Lesson 1081

(Lesson 1081)(08-31-14) John 11:1-46

"Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.

Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done."

Today's quote relates how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. It also establishes that Jesus deliberately allowed Lazarus to die so that He could bring him back. Jesus said; "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."

Jesus clearly used the death of Lazarus to glorify God in that it would allow Him to perform the miracle of restoring life to Lazarus. The resurrection of Lazarus also replicated His own upcoming death, burial, and resurrection. What Jesus did that day caused many of the Jews to believe in Him.

There are some who contend that Jesus was so sorrowful at Lazarus' death that he wept. That is a misunderstanding of what this text tells us. Jesus did not cry because He had lost a friend, or because Lazarus had died, He knew beforehand that Lazarus would live again. Jesus cried because His close friends, Martha and Mary, two people he knew very well and who He loved, had not yet gained enough faith in Him to realize that He would not allow Lazarus to remain dead.

If Jesus bears any sadness today, it is that even with all that He did, the miracles He performed, and all the many blessings that are bestowed upon us every day, many today still refuse to believe in Him.~

Lesson 1080

(Lesson 1080)(08-30-14) John 10:19-42

"There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him there."

In today's quote, Jesus positively reaffirms that He and God are one in the same, He is God in the body of a man. What Jesus said that day was eventually used, by the Jewish hierarchy to accuse Him of blasphemy and as an excuse to crucify Him.

This lesson also reassures those of us whom have been saved by faith in Christ through His loving grace, that our souls are secure in His hands; "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them ETERNAL LIFE; and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and NO MAN IS ABLE TO PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER'S HAND. I and my Father are one."

There are some who say that this only means that no man/woman other than oneself can take salvation away. In answer to that, just remember, we are ALL men/women. Once our souls have been redeemed, even we cannot "unsave" ourselves because our souls are eternally sealed by the Holy Spirit; "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby YE ARE SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION." (Ephesians 4:30)~

Lesson 1079

(Lesson 1079)(08-29-14) John 10:16-18

"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

In today's quote, for the first time, Jesus mentions the Gentiles as soon to become part of His "sheep". Jesus said; "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."

This affirms that upon the completion of the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection, the saving grace of God would be extended to both Jews and Gentiles alike.

There are many "Christians" today who contend that the Jews still hold a special place in the heart of God. This lesson, however, disproves that contention in that the Gentiles are now also included with those who are protected by the great shepherd, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.~

Lesson 1078

(Lesson 1078)(08-28-14) John 10:7-15

"Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep."

As was foretold from the beginning in the book of Genesis,Today's lesson establishes Jesus as the ONLY means by which one can be eternally redeemed from the wrath of God that was brought upon us by inherent "sin", the disobedience of Adam.

Jesus is, and always has been, the foretold, "tree of life".

In the beginning, before the disobedience of Adam, God made only one rule that Adam was to follow: "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17)

The "sin" that was brought upon us through the fall of Adam, as is clearly stated in the quote from Genesis, is the ability to recognize the difference between "good" and "evil". Had Adam not eaten the fruit, we would be today just as animals, in the sense that among them, there is no good or bad. Animals cannot sin because they have no idea what "sin" is, they have no sense of what is the "good" or "bad" thing to do.

Had Adam not eaten of that fruit there could be no sin in the world today.

God, in His infinite wisdom, also offered a means by which mankind could redeem himself from the condemnation that was brought upon us by the fall of Adam: "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, TO KNOW GOOD AND EVIL: and now, LEST HE PUT FORTH HIS HAND, AND TAKE ALSO OF THE TREE OF LIFE, AND EAT, AND LIVE FOR EVER:" (Genesis 3:22)

There were angels set to the east of Eden to keep mankind away from the tree of life until the glorious day of the coming of Christ and chance for eternal redemption: "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." (Genesis 3:24)

From this we see that just as quickly as Adam disobeyed God, God in His loving grace provided us with a redeemer, the "tree of life", Jesus Christ. He also placed guarding angels so that no man could come to the tree before He was sent to the world.

The promise that God would provide His own sacrifice for sin was mentioned in Genesis 22:7-8;"And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, GOD WILL PROVIDE HIMSELF A LAMB for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together."

Just as Jesus makes very clear in today's lesson, He is the ONLY means by which we can be restored to the presence of God and avoid eternal damnation in the hell that is prepared for the lost.~

Lesson 1077

(Lesson 1077)(08-27-14) John 10:1-6

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them."

In today's quote, Jesus made a very important point in a very few words. When speaking of His plan of salvation (the operation of God), He said; "He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." Jesus Himself is that "door".

There are millions of people, the world over, who are trying to "climb up" into everlasting life by subjecting themselves to worldly rituals such as water baptisms, and living under the pretense of doing "good works" of the law, rather than simply entering in at that "strait gate" through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Those Jews to whom Jesus was speaking, in today's quote, believed they could achieve eternal life through obedience to the Law of Moses simply because they were Jews. The vast majority of them never realized that they could never live according to the law and that the Law was established to show them they needed something more to redeem themselves: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20)

Paul clearly says that it is not the physical things we do here on earth that justifies our sins, but rather it is the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed into those of us who place our faith in His righteousness.~

Lesson 1076

(Lesson 1076)(08-26-14) John chapter 9

"And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth."

Today's text is self explanatory and leaves room for very little commentary. Herein, Jesus made a point of establishing that it was not sin that had caused the blind man's affliction, but rather it was the will of God that he be born blind so as to serve the purpose of Christ as He demonstrated the omniscient power of God, His Father.

In the body of the text, the blind man was grilled over and over by the leaders of the Jews who remained in disbelief concerning Jesus and His divine power to heal innate blindness.

As we see, in the last part of the text, the man whom Jesus healed confessed to Jesus that He believed Him to be the Son of God.~

Lesson 1075

(Lesson 1075)(08-25-14) John 8:21-59

"Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him.

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father.

Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily,verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by."

In today's quote, Jesus declares Himself to be God in man; "Verily,verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."

In Exodus 3:13 Moses asked God to identify Himself: "And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:13-14)

In today's lesson Jesus identified Himself to those Jews as that same "I AM". We know that I AM is the Holy God of the universe, the beginning and ending.~

Lesson 1074

(Lesson 1074)(08-24-14) John 8:12-20

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come."

In today's quote Jesus made it clear that those Jews did not and could not know, or understand, who He was, or where He had come from, because they had ignored the prophesies that foretold His coming.

We must remember that most everything Jesus said to those disobedient and unbelieving Jews was directly intended to expose them for the unbelieving hypocrites they actually were.

Nothing much could, at that time, be understood about the gospel Jesus preached because He had not yet fulfilled His divine obligation to be the prophesied, "one time fits all", sacrifice for the sins of those who would come to believe in Him.

The full gospel of Jesus Christ could not, and would not, be completed until His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Therefore, it was impossible for anyone to fully understand the concept of His purpose except those few faithful Jews who had accepted and believed God's messengers and knew that Jesus was the promised Messiah.~

Lesson 1073

(Lesson 1073)(08-23-14) John 8:1-11

"Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

Today's lesson is one that very clearly denounces the hypocritical actions of those among today's "Christian" society who think themselves qualified to judge the "sins" of others. This lesson should stand as a warning to us all.

The entire point of the quote is that there are NONE among us who are in a position of righteousness so as to pass judgment against others as Jesus so aptly demonstrated with the woman and her accusers.

Jesus made it clear that in order for any of those Jews to judge the actions of that woman, they were required to be totally without sin themselves, NONE were.

Paul made it very clear that there is sin within us all; "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God". (Romans 18-23)

As a matter of fact in Romans 2:1-3 Paul clearly warns of the condemnation that awaits those who take it upon themselves to pass judgment against others: "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. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?"

Our mission as born again members of Christ's Church is to accurately teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as will listen and to live our lives in accordance with that gospel.

If those around us choose to be disobedient of God's will and to defy that divine will entirely, by doing all manner of things we might judge to be "sins", it is none of our business, God has already passed judgment on them all.

As Paul said, in essence, if we pass judgment against ANY "sinner", we are guilty of those same sins and will bring condemnation upon ourselves.~

Lesson 1072

(Lesson 1072)(08-22-14) John 7:45-53

"Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own house."

Today's quote relates how the officers of the temple were amazed by the things Jesus said and did, and how they hesitated to turn Him over to the Jewish hierarchy.

Nicodemus, and man who had heard and believed in Jesus, scorned the leaders of the Pharisees from the law saying they had no right to take Jesus.

This confrontation began the ordeal that would lead to our savior's eventual sacrifice to remit the sins of the world.~

Lesson 1071

(Lesson 1071)(8-21-14) John 7:37-44

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him."

In the first part of this text, Jesus foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit upon those who would believe in Him and how the same living water, (The Holy Spirit with the knowledge and power over God's saving grace after His divine sacrifice and ascension.), would flow to all who would hear and accept the word of His gospel from the mouths of His disciples.

Today's quote also relates to the continuing devision between those who believed that Jesus was indeed the promised Christ and those of the Jewish leadership who were determined to have Him killed as an imposter and blasphemer.

Later in the quote Jesus is said to perfectly fit the description of the prophesied Christ who would come from Bethlehem through the "seed of David". (Refer to Matthew chapter one for the lineage of Jesus.)~

Lesson 1070

(Lesson 1070)(08-20-14) John 7:25-36

"Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me. Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? "

From today's quote we learn that many among the Jews believed Jesus was the Savior that God had promised from the beginning.

There were others among them who also recognized Him and knew that if the majority of the Jews accepted Jesus for who He really was, their days of deception and power were numbered. They would have taken Jesus that day but were afraid it would cause an uncontrollable uprising among those who believed in Him. Jesus knew that it was not yet time for Him to die.

Sadly, there are too many lost souls today who, like those Jews, are too greedy to overcome their lust for the material things and accept Jesus for who He really is.

"Christianity" has become a business enterprise and has given up the its divine purpose. That false Christianity is far more interested in material wealth and the hypocritical pomp and ritual of "religion" than they are in spreading the word of God's amazing grace to the lost.~

Lesson 1069

(Lesson 1069)(08-19-14) John 7:22-24

"Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

Today's quote is a short one but it conveys a very powerful message, and one that is vastly ignored by the majority of today's "Christians".

Jesus told those hypocritical Jews that the healing miracles He performed were no more a violation of God's law concerning the Sabbath than was their own practice of performing circumcisions on that day.

Just like the majority of so called Christians today, those Jews who were condemning Jesus, made judgments according to their own rules and standards and not the rules that were established in God's law.

We should NEVER judge the actions of another without knowing what is truly in the hearts of that person.

Today's pulpits are filled with great hypocritical orators condemning the actions of "sinners" as if they are authorized to bring down their own wrath against them while being consumed by the same sins they accuse others of committing.

Just as Paul made very clear in Romans 2:1-3; "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. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?"

Condemning "sinners" is NOT the job of a we Christians, God has already judged ALL sinners.

The ONLY Job of true Christianity is to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who will listen while living a life that is accordance with that gospel. We are to leave those who appear to us as "sinners" to the wrath that is already prepared for them.

Paul made it very clear that those who pass judgment on others will not escape the same wrath that already awaits those who reject His grace through faith in Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 1068

(Lesson 1068)(08-18-14) John 7:14-21

"Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel."

Today's quote relates how Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of the Jewish leadership as he schooled them in the temple.

Many of those Jews, knowing that Jesus was not a formally educated man, couldn't understand how He so eloquently spoke of the will of God as it had been written in the ancient scrolls of Hebrew law and tradition.

Jesus told those Jews that His doctrine was divinely sent through Him, by God the Father, and that even they, if they truly believed, could know the doctrine He was teaching without formally study.

Jesus went further and demonstrated that those Jews had disobeyed and disavowed God's laws given them by Moses and therefore He knew they would likewise ignore the message of grace that He brought.

Much of what we witness in our religious experience today reflects the same attitude that was demonstrated by those early Jews. Many seem to want to disavow the literal intent of the soul saving doctrine of Jesus Christ and readily accept the doctrine of convenience and self aggrandizement that has been substituted for it.

Some of today's finest and most scripturally articulate preachers, preach from the knowledge and wisdom imputed in them by the Holy Spirit and their own personal study of God's word while having little or no formal education.

The doctrine Jesus brought and taught is a simple one, as we learned in an previous lesson from John, "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:14-17 in part)~

Lesson 1067

(Lesson 1067)(08-17-14) John 7:1-13

"After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him. Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people. Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews."

Today's quote tells us that during that time, Jesus had remained in Galilee and outside of Judea because many among the Jewish leadership were trying to kill Him.

As soon as the Apostles were recognized the Jews began to question them about Jesus and, where He was and why He was no longer with them.

During the commotion with His Apostles Jesus slipped in secret.~

Lesson 1066

(Lesson 1066)(08-16-14) John 6:49-71

"Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH; THE FLESH PROFITETH NOTHING: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve."

Today's quote, in part, is a great part of the premise upon which the often abused doctrine of "The Lord's supper", "Last supper", or "Holy communion" is based.

We should remember that Jesus made those remarks in the context of the coming of one of the most cherished celebrations in Hebrew tradition, the Passover.

Jesus was making a spiritual comparison between His physical body and blood and the meat that was offered at the original Passover meal. When thoroughly studied in its proper context we see that what Jesus said herein had nothing to do with the literal consumption of His physical body and blood, rather it was the substance of His message and His blessed sacrifice that was required to be mentally consumed and accepted. When accepted, His spiritual body and blood protects the believer from the inevitable death angel as he seeks out the lost and unprotected.

Although Jesus clearly said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him."

Toward the end of today's quote Jesus clarified His statement by saying He was NOT literally implying that His flesh should be eaten nor that His blood should literally be consumed. He said, "IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH; THE FLESH PROFITETH NOTHING: THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU, THEY ARE SPIRIT, AND THAY ARE LIFE."

Jesus clearly intended that His words were what contained "life" and that they were to be taken as food for spiritual sustenance.

The flesh and blood of Jesus would eventually play the crucial role in guaranteeing salvation to those who would believe in Him, in that He would sacrifice His body and blood for the sins of all who would accept Him.~

Lesson 1065

(Lesson 1065)(08-15-14) John 6:41-48

"The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life."

In today's quote, Jesus explained how, even though those Jews had known Him all of His life on earth, they could not have recognized Him as God in man until He had made it known.

Jesus said, in essence, there was no need for them to try to figure it out, He had never before expected them to see God in Him. They could not have anyway even if they had tried. Albeit after Jesus began performing the miracles they had begun to recognize that He was much more than just the guy down the street they had grown up with.

Jesus went further in the quote to say, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." Jesus knew that by performing miracles through the power of the Father, He would cause the world to be drawn to Him.

No person can be expected to follow someone they don't even know exists. Therefore, Jesus, of a necessity, made Himself known as God in man. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I AM THAT BREAD OF LIFE."

In that statement Jesus again promised that by simply believing in Him, and knowing that He was God in man and that He has all power to remit sin, all the world can be saved from the death of eternal separation form God. Hell being a part of that death.

There is only one way to be saved, that is to place your faith in the only begotten Son of God. No further steps to be taken, no hoops to jump through, just simply place your faith in Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 1064

(Lesson 1064)(08-14-14) John 6:30-40

"They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

In today's lesson, Jesus explained to the Jewish leadership that His mission is not to literally feed the Jewish multitudes through miracles, but rather to provide for them the "bread" required to achieve everlasting life. Jesus said, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me."

Jesus was sent as a means of redemption for those who would believe, He knew that there would be some who, although witnessing His many miracles, would not believe in Him, He said; "ye also have seen me, and believe not." This means that just recognizing the Jesus exists is not sufficient, one must actually place ones faith in Him completely to become one with Him to eternal life.

The lost souls of today are given the same choice that was given to those rebellious Jews with one caveat, we today can only witness the miracles God performs in our own personal lives, we don't always see the miracles He performs elsewhere every day.

We, like those early Jews, are given our own free will and can still either choose to place our faith in Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins or, we can deny Him and suffer eternal damnation.

Jesus said; "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14 in part)

When God calls, seek Him out through Jesus Christ for He is that narrow path that leads to everlasting life.~

Lesson 1063

(Lesson 1063)(08-13-14) John 6:22-29

"The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

Today's quote tells us that many of the Jewish leaders, after filling themselves with the food Jesus had miraculously provided and waking the following day to find Jesus gone, boarded ships and and crossed the sea to find Him.

Jesus, knowing they had only followed Him for the free food, and to continue to taunt Him, said; "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." Jesus made it clear that the miracles He had just performed would have no lasting consequence. He told those Jews that they should instead be searching out the savior who is able to grant them eternal life. ~

NOTE: The latter part of todays quote clears up an issue I believe we should take this opportunity to address. There are some who use the phrase "operation of God", which is found in Colossians 2:12, to contend that there are steps that are to be taken in the "operation" to achieve eternal salvation, water baptism being one of those steps. That contention is false and is demonstrated to be false in the last part of today's quote, wherein Jesus says; "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

"The work of God" and "the operation of God" are one in the same in meaning. Jesus makes it very clear herein that the operation of God, or work of God, is to BELIEVE on Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. Again, "THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

The following is the quoted text from which the phrase is taken. If we read it in context, we find that the term "baptism", as it is applied in Col. 2:12, is all about being made one with Christ Jesus through faith in His death, burial and resurrection, and has nothing to do with being immersed in water in order to be made one with Him. The term "baptism", as it is applied herein, simply means 'becoming one with'.

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism,wherein also ye are risen with him through the FAITH OF the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath HE QUICKENED TOGETHER WITH HIM, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Colossians 2:8-17)

Lesson 1062

(Lesson 1062)(08-12-14) John 6:15-21

"When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went."

John's account of that day's events, as they are provided in this quote, does not exactly align with previous accounts of the same days events as they appear in the other accounts. This occurs on a few other occasions when one compares the wording of the four "gospels" (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)

It should be noted that there are NO significant discrepancies in any of the four gospel accounts when those accounts are relating to eternal salvation or what is required of the lost in order to achieve it.

During the extent of these lessons we have already encountered a few minor inconsistencies and will, no doubt, find a few more.~

Lesson 1061

(Lesson 1061)(08-11-140) John 6:1-14

"After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

"In today's lesson Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes. He took the five loaves and two small fishes and fed approximately five thousand men having twelve baskets of remaining after all had eaten their fill.

The first lesson to be learned from this is that Jesus indeed had the divine power to work mighty miracles.

The second lesson is that Jesus provided an over abundance for those men who abandoned the thought of what they might eat that day to follow Him.

We are blessed in the same way today as were those early Jews who followed Jesus, in that, if we put Jesus first in everything we do and follow His lead, we need not ever worry about getting our next meal, He will faithfully, and always, provide more than we need.

"And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." (Matthew 19:28-29) ~

Lesson 1060

(Lesson 1060)(08-10-14) John 5:30-47

"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me.

Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Today's quote is a furtherance of yesterday's in that Jesus continued to explain to the Jewish leadership how both His message, and supreme authority, had come from God the Father and how as professed followers of Moses, they had rejected the message God sent through Moses and thereby had rejected Jesus Himself, because Moses prophesied His coming.

Jesus established that the message of John the Baptist was good and that it served its purpose, but that there could be no salvation attained through mortal man.

Jesus went further in the latter part of today's quote to establish something those Jews should have already known, that eternal salvation could only come through the divine sacrifice of the Son of God.

This tells us that the total righteousness required by God for entry into heaven, as referred to in yesterday's lesson, can only be accheived through faith in Jesus Christ. The truth of this point can't be made any clearer than Paul makes it in Romans 4:4-5; "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."

The "saints'' of the Old Testament were saved by faith just as we are today.~

Lesson 1059

(Lesson 1059)(08-09-14) John 5:28-29

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Verse 28 of today's quote says; "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

I call attention to this verse because there are some who believe Jesus intended that only those who have done good works will be saved and those who have not will inherit eternal damnation. That is an erroneous contention and directly conflicts with the over all gospel of Christ. This is true in that if we study the following quote carefully, we find that when Jesus made that statement, He was referring to those Jews who had died and either had been saved by grace through faith in a coming redeemer, or who had died with their faith in themselves through attempted obedience to the Law of Moses.

We already know that salvation was granted to those Jews who had previously died believing that God would provide a remitter for their sins. They were saved by the same grace, through faith, that we are today except that their salvation would not confirmed until Jesus had risen from the grave leaving the sins of those who would believe in Him behind.

In the first part of verse 28 Jesus said; "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth". In this statement, Jesus was referring to the time when, after the three days of His death and upon His resurrection: "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." (Matthew 27:51-53)

These "saints" are those of which Jesus spoke in verse 29 of today's quote.

These points will be made clearer as we continue the study in John:5.~

Lesson 1058

(Lesson 1058)(08-08-14) John 5:25-27

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."

In this text, Jesus clearly identifies Himself to be the Son of God, the ultimate authority over all life on earth. He also establishes that He is God born of man. He establishes that ultimate judgment and power over all things in the earth is born with Him .

This was a totally new concept for the Jews of that day because their relationship with God had always been through one of the chosen prophets. Never had God made Himself available to man, one on one. This transition proved to be virtually impossible for those Jews.

Jesus established a one on one relationship between God and man since He was God in human form, "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because HE IS THE SON OF MAN."

This lesson, like all others in the bible, is very important to us in that through the sacrifice of Himself (God) through His only begotten (born in the flesh) Son, we are given the power to become the children of God.

What a mighty, glorious, and blessed God we serve.~

Lesson 1057

(Lesson 1057)(08-07-14) John 5:1-18

"After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

In today's quote, Jesus heals the man by the pool called Bethesda and is called out and accused by the leaders of the Jews for working on the sabbath.

After explaining the divine authority given Him by God, His Father, Jesus explained the operation of God as it pertained to Him and the means by which one can receive "everlasting life".

In the final verse of today's quote, Jesus said; "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and SHALL NOT come into condemnation; but IS passed from death unto life."

We should carefully analyze that statement so as to positively and surely understand it.

Note that Jesus first makes reference to who can receive everlasting life. He said those who "HEAR" my word, and (also) "BELIEVETH" on Him that sent me (''Him" being God the Father) will have everlasting life.

To "hear" means to understand and accept. To "believe on" means to regard as authoritative beyond all doubt.

Therefore, those who accept the gospel (word) of Jesus and believe that God is the ultimate and authoritative Master of all things, WILL receive everlasting life. (Salvation, or an eternity with God in heaven.)

After a person has heard and believed, he/she is assured by what Jesus said in the last part of the statement, that he/she will NEVER lose that everlasting life. Jesus said, "and SHALL NOT come into condemnation; but IS PASSED from death unto life."

The phrase "shall not come into condemnation" is a promise straight out of the mouth of Jesus that those who hear and believe will NEVER ("shall not") suffer condemnation, under any circumstance. No man can bring one back into condemnation after that one has believed, nor will God ever re-condemn the saved.

The statement goes further to promise that those who hear and believe are already "PASSED from death unto life". The word 'is' is present tense and means that the passing has ALREADY occurred. Therefore there is no waiting period for salvation, it occurs the moment the lost soul accepts the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ. This quote also means there will be no judgment for the souls of the saved, seeing that they have already been "PASSED" from death unto life.

I hope those who mistakenly believe that after placing their faith in God through Jesus Christ one can lose his/her salvation and that there are other steps to receiving it, will study today's lesson very carefully since it very clearly establishes that once a person is saved, they remain saved throughout eternity, no matter what they do here on earth. The newly saved person IS PASSED from death unto life everlasting.~

　

　

　

　

Lesson 1056

(Lesson 1056)(08-06-14) John 4:44-54

"For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee."

In today's quote Jesus performed His "second miracle" by healing the son of a nobleman.

This lesson demonstrates to us how quickly Jesus responds to prayer requests made by those who truly have faith in Him.

The nobleman, referred to in today's quote, had no doubt that Jesus was able to heal his ailing son. Therefore, through his unwavering faith, the boy was immediately healed.

Just as it is for us today, the nobleman was required to ASK before he could receive.~.

　

　

　

Lesson 1055

(Lesson 1055)(08-05-14) John 4:31-43

"In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee."

In today's quote, Jesus told His apostles of the awesome work that laid ahead of them. He said, in essence, that those who would take on the duties of His disciples by spreading His word would sometimes testify and see no immediate results of their testimony but that there would be others who would see the benefits of their labor.

This quote tells us that the testimony of the woman from the well caused many Samaritans to believe in Jesus. It tells us also that the presence of Jesus among the Samaritans caused many more to believe.

This lesson should inspire us all to teach the wonderful soul saving gospel of Jesus Christ to whomever we find willing to listen. Even if it appears we might not be doing any good at all, others, at another time, might see the fruits of our labor.

I believe good will come from every word that is spoken on behalf of Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 1054

(Lesson 1054)(08-04-14) John 4:5-30

"Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him."

In today's quote Jesus identifies Himself to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well and admits to her that He is the Christ, the prophesied Messiah.

Although it was not the tradition of the Jews to associate themselves with the Samaritans Jesus took the time to explain that even though the Samaritan woman worshiped a non-existent god, she too would soon be able to receive eternal life through Him.

Speaking of the difference between the Samaritans and the Jews, Jesus said; "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the TRUE WORSHIPPERS (Those who accepted and placed their faith in Christ) shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him."

In this statement, Jesus made the point that His Father God, was the God of all people and that He, the promised means of salvation, had come from Jewish ancestry as had been prophesied from the beginning.

Jesus went further and made the point that soon the means of salvation that had come by the Jews would be offered to the Gentiles also.~

Lesson 1053

(Lesson 1053)(08-03-14) John 4:1-4

"When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria."

Although what is said in today's quote appears to contain only a time line of events, and where those events took place on a map, this text actually relates some very, very important information.

Note, the text says; "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John", and then in clarification and in parentheses, it says, in essence, Jesus Himself did NOT baptize, but rather His disciples did.

(The term baptism, and it's grammatic variants, as they are applied in this text are all in reference to water "baptisms".)

We know Jesus would eventually offer a soul saving "baptism" but that could not be until He was sacrificed for the sins of the world. We know too that the baptism Jesus offered was (and still is) a baptism of the spirit, NOT of the flesh.

This information is very important in that it helps clear up the confusion some have concerning the reason those first followers of Jesus underwent and performed water baptisms.

As we have discussed before, water baptism was borne out of Hebrew law and tradition and was practiced, beginning in Genesis, as a means to prepare an individual to enter the presence of God, whether that be in tabernacle, or temple. As in this example it was done to prepare those early disciples to worship Jesus, the Son of God.

Remember, John the Baptist said "I indeed baptize you with water UNTO repentance". (Matthew 3:11 in part)

Water baptism was NEVER scripturally designated as anything more than a step "unto", or toward, repentance. It NEVER had any purpose other than cleansing the flesh of EARTHLY impurities.

John's statement in itself clearly defines the purpose of water baptism. In the above example it was done as a step "unto" or toward, repentance, and had nothing to do with salvation, seeing that there would be no salvation until Jesus fulfilled the law and remitted the sins of those who would simply believe in Him.~

NOTE: (To repent simply means to deny the old and accept the new, or to change one's mind.)

Lesson 1052

(Lesson 1052)(08-02-14) John 3:27-36

"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.

He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

In today's quote, John drew a clear distinction between himself and Jesus in that he (John) was sent only to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord, whereas Jesus had come to remit the sins of the world and to grant a means by which one could attain eternal life.

John's message, and the water baptisms he performed, were only to prepare the Jews for the eternal redemption that would be made possible by Jesus.

As was noted in an earlier lesson; "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:" (Matthew 3:11) This quote clearly demonstrates that the "baptism of John" was purely a precursor to the soul redeeming baptism Jesus had come to provide, and not an actual requirement of it after the Law of Moses had been fulfulled.

It's also important to note that John clearly said; "I indeed baptize you with water UNTO (Toward) REPENTANCE:" Water baptism only ritually prepared those Jews for disavowing the failed traditions of the Law.

In the latter part of today's lesson, John knowing that Jesus was indeed the Son of God said, "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all." This statement tells us that the things that John did were "earthly" things, and that they were NOT done with the Godly power with which Jesus was endowed. "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." This meant that the power to save was delivered into the hands of Jesus, not John the Baptist.

The very last verse of today's quote makes it vividly clear that eternal life comes from "believing", nothing else us required. ~

NOTE: It is historic fact that from the beginning of the Law, before practicing Jews could undertake any religious experience such as praying or offering sacrifices, they were required by that law to undergo a water "baptism" (or bath) in running water. This was done in order to ritually cleanse their bodies of the unclean things with which they may have come in contact during the course of their everyday lives.

The practice of water baptism was, and still is, a Hebrew ritual that originated with ancient Hebrew las and was never imposed upon Christians at any point in the ministry of Jesus. The process was not referred to as a water "baptism" until the New Testament text was transliterated from the Greek.