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145 We Walk by Faith, not by sight!”
“We Walk by Faith and not by Sight.”
Throughout Christian history, there have been people who believed in Jesus and those who rejected Jesus. The same is true today. It is frustrating and heartbreaking to share the Gospel only to find that the message of love, hope, and forgiveness falls on deaf ears. Even when Jesus walked the earth, there were those who would not believe in Him; however, He never let the disbelief of some prevent Him from proclaiming the Gospel or the Good News! In the same manner, we need to proclaim the Gospel of Christ by words and deeds. Show More
Jesus came to save the lost.
When you are lost, you are seeking direction to get out of your situation. I remember being lost in the forest with no map, compass, or GPS. I was so confident in my own ability to find a way out. The deeper into the woods, the more concerned I was that I could find my way out. After a few hours, I realized I was totally lost. All I could think of was to find a road or path leading back to civilization. In other words, I was seeking physical rescue! The good news is that I did find my way, but the point is that I didn’t know I was lost. I leaned on my understanding and sense of direction. The truth is in the forest, all the trees and bushes look the same.
Before I was born again, I was an atheist. I gave up on God, but God did not give up on me. Jesus pursued me for five years before the truth became real to me; that I was lost! It is the very same with people we share Jesus with. Some accept gladly because they realize they are lost, and Jesus provides the way. However, some don’t realize they are lost; they trust in their own ability, talents, and resources. For them, they are not ready for the Gospel, but that doesn’t mean they will never be ready to hear the truth that Jesus saves.
In a sense, when I accepted Jesus, I was like a ripe fruit falling off the tree into my Savior’s hand. Before that time, I was like that unripe fruit, so difficult to pick. Often that is the way with people when we share the Gospel; some are ripe, and some are unripe. Our prayer should be that those who are not ready to receive Jesus today will be ready to receive Him tomorrow.
Remember that Jesus experienced the same hardships of rejection, misunderstanding, and persecution you may be facing today; however, Jesus never gives up and neither should you!
Ways in which people come to Jesus
As we see in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry, some came to Him for different reasons:
- Some came because of the prophecies of the Old Testament
- Some came because they believed in the promises Jesus made
- Some came because they saw the signs and wonders Jesus performed
Whatever way people came to Jesus, they all had one thing in common, they all came by faith. Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
For the Jews, it was through the logos word of scripture, the written word of the Old Testament. Their righteousness came in following the Law of Moses. They believed that a Messiah was foretold, and because Jesus fulfilled so many of the prophecies, they believed He was the Messiah or Christ.
For the non-Jews, that means us, faith comes through the rhema word of God, and rhema means spoken word of God; that is when the New Testament speaks to us through the work of the Holy Spirit. Because of the Holy Spirit living in the Believer, God can speak to us as believers. (Read 1 Corinthians 2)
Finally, Jesus also used signs and wonders to stir up faith in all peoples. A sign is something that points to something else. For instance, a stop sign points to an intersection, or a billboard points to a business. Miraculous signs point to the miracle worker, Jesus. Wonders, on the other hand, make people wonder about the things of God and desire to know more.
Lets take a closer look at these three avenues to salvation
They came to Jesus because of Old Testament Prophesies.
Jesus fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophesies about the coming Messiah (Gk. Christ). Some of the Jews in Jesus’ time knew the scriptures and gladly accepted Him as the Son of God. While others, especially the Jewish leaders, were concerned more about money, position, and possible retribution by the Romans if Jesus was ever proclaimed King of Israel.
Listen to what Jesus said to those religious leaders who rejected Him in John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” Jesus was saying that although they were experts in the Old Testament scriptures, their faith was in the book instead of the author of the book, God. They worshipped the creation, the Law of Moses, instead of the Creator. This may sound strange coming from a Bible-believing Christian, but the Bible does not save; the Bible points to the one who saves, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ words, “no one comes to the Father except through Me! (John 14:6)
They came to Jesus because of the promises He made
The Bible is a book of promises and Jesus made many promises in the four Gospels, and I have taken ten of them to study. They are promises made by Jesus the Son of God, God Himself; therefore, we can put our faith in His words. God cannot lie and has the power and authority to make every promise come to pass. The following are great memory verses to help you glorify Jesus in your life. From the time Jesus walked the earth until today, multitudes of people have been saved by trusting in the words of Jesus.
- Jesus promised that if we come to Him when we are weary and tired, He will give us rest. Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
- When you think you are facing the impossible, Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- Jesus said when you’re ready to give up because of hardship or persecution, focus on Him; Matthew 24:13, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
- Jesus said when you need encouragement, encourage yourself in the Lord, John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.“
- When your faith or confidence in the Lord is low recall what Jesus said in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
- When you stray from the righteous path or backslide, remember what Jesus said in John 15:3, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” Jesus’ grace is always sufficient.
- When you don’t sense God’s calling on your life, remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
- When your priorities in life become confused, Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
- When you begin to doubt your value to God, Jesus said in Matthew 6:26, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
- When you are facing impossible odds or circumstances, remember that Jesus said in Mark 9:2, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
They came to Jesus because of the signs and wonders He performed.
Jesus said in John 10:37, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” In this case, Jesus appealed to those who had doubts about His promises or did not know the prophecies concerning Him, but there could be no doubt about the miracles He performed.
Jesus performed so many miracles, signs, and wonders in the four Gospels. My favorite Gospel is the Gospel of John because you can sense how much John, the writer, loved Jesus and recognized that He was God in the flesh. John wrote in such a personal way. When Jesus was with His disciples at the Last Supper, John wrote about himself in John 13:23; “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” Clearly, John was perhaps bragging a little about his favored position with Jesus.
My wife, Dee, often jokingly tells me that “God loves the world, but I am His favorite!” Now in truth, we know that God is not a respecter of persons; all Believers are on equal standing in His eyes. However, knowing God loves you because you put your trust in what Jesus did for you brings love, joy, and peace.
Over the next several episodes, I will be looking at the seven miracles, signs, and wonders found in the gospel of John, and they are:
- The turning water into wine (John 2:1-12)
- The healing of the royal official’s son John (4:46-54)
- The healing of a paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-17)
- The feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-14)
- Jesus walking on water (John 6:15-25)
- The healing of the blind man born blind (John 9:1-41)
- The raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-46)
My Testimony About Healing
As I close today, let me tell you about a miracle and a sign I experienced as a new Christian. My father-in-law came to live with us after suffering a heart attack, heart surgery, and a stroke. He was partially paralyzed on the right side; as a result, he walked with a cane, and his right arm was useless; it would just hang by his side. While he lived with us, he came to know the Lord.
At the time, I didn’t believe that healing was for today; my background in science prevented me from understanding that nothing is impossible with God. Anyhow, my father-in-law heard about a healing service in a distant town and arranged to go with some friends. I chose not to go because I didn’t believe in healing. Well, when he came back that night, he walked into the room without a cane, shook my hand with the arm that was paralyzed before, sat down at the table, and signed his name on a piece of paper for the first time in several years.
You see, my father-in-law received a miracle, but I received a sign… God still heals today. From that day forward, I became a firm believer in the whole Gospel; Jesus heals the heart, the mind, and the body. My Father in -law’s total healing was a sign to me; it was a sign pointing to a God that heals even today.
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144 The Gospel: “I AM the True Vine.”
Over the last six episodes, I have been teaching on the seven “I AM” statements that Jesus makes in the Gospel of John. These statements fit in with the unique perspective of John which is to focus on the deity of Jesus Christ. Show More
The emphasis of these seven statements:
Jesus uses the “I AM” phrase, which identifies Himself as God! The significance of the words “I am” can be found in the book of Exodus when God revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush encounter. The Lord gave Moses his assignment to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, and Moses protested at first because he looked at his own insignificance. It is then the Lord promised that he would be with Moses and that the Israelites would believe that God sent Moses. Exodus 3:14, “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.” When the Lord said, “I Am,” He was saying, “I am” the ever-existent one, meaning the Lord has no beginning and no end. So, when Jesus used the “I AM” format, He was indicating that He was the Christ or Messiah. The Son of God!
“I AM the true Vine!”
The seventh “I AM” statement in the book of John is, “I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5) In this statement by Jesus, He gives us clear instruction on how to live the Christian life successfully. Also, remember that in the previous chapter, John 14, Jesus speaks about the Helper or the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. We are to be led and directed by the Holy Spirit of God, and being led by the Holy Spirit means we must be in a relationship with Him. That is the sense of the word abide or abiding; it is a relational term as we will see in a moment.
Jesus begins His discourse by describing His relationship with the Father. This can sound confusing until we remember that the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is a mystery we accept by faith, and the three are one!
John 15:
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Jesus clearly reveals His deity in this verse. We can also see that Jesus uses the metaphor of a vineyard and vineyard owner to illustrate the relationship that every Believer must have with the Lord.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” The fruit represents our words and deeds as we live our everyday lives representing our God. The Apostle Paul describes the fruit of Christian living in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” This is not just a good memory verse, but the actual working out of a Spirit-led Christian. Notice that the word Spirit in the verse is a capital “S” spirit. This means these traits and characteristics belong to the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will always operate this way. So, when faced with a decision on how to react or respond to a situation in life, do it as the Holy Spirit would want you to, with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Here Jesus is speaking to His followers and their acceptance of who He is, the Savior, Messiah, or Christ. They believed His words and signs; we are blessed in that we have His words, and we have the witness of His Holy Spirit living in us. They had not received the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit would not be released until Jesus was resurrected and returned to heaven.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” Here, we see the importance of “abiding” or being in relationship with the Lord. We can’t be just Sunday morning Christians; we must act out our faith every day in all circumstances of life. We must be aware that we belong to Jesus and that we represent the Lord every moment of the day. The only way to be successful in Christ is to have these three elements as part of our lifestyle: prayer, fellowship with Believers, and of course, reading and meditating upon the Word of God, the Bible.
Prayer must be seen as a dialogue. A dialogue means having a conversation with the Lord. You speak, and He hears, then you wait to hear Him speak, and you listen. Too many simply pray to the Lord and never wait to hear what He has to say. Communication is the heart of relationship.
Fellowship means that your trusted friends are other proven Christians who will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus. The Bible tells us that we are in the world, but we are not of the world. This means that our worldview must change from a humanistic mindset to a biblical mindset. It is essential to be in a Bible-believing, Christ-centered, Spirit-led church and involved in your local church. Hebrews 10:24, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” All of this means that we must learn to choose our friends and not let our friends choose us. You may have to break unhealthy relationships with people in the world as well as with so called “Christians” who are truly wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15)! The Bible warns us about making friends with the world, 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”This verse is often used in the context of marriage, but actually applies to all kinds of relationships.
Bible study, reading, and meditation must become a way of life. The Word of God is essential to learning about the character and nature of our Lord. 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Bible is God-breathed; what a powerful statement. Some have described the Bible as God’s Love letter to us! I encourage you to make the study of His Word a priority in your life. The object is not to become a theologian but a lover of Jesus! It is not about how much you know about the Bible but how much of the Bible you have applied to your life. Start in the New Testament, for that is our covenant; even 5 minutes a day is better than nothing.
Now back to our main scripture in John 15.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. The key idea is that we must stay connected to Jesus in order to fulfill His plans and purposes in our lives. Many Christians do things for the Lord when the Lord wants you to work with Him, not for Him. Many do good deeds of Christian work and ministry, which is a good thing as long as you don’t neglect the God deeds Jesus has called you to. The spiritual work God has called you to cannot be done apart from Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. Several years ago, I had several very tall trees on my property that were being strangled by heavy growths of vines. At first, I wondered how to get the vines that were near the top of the trees off. I didn’t have a ladder high enough. I am sure you have guessed what I did, to kill off the vines. I had to sever where they were attached on the ground. Once I cut the vines off at the root, the viny growth on the trees began to wither and die, and in short order, I got rid of the vine problem.
Now my trees are happy, and I’m happy! The point of the story is that if you cut the vines off from the source the vine withers and dies. The opposite is also true if the vines are connected to the source, the vines will live. This is what Jesus was talking about when He said, “I am the true vine.” We must be connected to the “True Vine,” Jesus, to live. When I use the term live in this sense, I don’t mean just to get by, but to thrive because we are spiritually empowered! (The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree – Mark 11:20)
7 If you abide in Me, and My words (rhema) abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” In this verse the phrase “My words” is from the Greek “My rhema” and a rhema word is the spoken word which is confirmed by the scriptures. This means that the Lord will speak to us through the Holy Spirit, and you will know its truthfulness because it is supported by scripture, again reinforcing the importance of knowing the Bible. Listen to what Jesus said in John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
Jesus’ purpose was to honor the Father; therefore, if we are in Jesus, we only do those things that honor the Father. We enable His life to flow in and through us by attaching ourselves to Christ. Then we cannot help but bear fruit that will honor the Father.
Conclusion
The Lord only wants the best for you, but you must do things His way. Remember Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” The meaning is clear; you cannot fool God; He is able to determine the motives of your heart. The writer Samuel Smiles wrote, “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny!” The Lord has a destiny for you, but you must do it His way! He loves you and wants you to experience the fullness of His love.
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143 The Gospel: “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life!”
We have been sharing a series based upon the seven “I AM” statements in John’s gospel. Jesus made these statements so that He could identify with God the Father to His listeners. I have discussed the first five “I AM” statements in previous episodes; today, we will look at the sixth “I AM” statement which is found in John 14:6. Show More
When Jesus said, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus was revealing several important things about Himself, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. This statement came with deep and powerful significance; Jesus was describing a new and vital relationship between humankind and the creator of the universe.
Among Christians, this verse is probably well known; however, it is more than a slogan or memory verse. Jesus’ statement, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.“, is a profound theological declaration of the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The mystery of the Trinity, three persons in one, is impossible for the human mind to comprehend and therefore is a matter of faith. When we cannot understand, we must trust God and walk by faith, not by sight or our natural understanding.
The priesthood of all Believers
Keep in mind, up until this time in human history, no one could see Yahweh or Jehovah and live. (Exodus 33:20, John 1:18, 1Timothy 6:14-16, and 1John 4:12). Now Jesus, God incarnate, came to live among us, and now to see Him is to see life everlasting. Jesus changes everything!
When Jesus gave up His Spirit on the Cross in Matthew 27:51, the scriptures say, “Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.” When the veil was split in two, traditions and rituals gave way to relationships.
In the Temple behind the veil was the “Holy of Holies,” which could only be accessed by the High Priest. The Holy of Holies was the place where the presence of God was! Now because the veil was torn in two, every Believer is a priest and has full access to God.
- 1Peter 2:4, “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
- 1Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
John 14, The Way, the Truth, The Life
In John 14, the Apostle John describes the turmoil that the Disciples felt when they heard that Jesus would be leaving them in John 13:31-38. Jesus makes a promise in John 14:1-4, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
There are three important and encouraging points to make. First, Jesus promises that He has prepared a place for all believers, and second, He will return for all those who believe in Him. That should be very encouraging for every Believer of Christ. The third point is that Jesus says that we should know the way!
The disciples Thomas and Philip state that everyone, at some time or another, considers what “must I do to get to heaven!” Thomas said, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Now, we arrive at the central point of this message, John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” Jesus makes it clear that there is a way, a truth, and a life. Let’s look at each one of these three realities.
Jesus is the Way
Within the same verse, Jesus proclaims that He is the way! Jesus then says that He and the Father are one, and Jesus is God the Father in the flesh.
John 14:7, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.”
Jesus then goes on to say to Philip, if you can’t believe that the Father and I are one, then believe for the sake of the signs and wonders I performed, and you have witnessed. For only God could do these things. 11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.”
Jesus is the only way. There are those who believe that “all roads lead to God,” but the scriptures say that there is only one way, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” It can’t be any clearer than that. You may wish there was another way for the sake of those who are on the wrong path; nevertheless, Jesus is the only way to the Father.
Jesus is the Truth
In the natural, it is almost impossible for us to know the truth, but as born-again Believers of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit of God lives in us, and He is the Spirit of Truth. This means that we have the capacity to know the truth. The next step is to do the truth. It is only then that the truth sets us free! You can’t do it without the Holy Spirit, who is the Helper.
John 14;16, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
Jesus promises that He will not leave us alone. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, the Holy Spirit, the spirit of Jesus, came down to live in us.
When we think of the word Truth from God’s perspective, it means that whatever God says will never change. I heard somewhere three things that God can’t do, God can not lie, He cannot change, and He cannot let a sinner into Heaven. The following verse speaks to those ideas:
- Malachi 3:6, “For I am the LORD, I do not change….”
- James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
- Additional verses: Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18
The importance of the spiritual nature of the born-again Believer cannot be overstated because worshipping God is done in spirit and truth. When Jesus was speaking to the woman at the Well, He said to her in John 4;23, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as our Helper, our Comforter, our Advocate, and our Guide. We need to learn how to hear the Spirit of God to fulfill His purpose and plan for our lives. John 16:13, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”
Jesus is the Life
John 14:19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” Because Jesus rose from the dead and lives, you are promised a resurrection too.
Life in this context means life in the Spirit, new life in Jesus Christ. Spiritually speaking, you died and rose with Christ, and the Spirit of God lives in you. There are two kinds of people in the world: people living in the flesh and people living in the Spirit. All of us are in one of these two categories. With Jesus, you have life on this earth and one day in Heaven, and it will be forever. However, without Jesus, you may have life on earth, but there is no life in Hell separated from God, and that is also forever.
The Meaning of Life
All of us are looking for meaning in life, and it is one of the fundamental questions mankind has wrestled with since the beginning of time. Here are the questions we struggle with, that is, until we come to Jesus.
- Where Do I Come From? You are God’s creation; God knew you before you were “knitted” in your mother’s womb. Listen to what the prophet Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you….” Where do you come from? You come from God!
- What Is My Purpose? For the righteous Believer, the meaning (or purpose) of life is to bring glory to God our creator and enjoy him forever through Jesus Christ.
- Where Am I Going? You are going home to your eternal reward; remember the earth is not your true home. Regardless of the life, you have lived on earth, whether difficult or easy, this is what Jesus promises in Heaven, Revelation 21:4, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Conclusion
Let me close with what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The meaning here is clear, Paul was saying, no matter what I face in this life, I will survive, and I will thrive because of Christ in me.
The next time you read John 14:6, be thankful that you know the way, Jesus is the way, Jesus is the truth, and Jesus is the life. There is no other way to the Father except through Jesus. Be strengthened and encouraged by that knowledge.
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142 The Gospel: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life!
The Good News
The Gospel is the “Good News” provided by God; He has offered free spiritual gifts to restore or reconcile us into a personal relationship with Him. God’s plan is “good news” because God has done all the work. God provided the perfect sacrifice for our sin and sinful life in the person of Jesus Christ! God demonstrated His love for us by sending the “Lamb of God,” Jesus, in our place, to the Cross of Calvary. That one act by Jesus accomplished the following: Show More
- Forgiveness of our sins, thus eliminating the guilt and shame.
- Restoration of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ
- Granting Believers eternal life. When we die, that is not the end, we will experience a resurrection and the beginning of a glorious life in Heaven with God.
- God has given us His Holy Spirit to be a comforter, helper, and teacher to be victorious Christians in this life.
The New Birth
When a person comes to a place where he or she believes the above statements, then they are experiencing faith in Jesus. This faith in Jesus is what makes a person born-again! Now, as a born-again Believer, a miraculous thing happens the Holy Spirit comes to live in them, and they become a child of God, a member of God’s family.
The Church
All people past, present, and future who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior belong to something called the Church, the Greek word for church is “ekklesia,” and it means “called out ones.” Believers have been called out of the world and are now a part of the Kingdom of God. Being called out means that you now have a purpose in God, and He sees you as righteous and holy.
The Spiritual Church
There is a spiritual church and a physical church; the difference is that the spiritual church is made up of those individuals who are born-again, they have had an encounter with Jesus. The physical church is made up of people who go to church and identify with being Christians but have not made Jesus Lord and Savior of their lives. For those who are part of the spiritual Church, the church of the “Born Again” we have the promise and the assurance of the resurrection and the life for eternity.
The Resurrection Hope in the Old Testament
Not everyone believed in resurrection in the Old Testament. The Sadducees denied it because they didn’t believe it was taught in the Torah. But Jesus challenged them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. – As for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God?” (Matthew 22:29, 31).
Examine the following scriptures by the Prophets to support the resurrection hope in the Old Testament.
- Daniel 12:2, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
- Isaiah 26:19, “Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.”
- Isaiah 49:14, “But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.”
- Psalm 71:20, “You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.”
John 11:25, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life.” Lazarus
Recall the story of Jesus and Lazarus. When Jesus arrived in Judea, Lazarus had been in the grave for four days. Then Martha heard that Jesus was in the area, and she went to Him.
John 11:21, “Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
In verse 24 Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Martha was referring to the Old Testament Hope of the Resurrection, but Jesus gently corrects her when He says, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Finally, Martha understands in verse 27, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Later, When Jesus causes Lazarus to rise from the grave in John 11:38-44 it was to demonstrate that He had power over death, and this was something only God could do. The promise to us as Believers today is that one day we will rise again to live in Heaven forever.
The Resurrection
When Jesus said “I am in you and you in me, as the Father and I are one so are you one with me in John 14:20 and 17:20, He was stating a spiritual truth. If we carry this a step further, if Jesus is the resurrection and the Life, that means we are the resurrection and the life too!
- John 14:20, “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”
- John 17:20, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
If it were not for the Believer’s resurrection, Christianity would make no sense. As the Apostle Paul said in 1Corinthians 15:12-19, in these verses, Paul is speaking to believers who don’t fully realize what Jesus has done for them. Some are skeptical that Jesus’ resurrection took place and others don’t see the importance of Jesus’ resurrection, and still others are not aware of the fact that Jesus purchased their promise of a personal resurrection when they die.
Paul goes on to say as an illustration that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then everything he and the other apostles and disciples were teaching and preaching was for nothing. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, what would be the point of faith? Paul goes on to say if Christ has not risen, then all who are alive are still in sin, and there is no hope for all those who have passed on before us. Paul closes with the statement, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)
The Apostle Paul then forcefully proclaims in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ (ESV).”
You should see that the resurrection of Jesus is essential to our own personal resurrection. He is the firstfruits, the first to be resurrected, and we who belong to Jesus will follow. When Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” He was making a promise only God could make, the promise of eternal life. When a believer embraces this truth, then everything changes. Death has lost its sting (1 Corinthians 15:55-56)! Believing and acting by faith that you have everlasting life changes everything!
A Changed Worldview
A friend of mine once said to me, “As a Christian when we die, we simply have a change of address!” That simple statement is a powerful truth. The things of this world are less important than the spiritual riches we have in Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
When our focus in life is on Jesus and His Kingdom, then we will have a change in how we view our world today; our worldview will have changed.
Having a biblical worldview is so important to how we live and do ministry. A worldview is an overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. A worldview is a collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group.
Although we may not realize it, we all have certain opinions and biases that affect the way we view all of life and reality. A worldview is like a set of lenses for our eyes, which color our vision or alter how we see or perceive the world around us.
Our worldview is formed by our education, our upbringing, the society and culture we live in, the books we’ve read, the teachers we have had, and the media we expose ourselves to. For many people, their worldview is simply something they have absorbed by continual contact from their surrounding influences. However, the Bible cautions us to be aware of the world’s view of life, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8 This is the one overwhelming reason why so many substitute the “wisdom of the World” for the “Wisdom of God” and eventually go astray, leading others astray as well.
I think the Apostle Paul said it best in 1 Corinthians 2:1. “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
The Message of the Empty Tomb
Let me close with this thought, Jesus’ tomb is empty. We celebrate Easter to remember and acknowledge that Jesus rose from the dead. One day each of us as born-again Believers of Christ will have our own “Easter” when we rise up to be with the Lord forever! When we keep this in mind our outlook on life will change for the better.
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141 The Gospel: “I Am the Good Shepherd!”
There is power to change a life for eternity in the message of the Gospel or Good News. The Kingdom is represented by Jesus Christ, the King, and the finished work at the Cross of Calvary. Any message that does not focus on Jesus is not a Gospel message. To be sure, we need to be taught how to live the Christian life, but unless one is born again, that life will not bear fruit. Show More
The Good News
The Gospel is the “Good News” provided by God; He has provided free spiritual gifts to restore or reconcile us into a personal relationship with Him. God’s plan is “good news” because God has done all the work. God provided the perfect sacrifice for our sin and sinful life in the person of Jesus Christ! God demonstrated His love for us by sending the “Lamb of God,” Jesus, in our place, to the Cross of Calvary. That one act by Jesus accomplished the following:
- Forgiveness of our sins, thus eliminating the guilt and shame.
- Restoration of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
- Granting Believers eternal life. When we die, that is not the end; we will experience a resurrection and the beginning of a glorious life in Heaven with the Lord.
- God has given us His Holy Spirit to be a comforter, helper, and teacher to be successful Christians in this life.
The New Birth
When a person comes to a place where they believe the above statements, then they are experiencing faith in Jesus. This faith in Jesus is what makes a person born again! Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Now, as a born-again Believer, a miraculous thing happens the Holy Spirit comes to live in them, and they become a child of God, a member of God’s family.
The Church
All people past, present, and future who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior belong to something Jesus called the Church, the Greek word for Church is “ekklesia” which means “called out ones.” Believers have been called out of the world and are now a part of the Kingdom of God. Being called out means that you now have a purpose in God, and He sees you as righteous and holy.
The Spiritual Church
There is a spiritual church and a physical church. The difference between the two is that the spiritual Church is made up of individuals around the world, who are born-again, they have had an encounter with Jesus. The physical Church is made up of people who go to Church and identify as Christians but have not made Jesus Lord and Savior of their lives.
Generational Christian vs. Encounter Christian
I want to take a moment to distinguish between what I call a generational Christian and an encounter Christian. A generational Christian is one who was raised in a Christian family and came from a long line of Christians. They may have been raised in the Church and identify as Christians because they have not known anything else. However, they have never had a moment in time where they decided to say yes to Jesus and all that He offers and requires. In other words, they have never had an encounter with Jesus.
When I was pastoring, I had a woman about 65 years old join our Church from another church. She came from a long line of Christian families; she had been a churchgoer all her life and even served as a Sunday school teacher. When she came to our Church, she heard the Gospel for the first time and gave her life to Jesus. I remember her saying, through tears, “how could I not have heard what Jesus did for me until now?” You see, she heard the Gospel and decided to follow Jesus; she had an encounter with the Lord! Her life was changed. I say all of this to emphasize the power of the Gospel to change lives forever.
“I AM” statements
Today we will look at two of the seven “I AM” statements found in the Gospel of John. “I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7) and “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14). As we know from previous messages, the “I AM” is directly associated with the name of God.
Some believe that entry into eternal life is open to everyone. They take the position that “there are many roads to God,” and they can’t believe that God would ever condemn anyone. Obviously, they have not read God’s Word because it is apparent in the Bible that there is a “Heaven to be gained and a Hell to be shunned.” Everyone has a choice.
Then there are those who believe that entry into Heaven and eternal life is obtained by being “good.” First of all, there is only one who is good. A rich young ruler approached Jesus and asked a question in Luke 18:18, “Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” You see, only God is good! This also begs the question, “how good is good enough to get into heaven?”
Recall the scriptures about the woman caught in adultery in the Gospel of John 8; the pious religious leaders wanted to see what Jesus would say about the adulterous woman, “7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” The point here is that the religious leaders recognized that they were not perfect or good enough” to judge the woman.
In the same way, no one is good enough to deserve or earn salvation and Heaven! You may be able to think of someone so loving, kind, and pious that surely, they must be good enough, but sadly the answer is no. Remember what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Not some have sinned, but all have sinned! However, Jesus, the perfect One, purchased our salvation and offers that salvation as a gift if we will believe in Him, and that He is the only way to the Father.
There is only one way into the Kingdom of God.
In John 10:1-6, Jesus is speaking to the people about the Kingdom of God and the fact that there is only one way into the Kingdom, which is through Him. Only Jesus can enter through the gate of Heaven and those who follow Him. Others may claim to know the way and try to lead the way differently, but the doorkeeper of Heaven will only open the gate to Jesus and His followers. Jesus clarifies this statement by saying In John 10:7, “I am the door of the sheep.” Jesus uses this as a metaphor to show that it is only through Him that the sheep (Believers) can follow and gain entrance into the Kingdom of God. His sheep hear His voice (the encounter) and follow, they will also be able to discern the voice of the thief (Satan) and run away. Jesus warns us that “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Jesus is making the promise that if you follow Him, you will experience the abundant life.
I will take care of you!
Then in John 10:11 & 14, “Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” Then Jesus says again, “I am the good shepherd, and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”
Jesus, the good shepherd, gave His life on the cross of Calvary for our sins and offers us His salvation for those who will trust Him. And if He gave his life, how much more shall He provide for us as it says in Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
We rejoice when we say that we know Jesus, but how much more we should rejoice that we are known by Him (Galatians 4:9). As the shepherd of our lives, Jesus is committed to caring and watching over those who are His. He has taken on the responsibility to provide for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of his flock. Think of what an actual shepherd does…
- He values his flock. Everyone in his flock is important.
- He is willing to lay down his life to protect the flock. Just a reminder, you do have an enemy that would try to “steal, kill and destroy.” However, you have the victory because Jesus defeated the enemy of our soul.
- He is involved with the spiritual, emotional, and physical health of his flock- Jesus is the healer and has a solution for all your needs.
Close
John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
You are His, and He is yours; no one can take your salvation away from Jesus. Walk as one who is secure in what Jesus has done and know that nothing can separate you from His love.
Romans 8: 37, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
That’s a promise!
