(John 8:31-58) So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. 41 You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
48 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ 53 Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”
No one can say that Jesus was never straightforward with them. Right there! He came right out and said that HE IS GOD. Remember that "I AM" was another name that God went by for the Israelites to recognize Him. When the Israelites asked Moses who sent him, God told Moses to say, "I AM sent me." So this was huge!!!
Now we have another scenario right after Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, He launched into a few parables. The first one was about a wedding feast. Remember that the Millennial Kingdom has also been called The Wedding Feast (more parables will come up that describe this in more detail). In order to enter the Millennial Kingdom (and this can be applied to heaven as well) - one must humble themselves and give up their pride and selfishness in order see that they are sinful and in need of salvation through Christ.
Then as believers, we still have to allow God to work in and through us so we will do good works with the right motives - with love and humility. These are the works which will pass through the fire and be rewarded. If we, as believers, tend to only do things to serve ourselves, then - we will enter heaven - but with very few rewards. It will be the same for the people becoming believers in the Tribulation who enter the Millennium and are able to join Jesus at the Wedding Feast table...
(Luke 14:7-14) And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. 10 But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. 13 But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
It is typical for the one who is comfortable and happy - experiencing the fruit of their own labor - to feel that they are self-sufficient enough in their own efforts - that they do not need Jesus' salvation or His help. Then - it is no wonder why we usually see an increased attendance in churches during war time. Or why the underground churches are thriving in countries where persecution is highest. In these types of scenarios, these people are not going to make their decision very lightly, because it probably means life or death to them. And so, during the Tribulation where persecution will be extremely prevalent, it will the inflicted and suffering who will tend to become believes and enter into the Millennial kingdom...
(Luke 14:15-23) When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
16 But He said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; 17 and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’ 19 Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’ 20 Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’ 21 And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the slave said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.'"
Because of God's promises in the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, Jesus' main ministry was to preach the kingdom of God to the Israelites, all the while knowing that He also came to make salvation available to all nations...
(Matthew 15:21-28) Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” 23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.” 24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.
Today's takeaway: notice who Jesus didn't answer the woman right away. I've heard many people say, "I've tried 'church', and it doesn't work." But this was because they didn't understand salvation and having a personal relationship with Jesus. As well, I've heard people, even Christians say, "I've tried praying, and it doesn't work."
It's important to realize that - there are several reasons why God is not answering our prayers. Sometimes there is a critical time factor in place, so God WILL answer the prayer, but in His perfect timing. Sometimes the answer is "no" because God is protecting us from something we cannot see. Sometimes the prayer is not acknowledged because there sin that is impeding our prayers, like when we ask with the wrong motives. As well - the sin that is in the way can be due to the fact that the person is not yet a Christian.
Back when my children were little, I'd take them to the playground and watch them like a hawk. If they were in trouble, I would rush right over to help them. If someone else's child was in trouble - I might have stepped in - but my children always took priority. Like this gentile woman trying to get Jesus' attention, it wasn't until she realized faith in Him that He answered her request...
(Matthew 21:21-22) And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
(James 5:13-16) Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
(1 Timothy 2:8) Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.
No comments:
Post a Comment