3-26-2022        I Always Do The Things that Please Him    

        What will Father say to us?

John 8:19-30

As her accusers left, one by one, as she was alone with Jesus, He forgave the woman caught in adultery and encouraged her to sin no more.  Jesus then tells those present that, yes, He testifies of Himself, and yes, a man’s testimony of himself doesn’t carry much weight, but He also has the Father who testifies of Him.  Thus, the law is fulfilled in two witnesses (Deut. 19:15).  The Law and the prophets speak of the Messiah and Jesus declares His fulfillment of those prophecies (Luke 4:20-21).

In our passage for today, the Jews challenged Jesus as to ‘just who is your father’?  Jesus responded “You don’t know Me nor my Father for if you had known me, you would also know my Father.”

Though the Jews didn’t like what He said, no one laid a hand on Him for Jesus’ time had no yet come.   Jesus then said “I go my way and you shall look for me and you shall die in your sins for where I go, you cannot come.”

The time Jesus speaks of is the cross where He would give His life, a ransom, for all who would receive Him and then would ascend back into heaven from whence He came.  Because many Jews still rejected Him, they would have no idea where to look.  Jesus also tells us that He is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).  The Jews thought ‘keeping the law’ (works) was the way to salvation (Matt. 2:13-31), therefore, they would have no clue where to look for Jesus and that means searching one’s faith!  And they just weren’t looking any further than the Law.

Then Jesus gives them a hint “You are from beneath, I am from above.  You are of this world, I am not of this world.  That’s why I told you would die in your sins for if you don’t believe that I am the one God sent (the Messiah), you will die in your sins.”  

Then the Jews asked Him “Just who are you? And Jesus replied “I told you who I was in the beginning (John 3:5-13).  I have many things to say to you and draw conclusions about you. But He who sent me is true and I speak those things which I have heard from Him.”

Him?  The Jews didn’t realize that Jesus was speaking of (God) the Father.  Jesus went on “When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you shall know that I am He and that I don’t do anything simply because I feel like it, but I speak these things in accordance as to how Father has taught Me.  He who sent Me is with Me for the Father has not left Me alone (Deut. 31:6, Matt. 28:20, Heb. 13:5).  For this reason I ALWAYS DO THE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM!”

Jesus emphasizes that He speaks the things Father has told Him.  Jesus says that when He is crucified on the cross, it will be evident that He has spoken the truth.  As Jesus died, what did the Centurion (a Gentile), standing by the cross say?  “Truly, this man was the Son of God.” (Mark 15:39).  Jesus says that the Father has always been with Him. 

Quick review: In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was (is) God … and is the light of the world … made flesh (John 1:1-14); Jesus was conceived of the Holy Ghost for His mother Mary was a virgin (Matt. 1:20); Joseph was directed to call the child “Emmanuel” which means ‘God is with us’ (Matt. 1:23): Jesus is baptized by John upon which the Holy Ghost immediately comes upon Him like a dove (Matt. 3:11-17).  Father is with Him, Jesus of course is the Son and now the Holy Spirit, all coming, all together, as one, completing the Godhead (Col. 2:9).  Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.  While there with Jesus, he made the comment “No man can do these miracles that you do unless God is with him.” (John 3:2).

How many times did Jesus say “I do the will of my Father” (John 6:38).  The answer: 7 X!  Don’t get nipicky on the wording, but it was what He said, seven times!

And so, what is the will of the Father? 

God is love (1John 4:7).  He expresses His love towards us through His ultimate sacrifice which is that He gave His only begotten son, His Word, who came into this world as a human being, born of a virgin (Mary) that whosoever believes on Him (Jesus – the Son) would not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16)! 

Jesus tells us that there is no greater love than to lay down our life for our friend (John 15:13).  Jesus also says that all who obey His command are His friend (John 15:14). 

So, just what is the command of Jesus?  Actually, in a two-fold, single commandment we’re told - to Love he Lord God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and then to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31).  For the Law of Moses (10 commandments) and all that the prophets have said reflect God’s love (Matt. 22:40). 

That is, we learn to love as God loves us.  God does not lie (Num. 23:19) for He is truth (Deut. 32:3-4).  He has our best interest at heart (Rom. 8:26-28).  He doesn’t ‘dilly dally’ (linger) making us go through situations unnecessarily, but He is longsuffering, hoping and waiting for us to repent (2 Peter 3:9), that is, or when we ‘err’, ‘get back on track’. 

Jesus came to seek the lost (Luke 19:10) so He meets us where we are.  Saul (Paul) was persecuting the Jews and was on His way to Damascus to destroy the fledgling Christian church when Jesus met him on the way.  Saul meets and receives Christ into His heart and is baptized (Acts 9:1-19) and his life is changed forever.   

Even, once we’ve come into His kingdom, Father ‘reprimands’ us to keep us on track (Heb. 12:6).  But we need to remember Job (Job 41:1-34, Job 42:1-6) during these times.  Job discovered that though things may not seem fair, God is still God and all things work together for those who love the Lord (Rom.8:28).  As we read the bible, we discover that the bible is, indeed, God’s love-letter to us!

So, in the end, God is still love and we need to worship Him in love and truth, remembering who He is – “I am that I am” (Exod. 3:14).  He is everything we need and/or should desire!

Therefore, God is love and that which He does is driven by His love for us.  We reflect that love back to Him by giving Him all glory, praise and honor, respecting Him for He IS GOD and reflecting that love to those with whom we come into contact for we love them.  In so doing, do we “Do the things that please Him!”

Amen    

 

3-12-2022 Shall He find Faith?

Jesus had just shared the parable about the woman and the unjust judge.  Understand that the judge didn’t believe in God nor did he care about “who” a person was.  He just got tired of this woman continually coming back and ‘buggin’ him!  So he finally gave her what she asked. 

Luke 18:7-8     Shall He Find Faith?

Consider that though God’s elect cry out to Him day and night and He is long suffering towards us, He will avenge us.  But, Jesus asks a question “When the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on earth?”

Say what?!  Of course He will.  Look at all the people who have professed Jesus as savior.  Look at all the Christian churches.  How could He NOT find faith when He comes back?

Look at what the Pharisee said, when he approached the altar “I thank you God that I’m not like other men, committing sin and violating Your law (Paraphrased).  I fast TWICE a week and give tithes of all that all that I have.”  Now, where is this man’s self-image?  What does he truly think of himself? (Luke 18:10-12)

Now, consider the publican, standing off from the altar, too ashamed to even look towards heaven, striking his chest, who says “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”  Where is his self-image?  Or should I rather say, in respect to God, who does this man consider himself to be? (Luke 18:13)+

One man thinks that he is ‘all that.  The other knows he is not worthy of God.  One is prideful.  The other is humble.

When Jesus comes back, which will He find?  Pride – I’m a Christian so I’m all that, heaven is due me!  Or humility – “Jesus, I know that You shed your blood for me and all that I am is in You.  Thank You for loving me so much!”

Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians urged the brothers, that as we gather together, because we await the return of our Lord Jesus, don’t be troubled.  Don’t let our mind be confused, neither by some spirit, a spoken word, not even a letter from another Christian that the day of Christ is already at hand.  Don’t let any man deceive you for that day won’t come until first there is a falling away and the son of perdition is revealed.  That is he who exalts himself above anything that is God or is worshipped and he desires to sit as God, in the temple (2 Thess. 2:1-4).  That is, he desires to be foremost in our lives.  Don’t believe anyone who says Christ has returned for Jesus shall return in the clouds and will be evident to all that He has returned (Mark 13:26-27).

The anti-Christ shall come but first, many in the church will fall away.  Even as Peter denied Jesus three times – but will there be repentance?  Peter repented (Matt. 26:69-75).

Paul addresses the ‘religious’ practices of the Corinthians, but the bottom line is that we judge ourselves so we don’t be judged (by God).  Why?  Father chastens us to get us back on track so we don’t find ourselves condemned with the world (1 Corinth. 11:31-32).  Paul chastises the church for being ‘nitpicky’ when people don’t do things exactly the way ‘we’ think they should.  We need to ask Father to show us their heart.  Jesus and His disciples didn’t wash their hands when they sat down to eat at the Pharisee’s house.  Jesus then explained that it wasn’t what goes into the mouth of a man, rather what comes out of his mouth is what defiles him (Matt. 15:1-11).  In short, don’t get wrapped up in what other people see about us or what we want them to think, but know where our heart is – in Jesus Christ.  It is so easy to see where others have gotten off track, yet we seldom recognize our own faults.  We need to take care of the ‘home front’ first, then we can help others to avoid God’s judgment (Matt. 7:1-5).  David messed up and repented and Father forgave him and set him back into right standing.  Again, as Paul told the Corinthians, we need to judge ourselves and repent so we don’t have to face God’s judgment. 

When Jesus returns, He will separate the sheep from the goats.  The goat’s hearts weren’t right as they did not live life as Jesus prescribed and will be cast into everlasting punishment.  The sheep love God with all their heart therefore remain obedient to His will, His word, His love and are welcomed into His eternal kingdom (Mat. 25:31-45).  Jesus tells us that there will be many who will call Him Lord and will have done many things in His name but will not have loved Him.  They didn’t live in His will.  Jesus will tell them to depart because they are among those who worked iniquity (Matt. 7:20-23).  They never took the time to get to know Jesus.

When our heart is right with the Lord, everything else will fall into its proper place.

We’ve said lit before (in previous blog entries) and it bears repeating again that Jesus desires that we all be one with Him as He is one with the Father, that we can all be ONE together.  AS we endeavor to serve Jesus (John 17:20-26).  As we grow, we find ourselves doing that which is right in the sight of God  – not our own.  What did Jesus pray?  “Father, not My will but your will be done” (Luke 22:42).  For ourselves, we might add “in my life and through my life”.  In that, we assure that the cup is washed on the inside as well as on the outside so our whole vessel is clean (Luke 11:39-40)!   

We need to ask ourselves “How many times have I heard the church called ‘hypocritical’?”  We need to make sure we are not among those who fit this description. 

That what which we do, we do by ‘living’ for and in Jesus Christ, our Lord.  And just how do we do that?  Obviously, we have to invite Jesus into our heart – The sinner’s prayer “Lord, I am a sinner.  I confess my sins before you (as Father brings things to mind, we need to speak them out before God). Forgive me my sins (thank You for your loving kindness).  Father, I receive that forgiveness and I determine to flee sins in the future.  I am weak so be my strength Lord that I can resist the enemy (devil) and should I fall, oh Lord, I know that as I am faithful and true to confess and repent any sin, You are faithful and true to forgive me that sin and that (as with all sin) you put behind your back (Isa. 38:17) casting it into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19).  You are my strength, my hope, help me to live in your love.”

John tells us, in his first letter, about God’s love.  As we abide in that love, we know we have the assurance of eternal fellowship with the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord (1 John 5:13).  We should live in God’s selfless, all-giving love.  We are fooling, OK we lie, to ourselves and to the world when that is not our goal.  As we read that epistle of John, we see that if we truly love God, His love is evident in our lives.  But, if we can’t love that which we do see (other people), how can we truly love Father, whom we don’t ‘see’?  Of course, ‘experiencing’ the presence of God Almighty might be correlated with ‘seeing’ Him.

I’m not talking about being a doormat, here.  I’m talking about caring for others enough to want what is best for them and be willing to reach out and help them.  Notice I didn’t say ‘do it for them’ but, rather help them to achieve their goals through Jesus Christ.  Yes, ‘they’ have to do something.

Jesus is the epitome of assertiveness.  Being assertive is not bragging or boasting on ourselves but knowing who and what we are in Christ Jesus and having confidence in all that we do. We can be assertive when we know who we are in Christ Jesus and are confident that He is always with us (Heb. 13:5).  So we ought not to be concerned what man can do to our body but rather be concerned about what He, who determines what happens to our soul, can do (Matt. 10:28).

Yet, we need to be like the five wise virgins – always ready, always watching, prepared to go with our Lord when He does call (Matt. 25:1-13).  Let us be living in His love.

The books of Matthew, Thessalonians and Revelation all give us a pretty good picture of what to expect when Jesus does come back for us.  Soooo:

Are we living for Him?

Do we know who we are in Christ Jesus?

Are we watching and always ready to go?

When He returns, how will He find us?

Living in faith?

Shall He find faith?

 

Amen