THE ABIDING WORD
Thursday – December 13, 2018, Tevet 5, 5779
Greeting my brothers and sisters and welcome back to this wonderful, engaging, and faith building Bible Study of the Book of John. So far as the featured picture, yep, you guessed it more of the Belgrade Stream here in Maine. Now, let’s turn our attention to the Bible Study by first reading our primary text aloud.
John 5:37-43 (KJV)
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
41 I receive not honour from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
Have you ever noticed how plain-spoken Jesus is in addressing the people? This has been lost in more recent times. Now if a person preaches like Jesus they are said not to be preaching in love. Is Jesus preaching in love or not? If I imitate Him, am I preaching in love or not? Telling people, the unvarnished Truth is the very highest level of love. Hell is really hot and lasts forever! Even if the person is saved the clear blunt Truth may save them a lifetime of pain and suffering before going off to Heaven. Our victory in everyday life is part of what Jesus paid for at Calvary, and in Hell. Let us not leave it on the table dear saints of God.
As we take verses thirty-seven and thirty-eight together Jesus is telling the Jews (unbelieving Jews who want to kill Him) and we must be careful not to fall into the same deceptions of the devil as these Jews at that time. Jesus tells them that not only do they not hear the Father, they have no idea what He is like all because they don’t really know the Scripture. What they know is the traditions of men and traditions are without power and gave them capacity to hear or to see in the supernatural, and neither will it us. If they really knew the Scripture, they would have recognized Jesus as the Messiah and they would believe upon Him. Because they didn’t know the Scripture, they rejected the Truth, they rejected Jesus, the Lamb of God. This goes on now and is rampant in the modern Church with a corrupted gospel for the most part leaving people unable to hear the true voice and unable to recognize Him when He is manifest. Likewise, they don’t recognize the counterfeit because that is what they were taught and receive it as real and so more counterfeit seems fine when in reality it is demon inspired (doctrine of devils). I am talking about good Christian people, Spirit filled, tongue talking and on their way to Heaven but mired in corrupt religion. This is where those Jews were then and remain today but the day remains when they will recognize Messiah and their sin will be removed.
Now, let’s examine verses thirty-nine and forty together and learn. Jesus tells them flat out and is telling us, “search the Scriptures”. This should be a no brainer but many in the body of Christ spend little to no time between Sunday’s searching the Scriptures to prove the true from the false. Am I a Berean? Are you a Berean?
Acts 17:11 (KJV)
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
Jesus tells them to search the Scripture and says that they think they have eternal life in the Scripture and the Scriptures speak of Him. Yet, they are rejecting the One who is eternal life. Remember, the disciples on the road to Emmaus? These were disciples yet did not really understand.
Luke 24:15 (KJV)
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
Luke 24:25-27 (KJV)
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Let us pray that we also not be fools. When was the last time your pastor got up and started the sermon calling the congregation fools? Are we fools at times? Should that be pointed out to us? Would it be love to point it out to us? The answer is yes, we are fools at times, yes, we do need it pointed out to us, and yes, it is great love to point out the looming disaster and the path out of our current disaster. The story continues.
Luke 24:32 (KJV)
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
When was the last time our heart burned within us concerning the expounding of the Truth? I will pick up right here tomorrow the Lord willing.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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