have a NAME,


who is referred to as being caught in adultery,

or purchasing expensive ointment,

or weeping at Jesus feet,

is identified as

​Mary Magdalene the “sinful woman.”

This mis-identification

has come from

male exegetes and preachers

even Ignatius of Loyola

in his 


Spiritual Exercises


It’s only because women interpreters of the scriptures have vigorously corrected this view in the last 40 or so years that we now emphasize the true character of Mary Magdalene:


She is the first witness to Jesus’ resurrection

and the first

authorized messenger to the male disciples

that Jesus was alive


There are a lot of Marys in the Gospels—Mary of the Annunciation, married to Joseph,
and the mother of Jesus; Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha.

There is the “other Mary” who is distinguished from Mary the mother of Jesus. Mary the mother of James accompanies Mary Magdalene to the tomb and returns with Magdalene to tell the male disciples.

By contrast, Mary Magdalene is not known by her relationship to a husband or her father’s tribal identity.

​
Neither her father nor her mother is

NAMED

​She doesn’t have a sister or brother

who is named,

​nor does she have a child.

Luke distinguishes her as a robust,

energetic woman; she had been healed

of some

pretty serious ailments


“Freed of seven demons”

​
must mean she now

enjoyed radiant health, personal magnetism,

physical stamina

and abundant generosity as a philanthropist.

She’d let go
​of the past and been freed for everything
that holds a woman
back from the use of her gifts, her personal liberty,
mobility, meaningful service to others,
identity with the
greater good and spiritual sense of mission.


She, along with other women, supported Jesus out of her means 


(Luke 8:1-3)


Practically, this meant

she and other women from Galilee,

like herself,

provided the financial backing for

Jesus’ ministry

as “he went on through cities and villages.”


This sisterhood was not engaged by family or household responsibilities—they must have been able to delegate to others. No husband kept them in tow, and they evidently didn’t feel tied down by traditional norms for women that restricted their “going out” on the road. Mary Magdalene’s philanthropic support of Jesus included paying the expenses of the 12 (or more) male disciples when they were on the road.  Most likely she also subsidized the daily needs of wives and children the male disciples left behind when they quit fishing to follow Jesus. She, with the other women from Galilee, also supported themselves—lodging, food, travel—when they made pilgrimages to Jerusalem, several days’ journey to the south.

Mary of Magdala.


What does it mean to be identified


with a city?


Like “a woman from Samaria,”

Mary Magdalene is known

by the place she comes from

Jesus himself is

alternatively written off and

identified

as a


​Nazarene,

the

“son of the carpenter,”


whose family members

are known to the


townspeople

of

Nazareth


In contrast to Nazareth as a pretext to

dismiss Jesus,

Mary Magdalene’s hometown was a reason to

respect her


What is it about Magdala?


It was not just any village, like Capernaum or Bethsaida,

where the male disciples came from.


was not only a particular village,

but it named

a whole commercial fishing district

all along

​ the western shore of

Sea of Galilee

or that of the Lake of Tiberias,

depending on whether you

used the


Jewish name or Roman name

for the locale. 


​ Magdala was a salted-fish-processing

economic hub for the distinctly


flavored freshwater fish caught in

the Sea of Galilee


The fish that the male disciples caught for a living

​would have been

mostly sold to commercial vendors--

the ones

engaged in the salted-fish export business--

who transported the

product as a delicacy all over the Mediterranean.


The export business involved

cooperative

relations between Jewish fishermen

and

Roman businessmen connected


to shipping


​We can’t know for certain

how

Mary Magdalene enjoyed economic

​autonomy


or the source of her fortune,


but it was most likely

an interest

in the salted-fish enterprise


In addition,

she was socially oriented to cooperative

relations

with the Roman occupiers,

not politically alienated

from Romans

as were some of Jesus’ followers


When

Mary Magdalene Met Jesus

at the tomb

after his resurrection,

she was first

among

the disciples to do so


All the Gospels

​ admit this gender-bending fact.


When she

Met Jesus in the garden,


she was

on the road, on pilgrimage,
​

away from home


in
​

Galilee, in Jerusalem


She had every basis for disorientation and distraction

at a time when a

Passover festival had turned into a nightmare and

was upended by the arrest and execution of her master;

she didn’t know what to expect

Fear, helplessness, grief, confusion, disbelief.


But re-centered by

her

personal encounter with Jesus,

she found

her emotional grounding

and

didn’t lose her voice.


She went back to the male disciples

and reported

what she saw and heard Jesus say.


She didn’t hold back.

She spoke with energy and passion.


That’s why we love her and remember her


Jesus went to the

​
Mount of Olives


Early in the morning He went back into

the temple courts


All the people came to Him, and

He sat down to teach them. 

The scribes and Pharisees,

​ however, brought

to Him

​a woman caught in adultery

They

made her stand before them

and said,


“Teacher,

this woman was caught in the act of adultery

In the Law Moses

commanded us to stone such a woman.


So what do You say?”


They said this to test Him,

in order to

have a basis for accusing Him.

But

Jesus bent down and began to

write on

the ground with His finger.

When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them,


 “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”
​

And again He bent down and wrote on the ground



When they heard this,

 they began to go away

​one by one,

beginning with the older ones,


until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there


Then Jesus straightened up and

asked her,

“Woman, where are your accusers?
​

Has no one condemned you?”


No one, Lord,” she answered


“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared



Jesus the Light of the World
​

(1 John 1:5–10)


once again,

Jesus spoke to the people and said,

 “I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows Me

will never walk in the darkness,

but will have the light of life.”


so the Pharisees said to Him,


“You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”

​

Jesus. replied,


“Even if I testify about Myself,


My testimony is valid,


because I know

Where

I Came From 

and

Where I Am Going


But you do not know where I came from

or where I am going. 


you judge according to the flesh;

I judge no one. 

but even if I do judge,

My judgment is true,

because I am not alone;

I am with the Father who sent Me.


 even in your own Law it is written that the

testimony of two men is valid.


I am One who testifies

about Myself, and the Father,

who sent Me,

also testifies about Me.”


Where is Your Father?” they asked Him. 


“You do not know Me or My Father,” 

Jesus answered


“If you knew Me, you would know My Father

as well.

”
he spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts,

near the treasury.

Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.


again He said to them, 


“I am going away, and

you will look for Me,

but you will die in your sin


Where I am going, you cannot come.”


so the Jews began to ask,

“Will He kill Himself,

since He says,

 ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

then He told them,


 “You are from below;

I am from above.

You are of this world;

I am not of this world
​

​ that is why I told you

that you

would die in your sins.

For unless you believe

that I am He,

you will die in your sins.”



“Who are You?”


they asked. 


“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” 

Jesus replied. 

I have much to say about you and much to judge.


But the One who sent Me is truthful,

and what I have heard from Him, I tell the world.”


They did not understand that He was telling them about the Father. 

so Jesus said,


“When you have lifted up the

Son of Man,

then you will know that I am He,

and that I do nothing on My own,

but speak exactly

what the Father has taught Me

He who sent Me is with Me.

He has not left Me alone,

because I

always do what pleases Him.”



The Truth Will Set You Free


(2 John 1:4–6)


As Jesus spoke these things,

many believed in Him.

So He said to the Jews who had


believed Him,


 “If you continue in My word,

you are

truly My disciples.


Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”


We are Abraham’s descendants,”
​

they answered.

“We have never been slaves

to anyone


How can You say we will be set free?”


Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 

A slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son remains forever.

So

 if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

​
I know you are Abraham’s descendants,

but you are


trying to kill Me

because My word

has no

place within you. 


I speak of what I have

seen

in the

Presence of the Father,

and you do what

you have

heard from your father.”



Abraham is our father,”

they replied. 


“If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham. 40But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41You are doing the works of your father.”

“We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”
​
jesus said to them, 


“If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God.



I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

why do you not understand what I am saying?

It is because

you are unable to accept My message. 

you belong to your father,

the devil, and you want to carry out his desires.

He was a murderer from the beginning,

refusing to uphold the truth,

because there is no truth in him.



When he lies, he speaks his

native language,

because

he is a liar and the father of lies. 

but

because I speak the truth,

you do not believe Me!


WHICH of you can

​PROVE

Me guilty of sin?


If I speak the truth, why

do you

not believe Me?

whoever belongs to God

hears

the words of God.

The reason you do not hear

​is that

you do not belong to God.”


Before Abraham Was Born,



I Am


the Jews answered Him,


“Are we not right to say that


You are a Samaritan

and

​You have a demon?”


“I do not have a demon,” 


Jesus replied,


 “but I Honor

My Father, and you


dishonor Me


I do not

Seek My own Glory
​

There is One who seeks it,

and


He is the Judge
​

Truly, 

truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps

My word,

he will never see death.”



Now we know that You have a demon!”

declared the Jews.
​

“Abraham died, and so did the prophets,

yet You say

that anyone who keeps Your word

will never taste death. 


Are You

​greater than our father
​

Abraham?


He DIED,

as did
​

The PROPHETS


Who
​

​do You claim

​to be?”



Jesus answered,


 “If I glorify Myself,


My glory

means nothing



The One


who


glorifies Me is My Father,


of whom YOU say,


​“He is OUR God.’



You do Not know Him,


​but I know Him



If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you.

But I do know Him, and I keep His word. 


Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day.

He saw it and was glad.”


Then the Jews said to Him,

​ “You are not yet fifty years old,

and

You have seen Abraham?”



Truly, truly, I tell you,” 

Jesus declared,


 “before Abraham was


​born,


I am!



At this, they picked up

stones

to throw at Him.


But Jesus was hidden

and went

out of the temple area.

​

Since ancient times,

builders have used

cornerstones

 in their construction

projects.


A cornerstone

​ was the principal stone,

usually placed

at the corner of an edifice,


to guide

the

​workers in their course


The cornerstone was usually one of the largest, the most solid, and the most carefully constructed of any in the edifice. The Bible describes Jesus as the cornerstone that His church would be built upon. He is foundational. Once the cornerstone was set, it became the basis for determining every measurement in the remaining construction; everything was aligned to it. As the cornerstone of the building of the church, Jesus is our standard of measure and alignment.

The book of Isaiah has many references to the Messiah to come. In several places the Messiah is referred to as “the cornerstone,” such as in this prophecy: “So this is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line’” (Isaiah 28:16–17). In context, God speaks to the scoffers and boasters of Judah, and He promises to send the cornerstone—His precious Son—who will provide the firm foundation for their lives, if they would but trust in Him.

In the New Testament, the cornerstone metaphor is continued. The apostle Paul desires for the Ephesian Christians to know Christ better: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19– 21). Furthermore, in 1 Peter 2:6, what Isaiah said centuries before is affirmed in exactly the same words.

Peter says that Jesus, as our cornerstone, is “chosen by God and precious to him” (1 Peter 2:4). The Cornerstone is also reliable, and “the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (verse 6).

Unfortunately, not everyone aligns with the cornerstone. Some accept Christ; some reject Him. Jesus is the “stone the builders rejected” (Mark 12:10; cf. Psalm 118:22). When news of the Messiah’s arrival came to the magi in the East, they determined to bring Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But when that same news came to King Herod in Jerusalem, his response was to attempt to kill Him. From the very beginning, Jesus was “a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall” (1 Peter 2:8).

How can people reject


God’s chosen, precious cornerstone?


Simply put,

they want to build something

different

from what God is building


Just as the people building the tower of Babel 

rebelled

against God and pursued their own project,


those who reject Christ

disregard God’s plan in favor

of their own.

Judgment is promised to all those

who reject Christ:

“Anyone who falls on this stone

will be broken to pieces;

anyone on whom it falls will

be crushed”


(Matthew 21:44)



​​ Luke 4 

The Temptation of Jesus

(Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13)


Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

 where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry.

The devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

but Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’

5Then the devil led Him up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6“I will give You authority over all these kingdoms and all their glory,” he said. “For it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish. 7So if You worship me, it will all be Yours.”

8But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’

9Then the devil led Him to Jerusalem and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple. “If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down from here. 10For it is written: 

‘He will command His angels concerning You 
to guard You carefully,

And they will lift You up in their hands, 

so that You will

not strike Your foot against

a stone.’

But Jesus answered, “It also says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’

when the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.



Jesus Begins His Ministry

(Isaiah 9:1–7; Matthew 4:12–17; Mark 1:14–15)



Jesus returned to Galilee

in the

power of the Spirit,


and the news about Him

spread

throughout the surrounding

Region


he taught in their

synagogues

and

was glorified by everyone




The Rejection at Nazareth


(Isaiah 61:1–11; Matthew 13:53–58; Mark 6:1–6)


Then Jesus came to Nazareth,

where He had been brought up.

As was His custom,


He entered

the synagogue on the Sabbath.

And when He stood up to read, 

the scroll of the prophet Isaiah

was handed to Him. Unrolling it,


He found the place where it


was written:



“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, 

because He has anointed Me 

to preach good news to the poor

He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind, 

to release the oppressed,

To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”


​
20Then He rolled up the scroll, returned it to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on Him, 21and He began by saying,

 “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

22All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.

23Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.’”

24Then He added, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25But I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land. 26Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to the widow of Zarephath in Sidon. 27And there were many lepersh in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet. Yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

On hearing this, all the people in the synagogue were enraged. They got up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him over the cliff. But Jesus passed through the crowd and went on His way.


Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit

(Mark 1:21–28)

Then He went down to Capernaum,

a town in Galilee,

and on the Sabbath He began to teach the people.

They were astonished at His teaching, because

His message had authority.

In the synagogue there

was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon.

He cried out in a loud voice,



“Ha!


What do You want with us,


Jesus of Nazareth?


Have You come to destroy us?


I know who You are—the


Holy One of God!”



but Jesus rebuked the demon.

 “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!”

 At this, the demon threw the man down before them all and came

out without harming him.

All the people were overcome with amazement and asked one another,

“What is this message?

With authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”

and the news about Jesus spread throughout the surrounding region.


Jesus Heals at Peter’s House

(Matthew 8:14–17; Mark 1:29–34)

After Jesus had left the synagogue, He went to the home of Simon, whose mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. So they appealed to Jesus on her behalf, and He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and began to serve them.

At sunset, all who were ill with various diseases were brought to Jesus,
and laying His hands on each one, He healed them.
Demons also came out of many people, shouting,

“You are the Son of God!”

But He rebuked the demons and would

not allow them to speak,

because they knew He was the Christ.



Jesus Preaches in Judea

(Mark 1:35–39)


At daybreak,


Jesus went out to a solitary place, and the crowds were looking for Him.

They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving.

but Jesus told them,


 “I must preach the good news of

the kingdom of God

to the

other towns as well,

because


that is why I was sent.”


And He continued to


Preach in the synagogues

of Judea


​Jesus’ declaration that


He came to fulfill 

the

Law and the Prophets,


not to abolish them, obviously contains

two statements in one.


There is something Jesus did and something He did not do.


At the same time,


Jesus emphasized

the Eternal

nature of the Word of God


Jesus goes out of His way to promote the authority of the Law of God.

He did not come to abolish the Law, regardless of what the Pharisees accused Him of.


In fact, Jesus continues His statement with a commendation for those who teach the Law accurately and hold it in reverence: “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven”

(Matthew 5:19).

Note the qualities that Jesus attributes to the Word of God,

​referenced

as “the Law and the Prophets”:

1) The Word is everlasting; it will outlast the natural world.

2) The Word was written with intent; it was meant to be fulfilled.

3) The Word possesses plenary authority; even the smallest letter of it is established.

4) The Word is faithful and trustworthy; “everything” it says will be accomplished.


No one hearing Jesus’ words in

the Sermon on the Mount

 could doubt His commitment

to the Scriptures.


Consider what Jesus did not do in

His ministry.


In Matthew 5:17,


Jesus says that He did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. In other words,

Jesus’ purpose was not to

abrogate the Word, dissolve it, or render

it invalid.

​The Prophets will be fulfilled;

the Law will continue to

accomplish the purpose for which it was given


(see Isaiah 55:10–11)


Next, consider what Jesus did do.


Jesus says that He came to

fulfill the

Law and the Prophets.

In other words,


Jesus’ purpose was

to

establish the Word,


to embody it,


and to fully

accomplish

all that was written



“Christ is the culmination of the law”


(Romans 10:4)


The predictions of the Prophets concerning

the Messiah

would be realized in Jesus;

the holy

standard of the Law would be

perfectly upheld by Christ,

the strict

requirements personally obeyed,

and the ceremonial

observances
​
finally and fully satisfied



Jesus Christ fulfilled the Prophets in that,

in His first coming alone,

He fulfilled hundreds of prophecies

concerning Himself


(e.g., Matthew 1:22; 13:35; John 19:36; Luke 24:44)



Jesus Christ fulfilled

the Law

in at least two ways:


as a

Teacher and as a Doer


He taught people to obey the Law (Matthew 22:35–40; Mark 1:44), and He obeyed the Law Himself (John 8:46; 1 Peter 2:22). In living a perfect life, Jesus fulfilled the moral laws; in His sacrificial death, Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial laws. Christ came not to destroy the old religious system but to build upon it;

He came to finish the Old Covenant and establish the New.

Jesus came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them. In fact, the ceremonies, sacrifices, and other elements of the Old Covenant were “only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves” (Hebrews 10:1). The tabernacle and temple were “holy places made with hands,” but they were never meant to be permanent; they were but “copies of the true things” (Hebrews 9:24, ESV). The Law had a built-in expiration date, being filled as it was with “external regulations applying until the time of the new order” (Hebrews 9:10).

In His fulfillment of the Law and Prophets, Jesus obtained our eternal salvation. No more were priests required to offer sacrifices and enter the holy place (Hebrews 10:8–14). Jesus has done that for us, once and for all.


By grace through faith,

we are made right with God:

“He forgave us all our sins,

having canceled the charge of our

legal indebtedness,

which stood against us and

condemned us;

he has taken

​ it away, nailing it to the cross”

(Colossians 2:14).


There are some who argue that,

since Jesus

did not “abolish” the Law,

then the Law is still in effect--

and still binding on


New Testament Christians.


But Paul is clear that the believer

​in Christ is

no longer under the Law:



“We were held in custody

under the Law,

locked up

until faith should be revealed

So the Law became

our guardian to lead us to Christ,

that we

might be justified by faith.

Now that faith has come,

we are no

longer under a guardian”


(Galatians 3:23–25, BSB).


We are not under the Mosaic Law 

but under


“the law of Christ”


(see Galatians 6:2)


If the Law is still binding on us today, then it has not yet accomplished its purpose—it has not yet been fulfilled. If the Law, as a legal system, is still binding on us today, then Jesus was wrong in claiming to fulfill it and His sacrifice on the cross was insufficient to save. Thank God, Jesus fulfilled the whole Law and now grants us His righteousness as a free gift. “Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified”

(Galatians 2:16)



As Roman governor

in Judea,


Pilate’s primary responsibility

was to

maintain peace and order


The Jewish high council

wanted

to put Jesus to death,

so they

sent Him to Pilate

because he alone

held the power to pronounce

a death sentence


(John 19:10)


The high priest Caiaphas had to convince

Pilate that


Jesus was a troublemaker and a threat

to Roman stability


He accused Christ

of claiming to be a king—a charge that would

insinuate Jesus in the crime of

recruiting rebel forces to

launch a revolution against Roman authority


(Luke 23:2–5).


hoped that, to avoid a rebellion, Pilate would

determine


to put


Jesus to death


When Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world,”


He was, in essence, telling Pilate that He needed no earthly defense because His kingdom wasn’t from the world. Christ admitted He was head of an empire, but not one that Rome needed to fear as a political rival.
​
Pilate realized that Jesus had no interest in stirring up a rebellion. He posed no threat to Rome. Directly following this conversation, Pilate told the Jewish leaders, “I find no basis for a charge against him” (John 18:38).

“My kingdom” refers to a spiritual kingdom of truth where Jesus reigns as Lord over the lives of His people. Jesus told Pilate, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true” (John 18:37). Jesus did not come to earth to rule over a mortal empire. He came to bear witness to the truth of who He is—the Messiah, Savior of the world. Everyone who loves and recognizes this truth is a citizen of Christ’s kingdom.

The Jewish high council wanted Pilate to condemn Jesus under the pretense that He was raising a rebellion against Rome and proclaiming Himself “king of the Jews.” But that scenario was inaccurate, and Jesus cleared up the distortion, saying, “My kingdom is not of this world.” The Lord hit on the word truth as if to say, “The real truth is this, Pilate: they want me dead because they are horrified by the truth of my claim—that I am ‘I Am,’ the promised Jewish Messiah.”

Jesus offers the truth of intimate fellowship with the only true God. He was born into this world for this purpose: “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth” (John 17:3, NLT). His kingdom presents the opportunity to know the truth that sets us free from sin and death (Romans 8:2; John 8:32). Only those who are born again can see Christ’s kingdom (John 3:3). And only those who are born of water and spirit can enter His kingdom (John 3:5).

Once, Jesus told the Pharisees,

“You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world”

(John 8:23).

To His disciples, the Lord explained that the world

and the

“prince of this world”

held no power over Him

(John 14:22–30).


The world hates Christ

and

His followers, “for they are not of the world”

(John 17:14, 16).


The statement, “My kingdom is not of this world,” relates to the origin and nature of Christ’s kingdom, not the location. The authority and power of Christ’s kingdom are drawn from a source outside of this world—from God, our heavenly Father. Christ’s headship is not of human origin but divine.

Christ’s kingdom is unlike any on this earth: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Other kingdoms are rooted in the realm of this world, but Christ’s is unique. His kingship is spiritual. It comes down to us from heaven and gives life to the world (John 6:33).

While not of this world, the Lord’s kingdom is most certainly in this world, exercising authority over this world and impacting this world. Jesus Christ and all of His disciples take orders from above, not from below.


We are to set our minds

“on things above, not on earthly things”

(Colossians 3:2).


When it comes to obeying

​the law,

the apostle Peter said,


“We must obey God rather than any human authority”


(Acts 5:29, NLT).

As believers in Jesus, we are subjects of Christ’s kingdom. This world is not our home (Hebrews 13:14; Philippians 3:20; 1 John 2:15–17). We are citizens of heaven, and we owe our highest allegiance to our ultimate authority—King Jesus. Just as He declared, we, too, can say, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
Jesus timed elements of His ministry carefully, though people often seemed to challenge His timing. For example, very early in His ministry, Mary requested that Jesus perform a miracle at a wedding at Cana. Jesus responded by saying, “My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). But, immediately after that, He performs a miracle, which John calls “the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory” (John 2:11).

Jesus had recently called His disciples, and He and they were invited to a wedding at Cana of Galilee (John 2:1–2). Because Jesus had so recently recruited His disciples (compare the time stamps in John 1:29, 1:35, and 2:1), it was unlikely that the host was prepared for that many people, and they ran out of wine (John 2:3). It seems that Mary, Jesus’ mother, may have been involved in hosting the wedding, as she gave instructions to those who were serving at the wedding (John 2:5). When Mary discovered that the wine had run out, she told Jesus (John 2:3), as if asking Him to rectify the situation with a miracle.


Perhaps Mary wished for Jesus to make Himself publicly known at that time.


Jesus responded first by respectfully addressing her as “Woman” (John 2:4)

He used the same term to address others with whom He was conversing and to whom

He was ministering (Matthew 15:28; Luke 13:12; John 4:21; 8:10; 20:15).

He also used the term later when looking after Mary’s care at His crucifixion (John 19:26).


After Jesus said, “My hour has not yet come”

(John 2:4),

Mary instructed those

serving

to do

whatever Jesus told them

(John 2:5)

Jesus told the servants

to fill the waterpots

that were used for washing hands

(John 2:6–7).


After they


filled the pots with water


“to the brim”


(verse 7),

Jesus told them to draw out what was in the pots and take it to the headwaiter

(John 2:8).


Sometime in the process, the water was turned to wine


Without realizing where the wine had come from (John 2:9), the headwaiter expressed his amazement that the best wine had been saved for last (John 2:10).

Most people at the wedding were not aware of the miracle—only the servants who drew the water-turned-to-wine and the disciples knew what Jesus had done.

John further narrates that this act

confirmed Jesus’ identity as the Christ,

the Son of God,

and “his disciples believed in him”

(John 2:11).


Jesus’ words, “My hour has not yet come,”

indicate that


He was

working on a divine schedule

and that

He was managing the pace

at which

people would be


confronted with the reality

of

who He was.


When Mary suggested that Jesus do something

at the wedding,
​

she likely wanted a more

public miracle

that everyone could

see and glory in.


He did perform a miracle, but discreetly,

and only

a select group of people saw it.


Jesus knew His message

that

the kingdom of God

was near
​

(Matthew 4:17)


would ultimately

be rejected


He knew that He would die


(Matthew 12:40–41)


to pay for sin and to provide

all who

believe in Him with eternal life


(John 5:24; 6:47)

and entrance

​into

His coming kingdom

​
​ (Matthew 5:20, 48; 6:33)


On some other occasions when Jesus performed miracles, He instructed those who were blessed by them not to broadcast what He had done (e.g., Matthew 8:4; 9:30; 12:16; 17:9; etc.).

​It seems that Jesus managed the momentum of His ministry so that things would happen according to God’s timing and not according to the will and whims of people.


​Even Jesus’ mother could not hurry things along.


When Jesus said

to Mary,


“My hour has not yet come,”

but then

performed the miracle anyway,


He demonstrated


​respect and compassion

for Mary,

but He also prioritized

the scheduling

​ in which the work of God

was to be done.

Mark 9
​

 And he said to them, 


“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before

they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”



​

The Transfiguration


After six days Jesus took Peter,

James and John with him and led them

up a high mountain,

where they were all alone.


There he was transfigured before them.

 His clothes became

dazzling white, whiter than anyone


in the world could bleach them.


 And there appeared before them

Elijah and Moses,


who were talking with Jesus.


Peter said to Jesus,


“Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.

Let us put up three shelters—one for you,

one for Moses and one


​ for Elijah.”


 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)



Then a cloud appeared and covered them,

and a voice came from the cloud:


 “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”


Suddenly, when they looked around,

they no longer saw anyone with them

except Jesus.


As they were coming down the

mountain,
​

Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone 

what they had seen


until the Son of Man had

risen

from the dead



They kept the matter to themselves,

discussing what

“rising from the dead” meant.



And they asked him,

“Why do the teachers of the law say that


​Elijah must come first?”


Jesus replied, 

“To be sure, Elijah does come first, and

restores all things.

Why then is it written that the Son of Man

 must
​
suffer much and be rejected? 


But I tell you,

​
​Elijah has come, 

and they

have done to him everything

​they wished,

just as it is written about him.”




In Romans 1, 


Paul addresses

the Gentile believers at Rome

and begins

by explaining his mission,

which was


To preach the gospel to everyone



He concludes his explanation by saying,


​

“For I am not ashamed

of


The Gospel,



because it is

the


power of God

that

brings salvation to everyone

who believes:


first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.


For in the gospel


the righteousness of God

is revealed


a righteousness that is by faith

from

first to last, just as it is

written:



‘The righteous will live by faith’”



(Romans 1:16–17; cf. Habakkuk 2:4).


The word translated “ashamed” means “disgraced” or “personally humiliated.”

A person “ashamed” in this way is like someone singled out for misplacing his confidence—he trusted in something, and that something let him down.

The word can refer to being dishonored because of forming the wrong alliances.

​So, when Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel, he is saying his confidence in the gospel is not misplaced. There is no disgrace in declaring it. Paul had given his life to proclaiming the truths that Jesus Himself had revealed to him

(Acts 9:3–6; 2 Corinthians 12:2–4)
​

He explained to the

Romans why he did not believe that he had wrongly

identified with Jesus

and why

proclaiming


Jesus’ message

was his life’s work


The application can extend to us as well.

Just as

Paul placed his confidence in the

gospel of Christ,

so can we.

We can proclaim with boldness

the truths that God has revealed in His Word,

with no fear that our confidence is misplaced.


“Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame”


(Romans 10:11; cf. Isaiah 28:16)



We can rest in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit

who inspired

the writing of Scripture never changes



(2 Peter 1:21; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8)

What was true thousands of years ago is still true



The offer of salvation

that was

​presented to people of the first century

is still open to us

​(Acts 2:39; John 17:20).


To live unashamed of the gospel means

we proclaim it,


but it also means

we apply it to our lives and show

we believe it


Paul’s life choices supported his message.

He did not

preach one thing and live another.


When we


“walk in the counsel of the

ungodly,

stand in the path of sinners,

and

sit in the seat of scoffers”


(Psalm 1:1),



we are being ashamed of

​
​the gospel





We are not allowing its truth to penetrate our lives

​so that

others see its changing power.


To live unashamed of

the gospel


means that we, like Paul,

allow it to

dominate our lives to the extent that

​everyone

within our sphere of influence

can see that we have


“been with Jesus”


(Acts 4:13)



​A voice came

​from the cloud, saying,



“This is my Son,

whom

I have chosen;


listen to him.”




Matthew 17:5
While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

Mark 9:7
Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!”

2 Peter 1:17-18
For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” / And we ourselves heard this voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”

Mark 1:11
And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

John 12:28
Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

Psalm 2:7
I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.

Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.

Hebrews 1:5
For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father”? Or again: “I will be His Father, and He will be My Son”?

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 5:37
And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form,

Acts 13:33
He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.’

Hebrews 5:5
So also Christ did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming a high priest, but He was called by the One who said to Him: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.”

Deuteronomy 18:15
The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.

John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. / For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

Luke 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.

Matthew 3:17
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

John 3:16,35,36
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life… 

Deuteronomy 18:18,19
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him… 

Isaiah 55:3,4
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, eventhe sure mercies of David… 
​
John 5:22-24
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: …
​

​Many understand the

term 

repentance to mean


“a TURNING from sin.”


Regretting sin and turning from it are

related to repentance,

but are not the precise meaning of the word.

In the Bible,


the word repent means


“to change one’s mind.”



The Bible also tells us that

true repentance will result in a change of actions


(Luke 3:8–14; Acts 3:19).


In summarizing his ministry,

Paul declares, “I preached that they should


repent and turn to God

​and

demonstrate

​their

​repentance by their deeds”


(Acts 26:20).


The short biblical definition of repentance is


“a change of mind that

results in

a change of action.”


What, then, is the connection between


repentance and salvation?


The book of Acts

especially focuses on repentance in

regard to salvation


(Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20).

To repent, concerning salvation, is to


change your mind


regarding sin

and



Jesus Christ



In Peter’s sermon

on the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2),


he concludes with a call for the people to repent


(Acts 2:38).



Repent from what?


Peter calls the people who rejected Jesus


(Acts 2:36)


to change their minds

about

that sin and to change their minds

about


Christ Himself,

recognizing that

​He is indeed


“Lord and Christ”


(Acts 2:36)



Peter calls the people to change

their minds,

to abhor their past rejection of

Christ,

and

to embrace faith in Him

as their


Messiah and Savior




Repentance involves recognizing that you have

thought wrongly in the past

and

determining to think rightly in the future.


The repentant person


has “second thoughts”

about

the mindset he formerly embraced.


There is a change of disposition

and

a new way of thinking

about God,

about sin, about holiness,

and

about doing God’s will.


True repentance

is prompted


by “godly sorrow,” and it “leads to salvation”


(2 Corinthians 7:10).

Repentance and faith can be understood as two sides of the same coin. It is impossible to place your faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior without first changing your mind about your sin and about who Jesus is and what He has done. Whether it is repentance from willful rejection or repentance from ignorance or disinterest, it is a change of mind. Biblical repentance, in relation to salvation, is changing your mind from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ.

Repentance is not a work we do to earn salvation.

No one can repent and come to God unless God pulls that person to Himself

(John 6:44).


Repentance is something God gives—it is only possible because of His grace

(Acts 5:31; 11:18)



No one can repent unless God grants repentance.


All of salvation, including repentance and faith,

is a result of God drawing us,

opening our eyes, and changing our hearts.


God’s

​ longsuffering leads us

to repentance


(2 Peter 3:9),


as does His kindness


(Romans 2:4)


While repentance is not a work that earns salvation, repentance unto salvation does result in works. It is impossible to truly change your mind without changing your actions in some way. In the Bible, repentance results in a change in behavior. That is why John the Baptist called people to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). A person who has truly repented of sin and exercised faith in Christ will give evidence of a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:19–23; James 2:14–26).

To see what repentance looks like in real life, turn to the story of Zacchaeus. Here was a man who cheated and stole and lived lavishly on his ill-gotten gains—until he met Jesus. At that point he had a radical change of mind: “Look, Lord!” said Zacchaeus. “Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (Luke 19:8). Jesus happily proclaimed that salvation had come to Zacchaeus’s house, and that even the tax collector was now “a son of Abraham” (verse 9)—a reference to Zacchaeus’s faith. The cheat became a philanthropist; the thief made restitution.


That’s repentance, coupled

with


faith in Christ


Repentance, properly defined, is necessary for salvation. Biblical repentance is changing your mind about your sin—no longer is sin something to toy with; it is something to be forsaken as you “flee from the coming wrath” (Matthew 3:7). It is also changing your mind about Jesus Christ—no longer is He to be mocked, discounted, or ignored; He is the Savior to be clung to; He is the Lord to be worshiped and adored.
​
John spoke severely, challenging these religious leaders’ spiritual pride and hypocrisy head-on. They needed to know that God’s judgment for sin was coming. Baptism is an outward symbol of true heart change. John’s baptism was a “baptism of repentance.” Repentance is the act of changing one’s mind that results in a change of actions. Sincere repentance involves turning away from sin both in thought and action. When the crowds came to John for baptism, they were showing their repentance and identifying with a new life. The Phariseesand Sadducees were detached observers at John’s baptism. They claimed to have repented of their sins—sins they eagerly pointed out in others—yet they lived as sinners, all the while denying their own guilt.

The religious leaders of John’s day had refused to submit themselves to God. They thought they were good enough by way of association with Abraham through their Jewish heritage (see Matthew 3:9; John 8:39). But their religious rituals and spiritual “pedigree” were not enough to please God. The only way for sinners to enter a relationship with God is through genuine repentance and faith. These religious leaders should have been setting an example and taking the lead. Instead, they lived in self-righteous, hypocritical denial of their spiritual condition.

John the Baptist warned, “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). The tree represents Israel. If Israel did not repent, it would be cut down and destroyed (see Luke 13:6–10). Only those who genuinely repented and began to produce good fruit would be prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ.

Luke’s gospel gives further insight into what it means to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. John told the people, “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones’” (Luke 3:8, NLT). John’s baptism of repentance was meant to be the start of a brand new, continuous life of producing fruit in keeping with righteousness. Our family tree won’t earn us a place in heaven or give us an automatic claim to God’s promises. John told the Sadducees and Pharisees who took pride in their lineage to take a more humble view: just as God had made Adam from the dust of the ground, God could raise up children of Abraham from the stones of the wilderness.

At John’s preaching, the people began to ask, “What should we do?” (Luke 3:10). In other words, “What is the fruit in keeping with repentance?” “John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same’” (Luke 3:11). He told the tax collectors in the crowd, “Don’t collect any more than you are required to” (verse 13). He told the soldiers, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay” (verse 14). Such actions were the “fruit” of repentance in that they showed the genuineness of the change of heart.

When the apostle Paul began his preaching ministry, he, too, spoke of good deeds as proof of genuine repentance: “I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do” (Acts 26:20, NLT).

The believer’s spiritual life and growth are often compared to a fruit-bearing tree in Scripture. Just as fruit production is proof of life and health in a tree, so are good actions the evidence of spiritual life in Jesus Christ and the presence of God’s Spirit dwelling within a person. Jesus said, “A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions” (Matthew 7:17–20, NLT).

Fruit in keeping with repentance represents the good deeds and changed behaviors that naturally flow from a truly repentant and transformed heart. In James 2:14–26, James teaches extensively on the subject, explaining that “faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless” (verse 17, NLT). James concludes, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works (verse 26, NLT).

Paul prays for the Philippians to be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:11). He gives examples of good spiritual fruit: “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23, NLT; see also Ephesians 5:9; Colossians 1:10; James 3:17).

The believer’s ability to produce fruit in keeping with repentance depends wholly on our intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, who said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4–5, NLT). The root will naturally produce fruit. Fruit in keeping with repentance is the evidence (as well as a result) of a changed mind, transformed life, and ongoing communion with Jesus.
​

​
After the arrest

of
​

John the Baptist,


“Jesus came into Galilee,

proclaiming the gospel of God,

and saying,


‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God

is at hand;

repent and believe in the gospel’”


(Mark 1:14–15, ESV)


Jesus’ exhortation for His listeners to repent indicated that they needed to change their minds. That He told them to believe in the gospel indicated how they needed to change their minds. Mark refers to Jesus’ message as “the gospel of God” (verse 14, ESV) or “the good news of God.” It was good news that the kingdom was at hand, and Jesus was preparing His listeners for how to be part of that kingdom.

Many in Jesus’ audience thought they were already righteous and would gain entrance to the kingdom of Godbecause of their connection to Abraham and Moses and because they were keeping the laws God had given to Israel through Moses. Matthew 5—7 records Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus taught that His listeners should change their minds about how they could be part of His kingdom. Their connection to Abraham and Moses wasn’t enough, and their supposedly righteous deeds were not enough. Those things are not what God requires as the standard of righteousness. Instead, Jesus explained that they needed to have a true, internal righteousness, and they did not yet have that. It wasn’t just a king that they needed—they needed a savior. Sadly, only a few would recognize that need.

Jesus proclaimed that the people needed to repent and believe in the gospel because the kingdom of God was at hand. God’s eternal kingdom is currently based in heaven. But, in passages like 2 Samuel 7 and Revelation 19—20, God promises that His kingdom will at some point in the future come to earth in a physical form. The kingdom was at hand, or near, because Jesus the King had come to earth, presenting the kingdom and the good news about that kingdom and how one can be part of it—by believing in the gospel. Unfortunately, Jesus’ audience wasn’t yet prepared for the kingdom, because they hadn’t yet recognized that they needed the Messiah to make them righteous, and that Jesus was the Messiah.

Jesus’ message was truly good news, and the people needed to change their minds from unbelief to belief. They needed to believe in the Lord—as Abraham had done many years prior (Genesis 15:6)—to gain the righteousness that would allow them to be part of God’s kingdom. They needed to repent (change their minds about how they could enter the kingdom) and believe in the gospel now, because the kingdom of God was close at hand. Of course, some did change their minds about how they could be righteous, and they believed in Jesus, but most of the leaders and the nation as a whole did not believe (Mark 3:22–30). Because of that rejection, Jesus delayed the kingdom and shifted His focus and ministry to providing the sacrifice to pay for the sins of the people.

One day Jesus will return to the earth as King (Revelation 19—20), and, because of what the Bible tells us about the future, we know that we also need to “repent and believe in the gospel for the kingdom of God is at hand.” We need to change our minds from unbelief to belief and recognize that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our own works (Ephesians 2:8–9). When we believe in Christ, we are already transferred to His kingdom (Colossians 1:13), and, because His kingdom isn’t on earth yet, we ought to set our mind on the things above where He is, rather than on the things of earth (Colossians 3:1–4).
​


The Bible makes it

clear

why God is sending


a strong delusion


in the end times:


“They perish because they refused to love the

​truth and so be saved.

For this reason

God sends them a powerful delusion

so that they will believe the lie

and so that all will be condemned

who have not

believed the truth

but have delighted in wickedness”


(2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).


Simply put,


God sends

​ a strong delusion to those who

choose not to

believe the gospel of Christ.


Those who take

delight in mocking and rejecting Him,

He will condemn.


It is a person’s choice whether to accept and believe

the truth of Jesus Christ

as presented in the Scriptures.

To receive the truth

and the

love God offers is in keeping

with its teachings,
​

“This is love for God: to obey His commands”


(1 John 5:3)


Conversely, to know the truth and not obey it is to face the wrath of God: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18). Frankly speaking, there is no more dangerous condition for man than to know the truth and refuse to obey it. To do so is to harden the heart and make God’s condemnation sure.

When one knows the truth and refuses to obey it, he is subject to any lie, any deception, any untruth that humanity can conjure up. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21-22). Paul goes on in the next few verses to describe the mindset and behaviors of those who disbelieve (see Romans 1:29-31). As a result of human foolishness and arrogant disdain of the things of God, “God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done” (Romans 1:28). And correspondingly, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things, but also approve of those who practice them”

​(Romans 1:32)



Isaiah puts it succinctly:


“They have chosen their own ways,

​and their souls

​delight in their abominations;
​

so I [God]

also will choose harsh treatment for them

and

bring upon them what they dread


​
For when I called,


no one answered,

when

I spoke, no one listened



They did evil in My sight and chose what displeases Me”



(Isaiah 66:3-4).



When people know the truth

and

refuse to receive it,


when they refuse to obey it

and

hold it in unrighteousness,


“they will

be condemned for enjoying

evil

rather than believing


the truth”


(2 Thessalonians 2:12 NLT)


“God is love” (1 John 4:16)


He is not some cruel monster who deliberately and inwardly delights
in preparing people for everlasting condemnation.


But He earnestly and lovingly

proclaims

the gospel of Christ,

“not wanting anyone to perish,

but

everyone to come to repentance”


(2 Peter 3:9)



Throughout the Scriptures, God urges people


to accept the truth


But when people reject Him

and spurn

His message, then—and not until then--


God hardens them and turns them

over

to a deluded mind

to wallow in their wickedness to

their

eternal damnation.


This is what the Lord says about

those

who choose to reject the truth:


“They greatly love to wander; they do not

restrain their feet.


So the Lord does not accept them;

He will now remember

their

wickedness and punish them for their sins”


(Jeremiah 14:10)



​The Pool of Bethesda 

was renowned

as a supposed place of healing


in Jesus’ time


At this pool Jesus healed a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years.

As Jesus healed him,


He said,


“Take up your bed and walk”


(John 5:8, NKJV)



This miracle reveals

that Jesus is the ultimate Healer

and that He is greater than

any man-made

rules, superstitions, and beliefs



The Pool of Bethesda

(Aramaic for “House of Mercy”)

was a
​

spring-fed pool just north of the temple


​Near the water


“a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed”


(John 5:3)


These people would wait

expectantly at the pool because they


believed an angel

would come down into the pool and

“stir up the water.”


Then, according to the superstition,


“whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had”


(John 5:4, NKJV).



The man who was told to


“take up your bed and walk”


was one of these

people who trusted that

the water

would provide healing.



What he really needed was



Jesus



On the day Jesus visited the Pool of Bethesda, the invalid was there,

waiting for the angel to do his magical work.


The man did not know Jesus

and thought

the pool was what he needed to


be healed.


He complained to Jesus that

there was

“no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.


While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me”

(John 5:7)


Jesus swept aside all superstition and false belief with one command:


“Rise! Take up your bed and walk!”


(John 5:8, NKJV)


The man was instantly cured, and “he picked up his mat and walked” (verse 9). The man never got wet. It was not the water the man needed but Jesus.

Through this third “sign” or miracle in the Gospel of John, Jesus shows He is the ultimate Healer, not just of physical maladies but of our hearts. After the healing, “Jesus found [the man] in the temple, and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you’” (John 5:14). Jesus revealed that the man’s physical healing was secondary to his need to be healed spiritually. Although the passage does not reveal the man’s conversion, it does teach that Jesus sees not only our physical maladies but our hearts as well. He is the only one who can provide the spiritual healing we need. While being physically ill for thirty-eight years is difficult, an eternity in hell is even worse (see Mark 9:47).

Jesus telling the man, “Take up your bed and walk” became an issue for the Jewish leaders because the healing took place on the Sabbath (John 5:9). The fact that a paralytic was walking did not matter to them; they were furious. “For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath” (John 5:16). The Pharisees’ traditions forbade the carrying of one’s mat or bed on the Sabbath. Of course, Jesus had not violated the Sabbath law (see Matthew 5:17). It was only the pharisaical interpretationand addition to God’s laws that were being broken. The healing of the lame man exposed the Pharisees’ hard hearts and revealed that Jesus is greater than their man-made laws.

Jesus’ command, “Take up your bed and walk,” and its immediate result reveal that He is greater than any superstition, folklore, or man-made rule. Faith in anything other than Jesus is misplaced and leaves us wanting. Yet Jesus can forgive anyone who will turn to Him for salvation—that is the ultimate healing we all need.

A "spirit of stupor" in the Bible, specifically found in Romans 11:8, refers to a state of spiritual blindness and deafness where people are unable to understand or accept God's truth, often described as being in a deep sleep or being mentally clouded, preventing them from seeing or hearing what is right in front of them; essentially, God has given them a spiritual barrier to understanding due to their resistance or disobedience

The apostle John records a select number of signs or miracles that help demonstrate who Jesus is and the importance of believing in Him for eternal life (John 20:30–31). These miracles showed Jesus’ authority—an authority that only the Creator could have. In recounting one of these remarkable miracles, John records that Jesus asks an infirm man at the Pool of Bethesda, “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6, NKJV).

On a Sabbath during a feast of the Jews (John 5:1, 9, 16), Jesus sought out a man who had been sick and unable to walk for thirty-eight years (John 5:5). This man was part of a multitude of those with severe ailments who would wait by the Pool of Bethesda in hopes of being healed (John 5:3–4). Jesus knew that this man had been there a long time in that condition, and He asked the man at the Pool of Bethesda, “Do you want to be made well?” Obviously, the man wanted to be made well physically. The man’s being at that location was an indicator of that desire. So, when Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to be made well?” He wasn’t asking the man simply about his physical well-being. Jesus also cared for the man’s spiritual well-being. Before resolving the spiritual or the physical problems the man was dealing with, Jesus had this man think about his need.

The sick man responds that he had no one to put him in the pool—thought to have healing powers—at the right time. In his mind, he had no means to resolve his problem. The man acknowledged that he needed help (John 5:7). After the man admitted his own inability, Jesus gives him an incredible direction: “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk” (John 5:8, NASB). Immediately—even before the man could obey the command—the man was healed. Immediately after that, the man did what Jesus had directed him to do: “He picked up his mat and walked” (John 5:9).

Those who saw the man carrying his bedding on the Sabbath argued that it was not lawful for him to do that (John 5:10). The man responded that he was carrying his mat at the instruction of the man who had healed him (John 5:11). In this, the man most likely recognized that, because Jesus had demonstrated power over nature, Jesus must also have authority over the Sabbath.

Later, Jesus found the man again and told him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you” (John 5:14). With these words, Jesus was continuing to teach this man that there is more to wellness than physical health. The man seemed to understand that Jesus’ question “Do you want to be made well?” was about more than physical wellness, because, when Jesus found the man again, the man was in the temple (John 5:14).

This miracle shows Jesus’ authority and identity. It illustrates that He is indeed the One in whom we believe for eternal life. It also can help remind us that true wellness is about much more than physical health. If Jesus were to ask us, “Do you want to be made well?” would we recognize, like the man at the Pool of Bethesda, that we can’t resolve our problems ourselves? Would we look to Him as this man did?


​
What does Romans 11:8 mean?

Paul follows his pattern of supporting his arguments with quotes from the Old Testament—the Jewish Scriptures. He has just written that God has hardened most Israelites in regard to faith in Christ. 

To show that God has always done this, even with Israel, Paul seems to assemble the quote in this verse from Isaiah 29:10 and Deuteronomy 29:4. In both instances, God was said to have kept Israel from understanding what was true. The people were overcome by a spirit of stupor, or sleepiness, and were not given eyes to see and ears to hear. God was the one who kept them from understanding. 

Again, some might ask if this is fair on God's part. Paul made clear in Romans 9, however, that God retains the right to give or withhold understanding, to soften or harden hearts, as He sees fit and for His greater purposes. Just as Pharaoh was resistant to God, and so God enhanced that resistance, Israel's "hardening" comes as part of God's overall plan to fulfill His own purposes.

Romans 11:1–10 finds Paul insisting that God has not rejected Israel forever, despite her refusal to come to Christ. For one thing, Paul himself and a remnant of Jewish people have trusted in Christ by God's grace. God has hardened the rest of Israel in her unbelief, causing her to trip over the stumbling block that is Jesus Christ. They remain unable, for now, to see that following the law will not bring them to God's righteousness. But the story isn't over.

In Romans 11, Paul concludes his exploration of God's plan for His chosen people Israel. It's true that as a nation, Israel has rejected faith in Christ, but a remnant of Israelites has believed in Jesus. God has hardened the rest in unbelief, but will bring Israel back to faith when enough Gentiles have come to Him through Christ. Then many Israelites will trust in Christ, as well, and God will renew His covenant with His people. Paul concludes this section with a powerful poem or hymn about God's independence and how He is beyond our full comprehension.

The Bible encourages Christians to live daily with an awareness of God’s presence and readiness for Jesus Christ’s return. As kingdom servants, we want to be found faithful. In Romans 13:11–12, the apostle Paul urges believers to live in the light of that future day when God’s glorious kingdom is fully revealed: “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (NKJV).

Paul tells believers that the time for sleeping is over. Now is the moment of opportunity and decision (2 Corinthians 6:2). It is high time to “awake out of sleep,” which literally means “to get up out of bed” in the original language. In a similar admonition to the Thessalonians, Paul says, “For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 

What does Paul mean by “our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” in Romans 13:11? Christian salvation exists in three tenses. In the past tense, we were saved and delivered from the penalty of sin. This happened at the moment we believed (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:10; 3:21–26; Acts 13:38; Romans 8:15). In the present tense, we experience continuous, progressive sanctification, being conformed to the image of Christ by the working of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:18; Romans 8:13, 29; Galatians 5:19–23). In the future tense, we will experience the consummation of our salvation, the glorious resurrection and transformation of our bodies and our eternal inheritance in heaven (1 Corinthians 15; Romans 5:9; 8:30; Revelation 21—22). This future salvation is what Paul refers to as being “nearer than when we first believed.”

Knowing that the Lord’s return is imminent motivates us to live with sober, clearheaded awareness of our present salvation and the culmination of our salvation when Christ appears again. The apostle Peter persuades us to keep our minds alert, ready for action, and sober as we set our sights on the grace we will receive “when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming” (Peter 1:13). John exhorts believers to “remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame” (1 John 2:28). John goes on to explain that all those who are God’s children live with an eager expectation of Christ’s appearing and “keep themselves pure, just as he is pure” (see 1 John 2:29—3:3, NLT).

In the Bible, sleep is often used as an image of spiritual laziness (Isaiah 56:10; Matthew 24:43–44; Acts 28:25–27) and waking from sleep as alertness to God and His concerns (Isaiah 51:17; 60:1; Ephesians 5:14). 

For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:34, ESV).


Speaking about the day of His return, Jesus says to His followers, “Stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42, ESV). To illustrate His command, Jesus presents the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13). The story compares the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins, five foolish and five wise, who are preparing to meet the bridegroom and celebrate the wedding. The wise young women bring enough oil to keep their lamps lit, but the foolish ones do not. The bridegroom delays, and all the bridesmaids become drowsy and fall asleep. At midnight they are summoned for the groom’s arrival. The foolish virgins who are not prepared must leave to buy oil for their lamps. While they are gone, the groom and the wise virgins enter the marriage feast, and the door is closed and locked. Later, the foolish virgins try to enter, but the bridegroom says he does not know them. Jesus ends the parable, advising His disciples to “be alert” (CSB) or “keep watch” (NIV, NLT) because they do not know the day or hour when Christ will return (verse 13).

It is high time to awake out of sleep means there’s no place for spiritual lethargy in the Christian life. Believers must live in urgent expectation and wide-awake preparedness for what is coming because “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

​




Matthew 12:22 

​Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 

25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 

28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 

30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 
​
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 

34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 

37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. 


Mark 3:20 

And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 
21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. 
22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 
26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 
27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. 

28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 

29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: 
30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.


Luke 11:14 

And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 

15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 

17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. 

18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 

19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 

20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 
21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 
22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 
23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 


Matthew 12:38 

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 

40 For as 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. 

41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 


Luke 11:29 

And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
​
30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. 
31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 

32 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.


Matthew 12:43 

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. 


Luke 11:24 

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 
26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 


Luke 11:27 

And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. 


Luke 11:33 

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.


Matthew 12:46 

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. 


Mark 3:31 

There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. 


Luke 8:19 

​Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 

20 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 
21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
​

---

​
Romans 9:31-32


but Israel, who pursued

a law

​of righteousness, has


​not attained it
​


Why not?


Because their pursuit was

not by faith,
​

but as if it were by works


They stumbled

over the stumbling stone,




Isaiah 29:10

For the LORD has poured out on you a

spirit of deep sleep.

He has shut your eyes,

O prophets;

​He has covered your heads, O seers.


Isaiah 44:18

They do not comprehend or discern,

for

He has shut their eyes so they

cannot see and closed

their minds so they cannot understand.


Deuteronomy 29:4

Yet to this day the LORD has not given

​you a mind to understand,

eyes to see, or ears to hear.


Matthew 13:14-15

In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

John 12:37-40

Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him.
This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” / For this reason they were unable to believe.
​For again, Isaiah says: ...

2 Corinthians 3:14

But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant.
It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie,
 in order that judgment may come upon all
who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.

Psalm 69:22-23

May their table become a snare; may it be a retribution and a trap.
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.

Isaiah 6:9-10

And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Matthew 11:25

At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned,
and revealed them to little children.

John 9:39

Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world,
so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.”

1 Peter 2:8

and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.

Isaiah 8:14

And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.

Jeremiah 5:21

“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes
but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Romans 9:31,32

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness,
hath not attained to the law of righteousness… 

Romans 10:3

For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going
about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 1:28

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer;
they shall seek me early,
but they shall not find me:
but the election.

Romans 11:5

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant
​ according to the election of grace.

Romans 8:28-30

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… 

Romans 9:23

And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy,
which he had afore prepared unto glory,


Isaiah 6:10

Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Isaiah 44:18

They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes,
that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

Matthew 13:14,15

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear,
​and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: … 


​​blinded.


Romans 9:18

Therefore hath he mercy on whom he

​will have mercy,

​and whom he will he hardeneth


​
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!

​




The Light of the Gospel

1Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry,a we do not lose heart. 2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
​
4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”b made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.c


​
Treasure in Jars of Clay

(Romans 6:1–14)

7Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13And in keeping with what is written, “I believed, therefore I have spoken,”d we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak, 14knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesuse will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow, to the glory of God.

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

​

Ministers of a New Covenant
​
1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4Such confidence before God is ours through Christ. 5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God. 6And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.



The Glory of the New Covenant

(Exodus 34:10–35)

7Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, 8will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness! 10Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it. 11For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!
12Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away.

14But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed. 15And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

​

Luke 16 


The Parable of the Shrewd Manager


1Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’

3The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg. 4I know what I will do so that after my removal from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’

5And he called in each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first.
6‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’a he answered. 

‘Take your bill,’ said the manager, ‘sit down quickly,

​and write fifty.’

7Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ 
‘A hundred measures of wheat,’b he replied. 
‘Take your bill and write eighty,’ he told him.

8The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light. 9I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.

10Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own?

13No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”




The Law and the Prophets

​
14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus. 15So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.

16The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.c 17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

18Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.




The Rich Man and Lazarus

(John 5:39–47)


19Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. 20And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores 21and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.d And the rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.

24So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’
​
25But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. 26And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’

27‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28for I have five brothers.

​Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment.’



Abraham replied,
​

‘They have

Moses and the Prophets;

let your

brothers listen to them.’



No, father Abraham,’

​he said,


“but if someone

is sent

​to them from the dead,

they will repent.’



Then Abraham said to him,



‘If they do not listen to


Moses and the Prophets,

​they will

not be persuaded

even if

someone rises from the dead.’”

​Abraham Attention Believe 
ConvincedDead Deaf Hear 
​Led Moses MovedPersuaded 
Prophets Rise Rises RoseSomeone



John 5:46-47
If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. / But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

Matthew 12:39-41
Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. / For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. / The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

Acts 28:23-27
So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. / Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe. / They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: ...

John 12:37-41
Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. / This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” / For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: ...

Romans 10:16-21
But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” / Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. / But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” ...

Hebrews 3:7-19
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, / do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness, / where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works. ...

John 8:45-47
But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me! / Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? / Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Matthew 11:20-24
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. / “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. / But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. ...

Acts 13:40-41
Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you: / ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. / The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Jeremiah 5:21
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Ezekiel 12:2
“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Deuteronomy 18:15-19
The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him. / This is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!” / Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well. ...

Psalm 95:7-11
For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care. Today, if you hear His voice, / do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, in the day at Massah in the wilderness, / where your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work. ...

​John 11:43-53
And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth… 

John 12:10,11
But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; … 

2 Corinthians 4:3
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:


Genesis 9:27
God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

Acts 19:8
And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
​
Acts 26:28
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

​
Colossians 3:2 says,
​

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,”


or, as the NET puts it,

“Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth.”

To set one’s mind on something is to choose to think about it, influencing one’s goals

and guiding one’s course of action.

​The first part of the chapter is worth quoting in full to give the proper context:

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.


Do not lie to each other,


since you have taken off

your old self with its practices and

have put on the new self,

which is being renewed in knowledge in

the image of its Creator.

Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian,
​
​Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.



​Why is it so important

to understand and embrace

the concept

of absolute truth in all areas of life


(including faith and religion)?


Simply because life has consequences

for being wrong


Giving someone the wrong amount of a medication can kill them; having an investment manager make the wrong monetary decisions can impoverish a family; boarding the wrong plane will take you where you do not wish to go; and dealing with an unfaithful marriage partner can result in the destruction of a family and, potentially, disease. Nowhere are the consequences more important than in the area of faith and religion. Eternity is an awfully long time to be wrong.


In defining truth,

it is first

helpful to note what


truth is not: 


   • Truth is not simply whatever works. This is the philosophy of pragmatism—an ends-vs.-means-type approach. In reality, lies can appear to “work,” but they are still lies and not the truth. 

   • Truth is not simply what is coherent or understandable.



A group of people

can get

together and form a conspiracy

based on a set of falsehoods

where they

all agree to tell the same

false story,


but it


does not make their presentation true. 



   • Truth is not what makes people feel good. Unfortunately, bad news can be true. 
   • Truth is not what the majority says is true. Fifty-one percent of a group can reach a wrong conclusion. 
   • Truth is not what is comprehensive. A lengthy, detailed presentation can still result in a false conclusion. 
   • Truth is not defined by what is intended. Good intentions can still be wrong. 
   • Truth is not how we know; truth is what we know. 

   • Truth is not simply what is believed. A lie believed is still a lie. 
​
   • Truth is not what is publicly proved. A truth can be privately known

(for example, the location of buried treasure).


The Greek word for


“truth” is aletheia,

which refers to


“divine revelation”

and is

​related to a word that


literally means



“what can’t be hidden.”


It conveys the thought that truth is always there,

always open and available for all to see,

with nothing being hidden or obscured.
​

The Hebrew word for “truth” is emeth, which means

“firmness,” “constancy” and “duration.”

Such a definition implies


an everlasting substance and something

that can be relied upon




From a philosophical perspective, there are

​ three

simple ways to define truth:


​
   Truth


is that which corresponds to reality

​
   Truth


is that which matches its object

 
​  Truth


is simply telling it like it is
​

First, truth corresponds to reality or “what is.”


It is real.


Truth is also correspondent in nature.


In other words,


it matches its object and is known by its referent.



For example, a teacher facing a class

may say,


​ “Now the only exit to this room

is on the right.”



For the class that may be


facing the teacher,


the exit door may be on

their left,


but it’s absolutely


True 

that the door,

for the

professor, is on the


Right


Truth also matches its object.

It may be absolutely true that a certain person may need so many milligrams of a certain medication, but another person may need more or less of the same medication to produce the desired effect. This is not relative truth, but just an example of how truth must match its object. It would be wrong (and potentially dangerous) for a patient to request that their doctor give them an inappropriate amount of a particular medication, or to say that any medicine for their specific ailment will do. 

When the concept of truth is maligned,

it is usually

for one or more of the following reasons: 


One common complaint against anyone claiming to have absolute truth in matters of faith and religion is that such a stance is “narrow-minded.” However, the critic fails to understand that, by nature,



truth is narrow


Is a math teacher narrow-minded for holding to the belief that 2 + 2 only equals 4? 

Another objection to truth

is that it is arrogant to claim that someone is RIGHT and another person is wrong.


However, returning to the above example with mathematics, is it arrogant for a
math teacher to insist on only one right answer to an arithmetic problem?

Or is it arrogant for a locksmith to state that


only one key

will open a locked door? 


A third charge against those holding to absolute truth in matters of faith and religion is that such a position excludes people, rather than being inclusive. But such a complaint fails to understand that

truth, by nature, excludes its opposite.


All answers other than 4 are excluded from the reality of what 2 + 2 truly equals. 

Yet another protest against truth is that it is offensive and divisive to claim one has the truth. Instead, the critic argues, all that matters is sincerity.

The problem with this position is that truth is

immune to sincerity, belief, and desire.


It doesn’t matter how much

one sincerely believes a wrong

key will fit a door;

the key

still won’t go in and the lock won’t be opened.


Truth

is also unaffected by sincerity.


Finally, truth is impervious to desire.

A person may strongly desire that their car has not run out of gas,

but if the gauge says the tank is empty and the car will not run any farther,

then no desire in the world will miraculously cause the car to keep going.

​


​
God and Truth


During the six trials of Jesus, the contrast

between the truth

(righteousness) and lies (unrighteousness)

was unmistakable.



There stood Jesus,

the Truth,


being judged by those

whose every action was bathed

in lies.


The Jewish leaders

broke nearly every law designed to

protect a

defendant from wrongful conviction.

They fervently worked to find

any testimony

that would incriminate Jesus,

and in their frustration,

they turned to false evidence brought

forward by liars.

But even that could not help them

reach their goal.

So they broke another law

and

forced Jesus to implicate Himself. 

​

Once in front of Pilate, the Jewish leaders lied again. They convicted Jesus of blasphemy, but since they knew that wouldn’t be enough to coax Pilate to kill Jesus, they claimed Jesus was challenging Caesar and was breaking Roman law by encouraging the crowds to not pay taxes. Pilate quickly detected their superficial deception, and he never even addressed the charge. 

Jesus the Righteous was being judged by the unrighteous. The sad fact is that the latter always persecutes the former. It’s why Cain killed Abel. The link between truth and righteousness and between falsehood and unrighteousness is demonstrated by a number of examples in the New Testament: 

   • For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:11–12, emphasis added). 

   • “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18, emphasis added). 

   • “who will render to each person according to his deeds; to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation” (Romans 2:6–8, emphasis added).

   • “[love] does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:5–6, emphasis added).

The question Pontius Pilate asked centuries ago needs to be rephrased in order to be completely accurate. The Roman governor’s remark “What is truth?” overlooks the fact that many things can have truth, but only one thing can actually be the Truth. Truth must originate from somewhere.

The stark reality is that Pilate was looking directly at the Origin of all Truth on that early morning almost two thousand years ago. Not long before being arrested and brought to the governor, Jesus had made the simple statement “I am the truth” (John 14:6), which was a rather incredible statement. How could a mere man be the truth? He couldn’t be, unless He was more than a man, which is actually what He claimed to be.

The fact is, Jesus’ claim was validated when He rose from the dead

(Romans 1:4).
​
​
​
​“The truth will set you free”


is a common saying in academic circles that want to promote academic freedom and the power of learning. Many universities have this statement emblazoned on a sign near the entrance of a building. But “the truth will set you free” did not originate in academia; Jesus said it in John 8:32. In context, Jesus’ statement has nothing to do with classroom learning. In fact, John 8:32 speaks of a higher form of knowledge than is capable of being learned in a classroom.

Jesus had just finished a speech at the temple where He delineated differences between Himself and His listeners. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:23–24). The result of Jesus’ message was that “even as he spoke, many believed in him” (verse 30).

Then, in verse 31, Jesus begins to speak just to those who had believed.

“Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31). True discipleship is more than intellectual assent; those who are “really” followers of Christ will “hold to” His Word. That means they will not only accept His teachings as truth, but they will also obey His teachings. Action is proof of faith (cf. James 2:17).

True disciples of Jesus believe that He speaks the truth about God and the Scriptures. They also know that He is who He claims to be. Back in verse 25, the people asked Jesus who He was, and He responded, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” There may be a tinge of exasperation in His response; He had repeatedly made known that He was the Messiah, the one they had anticipated for many years.

Verse 32 begins with,


“Then you will know the truth.” “You” refers to those who are




​True Disciples of Jesus


True disciples


will Know the Truth


More than that,

their

​
Eyes are opened


to a greater

understanding of the


Truth



(cf. 1 John 5:20)



The truth Jesus’ disciples receive brings with it freedom. Jesus continues, “And the truth will set you free” (verse 32).

At that point in history, the Jews were under the rule of the Roman government.

Even though Rome gave them an exceptional amount of autonomy, they were keenly aware of the Roman presence around them in the form of soldiers, governors, and empirically appointed kings.

When Jesus said the truth would set them free, however, He was not talking about political freedom

(though the following verses indicate that’s how the Jews took it).

Jesus provides the best

commentary for His own statement in verse 34.

Jesus explains,

“Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins

is a slave to sin.”

Being a slave to sin is the ultimate bondage


The freedom Jesus offers is a spiritual freedom


from the bondage of sin—that is,

release from

the lifestyle of habitual lawlessness.


He continues with an analogy:

“Now a slave has no permanent place in the family,

but a son belongs to it forever” (verse 35).


The people would

have understood Jesus to mean

that they

were not members of God’s family,

despite their

biological relationship to Abraham


(verse 37),


because they were slaves to sin.


If they were to become


disciples of Jesus,

they would

know the truth of their condition

and the truth about Christ,

and Jesus would set them free.

Believers

would be freed from their bondage

and brought

into the family of God.





Jesus is the Truth


(John 14:6)


Knowing the Truth will set one at liberty—free from sin, free from condemnation, and free from death


(Romans 6:22; 8:1–2)



Jesus came to

proclaim

​liberty to the captives


(Luke 4:18)


“Live as people who are free,

not

using your freedom as

a cover-up for evil,

but

living as servants of God”


(1 Peter 2:16, ESV).

​

---

​
​


​
​


​Truth
​

Another sign of maturity in a Christian is the ability to speak the truth in love

Interestingly, the ability to promote what is right with the

right attitude is directly contrasted

("rather") to being immature and deceived. Immature believers

​ can fall prey to

the false choice of speaking truth without love,

or speaking love


without truth



The first problem promotes legalism;

the second problem promotes depravity.

God's command

is to grow in maturity, a progression

​which includes

both action and information
​

(Ephesians 4:11–12)


To speak the truth in love includes how Christians communicate with believers and unbelievers alike. Believers are called to live in harmony with one another as family. With unbelievers, we are told to be ready at all times to "make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). There is no reason why a Christian has to be mean-spirited in order to be accurate when sharing our faith with others. Instead, we should speak the truth in love, letting God's Spirit work boldly in us and through us to help others come to faith in Christ.
​
​By starting out his gospel stating, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” John is introducing Jesus with a word or a term that both his Jewish and Gentile readers would have been familiar with. The Greek word translated “Word” in this passage is Logos, and it was common in both Greek philosophy and Jewish thought of that day. For example, in the Old Testament the “word” of God is often personified as an instrument for the execution of God’s will (Psalm 33:6; 107:20; 119:89; 147:15-18). So, for his Jewish readers, by introducing Jesus as the “Word,” John is in a sense pointing them back to the Old Testament where the Logos or “Word” of God is associated with the personification of God’s revelation. And in Greek philosophy, the term Logos was used to describe the intermediate agency by which God created material things and communicated with them. In the Greek worldview, the Logos was thought of as a bridge between the transcendent God and the material universe. Therefore, for his Greek readers the use of the term Logos would have likely brought forth the idea of a mediating principle between God and the world.

So, essentially, what John is doing by introducing Jesus as the Logos is drawing upon a familiar word and concept that both Jews and Gentiles of his day would have been familiar with and using that as the starting point from which he introduces them to Jesus Christ. But John goes beyond the familiar concept of Logos that his Jewish and Gentile readers would have had and presents Jesus Christ not as a mere mediating principle like the Greeks perceived, but as a personal being, fully divine, yet fully human. Also, Christ was not simply a personification of God’s revelation as the Jews thought, but was indeed God’s perfect revelation of Himself in the flesh, so much so that John would record Jesus’ own words to Philip: "Jesus said unto him, 'Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, "Show us the Father"?'" (John 14:9). By using the term Logos or “Word” in John 1:1, John is amplifying and applying a concept with which his audience was familiar and using that to introduce his readers to the true Logos of God in Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God, fully God and yet fully man, who came to reveal God to man and redeem all who believe in Him from their sin.

​

Faith



It is the blood of Jesus Christ

​—the blood of the Lamb--

that redeems people,

setting them free

from slavery to sin and Satan’s control

Scripture gives us vivid pictures of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. Peter explains that “God paid a ransom” to save us from our old empty way of life. “And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God”

(1 Peter 1:18–19, NLT).
​
Whoever believes in him is not condemned” (John 3:17–18).


​The apostle Paul asks, “Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Romans 8:33–34, NLT). Despite everything in the devil’s arsenal that he can throw at us, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Paul tells the Colossians, “For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. So don’t let anyone condemn you” (Colossians 2:12–16, NLT).

Many passages of Scripture communicate that Jesus Christ lives within those who trust Him for salvation (2 Corinthians 13:5). While this is an astonishing truth, it isn’t easy to grasp. Not only is Jesus Christ alive today, but through God’s Holy Spirit—called the “Spirit of Christ” in Romans 8:9—He lives and dwells within every child of God. The life of Christ in us is our hope of eternal glory. The apostle Paul called the indwelling of Christ a great mystery: “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

Paul often spoke of Christ taking up residence in the hearts of those who accept Him as Lord and Savior. When he prayed for the believers in Ephesus, Paul longed for their faith to deepen so that Christ would be at home in their hearts: “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” (Ephesians 3:16–17, NLT).

When a person believes in Jesus, he or she is united to Christ, first in His death and then in the newness of His resurrection life. The apostle Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Paul explained to the church in Rome, “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was” (Romans 6:4–5, NLT).

Our old selves—full of rebellion, sin, and unbelief—died with Christ, who paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. Through our union with Christ in His death, we are made alive by God’s Spirit to walk in the newness of life because we have been made right with God (Romans 8:10). Our lives become a vehicle to display the life of Christ: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:6–10; see also Galatians 1:15–16).

In our ordinary human condition of weakness, we are but jars of clay holding a priceless treasure—the life of Christ in us. The challenges we face, the persecution, trials, hardship, and suffering we endure, serve to pour out the all-surpassing power of God and reveal the life of Jesus Christ to those around us. We can rest assured that we will not be overcome in all these afflictions because we have the treasure of Jesus Christ living in us.

In 2 Corinthians 2:15, Paul likened the lives of those who share the gospel to “a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God” (NLT) and “the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing” (NIV). With Christ in us, as we spread the good news of salvation in Jesus, we diffuse His fragrance to a lost and dying world.

In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul states, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” After we receive Jesus as Lord, He becomes our master. In the booklet My Heart Christ’s Home (InterVarsity Press, 1954), author Robert Munger imaginatively describes the Christian life as a house. When Jesus enters, He goes from room to room. In the library of our minds, Christ sorts through the garbage, cleaning out the worthless trash. In the kitchen, he deals with our unhealthy appetites and sinful desires. At the dining room table, He serves us the bread of life to satisfy our hungry souls and pours living water for us to drink and never be thirsty again. Through dark hallways and closets, Jesus uncovers all the places where sin hides. He works His way through every nook and cranny until His love, mercy, forgiveness, and grace have filled every space. This allegory presents a beautiful picture of what it means to have Christ in us.
​
​
Luke 6:6-11

On another Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. / Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. / But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and stand among us.” So he got up and stood there.


Hebrews 5:11 referred to the readers as "dull of hearing." The terminology here implies someone who is sluggish, apathetic, or lazy. The problem is not a lack of time, or of intelligence. It is simply a lack of motivation. Given that this letter is written to persecuted Jewish Christians, there are many possible reasons for their slow growth. Fear of the world, a lack of confidence, or simple apathy could all have contributed to the problem. The solution, as explained here, is not to take additional time to establish the basics of the faith. Rather, the author intends to press on and allow the reader to catch up.

This perspective is crucial to understanding the statements made in verses 4 through 8. "Sitting still" is not really possible for a Christian. Our faith is either growing, or it is dying. A field full of dead weeds must be burned—symbolic of judgment—before it can start to produce again (Hebrews 6:8).

Verses 1 and 2 describe points which should already be familiar to the Jewish Christians reading the letter. All of these were points of disagreement between Judaism and Christianity. These were topics over which these readers felt attacked. This list also highlights a major temptation being confronted in the book of Hebrews: to abandon truth in favor of an easier, more popular faith.

The reference to "dead works" here is in the same context as other New Testament explanations of the Law. Merely following rules and rituals is not what saves us. In particular, the Old Testament Law was not meant to be the ultimate measure of faith; rather, it was meant to point us towards Christ (Galatians 3:24).

We are commanded in Scripture to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). This growth is spiritual growth, growing in faith.

At the moment we receive Christ as our Savior, we are born again spiritually into God’s family. But just as a newborn baby requires nourishing milk for growth and good development, so also a baby Christian requires spiritual food for growth. "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2-3). Milk is used in the New Testament as a symbol of what is basic to the Christian life.

But as a baby grows, its diet changes to also include solid foods. With this in mind, read how the writer of Hebrews admonished the Christians: “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:12-14). Paul saw the same problem with the Corinthian believers; they had not grown in their faith, and he could only give them "milk" because they were not ready for solid food (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

The analogy between a human baby and a spiritual baby breaks down when we realize how each baby matures. A human baby is fed by his parents and growth is natural. But a baby Christian will only grow as much as he purposefully reads and obeys and applies the Word to his life. Growth is up to him. There are Christians who have been saved many years, but spiritually they are still babies. They cannot understand the deeper truths of the Word of God.

What should a Christian’s diet consist of? The Word of God! The truths taught in the Bible are rich food for Christians. Peter wrote that God has given us everything we need for life through our (growing) knowledge of Him. Read carefully 2 Peter 1:3-11 where Peter lists character qualities that need to be added to our beginning point of faith in order for maturity to take place and to have a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
​
​

The Pool of Bethesda

1Some time later there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool with five covered colonnades, which in Hebrewa is called Bethesda.

​3On these walkwaysc lay a great number of the sick, the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed.

5One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and realized that he had spent a long time in this condition, He asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
7“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am on my way, someone else goes in before me.”

8Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.”

9Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. 
Now this happened on the Sabbath day, 10so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath! It is unlawful for you to carry your mat.”

11But he answered, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”

12“Who is this man who told you to pick it up and walk?” they asked.

13But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while the crowd was there.

14Afterward, Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.”

15And the man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.




The Father and the Son


16Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews began to persecute Him. 17But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.”
18Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

19So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.

22Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son, 23so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
24Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.

25Truly, truly, I tell you, the hour is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. 27And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
28Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice 29and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.


30I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.



Testimonies about Jesus
​

31If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid. 32There is another who testifies about Me, and I know that His testimony about Me is valid.

33You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved.

35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light. 36But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me. 37And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form,38nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent.



The Witness of Scripture


(Luke 16:19–31)

39You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, 40yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.
41I do not accept glory from men, 42but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you. 43I have come in My Father’s name, and you have not received Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

45Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. 46If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”


Jesus asked a lot of questions. Query was one of His favorite teaching tools. One of the questions Jesus put to the disciples was “Who do you say that I am?” (Luke 9:20). This question drew out a response that is instructive to all of us.

The context of Jesus’ question “Who do you say that I am?” is important: “Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’

“They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.’

“‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’

“Peter answered, ‘God’s Messiah’” (Luke 9:18–20). Parallel accounts are found in Matthew 16 and Mark 8.

Matthew relates that Peter did more than just identify Jesus as the Christ; he also proclaimed Jesus’ divine nature: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

Jesus’ question “Who do you say I am?” was not a sign of ignorance; He knew all things, including what was on the disciples’ minds. The question was also not motivated by some type of self-conceit or vanity; Jesus did not preen, and He had no desire to fish for compliments. Rather, His question was aimed at provoking the disciples to consider their level of faith. The immediate results of His question make it clear why He asked them what He did.

Jesus began the conversation by asking a related question: “Who do the crowds say I am?” (Luke 9:18). In response, the disciples related the various things they had heard: the opinions included several personages come back to life, pointing to the fact that the crowds viewed Jesus as someone special. But the crowds’ guesses were all wrong. So Jesus directs the question to the disciples themselves: “Who do you say that I am?” In other words, are you following the crowd? Are you sticking with the conventional wisdom about Me? Or do you have another, more insightful answer? What do you really think?

Peter then speaks up. In answer to the question, Peter affirms his belief that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah and, more than that, the Son of God. By this time, the disciples had seen many miracles, including the raising of a widow’s son in Nain, the calming of a storm, the casting out of many demons from a man in the Gerasenes, and the feeding of 5,000. The disciples knew that Jesus was more than a prophet; He was absolutely unique; He was, in fact, God in the flesh.

In response to Peter’s declaration, Jesus expresses the blessedness of his faith: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). God, in His grace, had opened the disciples’ eyes to see Jesus for who He truly was.

So Jesus asks the question “Who do you say that I am?” and He receives the correct (divinely inspired) response from Peter. This marks a turning point in Jesus’ teaching ministry with His disciples. Starting then, the Lord gives His disciples additional information, as shocking as it was for them to hear: “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matthew 16:21).

Jesus had refrained from telling His disciples about His death and resurrection until they had reached an important milestone: namely, that their faith had grown to the extent that they could express their conviction that Jesus was the Son of God. How the disciples handled the additional information of Jesus’ death would depend on who they believed Jesus to be. Knowing that He is the Son of God, they should be able to trust Him—even to the point of accepting His death (and resurrection) without being shaken.

Unfortunately, the disciples had a hard time processing what Jesus was now telling them, as evidenced in Peter’s response (Matthew 16:22–23). Even having faith in Jesus as the divine Son of God, the disciples were thrown into confusion at the prediction of Jesus’ death and resurrection (see Mark 9:32).

Jesus’ question “Who do you say that I am?” is a good example of one of His teaching methods. Asking a question demands engagement, promotes thinking, and draws out a considered response. Jesus’ question and subsequent teaching also illustrate the progressive nature of God’s revelation and our need for growing in faith. Throughout history, God has revealed His message gradually, starting in Genesis and continuing through the close of the canon. He did not reveal any more than mankind needed or was capable of receiving at any given time. Also, Jesus’ delay in introducing the subject of His death and resurrection suggests that the disciples’ faith needed to mature to the point that they could hear and understand. All of us are called to grow in our faith. There is always more to know of Christ. “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity” (Hebrews 6:1).
​

The need for Christ, and only Christ, is also the message proclaimed by all of the apostles. When brought before the religious teachers, Peter said, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Paul taught, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek"

​ (Romans 1:16)


There are a great many words in both Hebrew and Greek that are translated “mind.” In the Old Testament, the word that is often translated “mind” is the word for “heart.” Sometimes the word heart refers to the actual physical organ, but many times it refers to the inner being—the seat of the will and the emotions. In the New Testament, the word kardia, the Greek word for “heart,” can also refer to the physical organ but is often translated “mind” as well. Today, we often set the mind and heart against each other, as in “Even though he knew in his mind that it was a bad idea, he had to follow his heart.” Likewise, sometimes we speak of “head knowledge” versus “heart knowledge.” These are simply modern conventions that differentiate intellect from emotions. In ancient times, the distinction seems to have been less emphasized.

In the New Testament, the Greek word phroneo is often translated “mind” and most often refers to a person’s understanding, views, or opinions, as in “But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. ‘Get behind me, Satan!’ he said. ‘You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns’” (Mark 8:33). Another example: “But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect” (Acts 28:22). Here, “your views” is the translation of the word in question.

There are several other words that are often translated “mind.” Perhaps the most important for theological purposes is the one found in Matthew 22:37: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” The word dianoia is a compound word that combines dia, which might be translated “through,” and the word nous, which is another word for “mind.” This word is used many times in the New Testament. It would seem that we would have to know what the mind is in order to love God with all of it.

We should not attempt to import modern notions of mind, brain, and intellect into the ancient text. The people in Old and New Testament times seem to have had a much more integrated view of humanity. There was much less emphasis on the distinction between the material and the immaterial. When Jesus says to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind, He is not highlighting various aspects of personality. He is not differentiating between emotion and intellect; rather, He is saying that our love for God should be all-inclusive. The mind is simply one more way to identify the inner being—all that we are. In fact, in Matthew 22:37, Jesus uses the word kardia (“heart”), which in other contexts is translated “mind.”

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states, “We look in vain in the Old Testament and New Testament for anything like scientific precision in the employment of terms which are meant to indicate mental operations.” Biblically, the mind is simply the “inner being” or the sum total of all our mental, emotional, and spiritual faculties, without drawing fine distinctions between them.

In one sense, the gospel message is very simple to understand: Jesus died and rose again so that we can be saved. The basic facts of the gospel are easy enough to grasp. But in another sense the gospel message is one of the deepest of divine truths ever revealed to mankind: Jesus died and rose again so that we can be saved. The implications of those facts and the underlying theology of God are profound enough to keep even the most astute theologians pondering for a lifetime. When it comes to salvation, how thorough of an understanding is required before faith can truly be called “faith”?

It is undeniable that saving faith involves a certain level of understanding. That understanding is made possible through the preaching of the gospel (Matthew 28:18–20) accompanied by the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart (Acts 16:14). Paul delineates the process that leads to a proper understanding of the gospel: preaching, which leads to hearing, which leads to believing, which leads to calling on the Lord for salvation (Romans 10:14). The “hearing” implies understanding; if the preaching is not understood, then it is not truly “heard.”

The content of the preaching that must be understood is the gospel. From the very beginning, the apostles’ message stressed the death and resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:23–24). This message is “of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). This passage contains the basic elements of the gospel, which centers on the Person and work of Christ: Jesus died for our sins, and He rose again from the dead. No one is saved without an understanding of this truth—and a reliance on it.

Each facet of the gospel message is important. Obscure the understanding of any element of the gospel, and faith dissolves: if we don’t understand that Jesus is the perfect Son of God, then His death is of no account, insofar as our salvation is concerned. If we don’t understand that Jesus died, then we logically won’t understand the resurrection. If we don’t understand the reason He died (for our sins), then we might view ourselves as guiltless and therefore not needing a Savior. If we don’t understand that Jesus rose again, then we miss the fact of a living Savior, and our faith is dead (1 Corinthians 15:17).

The Bible gives examples of those who had attained a certain amount of spiritual knowledge but were still unsaved. It was after they understood the essentials of the gospel that these individuals trusted Christ and were born again. The Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26–39), Cornelius (Acts 10), Apollos (Acts 18:24–28), and the twelve men in Ephesus (Acts 19:1–7) all had religious backgrounds, but the moment of salvation only came when they put their faith in Christ—and they had to hear and understand the content of the gospel first.

However, in order to be saved, it is not necessary to understand everything the gospel entails. In fact, understanding the fullness of all the gospel entails is impossible, this side of glory. We strive, paradoxically, “to know this love that surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19). But we will never fully understand the riches of God’s grace: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! / How unsearchable his judgments, / and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33).

For example, we don’t need to understand the hypostatic union in order to be saved. Quoting the definition of propitiation is not needed for salvation. Neither is a working knowledge of justification, redemption, or progressive sanctification required for entrance into heaven. Knowledge of these things comes with time and study of the Word, but they are not necessary to be grasped at the moment one is saved. It is doubtful that the thief on the cross understood much about soteriology when he turned to the Lord and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42).

The gospel message is simple enough for a child to understand. Jesus made a point of declaring that salvation is available to the little ones: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14). Praise the Lord, the gospel of Jesus Christ can be understood by children. Also, to those who are mentally incapable of understanding the gospel, we believe God extends His grace.

So, to go to heaven, we must “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 16:31). That is, we trust in the sacrifice of the Holy One of God who died in our place and rose again the third day. To those who believe in Jesus’ name, God gives “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). The gospel is as simple—and as profound—as that.

​In 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13 and then makes a statement concerning all believers: “We have the mind of Christ.” Having the mind of Christ means sharing the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ, and it is something that all believers possess. 


Having the mind of Christ means we understand God’s plan in the world—to bring glory to Himself, restore creation to its original splendor, and provide salvation for sinners. It means we identify with Christ’s purpose “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). It means we share Jesus’ perspective of humility and obedience (Philippians 2:5-8), compassion (Matthew 9:36), and prayerful dependence on God (Luke 5:16).

In the verses leading up to 1 Corinthians 2:16, we note some

​truths concerning the mind of Christ:

1) The mind of Christ stands in sharp contrast to the wisdom of man (verses 5-6).

2) The mind of Christ involves wisdom from God, once hidden but now revealed (verse 7).

3) The mind of Christ is given to believers through the Spirit of God (verses 10-12).

4) The mind of Christ cannot be understood by those without the Spirit (verse 14).

5) The mind of Christ gives believers discernment in spiritual matters (verse 15).

In order to have the mind of Christ, one must first have saving faith in Christ (John 1:12; 1 John 5:12).

​After salvation, the believer lives a life under God’s influence. The Holy Spirit indwells and enlightens the believer, infusing him with wisdom—the mind of Christ. The believer bears a responsibility to yield to the Spirit’s leading (Ephesians 4:30) and to allow the Spirit to transform and renew his mind (Romans 12:1-2).

Jesus said to

​
​Seek First
​

​ The


 Kingdom of God 
​

in His


Sermon on the Mount


(Matthew 6:33)


The verse’s meaning is as direct as it sounds. We are to seek the things of God as a priority over the things of the world. Primarily, it means we are to seek the salvation that is inherent in the kingdom of God because it is of greater value than all the world’s riches. Does this mean that we should neglect the reasonable and daily duties that help sustain our lives? Certainly not. But for the Christian, there should be a difference in attitude toward them. If we are taking care of God’s business as a priority—seeking His salvation, living in obedience to Him, and sharing the good news of the kingdom with others—then He will take care of our business as He promised—and if that’s the arrangement, where is worrying?


But how do we know if we’re truly seeking God’s kingdom first? There are questions we can ask ourselves. “Where do I primarily spend my energies? Is all my time and money spent on goods and activities that will certainly perish, or in the service of God—the results of which live on for eternity?” Believers who have learned to truly put God first may then rest in this holy dynamic: “…and all these things will be given to you as well.”

God has promised to provide for His own, supplying every need (Philippians 4:19), but His idea of what we need is often different from ours, and His timing will only occasionally meet our expectations. For example, we may see our need as riches or advancement, but perhaps God knows that what truly we need is a time of poverty, loss or solitude. When this happens, we are in good company. God loved both Job and Elijah, but He allowed Satan to absolutely pound Job (all under His watchful eye), and He let that evil woman, Jezebel, break the spirit of His own prophet Elijah (Job 1–2; 1 Kings 18–19). In both cases, God followed these trials with restoration and sustenance.

These “negative” aspects of the kingdom run counter to a heresy that is gaining ground around the world, the so-called "prosperity" gospel. A growing number of false teachers are gathering followers under the message “God wants you to be rich!” But that philosophy is not the counsel of the Bible—and it is certainly not the counsel of Matthew 6:33, which is not a formula for gaining wealth. It is a description of how God works. Jesus taught that our focus should be shifted away from this world—its status and its lying allurements—and placed upon the things of God’s kingdom.

One of the most important subdivisions of theology is Christology, which is the study of the person and work of Christ. Within that field of study, when we want to get at the aspect that is most crucial, the aspect that we may call the “crux” of the matter of Jesus’ person and work, we go immediately to the cross. The words crucial and crux both have their root in the Latin word for “cross,” crux, and they have come into the English language with their current meanings because the concept of the cross is at the very center and core of biblical Christianity. In a very real sense, the cross crystallizes the essence of the ministry of Jesus.

This was the view of the Apostle Paul. In his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul made an astonishing statement about the importance of the cross to the entirety of the Christian faith: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:1-2). Paul was a man who had the equivalent of two Ph.D.s in theology by the time he was 21 years of age, a man who wrote with great insight on the whole scope of theology. Nevertheless, he said that the focal point of his teaching, preaching, and ministry among the Corinthians was simply “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Paul was saying that in all of his teaching, in all of his preaching, in all of his missionary activity, the central point of importance was the cross.When the Apostle made that statement, he obviously was engaged in the literary art of hyperbole. The Greek prefix hyper is the source of our word super, and it indicates a degree of emphasis. Hyper takes a root word and makes it emphatic. In this case, the root word comes from the Greek verb “to throw.” So hyperbole is literally a “super throwing”; it is a form of emphasis that uses intentional exaggeration. This is a common device in communication. Sometimes, when a child disobeys, a parent may say in exasperation, “I’ve told you ten thousand times not to do that.” The parent doesn’t mean literally ten thousand times, and no one who overhears the parent understands him or her to mean literally ten thousand times. Everybody understands that a statement like that is an exaggeration—an exaggeration born not out of deceitfulness or falsehood, but out of an intent to bring emphasis.

That’s what Paul was doing when he told the Corinthians he had determined to know nothing except Christ crucified. Clearly Paul was determined to know all kinds of things besides the person and work of Jesus. He wanted to teach the Corinthians about the deep things of the character and nature of God the Father. He planned to instruct them about the person and work of the Holy Spirit, about Christian ethics, and about many other things that go beyond the immediate scope of Christ’s work on the cross. So why, then, did he say this? The answer is obvious. Paul was saying that in all of his teaching, in all of his preaching, in all of his missionary activity, the central point of importance was the cross. In effect, this teacher was saying to his students, “You might forget other things that I teach you, but don’t ever forget the cross, because it was on the cross, through the cross, and by the cross that our Savior performed His work of redemption and gathered His people for eternity.’”

Paul had many things about which he could have boasted. His experiences were incredible. He lists some of them in 2 Corinthians 11:22–28 to illustrate that, while he above others might have reason to boast in his own flesh—his experiences and his abilities—he would only boast in Christ. Paul recognizes that we have no real power in ourselves except for Christ in us, and he explains in Philippians 3:4–7 that, even though he has quite a list of impressive achievements, he counts all those as loss for the sake of Christ. They are worthless—even having negative value—in comparison to the joy of knowing Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 12:1 Paul provides an example of how a person should not find his or her identity and confidence in personal achievements because only God’s grace is sufficient. While showing mercy means not giving to someone what he does deserve, showing grace means giving to someone what he doesn’t deserve. God shows grace in giving us life and providing for us and strengthening us for the path ahead. That grace is sufficient—it is all we need.

To illustrate the principle, Paul tells of a man who was caught up to the third heaven and saw and heard indescribable things. This man was remarkably privileged, and it seems apparent in the context that Paul is talking about himself. He adds that, because of the greatness of the revelations he was given, he was also given a thorn in his flesh that would keep him from exalting himself (2 Corinthians 12:7). While Paul tells us very little about the nature of this “thorn” (what he also refers to as a messenger from Satan), he makes clear that its purpose was to help ensure his humility. Paul begged God that this thorn might go away, and God repeatedly said no to Paul’s request. God’s response to Paul is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9—“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

God was reminding Paul that the strength behind Paul’s ministry was not Paul’s experiences or abilities, nor was it the absence of difficulty. On the contrary, Paul’s ability to be faithful in ministry and survive incredibly difficult times was due to God’s grace. God’s grace is sufficient. When we are weak, God’s strength is even more evident. Paul could rejoice and boast in God because Paul knew the power that God exerted in Paul’s life through God’s grace. Paul could then boast in God’s strength, recognizing that, even when we are weak, God is strong. He provides the strength for us to withstand whatever challenges are before us.

Paul illustrates this same idea in Philippians 4:11–13. He explains that he has learned how to be content in any circumstance no matter how severe. When things are going well or when things are going badly, Paul knows that contentment doesn’t come from circumstances—contentment comes from recognizing that we can do whatever God intends for us to do through Christ who strengthens us. God is so gracious to provide strength when it is needed so that we can find our identity, our confidence, and our contentment in Him. This is what God meant when He said that His grace is sufficient—it is all we need.

As part of an apologetic for his own apostleship, Paul describes some of the incredible ways God had communicated with and used him, and he emphasizes that he would boast in his weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) rather than in his own strength or greatness. In this way, Paul affirms his apostleship but expresses that it is not for his own sake that he magnifies his ministry. Rather, he boasts in the strength of God.

After describing some of the many remarkable events in his ministry (2 Corinthians 11:1–29), Paul notes that he will boast in what pertains to his weakness (2 Corinthians 11:30). His humility is not a false humility, as he could have had much to boast about. He considers some of his “visions and revelations of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 12:1), noting that boasting is necessary but not profitable. As he is seeking to defend his apostleship from those who would question his authenticity, Paul recognizes he needs to mention these things. At the same time, he is not doing so in order to glorify himself. He recognizes the necessity of recounting these things, while emphasizing that he boasts in his weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), not in his strength.

Paul recounts in the third person how “a man” (2 Corinthians 12:2) was caught up into the third heaven, into paradise (2 Corinthians 12:2, 4), and heard inexpressible things. Such a man could boast, as the experiences were certainly boast-worthy (2 Corinthians 12:5). Despite the incredible experience Paul had, he explains that he wants people to take his ministry at face value; he doesn’t want to have to defend it by citing his experiences (2 Corinthians 12:6). Nonetheless, because he had been given great revelations—experiences that might cause one to boast—he was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, “to keep me from exalting myself” (2 Corinthians 12:7, NASB). While Paul offers no specifics about this thorn, he adds that the severity was so great that he pleaded with God to remove it (2 Corinthians 12:8). God replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NASB). Because God’s power was demonstrated through Paul’s weakness, Paul is glad to boast of his weakness to show the power of Christ dwelling in him (2 Corinthians 12:9). He can be content, recognizing that “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Paul’s strength is found not in himself but in God, who shows Himself to be strong even in the midst of human weakness.

Paul understands the principle that our strength is not in ourselves but in Christ. When we are weak, we are strong because of Him who works in us. Paul had to defend his apostleship, but he didn’t want to spotlight his own strength in doing so. Rather, he put the focus on the greatness of God. If people focused on Paul’s greatness, then Paul’s entire ministry would be misdirected. He was an apostle—a “sent one”—to testify of Jesus Christ. Like John the Baptist once said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). Paul was following a similar strategy in recognizing the glory of God as the focus.

Paul provides an excellent example to follow in demonstrating that, like Paul, we can boast in our weakness. When we appear strong, people focus on our strength, but when we are weak, God’s strength is evident. Paul boasts in his weakness, and we can boast in ours because, in our limitations, God is seen to be limitless.

Jesus alone is the King of kings (Revelation 19:16). He alone is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). He alone is our Redeemer (Galatians 3:13) and the sole Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). The attempt to usurp or share in those positions is a blasphemous arrogation. Assigning those roles to someone else (such as Mary) is equally improper. It is Christ and Christ alone who saves.

It is not our righteousness that saves us; it is Christ’s alone. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5). “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:22). Whatever good works we do and however faithful we are, in the final analysis “we are unworthy servants” (Luke 17:10). Christ and Christ alone is the Worthy One (Revelation 5:9). Solo Christo.

From beginning to end, the gospel uplifts Christ and Christ alone. He is the One who came from heaven to seek the lost (Luke 19:10). He is the One who obeyed the Law perfectly. He is the One who was crucified, and He is the One who rose again. We are the grateful recipients of His bounty. We are the beggars, and He is the Benefactor. We are the lepers, and He is the Healer. We are turmoil, and He is Peace. Solo Christo.

Trusting in the Lord begins by believing in Jesus for salvation. When we trust in Him, we acknowledge that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). We then get to know God more as we spend time in prayer and Bible study. The more we know God, the more we will love Him. The more we love Him, the more we will trust in Him alone—with all our hearts—for wisdom, for decisions, for everything.

Jeremiah 17:7–8 describes the benefits that come to the person who trusts the Lord with all his heart: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

Those who trust in the Lord have hope and need not fear difficulty or calamity. They know who is in control of their lives and that He is fully good and true. Proverbs 3:5–6 is a wise instruction that ends in a promise: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” What a wonderful thing to trust in God with all your heart and to have Him direct your paths!

A word often translated “peace” in the Bible actually means “to tie together as a whole, when all essential parts are joined together.” Inner peace, then, is a wholeness of mind and spirit, a whole heart at rest. Inner peace has little to do with external surroundings. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” He had also told His followers that “in this world you will have many troubles. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). So peace is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of God.

Ephesians 4:11–16 discusses both the gift of spiritual leaders and the importance of mature, loving, unified Christianity. Some people are endowed with gifts of teaching, preaching, and so forth. It is crucial to the health of Christian congregations that these members use their God-given talents appropriately. At the same time, different members of a church have different abilities. The community of believers functions best when all of those individual pieces are working together, through their unique roles. A healthy church is far more powerful than a ''big'' church.

Church leaders are to equip believers to serve, in order to build up the community of believers (Ephesians 4:12). This verse adds three additional reasons. First, Paul wants believers to live in unity. This unity is based on the essentials of our faith. It does not imply compromising necessary beliefs, or a lack of beliefs. 

Second, believers are to grow in "knowledge of the Son of God." The focus of church leaders is preparing Christians to serve others, in practical ways. And yet, knowledge is a critically important part of effective service. 

Third, Paul wants every believer to grow in maturity. Obviously, Paul is not referring to biology. Instead, he means spiritual growth, which includes increases in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) and our love for both God and others (Matthew 22:37–40). The end goal is to be "full" of Christ or the "fullness of Christ" (also Ephesians 1:23: 3:19). Paul often wrote of the importance of maturity for believers (1 Corinthians 2:6; 14:20; Philippians 3:15; Colossians 1:28; 4:12). Hebrews 5:14 adds that "solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."

Truly understanding saving grace, as Paul explained in prior chapters, is the Christian's first motivation for living a godly life. Here, Paul encourages believers to live in way which honors that gift. All saved Christians are part of a single, unified family, part of the ''body'' of Christ. At the same time, different believers are given different talents. Some are called to positions of leadership and authority. All Christians should turn away from the ''old self'' we were prior to being saved. Paul's explanation of the ''new self'' includes some basic, practical steps.

Each occurrence of the phrase knowledge of God in the Bible must be studied within its own context. Sometimes the author might be referring to God’s knowledge (Romans 11:33), while other times he may be referring to our knowledge of God (Romans 1:28). We will focus on the second sense, which is the most common. It is impossible to cover every nuance in every passage, but we can make some general observations about the way knowledge of God is used in the Scriptures.

The knowledge of God usually refers to knowing the truth about God (Romans 1:19–21). According to the Bible, the knowledge of God starts with God (Proverbs 2:6). He graciously chooses to reveal Himself to humanity in many ways (Isaiah 33:6). He reveals Himself to everyone through creation (Psalm 19:1–2), so that every person knows at least about His “eternal power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20). This basic knowledge of God’s righteousness and our moral responsibility is enough to condemn us for not following His law (Romans 1:18).

Those who fear God, or have a relationship with Him, can grow in the knowledge of God, as He reveals Himself (Proverbs 1:7; Isaiah 33:6). God reveals Himself through the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16), through His people (Romans 15:14), through His Holy Spirit (John 14:26), and through His Son, who is His perfect image (Colossians 1:15).

In the Bible, the knowledge of God is closely tied to relationship with God. God gives knowledge to those who love Him, and rejection of knowledge results in broken relationship (Proverbs 2:4–6; Hosea 4:6; Romans 1:21–25). It is a little like our human relationships: the closer we get to someone, the more we know that person, and the more we get to know him or her, the closer we become. As we grow in the knowledge of God, we learn more about His will, His works, and His character.

Increasing in our knowledge of God, or learning more about Him, should motivate a change in our lives, as we contemplate His goodness, mercy, and glory (2 Peter 2:20). As Christians, we grow in the knowledge of God through our relationship with Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). Our goal is to grow in the knowledge of God, so that we become more like His Son. Paul’s prayer for the Colossians is a beautiful example of this dynamic:

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:9–12).

Finally, as Christians, we do not keep the knowledge of God to ourselves. As we grow in the knowledge of God, we are to share it with others, so that they can come to know Him as well. Paul’s life of self-sacrificial ministry spread the knowledge of God to everyone around him (2 Corinthians 2:14). God also used Paul’s ministry to break down every obstacle in the human mind that prevented people from hearing the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). In the same way, we should share the knowledge of God everywhere we go, so that people would come to know Him through the grace of His Son. Then, as we serve one another in Christian community, we will build each other up until, by the grace of God, “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

Second Corinthians 2:15 says, “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” To understand what the apostle Paul meant when he said that Christians are the “aroma of Christ,” we must look at the verses immediately surrounding the expression: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?” (verses 14–16).

For Jewish people, the apostle Paul’s analogy of “the pleasing aroma of Christ” would present an immediate association. In the Old Testament, the scent of burnt offerings was described as “an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Genesis 8:20–21; Leviticus 23:18; Numbers 28:27). For the Gentiles, this phrase would suggest the scent of incense being burned as an offering to the gods. However, Paul had a more specific picture in mind.

The apostle was speaking to the Corinthians about recent events in his ministry of evangelism. Despite all the difficulties and disappointments he’d faced while traveling from city to city spreading the gospel, Paul was able to reflect on God’s goodness with thanksgiving. The apostle then compared this ministry of evangelism to the triumphal military parades that were common at that time in the Roman world.

Paul’s metaphor would be readily understood by his audience, with the apostle and his co-laborers portrayed as victorious soldiers in a triumphal procession. During these Roman military parades, captives of war would be marched through the streets as garlands of flowers were carried and incense was burned to the gods. The aromatic perfumes wafted on the air as spectators and those in the procession breathed in their fragrance. At the parade’s finale, many prisoners would be put to death. Thus, the aromas were pleasing and life-giving to the victors, but they were the smell of death to those who had been defeated.

In Paul’s analogy, he separates humanity into two groups: those on the path of salvation and those on the road to destruction. The aroma spread everywhere by the ministry of evangelism was the knowledge of God as victor. Christians who spread the gospel are members of God’s victorious army led by Jesus Christ. Believers are like the aroma or fragrance spread during the victory processions. Both the victors and those perishing smell the aroma; however, it has a different meaning for the two groups. For the victorious army and its peoples, the aroma would relate to the joy of triumph. But for the prisoners of war, the fragrance would be associated with defeat, slavery, and death.

This brilliant metaphor contrasts Christian and non-Christian responses to hearing the gospel. To non-Christians, those on the road to destruction, believers who preach the gospel spread the smell of death, as it were. To Christians, those on the path to salvation, they produce the fragrance of life.

Overwhelmed by the extreme importance of this ministry of spreading the gospel, Paul exclaimed, “And who is equal to such a task?” The implication is that no one is worthy. Paul was astounded that God would appoint humans to share in this task. Later, in 2 Corinthians 3:5–6, Paul affirms that our ability rests solely on God: “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

The Gospels of Mark and Luke both relay an incident involving a widow’s gift to God. She didn’t give much—just two mites—or did she?

The story is often called the story of the widow’s mite or the story of the widow’s offering. One day, Jesus was sitting with His disciples near the temple treasury watching people depositing money into the offering receptacles. The court of women held thirteen such receptacles, and people could cast their money in as they walked by. Jesus watched as the rich were contributing large sums of money, but then along came a widow with two small coins in her hand. The ESV calls them “two small copper coins, which make a penny” (Mark 12:41). The KJV calls the coins “mites.” These were the smallest denomination of coins. The widow put her coins into the box, and Jesus called His disciples to Him and pointed out her action: “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43–44; cf. Luke 21:1–4).

There are several things that the story of the widow’s mite teaches us. First, God sees what man overlooks. The big gifts in the temple were surely noticed by people; that’s probably what the disciples were watching. But Jesus saw what no one else did: He saw the humble gift of a poor widow. This was the gift that Jesus thought worthy of comment; this was the gift that the disciples needed to be aware of. The other gifts in the treasury that day made a lot of noise as they jingled into the receptacles, but the widow’s mites were heard in heaven.

Second, God’s evaluation is different from man’s. The widow’s two mites added up to a penny, according to man’s tabulation. But Jesus said that she had given more than anyone else that day (Mark 12:43). How could this be, when “many rich people threw in large amounts” (Mark 12:41)? The difference is one of proportion. The rich were giving large sums, but they still retained their fortunes; the widow “put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). Hers was a true sacrifice; the rich had not begun to give to the level of her sacrifice.

Third, God commends giving in faith. Here was a woman in need of receiving charity, yet she had a heart to give. Even though the amount was negligible—what could a widow’s mite buy?—she gave it in faith that God could use it. The widow’s faith is also evident in the fact that she gave the last of her money. Like the widow of Zarephath, who gave her last meal to Elijah (see 1 Kings 17:7–16), the widow in the temple gave away her last means of self-support. Does that mean the widow left the temple completely destitute, went home, and died of starvation? No. The Bible teaches that God provides for our needs (Matthew 6:25–34). We don’t know the details of this particular widow’s future, but we can be certain that she was provided for. Just as God provided for the widow and her son in Elijah’s day (1 Kings 17:15–16), God also provided for the widow in Jesus’ day.

It is interesting that, just before Jesus commented on the widow’s mite, He commented on the scribes “who devour widows’ houses” (Mark 12:40). The religious officials of the day, instead of helping the widows in need, were perfectly content to rob them of their livelihood and inheritance. The system was corrupt, and the darkness of the scribes’ greed makes the widow’s sacrifice shine even more brightly. “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7), and He is faithful to take care of His own.

All four gospels present an account of Jesus being anointed by a woman with a costly jar of perfume (Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–8). Matthew and Mark relate the same event but do not give the woman’s name; Luke tells of a different woman, also anonymous, on an earlier occasion; and, in yet another event, the woman in John is identified as Mary of Bethany (John 11:2), sister to Martha and Lazarus. To understand the significance of Jesus being anointed on these three occasions, we’ll look at each account separately and then compare and contrast them in conclusion.

The anointing of Jesus in Matthew takes place two days before Passover in the town of Bethany at Simon the leper’s home: “Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table” (Matthew 26:6–7, ESV).

Matthew focuses on the anointing of Jesus as a teaching episode for the disciples, who react with anger because of the woman’s wasteful extravagance. But Jesus defends her, saying, “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Matthew 26:10). Christ explains that the anointing is to prepare His body for burial and that the woman’s act of love will forever be remembered wherever the good news is preached.

Mark tells the same story in similar terms, with an anonymous woman with an alabaster box interrupting a meal in Simon the leper’s home to anoint the head of Jesus with expensive perfume. Again, the woman’s critics describe her gift as excessive, complaining that it could have been sold for more than a year’s wages (Mark 14:5). But Jesus receives the woman’s gift as a selfless act of love and devotion—an appropriate way to honor the Messiah. Jesus reveals that He will not be with them much longer, which references His impending death and burial.

Both Matthew and Mark’s accounts emphasize the prophetic significance of the anointing of Jesus, alluding to His death and burial. There may also be an implication of Jesus’ kingship, since, in the Old Testament, the anointing of the head was often associated with the dedication of kings (1 Samuel 9:15—10:1; 16:12–13; 1 Kings 1:38–40).

In Luke’s account of a similar, yet different, instance, Jesus uses the occasion of being anointed to tell a parable about forgiveness (Luke 7:39–50). About a year before His death, Jesus was dining in the home of Simon the Pharisee, who had arrogantly neglected to extend the customary respect and hospitality to his guest, while a sinful woman anoints Jesus’ feet, lavishing her love and gratefulness upon Jesus.

In John’s gospel, Lazarus’ sister Mary is the woman who anoints Jesus with a high-priced perfume at a dinner in Bethany. The story is similar to those in the other gospels, although this anointing takes place six days before Passover, and Judas is named as the disciple who objects to the “waste.” On this occasion, “Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair”(John 12:3, NLT). Jesus defends Mary from Judas’s criticism by pointing out the unique opportunity Mary had: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (John 12:8).

Mary’s anointing again points to Christ’s identity as Messiah-King, but it also points to His humble position as Servant-King. When Mary anoints Jesus’ feet and then wipes them with her hair, she foreshadows Jesus’ actions at the upcoming Last Supper when the Lord washes the disciples’ feet and teaches them how to love one another through sacrificial, humble service (John 13:1–20).

In each account, a woman pours out a precious and costly perfume in an extravagant act of worship. The three women who anointed Jesus recognized Christ’s unequaled value and expressed their gratitude with unreserved love and devotion. Two anointings of Jesus happen during the week of Passover and are linked with His imminent death and burial. The earlier anointing, in Luke’s account, is in the middle of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and draws a different lesson on forgiveness and love.

In each case, the woman’s actions signal more than she knows. But, although she may not fully comprehend the messianic significance of her anointing, each woman had come to appreciate Christ’s worth more than anyone else at the table.

Jesus Christ is God’s anointed Messiah. The word Messiah means “anointed one” and derives directly from the Hebrew word for “anointed.” Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, also meaning “anointed one.” Thus, Christ is the Greek equivalent to Messiah. When Jesus receives the Holy Spirit at His baptism, He is “anointed” by God in preparation for His life’s work (Luke 3:22; cf. Acts 10:38; Luke 4:18). On three separate occasions, Jesus is anointed with fragrant ointment in His work as the Savior, the King of heaven who was in preparation to die to save His people.

One of Jesus Christ’s most instructive miracles takes place when the apostle Peter jumps out of a boat and walks on turbulent water to meet the Lord on the sea. The account, which follows on the heels of another illuminating miracle, the feeding of the 5,000, is recorded in Matthew 14:22–36. Not only does Jesus walk on the Sea of Galilee here, but Peter walks on the water as well.

Several valuable lessons—some obvious and some not so apparent—are introduced in the account of when Peter walks on water. Jesus has just finished feeding a crowd of thousands with two fish and a few loaves of bread. The disciples are beginning to see who Jesus is, but their faith in Him still has room for growth. Directly following this miracle, Jesus launches into His next lesson. By now it’s evening, and Jesus has not yet had time to get alone with His Father—the very reason He had come to this isolated place near the sea. So Jesus sends His disciples on ahead in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus makes room for time alone with God. This is the first important lesson we can take from the account to help us weather the storms of life. Jesus sends the disciples away so He can be alone on the mountain to pray. Even with the needs of so many people pressing in on Him, the Lord makes solitary time with God His priority.

As the disciples are crossing the sea, a fierce and frightening storm kicks up. Very early in the morning, Jesus comes walking toward them on the water. Thinking He is a ghost, the disciples are terrified. Even though they have been with Christ for a long time, they don’t recognize Jesus as He approaches in the storm. Sometimes we fail to recognize the Lord when He comes alongside us during our own personal storms. But Jesus understands the immaturity of our faith. To His disciples, the Lord speaks these words of comfort: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matthew 14:27).

Peter, ever enthusiastic and impulsive, replies, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water” (Matthew 14:28). The Lord invites Peter to come, and the disciple steps out of the boat. Peter walks on water toward Jesus. His baby steps of faith last only a moment, though, and then he takes his eyes off of the Lord. With his physical sight, Peter sees the wind and waves surrounding him, and “he was afraid” (verse 30) and begins to sink.

Peter cries out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30), and Jesus instantly reaches out His hand to catch Peter. “You of little faith,” Jesus says, “Why did you doubt?” (verse 31). For believers, the lesson here is unmistakable. If we take our eyes off Jesus and focus on our circumstances, we will fall under the weight of our problems. If we call to Jesus in faith, he will catch us and lift us above our seemingly impossible situation. Peter let doubt displace his faith. In all the time he had been with Jesus, even Peter, one of Christ’s closest friends, was still learning to trust the Lord completely.

As Jesus and Peter climb into the boat, the storm ceases. The disciples respond to everything they’ve witnessed with awe, adoration, and worship of the Lord. To Jesus they say, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33). Beginning to grasp that Jesus is all-powerful, even over the forces of nature, the disciples take another step closer to possessing mature faith. Jesus uses this stormy experience to bring His followers into a fuller understanding of who He is as their God and King. He is the Almighty Lord of the winds and the waves, and when He is present with us in our lifeboat, we can trust Him to either calm the storm or calm us.

A crucial lesson remains to be explored. When Peter jumps out of the boat, his heart is full of good intentions. Sometimes we take a leap of faith with similarly good intentions, but, like Peter’s, our faith soon falters. Peter’s exercise of faith does not end in failure. Although he is sinking in fear, he calls out to the Lord, “Save me!” God loves to hear our cry for help. It means we know we can’t save ourselves. Peter helplessly cries out to the only one who can help him. The disciple’s experience reminds us that a lapse of faith is merely a stumble. The Lord is near to raise us back safely to our feet when we call to Him for help.

​
In Philippians 2:5, Paul sets Jesus before us as the example of the type of attitude we should have: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (NKJV). Or, as the NIV has it, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”

Paul writes his letter to the Philippians to encourage them to rejoice even in difficult circumstances. Paul was in prison, and he encourages the Philippians that, even though he was imprisoned, they should rejoice because God was still working (Philippians 1). The church at Philippi was commendable for several reasons; however, they were also dealing with some disunity (Philippians 4:2). Paul asks them to make his joy complete—to provide him joy even in his difficulty—by “being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Philippians 2:2). The Philippians could help Paul in his difficult time by simply showing the maturity that they should show in the first place. Paul explains how they can do that. They shouldn’t do anything out of selfishness or pride, but, instead, with humility in their thinking they should consider the other person as more important than themselves (Philippians 2:3). They shouldn’t be simply concerned about their own interests, but also the interests of others (Philippians 2:4). After these exhortations, Paul gives them a supreme example to consider: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

The idea of “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5) is to have the same mindset or thinking that Christ had. Specifically, Paul is talking about how Jesus as God was willing to give up His glory (Philippians 2:6) and to humble Himself to become a man and to die on a cross (Philippians 2:7–8). Jesus gave Himself up as an expression of love and was willing to lower Himself to express that love. He is the supreme example of love and humility—as Jesus Himself put it, no one has greater love than to give his life for another (John 15:13). Paul is challenging his readers to think like that—to be willing to lower themselves for the benefit of the other. That is how they could be of the same mind, maintaining the same love, and intent on one purpose (Philippians 2:2)—by being willing to make their own interests and purposes subservient for the good of the other person.

Humility is a basic and necessary aspect of the Christian life, and we have the perfect model of how to be humble in Jesus Christ. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Further, as James recounted, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6, ESV). God sees when people respond to Him and to each other with humility, and He is gracious. Peter adds that we should humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and at the right time He will exalt us (1 Peter 5:6). Any anxieties we might have about the implications of humility we can cast upon Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). This is one facet of God’s grace for the humble.

Paul challenged Euodia and Syntyche to live in harmony (Philippians 4:2), and that same challenge is applicable for us today. We need to “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” and treat each other with humility and honor so that we are valuing each other as God values us and as He intends for us to value each other.

The phrase “unequally yoked” comes from 2 Corinthians 6:14 in the King James Version: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” The New American Standard Version says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?”


A yoke is a wooden bar that joins two oxen to each other and to the burden they pull. An “unequally yoked” team has one stronger ox and one weaker, or one taller and one shorter. The weaker or shorter ox would walk more slowly than the taller, stronger one, causing the load to go around in circles. When oxen are unequally yoked, they cannot perform the task set before them. Instead of working together, they are at odds with one another.

Paul’s admonition in 2 Corinthians 6:14 is part of a larger discourse to the church at Corinth on the Christian life. He discouraged them from being in an unequal partnership with unbelievers because believers and unbelievers are opposites, just as light and darkness are opposites. They simply have nothing in common, just as Christ has nothing in common with “Belial,” a Hebrew word meaning “worthlessness” (verse 15). Here Paul uses it to refer to Satan. The idea is that the pagan, wicked, unbelieving world is governed by the principles of Satan and that Christians should be separate from that wicked world, just as Christ was separate from all the methods, purposes, and plans of Satan. He had no participation in them; He formed no union with them, and so it should be with the followers of the one in relation to the followers of the other. Attempting to live a Christian life with a non-Christian for our close friend and ally will only cause us to go around in circles.

The “unequal yoke” is often applied to business relationships. For a Christian to enter into a partnership with an unbeliever is to court disaster. Unbelievers have opposite worldviews and morals, and business decisions made daily will reflect the worldview of one partner or the other. For the relationship to work, one or the other must abandon his moral center and move toward that of the other. More often than not, it is the believer who finds himself pressured to leave his Christian principles behind for the sake of profit and the growth of the business.

Of course, the closest alliance one person can have with another is found in marriage, and this is how the passage is usually interpreted. God’s plan is for a man and a woman to become “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), a relationship so intimate that one literally and figuratively becomes part of the other. Uniting a believer with an unbeliever is essentially uniting opposites, which makes for a very difficult marriage relationship.

Faith in Action Produces Results



Why did God choose

​Abraham?


was Faith how

he received

his New Name?
​

To reveal his faith as an example for us. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8).

​We are to follow Abraham’s pattern of faithful obedience when we are called to leave worldly pursuits and comforts. As heirs of Abraham’s faith, we can look to his example and go where God leads us, trusting God for the future. Like Abraham, we should be looking for God’s promises to be fulfilled in our lives. The result of Abraham’s faith was that he simply and fully obeyed the call of God.

Jesus said, “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). The kind of faith that God blesses is Abraham’s kind of faith, one willing to leave everything behind for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we do not resolve to forsake all things, to endure whatever hardships that may be ahead of us, and to persevere to the end of our days in the service of Jesus, we cannot be His disciples.

We must be willing to give up everything, as Abraham did,

and live by faith.




​
Jesus


​ stated plainly that the

mark

of a


True disciple of Christ


is that he


remains faithful to His teachings




He told the Jews who believed

​in Him,
​

“If you abide in my word,
​

you are truly my disciples,


and you will


Know the Truth,


and
​

The Truth will set you free”

​

(John 8:31–32, ESV)




The word know in 

John 8:32 

is translated from a Greek verb

that means

“to know experientially.”


Understanding something with the mind or intellect, often called “head knowledge,” is different than knowing something experientially. We can know that something is bad for us yet still do it.

But when we take Jesus at His word and practice

“the truth that comes from him,” then we will

“throw off [our] old sinful nature and [our] former way of life”

and

“let the Spirit renew [our] thoughts and attitudes” so that the truth we live by sets us free

“to be like God—truly righteous and holy”

(Ephesians 4:20–24)


We shall know the truth in a way that sets us free from our old sinful way of life when we know Jesus experientially, in word, deed, and truth (see Colossians 3:17; 1 John 3:18).


“Our words AND actions will show that we belong to the truth”


(1 John 3:19, NLT)



Knowing the truth means experiencing Jesus Christ by accepting His teachings as absolute truth and then living in faithful obedience to them. We receive the message of the gospel and the teachings of Christ, and then we abide by them. The apostle John often framed the concept of true discipleship as knowing the truth of Christ experientially:


“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments”


(1 John 2:3, NLT; see also 1 John 2:29; 3:16, 24)


Knowing the truth is a rock-steady way of life. John 8:32 upholds the biblical concept that truth is the only dependable foundation for constructing one’s life (see also Psalm 26:3). Jesus taught, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:24–27, NLT). If we plant our feet firmly on Christ’s truth and follow the path of His teachings, nothing can shake, derail, or destroy us.

Jesus is the personification of truth (John 14:6). Only He embodies the truth that sets us free (Galatians 5:1; Romans 6:18; John 8:36). Those who know the truth are born-again believers who live in fellowship with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ: “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” (1 John 5:20, NLT).

You will know the truth also expresses the moral commitment of genuine disciples to do the will of God (John 7:17; 14:21, 23; James 1:25). We know the truth in the person of Jesus Christ, who prayed to the Father for us to be “made holy” by His truth and gave His own life as the sacrifice that made it possible for us to live out that truth (see John 17:14–19). Moreover, Jesus asked the Father to send us “the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth” (John 14:16–17, NLT; see also Ephesians 1:13).

When Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,” He was telling His followers that obedience to God is the only way to experience true liberation—spiritual freedom from sin. The freedom Jesus offers is restored fellowship with the Father, who is the source of all true life. And the mark of one who has received this life is to remain faithful to His teachings.

The word discern and its derivatives are translations of the Greek word anakrino in the New Testament. It means “to distinguish, to separate out by diligent search, to examine.” Discernment is the ability to properly discriminate or make determinations. It is related to wisdom. The Word of God itself is said to discern the thoughts and intentions of one’s heart (Hebrews 4:12).

A discerning mind demonstrates wisdom and insight that go beyond what is seen and heard. For example, God’s Word is “spiritually discerned.” To the human mind without the Spirit, the things of God are “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Spirit, then, gives us spiritual discernment.

King Solomon was known for his power of discernment, making many wise decisions and moral judgments (1 Kings 3:9, 11). Christians today are to be discerning as well. Paul prayed for believers “to discern what is best . . . until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10).

A discerning person will acknowledge the worth of God’s Word: “All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge” (Proverbs 8:8-9). Seeking discernment is a goal for all who desire to walk righteously: “Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them” (Hosea 14:9).

We are commanded to “hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9). But, unless we have true discernment, how can we determine what is “evil” and what is “good”? In order to maintain the purity of the gospel, the church must distinguish truth from heresy. Wisdom also demands that we properly discriminate between what is “best” and what is merely “good.”

Discernment has many collateral benefits. “My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:21-24).

Just as Solomon sought discernment and wisdom (Proverbs 1:2; 1 Kings 3:9-12) to explore the handiwork of God (Ecclesiastes 1:13) and seek the meaning of life (Ecclesiastes 12:13), so should believers seek “the wisdom that comes from heaven” (James 3:17). We must study the Scriptures which are “able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).


May our prayer be

​“I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes”


​ (Psalm 119:125)
​


O that Pearl of great price! have you found it?
Is the Savior supreme in your love?
O consider it well, ere you answer,
As you hope for a welcome above.
Have you given up all for this Treasure?
Have you counted past gains as but loss?
Has your trust in yourself and your merits
Come to naught before Christ and His cross?



Jesus had just finished explaining to the disciples the meaning of the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, and these two short parables are a continuance of His discussion of the “kingdom of heaven.” He expressed truths about the kingdom in three pairs of parables in Matthew 13: the seed and the sower (vv. 3-23) and the weeds in the field (vv. 24-30); the mustard seed (vv. 31-32) and the leaven (v. 33); and the hidden treasure (v. 44) and the pearl of great price (vv. 45-46). 

The similarities of these two short parables make it clear they teach the same lesson—the kingdom of heaven is of inestimable value. Both parables involve a man who sold all he had to possess the kingdom. The treasure and the pearl represent Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers. And while we cannot pay for salvation by selling all our worldly goods, once we have found the prize, we are willing to give up everything to possess it. But what is attained in exchange is so much more valuable that it is comparable to trading an ounce of trash for a ton of diamonds (Philippians 3:7-9). 

In both parables, the treasures are hidden, indicating that spiritual truth is missed by many and cannot be found by intelligence or power or worldly wisdom. Matthew 13:11-17 and 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 14 make it clear that the mysteries of the kingdom are hidden from some who are unable to hear, see, and comprehend these truths. The disobedient reap the natural consequences of their unbelief—spiritual blindness. Those whose eyes are opened by the Spirit do discern spiritual truth, and they, like the men in the parable, understand its great value. 

Notice that the merchant stopped seeking pearls when he found the pearl of great price. Eternal life, the incorruptible inheritance, and the love of God through Christ constitute the pearl which, once found, makes further searching unnecessary. Christ fulfills our greatest needs, satisfies our longings, makes us whole and clean before God, calms and quiets our hearts, and gives us hope for the future. The “great price,” of course, is that which was paid by Christ for our redemption. He emptied Himself of His glory, came to earth in the form of a lowly man and shed His precious blood on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

​It has been said that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The Lord Jesus frequently used parables as a means of illustrating profound, divine truths. Stories such as these are easily remembered, the characters bold, and the symbolism rich in meaning. Parables were a common form of teaching in Judaism. Before a certain point in His ministry, Jesus had employed many graphic analogies using common things that would be familiar to everyone (salt, bread, sheep, etc.) and their meaning was fairly clear in the context of His teaching. Parables required more explanation, and at one point in His ministry, Jesus began to teach using parables exclusively.

The question is why Jesus would let most people wonder about the meaning of His parables. The first instance of this is in His telling the parable of the seed and the soils. Before He interpreted this parable, He drew His disciples away from the crowd. They said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.


Therefore I speak to them in parables;

because

while seeing they do not see,

and

while hearing they do not hear,

nor do they understand.



In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes, because they see;

and your ears, because they hear.

For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men

desired to see what you see,

and did not see it,

and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it"

(Matthew 13:10-17)



From this point on in Jesus’ ministry,

when He spoke in parables,


He explained them only to His disciples


But those who had

continually rejected


His Message
​

were left

in their


​spiritual blindness

to wonder

as to His meaning




He made a clear distinction

between those who had been given

“ears to hear”


and those who

persisted in unbelief—ever hearing,

but never

actually perceiving and


“always learning but never

able to

acknowledge the truth”


(2 Timothy 3:7)





The disciples


had been given the gift of

spiritual discernment


by

which things of the spirit

were

made clear to them


Because they accepted


Truth from Jesus,

they were


Given more and more Truth



The same is true today of believers who have been given the

gift of the

Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth

(John 16:13)


He has opened our eyes to the light of truth and our ears to the sweet words of eternal life.

Our Lord Jesus understood that truth is not sweet music to all ears.

Simply put, there are those who have neither interest in nor regard for the deep things of God.


So why, then, did He speak in parables?

To those with a genuine hunger for God, the parable is both an effective and memorable vehicle for the conveyance of divine truths. Our Lord’s parables contain great volumes of truth in very few words—and His parables, rich in imagery, are not easily forgotten.

So, then, the parable is a blessing to those

with willing ears.

​But to those with dull hearts and ears
​
that are slow to hear,



​the parable is also an instrument of

both


judgment and mercy.



Romans 1:1 identifies

the author of the

Book of Romans as the apostle Paul



Romans 16:22 indicates that Paul

used a man named


 Tertius to transcribe his words

​

​As with all Paul’s epistles to the churches, his purpose in writing was to proclaim the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ by teaching doctrine and edify and encourage the believers who would receive his letter. Of particular concern to Paul were those to whom this letter was written—those in Rome who were “loved by God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). Because he himself was a Roman citizen, he had a unique passion for those in the assembly of believers in Rome. Since he had not, to this point, visited the church in Rome, this letter also served as his introduction to them.

Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of every one who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

Romans 3:9-11, “What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.’”

Romans 3:21, “But now a righteousness from God apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and Prophets testify.”

Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:9, “You however, are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”

Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:37-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 10:9-10, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.”

Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Romans 16:17, “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.”


 Paul was excited about being able to minister at last in this church, and everyone was well aware of that fact (Romans 1:8-15). The letter to the Romans was written from Corinth just prior to Paul’s trip to Jerusalem to deliver the alms that had been given for the poor there. He had intended to go to Rome and then on to Spain (Romans 15:24), but his plans were interrupted when he was arrested in Jerusalem. He would eventually go to Rome as a prisoner. Phoebe, who was a member of the church at Cenchrea near Corinth (Romans 16:1), most likely carried the letter to Rome.

The Book of Romans is primarily a work of doctrine and can be divided into four sections: righteousness needed, 1:18–3:20; righteousness provided, 3:21–8:39; righteousness vindicated, 9:1–11:36; righteousness practiced, 12:1–15:13. The main theme of this letter is obvious of course—righteousness. Guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul first condemns all men of their sinfulness. He expresses his desire to preach the truth of God’s Word to those in Rome. It was his hope to have assurance they were staying on the right path. He strongly points out that he is not ashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16), because it is the power by which everyone is saved.

The Book of Romans tells us about God, who He is and what He has done. It tells us of Jesus Christ, what His death accomplished. It tells us about ourselves, what we were like without Christ and who we are after trusting in Christ. Paul points out that God did not demand men have their lives straightened out before coming to Christ. While we were still sinners Christ died on a cross for our sins.

Paul uses several Old Testament people and events as illustrations of the glorious truths in the Book of Romans. Abraham believed and righteousness was imputed to him by his faith, not by his works (Romans 4:1-5). In Romans 4:6-9, Paul refers to David who reiterated the same truth: “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." Paul uses Adam to explain to the Romans the doctrine of inherited sin, and he uses the story of Sarah and Isaac, the child of promise, to illustrate the principle of Christians being the children of the promise of the divine grace of God through Christ. In chapters 9–11, Paul recounts the history of the nation of Israel and declares that God has not completely and finally rejected Israel (Romans 11:11-12), but has allowed them to “stumble” only until the full number of the Gentiles will be brought to salvation.

 The Book of Romans makes it clear that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Every “good” deed we have ever done is as a filthy rag before God. So dead in our trespasses and sins are we that only the grace and mercy of God can save us. God expressed that grace and mercy by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place. When we turn our lives over to Christ, we are no longer controlled by our sin nature, but we are controlled by the Spirit. If we make confession that Jesus is Lord, and believe that He is raised from the dead, we are saved, born again. We need to live our lives offered to God as a living sacrifice to Him. Worship of the God who saved us should be our highest desire. Perhaps the best application of Romans would be to apply Romans 1:16 and not be ashamed of the gospel. Instead, let us all be faithful in proclaiming it!

Romans has the theme of faith (Romans 1:16–17). Paul addresses the process by which faith is produced in the heart in Romans 10:17: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

The first eight chapters of Romans contends with the ideas of positional salvation through faith (Romans 1:18—5:21), the process of growing in holiness through faith (Romans 6:1—8:17), and the future glorification Christians will receive because of faith (Romans 8:18–39). Chapters 9—11 of Romans works from the implied question, “Has God then failed to fulfill His promises to Israel?”

It is within this context that Paul gives the reason for the Israelites’ lack of salvation; namely, they lack faith (Romans 9:32; 10:4). The Israelites are saved through faith in Christ, just like the Gentiles. Eternal salvation does not distinguish between Gentile or Jew but is received through belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:12–13; 1 Corinthians 15:1–8; Galatians 3:23–29).

In the lead-up to the statement that faith comes by hearing, Romans 10:14–16 explains the requirements for a series of actions to take place. In order for one to “call on the name of the Lord,” he or she must believe. In order to believe, one must hear (or receive the report). In order for one to hear, another has to give the report. And that other won’t give the report unless he or she is sent.

Paul continues in Romans 10:17 to summarize the argument thus far: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (NASB).

“Faith” is translated from the Greek word pistis, which means “belief, trust, or confidence in someone or something.” It is key to the book of Romans and is used 40 times in the book—three of those occurrences appearing in chapter 10. The verb form of the word is also used 21 times within the book and most often translated as “believe.”

If faith comes by hearing, then what does Paul mean by “hearing”? In this context, it is not simply the physical receiving of sounds by the ear as most English speakers would understand the term. “Hearing” seems to designate something more—the receiving or acceptance of a report. Note the use of the word, translated “message” in Romans 10:16, as Paul quotes Isaiah 53:1: “Lord, who has believed our message?” In Isaiah’s day, the Lord had provided Israel with a message, but the prophet laments that few actually received it. The “hearing” was not attached to simple sounds but to a message or report given. In Romans 10, Paul makes the point that the good news has been given and the people of Israel have heard (Romans 10:18).

The nature of the gospel is a report: a report of God saving people from the wrath they deserve. In order to believe the report, one must receive the report! Faith comes by hearing. It is not a guarantee that the report will result in faith, as Paul makes clear in Romans 10:16. For just as the Israelites refused to believe the message of Isaiah, every human today can refuse to believe the message of the gospel.

The nature of “hearing” also does not require the physical act of hearing with the ear. The report simply needs to be received. For instance, someone could read the gospel through GotQuestions.org and receive it by faith, without an audible word being spoken. As long as the message can be received fully, the medium does not affect the outcome. The content of the message must be “the word about Christ.” As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:3–5, the message is “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve” (NASB). Faith that leads to eternal salvation comes after “hearing”; that is, after receiving this message concerning Christ.
​
If by “excuse” we mean that because of our ignorance God will overlook our wrongs, then there are no adequate excuses for sin. Sin is any thought, word, or deed committed by human beings that is contrary to the perfection of God. When Adam and Eve were first created, they did nothing that was contrary to the perfection of God (Genesis 1:27–31). They were created in a perfect state and remained flawless until they gave in to temptation (Genesis 3:6–7). It could be argued that, having never seen death, they were somewhat ignorant about the severity of sin’s consequences. But that did not excuse their sin.

When God gave His Law to the Israelites, He included special instructions about sacrifices when a person, or the entire nation, sinned in ignorance (Hebrews 9:7). Leviticus 4 outlines God’s provision for those who sinned unintentionally or in ignorance. Numbers 15:22–29 restates this provision and gives details about the special sacrifices required to obtain forgiveness from the Lord when someone sinned in ignorance. Leviticus 5:17 makes it clear: “If someone sins and violates any of the LORD’s commandments even though he was unaware, he is still guilty and shall bear his punishment.” Ignorance did not excuse sin; sins the Israelites committed in ignorance still required an atoning sacrifice.

Although ignorance does not excuse sin, it can mitigate the punishment. The Law’s punishment for unintentional sin was significantly lighter than that for deliberate rebellion or blasphemy. Jesus reiterated this principle in Luke 12:47–48: “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (emphasis added).

We must learn to take sin as seriously as God does. One reason for all the sacrifices and continual purification rituals in the Old Testament was to show the people how far they were from God’s holiness. The purpose of negative consequences is to teach us to see sin the way God does and hate it as He does (Psalm 31:6; Proverbs 29:27). When we commit a sin in ignorance, God brings consequences to help us learn. Once we know better, He expects us to do better. We do the same with our children. Simply because a four-year-old had not been specifically told not to squish the bananas in the store does not mean Mom is fine with it. There will be consequences, even if he can claim ignorance of that specific rule, and he will be told clearly that squishing bananas will not be tolerated again. Of course, his consequences the first time may not be as severe as they are likely to be if Mom catches him squishing more bananas after being instructed not to.

Most claims of ignorance fall flat, however. Romans 1:20 says that there is no excuse for not believing in God’s existence: the invisible qualities of God are “clearly seen” in creation. Micah 6:8 also counters our claims of ignorance: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” If ignorance does not excuse sin, then feigned ignorance is even worse.

God is a Father, and He loves His children (Romans 8:15). He does not delight in punishing us but in conforming us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). He does not tolerate excuses, including the excuse of ignorance; rather, He gives us opportunities to learn from our consequences so that we make better choices. He knows what each of us has been given and holds us responsible for what we do with it (Matthew 13:11–12; Acts 17:30). We’ve all committed sins in ignorance, but God does not leave us ignorant (1 Peter 1:14). He has given us His Word to show us how to live, and He expects us to apply it to our lives and seek holiness, “without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

As early as the first century AD, false doctrine was already infiltrating the church, and many of the letters in the New Testament were written to address those errors (Galatians 1:6–9; Colossians 2:20–23; Titus 1:10–11). Paul exhorted his protégé Timothy to guard against those who were peddling heresies and confusing the flock: “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing” (1 Timothy 6:3–4).

As followers of Christ, we have no excuse for remaining ignorant of theology because we have the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) available to us—the Bible is complete. As we “study to show ourselves approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15), we are less likely to be taken in by smooth talkers and false prophets. When we know God’s Word, “we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14).

It is important to point out the difference between false doctrine and denominational disagreements. Different congregational groups see secondary issues in Scripture differently. These differences are not always due to false doctrine on anyone’s part. Church policies, governmental decisions, style of worship, etc., are all open for discussion, since they are not directly addressed in Scripture. Even those issues that are addressed in Scripture are often debated by equally sincere disciples of Christ. Differences in interpretation or practice do not necessarily qualify as false doctrine, nor should they divide the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10).


The Bible warns about people like Arius (c. AD 250—336), a Christian priest from Alexandria, Egypt, who was trained at Antioch in the early fourth century. About AD 318, Arius accused Bishop Alexander of Alexandria of subscribing to Sabellianism, a false teaching that asserted that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were merely roles or modes assumed by God at various times. Arius was determined to emphasize the oneness of God; however, he went too far in his teaching of God’s nature. Arius denied the Trinity and introduced what appeared on the surface to be an inconsequential difference between the Father and Son.

Arius argued that Jesus was not homoousios (“of the same essence”) as the Father, but was rather homoiousios(“of similar essence”). Only one Greek letter—the iota (ι)—separated the two. Arius described his position in this manner: “The Father existed before the Son. There was a time when the Son did not exist. Therefore, the Son was created by the Father. Therefore, although the Son was the highest of all creatures, he was not of the essence of God.”

Arius was clever and did his best to get the people on his side, even going so far as to compose little songs that taught his theology, which he tried to teach to everyone who would listen. His winsome nature, asceticism, and revered position as a preacher also contributed to his cause.

With respect to apostasy, it is critical that all Christians understand two important things: (1) how to recognize apostasy and apostate teachers, and (2) why apostate teaching is so deadly.


The Forms of Apostasy

To fully identify and combat apostasy, Christians should understand its various forms and the traits that characterize its doctrines and teachers. As to the forms of apostasy, there are two main types: (1) a falling away from key and true doctrines of the Bible into heretical teachings that claim to be “the real” Christian doctrine, and (2) a complete renunciation of the Christian faith, which results in a full abandonment of Christ.

Arius represents the first form of apostasy—a denial of key Christian truths (such as the divinity of Christ) that begins a downhill slide into a full departure from the faith, which is the second form of apostasy. The second form almost always begins with the first. A heretical belief becomes a heretical teaching that splinters and grows until it pollutes all aspects of a person’s faith, and then the end goal of Satan is accomplished, which is a complete falling away from Christianity.


Characteristics
​
Jude was the half brother of Jesus and a leader in the early church. In his New Testament letter, he outlines how to recognize apostasy and strongly urges those in the body of Christ to contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 1:3). The Greek word translated “contend earnestly” is a compound verb from which we get the word agonize. It is in the present infinitive form, which means that the struggle will be continuous. In other words, Jude says that there will be a constant fight against false teaching and that Christians should take it so seriously that we “agonize” over the fight in which we are engaged. Moreover, Jude makes it clear that every Christian is called to this fight, not just church leaders, so it is critical that all believers sharpen their discernment skills so that they can recognize and prevent apostasy in their midst.

After urging his readers to contend earnestly for the faith, Jude highlights the reason: “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4). In this one verse, Jude provides Christians with three traits of apostasy and apostate teachers:

First, Jude says that apostasy can be subtle. Apostates have “crept” into the church. In extra-biblical Greek, the term Jude uses describes the cunning craftiness of a lawyer who, through clever argumentation, infiltrates the minds of courtroom officials and corrupts their thinking. The word literally means “slip in sideways; come in stealthily; sneak in.” In other words, Jude says it is rare that apostasy begins in an overt and easily detectable manner. Instead, it looks a lot like Arius’s doctrine—only a single letter, the iota, differentiates the false teaching from the true.

Describing this aspect of apostasy and its underlying danger, A. W. Tozer wrote, “So skilled is error at imitating truth, that the two are constantly being mistaken for each another. It takes a sharp eye these days to know which brother is Cain and which is Abel.” The apostle Paul also speaks to the outwardly pleasing behavior of apostates and their teaching: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13–14). In other words, do not look for apostates to appear bad on the outside or speak dramatic words of heresy at the outset of their teaching. Rather than denying truth outright, apostates will twist it to fit their own agenda, but, as pastor R. C. Lensky has noted, “The worst forms of wickedness consist in perversions of the truth.”

Second, Jude describes apostates as “ungodly” and as those who use God’s grace as a license to commit unrighteous acts. Beginning with “ungodly,” Jude describes eighteen unflattering traits of apostates: they are ungodly (Jude 1:4), morally perverted (verse 4), denying Christ (verse 4), ones who defile the flesh (verse 8), rebellious (verse 8), people who revile angels (verse 8), who are ignorant about God (verse 8), those who proclaim false visions (verse 10), self-destructive (verse 10), grumblers (verse 16), faultfinders (verse 16), self-satisfying (verse 16), people who use arrogant words and false flattery (verse 16), mockers of God (verse 18), those who cause divisions (verse 19), worldly minded (verse 19), and finally (and not surprisingly), devoid of the Spirit/unsaved (verse 19).

Third, Jude says apostates “deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” How do apostates do this? Paul tells us in his letter to Titus, “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed” (Titus 1:15–16). Through their unrighteous behavior, the apostates show their true selves. Unlike an apostate, a true believer is someone who has been delivered from sin to righteousness in Christ and who refuses to continue in sin (Romans 6:1–2).

Ultimately, the sign of an apostate is that he eventually falls away and departs from the truth of God’s Word and His righteousness. The apostle John signifies this is a mark of a false believer: “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19).




Ideas Have Consequences
​


Every


New Testament Book


except Philemon

​ contains

warnings about false teaching




Why is this?!?



​Why is Sound Doctrine so Imminent? 


Its the foundation and essence

​of the entire





​Gospel Message
​


Simply because ideas have consequences. Right thinking and its fruit produce goodness, whereas wrong thinking and its accompanying action result in undesired penalties. As an example, the Cambodian killing fields in the 1970s were the product of the nihilistic worldview of Jean Paul Sartre and his teaching. The Khmer Rouge’s leader, Pol Pot, lived out Sartre’s philosophy toward the people in a clear and frightening way, which was articulated in this manner: “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss.”

Satan did not come to the first couple in the Garden with an external armament or visible weapon; instead, he came to them with an idea. And it was that idea, embraced by Adam and Eve, that condemned them and the rest of humankind, with the only remedy being the sacrificial death of God’s Son.

The great tragedy is that, knowingly or unknowingly, the apostate teacher dooms his unsuspecting followers. Speaking to His disciples about the religious leaders of His day, Jesus said, “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14, emphasis added). Alarmingly, it is not only false teachers who go to destruction, but their disciples follow them there. Christian philosopher Søren Kierkegaard put it this way: “For it has never yet been known to fail that one fool, when he goes astray, takes several others with him.”

In AD 325, the Council of Nicea convened primarily to take up the issue of Arius and his teaching. Much to Arius’s dismay, the end result was his excommunication and a statement in the Nicene Creed that affirms Christ’s divinity: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father.”

Arius may have died centuries ago, but his spiritual children are still with us to this day in the form of cults like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and others who deny Christ’s true essence and person. Sadly, until Christ returns and every last spiritual enemy has been removed, tares such as these will be present among the wheat (Matthew 13:24–30). In fact, Scripture says apostasy will only get worse as Christ’s return approaches. “At that time [the latter days] many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). Paul told the Thessalonians that a great falling away would precede Christ’s second coming (2 Thessalonians 2:3) and that the end times would be characterized by tribulation and hollow religious charlatans: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be . . . holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these” (2 Timothy 3:1–2, 5).

It is critical, now more than ever, that every believer pray for discernment, combat apostasy, and contend earnestly for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints.

​Romans 1 paints a disturbing picture about people who have rebelled against God. Part of the indictment against them is that “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:25). In exchanging the truth for a lie, these people have “worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.”

In the first few chapters of Romans, Paul explains how all humanity is guilty before God and how God intervened with a means for the forgiveness of that guilt. Paul calls this the gospel, or the good news. He says that this good news is God’s ability to save all who believe in Jesus (Romans 1:16–17). Before establishing how God resolved the problem, Paul explains the depth of the problem.

God’s wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. The ungodly suppress God’s truth in their unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). It is unrighteous of them to suppress His truth because He made His truth so evident to them (Romans 1:19). Truth is part of His revelation to them and an expression of His love. His invisible attributes, eternal power, and divine nature have been clearly seen through what He has made (Romans 1:20). Consequently, all of humanity are without excuse—which makes it all the more heinous that humanity has exchanged the truth of God for a lie.

Even though fallen (or unrighteous) humanity knew God, they did not honor Him or thank Him for all He had done for humanity (Romans 1:21). Instead, humanity became foolish in their speculations, and their hearts were darkened further (Romans 1:21b). While humanity professed to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:22). They could have had a relationship with their Creator; instead, they exchanged “the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles” (Romans 1:23). Consequently, God gave them over to impurity to fulfill the lusts of their hearts, to the dishonor even of their own bodies (Romans 1:24).

God gave them over because they had exchanged the truth for a lie (Romans 1:25). They had chosen to worship that which was created instead of the One who created everything. God gave them over further to degrading passions (Romans 1:26–27) and to depraved minds (Romans 1:28–29) because they did not see fit to acknowledge Him. Rather than acknowledge and thank their Creator, they exchanged the truth for a lie and chose to worship anything and everything else.

Paul explains that the consequences of exchanging the truth for a lie were fitting. God allowed humanity to pursue their passions, and it led to further depravity and evil (Romans 1:28–31). Paul’s indictment is chilling. He says that all who do these things are worthy of death (Romans 1:32; cf. Romans 6:23).

When we examine the list of sinful expressions that are worthy of death (Romans 1:29–31), we realize that it is not just they who have exchanged the truth for a lie, but it is also we. We are guilty. We have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). None of us are good or righteous in His sight (Romans 3:12). Paul wants everyone to understand that we are all guilty—we have all earned the wages of sin: death.

Paul did not write his letter to the Romans simply to show that all are condemned. He wrote to proclaim the gospel of God. While the wages of sin is indeed death, the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23b). Paul champions this wonderful news that God loved us so much that, while we were dead in our sin, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). All who believe in Him are reconciled to God and are saved (Romans 5:9–10). We are given new life and can embrace the truth rather than exchanging the truth for a lie.

Galatians 6:2 states, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (emphasis added). What exactly is the law of Christ, and how is it fulfilled by carrying each other’s burdens? While the law of Christ is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 9:21, the Bible nowhere specifically defines what precisely is the law of Christ. However, most Bible teachers understand the law of Christ to be what Christ stated were the greatest commandments in Mark 12:28–31, “‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’”

The law of Christ, then, is to love God with all of our being and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. In Mark 12:32–33, the scribe who asked Jesus the question responds with, “To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” In this, Jesus and the scribe agreed that those two commands are the core of the entire Old Testament Law. All of the Old Testament Law can be placed in the category of “loving God” or “loving your neighbor.”

Various New Testament scriptures state that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law, bringing it to completion and conclusion (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25; Ephesians 2:15). In place of the Old Testament Law, Christians are to obey the law of Christ. Rather than trying to remember the over 600 individual commandments in the Old Testament Law, Christians are simply to focus on loving God and loving others. If Christians would truly and wholeheartedly obey those two commands, we would be fulfilling everything that God requires of us.

Christ freed us from the bondage of the hundreds of commands in the Old Testament Law and instead calls on us to love. First John 4:7–8 declares, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” First John 5:3 continues, “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.”

Some use the fact that we are not under the Old Testament Law as an excuse to sin. The apostle Paul addresses this very issue in Romans. “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” (Romans 6:15). For the follower of Christ, the avoidance of sin is to be accomplished out of love for God and love for others. Love is to be our motivation. When we recognize the value of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, our response is to be love, gratitude, and obedience. When we understand the sacrifice Jesus made for us and others, our response is to be to follow His example in expressing love to others. Our motivation for overcoming sin should be love, not a desire to legalistically obey a series of commandments. We are to obey the law of Christ because we love Him, not so that we can check off a list of commands that we successfully obeyed.

Jesus discussed the new birth in His conversation with Nicodemus, a Jewish leader, in John 3. Jesus said to him, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3). Nicodemus was puzzled and asked how anyone could re-enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time. Jesus doubled down: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit” (verse 5). Then He expounded on what the new birth is.

Jesus explained that this new birth is not physical, but spiritual. The new birth that we must experience in order to “see the kingdom of God” is a work of the Holy Spirit. Just as a mother does all the work in physical birth, so the Holy Spirit does all the work in the new birth. Upon our faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit enters our spirits, regenerates us, and begins His work of transforming us into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are born again.

We are all born with a sin nature that separates us from our Creator. We were designed in His own image (Genesis 1:27), but that image was tarnished when we fell into sin. As sinners, we cannot fellowship with a holy God the way we are. We cannot be repaired, restored, or rehabilitated. We need to be reborn.

In answer to Nicodemus’s questions about the new birth, Jesus began talking about the wind: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:5–8).

In His analogy of the wind in John 3:8, Jesus was comparing physical birth and growth with spiritual birth and growth. Jesus points out that Nicodemus need not marvel at the necessity of the Spirit causing one to be “born again.” Nicodemus naturally believed in other things as difficult to understand, such as the wind, which he could not see. The effects of the wind are obvious: the sound is heard, and things move as it moves. The wind, unseen, unpredictable, and uncontrollable, is mysterious to us, but we see and understand its effects. So it is with the Spirit. We do not see the Spirit, but we see the changes the Spirit produces in people. Sinful people are made holy; liars speak truth; the proud become humble. When we see such changes, we know they have a cause. The Spirit affects us just as the wind affects the trees, water, and clouds. We don’t see the cause, and we don’t understand all the in’s and out’s of how it works, but we see the effect and believe.

When an infant is born, he continues to grow and change. A year later, two years later, ten years later, the child has changed. He does not remain an infant because a live birth results in growth. We may not see this growth happening, but we see the changes it produces. So it is with the new birth. When a person is born again in spirit, he or she is born into the family of God “like newborn babies” (1 Peter 2:2). This birth is not visible, but it begins to produce changes that are evident.

A Christian testimony should not end with the conversion experience, but should also include the ways in which the Lord has worked in our lives to sanctify us for His service. As an example, a testimony could include how He brought us through a difficult time in our life (such as a loss or some sort or a severe illness) and built our faith in Him through that experience. We should also be able to describe the continual process by which the Spirit who now indwells us leads, guides, molds and shapes us into mature Christians. Again, the focus should be on the Lord and His faithfulness, and should include at least one verse that speaks of that faithfulness

​ (Psalm 18:2, 6)

The New Covenant is also mentioned in Ezekiel 36:26–27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel lists several aspects of the New Covenant here: a new heart, a new spirit, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and true holiness. The Mosaic Law could provide none of these things (see Romans 3:20).




The Glory
​

of the
​

New Covenant



is not Physical;


Its is Spiritual


 built on better Promises



The New Covenant was originally given to Israel and includes a promise of fruitfulness, blessing, and a peaceful existence in the Promised Land. In Ezekiel 36:28–30 God says, “Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. . . . I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.” Deuteronomy 30:1–5 contains similar promises related to Israel under the New Covenant. After the resurrection of Christ, God in His grace brought the Gentiles into the blessing of the New Covenant, too (Acts 10; Ephesians 2:13–14). The fulfillment of the New Covenant will be seen in two places: on earth during the Millennial Kingdom, and in heaven for all eternity.

We are no longer under the Law but under grace (Romans 6:14–15). The Old Covenant has served its purpose, and it has been replaced by “a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22). “In fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).

Under the New Covenant, we are given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8–9). Our responsibility is to exercise faith in Christ, the One who fulfilled the Law on our behalf and brought an end to the Law’s sacrifices through His own sacrificial death. Through the life-giving Holy Spirit who lives in all believers (Romans 8:9–11), we share in the inheritance of Christ and enjoy a permanent, unbroken relationship with God (Hebrews 9:15).

​
Christianity is unique

​in that


God’s mercy


​is shown through 


​His justice
​

​There is no setting aside of justice to make room for mercy. The Christian doctrine of penal substitution states that sin and injustice were punished at the cross of Christ and it’s only because the penalty of sin was satisfied through Christ’s sacrifice that God extends His mercy to undeserving sinners who look to Him for salvation.

As Christ died for sinners, He also demonstrated God’s righteousness; His death on the cross showcased God’s justice. This is exactly what the apostle Paul says: “All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24–26, emphasis added).

In other words, all the sin from Adam to the time of Christ was under the forbearance and mercy of God. God in His mercy chose not to punish sin, which would require an eternity in hell for all sinners, although He would have been perfectly just in doing so. Adam and Eve were not immediately destroyed when they ate the forbidden fruit. Instead, God planned a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). In His love God sent His own Son (John 3:16). Christ paid for every single sin ever committed; thus, God was just in punishing sin, and He can also justify sinners who receive Christ by faith (Romans 3:26). God’s justice and His mercy were demonstrated by Christ’s death on the cross. At the cross, God’s justice was meted out in full (upon Christ), and God’s mercy was extended in full (to all who believe). So God’s perfect mercy was exercised through His perfect justice.

The end result is that everyone who trusts in the Lord Jesus is saved from God’s wrath and instead experiences His grace and mercy (Romans 8:1).


As Paul says,


​“Since we have now been justified by

his blood,

how much more

shall we be saved from God’s wrath

through him!”


(Romans 5:9)




 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). The statement has three parts— salvation, grace, and faith—and they are equally important. The three together constitute a basic tenet of Christianity.

Thankfully, the Bible contains a clear definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Simply put, the biblical definition of faith is “trusting in something you cannot explicitly prove.”

Believing that Jesus is God incarnate who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and was resurrected is not enough. Even the demons “believe” in God and acknowledge those facts (cf. James 2:19). We must personally and fully rely on the death of Christ as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. We must “sit in the chair” of the salvation that Jesus Christ has provided. This is saving faith. The faith God requires of us for salvation is belief in what the Bible says about who Jesus is and what He accomplished and fully trusting in Jesus for that salvation (Acts 16:31). Biblical faith is always accompanied by repentance (Matthew 21:32; Mark 1:15).

The biblical definition of faith does not apply only to salvation. It is equally applicable to the rest of the Christian life. We are to believe what the Bible says, and we are to obey it. We are to believe the promises of God, and we are to live accordingly. We are to agree with the truth of God’s Word, and we are to allow ourselves to be transformed by it (Romans 12:2).

Why is this definition of faith so important? Why must trust accompany agreeing with facts? Because “without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Without faith, we cannot be saved (John 3:16). Without faith, the Christian life cannot be what God intends it to be (John 10:10).
​
In Luke 17:6, Jesus tells His disciples, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” By using the uncommonly small mustard seed as an example, Jesus is speaking figuratively about the incalculable power of God when unleashed in the lives of those with true faith.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed is a short one: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31–32).

One of the possible practical reasons that Jesus used parables such as this is that, by depicting concepts in word pictures, the message is not readily lost to changes in word usage, technology, cultural context, or the passage of time. Literal, detailed narratives are more susceptible to becoming archaic or obsolescent. Two thousand years later, the imagery is still vivid. We can still understand the concept of a growing seed. Jesus’ parables are brilliant in their simplicity. This storytelling approach also promotes practicing principles rather than inflexible adherence to laws.


​
​
The Parable of the Mustard Seed


is contained in all three of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 13:31–32; Mark 4:30–32; Luke 13:18–19). In this parable, Jesus predicts the amazing growth of the kingdom of heaven. The mustard seed is quite small, but it grows into a large shrub—up to ten feet in height—and Jesus says this is a picture of kingdom growth. The point of the Parable of the Mustard Seed is that something big and blessed—the kingdom of God—had humble beginnings. How significant could the short ministry of Christ be? He had but a handful of followers, He was a man of no rank and without means, and He lived in what everyone considered a backwater region of the world. The life and death of Christ did not catch the world’s attention any more than a mustard seed would lying on the ground by the road. But this was a work of God. What seemed inconsequential at first grew into a movement of worldwide influence, and no one could stop it (see Acts 5:38–39). The influence of the kingdom in this world would be such that everyone associated with it would find a benefit—pictured as the birds perched on the branches of the mature mustard plant.

Elsewhere in Scripture, the kingdom of God is also pictured as a tree. A passage in Ezekiel, for example, parallels the Parable of the Mustard Seed in many ways. In this prophecy, the Lord God promises to plant a shoot “on a high and lofty mountain” (Ezekiel 17:22). This small sprig “will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches” (Ezekiel 17:23). This messianic prophecy foretells the growth of Christ’s kingdom from very small beginnings to a sizable, sheltering place.

A "withered hand" refers to a story in the Bible where Jesus heals a man with a shriveled or atrophied hand, typically used to represent a situation where someone is physically incapacitated or spiritually powerless, and the act of Jesus healing it symbolizes his ability to restore someone to wholeness; this story is particularly significant because it occurred on the Sabbath, highlighting Jesus' authority over religious laws

​Whenever Jesus publicly healed someone on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accused Him of breaking the Sabbath law (Matthew 12:10; Mark 3:2, John 5:14; 9:14–16). Jesus’ response was that He was working just as His Father was working, an answer that did not appease the religious leaders: “For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:18). Breaking the Sabbath would have been a sin, so we must ask the question: did Jesus actually break the Sabbath law?

The short answer is “no,” but here is some background: God instituted the Sabbath for the Israelites when He gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8–11). On the seventh day of the week, the Israelites were to rest, remembering that God created the universe in six days and then “rested” on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1–3). The Sabbath was given for the benefit of the people (Mark 2:27) and as a sign of the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 31:13). Over time, however, perspectives on the Sabbath changed. By Jesus’ time, the religious leaders had added burdensome rules and traditions for keeping the Sabbath and had elevated their own rules to the level of God’s instructions. It was so bad that, when Jesus’ disciples picked and ate some heads of grain as they walked through a field, the Pharisees accused them of breaking the Sabbath because they were supposedly “harvesting” and “threshing” (Luke 6:1–2).

Jesus did not break the Sabbath, as outlined by God under the Old Covenant. As He publicly stated, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). The Pharisees had so conflated their own standard of holiness with God’s that they accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath law. They were furious over Jesus’ actions, yet it was only their Sabbath law He did not keep. Jesus kept God’s law, and He had done nothing to violate the Sabbath.

Many Pharisees opposed Jesus. He taught with authority unlike the scribes (Matthew 7:29). He called out their hypocrisy, saying, “They do not practice what they preach” (Matthew 23:3). He also equated Himself with God (John 5:18). In the incident involving the man with the withered hand, the Pharisees asked Jesus, accusingly, if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:10). Jesus’ response was full of logic: “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:11). Jesus applied God’s principle of desiring mercy not sacrifice (verse 7), referring back to Hosea 6:6. This infuriated the Pharisees, and they plotted how they might kill Him (Matthew 12:14). Yet Jesus came to do the will of the Father (John 5:19) not to follow the man-made religious rules.

Jesus referred to Himself as the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5). In doing so, Jesus proclaimed that He is greater than the law and has authority even over the laws that govern the Sabbath day. Jesus is the One who made all things (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16), and He instituted the Sabbath day. He had the authority to overrule the Pharisees’ traditions and regulations that they had placed on the Sabbath. By healing on the Sabbath, Jesus showed God’s goodness, revealed the Pharisees’ hardness of heart, and gave a glimpse of the full healing from sin that would soon be made possible by His sacrifice on the cross.

Jesus did not break the Sabbath law, although He did act against the Pharisaical interpretation of the law. He broke the Pharisees’ laws, and they couldn’t stand it. Jesus healed on the Sabbath to help people, to glorify God, and to remind people that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Just as the Sabbath was originally instituted to give people rest from their work and to turn people to God, so Jesus came to provide us rest from attempting to achieve salvation by our own labors. His sacrifice on the cross made a way for the law to be fulfilled and for righteousness and rest to come to all who trust in His finished work.



In John 13 



Jesus


​begins


​Teaching



His faithful disciples


in what has come to be known as His “Upper Room Discourse.” In that great discourse, Jesus tells them that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all the truth (John 16:13). Many wonder whether this is something that applies to us as well or simply to the disciples. In the context, Jesus helps us understand the specificity of His promise that the Holy Spirit will “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13, NKJV).

First, it is worth noting that some English translations say “all truth,” while the Greek New Testament actually includes the definite article, so a more precise way to translate what Jesus said is that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all the truth. There is a specific truth to which He is referring, and the Holy Spirit would guide them into that. Specifically, the Spirit would reveal what the Son and the Father would have Him disclose (John 16:13–15)—things about Jesus (John 16:14).

Jesus had already told the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit—the Helper—who would teach them and bring to their remembrance all that Jesus had said to them (John 14:26). Jesus’ later reference (in John 16:13) to the coming of the Holy Spirit and His work of guiding them into all the truth was fulfilled literally. Peter later said that God moved the writers of Scripture, and they spoke from God (2 Peter 1:21). When Matthew wrote his gospel, for example, Matthew didn’t need to borrow from anyone; he was in the room when Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. It seems that Mark, who served alongside Peter for some time, wrote down Peter’s account (as church historian Eusebius suggests in his History, 24:5–8). Luke researched reliable sources (presumably including the disciples) as he wrote his account of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 1:1–4). John, another eyewitness, wrote his own gospel, stating that what he had written provided sufficient information for people to believe in Jesus and have life in His name (John 20:30–31)

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2). Jesus freed us from the spiritual chains of sin (John 8:35–36; Romans 6:17–22)
​
Galatians 3:26-28 gives us insight into the phrase “in Christ” and what it means. "In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Paul is speaking to the Christians in Galatia, reminding them of their new identity since they placed their faith in Jesus Christ. To be "baptized into Christ" means that they were identified with Christ, having left their old sinful lives and fully embracing the new life in Christ (Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). When we respond to the Holy Spirit’s drawing, He "baptizes" us into the family of God. First Corinthians 12:13 says, "For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."

Several places in Scripture refer to the believer’s being "in Christ" (1 Peter 5:14; Philippians 1:1; Romans 8:1). Colossians 3:3 says, "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." God is perfect justice. He cannot simply overlook or excuse our sin; that would not be just. Sin had to be paid for. All the wrath God holds toward evil was poured out on His own Son. When Jesus took our place on the cross, He suffered the punishment our sin deserves. His last words before He died were, "It is finished" (John 19:30). What was finished? Not merely His earthly life. As He proved three days later, that was not finished (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:6; 1 Corinthians 15:6). What He finished on the cross was God’s plan to redeem His fallen world. When Jesus said, "It is finished," He was stating that He had successfully paid in full for every act of rebellion, past, present, and future.

To be "in Christ" means we have accepted His sacrifice as payment for our own sin. Our rap sheets contain every sinful thought, attitude or action we have ever committed. No amount of self-cleansing can make us pure enough to warrant forgiveness and a relationship with a holy God (Romans 3:10-12). The Bible says that in our natural sinful state we are enemies of God (Romans 5:10). When we accept His sacrifice on our behalf, He switches accounts with us. He exchanges our list of sins for His perfect account that is totally pleasing to God (2 Corinthians 5:21). A Divine Exchange takes place at the foot of the cross: our old sin nature for His perfect one (2 Corinthians 5:17).

To enter the presence of a holy God, we must be hidden in the righteousness of Christ. To be "in Christ" means that God no longer sees our imperfections; He sees the righteousness of His own Son (Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 8:12). Only "in Christ" is our sin debt cancelled, our relationship with God restored, and our eternity secured (John 3:16-18, 20:31).

​Our identity in Christ is first and foremost one of newness. We are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Identity is defined as “the collective aspect of the set of characteristics by which a thing is definitively recognizable or known,” so our new identity in Christ should be recognizable both to ourselves and to others. If we are “in Christ,” that should be evident, just as being “in the world” is equally evident. A further definition of identity is “the quality or condition of being the same as something else.” In the case of our identity in Christ, our lives should indicate that we are the same as Christ. The name “Christians” means literally “followers of Christ.”

In our new identity in Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:6), but we are reconciled to God (Romans 5:10). This new identity completely changes our relationship with God and our families, just as it changes the way we see the world. Our new identity in Christ means we have the same relationship with God that Christ has—we are His children. God has adopted us as sons. We are able to call Him “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15–16). We are both joint heirs (Galatians 3:29) and friends (John 15:15) of Christ. And this relationship is even stronger than those we have with our earthly families (Matthew 10:35–37). Instead of fearing God as judge, we have the great privilege of coming to Him as our Father. We can approach Him with confidence and ask of Him what we need (Hebrews 4:16). We can ask for His guidance and wisdom (James 1:5) and know that nothing will take us from Him (Romans 8:38–39). We also rest in His authority and respond to Him with trusting obedience, knowing that obedience is a key part of remaining close to Him (John 14:23).

The family of God encompasses a vast body of believers who strive together to grow closer to God (1 Corinthians 12:13). It’s a family that is stronger for the gifts of each person in it (Romans 12:6–8). Members of this new family seek the best for one another (1 Corinthians 10:24), encourage each other (Galatians 6:1–2), and forgive each other (Matthew 18:21–22). Each member has a specific role, but the roles are acted out with respect and grace (1 Peter 5:1–5). Most of all, we respond to each other in love—not the feeling, but a selfless, conscious act of sacrifice, which is reflective of the agape love of the God who loved us and gave Himself for us (Galatians 2:20).

We are no longer citizens of the world but apart from it (2 Corinthians 6:14—7:1). We understand that we are a part of a heavenly, God-ruled kingdom. Things of the earth no longer draw us (Colossians 3:2). We don’t fear or over-emphasize suffering on earth or the trials we face (Colossians 1:24; 1 Peter 3:14; 4:12–14), nor do we place importance on things the world values (1 Timothy 6:9–11). Even our bodies and our actions reflect that our minds are no longer conformed to the world (Romans 12:1–2) but are now instruments of righteousness to God (Romans 6:13). And our new kingdom perspective means we understand that our enemy is not the people around us but the spiritual forces that endeavor to keep the people from knowing God (Ephesians 6:12).

All of this is the ideal—the character of a mature follower of Christ. One of the greatest blessings about our identity in Christ is the grace we’re given in order to grow into the spiritual maturity that truly reflects our new identity (Philippians 1:6). Our lives in light of our identity in Christ are filled with a heavenly Father, a large, loving family, and the understanding that we are citizens of another kingdom and not of this earth.

In a letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul discusses the ministry of reconciliation, and he uses the term “ambassadors” for Christ: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20, emphasis added).

Generally speaking, an ambassador is a respected official acting as a representative of a nation. Sent to a foreign land, the ambassador’s role is to reflect the official position of the sovereign body that gave him authority. Writing to the Corinthians, Paul likens his own calling to that of an ambassador, and he urges all Christians to consider themselves ambassadors for Christ. The gospel of reconciliation was always at the heart of Paul’s preaching: “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17).

Our reconciliation with God is possible only because Christ went to the cross and received the punishment due for our sin. When our Savior cried out, “It is finished,” the barrier between sinful man and Holy God was removed, making all those who trust in Him “holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:22). Our reconciliation is based on the salvation Jesus provides, and it is accepted by faith (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Christians are God’s ambassadors in that they have been “approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). As we go through this world, we represent another Kingdom (John 18:36), and it is our responsibility to reflect the “official position” of heaven. We are in this world, but not of it (John 17:16). God’s ambassadors are to be “as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we must take the message of our King to the “ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), imploring men and women everywhere to be reconciled to God.

Matthew 28:19–20 contains what has come to be called the Great Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus gave this command to the apostles shortly before He ascended into heaven, and it essentially outlines what Jesus expected the apostles and those who followed them to do in His absence.


It is interesting that, in the original Greek, the only direct command in Matthew 28:19–20 is “make disciples.” The Great Commission instructs us to make disciples while we are going throughout the world. The instructions to “go,” “baptize,” and “teach” are indirect commands—participles in the original. How are we to make disciples? By baptizing them and teaching them all that Jesus commanded. “Make disciples” is the primary command of the Great Commission. “Going,” “baptizing,” and “teaching” are the means by which we fulfill the command to “make disciples.”

A disciple is someone who receives instruction from another person; a Christian disciple is a baptized follower of Christ, one who believes the teaching of Christ. A disciple of Christ imitates Jesus’ example, clings to His sacrifice, believes in His resurrection, possesses the Holy Spirit, and lives to do His work. The command in the Great Commission to “make disciples” means to teach or train people to follow and obey Christ.

Many understand Acts 1:8 as part of the Great Commission as well: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Great Commission is enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to be Christ’s witnesses, fulfilling the Great Commission in our cities (Jerusalem), in our states and countries (Judea and Samaria), and anywhere else God sends us (to the ends of the earth).

Throughout the book of Acts, we see how the apostles began to fulfill the Great Commission, as outlined in Acts 1:8. First, Jerusalem is evangelized (Acts 1 — 7); then the Spirit expands the church through Judea and Samaria (Acts 8 — 12); finally, the gospel reaches into “the ends of the earth” (Acts 13 — 28). Today, we continue to act as ambassadors for Christ, and “we plead on Christ’s behalf: ‘Be reconciled to God’” (2 Corinthians 5:20, CSB).

We have received a precious gift: “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 1:3). Jesus’ words in the Great Commission reveal the heart of God, who desires “all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). The Great Commission compels us to share the good news until everyone has heard. Like the servants in Jesus’ parable, we are to be about the business of the kingdom, making disciples of all nations: “He called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13, KJV).


The terms


 disciple and Christian

 are related

​but not synonymous


The Greek term for “disciple” in the New Testament is mathetes, which basically means “student” or “learner.” But a disciple is also a “follower,” someone who adheres completely to the teachings of another, making them his rule of life and conduct. The Pharisees prided themselves in being disciples of Moses (John 9:28). Jesus’ followers were called “disciples” long before they were ever called “Christians.” Their discipleship began with Jesus’ call and required them to exercise their will to follow Him (Matthew 9:9).

Jesus was quite explicit about the cost of following Him. Discipleship requires a totally committed life: “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Sacrifice is expected: “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’” (Matthew 16:24).

Not all of Jesus’ followers were able to make such a commitment. There were many who left Jesus after a while. “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66).

Jesus used the term disciple but never Christian. The first instance of the word Christian is found in the book of Acts: “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). Most Bible scholars agree that it is unlikely that the believers themselves thought up the name “Christians.” The early church had other names for themselves, such as “disciples” (Acts 13:52; 20:1; 21:4) and “saints” (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1; Ephesians 1:1) and “brothers” (1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Peter 3:8).

The name “Christian,” meaning “belonging to Christ,” appears to have been invented by those outside of the church. It was most likely meant as a derogatory term. Only two other times does the word appear in the New Testament (Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). The idea that the term Christian was originally a pejorative finds some support in 1 Peter 4:16: “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”

Biblically speaking, a Christian is a disciple of Christ. A Christian is someone who has placed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12). A Christian has been born again by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3). A Christian “belongs to Christ” and is daily being transformed into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

A true Christian (and not one in name only) will have to be a disciple of Christ as well. That is, he has counted the cost and has totally committed his life to following Jesus. He accepts the call to sacrifice and follows wherever the Lord leads. The Christian disciple completely adheres to the teaching of Jesus, makes Christ his number-one priority, and lives accordingly. He is actively involved in making other Christian disciples (Matthew 28:19–20).

A true Christian disciple is a believer in Christ and possesses new life through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Because he loves Christ, a Christian will also be an obedient disciple (John 14:15). Paul describes the reality of being a Christian disciple: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Matthew in the Bible was one of Jesus’ disciples. Matthew’s Gospel, along with the Gospels of Luke, John, and Mark, is an inspired—and thus accurate and true—history of the life of Christ. His Gospel is the longest of the four, and some scholars believe it was the first to be written.

Before Matthew became a disciple of Christ, he was a tax collector or “publican” in the town of Capernaum (Matthew 9:9; 10:3). Matthew is also called Levi, the son of Alphaeus, by Luke and Mark (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27). Although Luke and Mark do not come out and say, “Levi and Matthew are the same person,” we can deduce the names refer to the same individual because of context. Matthew’s account of his call matches exactly the accounts of Levi’s call in Luke and Mark, both in terms of language and chronological placement. Also, it is not uncommon for a person to be given a different name after an encounter with God. Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, Simon became Peter, and Saul became Paul. It is likely that Matthew (meaning “gift of God”) was the name Jesus gave to Levi after his conversion.

Revelation 2:1-7 contains Jesus’ message to the church in Ephesus, the first of seven exhortations to various churches in the Roman Empire. Ephesus had some unique challenges for a Christ-follower in that it was home to the Emperor’s cult and the worship of the Greek goddess Artemis (Acts 19:23-40). Because of these influences, the Ephesian believers had developed great discernment when it came to false teachers and heresy. Christ commended them for this discernment, but He faulted them for having lost their “first love.”

The first love which characterized the Ephesians was the zeal and ardor with which they embraced their salvation as they realized they loved Christ because He first loved them (1 John 4:19) and that it was, in fact, His love for them that had made them “alive together with Christ.” So overwhelmed were they by the joy that came from understanding their former state—dead in trespasses and sins—and their new life in Christ, that they exhibited the fruit of that joy (Ephesians 2:1-5). Because of God’s great love for the Ephesians, they were “made alive in Christ” and that new life was exhibited in the passion of gratitude. That passion for the Savior spilled over onto one another and out to those in the culture they inhabited, corrupt as it was.

Jesus commends the Ephesians for their many good works and hard work. They tested teachers to see whether their professions were real; they endured hardship and persevered without growing weary. But they had lost their warmth and zeal for Christ, and when that happened, they began to “go through the motions” of good works, motivated not by the love of and for Christ, but by the works themselves. What was once a love relationship cooled into mere religion. Their passion for Him became little more than cold orthodoxy.

Surrounded by paganism and false teachers, the Ephesian church would have had ample opportunity to correct false doctrine and confront heretical teachers. If they did so for any reason other than love for Christ and a passion for His truth, however, they would have lost their way. Instead of pursuing Christ with the devotion they once showed, much like a bride who follows her groom “through the desert” (Jeremiah 2:2), the Ephesians were in danger of falling away from Christ completely. This is why He warns those who have “ears to hear” to prove the reality of their salvation by returning to Him and rekindling the love that had begun to cool. No doubt there were among the Ephesians those whose profession was false and whose hearing had become dulled. He warns the rest not to follow them, but to repent and return to Him with the passion they once had for Him.

We face the same challenges in the twenty-first century. There are few churches that aren’t subject to, and in danger of, a certain amount of false teaching. But Jesus calls us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), and to not let the frustration of false teaching overpower the love of Christ in us (Ephesians 4:31-32). Our first love is the love Christ gives us for God and each other. We should be zealous for the truth, but that zeal should be tempered so that we are always “speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
​
Tax collectors were absolutely despised by their own culture because they worked for the Roman government and enriched themselves by collecting taxes from their own people—often dishonestly collecting excessive amounts (see Luke 19:8). It is likely that Matthew was well-to-do, since Luke says that Levi hosted “a great banquet for Jesus” with “a large crowd” in attendance (Luke 5:29).

Tax collectors such as Matthew were seen by the religious elite as very sinful people, so sinful that even spending time with them could immediately tarnish a good person’s reputation (Matthew 9:10–11). When Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, with many other tax collectors and sinners present, the Pharisees questioned the disciples about Jesus’ choice of companions. Jesus’ response is one of the clearest explanations of God’s heart and His gospel to man: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. . . . I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12–13). Jesus came to save not the “good,” self-righteous people, but those who knew they were not good—the people who admitted freely that they needed salvation (cf. Matthew 5:3).

It is impossible to save a person who claims not to need saving. Many of Jesus’ followers were from the poor, the rejected, the sick, the sinful, the weary (Matthew 11:28). He never condemned those people; He forgave them and encouraged them. Jesus’ harshest condemnations were to the Pharisees, the teachers of the Law, and the scribes who thought themselves good, worthy, and better than the “tax collectors and sinners” around them (Matthew 9:10; 23:13–15).

Matthew was one of the tax collectors whom Jesus saved. When called by Jesus, Matthew immediately left his tax collection booth and followed the Lord (Matthew 9:9). He left behind the source of his riches; he left his position of security and comfort for traveling, hardship, and eventual martyrdom; he left his old life for a new life with Jesus.

​Tax collectors are rarely beloved, in any country, or any era of history. Jewish tax collectors in the time of Christ worked for the occupying Roman government, so they were especially hated in Israel. If that were not enough, tax collectors commonly took more than was required by the Romans in order to pay themselves. This meant tax collectors were frequently much wealthier than most Jewish citizens, who were just barely getting by day by day. The typical stereotype of a tax collector, in that time, was that of a greedy, sinful, traitorous sinner. 

Matthew, the man referenced in this verse, is writing this book. He was a tax collector. He does not mention himself until well after several of the other disciples have been introduced. His writing is often arranged by topic, not time, so it's likely he was called by Christ before some of the other stories he's told so far in this gospel. Some scholars believe he was present at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2), and possibly recording it word-for-word. 

When Matthew does introduce himself, it is in the most low-key way possible. He describes Jesus walking by his tax booth and saying, simply, "Follow me." Matthew reports that he rose and followed Jesus. This may have taken place near Capernaum. Scholars suggest a tax booth may have been set up on the border there between two territories for the purpose of handling customs and excise taxes. 

Matthew is sometimes called Levi in the books of Mark and Luke. Luke uses that name in describing this same moment, adding the detail that Levi left everything behind (Luke 5:27–28). Matthew and Mark both still list him as Matthew in various lists of disciples. It's unclear why Matthew/Levi was called by both names. One theory is that Matthew went by the name Levi, or was simply of the tribe of Levi, and was re-named by Jesus as Matthew upon his call.
​
In the Bible, there is only one reference to God giving us a white stone with a new name: “To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17).

The meaning of the white stone is a mystery to Bible scholars. However, several interpretations have been offered:

• In ancient Greece, jury members would cast a white stone to signify an acquittal, whereas a black stone proclaimed the defendant guilty. The weakness of this interpretation is that the stones cast in the courts did not have names inscribed on them.

• A small object called a “tessera,” made of wood, stone, clay or bone, conveyed special privileges to its owner. The ancient Romans used tesserae as tokens of admittance to events in the arena. However, tesserae did not have to be white, and the durability of the materials used is questionable.

• A white stone was often used as an amulet or charm. However, this custom was associated with sorcery, so it would be odd if the Bible used it as a symbol of salvation.

• Another interpretation has to do with the building material used during the time John wrote Revelation. Important buildings were commonly made of white marble, including the temple of Asclepius in Pergamum (the city of the church Jesus is addressing in Revelation 2:17). In front of the temple were white marble pillars engraved with the names of people supposedly healed by the god. One problem with this interpretation is that the Greek word used in this verse, psephon properly means “pebble,” not “stone.”

• One of the better-accepted explanations of the white stone has to do with the high priest’s breastplate, which contained twelve stones. Each of these stones had the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on it (Exodus 28:21). As he ministered in the temple, the high priest bore the names of God’s people into God’s presence. In the same way, the “white stone” with the believer’s name written on it could be a reference to our standing in God’s presence.

• Another widely held explanation suggests that the white stone may be a translucent precious stone such as a diamond. The word translated “white” in Revelation 2:17 is leukos and can also mean “brilliant, bright.” This interpretation holds that on the stone is written the name of Christ, not the name of the believer. Revelation mentions that the name of Christ is written on the foreheads of the saints (Revelation 3:12; Revelation 14:1, and Revelation 14:20).

The best theory regarding the meaning of the white stone probably has to do with the ancient Roman custom of awarding white stones to the victors of athletic games. The winner of a contest was awarded a white stone with his name inscribed on it. This served as his “ticket” to a special awards banquet. According to this view, Jesus promises the overcomers entrance to the eternal victory celebration in heaven. The “new name” most likely refers to the Holy Spirit’s work of conforming believers to the holiness of Christ

​ (see Romans 8:29; Colossians 3:10).

​

Mark 3 


Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

(Matthew 12:9–14; Luke 6:6–11)

​
1Once again Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there. 2In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.

3Then Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand up among us.” 4And He asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”
But they were silent.

5Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow at their hardness of heart. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored.
6At this, the Pharisees went out and began plotting with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.


Jesus Heals the Multitudes

(Matthew 4:23–25; Luke 6:17–19)

7So Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, accompanied by a large crowd from Galilee, Judea, 8Jerusalem, Idumea, the region beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. The large crowd came to Him when they heard what great things He was doing.

9Jesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him. 10For He had healed so many that all who had diseases were pressing forward to touch Him. 11And when the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” 12But He warned them sternly not to make Him known.


The Twelve Apostles

(Matthew 10:1–4; Luke 6:12–16)


13Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him. 14He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles,ato accompany Him, to be sent out to preach, 15and to have authorityb to drive out demons.

16These are the twelve He appointed:c Simon (whom He named Peter), 17James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”), 18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,d 19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.e


​
A House Divided

(Matthew 12:22–30; Luke 11:14–23)

20Then Jesus went home,f and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat. 21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
22And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.”

23So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand. 25If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand. 26And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.



The Unpardonable Sin

(Matthew 12:31–32)

28Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter. 29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”
30Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”



​Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

(Matthew 12:46–50; Luke 8:19–21)

31Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him, 32and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothersh are outside, asking for You.”
33But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” 34Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!35For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”

​
​
Good and Bad Fruit

(Luke 6:43–45)

33Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.35The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. 36But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”


​
The Sign of Jonah

(Jonah 3:1–10; Luke 11:29–32)

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
39Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here. 42The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.


Matthew 12:24


The Pharisees refused to entertain even the possibility that Jesus could be the long-promised Messiah (Matthew 12:22–23). Despite all His healings and miracles, Jesus simply did not meet their expectations for what the Savior of Israel should be like. Worse, He often contradicted their traditions and authority (Matthew 12:1–8). Still, they needed some explanation for Jesus' undeniable power. Christ's ministry included demonstrating the ability to cast out demons with a simple command. 

Rather than follow the evidence to a logical conclusion, Jesus' bitter critics choose a more drastic, stubborn opinion. The Pharisees declare to those nearby that Jesus' ability to order demons away came from Beelzebul, the prince of demons himself. Beelzebul, which means "master of the house," was another name for Satan or the devil. In short, the Pharisees were accusing Jesus of sorcery, the practice of accessing the power of evil spirits for specific purposes. Under the law of Moses, the penalty for sorcery was death (Exodus 22:18). 

This isn't the first time the Pharisees had accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Satan. They are quoted as saying the same thing in Matthew 9:34 after hearing the crowd express amazement at Jesus' power over demons. The Pharisees are still conspiring to destroy Jesus (Matthew 12:14), and this accusation fit right into their plan. First, it discredited Jesus' power as not coming from God. Second, it allowed for the accusation of a crime that came with the death penalty. 

Readers are meant to understand just how obstinate these critical Pharisees have become. This is a prime example of a concept often seen in the Bible: that some people will never believe, no matter what. The Pharisees know more than enough, and they have seen more than enough, but they deliberately refuse to accept the truth (John 5:39–40). 

Next, Christ will dismantle their accusation and bring a devastating counter-charge.
​

​Hebrews 13:1–6 contains practical, real-world instructions for Christian believers.

​These mirror some of the more common themes in the New Testament. Brotherly love, hospitality, care for the abused, sexual morality, and contentment are all commended. The writer ties the ability to be content, and faithful, to our trust in Christ to be there with us, and for us, in all of our circumstances. This grounding is strengthened in the following passage.

Chapters 1—9 explained how the new covenant in Jesus Christ is superior to the old covenant of animal sacrifices. This comparison drew on extensive use of Old Testament Scripture. Chapters 10––12 applied that evidence to encourage Christians to ''hold fast'' despite persecution. The summary of these applications was that believers ought to trust in their faith, and choose to obey God, during times of struggle

​
“Lift up your heads, you gates;

be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the

King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty,

the Lord mighty in battle”

​
(Psalm 24:7–8)
​

Since God is committed to working everything for our good

(Romans 8:28),
​
we have absolutely nothing to fear.

Hebrews 13:6 reflects a broader biblical theme of placing one’s confidence in God rather than our own finite understanding or circumstance. In Proverbs 3:5–6, Solomon advises us to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” May we always believe that “the Lord is my helper.”


Psalm 119 is a long acrostic poem dedicated singularly to honoring and proclaiming the value of God’s Word. In verse 105, the psalmist declares to the Lord, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (ESV). Just as a lamp brightens a path for our feet to walk, God’s Word provides the illumination and guidance we need to walk in this world.

The word translated “lamp” in this passage is ner in the original Hebrew. It refers to a small clay lantern with a solitary wick. The psalmist describes the Word of God as a lamp carried on his journey to distinguish the way and keep him from stumbling off course and going astray. The light of God’s Word allows us to see the right direction. It is God’s guidance for our travels through life on earth.

Proverbs 6:23 offers a companion thought: “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.” The guidance referred to by the biblical writers is not the advice of career counselors or pop magazines but rock-solid truth for navigating difficult moral choices in a dark and fallen world.

The Scripture has several words translated "right" and the usage of the term, "right hand" ranges from a direction, to the opposite of wrong, what is just or what conforms to an established standard, and to a place of honor or authority. In the case of division or appointment in the Bible, the right hand or right side came first, as when Israel (Jacob) divided the blessings to Joseph’s sons before he died (Genesis 48:13-14).

In addition, a person of high rank who put someone on his right hand gave him equal honor with himself and recognized him as possessing equal dignity and authority. And this is what the Apostle Paul writes of Jesus Christ in Ephesians. "And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the ones believing according to the working of His mighty strength which He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead, and He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age" (Ephesians 1:19-21). Here we see God exalting Jesus above all others by seating Him at the right hand of the Father.

Only God’s Word provides the direction we need. Second Peter 1:19 describes it as a reliable lamp shining in a dark place: “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place,

​until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”

The apostle Paul told his young protégé, Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NLT). If we study God’s Word frequently and diligently, if we give it our full attention, it will provide us with the direction, correction, and wisdom we need to succeed in life and do the Lord’s work.

Obeying God’s Word brings blessings and rewards: “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalm 1:1–3, NLT; see also Exodus 15:26; Psalm 128:1; James 1:22–25). On his deathbed, King David told his son Solomon, “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn” (1 Kings 2:3, ESV).

God’s Word has extraordinary power, says Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Word of God is alive because He is a living God (Hebrews 3:12; 2 Corinthians 6:16). His words are full of energy, life, power, and productivity—they cause things to happen (Psalm 33:9). If we allow it to, if we don’t ignore it, God’s Word will take an active presence in our lives. We can trust the Word of God to accomplish whatever purpose God intends for it and to prosper wherever He sends it (Isaiah 55:11). For this reason, we ought to study it (2 Timothy 2:15), meditate on it (Psalm 119:97), hold firmly to it (Philippians 2:16), and hide it in our hearts (Psalm 119:11).

Christians can say to God, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” because the Word of God is the living energy that actively provides illumination, insight, direction, and guidance for our pilgrimage through a dark and sinful world.

​The Holy Spirit is called the “Comforter” in some English translations of the Bible. For instance, the American King James Version translates John 14:26 as, “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, whatever I have said to you.” Similarly, the American Standard Version, King James Version, and English Revised Version all translate the Greek word paraclete as “Comforter.”

Paraclete, like many Greek words, is hard to translate into English because there is no perfect English equivalent. Basically, a paraclete is “one who is called alongside”; the implication is that a paraclete gives support or help of some kind. Used only by the apostle John in his gospel and first epistle, the word paraclete refers to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; and 16:7) and, in one instance, for Jesus (1 John 2:1). In each case, the word can be translated as “Helper,” “Counselor,” “Comforter,” or “Advocate.” Translating the word as “Helper,” as the ESV and NKJV do in the gospel passages, provides a more encompassing term for the different aspects of the Holy Spirit’s ministries. He does more than comfort, after all; He also guides, seals, baptizes, regenerates, sanctifies, and convicts.

Jesus stated He would send “another” paraclete (John 14:16), meaning that He Himself had served as a paraclete during His earthly ministry. He had been the One guiding the disciples, but now He would send the Holy Spirit as their Guide and Counselor and Comforter. In context, Jesus is comforting the eleven faithful disciples during the Last Supper, telling them not to be afraid and promising that their sorrow would turn to joy (John 14:1; 16:21). He would be leaving them, but another Helper or Comforter would be on the way—God would send the Holy Spirit (cf. Luke 24:49). When the word paraclete is used of Jesus in 1 John 2:1, translations are nearly unanimous in using the word advocate. Jesus is our intercessor before the Father.

God comforts His children. He is the “God of all comfort,” and we can know His peace even in the midst of trials: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:3–5).

God comforts us in many ways: through the wonderful promises of His Word, through fellow believers, and of course through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling. The Spirit is our Comforter, and He is so much more: our Counselor, Encourager, and Helper. He is always present to bring comfort to the children of God (Psalm 34:18; 139:7–8).




The term


​
​ God’s RIGHT hand
​

​ in prophecy refers to the Messiah to whom is given the power and authority to subdue His enemies (Psalm 110:1; Psalm 118:16). We find a quote in Matthew 22:44 from Psalm 110:1, which is a Messianic Psalm. "The Son of David" is claimed by the LORD Jesus Christ as He is the "greater son of David" or the Messiah. In this passage of Matthew 22, Jesus questions the Pharisees about who they think the "Christ" or the Messiah is. "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is He? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make Thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son?" (Matthew 22:41-45, KJV). The position of the Messiah is at God’s right hand.

The fact that Jesus Christ is at the "right hand of God" was a sign to the disciples that Jesus had indeed gone to heaven. In John 16:7-15, Jesus told the disciples that He had to go away and He would send the Holy Spirit. So the coming of the Holy Spirit in the upper room on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13) was proof positive that Jesus was indeed in heaven seated at the right hand of God. This is confirmed in Romans 8:34 where the Apostle Paul writes that Christ is sitting at God’s right hand making intercession for us.

Therefore, what we can say is that "God’s right hand" refers to the Messiah, the LORD Jesus Christ, and He is of equal position, honor, power, and authority with God (John 1:1-5). The fact that Christ is "sitting" refers to the fact that His work of redemption is done and when the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in (Romans 11:25), Christ’s enemies will be made His footstool. When the end of the age comes, all prophecy will be completed, and time will be no more.

​The concept of extending the right hand of fellowship, in the sense of welcoming a new believer into a church family, is an important one. The word translated “fellowship” is from the Greek koinonia, referring to friendship or sharing in a partnership. In the very first church, the believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Strong friendships and fellowship are an essential part of a healthy and growing local church.

The first church in Jerusalem considered their relationships with one another an important part of their daily lives: “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46–47). They joined together as a group in some way each day, with people coming to faith daily during this time.

Throughout the New Testament, the idea of “fellowship” and ministry to “one another” is frequently noted. In the final reference to fellowship in the New Testament, we read, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Fellowship is a vital part of living for Christ. The concept of giving the right hand of fellowship to new believers, whether practiced literally or observed figuratively, places a proper emphasis on this important part of life in the Body of Christ.

The Holy Spirit regenerates and renews the believer (Titus 3:5). At the moment of salvation, the Spirit baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ (Romans 6:3). Believers receive the new birth by the power of the Spirit (John 3:5–8). The Spirit comforts believers with fellowship and joy as they go through a hostile world (1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14). The Spirit, in His mighty power, fills believers with “all joy and peace” as they trust the Lord, causing believers to “overflow with hope” (Romans 15:13).

Sanctification is another work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. The Spirit sets Himself against the desires of the flesh and leads the believer into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18). The works of the flesh become less evident, and the fruit of the Spirit becomes more evident (Galatians 5:19–26). Believers are commanded to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), which means they are to yield themselves to the Spirit’s full control.

The Holy Spirit is also a gift-giver. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them” (1 Corinthians 12:4). The spiritual gifts that believers possess are given by the Holy Spirit as He determines in His wisdom (verse 11).

The Holy Spirit also does work among unbelievers. Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8, ESV). The Spirit testifies of Christ (John 15:26), pointing people to the Lord. Currently, the Holy Spirit is also restraining sin and combatting “the secret power of lawlessness” in the world. This action keeps the rise of the Antichrist at bay (2 Thessalonians 2:6–10).

The Holy Spirit has one other important role, and that is to give believers wisdom by which we can understand God. “These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). Since we have been given the amazing gift of God’s Spirit inside ourselves, we can comprehend the thoughts of God, as revealed in the Scripture. The Spirit helps us understand. This is wisdom from God, rather than wisdom from man. No amount of human knowledge can ever replace the Holy Spirit’s teaching (1 Corinthians 2:12–13).

Since Christians receive the promised Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation (John 14:17), the spirit of wisdom and revelation that Paul prays for cannot refer to the initial gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s reference could easily be to an attitude or frame of mind (although the NIV and ESV capitalize Spirit, other translations such as the NASB and BSB translate it as “a spirit,” and the NLT simply has “spiritual wisdom and insight”). If not the Holy Spirit, then what does Paul ask for in his request for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation”? The key is in the phrase that follows, “in the knowledge of him” (ESV), or “so that you may know him better” (NIV).

Paul had commended the Ephesians for their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love toward all the saints (Ephesians 1:15), but now he is asking God to give them a deeper and greater understanding of the mysteries of His character and will, to know Him more thoroughly and intimately. Now that they have the Holy Spirit in their hearts, Paul desires Him to grant them more understanding and greater insight. The “wisdom” is a better understanding of the doctrines of God, and the “revelation” is a clearer picture of the divine character and will. In the NLT, the prayer is that believers would have “spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.” The AMP translation has Paul asking that God “may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him.”

God is infinite, and He can never be fully known by finite creatures. We all need wisdom from above. No matter how far we may advance in our understanding of God, there is an unfathomed depth of knowledge that remains to be explored. Scripture is full of admonitions to grow in our knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15).

Paul outlines some of the mysteries he wants the Ephesians to understand through this spirit of wisdom and revelation. He desires them to grasp “the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18). This is the hope of eternal life, which Paul refers to as the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, ESV). We inherit the riches of eternal life through Him who saved us and called us to holiness in Christ before time began (2 Timothy 1:9). Paul also prays the Spirit will reveal God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19)—power so great it raised Jesus from the dead.

In Matthew 12:32, Jesus solemnly declares, “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (ESV). To grasp what it means to speak against the Holy Spirit, we must delve into the context in which Jesus made this statement.

Earlier in Matthew 12, Jesus performed a miraculous healing by casting out a demon from a man who was blind and mute (Matthew 12:22). The crowd was amazed and began to wonder if Jesus could be the Son of David, the promised Messiah. However, the Pharisees, in their hardened unbelief, accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons (Matthew 12:24). Their claim was that Jesus was in league with the devil.

This accusation prompted Jesus to deliver a stern rebuke. He explained that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, and if Satan drives out Satan, his kingdom is divided. Jesus further clarified that His power to cast out demons came from the Spirit of God, signifying the arrival of God’s kingdom (Matthew 12:25–28). In this context, Jesus warned about the unforgivable sin of speaking against the Holy Spirit.

The parallel passage in Mark 3:28–30 is helpful. In this passage, Jesus states that all sins and blasphemies can be forgiven, except for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which leads to eternal damnation. The Pharisees’ accusation that an unclean spirit possessed Jesus exemplifies this sin. By attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan, the Pharisees committed an act of deliberate and persistent rejection of the Holy Spirit’s testimony about Jesus.

Speaking against the Holy Spirit, in the manner seen in Matthew 12:32, refers to a conscious and resolute opposition to the truth of God’s work through the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees witnessed Jesus’ miracles firsthand, yet they stubbornly attributed His power to demonic forces. They knew the truth, and they rejected it with finality. This sin is unforgivable because it represents a hardened heart that persistently refuses to acknowledge God’s power and grace.

​It is a total and final rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work, leaving no room for repentance and forgiveness.

The severity of speaking against the Holy Spirit is underscored by its eternal consequence. Jesus stresses that this sin will not be forgiven in this age or the age to come; that is, in the current dispensation or in the coming dispensation—the church age. Unlike other sins that can be repented of and forgiven, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit flows from the deepest depravity of the heart and leads to eternal separation from God.

​God wants us to have knowledge of Him and what He expects of us. In order to obey Him, we have to have knowledge of the commands. But as equally important as having knowledge is having wisdom. Knowing facts about God and the Bible is not all there is to wisdom. Wisdom is a gift from God. James 1:5 states, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” God blesses us with wisdom in order for us to glorify Him and use the knowledge we have of Him.

The book of Proverbs is perhaps the best place in the Bible to learn of biblical wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 speaks of both biblical knowledge and wisdom: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, / but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” To fear the Lord is to start on the path to knowledge, and God can then begin to provide us with wisdom through Christ, who the Bible says is wisdom itself: “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption”

(1 Corinthians 1:30).

Knowledge is what is gathered over time through study of the Scriptures. It can be said that wisdom, in turn, acts properly upon that knowledge. Wisdom is the fitting application of knowledge.

Knowledge understands the light has turned red; wisdom applies the brakes. Knowledge sees the quicksand; wisdom walks around it.

Knowledge memorizes the Ten Commandments; wisdom obeys them.


Knowledge learns of God; wisdom loves Him.

Faith and Assurance


(Genesis 1:1–2; John 1:1–5)


1Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. 2This is why the ancients were commended.
3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.


The Faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah

(Genesis 4–9)

4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5By faith Enoch was taken upa so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”b For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
​
6And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.


​
The Faith of Abraham and Sarah

(Genesis 15–22; Romans 4:1–12)

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going. 9By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised. 12And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,c 18even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”d19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.



The Faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph

(Genesis 27–50)

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.
21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.



The Faith of Moses
​
(Exodus 2–15; Acts 7:20–22)
​
23By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict.

24By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 

25He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin. 

26He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.

27By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.

 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn.

29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land;
but when the Egyptians tried to follow, 
​they were drowned.

​

Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Matthew 7:7-8
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

James 1:6
But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; / in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Mark 11:22-24
“Have faith in God,” Jesus said to them. / “Truly I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and has no doubt in his heart but believes that it will happen, it will be done for him. / Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 4:3
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

James 2:23
And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.

1 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. / And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

2 Chronicles 15:2
So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.

Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Luke 11:9-10
So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Hebrews 3:12,18,19
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God… 

Hebrews 4:2,6
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it… 

Numbers 14:11
And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?

Hebrews 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.

Job 21:14
Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

Psalm 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.
must.
​
Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Hebrews 11:26
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Ruth 2:12
The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
diligently.

1 Chronicles 28:9
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Psalm 105:3,4
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD… 

Psalm 119:10
With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

​


“Do not throw away your

confidence,

which has a great reward.”



​For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." Notice the three-step pattern: 1) enduring confidence in God; 2) doing the will of God in the power of that confidence; and 3) receiving what is promised.

The clause faith is the substance of things hoped for describes a conviction that already takes custody—here and now—of what we hope for and what God has promised us in the future. This present-day ownership of things hoped for and promised in the future is an inner reality. Right now, amid a global pandemic, financial crisis, and social unrest, as our world seems to be falling apart, we can stand on the rock-solid, unshakeable promises of God’s security, rest, peace, provision, mercy, grace, and salvation. His Word can be trusted. We can have full confidence in the Lord’s promises because they are real and a firm foundation for this life.

This “substance” or “assurance” describes our inward response to God’s trustworthy, unfailing nature. We can be sure of the Lord’s promises because, as the writer of Hebrews goes on to show, biblical heroes of every generation have proven them to be true: “By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death” (Hebrews 11:4–5). On and on goes the list. By faith Noah built the ark, saved his family, and became an heir of righteousness (Hebrews 11:7). By faith Abraham obeyed God and moved from his homeland (verses 8–10).

The writer of Hebrews presents example after example of those who demonstrated faith as the substance of things hoped for: “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13). From the patriarchs to King David to anonymous champions of faith, believers have trusted in God’s promises despite enduring unimaginable challenges (verses 17–38).

Faith, being the substance of things hoped for, is also an outward force. Possessing the reality of hope supplies believers with the motivation to endure trials and hardships. It results in decisive obedience—the kind that caused the ancient heroes of faith to act upon their hope. Faith, as the substance of things hoped for, activates believers to preach boldly, pray unceasingly, love unconditionally, serve compassionately, and work tirelessly “as long as it is day” (John 9:4). The inward substance of faith moves our hearts while the external reality moves mountains.

Another thing to consider in biblical interpretation is the context of the passage. More often than not, when we take a single verse out of its native context, we end up misinterpreting the verse. In the context of Matthew 17, Jesus rebukes the disciples for their weak faith and says that even if they had mustard seed-sized faith, they could command the mountain to move. Contextually, the mountain must refer to the demon that was afflicting the man’s son. Jesus tells His disciples that, if their faith was stronger, they could have commanded the demon to leave the boy, and it would be so. This was clearly the case in Matthew 10 when Jesus sent them out to cure diseases, cast out demons, and spread the gospel. Therefore, it is clear from the context that Jesus does not intend to assert that mustard seed-sized faith can literally move mountains. Rather, the expression Jesus uses was a common colloquialism of that day; to a Jew of Jesus’ day, a mountain is a metaphor signifying a seemingly impossible task.

Faith that can move mountains is not meant to imply a faith that can literally move literal mountains. The point Jesus was making is that even a little bit of faith—faith the size of a tiny mustard seed—can overcome mountainous obstacles in our lives.

​It goes without saying that the only things of eternal value in this world are those that are eternal. Life in this world is temporal, not eternal, and therefore, the only part of life that has eternal value is that which lasts through eternity. Clearly, the most important thing in this world that has true eternal value is having a relationship with Jesus Christ, as the free gift of eternal life comes only through Him to all those who believe (John 3:16). As Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Everyone is going to live somewhere for all of eternity, Christians and non-Christians alike. And the only eternal destiny other than the one in heaven with Christ is one that provides everlasting punishment for those who reject Him (Matthew 25:46).

Regarding the abundant material things this world offers, which many tenaciously seek after, Jesus taught us not to store up for ourselves earthly treasures that can be destroyed or stolen (Matthew 6:19–20). After all, we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. Yet our core Christian values often get overlooked in our diligent quest for success and material comfort, and in the midst of these earthly pursuits we often forget about God. Moses addressed this issue 3,500 years ago as his people were about to enter the Promised Land. He warned them not to forget about God, for he knew once they “built fine houses and settled down” their hearts would become proud and they would forget about Him (Deuteronomy 8:12–14). There is certainly no eternal value in living our lives for ourselves, looking to get out of life all that we can, as the world system would have us believe.

Yet there can be significant eternal value in what we do with our lives during the exceedingly short time we are here on earth. Although Scripture makes it clear that our earthly good works will not save us or keep us saved (Ephesians 2:8–9), it is equally clear that we will be eternally rewarded according to what we have done while here on earth. As Christ Himself said, “For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:27). Indeed, Christians are God’s workmanship, “created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10, emphasis added). These “good works” pertain to serving the Lord the best we can with what He has given us and with full dependence on Him.

The apostle Paul discusses the quality of the works that can bring eternal rewards. Equating Christians to “builders” and the quality of our works with the building materials, Paul informs us that the good materials that survive God’s testing fire and have eternal value are “gold, silver, and costly stones,” whereas using the inferior materials of “wood, hay and straw” to build upon the foundation that is Christ have no eternal value and will not be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:11–13). Essentially, Paul is telling us that not all of our conduct and works will merit rewards.

There are many ways our service to the Lord will bring us rewards. First, we need to recognize that every true believer has been set apart by God and for God. When we received God’s gift of salvation, we were given certain spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11). And if we think our gifts are insignificant, we need to remember that, as Paul told the church in Corinth, the body of Christ is made up of many parts. And “God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be . . . and those parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12:14, 18, 22 emphasis added). If you are exercising your spiritual gifts, you are playing a significant role in the body of Christ and doing that which has eternal value.

Every member of Christ’s body can make meaningful contributions when we humbly seek to edify the body and to glorify God. Indeed, every little thing can add to the beautiful mosaic of what God can do when we each do our part. Remember, on earth Christ has no body but ours, no hands but ours, and no feet but ours. Spiritual gifts are God’s way of administering His grace to others. When we show our love for God by obeying His commandments, when we persevere in the faith despite all opposition and persecution, when in His name we show mercy to the poor and sick and less fortunate, and when we help alleviate the pain and suffering that is all around us, then we are indeed building with the “gold, silver, and costly stones” that have true eternal value.

Living with eternity in mind is the wisest way to live. An eternal perspective keeps us from chasing empty dreams and material gratification. It keeps us from wasting our years pursuing temporal things that we can’t take with us when we die. We gain an eternal perspective when we think of our lives as a 1000-foot rope with a black tip on one end: the rope symbolizes our existence; the black tip is our life on earth. We tend to focus all our passion and energy on the black tip while giving little thought to the rest of the rope.

There are several ways to develop and maintain an eternal perspective on life:

1. Make certain you have been born again (John 3:3). Eternity awaits all of us, but the only way to ensure that we spend eternity in heaven with God is to be born again. That new birth results in a renewed spirit and a new desire to please God. When we accept by faith the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf, the Holy Spirit moves into our spirits and births us into God’s forever family (Romans 8:15–17). It’s at that point that we begin to gain an eternal perspective.

2. Be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31; Ephesians 5:18). We receive the Holy Spirit as a gift the moment we are saved (Acts 2:38), and He continues to work in our lives. However, the degree to which we submit ourselves to His transforming work is the degree to which we can live with an eternal perspective. When we are “filled” with the Spirit, we are totally yielded to Him. He has control of us. Galatians 5:16 says that, if we walk by the Spirit, we will not gratify the lusts of our flesh. Sinful self-gratification, focused on the things of this world, cannot coexist with an eternal perspective. The solution for self-centeredness is to surrender to the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20).

3. Store up treasure in heaven. Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). The treasures we store for eternity are the things done for Christ on earth. Even offering a cup of cold water to a servant of the Lord is cause for reward (Matthew 10:42). An eternal perspective is one that has shifted from earthly concerns to heavenly ones and invests time, energy, and resources in God’s kingdom.

4. Spend time with God and His Word (Psalm 119:11). We would not expect our cars to go a thousand miles on a single tank of gas. Yet, we think a quick prayer or a tweeted Bible verse is sufficient to sustain an eternal perspective for weeks or months. We need continual refilling of truth. Romans 12:1–2 calls it the “renewing” of the mind. Spending time in the presence of God invites Him to reveal areas of our lives that are not surrendered to Him. We acknowledge and confess those and then replace the lies we’ve believed with truths from His Word. This continual “washing” of the Word (Ephesians 5:26) keeps our priorities in agreement with God’s and helps maintain an eternal perspective.

5. Stay conscious of the fact that this world is not all there is. It is easy to lose ourselves in daily cares and desires. But those who live with an eternal perspective are equally aware that every day counts down toward our final journey. Second Corinthians 4:17–18 says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” We must intentionally redirect our thoughts toward that which is eternal, judging the value of decisions based on their eternal significance. Colossians 3:1–3 says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

God has commanded that we live with an eternal perspective. If holding an eternal perspective came naturally, He would not need to command it. So we choose to continually set our minds on things above. As we develop a habit of setting our minds on eternal things, we begin to handle things differently from those with earth-bound perspectives. As the eternal mindset becomes part of us, other people notice and one day may ask, “How can I, too, gain an eternal perspective on life?”

​

Invitation to the Needy


​
1“Come, all you who are thirsty, 
come to the waters; 
and you without money, 
come, buy, and eat! 
Come, buy wine and milk 
without money and without cost!
2Why spend money on that which is not bread, 
and your labor on that which does not satisfy? 
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, 
and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
3Incline your ear and come to Me; 
listen, so that your soul may live. 
I will make with you an everlasting covenant--
My loving devotion promised to David.a
4Behold, I have made him a witness to the nations, 
a leader and commander of the peoples.
5Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, 
and nations who do not know you will run to you. 
For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, 
has bestowed glory on you.”
6Seek the LORD while He may be found; 
call on Him while He is near.
7Let the wicked man forsake his way 
and the unrighteous man his thoughts; 
let him return to the LORD, 
that He may have compassion, 
and to our God, 
for He will freely pardon.
8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, 
neither are your ways My ways,” 
declares the LORD.
9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 
so My ways are higher than your ways 
and My thoughts than your thoughts.
10For just as rain and snow fall from heaven 
and do not return without watering the earth, 
making it bud and sprout, 
and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
11so My word that proceeds from My mouth 
will not return to Me empty, 
but it will accomplish what I please, 
and it will prosper where I send it.
12You will indeed go out with joy 
and be led forth in peace; 
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, 
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
13Instead of the thornbush, the cypressb will grow, 
and instead of the brier, the myrtle will spring up; 
this will make a name for the LORD, 
an everlasting sign, never to be destroyed.”



A Remnant Chosen by Grace


1I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel: 3“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”a?

4And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

5In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.

7What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, 8as it is written: 

“God gave them a spirit of stupor, 
eyes that could not see, 
and ears that could not hear, 
to this very day.”d
9And David says: 
“May their table become a snare and a trap, 
a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, 
and their backs be bent forever.”



The Ingrafting of the Gentiles

11I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery?f Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. 12But if their trespass means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

13I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and save some of them. 15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,18do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”20That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly notg spare you either.

22Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!



All Israel Will Be Saved

25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 

“The Deliverer will come from Zion; 
He will remove godlessness from Jacob.
27And this is My covenant with them 
when I take away their sins.”

28Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs. 29For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.

30Just as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience, 31so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you.i 32For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.



A Hymn of Praise

(Isaiah 40:9–31)
​
33O, the depth of the riches 
of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 
How unsearchable are His judgments, 
and untraceable His ways!
34“Who has known the mind of the Lord? 
Or who has been His counselor?”j
35“Who has first given to God, 
that God should repay him?”k
36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. 
To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

​

​

The Coming of the Kingdom


(Genesis 19:24–29)



20When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. 21Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.d”

22Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. 24For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day. 25But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man: 27People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
30It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind. 32Remember Lot’s wife!33Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: one will be taken and the other left. 35Two women will be grinding grain together: one will be taken and the other left.”e