Thursday 012325
Don’t let me or my writings influence or scare you in any way, instead, allow me to be used as a vessel to open the Word, just a little bit, and hopefully, together we are going to read and study His Word, and let God teach us what He wants us to hear.
Since the beginning of this study, our vision has been that we are ONLY going to follow what is found in the Holy Bible, that pertains to us, and we realize that it’s ONLY from our own effort that we put into this study, that we’re going to take anything away for our own use.
The verses we are going to study tonight:
Mark 1:17, 2:14; John 1:43; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 10:23, 14:3; Ephesians 4:29; Romans 14:19; Galatians 6:6-8; 2 Peter 2:1, :3, :17.
So, maybe before we get too far into tonight’s lesson, we should define a few words so that we can all begin on the same page tonight.
We need to begin with titles that are put on people. These titles include prophet, apostle, disciple, and finally, a teacher.
In the Bible, a prophet was someone who was believed to be in contact with a divine being and speaks on their behalf. Prophets were said to receive messages from God and share them with others, such as individuals, groups, or even the entire nation. The word ‘prophet’ comes from the Greek word prophetaes, which means ‘one who speaks forth’ or ‘advocate.’ Prophets were also called ‘seers’ because of their spiritual insight or their ability to ‘see’ the future.
Then there was an apostle. The Bible doesn’t explicitly define the term ‘apostle,’ but the Greek word apostolos used in the NT means ‘messenger’ or ‘one who is sent.’ In the NT, an apostle is someone who was sent and had the authority to speak for and represent the one who sent them.
Next, in the Bible, a disciple is a follower of a teacher, or ‘master,’ who is dedicated to learning from them. The term appears in the NT in the gospels and Acts. In Jesus’ time, learning was more relational and holistic than it is today, so discipleship was more than just learning information. It involved imitating the teacher’s life, adopting their values, and reproducing their teachings. This was a deliberate apprenticeship that made the disciple a living copy of the master.
In Christianity, a disciple is a dedicated follower of Jesus. When Jesus called His first disciples, he told them, ‘Follow me.’
Mark 1:17 ‘…And Jesus said to them, Follow Me, and I will have you become fishers of people…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
Mark 2:14 ‘…As He passed by, He saw Levi (Matthew), the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, Follow Me! And he got up and followed Him…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
John 1:43 ‘…The next day He decided to go to Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, Follow Me…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
To have been a disciple of Jesus was to be in a relationship with Him, to trust and believe in Him, and to follow His words and example. It’s about seeking to be like Jesus and belonging to him as one of His disciples.
And then finally, a teacher of the Word. The teacher of the Word is to share what he has been taught to those that hunger for that same Word. The teacher is to ‘edify’ those in front of him.
The apostle Paul used the word edify many times in his writings.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 ‘…Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing…’ NKJV (New King James Version)
1 Corinthians 10:23 ‘…All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify…’ NKJV (New King James Version)
1 Corinthians 14:3 ‘…But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men…’ NKJV (New King James Version)
Ephesians 4:29 ‘…Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers…’ NKJV (New King James Version)
Romans 14:19 ‘…Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another…’ NKJV (New King James Version)
The apostle Paul was taught by Jesus Himself, to teach the Gentiles about God. Paul taught, with the ability to teach others so the student would be able to teach others what they had learned. This is the path we have been told to follow through with today.
Galatians 6
vs6 ‘…The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him…’
vs7 ‘…Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap…’
vs8 ‘…For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
Today, in the 21st century, we have been given the Word. The Word is God’s Inspired voice speaking to us to tell us what He wants and expects from us.
The NT of the Word was all written in the 1st century. After it was completed, God gave each one of us the responsibility to save ourselves. We no longer needed an individual to speak to God for us. Each one of us was given that ability to speak to God for ourselves.
Throughout all the writings in the NT, the apostle Paul has been told to be the teacher to us Gentiles. There are other writings in the NT that have not been written for us ‘Gentiles’ to follow but with that being said, there are writings, that ALL mankind can learn from.
One of these writings was written by Peter. Peter was a teacher to the House of Israel, the Jew. Peter teaches in some of his writings that we should ALL listen to.
2 Peter 2:1
‘…But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction…’ KJV (King James Version)
‘…But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…Many years ago, there were false prophets among God’s people. They did not speak God’s true messages. In the same way, there will also be false teachers among you. They will come among you, and they will teach you things that are not true. Their wrong ideas will deceive people. Those false teachers will even speak against the Master, who paid the price for their sins. As a result, they will bring trouble on themselves that quickly destroys them…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
In all four of these versions, Peter has foretold how us in the 21st century is going to have ‘False Teachers’ among us. Teaching us what they feel is important for us to be aware of.
ALL of us today need to beware of what ‘man’ has put in front of us today, trying to make their words sound more important than they really are.
Continuing to read in 2 Peter 2, a verse we all need to be aware of before we go into visit a man-made church.
2 Peter 2:3 ‘…And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not…’ KJV (King James Version)
How many churches today are more interested in a member tithing on Sunday morning than they are teaching what has been written in the Word. That pastor is merchandising you. He is more interested in getting your money than he is in teaching you the Words you need to know to attain Everlasting Life with Jesus Christ.
‘…and in their greed, they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…In their greed these false teachers will make a profit out of telling you made-up stories. For a long time now, their Judge has been ready, and their Destroyer has been wide awake…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…The false teachers want you to give them money. So, they will teach things that are not true. A long time ago, God already decided that he must punish them. God is ready to do that now. Certainly, he will soon destroy them…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
These verses that these men preach to you are lies meant to trip you up from the truth. If you do not study the Word for yourself, you won’t know that you’re being lied to.
When the pastor from this man-made church tells you to tithe more money, if you are unaware of the truth, you’ll open up your wallet and give away what maybe you and your own family really need.
One last verse from Peter,
2 Peter 2:17 ‘…These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever…’ KJV (King James Version)
When Peter uses the word ‘these,’ he’s talking about ‘these false teachers’ that are waiting to strike on the unknowing.
Don’t find yourself being one of those unaware of what is going on around you.
This morning, I hope this Message is going out to ALL of y’all.
Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen
InHIM. ><)))o>