Galatians 1

If righteousness could have been attained by our good deeds and obedience to the Law Jesus Christ would not have died. It would not have been necessary for God to use His own right arm, His only begotten Son, all God and all man to give His sinless life in exchange for ours. We are incapable of saving ourselves; we are incapable of changing ourselves into the image of His Son that He sees in those who place their trust in Him. In His agape love, His mercy and His grace He looked down on His creation and provided a way in Christ Jesus to receive redemption and the power to be changed precept upon precept into the temple of the Holy Spirit.
To God be all the glory, honor and praise.

Galatians 1

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Only One Gospel

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Call to Apostleship

11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Contacts at Jerusalem

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, "He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy." 24 And they glorified God in me

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Paul calls himself an apostle to assert his divinely given authority to speak to the problem confronting the Galatian churches. Through Jesus Christ and God the Father refers to Paul's unique call to be an apostle, which came to him at the same time as his salvation on the road to Damascus. Galatians is a circular letter, intended for several churches. Paul commonly combines the two ideas of grace and peace in the introductions of his letters. The true message of salvation is based solely on God's grace received by faith, and it provides peace with God. Christ's death is for you. Christ "has delivered us from the power of darkness" into His kingdom. The Galatians had unwittingly fallen for a different message, one which was not another true message of salvation at all. Those causing the trouble were guilty of seeking to pervert the gospel of Christ, not to present a better alternative. To please men was neither Paul's motivation nor the source of his authority. Paul continually sought the approval of God. He did not base his decisions on the opinions of other people. Instead he single-mindedly aimed at pleasing God. As an apostle Paul was a leader, but he was always a bondservant of Christ. There was no human creativity flavoring the gospel Paul preached. Paul knew it only because he received it by special revelation from Jesus Christ at his conversion. Paul's conduct before his conversion had greatly distinguished him in Judaism in two ways: (1) He painstakingly kept the law and traditions, certainly more so than the Judaizers in Galatia. (2) He persecuted the church of God in order to destroy it, doing so under the authority of Jewish religious leaders. Paul relates that God had chosen him to be an apostle before his birth. Paul, like the Judaizers in Galatia, had previously tried to earn his salvation by works. However, his apostolic call and conversion both came through God's grace, His undeserved favor. Paul's "revelation of Jesus Christ" enabled him to see that Christ was God's Son, the sole object of our faith, and the unique source of oneness of all believers—whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female. Paul received his knowledge by special revelation. Paul was thus an independent witness to the gospel; and although he had received no instructions directly from the apostles but only from the Holy Spirit, his teachings agreed with theirs.

 

 

 

 

 

Hosea 2

Our God is an all consuming fire and He will not share us with false gods whether a false religion or the deceit of the world. He wants us to come to Him of our own free will and to stay because we love Him and are united with Him forever through the bonds of our covenant with Christ Jesus. If we think that we can live in complacency we are sadly deceived. God wants a passionate relationship with us and will settle for nothing else.

Say to your brethren, 'My people,' And to your sisters, 'Mercy is shown.'

God's Unfaithful People

2 "Bring charges against your mother, bring charges;

For she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband!

Let her put away her harlotries from her sight,

And her adulteries from between her breasts;

3 Lest I strip her naked

And expose her, as in the day she was born,

And make her like a wilderness,

And set her like a dry land,

And slay her with thirst.

4 "I will not have mercy on her children,

For they are the children of harlotry.

5 For their mother has played the harlot;

She who conceived them has behaved shamefully.

For she said, 'I will go after my lovers,

Who give me my bread and my water,

My wool and my linen,

My oil and my drink.'

6 "Therefore, behold,

I will hedge up your way with thorns,

And wall her in,

So that she cannot find her paths.

7 She will chase her lovers,

But not overtake them;

Yes, she will seek them, but not find them.

Then she will say,

'I will go and return to my first husband,

For then it was better for me than now.'

8 For she did not know

That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil,

And multiplied her silver and gold—

Which they prepared for Baal.

9 "Therefore I will return and take away

My grain in its time

And My new wine in its season,

And will take back My wool and My linen,

Given to cover her nakedness.

10 Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers,

And no one shall deliver her from My hand.

11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease,

Her feast days,

Her New Moons,

Her Sabbaths—

All her appointed feasts.

12 "And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees,

Of which she has said,

'These are my wages that my lovers have given me.'

So I will make them a forest,

And the beasts of the field shall eat them.

13 I will punish her

For the days of the Baals to which she burned incense.

She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry,

And went after her lovers;

But Me she forgot," says the Lord.

God's Mercy on His People

14 "Therefore, behold, I will allure her,

Will bring her into the wilderness,

And speak comfort to her.

15 I will give her her vineyards from there,

And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope;

She shall sing there,

As in the days of her youth,

As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.

16 "And it shall be, in that day,"

Says the Lord,

"That you will call Me 'My Husband,'

And no longer call Me 'My Master,'

17 For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals,

And they shall be remembered by their name no more.

18 In that day I will make a covenant for them

With the beasts of the field,

With the birds of the air,

And with the creeping things of the ground.

Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth,

To make them lie down safely.

19 "I will betroth you to Me forever;

Yes, I will betroth you to Me

In righteousness and justice,

In lovingkindness and mercy;

20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,

And you shall know the Lord.

21 "It shall come to pass in that day

That I will answer," says the Lord;

"I will answer the heavens,

And they shall answer the earth.

22 The earth shall answer

With grain,

With new wine,

And with oil;

They shall answer Jezreel.

23 Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth,

And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy;

Then I will say to those who were not My people,

'You are My people!'

And they shall say, 'You are my God!' "

The NKJV Study Bible: God would mercifully restore His covenant relationship with His people. The Lord formally accused Israel of unfaithfulness to the covenant. This may be a formal announcement of divorce or a realistic confession that the relationship between God and Israel had lost its vitality. The Lord warned that He might publicly humiliate His unfaithful wife by stripping her naked, an appropriate punishment for a nation that had sought fertility by worshiping another god. The Lord warned that He might disown the children because they were a reminder of their mother's unfaithfulness. Since Israel refused to acknowledge the Lord as her source of agricultural prosperity, the Lord would take back His blessings and no longer provide for the nation's basic needs. The Lord would publicly expose Israel's unfaithfulness through judgment. The Baal idols would be unable to help Israel, proving their unworthiness to be worshiped. The Lord would break down the nation's defenses and turn them into overgrown thickets inhabited by wild animals. Having separated Israel from her lovers, the Lord would seek to win her back by making romantic overtures and wooing her with tender words of love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zephaniah 1

Zephaniah was a doomsayer and most people are not comfortable with prophets who bring messages of hardship and destruction. He speaks of the certain reprisals of not following God's way but he also speaks of the Lord's forgiveness to all who will repent of their sins and call upon Him in truth asking for His mercy and protection. Our God is a jealous God and He will not share us. We must choose whom we will serve. In the measure that we believe in His power and in His control is the measure we can receive His protection and guidance in our lives. Praise Him for His mercy, goodness and grace He gives us hidden in Christ Jesus!

2:3 Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth,

Who have upheld His justice.

Seek righteousness, seek humility.

It may be that you will be hidden

In the day of the Lord's anger.

Zephaniah 1

1 The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

The Great Day of the Lord

2 "I will utterly consume everything

From the face of the land,"

Says the Lord;

3 "I will consume man and beast;

I will consume the birds of the heavens,

The fish of the sea,

And the stumbling blocks along with the wicked.

I will cut off man from the face of the land,"

Says the Lord.

4 "I will stretch out My hand against Judah,

And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

4I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place,

The names of the idolatrous priests with the pagan priests—

5 Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops;

Those who worship and swear oaths by the Lord,

But who also swear by Milcom;

6 Those who have turned back from following the Lord,

And have not sought the Lord, nor inquired of Him."

7 Be silent in the presence of the Lord God;

For the day of the Lord is at hand,

For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice;

He has invited His guests.

8 "And it shall be,

In the day of the Lord's sacrifice,

That I will punish the princes and the king's children,

And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.

9 In the same day I will punish

All those who leap over the threshold,

Who fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

10 "And there shall be on that day," says the Lord,

"The sound of a mournful cry from the Fish Gate,

A wailing from the Second Quarter,

And a loud crashing from the hills.

11 Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh!

For all the merchant people are cut down;

All those who handle money are cut off.

12 "And it shall come to pass at that time

That I will search Jerusalem with lamps,

And punish the men

Who are settled in complacency,

Who say in their heart,

'The Lord will not do good,

Nor will He do evil.'

13 Therefore their goods shall become booty,

And their houses a desolation;

They shall build houses, but not inhabit them;

They shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine."

14 The great day of the Lord is near;

It is near and hastens quickly.

The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter;

There the mighty men shall cry out.

15 That day is a day of wrath,

A day of trouble and distress,

A day of devastation and desolation,

A day of darkness and gloominess,

A day of clouds and thick darkness,

16 A day of trumpet and alarm

Against the fortified cities

And against the high towers.

17 "I will bring distress upon men,

And they shall walk like blind men,

Because they have sinned against the Lord;

Their blood shall be poured out like dust,

And their flesh like refuse."

18 Neither their silver nor their gold

Shall be able to deliver them

In the day of the Lord's wrath;

But the whole land shall be devoured

By the fire of His jealousy,

For He will make speedy riddance

Of all those who dwell in the land.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Zephaniah means "Hidden in the Lord," a name that relates to the principal message the prophet presented. The names of the prophets were often significantly associated with the message that God gave them to present to the people. The message of Zephaniah begins with a pronouncement of universal judgment. (These words not only introduce the particular judgment that would be pronounced upon Judah, but they also speak of the final judgment that will usher in the kingdom of God on earth (see Rev. 19). Stumbling blocks here refers to idolatry, or substitutes for God in the life and affections of a person. Because there is nothing in the universe that really may be compared to the Creator, God abhors all forms of idolatry. The people had experienced God and then turned away from Him. The complacency of the wicked people led them to believe that God is similarly complacent. Foolishly these people believed that the Lord would be inactive, neither blessing nor cursing, neither benefiting nor punishing His people. God's judgment would be so sudden and so overwhelming that the survivors would be in a state of shock, stumbling around in the dark.

 

 

 

Acts 2:1-24

God loves His creation so much that He provided His own arm for our salvation. He sent His only begotten Son to suffer, die and rise again by the power of His Holy Spirit to conquer sin and death to all who would call upon His holy name. When Jesus left this earth He said that it was necessary for Him to leave so that the Father would send His Holy Spirit to guide and direct those who placed their trust in Him. The Holy Spirit gave the gift of tongues to praise God before all nationalities who were there.
The Holy Spirit will take the teachings of Jesus and explain them to us so that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.

Coming of the Holy Spirit

2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and 4Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?"

13 Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,

That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your young men shall see visions,

Your old men shall dream dreams.

18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days;

And they shall prophesy.

19 I will show wonders in heaven above

And signs in the earth beneath:

Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,

And the moon into blood,

Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

21 And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord

Shall be saved.'

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Pentecost was one of the three major Jewish festivals; the other two are the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. From the Greek word for "fifty," Pentecost was so named because it fell on the fiftieth day after the Sabbath of the Passover. Pentecost was also known as "the Feast of Weeks," "the Firstfruits of the Wheat Harvest," and "the Day of Firstfruits." During this harvest celebration, the Jews brought to God the firstfruits of their harvest in thanksgiving, expecting that God would give the rest of the harvest as His blessing. This particular Day of Pentecost was the day of firstfruits of Christ's church, the beginning of the great harvest of souls who would come to know Christ and be joined together through the work of the Holy Spirit. A sound like a rushing mighty wind was needed to attract the multitudes to the small gathering of apostles who were sitting, the normal position for listening to someone speak, rather than standing for prayer. After the great crowd-gathering sound of v. 2 came the visual manifestation of God. Fire often indicated the presence of God. The word translated tongues here is the normal Greek word for known languages. Speaking in "tongues" or diverse languages underscored the universal outreach of the church. These witnesses were speaking foreign dialects to the people who had gathered for Pentecost from other nations. The Day of Pentecost, as one of the three major Jewish celebrations, was a pilgrimage event. People who lived outside Israel traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival. They came from Arabia, Crete, Asia, and even as far away as Rome. Many of these people stayed in Jerusalem for the entire 50-day celebration. The visitors to Jerusalem probably expected the apostles to use Aramaic or Greek, but instead they heard their own dialect. The visitors were astonished because they knew this was most unlikely unless the speakers had come from their land. This was a sign from heaven, a supernatural event. Peter preached his sermon to men of Judea who had judged the whole episode as being the effect of too much wine. God would speak to and through all those who would come to Him, whether in visions, dreams, or prophecy. This was the beginning of the last days. God's final act of salvation began with the pouring out of His Spirit. This final act of deliverance will continue to the end of this age. Jesus Christ was God's provision for the judgment of sin; yet it was our sinfulness that made His death necessary. In other words, it was both the sinfulness of humanity and God's plan to save humanity that put Jesus to death on the Cross. God exercises sovereign control over all events—even the death of His Son. Yet at the same time, people are still responsible for their own sinful actions.

 

 

 

Mark 12

In this world there will always be a struggle for power and control. The very people who were placed in high positions in the Jewish Church had the most to lose if the truth of God's grace in Christ Jesus was revealed. They would no longer be able to manipulate the masses for their own selfish gain. God owns all and He alone should reap the fruits of His labor. The fruit of the Holy Spirit should be not only our guide but also our judge in human relations. God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit show no partiality but respect the rights of all people.

Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Parable of the Vineyard Owner

12 Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 2 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. 3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5 And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. 6 Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 7 But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

9 "Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not even read this Scripture:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

11 This was the Lord's doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

12 And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

Question of Taxes

13 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14 When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?"

But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it." 16 So they brought it.

And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's."

17 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

And they marveled at Him.

Question of the Resurrection

18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife."

24 Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob' ? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken."

Question of the Greatest Commandment

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"

29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32 So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

But after that no one dared question Him.

Jesus Questions the Leaders

35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:

'The Lord said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

37 Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"

And the common people heard Him gladly.

Jesus Condemns the Leaders

38 Then He said to them in His teaching,  "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

The NKJV Study Bible says this: This parable represents God as carefully preparing the nation of Israel (a vineyard) and leaving it in the care of others (the vinedressers). Great care was taken to fence the vineyard, to prepare a wine vat for crushing the grapes, and to build a tower in order to keep watch and protect the property from thieves. In this parable, the owner of the vineyard represents God, but God Himself was never so mistaken as to assume they would respect His Son. God is omniscient, whereas the vineyard owner in the parable is not. This story illustrates the immense patience God had with Israel. The destruction of the vinedressers, the Israelites who rejected the Son of God, took place in a.d. 70 when the Romans smashed a revolt in Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. Giving the vineyard to others refers to the importance the Gentiles would assume in the growth of Christianity. The chief priests, scribes, and elders sought to lay hands on Him, to arrest Jesus, and to carry out their plot to destroy Him. Only as the final points of the parable were made did these evil men realize that Jesus had spoken the parable against them. The Herodians are mentioned in the NT three times, all in conjunction with the Pharisees. The Herodians wanted to kill Jesus because He threatened their authority. Their attempt to catch Him in His words was their hope that Jesus would say something that could be grounds for His arrest. The Sadducees were an elite group of religious leaders who denied the existence of angels, the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection. They rejected the oral traditions and accepted only the validity of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the OT. The purpose of this story was to discredit the doctrine of resurrection. Two categories support the resurrection—the Scriptures and God's power. The Sadducees undoubtedly did know the Scriptures, but lacked spiritual insight to understand God's purposes. Jesus quotes from the Law—the Book of Exodus—to make His point. God said I am the God of the three patriarchs mentioned, not "I was their God, but now they are dead." He still is their God because they are still alive. Their souls not only live after death, but their bodies will be raised anew as well. Jesus' argument about the Messiah being Lord as well as Son showed that the Messiah, even though a descendant of David, would be superior to him. In fact, He would be His Lord. He was both man and God at the same time. The scribes of Jesus' day were teachers of the law, often dependent on people's gifts for their support. Some, however, overstepped the bounds of humility, piety, and dignity by flaunting their position of respect and trust. They sought the glory that belonged to God and even took advantage of widows who helped feed and support them. By contrast, the widow worshiped God out of deep humility and genuine devotion. Jesus' comparison of the percentages contributed by the rich and the poor reminds us that God measures not how much we give, but how much we retain. Those with greater income have an obligation to return a larger percentage of it to God's work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John 3

I think that the whole of Scripture Is summed up in this verse. If we believe that the Bible is His love letters to man then lift Him up and give this message of hope and salvation to a dying world.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born 1again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"

10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!"

27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

The NKJV Study Bible says this: The phrase ruler of the Jews indicates that Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish council, the group that had sent a committee to investigate John the Baptist. Nicodemus no doubt knew that John the Baptist had denied being the Messiah, but had said that the Messiah was present. The fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night may reveal the timidity of his faith; however, his faith was developing. The Greek word translated again can mean either "from above" or "anew." The new birth, or regeneration, is the act by which God imparts spiritual life to one who trusts Christ. Without this spiritual birth, a person cannot perceive spiritual things, nor can he or she enter the kingdom of God. A person must experience a spiritual rebirth. Jesus spoke not only to Nicodemus, but to all whom he represented. Jesus used the wind as an illustration of the work of the Holy Spirit. As the wind seemingly blows where it wills, so the Holy Spirit sovereignly works. Likewise, no one knows the origin or destination of the wind, but everyone knows it is there. The same is true of the Holy Spirit. Nicodemus, referring to the new birth, asks, "How can these things be?" Here Jesus answers the question. New birth is by the Son, by the Cross, and by faith. Every time the words lifted up occur in the Gospel of John there is a reference to Jesus' death. When Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, those who looked at it lived. So it is with the Son of Man. When a person trusts Christ, he or she is born again and receives eternal and spiritual life, God's kind of life. God's love is not restricted to any one nation or to any spiritual elite. At His first coming, Jesus came so that the world through Him might be saved. When Jesus comes again, He will come in judgment upon those who refused His offer of salvation. To believe is to receive life and avoid judgment. A person who does not believe not only misses life, but is condemned already. People offer many excuses for not accepting Christ. Some cite the presence of hypocrites in the church. Others claim inability to believe some of the truths about Christ or the gospel. These are merely attempts to conceal a heart in rebellion against God. The ultimate reason people do not come to Christ is that they do not want to. A person who comes to the light not only believes, but also openly identifies with the light so that his or her works can be seen as things done in union with God. The impression here is that Jesus baptized. John corrects this idea in 4:2. Jesus provided the authority, but the disciples performed the baptisms. The synoptic Gospels, particularly Matthew and Mark, give the impression that the imprisonment of John the Baptist came right after the baptism of Jesus. This verse indicates that there was an interval between Jesus' baptism and John's imprisonment during which both ministered. The disciples of Jesus and the disciples of John were both baptizing people; as a result, a question arose. The question came from John's disciples when they entered into a discussion with the Jews. Purification here refers to baptism. John the Baptist's disciples were loyal to him. They were deeply concerned that one of his "disciples," Jesus, was competing with and surpassing him. In their astonishment, they exaggerated the predicament, saying, all are coming to Him. They were concerned that John was losing his audience to another preacher. John explained that he could not accept the position of supremacy that his disciples wanted to thrust upon him because he had not received it from heaven. John compared himself to the friend of the bridegroom, who was appointed to arrange the preliminaries of the wedding, to manage the wedding, and to preside at the wedding feast. When the friend of the bridegroom finished his job, he had to get out of the way. His joy came from the success of the bridegroom. John was satisfied with his position in life. He was content to be a "voice" and a friend. John the Baptist insisted that Jesus Christ had to increase in popularity and that he, John, had to decrease. John explained that Jesus had to increase because of (1) His divine origin (v. 31), (2) His divine teaching, and (3) His divine authority. Even though John encouraged his disciples to also follow Jesus, there were still some found many years later in Ephesus. He who comes from above refers to Jesus Christ. He who is of the earth refers to John the Baptist. John emphasized his earthly origin and its limitations. John proclaimed divine truth on earth; Jesus, on the other hand, is from heaven and above all. The Holy Spirit was given to Jesus completely. All three Persons of the Trinity are referred God the Father sent Christ the Son, and gave Him the Holy Spirit without measure. God the Father not only gave Jesus, in His humanity, the Holy Spirit, He also gave Him all things, including the authority to give life and judge. The one who believes has eternal life as a present possession. Likewise, the one who refuses to believe on Christ has the wrath of God abiding on him or her as a present reality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 63

When God looks down upon the earth does He see those who are lost and suffering and yearn to gather them under His wings in His compassion and mercy. God sent His only Son to save us from ourselves. His own arm brought us our salvation. When God looks upon the earth does He see hatred, sin and division in those who call upon His name? It is in His power and in His control to harden us to the miseries of others and to make us callous to the suffering around us. Without love we are useless to Him. Without love we grieve the Holy Spirit, we break His heart.
We forget to fear Him in our quest for intimacy with Him and we begin to feel more enlightened because He called us to Him. We forget that it is not our righteousness but His and not our works but His that saved us. Woe to us for we have forgotten the purpose of our calling to be His hands and His voice to a dying world. In the end remember, those who devour others will themselves be devoured.

The Lord In Judgment and Salvation

63 Who is this who comes from Edom,

With dyed garments from Bozrah,

This One who is glorious in His apparel,

Traveling in the greatness of His strength?—

"I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save."

2 Why is Your apparel red,

And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?

3 "I have trodden the winepress alone,

And from the peoples no one was with Me.

For I have trodden them in My anger,

And trampled them in My fury;

Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,

And I have stained all My robes.

4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart,

And the year of My redeemed has come.

5 I looked, but there was no one to help,

And I wondered

That there was no one to uphold;

Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me;

And My own fury, it sustained Me.

6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger,

Made them drunk in My fury,

And brought down their strength to the earth."

God's Mercy Remembered

7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord

And the praises of the Lord,

According to all that the Lord has bestowed on us,

And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,

Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies,

According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.

8 For He said, "Surely they are My people,

Children who will not lie."

So He became their Savior.

9 In all their affliction He was afflicted,

And the Angel of His Presence saved them;

In His love and in His pity He redeemed them;

And He bore them and carried them

All the days of old.

10 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit;

So He turned Himself against them as an enemy,

And He fought against them.

11 Then he remembered the days of old,

Moses and his people, saying:

"Where is He who brought them up out of the sea

With the shepherd of His flock?

Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them,

12 Who led them by the right hand of Moses,

With His glorious arm,

Dividing the water before them

To make for Himself an everlasting name,

13 Who led them through the deep,

As a horse in the wilderness,

That they might not stumble?"

14 As a beast goes down into the valley,

And the Spirit of the Lord causes him to rest,

So You lead Your people,

To make Yourself a glorious name.

A Prayer of Penitence

15 Look down from heaven,

And see from Your habitation, holy and glorious.

Where are Your zeal and Your strength,

The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me?

Are they restrained?

16 Doubtless You are our Father,

Though Abraham was ignorant of us,

And Israel does not acknowledge us.

You, O Lord, are our Father;

Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.

17 O Lord, why have You made us stray from Your ways,

And hardened our heart from Your fear?

Return for Your servants' sake,

The tribes of Your inheritance.

18 Your holy people have possessed it but a little while;

Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.

19 We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled,

Those who were never called by Your name.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: The apparel will be red from bloodstains. A close relative of a slave had the right and duty to buy back the slave and rescue a family member from destitution. Isaiah, representing the people, publicly proclaims God's saving mercies. The plural words lovingkindnesses and praises refer to the Lord's many acts of love and loyalty to His people. In the Hebrew Bible, the term My people is used in two ways: (1) for those who were united nationally to God by blood and history through Abraham's flesh, and (2) for those who were united to Him inwardly through Abraham's faith and obedience. Israel's rebellion was unexpected. Just as godly parents expect godly children, so God Himself expected godly children. God shares the hurt of His people. Paul's persecution of the members of the early church caused Christ to be afflicted. Christ is the greater Shepherd. Abraham and Israel, the people's human fathers, were limited in their knowledge by time and space—in contrast to the Lord, the people's Father and Redeemer from Everlasting. The Lord, confirming the people in their sin, hardened their hearts.