A Savior from Self
Jesus has just finished feeding the five thousand. Jesus is not the Savior they are looking for After seeing the miracles the people believe that Jesus is the Messiah, which He is. The Messiah has come to overthrow their oppressors, heal them, set them free, and give them a new life. They take this to mean that Jesus will overthrow the Romans, take away physical diseases, make them the new earthly rulers, and change their circumstances. Jesus did not come…
The Flesh and the Promise
Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. Genesis 16:1-2 Because God does not appear to be keeping His promise, Sarai and Abram take matters into their own hands. Abram…
Moralism vs. the Resurrection
It is a common belief that even if the resurrection of Jesus Christ, miracles, creation, heaven, hell, etc. are a myth Christianity is still to be preferred because moral people live happier lives. However, Paul says that if Jesus has not risen from the dead Christians are to be pitied more than anyone else. If Jesus Christ is not the risen Son of God, Christians are the most miserable people on the planet not the most blessed. How can we…
Jesus is Testing You (John 6:1-14)
Jesus now has thousands of people coming to hear Him preach. Jesus asks Philip how they are going to buy food for them all. Philip has no idea how they are going to provide food for everyone. Jesus knows what He is going to do Jesus is going to feed the people through a miracle. He knew this before He ever asked Philip how they were going to feed the people. Nothing takes Jesus by surprise. Everything happens in accordance…
Abraham
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3…
The Standard of Judgment (John 5:30-47)
Jesus now turns His attention to proving that He is the Son of God. He begins by saying that His judgment is not based upon His own will or testimony. Anyone can say anything about themselves and it does not make it true. Therefore, He gives three witnesses to His divinity. He is showing proof that He is God’s Son, but He is also challenging the Jews to prove that they are right with God. Each witness testifies to His…
Canaan’s Curse & The Tower of Babel
And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. And Noah…
A New Life of Imitation (John 5:19-29)
Jesus has just declared that God is His Father and that as the Son of God He has the right to work on the Sabbath. He explains further: Jesus only follows His Father’s example Jesus does not choose what He does. He simply follows the example of His Father and does His will. His Father loves Him and shows Him what He is supposed to do. His Father will be doing greater things than healing the sick on the Sabbath…
The Flood and the Institution of Human Government
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days;…
Jesus Works so that We Might Rest (John 5:1-18)
Jesus has healed the man from his infirmity and commanded him to pick up his bed on the Sabbath day. The Jews are enraged that Jesus would break the Sabbath by healing the man and telling him to carry his bed. Jesus responds by saying that His Father is still working so He will keep working. From this we see: The Sabbath is an illustration of salvation God did not rest on the seventh day because He was tired. He…
Clothing and the Line of Seth
God has cursed mankind and left them with only one hope, the Seed of the woman. Now we see God clothe Adam and Eve. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Genesis 3:21 Just as God created man, created woman, and created marriage, now God creates clothing. Because there is only a married man and woman on the earth we see that clothing was not created to stop sexual…
There is Something Worse (John 5:1-16)
Jesus here encounters a man who is unable to walk. He found him setting beside a place of miraculous healing, but the man was still unable to walk. The man is incapable of moving himself for healing No matter how much the lame man desires to walk or how powerful the healing in the pool may be, the man is simply unable to move himself to be healed. This illustrates how we are completely incapable of attaining our salvation. We…