Dear Weekly Readers!
The Bible text for the sermon on Sunday was John 14:8-27.
In Verse 8, Philip is asking Jesus to show them the Father, saying
that they will then be satisfied. Jesus
asked them, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet
hast thou not known me, Philip?” Jesus told
them that if you have seen me, you have seen the
Father, because He is in Me, and I in Him.
How is it with you and me today? Are we thankful for knowing Jesus? Do we see Jesus with the eyes of faith? I pray that we all do!
As a very small boy, when I read the Bible I was afraid to
read the words of Jesus. I thought to
myself in my young mind that Jesus is so holy that surely I cannot live up to
His sayings and words. Oh, what foolish
thoughts of a young child!
However, when I began to learn of how Jesus loved mankind so
much and demonstrated it as He lived here on earth, I began to see Jesus and
God as merciful lovers of my soul. I
noticed how Jesus treated the man with leprosy and the sinful woman caught in
the very act of adultery. I noticed how
Jesus picked Peter up out of the water when Peter doubted and began to
sink. I noticed how Jesus did not forsake
Peter even after Peter denied Him. I
noticed how Jesus conversed with the woman at the well. I noticed how He forgave the sins of the man
sick of the palsy. This same Jesus
loves me and each of you the very same way even today. He will never leave nor forsake us!
What joy it is now to read of Jesus! To read all of God’s Words, knowing that I am
still a poor sinner, but God is a merciful God!
In verses 13 and 14, Jesus is telling us that if we ask
anything in His name He will do it. What
are we to think of this? So many of us
have prayed in Jesus’ name, sometimes even for years, and what we wanted has
not happened. So from our own
experiences, we must admit that this verse must have much deeper meaning than
this. When we pray in Jesus’ name, we
are asking for His intercession. We are
asking for His merit. We are asking for
His council, His wisdom, and His power.
We surely do not pray to God in a demanding way. We lay all of our cares and burdens down in
front of Jesus, and He will surely do what is best. Even as earthly fathers we do not give our
children all they want, because we know certain things are bad for them. This is the same with our Heavenly Father. He will only give those things that He knows
are good for us and our family. Those
things that fit His will. Those things
that will be best in the broad expanse of time and in the generations that follow
as well. You see, God can see the entire
future, while we can only see today. He
knows so much better than we do as to what is good for us!
So let us pray humbly, obediently, and with reverence in
Jesus’ name, asking that God’s will be done in each situation!
Verse 15 says, ”If ye love me, keep
my commandments.” What
are the commandments of Jesus? Are they
the ten commandment laws? We know Jesus
came not to destroy the law but to fulfill them. When sin entered the world through the sin
of Adam, all mankind was at once lost and condemned. In order for us to be saved, Jesus needed to
come and fulfill all in our behalf. We
are ever so grateful that He willingly did this, and then gave His life for
us! In John 13:34-35, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Dear reader, do you hate your brother, your neighbor? Are you jealous of a fellow pastor? Do you care for the lost of this world? Let us pay attention to these words of Jesus
about love.
We are not capable of loving as Jesus does. We fall so short of having perfect love. However, let us turn humbly to our Lord and
in daily contrition and repentance, ask Him to work on us to love one
another.
We are out of time for this week, but please read the text
and see how Jesus promised the Holy Ghost, which is the comforter to come and
dwell with us and in us! This will
always be our strength and comfort and joy.
We will close this article with the Words of Jesus found in
verse 27. “Peace I
leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid!”
God’s Peace! John R.
1 comment:
ONLY GOD FORGIVES SINS
Contrary to what men believe, only God can forgive the sins that have been committed against Him. Joseph Smith nor Brigham Young can forgive sins. Catholic priests cannot forgive sins. Lutheran ministers cannot forgive sins. There are no men dead or alive who can forgive the sins that men commit against God.
ONLY GOD FORGIVES SINS!
Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.
ONLY GOD FORGIVES SINS!
Micah 7:18 Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity...
Only God pardons iniquity. Joesph Smith, Brigham Young, Catholic priests, nor Lutheran ministers have the authority to pardon iniquity.
Daniel 9:98 To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him;
Mankind has rebelled against God and He alone can grant forgiveness.
THE SCRIBES UNDERSTOOD ONLY GOD COULD FORGIVE SINS!
Mark 2:6-11..the scribes...7...He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone? ....10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins"---He said to the paralytic, 11 "I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home."
The problem with scribes was they did not realize that Jesus was God in the flesh. Joesph Smith, Brigham Young, Catholic priests, Lutheran ministers, nor any other men, are or were, God in the flesh.
DID JESUS GRANT THE APOSTLES THE AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SINS? NO HE DID NOT.
Acts 8:18-22 ....20 But Peter said to him....22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.
The apostle Peter did not grant forgiveness to Simon, he told Simon to pray to God for forgiveness. Note, Simon was already a Christian.
THE PROOF TEXT.
John 20:19-23 ....23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."
Jesus was not giving Peter and the rest of the apostles the power to grant forgiveness of sins to men on an individual bases, Jesus was not ordaining them as priests with that power. Jesus was giving Peter and the apostles the authority to proclaim the terms for forgiveness of sins. Peter and the apostles did just that on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:22-41...36 Therefore let the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ---this Jesus whom you crucified. 37...Peter and the rest of the apostles....38 Peter said to them , "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.)
Peter and the apostles did not forgive sins on the Day of Pentecost nor on any subsequent day. They declare God's terms for pardon.
FAITH: John 3:16
REPENTANCE: Acts 2:38
CONFESSION: Romans 10:9-10
WATER BAPTISM: Acts 2:38
Christians are not asked to confess to Joesph Smith, Brigham Young, Catholic priests, Lutheran ministers, nor any other men, in order to have their sins against God forgiven!
Christians are to confess their sins to God in order to receive forgiveness. (1 John1:5-9 ....God is light... 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness.)
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between men, the man Christ Jesus,
The only priest standing between men and God is the high priest, Jesus Christ.
NOTE: Confessing sins and asking God for forgiveness is only available to Christians. Non-Christians must have FAITH, REPENT, CONFESS JESUS AS LORD, BELIEVE IN HIS RESURRECTION AND BE BAPTIZED IN WATER IN ORDER TO THEIR SINS FORGIVEN.
ONLY GOD FORGIVES SINS!
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