I am the door, I am the good shepherd John 10

John 10

I am nervous to even start writing again about this chapter. Such big things are being expressed and direct teachings from Christ. I approach this study daily with fear and trepidation with the responsibility of discussing scripture well. We are teaching out kids this week about exegesis. And it is the practice of going to scripture with the understanding that you are not to input your thoughts and values on what you think it means; but to take from scripture what God meant it to mean. It is so easy especially in the new testament to diverge here. Many of the verses coming up and leading into Resurrection Sunday are grossly mishandled and misinterpreted. The Bible is God's living and breathing Word! This is incredible- yet also terrifying to me. I have in my hands God's Word. I am responsible for how I handle, learn and use this.

Jesus has 7 I am statements in John. 3 and 4 are mentioned in this passage. Jesus is shifting from the metaphor discussing teachers in verses 1-5 to now talking more directly about himself. This fits in well with where we are going Wednesday and Thursday which will be jumping a bit into Romans 5 before circling back for an introduction to Palm Sunday. Jesus first discusses the poor religious teachers verse good shepherds. We now see him say in verse 7 " I AM THE DOOR of the sheep." If anyone enters by me he will be saved. Jesus Christ is the only way. We see him say in John 14 I AM the way, the truth and the life. Here he is saying I am the door. There is but one way to eternal salvation and it is through Jesus Christ. He is and always will be the only means to heaven. He is the access point to the Father because He is the only one worthy to stand before the Father on our behalf. And that he did. He did it to the point of dying for our sins. He did it while we were yet sinners. He did it while we were lost in our transgressions; while we were sheep that had gone astray. He came and died and rose again; that we might have life and life more abundantly. There is but one way- JESUS.

V11 I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. Jesus identifies himself as both the way i n and the caretaker. He is the Shepherd. He is the lead of the church. The church is His and He is ours. He goes on to discuss the hireling and it is thought to be something of the "hired leader" who is there in good times but when tragedy strikes or hardship comes he flees- because he is hired to care for the sheep- he is not maybe fully invested (discussing in point the evil leadership in Israel at the time). But Christ as the Shepherd knows his sheep by name, and they know him. And he lays down His life for them. 

v14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold, I must bring them also, that they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd. I audibly sigh even reading this. It is so big. I pray that I can get a grasp of it and get it from my head to my heart. I love the words I know my own and my own know me, just as my Father knows Me and I know the Father. We, through Christ, are invited into this intimate relationship with God. We are not strangers or aliens. We are invited into the fold. No longer will the chasm created by the sin of Adam; separate from the love of the Father. Through Jesus Christ, and then being kept by Jesus Christ we are invited to know the Father as He already knows us. He knew us before we were born. We intricately knit us together in our mothers wombs. Before we were even a thought he numbers and orders are days. This God, who created all; sustains all; through His son invites us to call him Abba. Father. Is this not mind blowing? And He did it through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. He did it through the blood of the Lamb. Jesus.  

Jesus continues- there are others not of this fold... that is me and you sister! He is referring to gentiles! He is talking about us- that he came that ALL might be redeemed. One flock- One shepherd. It is incredible to think all over the world, in thousands of tribes tongues and languages we have brothers and sisters IN Christ! Who lift up His name! Who share the same Heavenly Father and that one day we will all worship Him together. But in the mean time we all have one Good Shepherd- Jesus Christ the Lord! This is gloriously good news! 

In the times we are facing we must come to realize we are not alone. We cannot buy into the isolation or the sorrow that I see running rampant. We are not alone! We have Jesus- and Jesus is enough! I hear Paul's words echo from Philippians, " I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Christ who strengths me." He is our strength, our portion, our Redeemer. He is our good shepherd; and He satisfies our needs.

Jesus says, I AM the Door, I AM the Good Shepherd... to the woman at the well, I AM he.  Do you believe this? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life? He came and died and rose again! Jesus is Lord. 

Worship today:

O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer

Jesus, there is no one like you

Christ is mine forevermore

For they know His voice. John 10

Read: John 9 and 10.

John 10 builds directly off of John 9- but for time's sake I am jumping to two key passages here and then John 12. But I want to make sure we are able to read all of John straight through before Easter.

Again- there is so much we could talk about. Again and again I come back to the verse that concludes John: Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25) I feel this way about processing and discussing all that the Lord has said and done. It is why it will take us our lifetime to study scripture and even in that- never satisfy our longings to know Him more till we meet Him in eternity. So, As I jump in the study; please know my desire is that this ignites a passion to study our Lord a study that will take a lifetime.

Today: John 10:1-6 This passage is continuing off of chapter 9. It is vital that we do not cherry pick scripture and put our own presuppositions into its reading. This passage and the one after are incredibly abused within the church due to poor exposition and exploitation. We can know our Savior best when we listen to His words.

To set this up, there are many sheep stories and parallels spoken of in the old and new testament. Sheep and shepherding were very common place and an easy to understand metaphor. But for us, we will typically look even at this with Western eyes. Near Eastern shepherds operate much differently than our western exposure. If you think of a shepherd you might think more of a cattle drive, they push from behind, its loud, the western shepherd will often have sheep dogs coming in from the sides and running along. Eastern shepherd lead from the front. The sheep follow him. They know their shepherds voice.  As we draw into this metaphor keep this understanding in mind.

10:1-2 Jesus is speaking about the Pharisees. False teachers who come to hard and damage the church. The picture is that the sheep are in the pen- in the evening they would be kept somewhere safe and have one entrance. The thief or bad teachers would come in from at the sides, and they would not use the door- because neither the doorkeeper nor the sheep would recognize them. So they come in through a separate measure. Their objection is not to lead the sheep but to steal them. 

v3 The doorkeeper was a hired under-shepherd who knew the shepherd and would watch the flock. He was in charge of keeping them safe. A beautiful though of a pastor and a flock. A glimmer of what we hear echoed on the beach between Peter and Jesus, "Do you love me Peter," Feed my sheep. The under-shepherd is charged with knowing both the Shepherd and the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John MacArthur points out that " This shepherd goes even further by calling each sheep bu its own special name. Jesus point is that He comes to the fold of Israel and calls out His own sheep individually to come into His own messianic fold. The assumption is that there are already in some way His sheep, even before He calls them by name." 

The entire first few verses had been lost on me for a long time. I can easily and readily admit to my error of so many times going to scripture and trying to read it through my modern western lenses. Not taking the time to understand original audience and what was going on. Or to pick up the bible and through inconsistent reading and flipping land on scripture, read it and misinterpret it because I had no understanding of context. This is a terrible practice. John Piper talks about being so careful to not go to the Word with a preconceived idea; but the need to let the Word teach and speak. We don't do that, often times we go to the Word seeking something for ourselves- not seeking the Savior and letting Him guide us. 

Verse 4-6 exemplify how the flock should follow the leader. It is a common New testament leadership to lead by example. Paul says to follow him as he follows Christ. We see over and over to let our walk be worthy of the Gospel. Why is that? Because discipleship is through leading by example, not from behind. A heart that loves those that are being taught and that you demonstrate through your obedience to Christ in word and deed. Jesus told the woman at the well the Father is seeking those who will worship in spirit and in truth.

v6- they did not understand what Jesus was saying.

There were many in the crowd that heard the words of Jesus yet did not understand. So it is today. Many can sit in church and hear the words of the preacher and not understand. Or go to scripture and read with little avail. This is a heart issue- not a mind one. These are those that hearing the Word refuse to listen; or put it through their own worldview filter and wash it out as rubbish, or fairy tales, or foolishness. 

Today is a good day to evaluate your heart. We are told to examine our hearts- the Psalmist cries out search me O God! Where are you today? Do you follow false teaching because you do not know the Shepherd? DO you go to scripture and try to fit it into your own philosophies and trim off the edges where it doesn't match? If you lead women or teach children- are you teaching well? Are you leading by example so that if they follow you, you are in fact leading them to the Savior? Have you responded to the Shepherd? Do you know his voice?

Tomorrow we move into verse 7-18. Jesus declares I AM the door of the sheep. He declares that He is the only way to the Father.

 May we know His voice.<3

Worship today:

Yet not I

shepherd

I Am.

Read John 8

We are focusing today on Christ eternal. I have found the exchanges in John 8 rather intriguing and shocking the more and slower I go through them. From the adulteress not condemned; to the religious experts not recognizing the Messiah standing in front of them; to the truth of Christ proclaiming constantly He came to glorify the Father- His testimony is from the Father and He seeks to glorify Him in all that He does.

I have said it before but I will say it again- we could spend the rest of our study in the one chapter- but I would like to finish it out for the weekend.

Jesus identifies Satan as the father of lies- he says he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. (v44) Satan came to kill- we saw that in the garden. Adam and Eve were told not to eat lest they would die- and Satan set out to ensure it would happen. The father of lies had death of God's creation in mind when he struck up conversation with Eve.

Yet here stands Christ, the one who came to conquer death telling those in the temple- the one you have waited for is here! And they knew him not. They accuse him of having a demon! The demons recognize Christ and call him by name- the religious recognize him not- and call him a demon!  Jesus says" I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and your dishonor me. Yet I o 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 freak out at this point. Saying this is proof he is demonic! Jesus is saying- if you take of me- my Father's Word-  you will have eternal life; yet they respond opposite the Samaritan woman, in fact rather than putting down their books to run and tell others they have encountered the Messiah- they pick up stones to KILL him. 

"Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, all the prophets died. Who do you say that you are.... listen carefully, "Your father Abraham would have rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad." You are not 50 years old! How can you have seen Abraham and Jesus says," Before  Abraham was, I am."

Boom. There is no retort for this statement. He declares He is the eternal. This is amazing. And yet the Jews respond in rage. The pick up stones to kill him.

This passage is so profound and moving. And I think we see it played out time and time again. People fall into religion. They follow persons who follow Jesus rather than Jesus. To the point that when they come face to face with Christ they do not recognize Him. Paul sees this in the early church; in 1 Corinthians 3:4 He says for when one says I follow Paul, and another I follow Apollos...are we not just mere human beings( paraphrased). But he sees this right from the start- people lose sight of Christ and follow an easier example. It is far easier to follow a sinner following Christ- that to allow Christ to be our standard.

I ask- where are you today? Do you know who you are following? Do you follow a teacher rather than the Teacher? Are you more inline with someones theology than Christ's theology?  Do you know song lyrics better than scripture- and hold them more true than what the written word says? If Christ were to stand before you- would you recognize him- or have you allowed yourself to make a more self satisfying version of the Savior, to the point that Jesus would be enraging to your core? Would you respond like a Pharisee saying who do you think you are? Or would you be a Samaritan who after hearing His testimony believed and run to tell others?

Jesus says, I am. God told Moses- I AM. They are one in the same. Get in the Word. Do not allow Christians to set the standard for your life and beliefs- we are all alike- sinners saved by grace; trying our best to serve our Savior. Serve Jesus. Look to Jesus. Jesus is enough <3

Worship for the weekend:
Hallowed be your name
God only Wise
Christ our Hope in life and death
His mercy is more

The truth will set you free

read: John 8

John 8 is a rather long chapter. We could spend the next 2 months in this alone breaking it down; so in many ways I feel I am doing a great disservice to the chapter by rushing it. However, for the sake of the study I am wanting to draw two key points out of it today.

We are in the midst of a conflict it is the Pharisees verse Jesus in a question and answer format. They are looking to trick Jesus that they might stone him. These were highly respected religious Jewish men; who would have known the books of the Torah inside and out and lived to the letter of that law with zeal and a self boasting pride.

V. 31 Jesus is teaching that if you abide in  His word, you are truly His disciples; and if you know the truth, the truth will set you free. This leads to confusion for the audience. They say we have never been enslaved. and Jesus responds, "truly truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin...if the Son sets you free you are free indeed. We are all born sinners. We are born into a curse that we ourselves cannot overcome. But there is one who came to do just that. Jesus says in John 16:33 "But take heart! I have overcome the world!" Jesus Christ came that we might be redeemed. The problem for the Pharisees is that they saw no need for redemption because they were doing it for themselves through their works. They were following all the religious rules- how dare someone call them a sinner. Is that not where many of us can fall even today? We try to come to the cross with proof we don't need it. A checklist of the things WE do. "I am basically a good person," that should not be punishable by death. God will weigh my good and my bad. That is not how it works. There is none righteous, no not one. We need the atoning blood of the Messiah to close the chasm between us and the Holy One. We cannot do it ourselves, and we never will be able to. No list of works, or virtues, not in dress or empty prayer. We need Jesus. He is the one who came to take away the sins of the world; by placing them on Himself and bearing the wrath of His Father. Only Christ will ever understand the full penalty of our sins; because only the Son understood in full measure the wrath of God- simply because He is God.

v37 "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 are born into religious families yet have no understanding of God. They serve their father who Jesus will identify later as the Father of Lies- and call them children of Satan- rather than what they hold as their heritage. So stuck in religion they are blinded to the fact that the Anointed One was standing in front of them. The Seed who had been promised was an arm distance away- and they were so blinded by pride and arrogance they could not see Jesus.

I wonder how often this can happen to those who grow up in Christian households. You can get so easily swept into a pattern of behaviors and rituals and traditions that you end up serving a building rather than the Architect. And dare someone question your salvation- you have a list of things to point to. The problem is- we find ourselves pointing to ourselves- our own saviors- our own mini-gods. So lost is what has become habitual we either no longer or maybe never even have looked to Christ. If you have lost your love of the Savior- or do not have a love of Christ, pause even this day. Examine who you serve. Is it a denomination, a building, a blog? Or is it the Messiah- the Promised One, who came to take away death and give us life!! Jesus came to set us free!

*Please do not get me wrong. Those who know me well know I am passionate about a healthy local church, solid preaching and a healthy church body. But Christ must be the reason behind that passion. It must be all about HIM.

Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

We cannot imitate what we do not know. Spend time with the Savior through His word. Be saturated in the Gospel. I am attaching a sermon today by Derek Thomas. I think it goes well with the need to know through the Word.

A book in his hand

Worship Songs of the day:
Not in me
Yet not I

I am the light of the world

Read John 8

I love the richness of this passage as we dive into Jesus ministry on earth. Starting in verse 12 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." We see time and time again as Christ being the light. Thinking on John 1  we read that in Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:9-10 reads the true light, which enlightens everyone was coming into the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to His own, and his own people did not receive him.

John 8 shows us the truth of this passage. the Pharisees start to question Jesus by accusations, " you are bearing witness about yourself! Your testimony is not true." Jesus responds that He not only is bearing witness but in accordance with law of the time where there is a need of 2, His father bears witness of Him also.  "Where is your father?" and Jesus answered, You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me you would know my Father also."

This is profound. It precedes Hebrews and Colossians. HE IS the radiance of the glory of God- the exact imprint of His nature. HE IS the image of the invisible God. Read these key passages. Jesus says, If you see me you have seen the Father. The next few days as we finish chapter 8 and then press deeper into John we ill see time and time again this countless testimony. Jesus is the Son of God. But Jesus is God in the flesh also.

HE IS and tomorrow we will read Jesus profess I AM.

Today as it feels like darkness is creeping in; as you struggle with isolation, fear, anxiety of the unknown, besetting sins that feel like an old friend rather than a destroyer in times of worry- cling to the truth of Jesus Christ. Immerse your self in his eternal radiant Light. 2 Corinthians 4:6 says For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. WOAH. This is amazing. This is good news. And this is the begotten Son, who came to die that we might live. If you are a believer you are equipped with the most glorious and everlasting of hope; even in the face of perilous times. If you are not a believer, you have opportunity where you can come to know this living Savior Jesus Christ, who died for your sins that you may have eternal life. Do not delay. Our only hope is in the truth of the everlasting. He was He is and He is to come. Do not lose heart dear friend!We have the light of the world, and He is coming back again.

An amazing encouraging video: sight and sound Esther
Worship for today:Oh Church Arise
                              Blessed Assurance

And they believed.

Read John 4:1-42

Good morning. It is Monday and we are living in times that we have not seen. I live in a state that everything is closed right now; with the exception of essential businesses. Its freezing, rainy and gloomy. I think maybe how the world feels at the moment; frozen, gloomy and wishing for rays of light.

I was so touched this morning through reading God's Word. It is ever living and active. It was written then and purposed for now; and for my children's children. I thought this morning how we are studying leading up to Easter Sunday- and how that never changes. It is the rising of the Son that we get to look towards and celebrate year after year and truly Sunday after Sunday. Through the earthquakes and famines, wars and plagues since and those that will come- one thing remains constant... and that is the love of Christ. Our pastor preached on Psalm 46 yesterday. A beautiful reminder that A mighty Fortress is our God. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way (PS 46:1-2a) In situations of distress and uncertainty it helps to keep our eyes fixed on the everlasting, unchanging, mighty God, the Lord of Hosts.

Where we left of in John last week was at the well in Samaria. The woman had just put down her water jar and ran to tell the others that she believes the Messiah was in their town. The promised one, sitting at a well in Samaria. The disciples at this point had come back with food and encourage Jesus to eat. He responds with the statement I have food that you do not know about. Confused the disciples question one another to which point Jesus said to them, " My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." The will of the Father was enough to feed the Son. To accomplish the task of what he was sent to do, satisfied him. Do we find ourselves satisfied in the will of the Father? Is Jesus enough? I know I ask that question a lot but it is because I have to ask myself that question a lot. If everything else was stripped away; would Jesus be enough? It helps level my true love and belief in the one I call Abba.

Jesus teaches the disciples, look you say it will be 4 months till harvest, I tell you to look up and see the fields are white for harvest! These people who they found not fit- Jesus sees as heirs of the kingdom of God; their hearts are ready for the Savior and we will see that confirmed in verses 40-42.  One sows and another reaps. For 100's of years the word of God has been available in our language, preached from our pulpits to an American country that at times seems fallow and at times seems as clay. It is not our job to cause growth, that is the Holy Spirits- be we are to labor in love. Are you scattering seed? Are you sharing the gospel when the opportunity presents itself?

39 Many Samaritans believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all I ever did."  ...they came and asked him to stay two more days. And many more believed because of His word.  They said to the woman it is not longer because of what you said that we believe, for we heard for ourselves, and we know indeed this is the Savior of the World.

This is my favorite part of this whole passage and bears a closer look. We have been in a time where people confuse personal testimony with evangelism. They are not the same. Testimonies are a wonderful thing, to share, celebrate and encourage one another in what the Lord has done for us. But saving faith comes through hearing the Word of God and believing Christ as the Savior of the World. Jesus Word, our living breathing hope comes from the word of God taught. The Gospel message has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Jesus. I like this passage because it reminds me how people will spend so much time telling "their story," yet fail to know how to study and deliver the main point of the story which should be the Gospel. It can become a what Jesus did for me and what he can do for you story- rather than a cup of the living water that will make one never thirst again. Our testimonies bear witness of the goodness of God but faith comes through hearing the Word of God.

Romans 10:9-17 has quickly become a favorite passage of mine. Read through it and then finish this out with me today. Sweet sister may it be said of you- how beautiful are the feet of you who bring good news! HE is our Peace!

Worship for today:
A mighty fortress
Yet not I
Lord from sorrows deep I call

Living water. John 4 Pt 1

Read: John 4

It is hard for me to know where to start this morning. John 4 will take quite a bit to work through and we will be looking at verses 1-42. I feel still yet slightly distracted. Yesterday was a hard day, homeschool days are tough. Behaviors and defiance get get under your skin; and the relentless cyclical cycle of cook, clean, teach, cook, clean, teach. I hard a hard time motivating myself; and was incredibly frustrated with a few of my kids yesterday. We ended up outside, turning over our garden and mucking out of chicken coop. ( we have a pic ax and pitch fork- so this is all manual) and it is grueling, stinky labor. However, the labor will bring harvest. We do see the fruit of our endeavors; whether yesterday, by collecting eggs; or what was once clay after a couple years of tilling and chicken poo and composting has now become rich worm filled dark soil. To watching the robins land in the garden and pluck out what they need; and counting all the strawberry plants that rooted from last fall that were given by a friend. The cyclical nature of the work has it blessings- sometimes its easy to get distracted by the oozing blisters and chicken poop smell; and the reminder with the rain last night that I left my muck boots out in said rain :( LOL

The work and the harvest and the questions remind me of our study today. John 4 is a intense, rich, beautiful picture of Jesus and his teachings. Starting in verse one...Jesus purposed to go through Samaria. He didn't have too; he chose to walk through a region considered lesser by the Jews. Yet; there he set out to travel. Being the Son of God; he knew what was to come. Jesus feeling the human limitations of his flesh, felt weary and sat by a well. I have heard and read that the factor of being noon was important as it would draw out different persons from the town, because it was the heat of the day. Not the best time to be fetching water, but the time when less persons would be there.

And out comes the Samaritan woman. Her exchange with the Messiah is beautiful. Jesus asks her for a drink; to which she says incredulously, are you a Jew to ask me a Samaritan woman for a drink. It was at the time unthinkable for a man, and for that matter a Rabbi to speak to a woman in the street, let along a Jewish man speaking to a Samaritan woman. The question asked is both serious and snarky. Are you talking to me?! Ha, little did she know her question was right but not in context. She should have been more bewildered that the Son of God was talking to a daughter of Adam. The sinless to the sinner. Yet, Jesus, in his tender mercies and love; asks give me a drink? Proceeding her response, he says if you knew who was asking- you would ask me for water instead. Jesus teaches about living water. A water that will never allow for thirst. The woman replies with inquisition and a poor understanding in ways. She wants to know more, but then also draws from her teachings on Jacob and the way they understood God.  She perceives He is a prophet, but then likens in to what she heard; rather than realizing that the Christ had come. The Samaritans would have accepted the first 5 books of Moses; but rejected the rest of the Old Testament.

Jesus gently rebukes her, basically saying you do not understand. He says the hour in coming and is now here when true believers will worship in spirit and in truth. For the Father is seeking such a people to worship him. God is Spirit and those who worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth. The study notes in my bible read: True worship takes place when the Holy Spirit engages the human Spirit with God's Word. The outward worship that largely characterized the temple of the old covenant was being replaced by the simplicity and privilege of access to the Father in the Spirit through faith in the Son.

We must worship in spirit and in truth. Do we in our hearts understand what that means? That Jesus came that we might have access to the Father through the Son? That once was a chasm set in place by Adam has now been redeemed by the blood of Christ? Do we lean on the Word to understand the truth of the message? Have we received a new life through Jesus Christ that we may now worship freely? Have we allowed the Spirit to do and continue to do its workings by convicting us of our sins that we might repent and come before the throne of God? Before Christ the law condemned us to death- after Christ we have the chance to receive eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord! He is the living water that will cause us to never thirst again. He alone fills our satisfactions and our longings. He alone is worthy of all praise. Do not get lost in religiosity. Do not get lost in laws and rituals that bind you to workings rather than grace in mercy. Ask God where you are lacking in Spirit and in truth. We serve a majestic and holy savior who is worthy of all praise and all glory. In the right way- and in the proper understanding of Jesus Christ. One pastor puts it- don't serve your leftovers to a Holy God.

The woman replies... I know a Messiah is coming. And Jesus responds " I am He."

This is a huge deal. I get goosebumps every time I read it. This woman who was living under sin and had now come under conviction of sin, says; there is one coming who will do as you say... and Jesus tells her I am He. Think on this, he will asks his disciples who do you think I am? Nicodemus has just asked how can these things be?  Yet to this woman at the well, he reveals himself.  And the woman, leaves her pot- and runs to tell the others. She has found the messiah. No longer concerned of her earthly water- she has found the living water and run to tell others.

This is a beautiful glimmer of what should occur when we seek out Jesus and when we find him. When we are convicted of sins and come and confess; He covers us with his righteousness. Do we respond by running to tell others? Do we put down out water pots and fleeting needs to pursue His Kingdom and His righteousness? Do we worship in Spirit and in Truth, the Son of God, who laid down His life for us, that we might have living water?

Attached today is a sermon by RC Sproul and a worship song. Have a glorious weekend.

Sermon: Righteousness revealed

Songs: whate're my God ordains is Right
            Christ the sure and steady anchor
            Hallowed be Your name

John 3 He must increase

Read: John 3 focus today will be verses 22-36.

I won't lie. This virus is very distracting to me. Not out of reasons of fear, but reasons of urgency.  find myself wanting to beg other Christians not to waste their time, their hours, their season of rest. To not become intoxicated by the anxieties and worries of the world but to be a voice of reason and Hope. Proverbs 17 says a joyful heart is good medicine but a crushed spirit dries up bones. We can either be a joyful heart to a world gone mad; or be one of the crushed allowing our fears to fallow into decay of heart and soul. I remind myself to keep my eyes fixed on things that are above, and to labor through this study because, it is the reason that I live. Christ is the reason I get out of bed in the morning and the hope I have as I lay my head down at night. As Paul says to live is Christ, to die is gain. (Not that I am putting myself in situations begging for sickness) Rather the later, we feel the best way to exhort the goodness of God and be given gospel opportunities to share our faith, is to honor the government and their measures and restrictions. To love our neighbors by going for family walks daily but just chatting from the sidewalk to them in their yard, to call not visit those who might need something and to pray that this awakens the church to what it means to be the bride of Christ. We take so much for granted. Two weeks ago we had taken for granted our gatherings. We went to bed Saturday supposing we would go to church, or choosing, willing to skip it, because we went "enough times" this month. Yet here we are; and it is good for us. We assume, and yet one can never.
James 4:13-17 speaks into this: 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

We have been instructed in the matter. We boasted in our plans; and now they are gone. The heart of man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes his steps. Truly we should take confidence that scripture has spoken into our situation already. That we are known by God and our ways our known to Him. Yet this is His Sovereign will for us right now.

I promise this is not a rabbit trail as I feel it thoroughly relates to our passage today. We are focusing on John the Baptist. His entire purpose in life was to declare the way of the Lord. And now the time has come; where he once had the majority of followers that they are now following after Christ. At our Advent study we spent a bit of time on John when we worked through John 1:1-18. John came to prepare the way and declare the way of the Lord. Much like we are left to do today! We are now here to declare the King is coming again. John tells his followers that his job is nearing completion, "therefore, this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease."  How beautiful are these words. The one who proclaimed heard the voice of the the bridegroom and was satisfied. John does not try to compete with Jesus; He worships Jesus.

We can see this has gone a bit awry our days. Mega church pastors and bible teachers who want it to be about them. Who claim and try to share fame with the Lord. Who trade in biblical truths for somewhat scriptural tweets and hashtags; and who try to set a trend rather than trying to set me free. This is not the way. We are not to try and share followers with the Savior! We are all to follow; and John leads the way.

Verse 31 "He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all...Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal in this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for the Spirit gives without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

John proclaimed and prepared the way. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. We must do more than simply believe in what someone teaches and says. He doesn't say those who trust my words; he says those who believe in the Son will have eternal life. So much as we talked about yesterday we must look to Jesus. We must cling to Jesus and put our hope and rest in Jesus.

The way and path which we are tracking this has been since the beginning. We established God as Creator, Christ as Mediator. That because of the sin of the Garden, this has now been set into play- the Redemption plan. The fact that God would send His Son to die for our sins that we might have eternal life. John has declared it- the voice in the wilderness- who lived without that he could profess more and more. His entire life was a gospel message. Even in that he says, I must decrease. What more can he give up? The message ultimately will cost him his head.

Where are you on this journey today? It is good to know and be honest. Are you trying to figure out if Jesus is who He says He is? Have you put your hope in a preacher or bible teacher rather than the Father? Have you declared Jesus as Lord? Are their areas in your life that need to decrease that he might increase? I can't think of a better season of life to ask these questions. Do not throw away what we might never get back. Immerse yourself in this mandated decrease- ask that God may be glorified so that He might increase, in you, your family, and those who have yet to hear the good news of the Saving work of Jesus Christ our Lord!

Worship for the day:
Come ye sinners poor an needy.

How can these things be?!

Read: John 3

This chapter is so full and packed of rich truths to work through- but I feel April racing upon us! ( I know its a month a way but still) There is so much grace and truth written in the chapter but in leaning towards our theme of the first and last Adam I will be focusing in on 9-21.

The more time I am in the Word the more I become acutely aware of our need to be saturated in His Word. It holds such glorious depths of the riches of God's love and mercy for His people. It teaches us about who He is and what Christ has done for us. It points us to life, and life everlasting. It becomes the only way to truly hold the weight of temporary things to verse eternal matters. Knowing scripture and sound doctrine within that scripture is a necessity to preserve our hearts and minds. I always wonder what separates today's church and the contemporary believer from the heroes of the faith. The men and women from biblical times to the present age who are willing to forsake it all for the sake of Christ. I think it is because they believe that what God says is true. They are invested in the word and not content with a quick fix but are so engrossed in the Word and sound doctrine that they are able to have a foundation that cannot be shaken. It is what enables them to live in faith, now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11). We cannot have that faith unless we too know in whom and by whom and for how we have that hope. That hope is Jesus Christ.

V9-15: Nicodemus has come under the guise of darkness to talk to Jesus. A pharisee, a teacher of the law; desiring to know if Christ was a fulfillment of the law. Pharisees are a second that started at some point the in second century B.C. Their greatest stumbling block- allowing man-made rituals and traditions on the same level as scripture. He says to Jesus, How can these things be, when speaking of being born again. Nicodemus a teacher of the law cannot understand the grace of Jesus Christ. He cannot understand that there is nothing he, himself can do to come to Christ, but it is only through what Christ can do for him. How can one be born again he previously asks. He is limited by his own works. He is not personally capable of fulfilling the law. He cannot be born a second time physically. You can almost feel the conviction. Years of teaching tradition and ritual, in keeping perfect law and following scripture to a t...and it isn't enough. It will never be enough, because it is under the banner of our own sin. It is under the curse of Adam and man can toil and fret and worship and sacrifice but apart from the work of Jesus Christ and the cleansing of our sins that only faith in Christ through his bodily death and resurrection can do. Jesus sites the the prophecy that he is about to fulfill. "Just as Moses..." At the hand of the sins of the Israelites, Moses was commanded to place a serpent on a pole and lift it up, so all who were suffering as a result of their sin, could look upon it and be healed. A foretelling as Jesus says here, "So must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." Christ lifted on the Cross. All who are sinners, who look to the cross; who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who is the Way the Truth and the Life, who repent for their sins and put their faith and hope in He who was lifted- are given the ultimate cure from the agony of sin and sickness- eternal life. And this is good news.

There are so many times we come to scripture, come to Jesus and ask, "How can these things be?" Part of it is out of disbelief. Part of it is out of ignorance, or driven by fear. We cannot fathom that we can't be our own heroes. That we can't earn our salvation. That we can't merit our own worthiness to God. We are simply gifted salvation. It makes it almost too hard to accept for some. When we see who we are, and who God is; this free gift of salvation becomes all the more glorious but to those who struggle with believing it becomes all the more incredulous. How can these things be! Jesus is telling Nicodemus, it is; because He is. He is the only way. It is by him, and through Him and from Him and for Him. It is for His glory. It is through His blood and it is by His grace.

Do not assume that because you go to church, because you know the words, because you do all the things... that you know the Savior. We discussed this a few days ago, even the demons believe...and shudder. We need to do more than read. We need to embrace Christ as the One who is the giver of Life. We need to be born again as Jesus taught.  It is by grace through faith, it is a gift of God, so that no one may boast.

V16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Romans 5:17   17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

We are all given the gift of time right now. (well most unless you are an "essential" employee) use it wisely. Use it to be with Christ. I think of a story I heard about a pastor who was imprisoned for preaching. 7 years, in a cell; he goes on to talk about what a gift that time was; instead of seeing his isolation and solitude as a death sentence he called it a "honeymoon with His Savior." We are going into the celebration of the Resurrection of our King! Do not waste this time of preparation! Do not be caught without oil in your lamp when He comes!

I want to end with the words of Patrick in lieu of St. Patty's Day (we are O'Neills after all)
"Christ be within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ inquired, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger."
One thing that set Patrick apart "Patrick, says Fletcher, “was soaked in the Bible.”

Do we desire this much of Christ and the Word today? Oh that we may use this time in history as a glorious honeymoon with our savior!

Full of Grace and Truth

Read: John 1:1-14

Good morning! As we jump back into our study I pray you had a good weekend. We are facing an unprecedented time in our history, one we have never seen in our lifetime; and I hope that by focusing in on time in God's word and truth you can re-calibrate yourselves for what this week may hold.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among them. Have you ever read greater words! Have you ever heard a more exciting truth?! This was the beginning of the promise from the garden. The Seed had arrived. He would soon crush Satan. Proverbs 15:30 says, the light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes its bones. Can you think of none better this morning! Jesus Christ came, so that He might give us life everlasting. My study bible says grace and truth can also be translated undeserved favor and faithfulness. Ain't that the truth! We did nothing to earn it! Christ came, while we were yet sinners, and died for us! This is why in John 17 in the high priestly prayer we hear Christ praying for those with him then, and those yet to come. Us. Christ had all of His children on His mind as the Roman soldiers lifted Him up on the Cross. His blood was shed for you, and for me.

The Word became flesh, and dwelt among them. Jesus walked and talked among His people. This happened at the beginning, in the garden when all was right and good; and now post fall; it is happening again that all may be set back in order to what is right and good. This is incredible. The Bible is true. The countless promises and prophecies of the OT were fulfilled.
Did you know for Jesus to fulfill just 8 of the OT prophecies as 1 single person the mathematical possibility is 10 to the 17th power.  To put that in understandable terms...imagine the state of Texas covered 2 feet deep with half-dollars. On one of those coins an x is placed on the backside. A blind man is then placed in the state at random and the first coin he picks up would have to have the x on it. (From How to Study the Bible, John MacArthur)
The Prophecies of the God-man coming came about. Jesus is who He says He is. Do we believe it? Do we really believe it? If we do, we are obedient to God's Word. Dr. James Montgomery Boice writes, "Jerusalem was destroyed because the people were wanting only to be entertained by God's Words, not to obey the instructions. Isaiah said the same thing in words Jesus later referred to when he was teaching his disciples: "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me'" Is 29:13. Jesus also used this text to reprove teachers of the law who made a profession of adhering to God's words when actually they were obeying only man-made regulations. He called them hypocrites and blind guides (Matthew 15:1-14. Mark 7:1-16)

If Jesus is who he says he is, then everything changes. If we read the words, and the Word became flesh and profess it, but change not...are we merely hypocrites? I think of Romans 2:19-24 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourselves? We are in unprecedented times. Many of you reading will be home with your children and spouses. Stop telling the world that you are "stuck" with them. Consider it a joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. When we post, may we remember that we represent not the ordinary but the peculiar when we write. Even our social distancing should be done with honor that God may be glorified.

We have been given time. May we feast at the Lord's table. May we use our time wisely. May we guard ourselves against temptation. May we lavishly love on our families and neighbors that they might be able to see the Good News of Jesus Christ. May we live in such a way, that this year on Resurrection Sunday we may have hearts that cry out, OUR GOD REIGNS, JESUS IS ALIVE; and may our behaviors have been a reflection of that truth.

I cannot think of a better time to be home. We talked at Advent about becoming the voice in the wilderness, that we be given the opportunity to tell others that the King has come and will come again- We literally we all just given the time to do it. Will our time at home be a testimony to Christ, or will it peg us as a hypocrite. It is not a promise of ease, but with our eyes fixed on the Cross, we can do anything through Christ who gives us strength.

May your day be filled with the overflowing truth that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. His truths are enough, Jesus is enough!<3

Worship for today:
Come Behold the Wonderous Mystery
Oh the deep deep love

Instead of panic....pray.

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. (Proverbs 12:25, ESV)

This might be a joint bible study/prep talk for you as you go into a weekend with a panicking world. As we have been looking at who God is as Creator, who Christ is as sustainer; we now have the ability to practice what we are learning. To not fall into the same folly of always learning but never arriving at truth, but to cling to the truth in order to save others who are floundering around us.

We have an opportunity to closely examine what we hold dear at this impasse of our history. We were born purposely right in this season. We had no control over what generation we were placed in; so you and I were meant to live through this now global pandemic. Our days were numbered before we were born Psalm 139:16. As things, sports, events are cancelled, I ask myself, and now as you- are they of eternal value anyways? Are the hours that we invest into sports, hobbies, leisure, etc that can just like that be gone; worth the time and energy that we pour into them? Do we spend our days on things that are here one moment and gone the next, or have we set our eyes on things that are above? Have we and do we invest in our eternal state and the eternal state of our friends, family and neighbors the same way we have been running after these fleeting things? Now is a great time to pause and see what we have been chasing. It is not that these things are necessarily bad; but if you are in despair because they are gone for a time; we might be holding them too tightly.

We have been talking with our kids a lot about the opportunity solitude can bring us. We can be undistracted before the Savior to pray and read and abide in Him. We can spend vested hours praying over our neighbors, pray for doctors, nurses, grocery store clerks and cleaning persons who will receive a brunt of what we can close our doors too. Pray for opportunities to share and love on these persons. Check on elderly neighbors or family members- call people! Have a good hearty conversation with people that we are normally to busy to chat with. Pray for the unreached and unsaved, those in countries like China and Iran who maybe have yet to hear the Gospel. Pray for the missionaries and pastors there; where false religion or no religion abounds- that a glorious revival can come about, where believers can have the confidence to share why they are not panicking; because our hope is in the Lord.

But we can only share our hope is in the Lord...if our hope is in the Lord. The Gospel Coalition put out an excellent article yesterday highlighting Martin Luther's response to the bubonic plague. He exercises both biblical and practical wisdom. There is a lot of false doctrine being promoted right now by terrible teachers. Running a muck, offering false healing and binding whos-its and whats-its galore. This is not a biblical response. Don't offer false hope; don't bind the devil where he may not be... offer Christ. Our sure Salvation. Offer Christ who takes away the sins of the world. Offer Christ who is the way the truth and the life. Offer Christ, who came to die that we might be redeemed. Offer Christ who is the bread of life and living water. Offer Christ because He is Hope. He is Peace, and He is Love. Perfect love casts out all fear. Do you love Christ in such a way, do you know him such a way that He is able to cast out fear in your own heart; that you might then share this peace with others?

One thing I have learned is do not waste suffering and adversity. I have. There are seriously hard tribulations I wish I could go back and live through with better faith and more courageous hope. Because I saw how sovereign God was on the other side. Hope now is the byproduct of my genuine love, trust and servitude to our Savior.

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Don't waste this time. Use it to His glory. Pray, intercede, love...don't touch your face or lick door nobs. What will be your testimony of God's glory when all of this is over?!

Worship for the weary:
Come behold the wonderous mystery
abide with me- this history of this song---- very worth the read. Read it here prior to listening.

Knew him not John 1

I originally thought I would wrap up John 1 today, but I can't. A verse struck my heart today and I would like to linger here a moment. John 1:10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

We have spent much time already devoted to God as Creator, and now Christ as by whom all things were created. I have this glorious picture in my head of the cosmos being formed and swirling about and the planets lining up, and the earth....down to the grass and dirt and the mysteries the earth holds beneath our feet. The DNA of creatures twirling and forming... all by the Hands of One. And then He, who fashioned all things, stepped down off His throne, and His creation knew him not. The term known here is associated commonly with love or intimacy. So he came into the world, and the world loved him not. This is crushing. But we do it all the time even yet today.

We can say we know God, but this is so different than being known by God. We can say we love Jesus with our words; but does our life reflect such truths? What do we use our free time for? Does a quick 5 minute devotional suffice our satisfaction for and to the One who gave us that 5 minutes? Do we feel liberated to live and do the rest of our day without second thought of the Savior? Do we hold people who live zealously after God as overkill, ridiculous, or "called?"

Even the demons believe, and shutter. I know we have talked about this before, but in the New Testament time and time again we see the demons calling Christ by Name, when Jesus encounters the man with the legion of demons, they don't say who do you think you are, they call Him "Jesus, Son of the Most High God." There are 'religious,' people today who won't even use that title. Or will use it; but do not believe it. I was reading a book yesterday and the author talked about Satan's doctrine...and it made me wonder- is it better than mine? Do I have an understanding of God, that does not make me fear in the way they shudder, but fear in the sense of awe and reverence?

Tomorrow, we will talk about verses 14-18. I think today, it is good to pause and ask ourselves, Do I believe Jesus is who he says He is? Does my life reflect that Christ is King and Lord of All? He who holds the universe together by the Word of His power, the very essence and nature of God, came in the flesh, to die for our sins. This, is remarkable. This is good news. This is more than enough.

In the midst of a world, in panic and fear, driven by not sickness as one would have you to believe, but the matter that drives the fear- death. I challenge you, myself, and all believers to use this time as a divine Gospel opportunity. All of it is falling in the season of Resurrection Preparation. Pray for your neighbors, check on them; pray for the elderly, use this time home wisely, make phone calls, pray for those who don't know Jesus. Let our actions be driven out of love and not fear, because perfect love casts out all fear. Let us not look back at this season not as time wasted but opportunity well spent- whether it be in beautiful solitude before the King, or the hands and feet to those who are scared and hurting. It is wise to be prepared, but rather than starting on temporal preparations, let us use this to make confident our hope which is in Jesus Christ, the Lord.

He was in the world, and the world knew Him not; may the world know Him through your example today.

In Him is life. John 1

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus not only creates life, not only sustains life, but He himself is life. Jesus says I am the way, the truth and the life. He creates, upholds, and keeps. This is overwhelmingly good news, especially in light of what we have learned about the separation of our sin to our Savior. Christ came, piercing the darkness offering us the light of salvation. This is remarkable to me every time I think on it.

The hymn I am attaching has a beautiful line, "By His Son God now has spoken, Tis the True and Faithful Word." God gives life to men through His Son Jesus Christ. "When John called Jesus 'the Word,' he implied that Christ not only brings us a message from God but is Himself the message!"(RHB,pg 1512). Jesus is the Redeemer, He is the Way, and He alone provides the way.

We live in a word with no absolute truth. People have turned it into an abstract sliding scale where truth is relative and as long as your on the scale to what degree you are on it does not matter. One close or even not that close look will prove it, from entertainment, to gender to abortion, things that should be a solid yes or a solid no have varying degrees of acceptance. This is a lie from the pit of hell, and it is seeping into the church. We have false teachers who offer varying shades of repentance and the Christian life dictated by how much you work or give or do. This is not the way to the Lord. Narrow is the path that leads to life, and wide is the gate that leads to hell. There is but one way, and that is through Jesus Christ, there is but one light that darkness cannot overcome and it is the radiance of the Glory of God as shone through the exact imprint of His Nature on His Son Jesus Christ, the Lord. 

As we journey to the cross, we can actually get distracted by the cross at times. We become hyper-focused on the physical cross, the physical pain Jesus would endure, and in our humanness we stop and dwell there. We feel sorrow because of the pain Jesus felt. But I encourage you to push your understanding deeper yet, when Jesus asks if this cup could pass, it is not the physical pain he alone is speaking into, it is the wrath of God about to be poured out on Him. He would become sin, and only Christ has the capability as the God-man of fully understanding the wrath God has for sin. He became sin, who knew no sin, so that we might become His righteousness. 

Jesus, the light of the World, came that we might become His light radiating out into the darkness. Matthew 5 discusses how when given a light we do not hide it under a bushel but lift it up, so that all may see. Sister, if you are a professing believer; this is the time, amid panic of sickness and death, in a generation lost and destitute to raise your light so that men may see your love of Jesus Christ and glorify God, who is both the giver and the provider of the Light.

Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted

In the beginning John 1

Read:1 ( we will be in John 1 the next few days)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The second in the beginning phrase starts in John. First we saw it in Genesis 1, now it echos out in John 1. If you were able to participate in our advent study we dwelt in John 1:1-18 for the month. We will encamp here yet again the next few days.

Jesus was in the beginning. He was not born on Christmas and finished the job on Resurrection Sunday. He was, He is and He is to come. It is very important to understand that Christ was not only present at creation, but this says that Christ(being the Word) was with God, is God and without him not any thing made was made. He sustains all things, Hebrews 1:3 He holds all things together by the word of His power.

Jesus Christ, who sustained mankind since creation, was present at the fall. We like to remove God from the equation during the fall of mankind. We think, ugh, God was duped! Satan snuck in and tricked man and now God has to come up with Plan B for mankind. God has no plan B. His was are eternity past and eternity future. God is never caught off guard, surprised or shocked by man's fallen-ness. He knows our failures, he sees our since, and that is the mercy and grace of salvation, He died anyways. He died for our sins before we committed them. He died for us as Romans teaches while we were yet sinners. There was no merit system, no way to earn it, and we cannot forge it. Salvation is a free gift. Our role is in receiving it.

My youngest daughter asks us all the time, If God knew Eve was going to sin, why did He make her? Or now her part B to the question, why did He not stop her? Talk about heavy bedtime theological questions. She has yet to be quite satisfied with a single answer- because all things lead Jesus still yet to the cross, and that essentially is her problem. She doesn't like that Jesus had to die, it truly breaks her little heart. Yet, as we talk with her, it breaks her heart; but does not prevent her from sinning! She can ask these questions, love the Lord and then run off and immediately disobey. Why? Because we are all sinners. We are conceived in sin and remain that way. We need the Lord Jesus Christ to pardon us at Calvary. The only hope we have, is through the saving work of Jesus Christ. Jesus had to come to make us new. Why? Because since Adam we have all fallen short of the glory of God, yet since Adam there has been a glorious redemption story of God redeeming man back to Himself. He covered Adams sin with the blood and skin of an animal in the Garden and He cloaks us yet even now through the atoning work of the Cross and the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord.

When we come to faith, and God looks down at us, gone is the stains of sin and chasm that laid between, when he looks down He sees us as righteous, heirs to the Kingdom, because we have been justified by Jesus Christ who willingly paid the price and atoned for our sins. In our kids Bible study we are learning some key theological concepts, they define atonement this way: Atonement is the work of God to deal justly with our sin and deserved wrath through Jesus' death on the cross so that we may have eternal life. (Little Pilgrims Theology).  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. At this time of preparation we remember that He came to die, but may we start from the beginning, He didn't simply come, He always was and always will be Jesus Christ, the Lord.

Worship Song for the day I will glory in my Redeemer

Where are you? Gen 3

Read: Genesis 3

We left off as Adam and Eve ate the fruit, sinned against a holy God and then sewed themselves fig leaves in a desperate attempt to hid their shame. Feels a lot like some of the way my days can go when caught in sin. I knowingly entered into sin, and feeling awful, try to cover it up with something silly or a good deed( a fig leaf if you will), and then hide from God. But as we will see, Oh how He loves us. He calls to us.

God calls out to Adam, "Where are you?" God is omnipresent and omniscience (always everywhere and all knowing) this question is not for God, but for Adam. A chance to confess. And Adam does, in a way; not yet in the form of repentance but shifts his shame and blame to others. Adam says, you were coming and we were naked, so we hid. God's presence cultivated shame of their sin. Yet it continues today. When Jesus ascended he said he was sending the Holy Spirit to be manifest among believers- and the Holy spirits primary purpose is to convict the world/man of sin. We are graced time and time again, with the call "Where are you?" Where are you today? Hiding behind fig leaves; desperately hiding the heinousness of your sin from God? Are you willing to confess, to step out and say, God I am here, but afraid? The beautiful thing about this entire situation, is God already knows where you are, He waits for you to answer back, I am sinful, ashamed, help! Forgive me. Cover me."

This chapter is pivotal because in man's sin we learn all have fallen. Romans 5:18-19 Therefore as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to the justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Today we turn our eye towards Jesus.

It is essential that we believe Adam as historical. Both Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15 theology is based on the truth of a historic Adam. At the bottom of this study will be a quick article link from Answers in Genesis regarding this topic. I want to be able to dig into the moment of utter despair, man sinned, and in Genesis 3:15 the very first promise of a Savior. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. The singular seed is the promise of one man who will crush Satan. But the striking of the heel points to salvation through suffering. There is  very heavy theology in here- it would take months to chew through it all, thus only touching on it briefly today. What we need to grasp as we look toward the cross- is the truth from Romans 5- through this one mans trespass we all fall, and through one man's atonement we are saved.

Gen 3: 21 blood is shed. Not at the hands of man, but for the sake of man. God clothes them in coats of skin; literal, physical death has entered the world. I thought about this a lot today. God shed the blood to covers man's sin; knowing that it was temporary; and that one day His Son, His One and Only Son would have to suffer and die, and shed his blood to cover the sins of many. One verse, so quickly read. But we should pause and realize the mercy, and steadfast loving kindness being demonstrated here. God would send his only begotten sin, that we might be clothed in His righteousness. Tomorrow we will begin to shift our attention to the One who came to take away the sins of the world.

I pray that this study becomes a treasure- and like we read in Matthew 13:44; may you find His kingdom is this journey.

In Defense of the Historical Adam

Original Sin Gen 3

We resume where Eve is standing before the serpent. "Did God really say, you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?" The assault and temptation is laid out. He starts with an undermining question. Read it slowly, did God say you can't eat from any tree....he does not start his question with why can you not eat the tree of life... he starts with deception. And this deception quickly conceives evil in her own heart.

The woman answers back, she did not even have to do that, but she is now drawn in, she answers God said we can eat from any tree except from the tree in the midst, nor touch it, lest we surely die.

We read this exchange a thousand times. We glance through it as a cursory children's fable. We miss the horrific cosmic treason being played out in front of our very eyes. The serpent went to Eve, and misinterpreted the spoken command of God. And Eve, was quickly brought in. She corrects the serpent and then adds to the command her own words. He said we cannot eat, NOR can we touch it. Eve undermines the Word of God; she undermines the love of God's command when she minimizes the boundary given, and then she adds to it. She manipulates God's words to make them seem unfair, over the top, and borderline ridiculous.

God had given Adam and Eve every good thing in the garden to eat; and rather than focus their joy and love with every good thing- Eve is quickly seduced by the serpent into the "why shouldn't I be allowed EVERYTHING." And the serpent strikes. He recognizes her weakness the moment it flashes and she says, "Surely you shall not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." You will be like God. The sin of pride sucked her right in. She was no longer content walking with God, fellowshipping with God, enjoying the good gifts and pleasures of the garden from God- she now desires to be eye to eye with the Creator.

Is it not terrifying. The serpent, who we discussed is Satan; had this same issue. He himself is a fallen angel. Cast out of heaven because of this very thing. He was not content serving God- he wanted to be like God, in fact he wanted to be better than God. And he convinced 1/3 of the angels around him likewise. Being expelled, we quickly find him here. In the midst of everything that God just created as good. And his eyes become set on man, being made in the image of God- he attacks. And whispers the same lies that motivated his evilness. Don't serve God, be your own God. Take your future into your hands. Eat the fruit.

In a sermon that will be linked to hear today, the Pastor spoke something that haunted me, "The irony here, that they can be like God, was that they already were- as image bearers of the One true God."  Adam and Eve were made in His likeness; as we are all today. Yet here we are- still trying to be captains of our own ship! It takes one second on social media to see that self glorification is our favorite form of self worship. Its all about us. We need to be happy, be best not be offended, and don't ever ask me to go an extra mile for someone who doesn't deserve- MY time. We are gluttons of self intoxicating entertainment, social media, activities and leisure. "You only live once, You do you, I think,therefore I am..." Nothing changes. We are our favorite gods. And it is not just 'out there,' but it is in the church. God designed the gathering for His worship- but that is no longer good enough. We want to be entertained, we need to rebel against the serious, social killing, tight strings, forefathers who didn't know Jesus was all about having a good time. Jesus is for me!

Nothing has changed. The whisper of Satan, trickles through the heart of man.

Eve sees the lust of the flesh- the fruit she now wants, the pride of the heart, she wants this now, and then the eyes. Determining what is right for herself, rather than being governed by the Word of God offered to her, she takes and eats.

She then goes and shares it with her husband who is with her. V7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. Their eyes were opened not to how they are now like God, but their own depravity. In the chase to be godlike, they with disobedience, cause a cosmic rift between them and their Creator. The One who made them, who put them in the garden, who gave them every good things to eat, who walked with them...now SIN separates them. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Shame. They were ashamed to look at each other, and they were scared of being seen by God.

My heart literally pulses and then aches each time I have read through this. The deeper I dig the more my heart bleeds out for the situation in the garden, the continuation of it in man, and my own sins today.

However, "The imputation of Adam's sin to all his natural offspring is a presupposition of the Gospel. Human beings are lost from conception and birth, even before they begin their personal careers of sin. The Son of God became the Son of Man to atone for sin by dying int he place of sinners. To deny the fall of man into sin is to rob the death of Christ of its redemptive meaning and saving power."(RHB pg.12)

Sin, did not stay isolated to Adam, it brought death and decay and spread through all generations. But as we will see next week, as we finish chapter three and then jump into the Gospels, God in His mercy already had a redemptive plan. And the Last Adam, would stand in an upper room, the night of His last supper, and whisper ever lasting life into the words which set into place our death. Eve went to Adam, extended her hand with something to eat; and then Jesus would hold out his hands to his disciples, and to us today, " Take and eat,This is my body, broken for you... do this is remembrance..." Not remembrance of what Adam had done, but of the atoning work that Christ did.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to the justification and life for all men. Romans 5:18

Sermon: https://mthopechurch.org/prologue-of-promise/
Also, this week on Grace to You broadcast, John MacArthur's sermon series, "Genesis in the Gospel," is being aired. I HIGHLY recommend it for further study. https://www.gty.org/broadcasts/radio This link puts you to todays- start at the beginning of the study a few broadcasts back!

Eve Genesis 3.

Building off of yesterday; and now sitting in chapter 3 today, I plan on a drawn out PAUSE. We need to really chew through this one portion, and today I would like to break down why this is a women's study and why it is so important that we are rooted and grounded in Scripture.

If you know me personally, you know I am rather passionate about biblical literacy, especially among women and families. Today, I hope that you can walk away with the same burning desires within your hearts; and within that; dig deeply into this study through April. I was reminded yesterday that scripture is a treasure, and when one seeks treasure it is often an all out endeavor. If you know the treasure is there, you will dig and dig and dig, driven by a confidence of what lies beneath. Let this be your relationship with the Word. Do not settle.

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman...We are pausing here for the day.

The serpent, who indeed is a vessel harboring Satan at the moment, was more crafty than and other beast of the field. And he said to the WOMAN...

Satan did not target Adam directly. Why? We women like to really hem in here at times. I have heard it said, he had to go to Eve, she would be better for the conversation, or Adam was there, standing next to her idly listening...we do not actually know where Adam was other than the fact he was with her. The serpent never addresses him, and it is clear Eve did not bring up the serpent when she presented the fruit to Adam, she gave it to him, and he ate.

In the book, No Little Women, by Aimee Byrd; she writes, "In his malevolent shrewdness, Satan went for the woman. He went after Adam's gift from God, his bride. That was indeed a clever way to get to Adam. So it isn't surprising today that Satan goes after Christ's bride, his church, with the same distortion of God's Word."

Read that twice. Today we are pausing because I need to plead with you this season of preparation, as we journey towards Resurrection Sunday, to ask you to again pause and look at what is in your heart and mind, play list and book shelves. Proverbs 4:23,25 says Keep you heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life...Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Look up- where do your eyes immediately fall? On the world, on the commentary of social media, or on the path established by the Lord? Are you susceptible to lies from Satan? Are you easily washed to and fro with ideas that come from different religious parties because you are not saturated in the Word of God? Sometimes we can get so obsessed with what might be false that we study that more than the Word, but this should not be are strategy. Bruce says in banking they don't spend a ton of time on counterfeit money- why? Because they handle real money all day long. As they count, look and touch it, the tellers whip threw their job; till something hits their hand. And they pause- something doesn't seem right? Even if they can't identify the exact counterfeit, through their handling of the real thing they can tell a fraud. So too should be our hearts and minds. We should be literally so immersed in the Scripture that when deception comes our way; our conscience is pricked. This will NEVER happen if we settle for 5 minute devotionals with a 4 word scripture to start a 10 minute diatribe on self-help through Jesus your buddy. We are not to live as princesses waiting to be spoon fed scripture- we must boast as Paul and become slaves to Christ! That we give everything, that we recognize we are in a war; and that we do not allow ourselves to live life unprepared.

I am reading through the book of Job and something has really struck me. Job's daily obedience to the Lord in the beginning is why God chose him. Job was not a superstar. He was a godly, God fearing, God loving man. So when Satan wanted to test someone, God chose Job. Why? Because he was prepared. How many times do we find ourselves in tragedy and suffering and gasping out God where are you?! I ask, if we were in our Bibles every morning, living in prayer and obedience- when suffering hits- are we not then able to call out as Job does " For I know that my Redeemer lives!"

The serpent goes to Eve. Why? Was she the weakest? The least prepared? Maybe she was the more prideful of the two? Wanting to be even more like God, not content with the fact that she was made in the likeness of God? We do not know- but what we are told is that the serpent was the most crafty and he skips past Adam and goes to Eve.

Okay- why am I harping on this today? Because I am so deeply concerned for christian women. If you walk into a Christian bookstore- 80% of the books are geared towards women, Christian living and self help the Christian way. Why? Because that is what sells. The theological books have become a bore; because we have allowed ourselves to become satisfied with milk- never merging over into meat and bread. We are SO busy we don't have time to read, let alone study. We find ourselves, weak, whiny and wounded.

2 Timothy Paul writes about false teachers within the church- 3:2-5 talks about them, defining how they are..."lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people! " These are people IN THE CHURCH. This is the part that hits me... for among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of truth. (v 6-7) I gasped audibly when I read this. I have read it before I am sure- but this time it was a sucker punch. Was Paul able to see into the American Church's household 2000 years ago? Or has the strategy and struggle remained the same? The answer is both. The Word is living and active. But lets pause on this... those who creep into households and capture weak women...this is not an insult; its a warning. It is saying the enemies strategy to destroy weak women, those who are unprepared, or chose not to know, burdened with sin and led astray by various passions... Pause- seriously this is our major pause today- sit and write- what are your biggest sins and various passions that lead you astray? That rob you from time with God and fellowship with His church and His Word?

Always learning and never arriving at truth...THIS hit hard. There is SO much information available. You could spend the rest of your life reading about things that do not really matter. we live as people who feel highly enlightened but do we find ourselves here- learning a million things yet never arriving at truth? Scrolling through a million sites, a million you tube videos, a million blogs, while our Bible sits, dusted, unable to provide every good thing we need? Do we settle for false teaching pastors who tickle are ears instead of teaching through the whole counsel of God? We can get so engrossed with how many steps we take in a day without giving little thought to the God who ordains each and every one of them. That Christ sustains our breath to wake up and take them?

I know this seems very off target- but I cannot read through this, with a group of women, and not heed the terrifying truth of what we will read tomorrow; and why we must prepare today. When Satan whispers to you...Did God really say? Rather than fall; may we learn from the Master who taught us how to be prepared for this exact question in the wilderness- and answer with the same boldness as the Son of God... IT IS WRITTEN.

Amen and Amen.

Did God really say? Genesis 3

My heart aches even as I study and begin to write this. The high treason that is committed in this chapter, the fall of man is devastating. He walked with the Lord in paradise. He did not have to work hard and toil to till the ground. Everything was his and everything was good. Yet, somehow it proves to be not enough. And so it the very picture of our heart's condition. It is why we continue to sin even under the robes of Christ's righteousness ( if we are believers), Jesus says in Matthew 26:41 The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, and again Paul says in Romans, "for I do not do what I want, but the very thing that I hate." I find myself in my own prayer life, pleading with God in the morning to help me in areas where I struggle and fall, and literally that evening or next morning; yet again asking for forgiveness for my sin and asking God for new mercies that day. Thank God, His mercies are new every morning! Yet such is the plight of man. We are sinners. We will see where this started first, and how yet it echoes through mankind even today.

Therefore as one trespass led to condemnation for all men...
   Genesis 3- Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. This serpent- Satan. Satan is real. I feel like we need to pause here. Satan is real. We like to teach he isn't. Or, counter to that, make him more powerful than he is. Satan is a real force, He prowls, seeking whom he might devour. When we leave ourselves susceptible to sin, we become easy pray. When we hold the Word of God loosely, as we will see Eve do, we become easy prey. When we are on the fringe or try to be a lone Christian, who doesn't need church, we become easy prey. When we don't accept the whole council of God as authoritative...you get the gist, we become easy prey. Lets start even at our ability to accept this first verse. A few years ago, we took our youth group to the Creation Museum. One of my very favorite exhibits was a room with fanciful children stories of the Garden of Eden and the Flood. And it had a serpent wrapped around the sign:

I loved this sign- surrounded by children's books. Because the lie continues- we built it into a fantasy story, a legend, not the cosmic treason that the fall was- but a story we pass on for morality. It was funny; because the youth, mostly, hated the room. They thought it was overkill- but to me that proved the point of the room all the more. We are no longer offended by a dumbing down of the story. Yes, children's narratives are important so they can understand scripture, but when we routinely liken it to no different than a disney movie; and fail to follow it up with appropriate theological and personal study in the Word of God, well its no wonder the church is losing youth in droves. Because, they believe the narrative- its not really real. Adam was not a historical person. My sin, isn't that bad. Jesus died for humanity collectively- but not me- I owe Him nothing- He owes me what I want, health, wealth and happiness, and if I don't get it- I don't follow. 

For the wages of sin is death... and it starts here. As the serpent approaches Eve- He is not set on opening their eyes, his mission is to kill them, to separate them from God, and that mission continues today.

I think I need to pause here because the next sentence requires a day in itself. But, I want to allow us all to think on these questions today: Do I 'liken,' the bible to a fictional story? Do I believe Adam to be a historical person, in the flesh? Do I have a world view counter to what is being taught in the first 3 chapters of Genesis, one that allows death to be present before the fall of Adam and Eve (evolution)? Do I believe that through one man all fell but through one act of righteousness led to justification and life for all men (Adam and Christ)? Am I in the word enough to recognize a lie when I hear it? Do I allow myself to be susceptible to death and sin by not clinging to my need for a Savior? Have I ever confessed that Jesus Christ is who He says He is, and that I am a sinner in need of saving through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ the Lord? Am I ashamed of the Gospel (this includes fearing the full council of Scripture based on what men will think)? 

Whew- I think I might need more coffee after this one. Truly as I examine my own heart, I am always amazed at the little and big things I allow to slip in, Ask God to reveal your heart today! He is so merciful and gracious to those who call on Him. Let us replace the lies of the world by binding His steadfast love and faithfulness around our neck, and on the tablets of our hearts(Proverbs 3:3) that in Him and through Him and for Him we might terry yet another day.