Lesson 9 The Life of CHRIST ( JESUS Cleanses the Temple )

Do we need some Temple Cleansing today? Yes we do. We need to get back to having Church, Worshiping a HOLY GOD with HOLY Reverence and Respect. We need to Honor GOD'S House, Time Now. If you are Preaching, Pastoring, Counseling, doing Mission work, etc, for any other reason than to Glorify GOD..Not for Big Business, Not for Big Money, Not for Fame or Fortune, Not for Mega-Churches..You get the picture. If you are...Go Out of Business!! John 2:12-25 is our text and scripture reference for this lesson. In Jerusalem, the Temple was the center of the Jewish religious worship. Solomon constructed the forst Jewish Temple to replace the old tabernacle with a more permanent building. The details of the Temple are given in I Kings 5:12, 6:38, 8:1-66. JESUS was in town for the Passover, which began in Egypt. It was an 8 day festival celebrating Israel coming out of bondage. Read John 2:13, Exodus 12:11. The book of John records every passover that JESUS attended. Exodus chapter 12 gives the reason for the Passover. The Jews Day begins at 6pm ( this is there morning ) and ends at 5:59pm, which makes up the 24 hour system. So one would say that their days and night, run opposite from ours. I believe JESUS was heading to the Temple to worship prior to the Passover celebration. Once HE arrived, into the Court of the Gentiles, which is the common place of the Temple for everyone, however HE had to walk through that court yard in order to reach the Temple itself. Remember, 1 way in and 1 way out of the Temple. This is a type of CHRIST..1 way to Heaven, 1 way out of Hell, through JESUS CHRIST only. Buying and Selling goods was not the problem JESUS encountered that day, the problem was they were making a profit off of the Passover. John 2:16 simply states JESUS'S HOLY Reverence for : My Father's House. These folks were money-changers by occupation, which was a profitable business. They would exchange the Jewish coins into Roman coins for a percentage or profits. Making money, making a profit off of GOD'S people. JESUS was Bold, JESUS was a True Man. HE found something wrong in GOD'S House and fixed it. Do you realize the same bunch of folks that HE ran out of the Temple that day was to be the same group that crucified HIM on Cavalry. This passage also states their were the selling of Oxen, Sheep and Doves. I found this quite amazing that in that day, before CHRIST gave HIMSELF as the Supreme Sacrifice on the Cross, that Doves were reserved for the poor people ( for their sacrifice ) and the Oxen and Sheep were reserved for the Rich people ( for their sacrifice ). I am even more excites that MY SAVIOR, is enough for us all Rich, Poor, Everyone!!! Amen!!! Luke 19:46 suggests that in a seperate incident, JESUS was angered by the abscence of genuine worship in HIS FATHER'S House. Verse 22 says the disciples believed the scriptures after JESUS'S resurrection and they remembered what HE had said ( vs 20 ). We are just like the people of that day. We are driven by emotions and feelings, the same ones the people of that day had. People are People are People. The Jews always wanted a sign from GOD. Say Amen right there!!!!! We do too. You know the problem with that? That is not living by FAITH!!!!! Amen again right there!!!! The Bible teaches that our faith is not static but that it is strenghtens as we grow in our walk with GOD. The same goes for the knowledge of GOD'S Word. Verse 23 is a very solemn verse..It appears that JESUS recognized that some genuinely believed HE was the SON of GOD while others were amazed by HIS miracles but never believed in HIS DIETY. JESUS knows man folks, HE knows that our heart includes Deciet, Unbelief, Fickleness. Are you trusting in the Miracles JESUS preforms daily or are you trusting in the LORD of the Miracles. I would hope you are Trusting in the LORD today! John 2:13 speaks of the Time of the Event, The Passover, To remind the Israelites of their Egyptian captivity asnd release ( Ex 12 ), and was to be an annual event. Ex 12:11 speaks of the original " The LORD'S Passover". John 2:13 speaks of the Master of the event. The boldness and strength of our LORD. The Holiness and Wrath of GOD. The DIETY and Authority of GOD. In John 2:16 HE calls the Temple " My FATHER'S House". John 2:19-21 was the sign the Jews needed. It was JESUS proclaiming HIS own resurrection from the dead. John 2:24-24 Tells us JESUS knows all men. Committ Yourself to the SAVIOR today. You can't run, HE knows you better than you know yourself. HE created you freind, Trust and Obey HIM Today. May GOD Bless HIS HOLY WORD!!








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Lesson 8, The Life of CHRIST ( Changing the Water to Wine )

The lessons text comes from John 2:1-11. Before we start, I would like to give you a few facts about wine. Wine is a symbol of Joy in the Jewish custom. In the event you did not have wine or not enough wine to go around, it was considered Taboo in the Jewish custom. Proverbs 23:30-32, tells us that the strong wine was the intoxicating type, which in no way did JESUS ever partake of. It was the weak, sweet, drink (wine), that was the best or first wine, that was fit for our KING! John calls this event, the beginning of miracles, John 2:11. JESUS was at a wedding feast. Reculect back to any wedding you have been a part of. Everything was in place and set to a tee. On the onset, everything looked ok, but, behind the scenes, problems, panic, was about to happen. The wedding party had ran out of wine. What a social embarrassment and a taboo from their culture to do so. In the very time of need, not a moment before, not a moment too late, JESUS handled the situation and provided exactly what was needed, right on time! I believe once Mary, JESUS'S Mother, told her SON of the problem, I honestly believe once her petetion was made known, she had Faith in HIM, to do exactly what needed to be done. Her Faith was based on just exactly what the Angel's proclaimed, or told her before HIS birth as to who HE is! Once Mary told HIM about the wine problem, JESUS replied that HIS hour had not yet come. It was likely related to the proper time for HIS ministry and HIS eventual death to be revealed. JESUS was doing this miracle as a mere warm up of what HE had in store during HIS ministry as well as the miracle of miracles when HE Rose HIMSELF from the Dead..Glory!! Isn't it a relief as well as a Blessing to know our GOD can and will do something about any problem we may face! The same held true for the very Miother of JESUS. As I spoke of the very sweet wine earlier, the first wine, the very best wine. This was what JESUS made from water. HE even had the servants use the unconventional water pots to catch the water in. These pots were typically used to catch water in for washing/bathing purposes. Thank GOD HE used my old unconventional condition of sin, not fit for anything but Hell and Eternal Damnation. HE gave me new wine, sweet wine..JESUS offers us HIS very best, JESUS gives HIS very best and JESUS wants our very best. Mary gave us a true example as she spoke to the serveants in verse 5, " Whatsoever HE saith unto you, do it." I believe they did just exactly what Mary told them. I believe they did just exactly as JESUS required of them. I believe that the more they drew the water (wine) out, the more glad their heart became. Just like our life. The more you do what JESUS requires of us, the more grounded and joyful we become. John 2:3 Presented the Problem, No Wine. John 2:4-8 Presented the Solution ( Mary's concern was physical and temporal. CHRIST'S concern was spiritual and eternal. CHRIST is the answer.) Also the servant's responsibility was to fill the water pots. Take the newly created wine to the Governor of the feast. John 2:9-11 Presnted the results. Wine was produced. CHRIST'S miracles begin. CHRIST'S Glory is manifested. I will leave you with this quote from Oliver B. Greene.." Christianity does not take the joy out of living. On the contrary, Christianity brings life, and life abundant."

Lesson 7 The Life of CHRIST ( The Selection of CHRIST'S Disciples )

John 1:35-51 is Lesson 7 scripture reading and text. GOD'S Calling, Will You Answer? GOD calls HIS people to serve him. HE purchased us with the Blood of HIS SON JESUS CHRIST on the Cross. What a payment that was made! The Blood of JESUS CHRIST stands today as the only means of Salvation! It stands today as the Only Door that leads us as CHRISTians to Heaven! As GOD calls whosoever to be Saved, HE calls HIS Children to be witnesses to the Truth of HIS HOLY Word. As each and every Salvation experience is different, we can all relate it to the birthing of a child or child birth. Each experience is different but the result or evidence is the same. In child birth, the result is a bundle of joy in the form of a boy, girl or both. It is the same for us that are Re-Birthed into GOD'S Family. I am so glad that GOD is no respecter of persons! In the life stories of the disciples, they all were just like us. They each had a little bit of us in them. They all accepted the call of discipleship in different ways, and they all had different personalities. Just to mention a few examples, Phillip, was a doubter. As we recall at the feeding of the 5,000, he wanted to go and buy food, as they didn't have enough, as he thought, to carry out this feeding. Peter denied CHRIST 3 times. We see several lessons for our life. We must approach every believer differently. CHRIST is omniscient anfd omnipresent. HE knows our heart, we can never fool GOD. CHRIST had varying approaches in calling HIS Disciples. Verses 40-41 shows the Satisfaction in the call of Andrew. Verse 42 shows the power to live in the call of Peter. Verses 43-44 shows the blind obedience in the call of Phillip and Verses 45-51 shows the answering objections in the call of Nathanael. Th applications to the call are demonsrated differently. Different personalities need different approaches. Only the HOLY SPIRIT can effectively lead us in witnessing. GOD uses different instruments for witnessing..Preaching, Personal Work and Circumstanaces. Although good works and service can save no one, GOD created us for HIS service ( Ephesians 2:10 ). GOD equips HIS children with the gifts necessary to do the job HE has for them, and HE expects to see them do it. Some CHRISTians are obedient to the call. Unfortunately, many professing CHRISTians are not. Although they have been saved, they are unwilling or shallow in their commitment to GOD in obedience to HIS call. They perfer instead, to go their own way, follow their own agendas and do their own thing. As a result, they do not experience the full blessings of GOD. They both miss out themselves and also prevent others from benefiting from the blessings that their service could bring. If you have been called to Salvation, GOD has another call for you, a call to service. There's a job out there with your name on it. Are you willing to follow GOD'S call, discover the job HE has for you, and then do it for HIS Glory? In these few verses 5 disciples were called, not all were called the same way, but, they were called. After they obeyed HIS first call, HE called them to serve. Because they obeyed this call of service, the gospel spread around the world and you and I enjoy the benefit of their service today. It appears in these few verses that these disciples recognized HIM as a teacher. They should have recognized HIM for HIS Authority and learned from HIM. Simon called JESUS, CHRIST or MESSIAH. Many Jews expected the MESSIAH would be a political or military ruler who would restore David's Kingdom. Phillip told Nathanael that JESUS was the one about whom Moses and the prophets had written. He was indicating his belief that JESUS was the MESSIAH. Imagine that you were Nathanael. How would you have felt when JESUS told you that HE had seen Nathanael under the fig tree? Many Bible commentators believe Nathanael was meditating on the Old Testament and prehaps even on the Messiah when he was under the fig tree. The fig tree repersents the place of meditation, security for the Jews. The fig tree repersents Israel and Safety ( I Kings 4:25 and Micah 4:4 ). It seems likely that JESUS saw him not with HIS eyes but through HIS omniscience. How would CHRIST'S omniscience have been less impressive to Nathanael than the heavenly vision described in verse 51? It appears JESUS was telling Nathanael that he would learn about GOD personally in a way that would overwhealm his expectations. I hope that by studying the Life of CHRIST, that we would know GOD personally and be overwhealmed by HIM! May GOD Bless the study of HIS Word!




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