John 3:17-19

God loves the world that He created. God loves the people that He created to abide in it. Look around at the beauty and majesty that surrounds us…in it we see the hand of God. At the center of the Cross of Jesus Christ…God’s heaven gives salvation to His earth.

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.

John 3:17-19

⁷ 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. 

²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 

Matthew 1:21

⁵⁶ For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village. 

Luke 9:56

¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 

1 John 4:14

⁴⁰ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 

John 6:40

⁹ That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 

John 1:9–11

Acts 13:44-47

Paul went into temples made by man to tell them that in Christ we become living temples of the Holy Spirit made by God. To preach the righteousness of Christ not the self righteousness of man. He proclaimed the Good News of the salvation of Jesus Christ the only way to the Father. Pride and arrogance stopped many from accepting eternal life. 

His own received Him not.

When the Jewish leaders saw the crowds following Paul, they changed their minds about Paul and became filled with jealousy, especially since many of the people who had gathered were Jews.

 A person who convinces himself that he does not need forgiveness from the Holy One has already condemned himself.

Acts 13:44-47

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. ⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. ⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

Romans 1:16

⁵ Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the Lord your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.” 

Isaiah 55:5

¹⁹ But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” 

Romans 10:19

⁴³ “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 

Matthew 21:43

Mark 2:27-28

The Father knew that it was in mans’ makeup to be workaholic... He made them. But it was never meant to be this way. He wanted those who listened and believed in Him to know that His rest was created for them by Him. 

R.E.S.T. is God’s way of living a well lived life.

Jesus does not declare directly the innocence of either David or His disciples, but instead reminds His critics of the meaning of the Sabbath for humans and His own Lordship over it.

Mark 2:27-28

²⁷ And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

³ Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. 

Genesis 2:3

¹² Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed. 

Exodus 23:12

¹² Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 

Ezekiel 20:12

Mark 2:17

ALL people are created by God. 

God loves ALL people. 

God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, desire to share eternal life with ALL of their creation.

The demons we fight are spiritual, not physical, and their mission is  to destroy God’s creation. They hate Jesus as the only begotten Son of God knowing that the only way to the Father is through Him. 

Satan’s uses greed, hatred and violence to accomplish his destruction.

What then is our desire as servants of God? To love Him enough to share the Good News of the salvation He provided in Jesus Christ to ANYONE who will listen. God will not force any person to come to Him but if we lift up the Son Of God in love, through our actions and words, others will be drawn to Him.

Jesus did not condone sin—but He wanted man to know that in Him, through His birth, death and resurrection, God gave them life. Jesus overcame death and sin so that we could have eternal life with God. It is finished. We only need to accept His life in place of ours and abide in His righteousness.

Mark 2:17

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them,  “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, ²to repentance.” 

Matthew 9:13

¹⁰ for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” 

Luke 19:10

Luke 12:13-15

Family is the way that the Father brought eternal life to His creation, man, through His Son Jesus. 

Family is important to Him, both ours and His. How we treat the members of our family reveals how much we believe in the goodness, mercy and love that He has for ALL people! Treat them as you would want to be treated.

Jesus is asked to intervene in a family dispute. He refuses to enter into a dispute over money, which is clearly dividing a family. Such disputes over money destroy relationships, so Jesus tells a parable that explains the danger of focusing on wealth.

Luke 12:13-15

¹³ Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

¹⁴ But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

⁶ Now godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into this world, ⁴and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ⁸ And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. ⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

1 Timothy 6:6–10

Luke 11:9-10

In all things with prayer and supplication place your needs before God. Believe in His goodness and mercy to work all things out for good to those who love Him! In the measure that you believe in Him is the measure that you can receive….nothing is impossible with God!

We receive what is spiritually beneficial.

Luke 11:9-10

⁹ “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

³ ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ 

Jeremiah 33:3

²² And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” 

Matthew 21:22

²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 

Mark 11:24

⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  

John 15:7

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 

James 1:5

Luke 10:38-42

People are different. Believers are different. Each of us is wonderfully made by our Creator. We all serve the same Christ and we are all called according to His purpose. We need to respect our differences and embrace our oneness in Christ. In harmony with the Holy Spirit we are effective for good in this world!

Martha was distracted by the amount of serving she had to do. Her complaint to Jesus indicates that she was irritated that her sister was not helping her. Jesus’ tender reply is evident in the double address of Martha, Martha. He notes that Martha was anxiety-ridden over ordinary matters.

harmony |ˈhärmənē|

noun (pl. harmonies)

1 the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect

• the quality of forming a pleasing and consistent whole: delightful cities where old and new blend in harmony.

• an arrangement of the four Gospels, or of any parallel narratives, that presents a single continuous narrative text.

2 agreement or concord

Luke 10:38-42

³⁸ Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. ⁴² But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Isaiah 37:14-20

When the world around you is falling apart and you have done everything that you believe He has said to do……allow God to finish what you cannot!

The Father hears our prayers and He is a rewarder of those who trust in Him. 

Hezekiah had learned to turn to God for help in his times of need. Although God can certainly work His will without our prayers, He has chosen to faithfully answer the prayers of His people.

Isaiah 37:14-20

¹⁴ And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. ¹⁵ Then Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying: ¹⁶ “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ¹⁷ Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. ¹⁸ Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, ¹⁹ and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. ²⁰ Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord, You alone.”

⁶ I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. 

Psalm 17:6

¹⁸ O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes ^band see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 

^{22 (}For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us); 

Isaiah 33:22

¹⁸ That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord, Are the Most High over all the earth. 

Psalm 83:18

Jeremiah 51:56

God takes care of those who trust in Him alone and in the salvation that He provided in Jesus Christ. God hates pride and arrogance….If He is for you it doesn’t matter who is against you! 

He is always in control. 

recompense |ˈrekəmˌpens|

verb [ with obj. ]

make amends to (someone) for loss or harm suffered; compensate: offenders should recompense their victims | he was recompensed for the wasted time.

• pay or reward (someone) for effort or work: he was handsomely recompensed.

• make amends to or reward someone for (loss, harm, or effort): he thought his loyalty had been inadequately recompensed.

• archaic punish or reward (someone) appropriately for an action: according to their doings will he recompense them.

Jeremiah instructed Seraiah, a brother of Baruch who was about to be taken captive to Babylon, to read a scroll within the walls of Babylon. The scroll that Jeremiah gave to Seraiah contained a list of the various evils that would befall Babylon as a result of God’s judgment.

Jeremiah 51:56

⁵⁶ Because the plunderer comes against her, against Babylon,

And her mighty men are taken.

Every one of their bows is broken;

For the Lord is the God of recompense,

He will surely repay.

¹O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs— O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! 

Psalm 94:1

²⁹ “Call together the archers against Babylon. All you who bend the bow, encamp against it all around; Let none of them escape. Repay her according to her work; According to all she has done, do to her; For she has been proud against the Lord, Against the Holy One of Israel. 

Jeremiah 50:29

Ezekiel 22:28-31

If anyone considers itself a Christian Nation then it should be evident not only in their government but also in their people. God is for the oppressed, the downtrodden, the poor and the foreigner. What don’t we understand? White collar crime is the same, if not worse, than blue collar crime because it is done only to accumulate wealth not out of need.

These prophets were involved in “whitewashing” the sins of the nation’s leaders. As go the leaders so go the followers. The people of the land were average citizens or commoners.

Ezekiel 22:28-31

 ²⁹ The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. ³⁰ So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. ³¹ Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.

⁹ “Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 

Exodus 23:9

³³ ‘And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. 

Leviticus 19:33

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. 

Isaiah 63:5

⁹ tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 

Romans 2:9

Luke 6:20-26

In God’s Kingdom the parameters that man created to determine worth are without merit. The high places of pride associated with money, power and control will be leveled and the low places of need and suffering will no longer exist. How we treated others will determine how we will be judged.

Everything we have been given is from God for our good and to help further the Gospel of Christ. Not only in our words but also in our actions do we show the love that He has for His creation.

All that the rich receive is what they acquire on earth. Luke records many of Jesus’ critical remarks about the wealthy. Their wealth typically blinds them to their spiritual poverty and their need for salvation.

Luke 6:20-26

²⁰ Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you poor,

For yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹ Blessed are you who hunger now,

For you shall be filled. 

^wBlessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.

²² Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,

For the Son of Man’s sake.

²³ Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in heaven,

For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

²⁴ “But woe to you who are rich,

For you have received your consolation.

²⁵ Woe to you who are full,

For you shall hunger.

Woe to you who laugh now,

For you shall mourn and weep.

²⁶ Woe to you when all men speak well of you,

For so did their fathers to the false prophets.

³“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. ⁵Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. ⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. ⁷Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. ⁸Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. ⁹Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. ^10lBlessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ^12 o\Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

Matthew 5:3–12

¹⁶ They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 

Revelation 7:16

Matthew 18:35

Those who have been forgiven much…should love much! Our spiritual character is shown by our physical actions.

If our forgiveness should be in direct proportion to the incredible amount that we have been forgiven, then we must always be willing to forgive.

Matthew 18:35

³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

¹³ Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard. 

Proverbs 21:13

¹² And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 

Matthew 6:12

²⁶ But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” 

Mark 11:26

¹³ For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 

James 2:13

Mark 1:6-8

There are two baptisms that believers experience. One is to be baptized for the remission of our sin, the other, is to be baptized with the power of the Holy Spirit who can get us safely to our forever home with God. 

Jesus (Yahweh saves) Christ (Son of God) fulfilled everything…. we only need to walk in His salvation.

Students often performed menial tasks for their rabbis, but even they were not expected to remove someone’s sandals. That task was left to slaves. John humbly understood and accepted his own role in the coming Kingdom.

Mark 1:6-8

⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. ⁸ I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 

Matthew 3:11

²⁷ It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” 

John 1:27

⁵ for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 

Acts 1:5

³ For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; 

Isaiah 44:3

²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 

John 20:22

¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 

1 Corinthians 12:13

Mark 2:17

And there is no one righteous, no not one! Christ in us is the hope of glory.

We are all lost without Jesus and only in His righteousness, not ours, do we have any hope at all!

righteous

adjective

1 righteous living: good, virtuous, upright, upstanding, decent; ethical, principled, moral, high-minded, law-abiding, honest, honorable, blameless, irreproachable, noble; saintly, angelic, pure. ANTONYMS sinful.

2 righteous anger: justifiable, justified, legitimate, defensible, supportable, rightful; admissible, allowable, understandable, excusable, acceptable, reasonable. ANTONYMS unjustifiable.

In this instance Jesus was speaking tongue-in-cheek when He used the word righteous. None are righteous, though some, such as the Pharisees, fancied themselves as such. Instead, Christ came to call sinners to repentance. Jesus did not condone the activities of sinners, but required repentance—a change of mind that recognizes the need of a Savior and recognizes Jesus Christ as the only Savior.

Mark 2:17

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them,  “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” 

Matthew 9:13

¹⁰ for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” 

Luke 19:10

Ezekiel 24:20-23

Let God be the judge of His people….not men. Only He has the power to save and to condemn! 

It is His right alone.

The change from the pronoun I to he in this verse indicates that God would continue operating as the Chief Shepherd through this chosen future ruler from the Davidic line. He is the Messiah—God’s only Son and His servant.

Ezekiel 24:20-23

²⁰ ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: “Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. ²¹ Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, ²² therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. ²³ I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them

¹¹ He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. 

Isaiah 40:11

⁵ “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 

Jeremiah 23:5

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 

John 10:11

²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 

1 Peter 2:25

²⁰ Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 

Hebrews 13:20

Acts 13:38-41

Paul was not speaking to  an alien people but to God’s chosen. Beware lest you fall into works and forget that faith alone pleases the Father. The good acts we do should be out of our great love and gratitude for the workings of the Trinity in salvation.

Justification is a legal term meaning “declared innocent” It is a legal declaration that a person is acquitted and absolved. It is by justification that a person is righteous and acceptable to God. The death of Christ was the payment of our sin debt, so that we might be forgiven.

Acts 13:38-41

³⁸ Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; ³⁹ and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

⁴¹ ‘Behold, you despisers,

Marvel and perish!

For I work a work in your days,

A work which you will by no means believe,

Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”

³⁴ No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” 

Jeremiah 31:34

¹¹ He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 

Isaiah 53:11

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. 

John 3:16

 ⁵ “Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. 

Habakkuk 1:5