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Acts 2:42-47 ESV

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Rev. J.B. Watkins

Every church is to make sure that their mission and vision aligns with God's mission. We cannot just do what we want. We are to bring God glory.

We are called together For Christ

Very high crime and murder rates plague our community. Not only that but also the church reflects the community. I've asked ourselves why our church is here? We are not only to alleviate poverty or build houses. We are gathering for Christ, first and foremost. Not just a social affair, because we like these people, or we eat the same things. We are here for our Lord, Jesus Christ.

We are called together For each other

We are here for each other like the three muskettiers. One for all and all for one. We may be many different cultures and background, but we are here for one another. We are to serve each other corporately.

We are called together For the world

They are here to take the gospel to the surrounding communities. The believers in acts are spreading the gospel to the area around them. Jesus is our example. He does not boast, but rather called forth a people to serve God. He taught and discipled them to bring glory to God.

Jesus the Great Emancipator

John 8:31-59 ESV

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, "You will become free"?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.  The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.  I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father."  They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,  but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.  You are doing the works your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.  Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.  Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?  Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."  The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?" Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.  Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.  Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."  The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, "If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death."  Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?" Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, "He is our God."  But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."  So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."  So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

In the confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders, things get more heated over time.

The myth of freedom: autonomy, total free will

Freedom is defined as total autonomy in this current day and age. Gay marriage, gun control... all speak of freedom this way. To be one's own self imposed person...

There are some assumptions in this:

Goodness is no longer transcendent. It is personal and individualistic.

Jesus says this: "... everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin." The idea that we can be free and completely autonomous is an illusion. Jesus claims that we are servants and we will always serve something. And if we refuse to serve God, we will serve something else. Relationships, careers, and other things will take over our lives. Those things we seek to pursue will eventually enslave us.

We do not have complete and total free will. We cannot do everything as we wish. We are fallen and sinners, so therefore we cannot choose God. We can choose different ways to reject God, but we cannot choose God. To reject God is in our nature.

The means to true freedom

To be saved, one needs first to see the truth. Even secular addiction programs know this. The first step is this, acknowledge that they have a problem. Jesus is the truth and the savior. He is the way to freedom and life. He has to break into our lives and break us from slavery permanently.

Jesus claims that he is the son of God. Therefore, he can grant freedom as the son of the true Master of all things, God. Not only this, but he claims equality with God.

The marks of true freedom

"The slave does not remain in the house forever, the son remains forever."

Slavery leaves people in an insecure position. They always have to prove themselves and keep chasing. They are continually trying to keep their master happy.

So what does freedom look like?

We abide in the Word.
We are at peace and secure in God.
They live in joy.

God changes our nature. So we will seek out God. We are drawn to God and delight in Him. We are not perfect in obedience; rather persistent obedience. Jesus frees us to be as we were originally designed. He constrains us to be as we were originally created. That is freedom. Sin is what truly constrains us. Parents constrain their kids. Food habits, so they will be healthy and have a fuller life. Less video games and tv and more studying...so they will be successful adults.

Light of the world

John 8:12 ESV

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Matthew 5:14 ESV

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Jesus says "I am" statements seven times in John. This is the second one. It is such a simple statement, but so packed with meaning. Matthew speaks of how we are light.

The meaning of light

It is probable that this statement of light came during the feast of the tabernacle. During the feast of the tabernacle, they would light these gigantic torches in the temple. These torches would be so big that they may have lit up the entire city.

When we think of light in modern times, we think of the sun, a lightbulb, maybe an iphone. But this is not what a Jewish hearer would have thought about. They have a much bigger contextual framework when they hear about light. There are more layers of meaning. The feast of tabernacle celebrated the faithfulness of God during Israel's journey through the wilderness. The miracles of manna, bread from heaven and water from a rock. These would be on the minds of Jewish hearers during this time. So the rock in the wilderness that provided water is a representation of Christ. The one who was struck so that we would have waters of life. And also the pillar of light and fire that led the people. This pillar represented the presence of God. They used torches to represent the pillars. The pillar was God's way of showing his protection and leading of the people. Life was based on following God, much as Christians follow Jesus to stay in life. The pillar divided Egypt from Israel. He fought for His people, just as Christ defeated death and sin.

Matthew calls us to testify to Jesus the Light of the world. We are light, small L, witnessing to the world about the Light, big L. We are to testify to the world about Jesus. That is our calling, regardless of context, job, etc. This command applies to us for the rest of our lives regardless of whatever changes may come in this life.

Caught!

John 7:53-8:11 ESV

They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."  And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

The earliest manuscripts do not include this passage. Both the ESV and NIV, will note this. What does this mean? It refers to the textual criticism is the study of copies of an original work where the original is unknown. For all ancient texts, we don't have the originals. They were lost, destroyed, and disintegrated. This applies for the bible as well. So what are the criteria? Historical reliability and accuracy come from two:

The shorter the interval of time between the original and the date of the first copy, the more reliable and accurate.

The greater number of copies, the greater probability that all of the original text has been preserved by them.

For the New Testament, there are five thousand copies. It is the largest number of copies. Homer's Iliad has only several hundred. The Iliad is widely accepted as historically accurate. Copies of NT can be dated to within a hundred years. Within the lifetimes of the original apostles. There is no other ancient text that comes close. Overall there is no evidence of significant differences between copies of the New Testament. Misspellings and different wordings; nothing that impacts the doctrines of the church.

The horror of sin

Jesus is presented with an adulterous woman. The religious leaders bring her to Jesus. Stoning is a gruesome way to die. It seems barbaric. But this is from the human view. This is much more reasonable from the point of view of a holy God. The scars of Jesus attest to the holiness of God. And his need for justice from sin.

The hypocrisy of sinners

The leaders brought this woman to trap Jesus. They wanted to trap him in his teachings. He was a friend of prostitutes. He taught of grace. But what would happen when he is confronted with sin? If He condemned her, his ministry would be undone. If He told them to let her go, he would be devaluing Moses.

So what does he do? He tells them that those who are without sin should cast the first stone. He was calling them out as sinners. Here's the thing. Where's the adulterous man? This testifies that there was probably a double standard. Not only that, but the only way to condemn would be to have eyewitness testimony. Not only that, but the one bringing charges had to cast the first stone. It is very likely that this woman was a mistress of a religious leader. This could have been a setup to entrap Jesus. Speculation, but very possible. But no matter what, they were guilty, so they could not cast a stone at her.

Romans 2:1 ESV

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

We are hypocrites. Whether we realize it or not. We always minimize our sin and magnify their sin.

Matthew 7:5 ESV

You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

The holiness produced by grace

In the eyes of the law, there is only one person left to judge this woman. A just and holy God. Jesus could have rightly condemned her to death. Instead we have the cross where the law is upheld and sinners are forgiven. The penalty of sin falls on Jesus and the woman is called to a new life. Turn from sin towards a new life.

The gospel of John: Jesus: His controversy, His claims, His call

John 7:1-13, 40-52 ESV

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." For not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.  You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come."  After saying this, he remained in Galilee. But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, "Where is he?" And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, "He is a good man," others said, "No, he is leading the people astray." Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him. When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This really is the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?" The officers answered, "No one ever spoke like this man!" The Pharisees answered them, "Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed." Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee."

The controversy

Who is Jesus? This question was answered so many ways. Some thought he was the Messiah. Some thought he was a good man. Others thought him a prophet. Others thought Him demon possessed. Some were confused. Even to this day, He is considered many different things. Take a survey of people on the street and you will get a variety of answers.

Matthew 10:34-36 ESV

Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.

Why such division? He does not come to divide; He is the prince of peace. So what does this mean? So from where does this division come? It comes from His claims. He claims to be the  savior of the world and the Lord of all things. This is not some sort of advice. Many religions and beliefs give advice. This is not what Christianity claims. Jesus is saying that our morality is insufficient. He needs to come and save us. That is why people are offended. As believers, we need to keep in mind that this range of reactions is to be expected. Some hated Jesus, so we should also expect hatred as well. The claims he makes are deeply offensive.

John 15:18-20 ESV

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you: "A servant is not greater than his master." If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

For those who are finding difficulty in professing faith, be encouraged. Jesus said that Christians will experience the same things as He did. For those who have a faith that does not offend anyone or no edge, consider what kind of faith you have. Have you placed your faith in the claims that Jesus gave?

Examine the claim

He is not just a prophet or a good man. He was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. If He was lying, then why such offensive teachings...why parables? That's no way to become popular. What if he's crazy? Then how come His teachings are so wise, so true, so consistent. Attested to by thousands and millions. Even non believers would say that he was wise. Then that leaves the last option. He is God made flesh, Son of God, Messiah, and Lord.

What is the proper response?

If Jesus is God, then we should accept God's Lordship over every area of our lives. No exceptions. Nothing held out of the agreement. We will not keep any area of our lives out of His reach. God will reveal Jesus to those who will follow divine truth. It does no good to reveal divine truth to those who will not do them. Withhold nothing from the Lordship of Jesus.  He is not just a healer, but also a surgeon; not only your best friend, but also the Lord of Lords.

Learning to pray

Mark 11:12-14 ESV

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it.

Mark 11:20-25 ESV

As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered." And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be taken up and thrown into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Rev. David Skinner

The problem with prayer is that sometimes it works. Other times, it seems that nothing happens. Now, we know God is sovereign. He's in control. But, honestly, we wish that God would work more on our timeline, our agenda. But that's not how it works, evidently. Not only is prayer frustrating. God is often frustrating.

So, we come to our passage. The fig tree represents the Jewish religion. Jesus is come to replace the Jewish religious tradition. He comes in the footsteps of Melchizedek: king, priest, and prophet. But Jesus does not respond that way to his disciples. He talks about prayer.

Pray unceasingly

So what can we take from this? Jesus prays unceasingly. We often speak out of frustration. But that would not make sense for Jesus. So in this case, Jesus is not making an offhand comment. He is speaking to God. He is talking about how the Jewish system will wither. The story here is about hypocrites. The fig tree looked good, but there was no fruit. The illustration is one of those who look good on the outside, but produce no righteousness. Jesus only acts as the Father wills. How does this work? Jesus is constantly speaking with God; in constant communion with God.

In order to pray unceasingly, we must treasure God.

We pray without ceasing when we treasure God. When we have people we love, we are constantly consider them in our minds. So it is to pray without ceasing. Jesus's joy is in relationship with God, the Father. Jesus wants God in every area of his life.

We also must constantly know our need

We also pray without ceasing when we realize our need of God. Prayer comes from those who hope in God. Being in the wrong, in trouble, in need is the basic state of those who pray constantly. We are constantly in need. Do we feel the need for Him in our lives? It is when we are vigilant and conscious of our constant need that we will pray consistently.

Pray without skepticism

Can we pray believing He will give it? Aren't we always thinking God would maybe answer? We are constantly wondering. We need some more scriptural context.

James 4:2b-3 ESV

...You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Bring our broken things to God.

Compared to God, we are foolish, powerless, and weak.  So we need to ask. Place your faith and hope in God. That is what we need to do. We need to hand over those broken things in our lives. And we need to do it without skepticism.

Bring your precious things to Jesus

Hand over our schedules. Our jobs. Our dreams to save thousands. Our dreams to be a perfect parent. Our grandest desires. When we've placed those in His hand, then we can desire what God wants. We hand over our agenda and receive His in return. We seek His kingdom instead of our own. Then and only then will we pray for God's passion rather than for our own.

Pray with forgiveness

As we pray asking for forgiveness from Him, we get a heart that wants to forgive others. Because when we see how God had paid for us, we desire it for others. Seeing the depth and breadth of God's forgiveness of our sins against Him.

Forgiveness is:
1. Freeing a person from the penalty for their sin against you.
2. Absorbing the price for their sin.

Pain is the cost of sin. We have two choices: inflict it on the offender or accept it ourselves. It can be paid once, but more likely over time, in payments. That is forgiveness.

To believe or not to believe

John 6:60-71 ESV

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this?  Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.  But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."  After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?"  Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil."  He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.

Rev. Dwight Yoo

This passage is challenging, not only philosophically, but also theologically. As background, Jesus has just explained that he was God and that they needed to follow Him.

Jesus is addressing his disciples. Not only the Twelve, but also those who were sincerely following Him. Jesus says that this teaching was hard to accept. He was asking people to submit their very lives to Jesus. Jesus was claiming to not only be greater than Moses, but also asked them to "eat his body". Many stopped following Jesus. Why?

Challenges to belief

Intellectual
Emotional
Volitional

This is not only for unbelievers. True followers also deal with the same challenges.

Every belief system has challenges to belief

Simon Peter replies to Jesus in a somber tone. He is not scoffing at those who have left. He has also struggled with some of Jesus' teachings. He has seen and experienced enough to know that Jesus is the Messiah.

This is an honest question to ask ourselves: to whom shall I go? Every belief system has challenges. This is what we shall we find. For those who believe, we shall find the Gospel as the most compelling story. It does not answer all the questions, but all the important ones. We do not claim omniscience.

This is not just an intellectual issue. Some choose to disbelieve because they don't wish to submit to God. If God exists, then we are obligated to listen to him. But it goes deeper, we are, by our fallen nature, anti-god. We don't want to submit to God at all. This is why God must intervene to save. We cannot and will not come to God unless He draws us.

The beginning and sustaining of belief

There are times where rational arguments fail. When all intellectual exercises benefit us nothing. This is when we should lean on others and listen to their simple faith stories. The dark night of doubt will pass.

Jesus is asking, are we disciples or are we Disciples? We should know their belief by their fruits. What is this fruit? This is the common theme. If Jesus was not raised and this was all a lie, then the lives of the disciples was all for nothing. They have been left with nothing.

So what would a true believer lose (if Jesus was not the Savior)? Their identity. Their joy. Their sense of security. Their time and money. Their reputation.

"If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied." - 1 Corinthians 15:19 ESV