Tuesday 111224
Together, you and I, let’s open the Word and study what we’ve ALL been freely given. Use me to help you open up your Bible and search what God wants for us to hear. We’re only going follow what we find written in the Word that pertains to us and hopefully from what we find, we will be able to use it in our lives, not only for ourselves but hopefully for those that we love also.
The verses we are going to study tonight:
Matthew 6:33; Mark 1:14; Luke 9:2; John 3:3; Acts 9:3-6, :20, :10-15, 28:23; John 3:13-18; Romans 2:14-16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:8.
Back when Jesus walked this earth in His earthly ministry, all He ever spoke of was ‘the Kingdom of God.’
Matthew 6:33 ‘…But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
Mark 1:14 ‘…Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
Luke 9:2 ‘…And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
John 3:3 ‘…Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
There was a man known as Saul of Tarsus, he was a Pharisee who persecuted Christians after the crucifixion of Jesus. Saul was born in Tarsus and studied under Gamaliel in Jerusalem. He was a Roman citizen and learned tent making, a lucrative trade in the region. Saul was zealous in his faith and approved of the stoning of Stephen. He was determined to eradicate the new Christian church, known as ‘The Way.’
On his way to Damascus to capture the newly formed Christian church members, Saul was confronted by Jesus.
Acts 9
vs3 ‘…Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him…’
vs4 ‘…and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me…’
vs5 ‘…And he said, who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting…’
vs6 ‘…but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
In fact, after Saul’s conversion, he even spoke of ‘the Kingdom of God’ and spoke how Jesus was the ‘Son of God.’
Acts 9:20 ‘…And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he (Jesus) is the Son of God…’
Jesus chose Saul to be ‘the’ apostle to the Gentile people. This is the hardest thing for me to accept with our churches today in the 21st century. Jesus ‘CHOSE’ Saul to teach us Gentiles about God but there are so many churches today that don’t even read from the writings of Paul.
Saul was chosen by Jesus to be the vessel that would teach us about our future. Teach us so we could be accepted into the promise of having Everlasting Life after we die.
Jesus chose and there are those that turn their backs and look elsewhere, in other places.
Acts 9
vs10 ‘…Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Here I am, Lord…’
vs11 ‘…And the Lord said to him, get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying…’
vs12 ‘…and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight…’
vs13 ‘…But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints in Jerusalem…’
vs14 ‘…and here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name…’
vs15 ‘…But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
The Jewish people were very skeptical of the words that came from the mouth of Saul. Can you just imagine? They questioned if Saul was going to tie them up and turn them in.
Maybe for this very reason I should cut our churches today some slack since they too, look with questions towards Saul.
Saul also went by the name of Paul. The average, normal Jewish citizen, didn’t trust the words that came from his mouth.
Acts 28:23 ‘…So the Jewish leaders in Rome chose a day to meet again with Paul. When that day arrived, a large number of Jews came to the house where Paul was staying. Paul talked to them from the morning until the evening. He explained his message about the kingdom of God. He showed them what Moses and the other prophets had written in the Bible. He tried to show them that Jesus was God’s special Messiah…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
These Jewish believers were taught that they needed to believe that Jesus was their promised Messiah, sent by God to fulfill the promise that was made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Jews forefathers.
This following passage is before Jesus was crucified, though.
Today in the 21st century, if we believe in the same thing that the Jewish people were expected to believe, us Gentiles are going to miss out of this promise that God has given us.
Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, in a private, rooftop meeting between the two men.
John 3
vs13 ‘…And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven…’
vs14 ‘…And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up…’
vs15 ‘…that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life…’
vs16 ‘…For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life…’
vs17 ‘…For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved…’
vs18 ‘…He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
How many people today recite John 3:16 and believe it fully in their hearts. My own grandson was so proud when he memorized the verse for his class at their church.
I love my grandson, I love all of you, but that verse is not going to save a Gentile today in the 21st century. That verse was never meant to be a verse for a Gentile believer.
I am speaking today to ALL of the Gentile people out there in this world:
WE HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT WE MUST BELIEVE IN.
Your churches should have been teaching this many years ago.
This is why I tell people, pick the Bible up for yourself and read what has been written for you.
Romans 2
vs14 ‘…For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves…’
vs15 ‘…which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another…’
vs16 ‘…in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
Not the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John but the Gospel that the apostle Paul wrote for us Gentiles.
It is this Gospel that we must believe in.
1 Corinthians 15
vs1 ‘…Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand…’
vs2 ‘…by which you also are saved, if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain…’
vs3 ‘…For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…’
vs4 ‘…and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
Jesus Christ came to this earth to fulfill the promises that God made to the forefathers of the Jewish religion.
But for us Gentiles, to ONLY believe that Jesus Christ is the promised ‘Messiah’ promised to the Jewish people, that single belief is not our promise for everlasting life.
Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH; and this is not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
We can get this Gift that God has promised and given to us, ONLY through our FAITH, which is believing in Him (Jesus Christ).
And what we must BELIEVE is that Jesus Christ, used as a sacrifice for ALL mankind. He DIED, He was BURIED and on the third day He was Risen back to Life by God.
This lesson is too heavy to be finished in one night. We’ll continue tomorrow and get further into the promise God made for us.
I love ALL of y’all. You never have to question my love or especially Jesus’ love for each one of us. He loves us more than we will ever know.
Keep your Bible near and study as much of the Word as you can. Open your mouths and spread the wisdom you have found out about our God while you’ve been studying the Word. Never be afraid of what you are going to find out.
Open your Bibles and read the Word for yourself.
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>