What Ambassadors of Christ Can Expect

What Ambassadors of Christ Can Expect

Because the conditional statements from Jesus in John 15:20 portray a truthful reality, they could be translated with the word since—since they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. Since the world persecuted Jesus because of his message from God and his life...
Preach the Word!

Preach the Word!

By Don Green In days of strength, preach the Word. In days of weakness, preach the Word. In days of joy, preach the Word. In days of sorrow, preach the Word. When people come, preach the Word. When people go, preach the Word. When men praise you, preach the Word. When...
Jesus’ Peace Conquers Fear

Jesus’ Peace Conquers Fear

In John 14:27, Jesus states that the peace that he gives is in stark contrast to the peace of the world. In this 1st century context of the NT, peace was created by military conquest and then it was maintained by comprehensive rule and force. More specifically, the...
How the Apostles Learned Christ

How the Apostles Learned Christ

The disciples had God in the flesh teaching them directly, but they largely misunderstood. However, that did not mean they blew their opportunity forever. Upon Christ’s ascension, He teaches them that the Holy Spirit would be sent to bring them understanding about the...
The Promise of God’s Dwelling

The Promise of God’s Dwelling

Earlier the disciples asked for a one-time manifestation of the Father and that would be all they would ever need, but now Jesus declares to them in John 14:23 that the Father and the Son would come to them to dwell with them. Furthermore, since the Spirit is...
The only foundation-Jesus Christ

The only foundation-Jesus Christ

In light of the Apostle Paul choosing to refer to Jesus Christ as the cornerstone of God’s house in Eph. 2:20, the implications become apparent. The prophets and apostles had to stay in line with Christ or else the building would be crooked and eventually topple...
How To Know You Know God

How To Know You Know God

In John 14:9, Jesus conveys his concern to the disciples that they do not know him; especially after all the time they have spent together. So how are we to think about the folks who consistently interact with biblical things, but yet do not actually know God? Reason...
The Necessity of Moment by Moment Faith

The Necessity of Moment by Moment Faith

According to John 14:1, what is going to protect the disciples in their upcoming circumstances of watching their master be arrested and crucified?—faith. What protects us in times of trouble?—faith. However, in addition to possessing the wrong object of faith, it is...
The Perfect Knowledge of the Lord

The Perfect Knowledge of the Lord

Here are a couple of excellent quotations regarding what Jesus knows and how that should affect his disciples. First, J.C. Ryle supplied some very helpful explanation regarding this truth: This perfect knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ is a very solemn thought, and...
The Greatest Love of All

The Greatest Love of All

Let’s begin by highlighting the main idea of v.1, which appears at the end of the verse—He loved them to the end or to the uttermost or perfectly. Who is them? They are identified in the previous clause as his own who were in the world. In this context, his own are...
The Destructive Nature of Fearing Man

The Destructive Nature of Fearing Man

So how is this great enemy of faith and propellent of unbelief combatted? One verse in the Proverbs makes it abundantly clear—Prov. 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted. A snare is a trap, which prevents one from obeying...
Becoming Misaligned in Worship of Christ

Becoming Misaligned in Worship of Christ

In John 12, there were multitudes of people who had traveled to Jerusalem, along with residents from within, who were flocking to see Jesus. However, the motive was not worship, nor was it based on the truth of what Jesus taught or what was written of him in the OT....
The Centrality of Christ’s Death

The Centrality of Christ’s Death

Jesus has boldly proclaimed to be the resurrection and the life in John 11:25 and even raised Lazarus from the dead to provide powerful proof of that claim, but to what extent would Jesus go to grant life to sinners?  Jesus answers that in Mark 10:45 For even the Son...
The Promise of Immanuel

The Promise of Immanuel

There’s no way to escape the fact that the promised sign of Immanuel in Isaiah 7:14 is surrounded by intense predictions of judgment for King Ahaz and the people of Judah. Sadly, the promises associated with this child would not benefit Ahaz because he refused to...
Jesus is Fully Validated by God

Jesus is Fully Validated by God

If Jesus is going to continue to make these lofty claims (such as John 10:30-I and the Father are one), how would God validate these claims, not only to those personally witnessing his ministry, but also to those who would read the accounts throughout the church age?...
How Christ Makes His Claims Certain

How Christ Makes His Claims Certain

Despite how the Jews insinuated that Christ has been withholding the truth in John 10:24, the fact of the matter is, the more clearly he reveals his identity, the more hostility is stirred up in those who hear it. This corresponds exactly to Jesus’ response in...