December 20th 2020
It Is The Time Of The Year When We Must Ask Ourselves, What Do I Believe?
John 9:35-38 (NIV)
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped him.
Have you found Jesus Christ yet? When this man met Jesus and Jesus identified Himself as the Son of Man, this man immediately believed who Jesus is and, “Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped him.” Immediately before this man met Jesus, he had been thrown out of court by the religious leaders of the day, because they did not want to believe he had been cured of blindness, and he had been blind from birth. These religious leaders did not want to believe that Jesus had cured this man. They did not want to believe that Jesus was in fact the Son of Man, as He claimed to be!
This is the account of this man’s testimony about his encounter with Jesus, and the fact that Jesus had cured him of the blindness that he was born into this world with. The religious leaders asked this man some questions to clarify who it was who healed him of blindness. The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out. (John 9:30-34). The testimony was too hard for these religious leaders to believe, as they had not identified Jesus Christ as being the Messiah that God had promised to send into this cursed world.
Have you come to believe that Jesus Christ was born into this world as the Savior of all members of mankind? That Jesus is the Way by which members of mankind must be saved, He is the only Way we have available by which our immortal soul will be saved. Paul wrote about the stumbling block to people being able to identify Jesus as the Way for us to end up in heaven someday. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan (AKA the god of this age) causes us all to have doubts about who Jesus Christ truly is! Some people cannot come to believe that Jesus was the Son of Man who walked this earth and provided the only Way of salvation.
Yes, I know this is the Christmas season not Easter, but the fact is we can know the whole story, which we can gain by reading the revealed Word of God, which is also known as the Bible. This amazing book gives as the evidence for us to come to believe in Jesus Christ. Have you studied these books enough to come to believe that Jesus Christ is the Way? If not, this would be a good New Year’s resolution for you. We should all resolve to study our Bible in this coming year, even if we already believe we have a good handle on it. It is the living Word of God and will always reveal some new revelations for us when we study it.
After Jesus had raised Lazarus from being dead, He is talking to Martha one of his sisters about how everyone who followers Him will never die. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." (John 11:25-27). Jesus is telling Martha and us that, “whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" What about you Jesus is asking you “Do you believe this?" This is why, Jesus came into this cursed world, and what this Christmas season is all about!
From the book of Acts it seemed interesting how the term the Way came about, I have used this term earlier in this commentary. My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. (Acts 24:12-15).
Here Paul is defending himself and claiming the accusations made against him are false, but then Paul admits that he has become a follower of the Way. At that time, many people are calling the followers of Jesus Christ as the people of the Way. Of course, this likely came from Jesus using this term to identify Him as being the Way to heaven for all His followers. When Jesus appeared to His disciples and told them about the rewards His followers will have in heaven. Then some of them had questions about what this meant to them, and how it could be fulfilled. Jesus told them and us, that He would prepare a place in heaven for all His followers.
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:3-7). At this time Jesus has been resurrected and has returned to be with His disciples. He is telling them and us that He will come to take you all the Way to heaven when you are ready to leave this cursed world. He is also letting us know that He and the Father are One!
You may be wondering, what does this have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ and the Advent season, and that is a good question! If we were to celebrate the birth of a baby as a special event, then from an earthly perspective, such an event occurs literally every day on this earth. However, this birth came to a virgin, and that is the only time this has ever occur on this cursed world. Jesus had no earthly father, as His Father was the Holy Spirit. Okay, now we are getting back to the CHRISTmas accounts in the Bible of how and why and when Jesus came into this world. Please concentrate your thoughts on this wonderful true story about Jesus coming into this world, and He was presented first to the lowest people on the worldly status order of importance at that time. Yes, these were shepherds, people who lived with their sheep.
It is the time of the year when we must ask ourselves, what do I believe?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 9:35-38 (NIV)
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped him.
Have you found Jesus Christ yet? When this man met Jesus and Jesus identified Himself as the Son of Man, this man immediately believed who Jesus is and, “Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped him.” Immediately before this man met Jesus, he had been thrown out of court by the religious leaders of the day, because they did not want to believe he had been cured of blindness, and he had been blind from birth. These religious leaders did not want to believe that Jesus had cured this man. They did not want to believe that Jesus was in fact the Son of Man, as He claimed to be!
This is the account of this man’s testimony about his encounter with Jesus, and the fact that Jesus had cured him of the blindness that he was born into this world with. The religious leaders asked this man some questions to clarify who it was who healed him of blindness. The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out. (John 9:30-34). The testimony was too hard for these religious leaders to believe, as they had not identified Jesus Christ as being the Messiah that God had promised to send into this cursed world.
Have you come to believe that Jesus Christ was born into this world as the Savior of all members of mankind? That Jesus is the Way by which members of mankind must be saved, He is the only Way we have available by which our immortal soul will be saved. Paul wrote about the stumbling block to people being able to identify Jesus as the Way for us to end up in heaven someday. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan (AKA the god of this age) causes us all to have doubts about who Jesus Christ truly is! Some people cannot come to believe that Jesus was the Son of Man who walked this earth and provided the only Way of salvation.
Yes, I know this is the Christmas season not Easter, but the fact is we can know the whole story, which we can gain by reading the revealed Word of God, which is also known as the Bible. This amazing book gives as the evidence for us to come to believe in Jesus Christ. Have you studied these books enough to come to believe that Jesus Christ is the Way? If not, this would be a good New Year’s resolution for you. We should all resolve to study our Bible in this coming year, even if we already believe we have a good handle on it. It is the living Word of God and will always reveal some new revelations for us when we study it.
After Jesus had raised Lazarus from being dead, He is talking to Martha one of his sisters about how everyone who followers Him will never die. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." (John 11:25-27). Jesus is telling Martha and us that, “whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" What about you Jesus is asking you “Do you believe this?" This is why, Jesus came into this cursed world, and what this Christmas season is all about!
From the book of Acts it seemed interesting how the term the Way came about, I have used this term earlier in this commentary. My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. (Acts 24:12-15).
Here Paul is defending himself and claiming the accusations made against him are false, but then Paul admits that he has become a follower of the Way. At that time, many people are calling the followers of Jesus Christ as the people of the Way. Of course, this likely came from Jesus using this term to identify Him as being the Way to heaven for all His followers. When Jesus appeared to His disciples and told them about the rewards His followers will have in heaven. Then some of them had questions about what this meant to them, and how it could be fulfilled. Jesus told them and us, that He would prepare a place in heaven for all His followers.
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:3-7). At this time Jesus has been resurrected and has returned to be with His disciples. He is telling them and us that He will come to take you all the Way to heaven when you are ready to leave this cursed world. He is also letting us know that He and the Father are One!
You may be wondering, what does this have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ and the Advent season, and that is a good question! If we were to celebrate the birth of a baby as a special event, then from an earthly perspective, such an event occurs literally every day on this earth. However, this birth came to a virgin, and that is the only time this has ever occur on this cursed world. Jesus had no earthly father, as His Father was the Holy Spirit. Okay, now we are getting back to the CHRISTmas accounts in the Bible of how and why and when Jesus came into this world. Please concentrate your thoughts on this wonderful true story about Jesus coming into this world, and He was presented first to the lowest people on the worldly status order of importance at that time. Yes, these were shepherds, people who lived with their sheep.
It is the time of the year when we must ask ourselves, what do I believe?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak