TITUS--18
We know of the apostles, having to leave Jerusalem after Pentecost. We know that Peter went to Antioch where he was a great influence and possibly pastor or bishop. But after Peter and Paul, James and John, who succeeded them?
The NT epistles say it was Philemon, Timothy and Titus.
Who was Titus?
Paul first mentions him in 2 Corinthians 2.13, when Paul arrives at the port of Troas. He expected Titus to be there, but he was not. Paul says he--had no rest for my spirit--so he went on from Troas to Macedonia. When Paul made it to Macedonia, he says--God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 2 Cor. 7.6. When Paul boasts of Titus, he says his boasting is not in vain, 2 Cor. 7.13.
What Titus was to Paul results in him giving Titus great praise--As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ, 2 Cor. 8.23.
Titus may have written down 2 Corinthians for Paul. Titus was Greek, so he could have written in Greek easily. He had been in Jerusalem with Paul, so he would be familiar with Paul's interpretation of the Law and Prophets.
When Paul left on his missionary journeys, he trusts Titus enough to leave him to the work of the ministry in Crete, then rejoined him in Nicopolis. While Titus was in Crete, Paul instructs him to appoint elders, not just in Crete, but in every city where Paul went. This is quite a responsibility.
Evidently in Crete, the people could be contentious. Paul mentions this in Titus 1.10-12. For Paul to appoint a young man like Titus to the task of appointing elders in a city of empty talkers, liars, gluttons, Titus must have been quite a wise and strong-minded man. You would expect this of anyone Paul believed in so much.
Paul had tested Titus much, 2 Cor. 8.22. Paul says there--taking precaution that no one should discredit us in our administration of this generous gift... This might remind us of Ephesians 1.8--In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will...with a view to an admininstration suitable to the fulness of the times... Evidently Titus was good at the administration of these budding churches.
And then we come across a surprising passage in 2 Cor. 8. In verses 1-3 Paul says the churches in Macedonia wished to participate in supporting the saints (in Jerusalem). So Paul then urges Titus to complete this gracious work of support.
Does this mean that Titus was trustworthy of handling money?
Could Titus be the man Paul chose to succeed Judas in handling money for himself and the churches? This may be the case.
Paul then says if a church has a desire to help the saints and can do so financially, they should. Then Paul thanks God for putting the same earnestness in Titus, 1 Cor. 8.16, who has gone to the churches to administer the help.
While Titus is relatively unknown in the NT, he must have been quite well known in the churches and in Paul's ministry. Quite a man.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
THE BODY OF CHRIST--17
In 1 Corinthians 1.4-6 Paul narrates the profile of the Corinthian church. He thanks God for the grace of God, for the enrichment in Him by the Corinthians in all speech and all knowledge, even the testimony of Christ. The Corinthians are not lacking in any gift, waiting eagerly for Jesus to come again in great power and glory.
These are great compliments and an insightful comment. Paul must've known the church and the members well. If they are not lacking in any gift, what was their worship like? What was their church structure like?
The question behind those questions is, how did God lead that church?
Paul does not give a detailed answer. He doesn't talk about bishops and popes, elders and deacons, committee meetings, associate pastors, or congretational leaders. What does he talk about?
God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, 1 Cor. 1.9.
What we need to do is look into what those few, simple words mean to the Christians at Corinth, to the NT writers and to us.
First, he says Christ is not divided so the church should not be, either. His advice to avoid divisions is through baptism. Then he says he came to preach the word of the cross. Then he says no man should boast before God, because it is by His doing that the Corinthians are in Christ Jesus, who is wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption to the Corinthians.
Now this is a great deal to contemplate. What we can notice immdiately is the emphasis on the individual soul. If every Corinthian comes to church through the word of the cross, they will be in harmony. They won't all have the same level of knowledge but they will all know that it is the blood of Christ through the preaching of the cross which brings them into the presence of the Lord. By this, there is no boasting.
When Paul finishes chapter 1 of Corinthians with--Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord--he is telling us all that we are not to boast of our tradition, our structure, our knowledge but only of our position in the Lord. When that is true, the formal structure almost doesn't matter.
Is there a way to keep that relationship with Christ in our church matters?
Paul says yes, through wisdom. In chapter 2 he says he does not speak with the wisdom of men, which might simply refer to Greek philosophy. He says he came to the Corinthians--on the power of God, 1 Cor. 2.5. Yet, there is the wisdom of God by which the church can operate.
God reveals this wisdom through the Spirit, as the Corinthians have received the Spirit of God. In fact, Paul says the Corinthians have received the mind of Christ, 1 Cor. 1.31. This would not make them infallible, it would make them humble as Paul said to the Philippians--He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, Phil. 2.8. There we are, back at the preaching of the word of the cross.
What all of this comes to is the structure of the church is the nature of our redeemed souls. If we have been humbled by the preaching of the cross, if we have been filled with the power of God through God the Spirit, if we know Christ as we are known, the structure of the church is all right.
In 1 Corinthians 1.4-6 Paul narrates the profile of the Corinthian church. He thanks God for the grace of God, for the enrichment in Him by the Corinthians in all speech and all knowledge, even the testimony of Christ. The Corinthians are not lacking in any gift, waiting eagerly for Jesus to come again in great power and glory.
These are great compliments and an insightful comment. Paul must've known the church and the members well. If they are not lacking in any gift, what was their worship like? What was their church structure like?
The question behind those questions is, how did God lead that church?
Paul does not give a detailed answer. He doesn't talk about bishops and popes, elders and deacons, committee meetings, associate pastors, or congretational leaders. What does he talk about?
God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, 1 Cor. 1.9.
What we need to do is look into what those few, simple words mean to the Christians at Corinth, to the NT writers and to us.
First, he says Christ is not divided so the church should not be, either. His advice to avoid divisions is through baptism. Then he says he came to preach the word of the cross. Then he says no man should boast before God, because it is by His doing that the Corinthians are in Christ Jesus, who is wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption to the Corinthians.
Now this is a great deal to contemplate. What we can notice immdiately is the emphasis on the individual soul. If every Corinthian comes to church through the word of the cross, they will be in harmony. They won't all have the same level of knowledge but they will all know that it is the blood of Christ through the preaching of the cross which brings them into the presence of the Lord. By this, there is no boasting.
When Paul finishes chapter 1 of Corinthians with--Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord--he is telling us all that we are not to boast of our tradition, our structure, our knowledge but only of our position in the Lord. When that is true, the formal structure almost doesn't matter.
Is there a way to keep that relationship with Christ in our church matters?
Paul says yes, through wisdom. In chapter 2 he says he does not speak with the wisdom of men, which might simply refer to Greek philosophy. He says he came to the Corinthians--on the power of God, 1 Cor. 2.5. Yet, there is the wisdom of God by which the church can operate.
God reveals this wisdom through the Spirit, as the Corinthians have received the Spirit of God. In fact, Paul says the Corinthians have received the mind of Christ, 1 Cor. 1.31. This would not make them infallible, it would make them humble as Paul said to the Philippians--He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, Phil. 2.8. There we are, back at the preaching of the word of the cross.
What all of this comes to is the structure of the church is the nature of our redeemed souls. If we have been humbled by the preaching of the cross, if we have been filled with the power of God through God the Spirit, if we know Christ as we are known, the structure of the church is all right.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
KEEPING THE FAITH--Week 16
According to Jesus, Christian spirituality is the belief that as Jesus says in John 10.38--the Father is in Me and I in the Father.
In this same passage Jesus says--If I do not do the works of the Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father, John 10. 37,38.
Jesus is indicating that for those Jews who might have stoned Him, if they would believe the works He does, they can believe that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. So what work has He done?
Just before John 10, in chapter 9 Jesus heals a blind man. Let's look at this account. In John 9 a blind man had been healed by Jesus. The Pharisees did not believe the blind man when he said Jesus healed him. So they put the blind man out of their presence.
The blind man had told them Jesus healed him. He then tells them the great insight--If this man were not from God, He could do nothing, John 9.33. With that in mind, the Pharisees don't think the Father would speak to Jesus, whom they call a sinner. The blind man retorts--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
Before that the Pharisees had said--we do not know where He is from, John 9.29. This brings us to the point that the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus could be from the Father.
We can conclude that the Jews did not believe Jesus was from the Father. Since they didn't believe that, they could not accept Jesus doing anything which could only come from the Father.
Therefore, in the next chapter, Jesus calls Himself, The Door, 10.7. He calls Himself, the Good Shepherd, John 10.14. The door is the entrance to a belief that He and the Father are one; the shepherd is the one who keep the sheep in the belief that He and the Father are one. Jesus says this in John 10.27, 28--My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish..
This section of John 10 is the bridge from unbelief with the Pharisees into belief with the blind man.
The Jews continue in unbelief, making the accusation--You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God, John 10.33. But the man who was born blind had already turned away from them, he has turned to Jesus in belief. When Jesus comes to him afterward He asks the man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The man said--Lord I believe, John 9.38.
For us in this day and age, Christian spirituality begins with the blind man's expression--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. God-fearing is belief, doing His will is acting on belief. There is no nationality here, no gender, no race...only belief.
To be God-fearing is to take pleasure in pleasing God. It is the pleasure which God brings to a soul that inspires one to do His will. That is the beginning which this passage brings out in chapter 9.
Chapter 10 takes us further into God. Speaking of a good shepherd, He says in John 10.4--When he puts forth his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow hhim because they know his voice. In Christian spirituality that voice is the Holy Spirit, that shepherd is Jesus Christ.
We enter into Christian spirituality when we know that to have a relationship with the Father, we must realize He is in the Son and the Son is in Him. This understanding is by the Holy Spirit.
We can conclude that Christian spirituality is the Trinity.
Jesus asks the blind man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?' He is asking the blind man, do you recognize Me as the God in whom you believe? The blind man sees Jesus and sees that He is God--'Lord I believe.' And he worshiped Him.
According to Jesus, Christian spirituality is the belief that as Jesus says in John 10.38--the Father is in Me and I in the Father.
In this same passage Jesus says--If I do not do the works of the Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father, John 10. 37,38.
Jesus is indicating that for those Jews who might have stoned Him, if they would believe the works He does, they can believe that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. So what work has He done?
Just before John 10, in chapter 9 Jesus heals a blind man. Let's look at this account. In John 9 a blind man had been healed by Jesus. The Pharisees did not believe the blind man when he said Jesus healed him. So they put the blind man out of their presence.
The blind man had told them Jesus healed him. He then tells them the great insight--If this man were not from God, He could do nothing, John 9.33. With that in mind, the Pharisees don't think the Father would speak to Jesus, whom they call a sinner. The blind man retorts--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
Before that the Pharisees had said--we do not know where He is from, John 9.29. This brings us to the point that the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus could be from the Father.
We can conclude that the Jews did not believe Jesus was from the Father. Since they didn't believe that, they could not accept Jesus doing anything which could only come from the Father.
Therefore, in the next chapter, Jesus calls Himself, The Door, 10.7. He calls Himself, the Good Shepherd, John 10.14. The door is the entrance to a belief that He and the Father are one; the shepherd is the one who keep the sheep in the belief that He and the Father are one. Jesus says this in John 10.27, 28--My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish..
This section of John 10 is the bridge from unbelief with the Pharisees into belief with the blind man.
The Jews continue in unbelief, making the accusation--You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God, John 10.33. But the man who was born blind had already turned away from them, he has turned to Jesus in belief. When Jesus comes to him afterward He asks the man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The man said--Lord I believe, John 9.38.
For us in this day and age, Christian spirituality begins with the blind man's expression--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. God-fearing is belief, doing His will is acting on belief. There is no nationality here, no gender, no race...only belief.
To be God-fearing is to take pleasure in pleasing God. It is the pleasure which God brings to a soul that inspires one to do His will. That is the beginning which this passage brings out in chapter 9.
Chapter 10 takes us further into God. Speaking of a good shepherd, He says in John 10.4--When he puts forth his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow hhim because they know his voice. In Christian spirituality that voice is the Holy Spirit, that shepherd is Jesus Christ.
We enter into Christian spirituality when we know that to have a relationship with the Father, we must realize He is in the Son and the Son is in Him. This understanding is by the Holy Spirit.
We can conclude that Christian spirituality is the Trinity.
Jesus asks the blind man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?' He is asking the blind man, do you recognize Me as the God in whom you believe? The blind man sees Jesus and sees that He is God--'Lord I believe.' And he worshiped Him.
KEEPING THE FAITH--Week 16
According to Jesus, Christian spirituality is the belief that as Jesus says in John 10.38--the Father is in Me and I in the Father.
In this same passage Jesus says--If I do not do the works of the Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father, John 10. 37,38.
Jesus is indicating that for those Jews who might have stoned Him, if they would believe the works He does, they can believe that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. So what work has He done?
Just before John 10, in chapter 9 Jesus heals a blind man. Let's look at this account. In John 9 a blind man had been healed by Jesus. The Pharisees did not believe the blind man when he said Jesus healed him. So they put the blind man out of their presence.
The blind man had told them Jesus healed him. He then tells them the great insight--If this man were not from God, He could do nothing, John 9.33. With that in mind, the Pharisees don't think the Father would speak to Jesus, whom they call a sinner. The blind man retorts--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
Before that the Pharisees had said--we do not know where He is from, John 9.29. This brings us to the point that the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus could be from the Father.
We can conclude that the Jews did not believe Jesus was from the Father. Since they didn't believe that, they could not accept Jesus doing anything which could only come from the Father.
Therefore, in the next chapter, Jesus calls Himself, The Door, 10.7. He calls Himself, the Good Shepherd, John 10.14. The door is the entrance to a belief that He and the Father are one; the shepherd is the one who keep the sheep in the belief that He and the Father are one. Jesus says this in John 10.27, 28--My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish..
This section of John 10 is the bridge from unbelief with the Pharisees into belief with the blind man.
The Jews continue in unbelief, making the accusation--You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God, John 10.33. But the man who was born blind had already turned away from them, he has turned to Jesus in belief. When Jesus comes to him afterward He asks the man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The man said--Lord I believe, John 9.38.
For us in this day and age, Christian spirituality begins with the blind man's expression--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. God-fearing is belief, doing His will is acting on belief. There is no nationality here, no gender, no race...only belief.
To be God-fearing is to take pleasure in pleasing God. It is the pleasure which God brings to a soul that inspires one to do His will. That is the beginning which this passage brings out in chapter 9.
Chapter 10 takes us further into God. Speaking of a good shepherd, He says in John 10.4--When he puts forth his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow hhim because they know his voice. In Christian spirituality that voice is the Holy Spirit, that shepherd is Jesus Christ.
We enter into Christian spirituality when we know that to have a relationship with the Father, we must realize He is in the Son and the Son is in Him. This understanding is by the Holy Spirit.
We can conclude that Christian spirituality is the Trinity.
Jesus asks the blind man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?' He is asking the blind man, do you recognize Me as the God in whom you believe? The blind man sees Jesus and sees that He is God--'Lord I believe.' And he worshiped Him.
According to Jesus, Christian spirituality is the belief that as Jesus says in John 10.38--the Father is in Me and I in the Father.
In this same passage Jesus says--If I do not do the works of the Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father, John 10. 37,38.
Jesus is indicating that for those Jews who might have stoned Him, if they would believe the works He does, they can believe that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. So what work has He done?
Just before John 10, in chapter 9 Jesus heals a blind man. Let's look at this account. In John 9 a blind man had been healed by Jesus. The Pharisees did not believe the blind man when he said Jesus healed him. So they put the blind man out of their presence.
The blind man had told them Jesus healed him. He then tells them the great insight--If this man were not from God, He could do nothing, John 9.33. With that in mind, the Pharisees don't think the Father would speak to Jesus, whom they call a sinner. The blind man retorts--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
Before that the Pharisees had said--we do not know where He is from, John 9.29. This brings us to the point that the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus could be from the Father.
We can conclude that the Jews did not believe Jesus was from the Father. Since they didn't believe that, they could not accept Jesus doing anything which could only come from the Father.
Therefore, in the next chapter, Jesus calls Himself, The Door, 10.7. He calls Himself, the Good Shepherd, John 10.14. The door is the entrance to a belief that He and the Father are one; the shepherd is the one who keep the sheep in the belief that He and the Father are one. Jesus says this in John 10.27, 28--My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish..
This section of John 10 is the bridge from unbelief with the Pharisees into belief with the blind man.
The Jews continue in unbelief, making the accusation--You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God, John 10.33. But the man who was born blind had already turned away from them, he has turned to Jesus in belief. When Jesus comes to him afterward He asks the man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The man said--Lord I believe, John 9.38.
For us in this day and age, Christian spirituality begins with the blind man's expression--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. God-fearing is belief, doing His will is acting on belief. There is no nationality here, no gender, no race...only belief.
To be God-fearing is to take pleasure in pleasing God. It is the pleasure which God brings to a soul that inspires one to do His will. That is the beginning which this passage brings out in chapter 9.
Chapter 10 takes us further into God. Speaking of a good shepherd, He says in John 10.4--When he puts forth his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow hhim because they know his voice. In Christian spirituality that voice is the Holy Spirit, that shepherd is Jesus Christ.
We enter into Christian spirituality when we know that to have a relationship with the Father, we must realize He is in the Son and the Son is in Him. This understanding is by the Holy Spirit.
We can conclude that Christian spirituality is the Trinity.
Jesus asks the blind man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?' He is asking the blind man, do you recognize Me as the God in whom you believe? The blind man sees Jesus and sees that He is God--'Lord I believe.' And he worshiped Him.
KEEPING THE FAITH--Week 16
According to Jesus, Christian spirituality is the belief that as Jesus says in John 10.38--the Father is in Me and I in the Father.
In this same passage Jesus says--If I do not do the works of the Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father, John 10. 37,38.
Jesus is indicating that for those Jews who might have stoned Him, if they would believe the works He does, they can believe that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. So what work has He done?
Just before John 10, in chapter 9 Jesus heals a blind man. Let's look at this account. In John 9 a blind man had been healed by Jesus. The Pharisees did not believe the blind man when he said Jesus healed him. So they put the blind man out of their presence.
The blind man had told them Jesus healed him. He then tells them the great insight--If this man were not from God, He could do nothing, John 9.33. With that in mind, the Pharisees don't think the Father would speak to Jesus, whom they call a sinner. The blind man retorts--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
Before that the Pharisees had said--we do not know where He is from, John 9.29. This brings us to the point that the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus could be from the Father.
We can conclude that the Jews did not believe Jesus was from the Father. Since they didn't believe that, they could not accept Jesus doing anything which could only come from the Father.
Therefore, in the next chapter, Jesus calls Himself, The Door, 10.7. He calls Himself, the Good Shepherd, John 10.14. The door is the entrance to a belief that He and the Father are one; the shepherd is the one who keep the sheep in the belief that He and the Father are one. Jesus says this in John 10.27, 28--My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish..
This section of John 10 is the bridge from unbelief with the Pharisees into belief with the blind man.
The Jews continue in unbelief, making the accusation--You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God, John 10.33. But the man who was born blind had already turned away from them, he has turned to Jesus in belief. When Jesus comes to him afterward He asks the man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The man said--Lord I believe, John 9.38.
For us in this day and age, Christian spirituality begins with the blind man's expression--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. God-fearing is belief, doing His will is acting on belief. There is no nationality here, no gender, no race...only belief.
To be God-fearing is to take pleasure in pleasing God. It is the pleasure which God brings to a soul that inspires one to do His will. That is the beginning which this passage brings out in chapter 9.
Chapter 10 takes us further into God. Speaking of a good shepherd, He says in John 10.4--When he puts forth his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow hhim because they know his voice. In Christian spirituality that voice is the Holy Spirit, that shepherd is Jesus Christ.
We enter into Christian spirituality when we know that to have a relationship with the Father, we must realize He is in the Son and the Son is in Him. This understanding is by the Holy Spirit.
We can conclude that Christian spirituality is the Trinity.
Jesus asks the blind man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?' He is asking the blind man, do you recognize Me as the God in whom you believe? The blind man sees Jesus and sees that He is God--'Lord I believe.' And he worshiped Him.
According to Jesus, Christian spirituality is the belief that as Jesus says in John 10.38--the Father is in Me and I in the Father.
In this same passage Jesus says--If I do not do the works of the Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father, John 10. 37,38.
Jesus is indicating that for those Jews who might have stoned Him, if they would believe the works He does, they can believe that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. So what work has He done?
Just before John 10, in chapter 9 Jesus heals a blind man. Let's look at this account. In John 9 a blind man had been healed by Jesus. The Pharisees did not believe the blind man when he said Jesus healed him. So they put the blind man out of their presence.
The blind man had told them Jesus healed him. He then tells them the great insight--If this man were not from God, He could do nothing, John 9.33. With that in mind, the Pharisees don't think the Father would speak to Jesus, whom they call a sinner. The blind man retorts--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
Before that the Pharisees had said--we do not know where He is from, John 9.29. This brings us to the point that the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus could be from the Father.
We can conclude that the Jews did not believe Jesus was from the Father. Since they didn't believe that, they could not accept Jesus doing anything which could only come from the Father.
Therefore, in the next chapter, Jesus calls Himself, The Door, 10.7. He calls Himself, the Good Shepherd, John 10.14. The door is the entrance to a belief that He and the Father are one; the shepherd is the one who keep the sheep in the belief that He and the Father are one. Jesus says this in John 10.27, 28--My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish..
This section of John 10 is the bridge from unbelief with the Pharisees into belief with the blind man.
The Jews continue in unbelief, making the accusation--You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God, John 10.33. But the man who was born blind had already turned away from them, he has turned to Jesus in belief. When Jesus comes to him afterward He asks the man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The man said--Lord I believe, John 9.38.
For us in this day and age, Christian spirituality begins with the blind man's expression--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. God-fearing is belief, doing His will is acting on belief. There is no nationality here, no gender, no race...only belief.
To be God-fearing is to take pleasure in pleasing God. It is the pleasure which God brings to a soul that inspires one to do His will. That is the beginning which this passage brings out in chapter 9.
Chapter 10 takes us further into God. Speaking of a good shepherd, He says in John 10.4--When he puts forth his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow hhim because they know his voice. In Christian spirituality that voice is the Holy Spirit, that shepherd is Jesus Christ.
We enter into Christian spirituality when we know that to have a relationship with the Father, we must realize He is in the Son and the Son is in Him. This understanding is by the Holy Spirit.
We can conclude that Christian spirituality is the Trinity.
Jesus asks the blind man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?' He is asking the blind man, do you recognize Me as the God in whom you believe? The blind man sees Jesus and sees that He is God--'Lord I believe.' And he worshiped Him.
KEEPING THE FAITH--Week 16
According to Jesus, Christian spirituality is the belief that as Jesus says in John 10.38--the Father is in Me and I in the Father.
In this same passage Jesus says--If I do not do the works of the Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father, John 10. 37,38.
Jesus is indicating that for those Jews who might have stoned Him, if they would believe the works He does, they can believe that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. So what work has He done?
Just before John 10, in chapter 9 Jesus heals a blind man. Let's look at this account. In John 9 a blind man had been healed by Jesus. The Pharisees did not believe the blind man when he said Jesus healed him. So they put the blind man out of their presence.
The blind man had told them Jesus healed him. He then tells them the great insight--If this man were not from God, He could do nothing, John 9.33. With that in mind, the Pharisees don't think the Father would speak to Jesus, whom they call a sinner. The blind man retorts--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
Before that the Pharisees had said--we do not know where He is from, John 9.29. This brings us to the point that the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus could be from the Father.
We can conclude that the Jews did not believe Jesus was from the Father. Since they didn't believe that, they could not accept Jesus doing anything which could only come from the Father.
Therefore, in the next chapter, Jesus calls Himself, The Door, 10.7. He calls Himself, the Good Shepherd, John 10.14. The door is the entrance to a belief that He and the Father are one; the shepherd is the one who keep the sheep in the belief that He and the Father are one. Jesus says this in John 10.27, 28--My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish..
This section of John 10 is the bridge from unbelief with the Pharisees into belief with the blind man.
The Jews continue in unbelief, making the accusation--You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God, John 10.33. But the man who was born blind had already turned away from them, he has turned to Jesus in belief. When Jesus comes to him afterward He asks the man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The man said--Lord I believe, John 9.38.
For us in this day and age, Christian spirituality begins with the blind man's expression--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. God-fearing is belief, doing His will is acting on belief. There is no nationality here, no gender, no race...only belief.
To be God-fearing is to take pleasure in pleasing God. It is the pleasure which God brings to a soul that inspires one to do His will. That is the beginning which this passage brings out in chapter 9.
Chapter 10 takes us further into God. Speaking of a good shepherd, He says in John 10.4--When he puts forth his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow hhim because they know his voice. In Christian spirituality that voice is the Holy Spirit, that shepherd is Jesus Christ.
We enter into Christian spirituality when we know that to have a relationship with the Father, we must realize He is in the Son and the Son is in Him. This understanding is by the Holy Spirit.
We can conclude that Christian spirituality is the Trinity.
Jesus asks the blind man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?' He is asking the blind man, do you recognize Me as the God in whom you believe? The blind man sees Jesus and sees that He is God--'Lord I believe.' And he worshiped Him.
According to Jesus, Christian spirituality is the belief that as Jesus says in John 10.38--the Father is in Me and I in the Father.
In this same passage Jesus says--If I do not do the works of the Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father, John 10. 37,38.
Jesus is indicating that for those Jews who might have stoned Him, if they would believe the works He does, they can believe that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. So what work has He done?
Just before John 10, in chapter 9 Jesus heals a blind man. Let's look at this account. In John 9 a blind man had been healed by Jesus. The Pharisees did not believe the blind man when he said Jesus healed him. So they put the blind man out of their presence.
The blind man had told them Jesus healed him. He then tells them the great insight--If this man were not from God, He could do nothing, John 9.33. With that in mind, the Pharisees don't think the Father would speak to Jesus, whom they call a sinner. The blind man retorts--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
Before that the Pharisees had said--we do not know where He is from, John 9.29. This brings us to the point that the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus could be from the Father.
We can conclude that the Jews did not believe Jesus was from the Father. Since they didn't believe that, they could not accept Jesus doing anything which could only come from the Father.
Therefore, in the next chapter, Jesus calls Himself, The Door, 10.7. He calls Himself, the Good Shepherd, John 10.14. The door is the entrance to a belief that He and the Father are one; the shepherd is the one who keep the sheep in the belief that He and the Father are one. Jesus says this in John 10.27, 28--My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me and I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish..
This section of John 10 is the bridge from unbelief with the Pharisees into belief with the blind man.
The Jews continue in unbelief, making the accusation--You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God, John 10.33. But the man who was born blind had already turned away from them, he has turned to Jesus in belief. When Jesus comes to him afterward He asks the man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The man said--Lord I believe, John 9.38.
For us in this day and age, Christian spirituality begins with the blind man's expression--if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. God-fearing is belief, doing His will is acting on belief. There is no nationality here, no gender, no race...only belief.
To be God-fearing is to take pleasure in pleasing God. It is the pleasure which God brings to a soul that inspires one to do His will. That is the beginning which this passage brings out in chapter 9.
Chapter 10 takes us further into God. Speaking of a good shepherd, He says in John 10.4--When he puts forth his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow hhim because they know his voice. In Christian spirituality that voice is the Holy Spirit, that shepherd is Jesus Christ.
We enter into Christian spirituality when we know that to have a relationship with the Father, we must realize He is in the Son and the Son is in Him. This understanding is by the Holy Spirit.
We can conclude that Christian spirituality is the Trinity.
Jesus asks the blind man--Do you believe in the Son of Man?' He is asking the blind man, do you recognize Me as the God in whom you believe? The blind man sees Jesus and sees that He is God--'Lord I believe.' And he worshiped Him.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
WHY DIE?--Week 15
In Luke 23, the account of the crucifixion of Christ is narrated. Luke describes the soldiers, Pilate, Herod and Jesus in their actions and decisions. We know that historically all their actions did occur, that history records the crucifixion of Jesus.
Now, 20 centuries later, in a culture which is not religious--as ours--how can we see this?
Most people around the world can imagine a man bringing an animal to a place to be sacrificed as a religious rite. We identify that as religion, as sacrifice, as an oblation. We might not ever know what it accomplished, but we accept it as religion.
Jesus had said in John 15.13--Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend. And we know that in war, men often have taken the spear for their fellow soldier, dying in his place.
But to see a man die so that all men and women can go to heaven, is that understandible?
Pilate said he found no fault with Jesus, acknowledging this trial is about guilt and innocence. So Pilate has him punished and released, implying innocence in Roman law. Later Jesus is put on a cross, a crucifixion--an instrument of death for traitors and criminals. Soldiers take him, like a war prisoner rather than an animal to be burned. He is put with two criminals, having been sentenced.
But He doesn't talk about some crime He might have committed--the other criminals do. He does mention Paradise to one of the criminals. So Jesus is called King of the Jews, as if He threatens the crown of Rome. He is killed with criminals, sacrificed like a war criminal by the Romans.
Does He yell at the Romans, like a convicted prisoner? No, He forgives those who had Him killed--Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing, Luke 23.34.
Hamlet, Othello and MacBeth died for their country, Sidney Carton dies for old Dr. Manette in A Tale of Two Cities and Achilleus dies in the Iliad. So we can see that the ancient cultures around Jerusalem could conceive of a man dying for another man or a country. In the case of Hamlet, Othello, MacBeth and Achilleus, their death cleansed the country. But all of them were fictitious characters who couldn't forgive their enemies.
What would it take to change the world from darkness to light?
To forgive takes power over the soul. If Jesus does not have power over our soul, He can be a martyr--but not a savior.
Hamlet, MacBeth, Achilleus, they are all fictitious characters who never lived. Religious men like Mohammed, Confucious, Luther have all died. One could go find their graves and remains. But if you tried to go to the tomb in which Jesus was buried, you would not find Him there. He is not dead, having been resurrected from the dead.
If you want to find the body of Christ, you must go to a Christian church, as it is His body. You will find Him there.
And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all, Ephesians, 1.22, 23.
In Luke 23, the account of the crucifixion of Christ is narrated. Luke describes the soldiers, Pilate, Herod and Jesus in their actions and decisions. We know that historically all their actions did occur, that history records the crucifixion of Jesus.
Now, 20 centuries later, in a culture which is not religious--as ours--how can we see this?
Most people around the world can imagine a man bringing an animal to a place to be sacrificed as a religious rite. We identify that as religion, as sacrifice, as an oblation. We might not ever know what it accomplished, but we accept it as religion.
Jesus had said in John 15.13--Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend. And we know that in war, men often have taken the spear for their fellow soldier, dying in his place.
But to see a man die so that all men and women can go to heaven, is that understandible?
Pilate said he found no fault with Jesus, acknowledging this trial is about guilt and innocence. So Pilate has him punished and released, implying innocence in Roman law. Later Jesus is put on a cross, a crucifixion--an instrument of death for traitors and criminals. Soldiers take him, like a war prisoner rather than an animal to be burned. He is put with two criminals, having been sentenced.
But He doesn't talk about some crime He might have committed--the other criminals do. He does mention Paradise to one of the criminals. So Jesus is called King of the Jews, as if He threatens the crown of Rome. He is killed with criminals, sacrificed like a war criminal by the Romans.
Does He yell at the Romans, like a convicted prisoner? No, He forgives those who had Him killed--Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing, Luke 23.34.
Hamlet, Othello and MacBeth died for their country, Sidney Carton dies for old Dr. Manette in A Tale of Two Cities and Achilleus dies in the Iliad. So we can see that the ancient cultures around Jerusalem could conceive of a man dying for another man or a country. In the case of Hamlet, Othello, MacBeth and Achilleus, their death cleansed the country. But all of them were fictitious characters who couldn't forgive their enemies.
What would it take to change the world from darkness to light?
To forgive takes power over the soul. If Jesus does not have power over our soul, He can be a martyr--but not a savior.
Hamlet, MacBeth, Achilleus, they are all fictitious characters who never lived. Religious men like Mohammed, Confucious, Luther have all died. One could go find their graves and remains. But if you tried to go to the tomb in which Jesus was buried, you would not find Him there. He is not dead, having been resurrected from the dead.
If you want to find the body of Christ, you must go to a Christian church, as it is His body. You will find Him there.
And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all, Ephesians, 1.22, 23.
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