Lesson 1848

(Lesson 1848)(11-10-16) John 7:14-24

"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. 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 lesson relates that after Jesus had slipped past the the Jews who were out to kill Him, He entered the temple and preached the word of God so eloquently that many recognized the He was indeed the Christ, the Son of God.

The gist of this lesson is that if a person truly believes in God and aspires to do His will, that person will continuously search for the truth of God's holy word wherever that search leads him/her.

Sadly, today, there are far too many would be Christians who hastily glom onto and swallow up the mostly distorted ravings of the flowery mouthed, 'pay-for-pray' preachers while being too lazy to search the holy bible for the ultimate truth themselves. The bible commands us to: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Many today are much like the Jews that Jesus confronted in the temple that day in Jerusalem, we give the outward appearance of being believers in God and followers of His divine word, while actually not even really understanding what it is we claim to believe.~

Lesson 1847

(Lesson 1847)(11-09-16) John 7:10-13

"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 lesson relates that Jesus secretly went into Jerusalem for "the feast of the tabernacles" to avoid being captured by the Jewish leadership who sought to kill Him. Even Jesus' disciples were afraid to speak out about Him for fear of the Jews.~

Lesson 1846

(Lesson 1846)(11-08-16) John 7:1-9

"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."

    

Today's quote relates that Jesus would not attend the "feast of the tabernacles" because the Jewish hierarchy were intent on killing Him. This lesson reaffirms the prophecy that "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." (John 1:11)~

Lesson 1845

(Lesson 1845)(11-07-16) John 6:60-71

"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."

    

In today's quote, after learning that there would be many who could not hear and accept the saving grace of God, many of those who had been following Jesus, walked away from Him.

In the latter part of the quote, Jesus foretold that Judas too would eventually leave and betray Him to His death.

We should learn from this lesson that it is not meant that everyone on earth should become a child of God. Sadly, the vast majority of those, who have lived and are now living, on earth will choose to deny Jesus Christ and opt for an eternity in hell. Only a faithful few will find the truth of God's word and truly accept His saving grace. "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14)~

Lesson 1844

(Lesson 1844)(11-04-16) John 6:45-59

"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. 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."

In today's quote, while referring to His eventual soul saving sacrifice, Jesus told His Jewish brethren that unlike the manna that sustained the physical bodies of those in Moses' day who ate it, the acceptance of His, one time justifies all, sacrifice would assure everlasting life to all those who would come to believe.~

Lesson 1843

(Lesson 1843)(11-03-16) John 6:41-44

"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."

In response to the doubting Jews in today's quote, Jesus reassured them that He is indeed the bread of life. He also made it clear that only those who are drawn by the Holy Spirit of God can be accepted into His saving grace. This means that if a lost soul rejects the calling of the Holy Spirit and continues in his/her unbelief, that soul has no chance of inheriting life everlasting. "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."~

Lesson 1842

(Lesson 1842)(11-02-16) 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 quote Jesus reassured His followers that all power over the sins of mankind and all power over the spiritual death was given to His hands by God the Father. He also reassured us that any lost soul who will simply believe in Him is guaranteed everlasting life. Again, there are no hoops to jump through, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:31 in part)~