Lesson 769

(Lesson 769)(09-30-13)Today's lesson is from Matthew 8:18-23;

"Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him."

This is a very short lesson but it too is a very important one. In verse 20, Jesus explained to the scribe that to follow Him would not be easy. In my opinion, Jesus said those things to make the man aware of what he was (probably unknowingly) getting himself into.

When one of Jesus' disciples said he would follow as soon as he had buried a kinsman, Jesus responded, "let the dead bury the dead".

That statement might be a bit hard to understand. I believe it means that we, as Christians, are to go about preaching the gospel of Christ, doing the things we are bound by our faith to do, and leave the things of this world to those who don't believe or to those who for whatever reason, are unable to go and teach.

The essence of the lesson is that we, as Christians, are obligated to sort out our spiritual duties from the everyday routine of life and to make those spiritual obligations a priority.

Just as Jesus promised us, if we trust him to take care of the little things of life, they will get done, leaving us open and available to do the work He has called us to do.~

Lesson 768

(Lesson 768)(09-29-13) Our lesson for today comes from Matthew 8:14-17;

"And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."

There is something very unique about today's lesson I have never heard discussed before. It pertains to the reason Jesus healed some of these people and cast devils out of others.

In every scriptural incidence of healing there is a reason given for that healing. In the case of the leper and the servant to the centurion, previously mentioned, Jesus healed them because of the faith they had demonstrated. In today's example, Jesus healed Peter's wife, and the sick among the multitude, to fulfill a prophesy made by Isaiah.

This, in my opinion, was done to demonstrate that Jesus has the power to do what ever He chooses, whenever He chooses to do it.

He also did these things because He cared for those who were suffering. His set the perfect example of how we are to treat the weak among us. We should NEVER reject the opportunity to reach out and help those in need.
The core of the gospel of Jesus Christ is based on the two explicit commandments found in Matthew 22:37-39, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

By spontaneously casting out devils and healing the sick Jesus set the example for those or us who make up His Church.~

Lesson 767

(Lesson 767)(09-28-13) Our lesson today is yet another demonstration of what happens when one puts their faith in Jesus. This lesson comes from Matthew 8:5-13;

"And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour."

This lesson is very important on many levels. First, the "centurion" was a Roman soldier and the majority of Roman citizens despised Jesus and all that He stood for. Second, the faith the man expressed was even more absolute than that of the leper in yesterday's lesson. That is true in that the centurion didn't simply believe, he KNEW that all Jesus had to do was to will the healing of his servant and it would be so. Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." Even God's chosen people did not have the faith that was demonstrated by the centurion.

After praising the faith of that centurion, Jesus went on to foretell the end of the Law and the "chosen" status of the Jewish people because of their lack of faith. "And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. BUT THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM SHALL BE CAST INTO OUTER DARKNESS: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." It is clear that the Jews of that day had more faith in themselves as Jews than they did in God.

This lesson makes it very clear that faith in God to provide through Jesus Christ, is the answer to all our problems. From determining the destiny or our eternal souls to figuring out how to make the car payment, Faith in Jesus is ALWAYS the correct answer.

We should be as the centurion mentioned in today's lesson, we should never wonder where to find the answer, our first thought should always be, Jesus will provide.

NOTE: As these lessons progress, we will find that everything Jesus did, and promised to do, during His entire ministry, was to be accomplished by grace through faith alone.~

Lesson 766

(Lesson 766)(09-27-13) Today's lesson begins the eighth chapter of Matthew and includes verses 1-4;

"When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them."

This quote continues the lessons on the fruits of faith and how, through faith in Jesus Christ, anything can be accomplished.

It might serve us well to note that Jesus instructed the leper to follow through with his obligations under the law, "go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." Jesus instructed the leper to do this because the Law would not be fulfilled until He had finished His sacrificial ordeal, and had ascended to the Father. The leper, spoken of in this passage, expressed his total faith in Jesus when he said, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou CANST make me clean." He didn't ask Jesus to try and see if he could heal the leprosy, he clearly said "thous canst" (you can) heal it. The action of the leper is a definite expression of that man's faith in Jesus.

This same example can be applied to Jesus' ability to remit the sins of anyone who has faith in Him that He is able.

Jesus' actions in this passage were not recorded only to demonstrate that He had the power to heal leprosy. The lesson has a twofold intent. The first is, of course, that Jesus can heal any illness and that He did indeed heal the leper. The second, and most important, is that if, as the leper demonstrated, we have FAITH in Jesus Christ, He will not only cleanse our bodies of disease, He will, because of that FAITH, also cleanse our souls of sin.

As we progress through these lessons, it will become vividly clear that all one need do to receive eternal life and to live forever in the presence of God, is to have faith in the actions of His Son that He took the sins of all those who will only believe in Him.~

Lesson 765

(Lesson 765)(09-26-13) Our lesson reference today finishes the seventh chapter of Matthew. Matthew 7:24-29;

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."

It would serve us well to remember that all the things Jesus taught in the seventh chapter of Matthew, while He was still teaching in person, was addressed explicitly to a Jewish audience. However, since the "chosen" status, that had thus far been granted exclusively to the Jews, was soon (After Jesus completed His sacrificial ordeal and ascension.) to include the believing Gentiles also, it is safe to assume that these same rules would apply to anyone who might become a part of His Church. Including those of us who make up His Church today.

I said all that because much of what Jesus taught was aimed directly at the Jewish nation, and has no bearing on the Gentiles or those of us who are under the new law of grace through faith. We will confront some of this as we continue these lessons.

Now to get to the essence of today's lesson: Jesus said the lives (houses) of those who learn His gospel and obey it, will last forever. He goes on to say that the lives (houses) of those who learn His gospel and choose to ignore it, will ultimately fail.

Did Jesus demand therefore, that we live our lives to perfection and in absolute compliance with all the rules He laid out here in Matthew chapter seven? The answer is and emphatic and lour YES!!

You might ask; Does that not contradict the idea that grace alone saves? Don't your assertion establish that the works of man/woman will indeed be the determining factor that decides his/her eternal destiny? The answer to that question is an emphatic and loud NO!!

OK then, how do we make salvation by grace fit into what Jesus taught in Matthew seven? How can a person sin and still be perfect in the eyes of God? The answer is an easy one and is explicitly explained by the Apostle Paul in Romans 4:2-8, "For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

Paul addressed this issue with a reference to Abraham because it was NOT the fact that Abraham started to sacrifice his son that demonstrated his love for God, it WAS the fact that Abraham had enough FAITH in God to be willing to kill his own son knowing, that no matter what he did, God would make it right in the end. Therefore, for those of us who have faith in God, that faith accomplishes all the requirements that Jesus laid out in Matthew seven. That faith also "justifies" ANY action of which a believer might be found guilty.

Being a sinner, as I am, it is a great comfort to know that those sins I commit daily are JUSTIFIED by my faith in my Lord Jesus Christ, and that those sins will NOT be charged against my eternal soul, before God.~

Lesson 764

(Lesson 764)(09-25-13) Today's lesson is taken from Matthew 7:21-23;

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

This lesson should be taken as a continuum of yesterday's, and should answer some of the questions that were raised by that lesson.
In my opinion, those to whom Jesus is referring in this passage, are the very souls who occupy most of the world's padded pews on Sundays.
"Christianity" (the "Church" today) for the greater part, has become an empty facade and is no longer even close to being representative of what Jesus intended.

Today's "Church" has come to be exactly what the Church of the Laodiceans had become, as Jesus so plainly describes, in Revelation 3:15-16, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."
Sadly, today there is far more emphasis placed, and time spent, on occupying padded pews in an air conditioned building, than there is actually trying to get the good news of God's grace to the lost. Who, by the way, seldom ever show up in "church" on Sundays and Wednesdays.

There is a very distinct warning in the latter portion of today's lesson, it says, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Attention should be paid to whom it is that qualifies as "ye that work eniquity". Is Jesus referring to those who use profanity? Is He talking to those who miss "church" on Sundays and Wednesdays? Is He talking to those who wake up in a bad mood and yell at their friends and family? Is He referring to those who drink alcohol? The answer is a loud and emphatic NO!! Jesus is very clearly speaking to those who imagine themselves to be model "church" members. Those whom have "prophesied" in His name! Those whom have "cast out devils" in His name! In other words, He is speaking to those who imagine themselves as having done "good works" and borne "good fruit".

It's way past time that today's Christians have a spiritual revival and rededicate ourselves to the task that Jesus laid before us. It's time that EVERY soul who proclaims to be a child of God take up the cause of Christ and loudly preach it to every soul who wants to hear it, NO MATTER where they may be found. The gospel goes nowhere when it is preached over and over to the same pairs of ears.~

Lesson 763

(Lesson 763)(09-24-13) Our lesson today comes from Matthew 7:15-20;

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

Let's start this lesson by defining what the term "fruits" means in this context. Strong's definition in part, (the part that most aptly applies in this context), is:

"fruit: The fruit of the trees, vines, of the fields. The fruit of one's loins, i.e. his progeny, his posterity. *That which originates or comes from something, an effect, result, work, act, deed."

The latter portion of this definition is most descriptive of the "fruit" that is referenced in today's lesson. "Fruit", as it is applied herein, refers to how an individual treats others as opposed to themselves.

The most descriptive of the above definitions is marked with an asterisk. Having said all that, it now needs to be explained what one must do in order to bear good "fruit". The answer is a simple one. In Matthew 22:26-39, when asked, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

This passage, very clearly, tells us that to be in obedience with the entire Law of Moses, (the standard of "goodness" that is generally applied today) we must only obey these two simple commandments.

What Jesus meant by this is that if we love God unconditionally, and we do every thing we do as if the affect would land squarely on our own shoulders, we would only produce good "fruit".

I don't want to mislead anyone by my reference to the Law of Moses. That law has no bearing on Christianity today, other than as an accepted standard, in that Jesus fulfilled it for those of us who have accepted God's grace, and place all our faith in Him.

Now, to get down to the crux of the lesson. It is very easy to identify the true children of God by how they interact with their fellow man/woman.

If one never drinks alcohol, never curses, never kicks the cat nor raises his/her voice, and attends church every time the doors swing, yet shows total disregard for the suffering of others that goes on around him/her, that one, according to what Jesus said, is producing evil fruit. Because, all those "good" things that one does by the standard of the law, is for that one's own gratification. His/her actions benefit no one other than themselves.

However, if one loves God above all else, curses, drinks alcohol, swats the cat occasionally, goes fishing on Sunday mornings, yet is always the first to arrive when there is someone in need, is always there when a favor is needed, and never asks for anything in return, that one is a producer of good "fruit", according to what Jesus said.

Sadly, our modern religious society has this lesson all upside down. If we, (and I say "we" because I'm also guilty of respecting people by the standards of man, and not the standards laid down by Jesus Himself,) would simply abide by the two simple rules Jesus laid out for us, what a wonderful world we would live in, and how much easier would it be to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who so desperately need to hear it.~

Lesson 762

(Lesson 762)(09-23-13) Our lesson today comes from Matthew 7:12-14;

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

In my opinion, this lesson is taken from yet another one of the most misapplied passages to be found in the New Testament.

There are those who promote the idea that this passage demands that in order to enter into the kingdom, one must live a perfect, sin free existence. That is just simply wrong.

With only a minimal study of God's word, it becomes very obvious that NO man/woman can live a life in the flesh worthy of admission into God's kingdom. Therefore, this passage cannot be meant to imply that we are to be physically perfect. Matthew 10:18,"And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God."

It does, however, demand that we be spiritually perfect! The only way we can achieve total spiritual perfection before God is to have the perfection of Jesus imputed into us by the grace of almighty God through absolute faith in the testament of His Son, Jesus.

We must totally remove our own vain and evil thoughts from the equation, we CANNOT EVER be physically perfect. And, so long as we, in even the minutest part, believe our physical actions have any influence on our salvation, one way or the other, we have chosen the path most commonly traveled, the "wide" gate, the gate that Jesus said, leads to destruction.

Those of us who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, and whom have placed ALL our faith in Him, have become the children of God, and a part of the "FEW" who will enter in at the "straight" gate.~

Lesson 761

(Lesson 761)(09-19-13) Today's lesson is taken from Matthew 7:7-12;

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."

This is yet another one of the most treasured lessons to be found in the New Testament. Herein, Jesus makes an open ended promise to those of us who make up His Church, that anything we might want, or need, is there simply for the asking.

There are many among today's isms, who will try to put limitations on the promise Jesus makes herein by implying that one must jump through a series of hoops, or live a certain lifestyle to be worthy of the promise. That contention is just simply wrong! In fact, to qualify for and to be able to participate in the fruits of this promise, one must only place one's faith in the power of God through Jesus Christ to provide.

Many of us are guilty of limiting our prayer requests to those things for which we might perceive ourselves to be worthy. So long as we are in the flesh, we will NEVER be WORTHY of anything. However, because of our perfection through the blood of Jesus Christ, and having been justified by our faith in Him, we are eligible for the blessedness of God and His unending grace toward us.

To make a long story short, if you are child of God and you are in need of something, or if you are a child of God and simply WANT something, all you have to do is ask for it through Jesus Christ, KNOWING that your prayer will be answered, and you will get exactly what you asked for.

By being the children of God we are the brothers and sisters of Jesus Himself. Just as the lesson says inessence, God will take very good care of His own.~

Lesson 760

(Lesson 760)(09-18-13) Today's lesson comes from Matthew 7:6;

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."

This single verse bears a very important lesson for today's "Christians", in that, into whatever city we might choose to travel, a "church", of some description, will usually be within a very short distance.

On the surface, that might seem to be a good thing. However, I don't believe the founder of the true Church would see it that way. The New Testament certainly don't teach that there should be a different kind of "church" on every street corner.

The true Church, that Church that was established by Jesus Christ Himself, was founded upon, and is bound to, one "belief system". That system is based on the fundamental teachings of Jesus and His Apostles.

Modern "Christiainity", with the primary purpose of merely increasing it's numbers and making it's message palatable to those who aren't really interested in the first place, has so distorted and watered down the gospel so as to render it almost unidentifiable to those who humbly seek the grace of God.

It is not the responsibility of any true Christian to follow the leadership of anyone other than our Master. It is certainly not the responsibility of any true Christian to preach the divine Word of God to those who really don't won't to hear it. To do that is to cast one's pearls before swine.~

Lesson 759

(Lesson 759)(09-17-13) Today's lesson is taken from Matthew 7:1-5;

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

Today's lesson concerns something Christian people are almost all guilty of, on a day to day basis. It seems almost impossible to live among other human beings without making judgments of both their actions, and their motivation for taking those actions.

In this lesson, Jesus, in essence, says that we, being imperfect, are not worthy to make judgments against someone else, who are, like ourselves, also imperfect. A good analogy for this is "the pot calling the kettle black".

The following quote is taken from Romans 1:29-32 and continuing through Romans 2:1-2. This passage accurately describes the condition of carnal mankind, his/her worthiness to make judgments concerning the sins of others, and the punishment we can expect if we make those judgments.

This passage very clearly tells us that if we find fault with others, we are likewise guilty of that fault;

"Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things."

It is the nature of mankind to judge, however, as this lesson very clearly tells us, if we judge the actions of others, that judgment will bring condemnation down upon our own heads.

Lesson 758

(Lesson 758)(09-16-13) Today's lesson is a continuation of yesterday's and is taken from the same quote;

"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

This lesson exposes the error within the basic tenets of many religious isms. Jesus, when He applies the word faith, it is intended as an absolute, it needs no earthly props, or assistance to accomplish an end result. Pure faith in God accomplishes all.

Faith, as the means of eternal salvation, is not to be mixed in with a bunch of worldly tasks that man must accomplish on his/her own, such as "good works", trips to "church, water baptisms, or communal meals. If one truly believes he/she must do all, or some, of these things, his/her faith is no longer in God, it is split between their own actions, and God.

Faith in the power of God to feed, clothe, or redeem the lost must be absolute, and it stands alone as the only requirement for eternal redemption of the souls of mankind.

In the latter part of the quote, Jesus said, "O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?"
"Take no thought", means don't worry about it, there is nothing else to be done! God will handle it.
Jesus clearly indicated that if we have faith in God to provide, there is NO need to concern ourselves about ANYTHING, EVER, including our eternal salvation.

Does that security allow the born again believer to do and act any way we might choose? NO! Why not? Because when we become the children of God we are His from that day forward. We are to live within the boundaries of the commandments placed on us in Mark 12:30-31 when Jesus said, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

Will Jesus punish us for disobeying one of these two commandments? Yes he will, but not by revoking our salvation! He will chasten His own while they live right here on earth! Hebrews 12:6-8, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."
Will, or can, a Christian live a perfect life? NO! Jesus lived that perfection for us.

We know God loves us when we feel the sting of His chastening hand.

But, through faith our souls endure.~

Lesson 757

(Lesson 757)(09-15-13) Today's quote is from Matthew 6:22-34;

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

To me, this is one of the most beautifully written passages in the entire New Testament, and another one of the most abused.

The lesson herein, is a continuance of yesterday's, and deals with faith and the human propensity to hoard earthly goods.

In the first portion of the quote, Jesus says, "No man can serve two masters:", truer words were never written. Yet today, the vast majority of "Christian" effort is spent on amassing worldly wealth.

Collective "Christianity" claims to have and to live by, faith, we claim God as our Master, through that faith. However, in my opinion, very few even know what the term "faith" actually means.

Given the choice between going to collect a million dollars from a winning lottery ticket, and turning aside to preach the gospel of Jesus to some lost soul. Which do you thing the the vast majority of modern "Christianity" would choose?

If a person truly has faith, there is no choice, that person will ALWAYS preach first and let God handle all else.

Sadly, we know that given the scenario above, most would not even hesitate, they would run to cash the ticket.

As the children of God, and those who claim His power through faith, which Master do we truly worship.

NOTE: There is another element to this lesson we will go into tomorrow.~

Lesson 756

(Lesson 756)(09-14-13) Today's lesson comes from verses Matthew 6:16-21;

Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

There are two distinct lessons in this quote. In the first portion of this lesson Jesus gives instructions to those who might choose to fast. I haven't found any New Testament scripture that requires members of the Church to fast, such as that found that requires us to pray. The most important thought I take from this instruction is that in anything we do to demonstrate our worship for God, as Christian people, we should remain wholly humble.

The second portion of this lesson, definitely applies to today's Christian. Throughout Jesus' ministry He cautioned His disciples to live by faith in Him and to not rely on the material things of this earth.
This is another one of the most blatantly violated demands that Jesus placed on His disciples.

Today, we teach our children to 'save' for their future ignoring this lesson and what Jesus promised in Luke 12:29-34, "And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

God will always provide for His faithful children, just as Jesus promised. Therefore, we should not strive to build up huge bank accounts, or "lay up in store", but instead place our faith in God through Jesus Christ, that He will provide for all our wants and needs. We should always be willing to surrender all our earthly possessions, fully content that God will be faithful to replenish them.~

Lesson 755

(Lesson 755)(09-13-13) Our lesson for today is taken from Matthew 6:6-15 and relates to Christians how they should pray;

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Today, of the very few demands Jesus placed on His people, the lesson He presented herein is probably the most blatantly ignored and violated.

The ancient Jewish Priests were noted for their hypocritical, and very public, prayer and wailing. Jesus, in today's lesson, demanded that His disciples rise above that hypocrisy by offering their prayers humbly and in a private place. He even gave us, "The Lord's prayer" as a guiding example of how we are to pray.

Somehow, probably because of the heavy influence of Jewish tradition at the beginning of the Church, today's congregations still practice public "leading" of prayer in direct contrast to what Jesus demanded.

This lesson also teaches against "vain repetitions". If one is a child of God, and that one has faith that God will answer prayers as He promised, that one should pray for what he/she wants only once, then forget about it. God ALWAYS hears the prayers of His children, and He will NEVER forget. If the request is within God's divine will, it will be granted.
Another very important part of today's lesson is that, when we pray, we should always forgive those who have offended us. Romans 12:20 says, "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."
There is no greater expression of love than humbly praying for someone, especially if that person can be considered an enemy. We should never close the day with anger in our hearts toward anyone.

Prayer is the most important tool a child of God possesses. We should offer prayers often but always correctly in the manner demonstrated in this lesson. ~

Lesson 754

(Lesson 754)(09-12-13) Today's lesson is taken from the first four verses of Matthew 6;

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

This lesson deals with one of the most important works a Christian can do, that is the act of giving.

First, a Christian is to go to extremes with his/her giving. We are reach out to care for the weak, we are to seek out and help those around us who are in need.

Then secondly, we are to do our giving when, where, and in a manner, so as not to broadcast it to the world.

It is very humiliating to be in a position of need. It is even more humiliating to have to ask for help. Therefore, we should seek out the needy, save them from the humiliation of being forced to ask, and quietly lift them up.

For the most part, much of today's Christian giving consists of going to "church" two or three times a week, and dropping money into a collection plate. There's nothing wrong with that, except that it is a very public display of giving, such as is in contrast with what Jesus says in this lesson. As a matter of fact giving to the Church is a good thing, and is also demanded of a true Christian, but only if it is done in the manner described herein.

Jesus promised us a really good return on our money if we give our time and treasure to His cause and in the manner prescribed by Him, Mark 10:29-30, "And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." ~

Lesson 753

(Lesson 753)(09-11-13) Our lesson for today is taken from the last verse of Matthew chapter 5;

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

Upon a casual reading of this verse one would assume that Jesus was demanding that those who would seek membership in His kingdom, (His Church), one must live a perfect, sin free, life.

We all know that for mortal man, living a perfect life is impossible. Even Jesus Himself said, "there is none good but one, that is, God."

Knowing this is true, the question becomes, how does one achieve the perfection required to inherit the kingdom? The answer is, through the perfection of Jesus Christ imputed into us through our faith in Him.

Once we have accepted God's grace and placed our eternal souls in the hands of Jesus risen, we are, before God, perfect.

If perfection under the law had been possible, there would have been no need for the sacrifice of Jesus. Therefore, we must be made perfect through His perfection. 1John 3:9 says, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

Therefore, the perfection we enjoy as the children of God qualifies us for the kingdom under the requirement Jesus set out in Matthew 5:48.~

Lesson 752

(Lesson 752)(09-10-13) Today's lesson is taken from the last ten verses of Matthew 5 and relates to us the manner by which a truly Christian person should conduct their lives;

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

These few verses stood as the core principles of the Law of Moses and, aside from the plan of salvation, these few verses establish the core principles of Christianity.

Christians are supposed to be a called out, seperate, and special people. Quick to the rescue, always willing to give, or do, whatever it takes to make someone else's life better.

It should be easy to identify a member of Christ's Church by the way they conduct themselves toward others on a day to day basis. Sadly however, it is now rare to see someone step out and go the extra mile.Too many live their lives in a judgmental, "do as I say not as I do" attitude, overcome by selfishness and greed, just as the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus' day.

We should take these lessons carefully to heart and make ourselves into representatives of the purpose of Jesus Christ by first considering others no matter what our relationship with them might be.~

Lesson 751

(Lesson 751)(09-09-13) Today's lesson remains in the fifth chapter of Matthew and concerns what Jesus said about adultery and divorce. Matthew 5:27-32;

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery."

I would remind everyone that this statement was made to the Jews while they were still under the law. That, however, does not mean that the sentiment, as it concerns divorce, is not valid one today, however, those of us whom have been justified by the blood of Jesus will not have ANY sin charged against us, so far as our salvation is concerned. Jesus fulfilled the law in its entirety for all who will place their faith in Him.

Does this security give the saved person the license to do whatever they want? NO! It simply means that sin is no longer charged to our eternal souls. Jesus made intercession before God for our sins, and He deals with the saved who sin, one against another, in His own way, while we are still here on earth. He is also, always, willing to forgive those sins whenever we ask Him.

The word "divorce" only appears three times in the entire New Testament, in today's lesson, again in Matthew 19:7-8, "They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.", and again in Mark 10:4, "And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away." (Mark 10:4 is Mark's account of the same events described in Matthew 19:7-8.)

In this account, Jesus very clearly separated divorce from the law when He said, "Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so."

Therefore, Divorce, for any reason other than what Jesus described herein, is unacceptable in Christianity just as it was for the Jews from the beginning. ~

Lesson 750

(Lesson 750)(09-08-13) For today's lesson we go back to a part of yesterday's quote and pick up how Jesus defined the law how it was to be strictly obeyed until it was fulfilled by His death, burial, and resurrection.

Today's quote comes from verses 13-18 of Matthew chapter5;

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

To fully understand this lesson, we must remember that Jesus was speaking to a large group of Jews. When He said, "Ye are the salt of the earth:", He was talking directly to the Jews.

This sermon was not only intended as a guide to future generations of Christians in His Church, it was primarily a chastisement of God's chosen people, explaining to them how they had failed. Jesus was telling those people that until the law was fulfilled they were bound, as God's chosen, to obey the law to the fullest.

In the last two verses of this quote, Jesus makes is clear that He had not come to take away the law from those who were bound to obey it, He had come to fulfill that law for all, among the Jews, who would believe in Him.
We should also remember that obedience to the Law of Moses was NEVER demanded of the Gentiles. However, Jesus made it clear that the law was the perfect guide for those who would eventually make up His Church, both Jews and Gentiles. ~

Lesson 749

(Lesson 749)(09-07-13) Today's lesson is taken from the last thirty two verses of Matthew five, and is a continuance of Jesus' "Sermon on the mount". In these verses, Jesus continues to define what is required of a member of His kingdom;

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

In this passage, there is one overriding lesson that defines the requirements of those who make up the kingdom of God, the Church.

There is also a distinct lesson on divorce which we will be referenced later in these lessons.

The last verse of this passage sums up what is said in the entire lesson, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

We know that to be perfect, as Jesus demanded, one must avoid even the appearance of evil. To be perfect one must step out of the sin-laden body in which we are born and be renewed to the perfection that was in Adam before the fall.

In order to be worthy of the kingdom, we must be totally righteous and without sin.

Is that possible? Absolutely! Romans 5:16-19, "And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; EVEN SO BY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ONE THE FREE GIFT CAME UPON ALL MEN UNTO JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."

Jesus' sermon on the mount, was not to imply that we are expected to live a perfect existence in order to be allowed in the kingdom. To do that would be a reversion to the same law Jesus came to fulfill. Jesus, above all, knew that it is impossible for man to live perfection, or to be wholly righteous, Romans 3:10, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" Jesus would go on to live the required righteousness to perfection and give it free to all would believe in Him.

We will delve more deeply into this subject as these lessons progress.~

Lesson 748

(Lesson 748)(09-06-13) Today's lesson is taken from the first sixteen verses of Matthew, the "beatitudes";

"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

In this lesson, Jesus very eloquently lays out those things that are required of a "Christian". All of what He said here is also summed up by the two commandments He mentioned in Matthew 22:36-40 when Jesus was asked, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Other than the sacrifice made by Jesus for the remission of all sin, this is the overriding message of the New Testament and can be wrapped into one word, charity.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away."

We should note that Jesus did not make a list of "don't dos", list of the "sins" that we wrongly judge each other by day to day, He knew that for those who believe in Him, those sins are justified by the grace of God through His redeeming sacrifice.

Therefore, as Christians, we will not by what we do, we will be judged by what we fail to do.~

Lesson 747

(Lesson 747)(09-05-13) Our lesson today finishes the fourth chapter of Matthew;

"And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan."

In this lesson Jesus selects the first four of His Apostles and begins the creation of His Church (His kingdom). This passage also tells us that Jesus began to preach, "the gospel of the kingdom". He began, at that point to explain the coming of His kingdom, how it would be established and who would inherit it.

Jesus also began to establish His authority and power by working miracles, healing the sick and casting out devils.

It is very important to note that Jesus hand selected each of those who would, in the beginning, preach salvation by grace. It is also very important to note that the Apostles could not begin that ministry until AFTER Jesus had completed His sacrificial ordeal, received His glorified body, and ascended back to Heaven. Salvation by grace, through faith, could not be taught until Jesus had been sacrificed, thereby remitting the sins of those who would believe.

Another important note that should be made before this class goes further into these lessons, is that there is NO scriptural evidence that any one of these hand selected, Jewish Apostles, chosen explicitly to teach salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, were EVER baptized in water.

This is important because probably ninety plus percent of all "Christian" isms teach that in order to be redeemed to God, one must be, in some form, baptized in water.

There is in fact, simply no bible basis for that assertion. The fact that the Apostles had no such requirement should be proof enough that becoming a child of God does not require anything beyond faith in Christ Jesus such as was the example of the Apostles.

The Apostles were exempted from the requirement to be baptized in water under the law of Moses, because their religious mission would not officially begin until the law had been fulfilled by the actions of Jesus nullifying that baptismal requirement. And, under the new law of grace, there would be no such requirement.

There will be much more discussion of this and other scriptural misunderstandings as these lessons progress.

I encourage anyone with opposing views to speak out on all these lessons, and to present scriptural foundation for that opposition.~

Lesson 746

(Lesson 746)(09-04-13) Our lesson today comes from Matthew 4:12-17, and concerns the beginning of Jesus' ministry;

"Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

We should note that when Jesus began His ministry, His message was meant for, and explicitly aimed at the Hebrew people, the Jews.

His message was, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

During the time of Jesus' ministry, as we have already discussed, the law of Moses was still in full affect for all Jews, including Jesus, and would remain so until He completed His sacrificial mission, freeing the Hebrew people from the law of Moses, and at the same time, introducing the His own new law, that being the law of grace.

Since Jesus, a Jew Himself, was bound by Mosaic law, He could not preach salvation by grace while He was still in the flesh. Had He done so, He would have been guilty of blasphemy under Mosaic law. Therefore, Jesus was bound to teach salvation according to that law.This is confirmed by what Jesus told the young ruler in Luke 18:18-20, "And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?, Jesus said, in part, "Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother."

Jesus did go on to tell the young man what he lacked and explained what he must do to complete his obedience to the law, in verse 22 of Luke 18, Jesus said, "Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me."

This lesson can be confusing to some, but with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it can be made understandable.

Therefore, the message Jesus taught, as well as those things that were taught by John the Baptist and all of the other early disciples, was not intended to be what is considered today as God's plan for salvation, rather, His message, as well as the message of the other disciples, was to prepare the Jewish people for the coming enactment of that plan, through the Messiah and His new law of grace which would go into effect after Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, and upon His return to the Father in heaven.~

Lesson 745

(Lesson 745)(09-03-13) Today's lesson is taken from the first eleven verses of Matthew 4, and relates to the temptation Jesus endured so as to demonstrate to God and the world, that he was able to fulfill all righteousness and could not be led astray from His divinely instituted task;

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him."

As we continue this study, we should never lose sight of the fact that up until He had received His glorified body, and had ascended back to the Father, Jesus was a *mortal man, a Jew, who was endowed with the Spirit of God. He would not identify as the third part of the Holy triune until He had completed His sacrificial ordeal.

Being *mortal, Jesus was required under the law of Moses to be circumcised and baptized in running water, He also had to prove, through the temptations mentioned in this lesson, His unwavering devotion to God the Father.

Jesus rejected Satan on every turn and passed the test, as we would say, "in flying colors".

* First Corinthians 15:53-58, "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

A mortal remains a mortal until the death of the flesh. Once the flesh has died, the glorified body takes on immortality. Jesus remained a "mortal" until He had completed His soul saving sacrificial ordeal, His death, burial, and resurrection.~

Lesson 744

(Lesson 744)(09-02-13) This lesson details the baptism of Jesus and is a very important lesson in many ways. It is taken from Matthew 3:13-17;

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

This lesson gives us a chance to understand why Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized in water. When Jesus asked John to baptize Him, John, at first refused. He Knew that Jesus was the was the chosen one of God, and was humbled by His presence. Jesus then made it clear why it was necessary that He be baptized in water by saying, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us TO FULFIL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS."

At the time Jesus encountered John the Baptist, the Law of Moses was still in full affect and in order for Jesus to "fulfil all righteousness" in was necessary that He be baptized in water according to the law.

Jesus was a Jew from the house of David, and the law of Moses demanded that every Jew be baptized (immersed) in running water before they could enter into any religious service.

Jesus would not have been a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world had He not submitted Himself for ritual Jewish water baptism.

After Jesus had explained why it was necessary, John then baptized Him, and when they came out of the water, the righteousness of Jesus was verified when the spirit of God descended upon Him and He became, at that moment, God in man. God then spoke with a voice from the heavens and said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Jesus was not baptized in water to become the Son of God, He was the Son of God from birth. However, He received the power (spirit) of the Father by fulfilling that element of the law.

By submitting Himself for water baptism, as the law of Moses required, Jesus fulfilled that part of the law. Being a Jew, Jesus would have been circumcised as a boy. He would later fulfill the sacrificial portion of Mosaic law when He died on the cross.~

Lesson 743

(Lesson 743)(09-01-13) Today's lesson comes from Matthew 3, verses 7 through 12;

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

In order to better understand what this lesson means, we should first define what is meant by the phrase, "the baptism of John".

It's obvious that John performed water baptisms, however, when a scriptural reference is made to "John's baptism", it is not always in explicit regard to the water baptisms John performed.

In many applications, such as the one mentioned in today's lesson, "his baptism", defines the entire divine mission of John. Water baptism is included, but the message John taught is the primary intent of the expression. It would be unreasonable to assume that those Jews all came out simply to watch John put people into the water, they obviously came to hear what John had to say.

The message John taught, (his baptism, in part) told the Jews to repent because the kingdom of heaven was at hand.

In today's lesson, it is clear that the Pharisees, and Sadducees had come to to listen to what John was saying so that they could better plan against his doctrine and the doctrine of coming savior.

John challenged their presence, knowing their intentions, and told them that by simply being a Jew, they no longer held a special place in the eyes of God, "for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."

John went on to make it clear that the water baptisms he performed were of a much lesser importance than the baptism that Jesus would bring to those who would believe in Him, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:".

John's water baptism was "unto repentance" or toward a change of heart, or mind. The baptism Jesus brought had nothing to do with water and would lead to eternal life for all who would place their faith in Him.~