Lesson 6 The Life of CHRIST (John, the Forerunner of CHRIST)

We as CH RISTians need to understand right off the bat in this lesson, that We need to be the Forerunner's  for the 2nd Coming Of CHRIST. John preached and proclaimed GOD in the flesh in CHRIST JESUS. John faced unbeliever's, doubter's, hater's and the whole gammit of Religious ridicule of his day. I'm sure John often got discouraged from all the struggles he encountered. John was no better than we are, nor was he any better equipped than we are today. John simply had the Power of GOD on his life, John was led by the HOLY SPIRIT, John could have just threw up his hands and gave up. But as we read in GOD'S Word, John lept in his mother's womb, being filled with the HOLY GHOST. John was a wild man, in the flesh. I can just picture John as a rugged, tough, mountain man. His diet was locust and wild honey. His wardrobe was the hides of wild beasts or animals, but, his inner man was given to GOD. We spoke in lesson 5 that it is not what we have outwardly that counts, it is what we are inside, the inner man, the heart, the soul..If it aint for GOD, of GOD and if GOD aint in control, go back to the alter and give your life to GOD right now. Today is the day of Salvation, making things right with a HOLY GOD. We go through life merely going through the motions. We know what to do..Pray, Read GOD'S Word, Attend Church and Yes on a regular basis. But, we have to say, this get's old. Say Amen right there. We simply get tired of doing them. Amen Brother Terry! We continue to do them because we know they are right to do, or we want our little group to not think bad of us, or we want our youth group, sunday school, etc to loose points or have any thing other than a perfect attendance record, or we don't want our Pastor mad at us for missing church..many many many excuses we can think of and just understand when we reach that point we are not getting anything accomplished spiritually. T. M. Moore was thinking the same thing when he wrote, "We've all known them, those seasons when the wind seems to go out of the sails of our spiritual lives. Our time in the Word of GOD is unexciting and unfruitful. Prayer is a struggle. Our devotions are skimpy or even skipped. Worship never quite satisfies. Our witness is virtually nonexistent. Too many things seem more important than spirituality and we would not describe ourselves as currently on the cutting edge of CHRISTian growth." Moore calls this predicament "the Spiritual Doldrums, when the sails of our spirits go limp while the rest of our life is proceeding full speed ahead. A. W. Tozer calls this "wasted religious activity". It is also called going through the motions as I mentioned earlier. It is simply when all is said and done, none of it meets GOD'S requirements because our motives are all wrong. Let me speak a few words about CHRISTianity of Today. The day and time in which we live in right now 2011. We are not content to empasize only what GOD'S Word commands. Then we take it a few steps further, we add and subtract from what GOD tells us in HIS Word, then we have the guts to the judge other people's spirituality more by their adherence to the man made rules we have thrown in there to help GOD out, rather than being obedient to GOD'S Word period. We are affected by Modern Day Pharisaism. Oh yes I did, stay with me folks, We have become Pharisee's!! We make religion consist in conformity to the law, and promises GOD'S Grace only to the doers of the law. Religion becomes external. More attention is focused on the outward show of spirituality than on the true inward spirituality. John had this similar situation going on in Israel during his ministry. Thats right folks, the game of the devil aint changed in over 2,000 years, the game has just elevated due to our spiritual ignorance. Say Amen right there!! It is time we have men stand and call black, black and call white, white and get out of the Grey!!!!! It's either Sin or it's Not Sin!! Period, No In Between! Wake Up Folks!! The Jewish Leadership was made up of 3 sects or groups, 1. Pharisees  2. Sadducess  3. Essenes The Pharisees were the strictest. They formed as a reaction against the religious compromise that was creeping into the Jewish society as the influences of Grecian culture took hold under the rule of the Roman Empire. The people were beginning to lose their Jewiah distinctiveness, and the Pharisees wanted to bring the nation back to its Jewish roots and fight further decay in society. To accomplish this, the Pharisees insisted on strict adherence to the Mosaic Law. In fact, they went beyond the Mosaic Law and strongly insisted on strict observence of additional traditions that had been added down through the centuries. They became the religious "nit-pickers" of the day. And because they paid strict attention to the nit-picky rules, they thought themselves spiritually superior to everyone else in society. Now go back to what I typed a few sentences back and see what we are doing today. We are looking down our nose at others,judging them, critizing them, talking bad about them, all the while we are saying..Look At Me...See what I have done or am doing...Man I am doing good...Look Look Look at Me!!! Brother Tozer said this behavior or attitude of Pharisaism...I could lable it Terryism...Amen Brother Preach it..Amen I think I will!!!!! Anyway this is caused by one of three things...1. Ignorance of the Scriptures  2. Unbelief  3. Disobedience. I am going to give you the reference scriptures for you to study on your own, because, I beleive GOD has presented to me and you exactly what HE want's us to see. John was simply a man, that wanted GOD in his life more than he wanted anything else. John was not a super-natural man. John was a human being, just like you and me. John had his priorites in order..GOD First and everything else next! Mark 1:6 tells us John's Diet and Dress. Luke 1: 1-80 tells us John's miracle birth. John 3:26-36 tells us John's reason for his ministry. Colossians 2:8-23 Gives us the warnings against philosophy and legality. Colossians 3:1-25 tells us CHRISTian Living and Believer's Union with CHRIST, now and here-after. Todays text is John1:15-51. Scripture reading and memorizing are found in John 1:27. To summarize, John's Mission Statement can be found in verse 23 of John Chapter 1. John saw JESUS as Exactly who HE is in John 1:36 " Behold The Lamb of GOD." John 1:19-23 puts John is the spot-light of all the religious leaders. The Jewish Leaders spiritual condition was Spiritual Ignorance, Spiritual Pride and Spiritual Confusion. John 1:23-27 the spot-light turns to CHRIST, John denies himself or deminishes himself and John Proclaims, Exalted CHRIST. John 1:29-34 places the Lamb of GOD in the spotlight..Baptism of the Lamb of GOD and Behold the Lamb of GOD. Did you realize that when John was being flocked around and being questioned, it was a very distinct possibility JESUS was standing in the midst and they didn't even know it. Let us recognize when GOD is in our midst and lets stop clouding HIS HOLINESS with our Pharisee Attitude and Actions. Let's not have our testimony for CHRIST be tainted. Being a Pharisee simply means to seperate and divide. When the world looks at me will they see JESUS? May GOD Bless the study of HIS Word. Until next time is my prayer!

Lesson 5 The Life of CHRIST

The Incarnation of CHRIST as outlined in this lesson is The Traditional CHRISTmas Story. Many use the letter X in place of CHRIST to write Xmas. There are many folks around our town and country that simply takes CHRIST completely out of their life or uses HIM when HE is needed at crisis time. The lost world does not know any better, but, us as CHRISTians, know the CHRIST of CHRISTmas and yet we put HIM away and use HIM like we use a spare bed room. Apart from CHRIST, We are Dead! Sin is defined as failing to measure up to CHRIST'S Perfection. The best we can do apart from CHRIST is fail. Keep that little extra near by the next time you feel you don't need GOD around or the next time you think, I can do this all by myself. It's a sobering fact that we can only fail apart from GOD! As we read I Timothy 3:16 the Apostle Paul found the truth of the Incarnation of CHRIST, JESUS born as GOD in the Flesh, as mind-boggling, as we all do. " Great is the mystery of GODLINESS: GOD was manifest in the flesh." To know that a HOLY GOD came to this earth from the Portals of GLORY, for Me and You, so that We might have the Life HE has intended for us to have from the Beginning. A Perfect Life, through the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Baby JESUS in the manger in Bethlehem, the CHRISTmas Story, is what we celebrate in December. I am thankful for JESUS and HIS HOLY Birth, but, this was a part of the entire truth that JESUS came to die for our sins. That is what the Incarnation of CHRIST was all about. A HOLY, PERFECT, SINLESS, GOD, left Glory and All the Perfection there, to come to earth in the flesh in CHRIST JESUS, in the form of our human body full of problems and imperfections, that We may have life enternal and our sin debt be paid in full forever. John 1:14-18 is the outline text for todays study lesson. CHRIST was only here on earth for a short time, 33 years. Approx 3 1/2 years HE was in the Ministry. Before CHRIST came to this Earth to dwell among sinful men, sin had to be dealt with in a temporary manner. The Tabernacle was the place in which GOD dwelt with HIS people, it was the place in the center of Israel's Camp, no matter where they went, it was a temporary place where the High Preist made blood offerings to cover the sins of man for just a short period of time, until which time he had to do it again. Exodus Chapter 25 through the end of the book describes the construction and order inside the Tabernacle. Exodus Chapter 20-24 speaks of the Abrahamic Covenant and the Laws that the Jews had to live and obey, every day. There were some 639 of these laws. As you read about the Tabernacle try to visualize this truth concerning the construction..Not much was said about the outward appearence of the Tabernacle. The outside was not very attractive as we know the term. It was made of wood and some tentage material..Oh but the inside was a sight to behold..Gold, Precious Stones, the Finest of the Fine, you could say the inside of the Tabernacle was gorgeous, perfect, flawless. We need to remember that where GOD dwells, Beauty will abound. GOD dwells only in a perfect place. That counts Me Out, I am far from Perfect, But, My Savior is Perfect, I have accpeted HIM, now GOD sees me as Perfect. Thanks To My SAVIOR!! We see that Israel only used this tabernacle for about 35 years, again, just a temporary place. As I spoke about the tabernacle being a place where GOD dwelt, the Greek meaning for Dwelt simply states it means Pitch a Tent, shown again as temporary. As we begin to understand that before CHRIST came as GOD in the flesh, Sin had a huge price tag, and no one had enough of anything to pay Sin's price. Oh but as we read in Isaiah Chapter 53, GOD in the Flesh, JESUS CHRIST is the only answer and the only payment for Sin. In John 1:14 says that the Word was "full of Grace and Truth." The Law demands Righteousness, The Law blesses the Good, The Law demands blessings to be earned, The Law is connected with Moses and works..BUT..Grace is Kindness and Love of GOD our SAVIOR toward man, not by works of righteousness that we have done. Grace gives Righteousness to Man, Grace is with CHRIST and Faith, Grace saves the bad, Grace is a Free Gift. Galatians 2:15,16 and 3:10-12 speaks of Law and Grace. Grace is Law and Justice. Everyone must pay for their own sins, unless Grace steps in. Grace is Free given from GOD the FATHER through JESUS CHRIST. One must only accept it by simple child like faith. John 1:14 ( in fleshly form)  The meaning of the Incarnation of CHRIST. The comparisons between CHRIST and the Tabernacle..Temporary, Outwardly apperance unattractive, Where GOD met man, Center of Israel's Camp ( Numbers 2:17). John 1:14-18 reveals the Purpose of the Incarnation of CHRIST. Verse 18 reveals the Nature of GOD. Verses 14-17 reveals the Grace of GOD. Verse 14 reveals the Truth of GOD. GOD hates sin. If we decide to pay for our sin, by refusing JESUS CHRIST, we will burn in Hell forever. Eternal Torment and Damnation. I thank GOD when GOD looks at me, HE sees JESUS!!!! GOD can't even see me because I have accepted CHIRST and HIS Finished Work on the Cross!! The Grave could not hold HIM and Death couldn't keep HIM dead...Glory Glory Glory..What a GOD!!! The scripture reading and memorization for this week is John 1:14, Last weeks scripture was John 1:10-12. May GOD Bless our study and until next time is my Prayer!!