God told Jacob to go back home to Bethel, in the Promised Land. But there was a problem. Long ago, he cheated his brother Esau taking his blessing and the right of the first born. Esau planned to kill him. Jacob was afraid of Esau. Along the way home, he had to meet his brother Esau. Reconciliation was necessary for peace to reign. Jacob needed a miracle. The brothers had not seen each other for 20 years. Jacob meets some angels where he camped. God is encouraging him. He then sends his servants to meet Esau and gives him generous gifts. This was a wise decision. “A gift in secret pacifies anger” (PV 21:14).
Now see what Jacob is doing in the face of danger. He plans; prays to God; and send a present to Esau. These are good lessons for all. Do what you can to avoid trouble. Expecting crisis, Jacob arranges his family and servants in different groups; to save some in case Esau wants to kill him. Then Jacob does the most important thing: he prays to find favor with his brother. That night, Jacob has an encounter with God who comes as an Angel to wrestle with him. Jacob deeply desires God’s blessings and not just escape from danger. The Angel hurts his hip and defeats him. He is broken, body and spirit. He is a different man. His name and identity are changed from Jacob (Deceiver) to Isreal (Prince with God). God has humbled him. In the morning, limping, leaning on his staff, a humbled Jacob is now ready to meet with Esau.
Jacob was told that Esau is coming towards him with 400 armed men. He is afraid again. But God has answered his prayer. Esau surprised him. He too has changed. He is not the same angry bitter man of long ago. Esau runs towards Jacob and embraces him. They both wept. They see that God has blessed both. The war between them is over. They now appreciate the peace of God! This is Esau’s most noble moment in the Bible. Jacob humbles himself. He bows before Esau not just once, but seven times. He calls himself ‘your servant’ and calls Esau ‘my Lord’. Jacob insists that Esau should receive his many presents. Esau does so. Jacob repeatedly says: ‘God has given me all that I have’. He acknowledges the Lord and gives Him glory for his life, family and prosperity. This is a humble man talking.
Why did Esau forgive Jacob? One explanation is that Esau has been forgiven by God, that he too became saved. Only forgiven men can forgive their enemies. Though he married pagan women, Esau’s first two sons are named to give glory to God: Eliphaz (The Strength of God) and Reuel (The Joy of God). Esau wants to join Jacob for the journey home. Jacob gently refuses. Esau goes ahead. Jacob promises to meet him later. But Jacob never did that. He went in another direction. Lesson: reconciliation between men may have boundaries. Their descendants continued to fight one another, but on this day, peace reigned in the hearts of these two brothers. Praise the Lord!
These are some practical lessons about forgiveness and reconciliation:
*Forget the Past! This story says nothing about past events. Resolving all the details is not always necessary. You can forgive one another and be friendly. Each case is different. Love “keeps no record of wrongs” (1Cor13:5; NIV). Love puts down the weapon of guilt of past sins.
*Love seeks the best in another. Esau came with 400 men not to kill Jacob, but to protect him as he was going home. That is love!
*Somebody must lead the process. The guilty one should make the first move. Jacob was the guilty one and he came to Esau with gifts
*Humility is always needed. Jacob approached Esau as a servant and calling him ‘Lord’ and bowing to him 7 times. Most people are too proud to reconcile. They attract attention to their achievements. Pride is a great hindrance to peace. God humbled both Jacob and Esau.
*Prayer is the key! It was not Jacob’s plan to protect his family that succeeded. It was his prayer. God answered his prayer.
*Those who have received God’s Grace should trust in God’s promise of protection when they seek reconciliation with an enemy.
*Each person has their own speed in applying these lessons. Esau went home with his men. Jacob was slower as he went towards Bethel.
*God must be acknowledged and praised. Jacob acknowledges and praises God as the source of his life and blessings.
*Generosity is necessary. Jacob gave Esau generous gifts of more than a million US$.
If you calculate the total value of all the animals Jacob sends to Esau, at today’s value, I read it is about 655,000$. The animals Jacob sent were enough for Esau to start his own farm and to make millions. I knew that Jacob was rich, but I did not know he was that rich! He sent more than millions of naira to find favor in the sight of his enemy, his brother Esau. These are some lessons about this extraordinary gift: Reconciliation is expensive. It points to the Cross where Jesus died to reconcile us to God the Father. The gift went ahead of Jacob. It was more than a gift to a man. It was a sacrifice to God. It was given just before God met with Jacob and changed his name and destiny.
God is the God of peace, mercy, grace and forgiveness. Reconciliation is the work of Grace manifested at the Cross. We can only be reconciled with others when we acknowledge the price God had to pay for reconciliation. His Son Jesus Christ died on the Cross so that sinners become the friends and sons of God. Reconciliation is done by faith and through Love. It leads to peace! Worship the Lord!
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:1,2).
Apostle Paul boldly declares the doctrine of justification by Grace alone, thru faith alone, in Christ alone, thru the Word of God alone to the glory of God alone. Observe that we are already Justified by faith! The verb is in the past tense. Justification is a fact, not a hope and not a prayer. It is the foundation, and not the roof of the house. A sinner who humbles himself and has faith in Christ Crucified, is justified by God the Father. Justification is a forensic term, a legal term. It is the declaration of God the Father, the Judge of all, that your faith in Christ Crucified is enough for Him to call you His ‘son or daughter’. This is the mystery of salvation, the work of God alone, the Gospel we preach. Salvation is real, complete, and perfect. Salvation is not a reward for doing good things. It is God’s gift to man, thru His Son Jesus Christ. That is why salvation humbles all believers. We can’t boast of our good work. We can only bow in worship and thank God for saving us!
Because it is purely God’s eternal plan and finished work, your salvation cannot be lost. A child of God cannot end in hell. Even if he backslides for a season, God will discipline him and bring him back to Him before he dies. A backslider loses the joy of his salvation, opportunities and rewards for doing ministry. These are great losses indeed. But a child of God cannot lose his salvation. When you become born again your very identity is changed. You were ‘a dog’ and now you are a man. Even if you backslide, and play with dogs, you cannot become a dog again. The change is very deep and permanent. This is what we believe! Amen!
Because the believer has been justified by faith, three blessings follow immediately: Peace, Access (standing before God), and (joyful) Hope (PAH). If you say that you are saved, but you are always anxious, depressed, you find it hard to pray and you tend to be pessimistic, then you may not be justified by God. Selah! First, the believer has ‘peace with God’. Secondly, he has access by faith into a new grace that gives him a place to stand without fear before God. Thirdly, the believer has hope, joyfully knowing that when he dies, he will go to heaven to worship God forever. Justification gives peace with God through Christ. This is not just an ordinary peace of mind. It is not even the ‘peace OF God’. It is Peace WITH God. Salvation is not just forgiveness of sins. Salvation is the adoption of the justified sinner into the family of God. Justification is reconciliation with God. Sin has destroyed the relationship between God and man. By the Blood of Jesus, that relationship is restored. Praise the Lord! This is a good way to describe the power of justification by faith that leads to peace, a new standing of grace, and a joyful hope. If you attend a wedding, you see that most of the time the bride looks anxious, and the bridegroom is distracted. Immediately they sign the marriage register and the pastor pronounces them ‘husband and wife’ you see joy and the relief on their faces. The reason is that from now on, their status in life has changed. Weddings are powerful for the following reasons: They celebrate love, and commitment. Vows spoken and the ceremony itself honor God. A Wedding is a holy tradition. All cultures celebrate the union of marriage. Weddings create lifetime memories. They strengthen family bonds. The emotional impact of a wedding on the family and friends is unique. The atmosphere of open declared love, joy and hope is unique. The guests who are already married mediate upon their marriage and decide to improve the relationship. The single guests are inspired to get married too. Overall, a wedding is a time of giving thanks to God, for life, for joy, for hope. Marriage is just a symbol of the power of God’s eternal justification of the sinner. Selah!
The truth is that you cannot have the peace OF God if you do not first have the Peace WITH God. God is holy, He hates sin. Sinners fear God. They also hate God. They can never freely stand before God. Only a miracle can bring a sinner before God having peace in his heart. All believers are justified by Grace and thru faith in Christ crucified and resurrected. There is nothing like an un-justified Christian. If you are not justified, it means that you are not a Christian. You are not saved. Our present peace rests on the past act of justification! Peace with God is described as a state of peace, a time of peace. Pray to see the revelation of this truth! How can God who is Holy be able to forgive sins? The only reason why God can forgive sins it is because He poured His wrath against sin on His Son Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus died on the Cross. He did not die for His own sins. He did not inherit Adam’s sin. Jesus was conceived holy by the Holy Spirit. Jesus obeyed the Law of God perfectly. That is why as a Man, Jesus had a perfect righteousness. He became Sin so that we inherit His Righteousness. He died so we might live. This is the mystery of the Gospel. Selah!
Once a sinner is justified by faith, he immediately receives two gifts: forgiveness of sins and the robe of imputed righteousness of Christ. When God looks at him, He sees Christ, and not his sins. The forgiveness of sins is total. Because of the Cross, God forgives not only his past sins, but also the present and future sins. God can do that because He is Omniscient and Sovereign. He not only knows the future, but He designs the future. If salvation depends on man, it will fail. But salvation in Christ is totally of God. Therefore, it never fails. Halleluiah!
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17). Peace is a component of God’s Kingdom. This is the golden chain of salvation: Justification (or righteousness) leads to peace and to joy. It is only those who are justified by faith in Christ, that experience this peace with God. This peace comes immediately. After that, thru the process of sanctification, the peace WITH God becomes peace IN your heart. This peace is a miracle given only to believers. Anxiety damages your peace! “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6,7). Once you are worried about food or clothes, you become over-sensitive to criticism, a faultfinder and impatient with people. This negative attitude damages your peace and your relationships with others. Prayer leads to restoration of peace, the mighty shield over your heart and mind.
Once you become born again, the Holy Spirit brings life into your human spirit. It is like light shining in the darkness. Salvation is not only a doctrine. It is felt in the heart. It is understood in the mind. The baby Christian feels and knows that he is now saved, and he has eternal life. All believers testify to the reality of conversion. It is not an imagination. As the believer studies God’s Word, believes and applies it to his life, he matures spiritually thru the process of sanctification that lasts until death. The believer has peace with God and peace of God. Agape Love is the spiritual engine of his journey to heaven. He no longer fears death or God’s judgment. He knows that he belongs eternally to Jesus Christ. He gains confidence as a Christian. God gives him the assurance of salvation. This increases his peace and joy.
Peace is defined as a spiritual state of quietness, calmness and security where everything co-exists in perfect order, and freedom. Peace is unity, the perfect harmony between the parts, or between people; it is beauty, balance, calmness, health, and security; it is freedom from war, worries, noise, or quarrels. When there is peace, people live and work together happily and without disagreements. Because the Christians are justified by God, they have peace with God. Peace is the best soil where the seed of agape love grows and becomes fruitful.
The true believer has peace with God and peace of God. He combines joy and seriousness at the same time. His peace is deep, not troubled by life’s trials. He is jealous about his testimony as a child of God. He does not take his relationship with God for granted. He has peace and joy even during the trials of life. He prays for wisdom always. He is careful to be right and to do right, before God and man. One clear sign of true peace is the level of worship the believer displays. A true believer loves to praise God. He does not try to impress people. He serves God to please God alone. Peace and Praise and twins. He who always gives God all the glory has true peace with God!
You can appreciate peace only when you have been in a war. Man is born a sinner. God hates sin. The wrath of God is manifested against sin and sinners. Because of this war between God and man, man lives in permanent fear, anxiety and loneliness. But once you are justified by God, the peace with God will manifest. It is not just a doctrine. It is an experience. Peace with God leads to access before God, by the Holy Spirit. The Jews and the Gentiles hated one another. They never had peace. But thru the Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross, they now become one in Christ, having peace with God and with each other. The separation now becomes intimacy (Eph 2:13-18)
Reconciliation is defined as the act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement. As citizens of God’s Kingdom, we are Kings, Priests, Peacemakers and Ambassadors of Christ. One of our holy duties is to preach Christ Crucified and tell people to reconcile back to God. “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2Cor 5:18-20). May we please our King by preaching His Gospel!
CHRIST IS OUR PEACE
One of the names of King Jesus is “Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6). In Hebrew, the name is translated “Shar Shalom”. It describes the ultimate purpose of the Messiah’s mission. “Prince” means ruler, leader, or tyrant. It shows powerful leadership and complete authority. The word Shalom is one of the greatest words. It means peace, health, wealth, friends and favor. In the Bible, Peace is not just the absence of conflict but the active presence of wholeness, unity, prosperity, and harmony. This title promises that the Messiah will bring true peace to the world, by defeating Satan, the ruler of this world. Jesus came to reconcile humanity with God and to establish a kingdom characterized by justice and peace. This powerful peace of victory is the gift of Jesus to all who trust in Him. “My Peace I give to you!” (Jn 14:27). Amen!
In the world, all rulers kill their enemies to conquer a country. The Roman Empire was proud that they brought peace to earth. They called it “Pax Romana”. It was a period of relative peace and stability across the Roman Empire which lasted for over 200 years. But this peace was brought by killing people and oppressing many nations. It was always peace by force. But the Romans could not bring peace in the hearts of men. Look at Jesus! Instead of coming as a blood-thirsty tyrant, Jesus was born with the very purpose to give His own blood to establish peace on earth. How did Jesus bring this peace? By His death on the Cross on behalf of sinners. We were enemies to God. Jesus died to bring us to God, not just as prisoners of war, but changed us into friends to God. “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col 1:19, 20). The death of Jesus on behalf of sinners opened the door of true peace between God and man, and between men on earth. God’s Love led to peace! This action is something unprecedented from any ruler! Glory to God!
“For He Himself (Christ) is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Eph 2:14-18).
There are many walls of separation in this world. For example, the Berlin wall was built in 1961 to separate the East from the West Germany. It was 155 Km long, and 4 meters high. It was built to prevent the citizens of the Communist East Germany to escape to the Capitalist West Germany. It divided the city of Berlin and the two Germanies for 28 years. It had 302 watchtowers. It was under the constant surveillance of armed East German border guards who were authorized to shoot anyone attempting to escape into West Berlin. More than 100 people died trying to cross over. It was destroyed in 1989 when Germany became one nation.
The Bible is clear that this world is a terrible ‘evil’ world, where Satan is the ruler. Jesus “Who gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Gal 1:4; KJ). There is no hope for the world except thru Jesus Christ. We are all born sinners, children of war, of wrath, in a world filled with conflicts. War is our ‘comfort zone’. Violence is our friend. Peace is a stranger. We struggle with conflicting emotions. There is trouble in our hearts, within and without. These are the facts. “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation” (Gal 6:14,15). Paul rejoices in the Cross. Why? Because the Cross did the greatest miracle. It created the Church of Christ. In this world of division, hatred and discrimination, Jesus died on the Cross and produced an impossible thing: The Jews and the Gentiles came together by faith in Christ in a New Living Body of peace and joy called the Church. Jesus is the King of God’s Kingdom. The Church is the headquarters of that Kingdom. In a world of sin, darkness, violence and war, Love, Peace and Joy came to stay in the Church. This is indeed a miracle. On the Cross, Jesus broke down the middle wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles. At the Cross, life enemies became friends and brothers for life. Praise the Lord!
The world is full of hatred and divisions. The world knows nothing of true peace and agape love. The world can stop a war and force people to live quietly. But the world can never make peace because peace is not just stopping quarrels. It is on record that during the First World War, the Germans used mustard gas to attack the Allies. This gas could shock men to death. The Allies did not have the technology to protect themselves against this poisonous gas. But Germany still lost the war. During the Second World War, between the same countries, no one used mustard gas. Why? Because the Allies invented their own gas too. Each side knew that if they attack with gas, the other side will do the same. That is not peace. Peace is an active word. Like Love, Peace is a fruit of the spirit. Peace always comes with love, humility, sympathy, and true unity. Peace means a new understanding of life. Peace means Love!
The Gospel is powerful because The Cross is the Truth. It shows God’s love for man and man’s hatred against God. Once you see that you are a sinner, an enemy of the God who created you and who loves you with everlasting love, you will surrender to Jesus. The Cross shows you that all men are God’s creation, and that God loves the world. So, you learn to let go of your hatred and start loving people. The Cross breaks our pride and all the walls we built inside and around us. Peace in the hearts of men leads to peace in the country. “The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace” (Ps 29:11). May God grant revival, peace and prosperity to Nigeria! Amen! The Cross humbles us. Love never fails! Peace reigns! Worship the Lord!
This event happened at the end of 7 days of the feast of Tabernacles. Jesus has just declared Himself to be the Messiah, the Fountain of Living Water (Jn 7:37,38). The feast for that year was now over. Everyone was tired. The people that came from all over Isreal, went away. “And everyone went to his own house. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives”. As all the people in Jerusalem went to their homes to rest, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. The King of kings had no house of His own. He possibly went to the house of Martha and Mary, at Bethany, the village at the foot of Mount of Olives. Or He went to rest in the open air in the cool of the night, on Mount of Olives. This shows the wonderful humility of Jesus. The next morning Jesus was back to Jerusalem. He came quietly without any advertisement. He went back to the temple. People came to listen to Him. Why did He teach these people? He knew that they didn’t understand what He was saying. He knew that soon they would shout: Crucify Him! Why did He teach these sinners for hours? Because He loved them! What Humility! What Grace! What Love! Lesson: Love is the greatest teacher! Ministry has no vacation! Trust God for added Grace!
Suddenly, the open-air classroom is disturbed by loud noises. The Pharisees brought to Him a screaming woman. They accused her of being ‘caught in adultery; in the very act’, they claim. The truth is that these religious rulers are trying to trap Jesus in something He may say. If they can catch Him saying something wrong, His reputation among the people will be ruined. These men are religious hypocrites and faultfinders. The people do not know that. But Jesus always knows what is in man. There were two options: If Jesus agrees with their verdict, that the woman has committed adultery, according to the Law of Moses she must be stoned to death. Then Jesus is not as merciful and loving as He claims to be. If Jesus does not agree to stone her to death, it proves that He is not a true teacher of the Law because He does not obey the Law. Therefore, He is not the Messiah. Their evil minds planned that whatever Jesus says will be against Him. Even in the Old Testament, the death penalty was rare. Adultery, breaking the Sabath, continuous disobedience to the parents, and blasphemy, were crimes punishable by death. But if death was applied in each case, no Jew would be alive, because they were all guilty of breaking the law.
These Pharisees ignored the law too. If the woman is found guilty of adultery, and must be stoned to death, that act cannot be done immediately in the temple courts. There were conditions. The adulteress, her husband, and the man who committed adultery with her, must stand before the Religious tribunal. If her husband shows her mercy, and forgives her, she is free. If her husband does not forgive her, she is guilty. In that case, the unmerciful husband must be the first to throw a stone at her. The witnesses who saw the act of adultery must be at least two or three. They too have the option to show mercy and to forgive the woman. God is a merciful God. “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Ps 103:8). But if the witnesses refused to forgive, they would be the first to stone her. They could not just stand by and watch. Even the people in the crowd must join them in the stoning. No passive spectators were allowed during judgment. If later, the witnesses proved to be liars, they could be stoned to death. In the Old Testament, mercy was almost always applied in the cases of death penalty. In this case, there is no mention of a husband, or the man involved in the act of adultery. They only bought the woman. But the accusation was not fair. These are the three options: the woman has committed adultery, the woman was raped, or the woman was innocent and falsely accused. Whatever the situation, this woman is not receiving a fair trial according to the Law. The Pharisees did not present all the facts. The people around did not know the truth. Only Jesus knew exactly what the truth was.
The response of Jesus teaches us a powerful lesson of Justice, Mercy and Love. As the accusers were shouting, Jesus stooped down and wrote something on the ground. Please observe that Jesus did not answer immediately. His silence was loud!!! Nobody knows what He wrote. But one thing is sure, the same finger that wrote the Ten Commandments was writing on the dust, on the stony courtyard in the Temple. He who wrote the Law is the Best Interpreter of the Law. We read that two times “Jesus stooped down” (Jn 8:6,8). In Greek, the words ‘stoop down’ mean to bend forward and bowing the head. This is a picture of the Cross. “So, when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (Jn 19:30). No Jew would bow down in the presence of a woman, especially a sinful woman. But Jesus did that. You see the extraordinary humility of Jesus and the display of His Love on the Cross. As Christ crucified, who died for this woman, He freely justified her. At the same time, the Cross condemns unrepentant sinners. The accusers are now condemned of sin. This is the power of the Cross! What an amazing love!
Please observe: Jesus does not accuse the woman. He does not even ask her questions or tell her to defend herself. The Pharisees pressed Jesus for an answer. They were sure of winning their wicked game of fault finding. Suddenly, Jesus stood and said these powerful words: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first!” Jesus is exposing the wickedness and hypocrisy of the Pharisees. What He meant was this: ‘If you are witnesses of this sinful act, and you are sure that you are totally innocent, then be the first to cast the stone at her.’ Jesus exposed the evil minds of these religious men. They don’t care if the woman lives or dies. All they wanted is to trap Jesus in what He would say. But none was innocent. All were guilty of the sin. Shocked that Jesus knew their hearts, one by one, the men are leaving. No one is willing to cast a stone at the woman. The crowd leaves too. The confusion is over. The place is now quiet.
The woman is still trembling waiting for the judgment. She is alone with her Savior, who alone is without sin. Jesus is the only One who has the right to throw the stone at her because He is innocent of sin. But He does not throw the stone. He exercises mercy. This is Love! When we read the story, we assume that what the Pharisees said is true. We generally call this ‘the story of the woman caught in adultery’. But please observe that Jesus does not accuse the woman of adultery. He alone knows the truth about this woman. What if is she was raped? He only says: “go and sin no more”. This is the moment when the woman was justified by Grace. She became born-again! She had faith that Jesus is her Savior and her Lord! “Go and sin no more!” But this command applies not only to the woman. Jesus could have said these words to any one of us. This is the Light of the World speaking love, shining mercy!
“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col 2:13-15). This story reveals clearly how Jesus took away the accusation against the woman and nailed it on His Cross. He disarmed and disgraced her wicked accusers. Praise the Lord!
Let us examine ourselves… Sometime, we are like the Pharisees, too quick to accuse people. Other times we are like the crowd, interested in free entertainment at the expense of another’s pain. Or we can be like the woman, lonely, afraid, unfairly accused and in desperate need of Love. Jesus is our best example. He who alone was without sin and had the right to stone the sinner, choose to show Mercy and Love. We should do the same. Listen to Our Lord: “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. 37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven!” (Lk 6:36,37). Instead of gossiping, let us encourage others. Instead of slander, pray for one another. Instead of oppression, help another. These are fruits of Love none can deny! These same Pharisees continue to accuse Jesus. They finally succeeded in crucifying the Savior. The Father in heaven did not show mercy to His Son hanging on the Cross. Christ died on our behalf. Only “Love is as strong as death” (SS 8:6). Love always has the last word.
Why is so important to believe that God Loves you forever? God’s gracious love is the basis of our relationship with Him, in Christ. If you are not sure of God’s love for you, then you will have no peace, no joy, no assurance of going to heaven. You will always try to impress God by your good deeds. You cannot relax in His Love. True Christian life is a life of peace, joy, hope and strength. When you come to God, you will discover that He loves you always. He is not like a judge or like a police man who always looks for your trouble. God smiles on His children. You discover that God loves you, teaches you, disciplines you, embraces you, carries you on His shoulders until you go to heaven!
Finally, you may be rich or poor, educated or illiterate, you may be white, black or brown, a slave or a master, you may be young, old, or at the point of death, all this does not matter. Only one thing matters: you cannot save yourself! You cannot go to heaven by your own wisdom or power. Give your life to Christ! You must be born again! You must be born again! You must be born again! Worship the Lord!
The story of the Titanic, the largest ocean liner at that time, the mighty ship that sank in 1912, has lessons for all. This luxurious ship was advertised as unsinkable. Most people believed it. On its first journey from England to New York, on the fourth day, in the night, the ship was struck by a big iceberg. The Titanic received 6 warnings of ice on sea but did not lower its speed of 41Km/hour. It sank 2 hours and 40 minutes later. There were 2,224 people on board. More than 1500 people died, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. In total, 706 people were successfully rescued, but more could have been saved.
Why did so few get saved? There are many reasons… There was poor management among the crew. First, the captain told the crew not to tell the people that the ship was sinking. The orchestra continued to play music giving the impression of peace. People were deceived. They did not see the situation as an emergency. The lifeboats were not lowered in time. Even when the lifeboats were lowered into the ocean, many people refused to enter because they still believed that the ship could not sink. Many of the lifeboats had empty seats. Later, when the people saw that the ship was going down, they panicked. Some jumped overboard but died almost immediately because of the cold shock in the icy water. The third-class passengers were discriminated against, left behind until it was too late. More people died from the third-class passengers than others.
These are other facts: There were not enough lifeboats. Originally, there were to be 48 lifeboats. Each boat could carry 60 people. The owners of the ship, confident that the ship is unsinkable, insisted that 20 lifeboats are enough. They said that the boats will take too much space on the deck and block the beautiful view enjoyed by the passengers. For them, enjoyment was more important than safety. The drill (the exercise to inform people what to do in case of emergency) was cancelled. The staff and people were not prepared for an emergency. At last, none who stayed in the ship could be saved. Another ship came an hour after Titanic sank and rescued all the 706 people in the lifeboats. (All this information I gleaned it from the internet)
Lessons: Pride is a terrible sin! Deception is possible. You can be deceived that all is well with your soul. Men can deceive you! You can even deceive yourself, mocking God and His Justice. You can postpone your surrender to Christ until it is too late for you to think well! You may put your trust in your money or success never thinking of death or life after death. Today is the day of salvation! Be wise! Give your life to Christ now! This is the warning of Love! Worship the Lord!
Jesus thought more than 50 parables. A parable is a short and simple story that teaches a religious or moral lesson. In the Parable of the wedding feast Jesus gives us a glimpse of the Kingdom of God (Matt 22:1-14). The Jews have rejected Him as the King of God’s Kingdom. This rejection is the reason why the Kingdom will be given to other nations that will produce its fruits (Matt 21:43). These nations are the Gentiles, people like me and you. Glory!
THE JEWISH MARRIAGE CULTURE
Christ is the heavenly Bridegroom who died to save His Bride. He rose again from the dead to marry His Bride. To better understand this revelation, we must know something about the Jewish culture of marriage as it was practiced during the time of Jesus on earth. The marriage between a man and a woman had three parts:
The first part was a contract, a covenant between the two families. The father of the Bridegroom or the Bridegroom himself, pays an amount of money to the parents of the Bride. It was a marriage dowry, a pledge that they would be soon married. Spiritually, the dowry is called ‘the sealing with the Holy Spirit’ applied to believers in Christ. This sealing guarantees the soon coming marriage of the Lamb. “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory” (Eph 1:13, 14). Jesus paid this dowry with His Blood on the Cross. This period was called ‘the betrothal’. The man and his future bride still leave separately. But from this moment on, the families consider them as belonging to one another. These days this pledge is called ‘engagement’. It is a serious commitment. When Angel Gabriel came to Mary, Joseph and Mary were in this stage. As Mary was waiting for Joseph to come, the Holy Spirit came on her and she got pregnant with Jesus. This is the wonderful story of the Incarnation.
The second part of the marriage occurs much letter. The Bridegroom, accompanied by his friends, carrying fire torches in their hands, come to the house of his bride. This usually happens at night, when it is cooler. The Bride is ready, waiting for her Bridegroom. This is described in the Parable of the wise and foolish virgins. To be ready it means to be born again by the Holy Spirit (having oil in her lamp). The virgin who is not ready is foolish. She cannot get married. She has missed the opportunity (Matt 25:1-13). This is the warning of Love!
The third part is the wedding feast proper as described in the wedding of Cana. Jesus was a guest at that wedding. He did a miracle by changing the water into wine. “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him” (John 2:11). Thru this miracle, the disciples had a glimpse of the glory of Jesus, the heavenly Bridegroom, and they believed in Him. God’s glory and goodness attracts us to Jesus, “who called us by His own glory and goodness” (2Pet 1:3; NIV). Halleluiah!!
LESSONS TAKEN FROM THIS PARABLE:
*The Kingdom of God is a spiritual reality, revealed only to God’s children by the Holy Spirit. God’s Kingdom is the realm, rule, and reign of God, where Jesus Christ is King, advancing on earth, by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, bringing righteousness, joy, peace, healing, freedom, prosperity, and deliverance, by driving away the forces of darkness. To enter God’s Kingdom, you must be born again!
*The gates of the Kingdom are open wide. The invitation is given to all sinners, the good and the bad, the religious and the unbelievers. Salvation is not based on ethnicity, education, financial status, popularity, ministry position, personality type, or attractiveness. For this reason, we should be very careful not to assume that the people most fit for the kingdom are those who look most like us. No sinner can enter the Kingdom by his own righteousness. “Each gate was of one pearl… and the gates shall not be shut at all…” (Rev 21:21, 25).
*There are conditions to have ‘the visa’ to enter the Kingdom of God. Though the gates of the kingdom are open wide, the Kingdom still has gates, and we must enter through them. The King imposes conditions on us. Unrepentant sinners cannot enter the Kingdom. “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Rev 21:27). To abide in the Kingdom, we all need to be dressed in ‘a uniform’, a wedding garment freely offered at the door by the servants of the host. This is the garment of the imputed Righteousness of Christ, given by God to the guest who has faith in the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. In other words, the citizen of the Kingdom is justified by God the Father once the sinner (the guest) has faith in His Son. Justification is by Grace alone and through faith alone, in Christ alone. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph 2:8,9). All guests are grateful for the garments provided and humbly submit to the King. None boasts of his own merits to enter the palace. This wedding garment is a compulsory dress code. It shows the unity of the Spirit among all the guests. It is a sign of their humility and honor to King Grace. It is proof that they have entered thru the gate. If a guest goes in through other ways, that guest is not welcomed. He is a thief and a robber (Jn 10:1). He will eventually be exposed, arrested and punished. He will be bound hand and foot and sent to the ‘outer darkness’, an outside prison hell, where there will is weeping and gnashing of teeth, eternal regrets and terrible torments. False teachers go to the ‘blackness of darkness forever’ (2Pet 2:17). Selah!
*Agape Love is the badge of the citizens of the Kingdom. All sins against Love are punished. Judas betrayed His Master, Jesus. He is the best example of such a guest who had no wedding garment. When Jesus was sharing this parable, he was there listening. But he did not repent. We must put on the dress of Love! Malice, envy, sexual lusts and other sins should not be found in us. “Let us conduct ourselves properly and honorably as in the [light of] day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and irresponsibility, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for [nor even think about gratifying] the flesh in regard to its improper desires” (Rom 13:13,14; AMP). “Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others]” (Col 3:14; AMP).
*At the end of time, there shall be the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven. God’s Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will marry His Bride, the Church. “Then I heard something like the shout of a vast multitude, and like the boom of many pounding waves, and like the roar of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all] reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and shout for joy! Let us give Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb has come [at last] and His bride (the redeemed) has prepared herself.” 8 She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling white and clean—for the fine linen signifies the righteous acts of the saints [the ethical conduct, personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character of believers]. 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me [further], “These are the true and exact words of God.” (Rev 19:6-9; AMP). The saints of the Old Testament are also redeemed and invited as guests to the wedding of the Lamb!
Finally, please don’t forget that God’s kingdom is a feast!!! The father of the prodigal son killed the fattened calf to celebrate his son! God wants to be enjoyed by us. He is the God of laughter, filled bellies, and second helpings. In His presence there is fullness of joy (Ps 16:11). “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!” (Phil 4:4). “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord. Forever!” (Ps 23:5,6). Do you believe that? Then take your wedding garment and come! There is a seat with your name for you at His table! “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev 22:17). Worship the Lord!
Jesus proves to Nicodemus that he is totally ignorant of the revelation of the way of salvation and eternal life. Doctrine: all natural men are ignorant of God as revealed in Christ (Jn 3:1-21). Jesus gives two major reasons why men like Nicodemus are ignorant of spiritual realities:
1-Men do not have access to heaven.
Nicodemus was telling Jesus about the opinion of his religious colleagues. He uses the word ‘we’ when saying: “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God” (Jn 3:2). Jesus is also using the word ‘we’ when speaking on behalf of Himself and His family members, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. “Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who IS in heaven” (Jn 3:11-13). Don’t you feel sorry for Nicodemus and his associates, the religious leaders in Jerusalem? Jesus speaks in the name of the Trinity. He said that the major sin of Nicodemus and of all sinners is that they do not receive the Witness of the Trinity. They reject the Gospel. Men can’t claim that they are totally ignorant of God. Nature testifies that there is a Creator God. But what man rejects is the revelation of the way of salvation, by Grace alone, thru faith alone, in Christ alone. Man cannot on his own go to heaven. He needs a ‘password’ coming down directly from heaven. That Living Word is Christ! Trusting Jesus Christ who came from heaven to die for sinners is the only way to salvation! The revelation of life and death, of heaven and hell, is found only in the pages of the Bible. But reading the Bible alone is not enough. Man needs the help of the Holy Spirit to believe God’s Word. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down from heaven and who is the Witness to Jesus!
Jesus speaks in Jerusalem, but He says that He is heaven at the same time. “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who IS in heaven” (Jn 3:13). We have a glimpse of Jesus’ life and glory before He came down to earth as a Man. Heaven is His eternal dwelling place. He sits on the throne in heaven. Even on earth, having the body of mortal man, Jesus is still “IN HEAVEN”. Jesus lives in heaven and on earth at the same time. God is Omnipresent! Nicodemus needed to hear that! Jesus was more than a teacher or a miracle worker. He is God! Nicodemus was talking to God, and he did not even know it! “Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places” (Ps 135:6). Jacob had the same revelation. “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it” (Gen 28:16). The revelation that Jesus is God humbles any man! Glory to God!
2-The only way to heaven is through the Cross.
The only way for man to receive eternal life and go to heaven is faith in the death of the Son of God on the Cross. For as long as man rejects Jesus, he can’t go to heaven. The only Person who can describe heaven is Jesus Christ who came down from heaven. It is only thru Christ that man can have a glimpse, enter and experience heaven. Jesus is the only Way! There is no other way! “Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (Jn 14:6; AMP). Amen!
Jesus tells Nicodemus that the Son of Man will be lifted as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness. He was referring to the story in the Book of Numbers 21. God’s people grumbled against God and Moses. They became discouraged on the way to the Promised Land. They complained saying they are tired of eating only manna, the food God sent from heaven. Manna stands for God’s Word. God became angry. He sent venomous serpents. Many people were bitten and died. They repented of their sins and asked Moses to intercede for them. Moses did. God gave ‘the cure’. He told Moses to make a bronze serpent. He should hang this serpent on a high pole for all to see it. Anyone who was bitten by a serpent should look up to the bronze serpent. He who looks with faith in God’s given solution, will live. He who refuses to look, or has no faith in God’s method of healing, will die. The main lessons from this story are these: God’s solution of looking with faith is the only solution that saves, heals, gives life. There is no other medicine, doctor, prayer or sacrifice that can save a dying man. Secondly, the bronze serpent is a symbol of the devil, not of Jesus. Bronze stands for judgment. Looking at that bronze serpent we see that he is condemned and defeated by the Cross, by Christ Crucified. By faith with see the total victory of Christ over Satan, sin, sickness and death.
Jesus told Nicodemus: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:14,15). This serpent on a pole is a symbol of the Cross. This is the doctrine of salvation: He who believes in Christ crucified shall have eternal life! He who rejects the Gospel, shall die and go to hell. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation]” (Ac 4:12; AMP). Selah!
LIVING FAITH
“Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!” The words of Jesus remind us of our greatest need: It is the need for salvation, for eternal life. “Salvation is of the Lord! (Jonah 2:9). God the Father sent God the Son to earth to provide the solution for our greatest need and to become our greatest blessing. This is the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. Eternal life is given only to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Saving Faith is the deciding factor. Our Living Faith is more precious than silver and gold (1Pet 1:7). But not all faith is approved by God. These are the characteristics of Biblical Living Faith that saves the soul:
*Faith is connected to God’s Word, which is Truth. Faith is not just a religious emotion. Faith believes God’s Word. “So, then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). Religious ‘secondhand faith’ cannot save. You must believe God’s Word by yourself! Here you see that there is a preacher and there is a hearer. Both must do their work. The hearer listens to God’s Word. It’s his responsibility to listen well. God’s Word is activated by the Holy Spirit, and it becomes living faith in his heart. The beginning, progress, and strength of faith is always by hearing. It is true that not all who hear the Gospel believe unto salvation. The Holy Spirit separates the wheat from the tares. God’s Word must be preached before the sinner hears and faith is born. Faith is acceptance and submission to truth. Jesus is Truth!
*Faith means totally trusting God and trusting Jesus Christ to save you. It means trusting God’s Promises. The believer abandons trust in himself and commits himself to Jesus Christ. It’s like marriage. Once a man and his wife get married, they open their hearts to one another, share their most intimate thoughts, trusting each other. They reject every other person coming between them. Agape love trusts truth and it is fruitful. As a child of God, you totally believe that Jesus will take you to heaven. Living Faith is personal, real and extremely strong!
*Faith saves the believer from ‘perishing’. In Greek, the word ‘perish’ means to be totally destroyed, or to die. To perish does not mean to cease to exist. It means to die a second death in the lake of fire, to be tormented day and night, forever and ever. “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever… 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:10,15). Some ask how a God of Love can condemn people to hell, to suffer forever. God is the God of Mercy and Love. But God is also the God of Justice. Because God is holy, He hates and punishes sin. When Adam sinned, sin entered humanity. We are born sinners. We also choose to commit sin. We are all condemned already. We are all going down to death and hell. We cannot save ourselves. God sent His Son Jesus Christ, to die on our behalf. Those who believe and surrender their lives to Jesus Christ, shall be saved. This is the doctrine of justification by Grace alone, thru faith alone, in Christ alone. The rest of the people, no matter how moral, good or religious they seem to be, remained condemned and perish. Jesus did not come to condemn men because they were ‘condemned already’ (Jn 3:18). Condemnation is old! Salvation is new!
When Jesus died on the Cross, He removed the sting of death. Like the people who were bitten by the fiery serpents in the wilderness, by looking with faith at the bronze serpent on the pole, the poison in their blood was neutralized. And they lived (Numbers 21). It is the same with looking unto Jesus! You need personal faith in His Person, especially in His death on your behalf. This is the truth revealed in the Bible. Faith saves! Unbelief condemns! Therefore, condemnation is as real as salvation! The people who have faith in Jesus have ‘Eternal Life’. Eternal life is a life that never ends. But it is not just that. Eternal Life is a special type of life; it is the life of God. It has a different quality than the life of a sinner. Salvation, eternal life, going to heaven, worshipping God forever are blessings money cannot buy. You cannot enter heaven trusting in your good works. If you reject Jesus, no tears you shed that day will make any difference once you die. Be born again!
The Book ‘The Pilgrim Progress’ written by John Bunyan, is a classic. Next to the Bible, is the greatest bestseller in the world. It tells of a man called Christian. God told him that his city will be destroyed. He believed the warning. That is true faith. He runs from his city towards the narrow gate. His family and friends try to convince him to come back. But he refuses. He runs shouting: “Life! Life! Eternal Life!” He passes through the narrow gate and arrives at the Cross. Looking at Christ Crucified, his burden of sin drops from his back and disappears. He is now free. He passes through many trials and temptations and eventually he arrives at the Celestial city, which is heaven itself. Later, his wife and children follow him on the same road of salvation. Worship the Lord!
This event happened as our Lord was going on His last pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where He will die on the Cross. The Jews discriminated the Samaritans and do not pass thru Samaria. But Jesus does not care about these petty issues. As He entered a village, Jesus met ten men who were lepers. Nine were Jews and one was a Samaritan. Leprosy was a terrible incurable disease, a symbol of sin. The sick man does not feel pain. His voice is getting faint. There is a white patch growing on his body. Parts of his body like his fingers, toes, lips or the nose fall off, leaving the man disfigured for life. This was God’s Law: “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp” (Lev 13:45, 46). The leprous must live outside the village.
These ten men stood afar off according to the Law. They were supposed to shout ‘Unclean, unclean!’ so that healthy people avoid them. But when Jesus passed by, they had faith for the healing of their bodies. Leprosy affects the vocal cords. We fainted voices, the ten of them shouted “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” They recognized the Lordship of Jesus. They asked Him for mercy. At the root of sickness is sin. They asked for mercy so that they could be healed. Jesus commanded them saying: “Go! Show yourselves to the priests”. The priests could not heal any sick person, but they could confirm the healing. They were like health inspectors. Jesus wanted them to exercise their faith. To walk as they were already healed. They did that! They obeyed instantly. Oh, the grace in this sentence: “so it was that as they went…”
Jesus did not touch them. He did not speak a word of healing to them. The command ‘go!’ meant healing. They needed to pass the test of faith. As they were going together towards the village priest, they found that they were healed. Imagine the joy! First one, then another, then another one, discovered that the sickness disappeared from their bodies. They were healed! Immediately, the nine Jews ran towards the house of the priest to confirm the healing. From now on, they could live a normal life. They never looked back!
Sickness brought these men together. Now, as they were healed, it is possible that the old discrimination manifested. They Jews went on their way together to the priest. But the Samaritan went back to Jesus, the Great High Priest! With the eyes of faith, He saw Jesus as His great High Priest! He did not need any other priest! He fell at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him with a loud voice. Leprosy has quenched his voice. Now that he is healed, he did want to waste his shout on empty things. He came to Jesus to shout His name! He obeyed God’s Word: “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises” (Ps 98:4). Praise is a sacrifice. This Samaritan offered the first fruits of his healthy body and recovered voice to Jesus. After years of silence and sadness, he gave Jesus the first feeling of joy. He did not want only healing of the body. He wanted healing of the soul. Jesus confirms the miracle. He says “Arise, go your way! Your faith has made you well!” He was healed not only in his body, but his soul was saved. Lesson: our response to God after we receive a blessing is extremely important.
These ten men were suffering and dying. For many years, people told them that there was no hope for them. When Jesus commanded them to ‘Go, to the priest..’ they gladly obeyed. This is the first time in many years that someone addressed them as living beings. The very command Go! Meant hope and healing! They passed the test of obedience. They got healed. Sickness and suffering kept these men together. God’s blessing separated them, physically and eternally. Men can join in prayer for needs. The same men can separate during worship. Many pray to God! Few Paise God! What is the reason why the nine did not come back? Possibly, it was fear. It was also pride. They were afraid that Jesus will make demands on them, telling them what to do. They wanted healing but they also wanted freedom from Jesus. They did not want a relationship with Jesus. Ingratitude is worse than leprosy! Selah!
Observe that the Samaritan humbled himself before Jesus. It was not the sickness that humbled him. It was the mercy of God revealed to him. He knew that he did not deserve to be healed, to be given a second chance in life. He knew that he was unworthy of such a gift. That is why he came back. The Samaritan truly appreciated the Mercy and Grace of God! There are four steps in the walk of grace towards salvation: Return to Jesus! Fall at the feet of Jesus! Glorify God! Thank God with a loud voice! Lesson: Gratitude to God is not enough! Passionate Gratitude is necessary! Everything we are and we have, is a gift from God. It belongs to God. We should always return to Jesus! At the feet of King Jesus the sick sinner becomes a saint! The healed sinner becomes holy! Once you have tested that God is good, do not go back to be an ordinary person again! Go to Jesus! Stay with Jesus!
We generally limit the act of thanksgiving to being grateful AFTER you receive a gift. From this story we see that thanksgiving is an act of faith. It is offered forward. It becomes an open door to salvation and other blessings.
There are steps on the way of healing. The first is forgiveness. A stronghold of unforgiveness always blocks prayer of healing. By forgiving others, and even yourself, you open the door to a miracle of healing. You must choose between the desire for revenge and your healing! The second step is thanksgiving. We must thank God always, for everything. Third, is to praise God with a loud voice like this Samarian. He still had problems. He has been leprous for a long time. He had no wife, children or friends. He had no job and no money. He could face rejection from people even as he was healed. But he decided to forget these problems and go to Jesus. He decided that praising Jesus is more important than solving his problems. With a loud voice he declared that God is greater than his problems.
Lessons: It is possible to have an encounter with Jesus, to be healed by Jesus and still not be saved. The nine were dreaming of being healed to go back to a normal life in the community. The tenth one was praying and hoping to be healed and know the Healer. Each received what they wanted. The sin of ingratitude is a terribly ugly dark sin. May God have mercy on us too! Learn to praise God in the midst of your problems. That is the key to find favor with God. That is the path that leads to salvation. Coming to church faithfully, is an act of gratitude. The nine were healed but only this one was made well. He got saved! Forgiveness is necessary for survival. But thanking God and praising God in the middle of unsolved problems releases the power of salvation and eternal life! Worship the Lord!
We shall study the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus. To better understand the background of their discussion that night, we look at what happened in the days before. This is the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. He just did His first miracle by changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana. We are told that thru this miracle, Jesus “manifested His glory and His disciples believed in Him” (Jn 2:11). Jesus then went to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual Passover feast. He drove away the money changers and those who did business in the temple, saying: “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” (Jn 2:16). He did some miracles in Jerusalem, not recorded in the Bible. Many in Jerusalem believed in Him because of the signs (miracles) He did there. But we are told that: “Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man” (Jn 2:24, 25). Many men believed in Jesus because of His miracles. But Jesus did not trust or approve their faith in Him. It was a false faith He could not accept. They saw Jesus as a miracle worker. They did not really know Him as their Savior and the Son of God.
Why did Jesus not trust these men who ‘believed’ in Him? The answer is that not all who claim to believe in Jesus, really believe in Him. There is genuine Biblical faith which stands on God’s Word and there is false faith that stands on man’s wisdom. The Bible says that all men are sinners. Sin is deceiving. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings” (Jer 17:9,10). The heart of man is deceitful and wicked. We deceive ourselves thinking that we are saved, that we are better than we really are. We are wicked because we try to deceive others and make them fall. We pretend that we can help them in their times of need. We give them the impression that we know God and have all the resources to solve their problems. We make promises that we cannot keep, giving false hope to people. We love money but we pretend to love God. We are filled with pride, greed, sexual lusts, and selfish ambition pretending to love God and men. This deception is wicked and destroys many people’s souls. We deceive ourselves and others, but we cannot deceive God. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal 6:7). To mock someone means to laugh at him, so that he looks stupid. Don’t deceive yourself: no one laughs at the justice of God! Selah! Self-deception is one reason why we hate God, because He knows the truth we try to hide. “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1Sam 16:7). Jesus looks at the hearts of men. He knows when a faith is genuine or not, when Love is true, or it is not. Selah!
Do you want to know the opinion of Jesus about men in general, and about you in particular? Then go to the Bible. God’s Word exposes the motives of our actions. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:12,13). “God knows the heart and searches the heart” (Ac 15:8; Rom 8:27). Men know that God exists, but they reject Him and His Christ. This rejection is man’s greatest sin. It ends in foolishness, emptiness and spiritual darkness, and eventually, death. “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom 1:21). When you listen to the TV, the radio, or you meet people on the street, how many times have you seen them thanking God for their lives? Most of them refuse to acknowledge God who gives them breath. Ingratitude is a sign of rejecting God, of unbelief, of not being saved. Men do not think of their souls, of death and life after death. Men spend more time watching a football match, and women spend more time dreaming about a new pair of shoes, than thinking about their souls, about God or His Word. The tendency to think only about our bodies, about our lives on earth and totally ignore our soul’s needs, is common to all sinners. Even when men become religious and start attending church, they still do not change. They only add a layer of religious paint, to look better from the outside. They become proud and self-righteous. This is the truth about men, about us. We are born sinners, wicked and selfish in our hearts. We deserve to die and go to hell!
How can man be saved then? Salvation is a gift of God. It comes by His Grace alone, thru our faith alone, in Christ alone. Practically, we need to study God’s Word and pray. An encounter with Christ, thru the pages of the Bible, is the greatest medicine to save our souls and to heal our bodies. The great Prophet Isaiah thought he was a righteous man. He wrote 5 chapters in His Book. But one day, he saw Christ seated on the throne (see Isaiah 6). As the light of God shone on him and angels cried “Holy, Holy, Holy”, he had the revelation of his terrible state, full of sins, wickedness and deceit. He fell before God and confessed his sins. By God’s mercy and grace he got saved. From that moment on, he was never the same. He wrote the remaining 61 chapters, revealing the mystery of Christ crucified and resurrected.
Jesus said: you must be born again to enter or even see the Kingdom of God! It is not enough to read or quote the scriptures. Salvation is a miracle produced only by the Holy Spirit. None can save himself. No religion or philosophy can save your soul. Humble yourself before God. See yourself as a sinner in need of help. Ask God for His mercy and grace. Press on with faith, in prayer and fasting. Join a living church where the pastor preaches the true Gospel. Fight for your soul! God will help you. God will save you. Becoming born-again is the greatest ‘achievement’ for anyone on earth. Salvation is personal. The sermon is preached to the crowd. But salvation is one soul at a time. Selah!
We are told that Jesus did not ‘entrust Himself to man, because He knew the truth about man’. Please note that He did not trust men, but He did not abandon them. As human beings, if we discover that someone does not believe in us, we usually reject that one. Not so with Jesus! God the Father sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for sinners. Both the Father and the Son knew that men are sinners. Jesus did not die for us because we were good. He was never deceived. He knew the gravity of sin and the depth of our deception. He came and took our sins upon Himself. For God so loved the world… How big is this love? Look at the price that was paid for it. God knew that the world is in darkness, rebellion and wickedness. He loved us so much that He was ready to pay the highest sacrifice. He sent Jesus to earth knowing that we shall mock him, reject Him, and eventually crucify Him. Some people think that Jesus is more loving than God the Father. That is a lie. God the Father is the Author and the designer of the plan of salvation. Some people think that it was only after Jesus died that the Father started to love us. That is another lie. The source of Agape Love is God the Father who loves us eternally. Praise God!
We shall study the encounter of Nicodemus with Jesus. John calls him ‘a man of the Pharisees’. He could have said ‘a Pharisee’ but he added ‘a man’. This is to connect with what he said in chapter 2, that Jesus did not entrust Himself to man, because He knew what was in man. The Pharisees were the religious leaders in Isreal. They truly tried to obey God’s Laws. They were moral people. They were not caught stealing, lying, or committing adultery. They paid tithes even from their spices. Apostle Paul was a Pharisee before he got saved. Nicodemus was a Greek name. It means ‘The Victory of the People’. Some of the high social class Jews took Greek names to show that they were educated. Many trusted in the Greek philosophers, alongside their faith in Jehovah God. Nicodemus was a leader in Jerusalem, a moral man, a political ruler and a religious teacher. Even today, it is rare to find a man like him, combining good moral standards, political success and good religious behavior. He came to see Jesus by night, possibly to avoid embarrassment, being mocked by his colleagues. That shows hidden pride. But he speaks respectfully to Jesus. Though Jesus did not attend the religious schools in Isreal, he calls Jesus ‘Rabbi’ or Teacher. He must have heard Jesus preaching and he was impressed enough to call him a teacher from God. He was also impressed by the power Jesus had to do miracles. The Pharisees did not believe in miracles, but Nicodemus could not ignore the supernatural power manifested in Jesus. He saw in Jesus a Teacher from God and a Miracle worker. He too was a respected teacher in Isreal. Nicodemus was speaking to Jesus as teacher speaks to teacher. He possibly came to offer Jesus his support and guidance. Maybe in his mind he thought something like this: ‘Jesus, I see that You are spiritual Man, a good teacher of the Bible and God is with You to do these miracles. I am older than you. I lived all my life in Jerusalem. I know the political scene and the religious rulers. I can help You develop Your gifts, to establish Yourself as a teacher here. Jerusalem is not like that your village, Nazareth. Here, there are dangerous people. The Romans make things harder for all of us to serve Jehovah in peace. I offer my friendship to you as a senior colleague…’ Maybe this is what Nicodemus had in mind to say. But Jesus did not give him the chance to speak. Why? Because Jesus ‘knew what was in man’. He knew that Nicodemus, as great and famous as he was in Isreal, knows nothing about spiritual realities, about Jesus, the Savior of mankind. He was totally ignorant of the sin in his heart and the price needed to be paid for him to be saved.
Jesus totally ignored Nicodemus’ flatteries. If Jesus was only a man, hearing these good words of approval from Nicodemus, that could have been music to His ears. But Jesus was not only a Man. He was God in human flesh. Immediately, Jesus addressed the ignorance of Nicodemus and showed him the way to heaven. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:3). This sentence alone cuts down Nicodemus’ pride as a Bible teacher. He knew nothing about being ‘born again’. That concept was not in his curriculum. He did not know of anyone in Jerusalem who was teaching that subject. With that revelation alone, speaking the truth in love, Jesus proved to be the teacher, leader and mentor to the old man. We see that Jesus always uses truth to direct our attention from empty religion to spiritual realities. He always points the way, from earth to heaven. When the rich young ruler came to Him, Jesus showed him the hindrance blocking him to go to heaven. For him, it was the love of money. When Jesus talked to the woman at the well, He showed her the difference between the water in Jacob’s well and Himself who is the Living Water. Lesson: like Jesus, we must point sinners to spiritual matters concerning their souls and not only encourage them about success in this world!
You must be born again! This is one of the greatest statements in the Bible. No man can understand it thru research or human wisdom. The need to be born again is revealed only by the Holy Spirit. Here we see that salvation is not by doing good works or obeying religious laws. Salvation is God’s work. It is always by Grace and thru faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation always gives glory to God. No man can boast of it. To be born again is always a miracle. In Greek, the word ‘again’ means ‘from above; it is ‘something new’. Therefore, to be born again it means to be born from above. It is a birth from God in heaven. It is not just a religious experience, some superficial change of character. It is literally heaven downloaded into your spirit. No man on earth can make you born-again. Only The Man who came down from heaven, Jesus Christ, can save you. Salvation is by the power of the Holy Spirit, thru faith in God’s eternal Word. God’s Word is preached. Sinners are drawn to Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. “Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you” (1Pet 1:23-25). Heaven invades earth. Acknowledge the power of preaching the Gospel! The authority of the Kingdom of God manifests as the sinner truly repents of his sin, and unconditionally, he surrenders to the King of kings, the Savior of men, Jesus Christ, the Lord.
Nicodemus should have known something about this miracle of being born from above. Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God”. As a good teacher, Jesus asks Nicodemus “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?” Nicodemus said: “How can these things be?” Jesus was referring to the Old Testament. The Jews in general and the Pharisees in particular, took great pride in their Biblical knowledge. This is what God said long ago thru the Prophet Ezekiel: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God” (Eze 36:25-28). The people of Isreal were always unfaithful to God. Three times a year, all Jews went to the temple in Jerusalem to serve Jehovah God. But they also served their local idols. Idolatry corrupts the soul and grieves the Holy Spirit. God promised to deliver them from their unfaithfulness by sprinkling clean water on them and by giving them a new heart with a new spirit. These promises describe the miracle of being born again in the Old Testament. Being born from above means to be born of water and the Spirit. The cleansing with water is by God’s Word. The power to change the heart is by the Holy Spirit. Jesus died so that “He might sanctify and cleanse her (the Church) with the washing of water by the word” (Eph 5:26).
The command to be born again is to be understood in these ways:
1-The New birth is absolutely necessary to go to heaven. There is no replacement for this. Salvation is justification by grace and through faith. It is God’s declaration to a sinner who has believed in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, on his behalf. Salvation is connected with faith in God’s Word and always gives God all the glory! We are all born sinners. We are too proud to submit to a Gospel that gives glory to God alone. We want to boast about our achievements. That is why the natural man is not interested in the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected. He sees the Bible and church services as totally boring. Some churches preach that you can go to heaven by doing good or by being faithful to your denomination. But that is a lie. None can be saved, and none can go to heaven by obeying religious laws or by doing good deeds. You must be approved by God in heaven to go to God’s heaven! You must be born again!
2-The New birth is totally a supernatural work of God. Salvation is a miracle. It is the first miracle a sinner experiences to truly know eternal life. Being born again is not a decision man makes. It must be an encounter between the sinner and God, his creator. As the sinner has faith in Christ who died for him, the Grace of God and Truth, will manifest in his spirit. It is the power of resurrection working, bringing life into death. It cannot be properly described by men. It must be experienced. It is real!
3- The New Birth cannot be seen but it produces fruits. It is manifested by its effects. Jesus said: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit”. The wind is powerful and mysterious. No one can control the wind! When the wind blows you can’t see the wind. But you can see the effects of the wind upon the trees. You can feel the movement of the air on your skin. The effects of a new life manifest itself as a changed character, a different heart. The things of the world, the sinful things you used to love, you now hate. The things of the Spirit, reading the Bible, prayer, attending church, that you once found boring, you now love and practice. The change is deep and permanent. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2Cor 5:17). Religious people may pretend to be born again, but with time, you see that they are deceived. There are no fruits! The natural man cannot receive spiritual revelation. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1Cor 2:14). Worship the Lord!
Green Pastures 