|
|
The Testimony of Believers
|
Lesson Twenty-one: by turtle
Have you ever wanted revenge to the point you pester those that had power to do
something until they finally said okay I will do it. Sometimes we have to walk in picket
lines, speak out against injustice until leaders in power take notice. It should not be this
way, but sometimes it takes a steady protest to be justified. When cops take the law into
their own hands then they are no longer serving justice. When our political leaders no
longer choose to enforce and obey the laws of the land they are no longer doing the will of
God or obeying the law of the land. A poor widow needed justices. Yet all she could do was
for the judge to revenge her enemies and so after awhile he did. God will one day revenge
the church. Meanwhile those that face persecution must endure until His Son returns to
judge the word, which is not entirely so. If the laws of the land protects all people then all
people have to abide by those rules despite religious faith, sex or anything else. However if
law is broken and not abide by all parties then the law needs correcting. Or a change
needs to take place.
Luke 18:1-8
(1) And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not
to faint;
(2) Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
(3) And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine
adversary.
(4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not
God, nor regard man;
(5) Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming
she weary me.
(6) And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
(7) And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he
bear long with them?
(8) I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh,
shall he find faith on the earth?
We have the power today to do something against those that harm us and not just always
to turn the other cheek. We can expect people to obey common law even if they obey not
God. God will revenge, however man can have justice through the law if the law will abide
by their own rules. If the law is unjust, one must then remember God almighty will avenge,
when His Son returns if not before. However God, if we petition him concerning our
troubles, will not grow weary but will hear our plight and do something. We are to pray
and petition God concerning injustice in the world, however God desires to change the
heart of man, and not to destroy them. Let our prayers be much for change of a person’s
heart and not for hellfire judgment.
The next passage has to do with spiritual justice. There were two people praying one that
was self righteous and felt they deserved the right of God to hear and the other humble
and contrite in spirit, who felt unworthy to approach the throne of God. The comparison
of these two is to teach us not to be like the self-righteous man but to be as the one humble
in spirit.
Luke 18:10-14
(10) Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a
publican.
(11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as
other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
(12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
(13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven,
but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
(14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every
one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
God desires us to be people that recognize our inability so that He can be the ability. God
already knows our short comings. God knows our good points. He needs us to be truthful
about our down fallings so He can help us to stand and to over come our failures. He wants
us to achieve our goaled. Years and years ago when I would go swimming, I seen people
diving into the water. I desire to learn to dive, however, I was afraid of heights. Yet with a
little encouragement I learn to dive into the water from the diving board. Not the high
dive but the lower dive. I achieved a simple goals with a little help. God wants to take our
desires and help us to perform impossible feats for Him. For His honor and glory. Our
humbleness of our inabilities, our sin, our humanity allows God to take our inabilities and
make them into abilities. If we justify ourselves we need no help or aid from God. If we
show our inability to God we are true not only to Him but ourselves of our imperfect state
next to God. God has no need of our self righteousness. God can take our filthy rags and
change them into royal robes for Him. With that our impurities become pure.
Children wanted to be around Jesus, yet the disciples’ of Jesus withheld them from Him.
Yet Jesus rebuke them telling them they to had to come like a child to enter the kingdom
of God.
Luke 18:15-17
(15) And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his
disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
(16) But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and
forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
(17) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little
child shall in no wise enter therein.
Why must we become like a child. A child is reliant on his parents or guardians for basic
needs. A child needs their parents support and a place of safety. We need God’s
encouragement, someone to go to when trouble comes, a friend that never leaves. We need
Jesus. Parents often help their kids to become productive adults. God wants to enable us to
be productive for Him. He wants to take our weaknesses and use them for His glory. He
wants to show His power in our life. In return He guards and protect us through out life.
The next story is a rich man comes to him concerning what he had to do to enter the
kingdom of heaven. First thing we need to do is be humble, but this man was like the
Pharisees who quickly told Jesus He obeyed all the laws from the beginning. Jesus tells
him to go and sell all he had and he could go to heaven. However the man was unwilling
because he had much wealth. Let examine the scripture.
Luke 18:18-24
(18) And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit
eternal life?
(19) And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is,
God.
(20) Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal,
Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
(21) And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
(22) Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell
all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:
and come, follow me.
(23) And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
(24) And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that
have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Jesus tells the ruler no one is good but God. It is important to understand that no one but
God is good. Jesus was perfect, He sinned not against God, yet he broke religious law on
more then one occasion according to the religious leaders. Yet He was perfect. So how was
Jesus perfect, His perfection was perfect because He did not spiritual sin against God His
Father. He broke the laws of man, the legalism of religious law, but did not break the laws
of God. Often we use the ten commandments as a guide to show sin, but it is not a law but
in legally it is important, because it is a law of obedience to God. If God says do, do you sit
back and do nothing. Hosea married a woman on the command of God caught in adultery.
Why was it okay to break certain laws and not others even down to some concerning the
ten commandments. It has to do with faith and survival on this earth. Is what we doing to
survive in this world. Is going to war a fight for survival to kill in act of war not a way of
survival and protection of innocent people, yet the commands of God says do not kill. Is
picking corn which is what Christ disciples did or the healing on the Sabbath which Christ
did a breaking of religious law and not disobedient to God? If basic human needs are
easily solved by picking an ear of corn, but healing a person is sin on the Sabbath, the rest
of the week, of rebuking leaders is just as evil. Let us go back the ten commandments,
which are basic laws of loving others as well as loving God. Is what you do in the name of
love and respect of God and others. Or is the harm you do for self gratification. Hosea was
a religious man had no desire to marry a prostitute perhaps, but God instructed him too.
Hosea 1:2
(2) The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go,
take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath
committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.
Is these very verse against the commandments of God? Why would a prophet be told to
marry a sinner. The sinner is justified by what her husband, not in reality. However it was
demonstrating the state of Israel. God way of teaching is not always understandable. We
must stop and consider was God tell Hosea to sin, by no means, but the person he was
married to was a sinner. God Son would be marrying the Gentiles. People not of religious
law, but governmental laws. They perhaps seen no real purpose in religious laws given to
them. However these people understood legal law no doubt and whatever the country
abided by was so. Some perhaps like today showed more compassion then the religious
zealots.
The point each person must be careful when we deal with spirituality and legal law and
breaking of legal law verse church laws that are form of legalism. Like not cutting your
hair, to not wearing short dresses or short shorts. The ruler had no trouble obeying legal
or religious law in the story, what he had trouble doing was obeying the word of God. He
had trouble obeying Jesus. As a ruler he would of gotten more things. However he was told
to sell all and he could go to heaven. His possessions were most important to this ruler
more important then heaven. Spirituality has nothing to do with laws, but faith and
obedience to God. Our own spiritual journey. Israel at the time of Hosea would of found
itself fixing to go into exile. Hosea marriage was a symbol of Israel relationship to God in
their backsliding. Yet their was religious laws concerning adultery. Israel had become
relaxed concerning certain laws especially when it came to pagan rituals. Israel Kings
wives were often caught making sacrifices to foreign gods. Some kings did as well. The
would sacrifice their children to pagan gods. They were destroying life, something that is a
treasured by God. Life is important God wants to use our life for His glory and honor not
to destroy us. He desires to give us the desires of our heart.
The ruler that was told to sell all he owned and give to the poor was only interested in
proving himself worthy to enter the kingdom. However despite our obedience to the law it
is not enough. God desires us to have faith in Him, for us to believe at least in His Son. If
you believe in His Son then you believe in God.
Romans 5:13-21
(13) (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
(14) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned
after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
(15) But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many
be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus
Christ, hath abounded unto many.
(16) And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to
condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
(17) For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive
abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
(18) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation;
even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
(19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of
one shall many be made righteous.
(20) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound:
(21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:1
(1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ:
Romans 5:8
(8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us.
Romans 6:23
(23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Let us examine this next verse in Luke
Luke 18:24-26
(24) And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that
have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
(25) For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter
into the kingdom of God.
(26) And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
It is impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, because not all his
ways are straight. When Christ told the rich man to go sell everything it was to get rid of
those things that controlled him. For the things that were controlling the rich man were
things of passion and greed. For Lord to be Lord of your life you have to be willing to
sacrifice everything. In all truth that hard for a rich man. Does God come before anything
else, before popularity, before wealth, before even family. No one gives it all up scripture
says. Then who can be saved?
Luke 18:27-30
(27) And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
(28) Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
(29) And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or
parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,
(30) Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come
life everlasting.
However something to think on if no one gives it all up who can be saved. At this point
Christ had not died or been resurrected. However truth of faith was fixing to be shown.
Let us examine Christ words in preparation to the disciples of what laid ahead concerning
His death and how it would effect them. Christ answer must of seemed like riddle in some
ways to those listening, until after the crucifixion.
Luke 18:31-43
(31) Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to
Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall
be accomplished.
(32) For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully
entreated, and spitted on:
(33) And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise
again.
(34) And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither
knew they the things which were spoken.
(35) And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat
by the way side begging:
(36) And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
(37) And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.
(38) And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
(39) And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried
so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
(40) And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was
come near, he asked him,
(41) Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may
receive my sight.
(42) And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
(43) And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the
people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.
There was a beggar on the road that could not see, and he need to see. He asked what was
going on because of the crowd passing by and someone told him it was Jesus of Nazareth.
Upon hearing who it was the blind man began to cry out to Jesus for mercy. He desired to
be healed. He knew Jesus could heal him and Jesus said your faith has saved thee.
Spiritually we need to call out to Jesus. Our faith on belief in Christ will take away our
sins, and heal our blindness to the ways of God. Faith has saved. Faith is our end of the
transaction with God. God provided the means of salvation through Jesus our Lord.
Without Him all would be lost.
John 1:11-13
(11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
(12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on his name:
(13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but
of God.
Must receive Christ as Lord and Savior to be saved. The work of the cross and plan of
salvation was God’s part. Very simple. We believe God and He forgives us when we ask.
|
|
|
|
|
