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Sunday, PM Service

March 6, 2011

Acts 5:1-11

Christians You may be the only BIBLE some people Open!

So We need to be Christ Like!

¹But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

 ²And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

 ³But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

 ⁴Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

 ⁵And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

 ⁶And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

 ⁷And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

 ⁸And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

 ⁹Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

 ¹⁰Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

 ¹¹And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

Sunday, PM Service

February 27, 2011

We celebrated 

Runae & Mike McVay's 39th Anniversary

and Mike's birthday.

Finger foods, cake, coffee, tea, etc..............

Sunday, PM Service

February 20, 2011

Acts 4: 18-22

¹⁸And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

 ¹⁹But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

 ²⁰For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

 ²¹So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

 ²²For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

Sunday, PM Service

February 13, 2011

Acts 4: 12-17

  ¹²Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 ¹³Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

 ¹⁴And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

 ¹⁵But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

 ¹⁶Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

 ¹⁷But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

 

Sunday, PM Service with

The Lord's Supper

February 6th, 2011

Acts 4:1-11

Couple of Men NOT Ashamed 

¹And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

 ²Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

 ³And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

 ⁴Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

 ⁵And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

 ⁶And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

 ⁷And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

 ⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

 ⁹If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

 ¹⁰Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

 ¹¹This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Observance of 

The Lord's Supper

1Corinthians 11:23-28

²³For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

 ²⁴And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

 ²⁵After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

 ²⁶For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

 ²⁷Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

 ²⁸But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

Sunday  PM Service
January 30th, 2011

5th Sunday Night Fellowship 

6:00pm Covered dish  

Sunday  PM Service
January 23rd, 2011

Acts 2:29-47

Sermon

²⁹Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

 ³⁰Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

 ³¹He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

 ³²This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

 ³³Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

 ³⁴For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

 ³⁵Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

 ³⁶Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

 ³⁷Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

 ³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 ³⁹For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

 ⁴⁰And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

 ⁴¹Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

What a Revival!

 ⁴²And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

 ⁴³And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

 ⁴⁴And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

 ⁴⁵And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

 ⁴⁶And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

 ⁴⁷Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Sunday  PM Service
January 16th, 2011

Pentecost 50th day after Passover

Acts 2:1-13

^Acts1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

 Acts²And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

 Acts³And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

 Acts⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 Acts⁵And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

 Acts⁶Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

 Acts⁷And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

 Acts⁸And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

 Acts⁹Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

 Acts¹⁰Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

 Acts¹¹Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

 Acts¹²And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

 Acts¹³Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

Luke 24:49 

^Acts49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

John 14:15-18, 25-27

^John15If ye love me, keep my commandments.

 ^John16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

 John¹⁷Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

 ^John18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

^John25These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

 ^John26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 ^John27Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Unknown tongues 

1 Cor.12:4-10

⁴Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

 ⁵And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

 ⁶And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

 ⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

 ⁸For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

 ⁹To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

 ¹⁰To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

1 Cor.13:1-13

The Greatest Gift: Love

 ¹Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

 ²And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 ³And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

 ⁴Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

 ⁵Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

 ⁶Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

 ⁷Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 ⁸Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

 ⁹For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

 ¹⁰But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

 ¹¹When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

 ¹²For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

 ¹³And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1Cor.14:1-30, 40

¹Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

 ²For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

 ³But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

 ⁴He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

 ⁵I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

 ⁶Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

 ⁷And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

 ⁸For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

 ⁹So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

 ¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

 ¹¹Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

 ¹²Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

 ¹³Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

 ¹⁴For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

 ¹⁵What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

 ¹⁶Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

 ¹⁷For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

 ¹⁸I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:

 ¹⁹Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

 ²⁰Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

 ²¹In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

 ²²Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

 ²³If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

 ²⁴But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:

 ²⁵And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

 ²⁶How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

 ²⁷If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.

 ²⁸But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

 ²⁹Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

 ³⁰If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

⁴⁰Let all things be done decently and in order.

Sunday  PM Service
January 9th, 2011

Acts 1:8

     ⁸But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, 

            and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Sunday  PM Service
December 12th 

John 20:19-25

Keep the Harmony of the Gospels in mind

Joh 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Mar 16:11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

Mar 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

Mar 16:13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

Mar 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Mar 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven,.... Apostles; for this was now the number of them, Judas being gone from them, and dead; and they were so called, though Thomas was not now with them (v24), because their whole company consisted of this number: this appearance of Christ to them was on the same first day of the week, at evening, Joh_20:19, though it must be very late at night; for it was after the two above disciples were returned from Emmaus, where Christ and they had supped together; see Luk_24:29;

Afterward he appeared unto the eleven - Judas was dead, and the apostles were then called “the eleven.” This was done even when one of them was absent, as Thomas was on this occasion.

Scholars are in agreement that while there were only 10 present at this event, they were still referred to as 'the eleven'.  Mark 16:14 shows Jesus dealing with their unbelief even when 2 of them already had an earlier meal with Him as well as Mary's report.  If this were the visit of John 20:26 8 days later when all eleven were present and 10 were believing, Jesus would not be dealing with as much disbelief.

Joh 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Joh 20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

 

Short version of the Great Commission.

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Joh 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

This delivery of the Holy Ghost is different than the occurrence in Acts or in the receiving of salvation.   This was more closely related to the process of Ordination of pastors and deacons, as a process of gifting one to a specific service.

 

Joh 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Much conversation, some in disagreement, from many scholars on this verse.  
Simply put, God has commissioned and gifted you to a specific work.  Jesus has given you extreme authority to accomplish the task of getting out the gospel story so that souls may be saved.  With that extreme authority comes equal responsibility.  Your choice not to peruse the lost soul in your realm of influence is a predetermination on your part that the soul should be lost.  As an ambassador of Jesus you are responsible to share with those around you. 

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Holding back your reach may leave someone bound for eternal separation. 

 

Joh 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

He was called Doubting Thomas, yet not one of them recognized (believed) it was really Jesus when they made their initial encounters.

Sunday  PM Service
December 5th 

John 20:1-10

Keep the Harmony of the Gospels in mind

Joh 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mat 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

Mat 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Mat 28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

Mat 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Mat 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mat 28:7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

Mat 28:8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

 

Joh 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Joh 20:3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

Joh 20:4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

Joh 20:5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

Joh 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

Joh 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

Joh 20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

Joh 20:9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Joh 20:10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Sunday  PM Service
November 28th

John 19:31-37

Joh 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

This Sabbath was at least that of Passover.  Most of the Church, by custom, believe it was also Saturday, the weekly Sabbath.  The two in fact fall on the same day an average of only once every 7 or so years.  Passover is assigned to a date of the month and that date will fall on a different day of the week each year.  You may verify this with a Gregorian to Hebrew conversion.  You can download a conversion program at    http://www.kaluach.com/?page_id=22 .  Pick the year you think Jesus went to the cross and find what day of the week Nisan 15 falls on.  It probably wont be Saturday unless you actual believe he was born on year 0.  Since there is no year 0 you will step back one more year to have Him on the cross in the year 33.  This is how the Gregorian (Catholic Pope) calendar was centered where it is, to get Jesus on the cross on Saturday.  The big problem is most scholars believe Jesus to have been born between 6^BC and 3^BC.   This editorial comment is brought to you by Tony, don't blame the Pastor.

The lamb was always killed on Nisan 14 (the Lord's Passover), eaten before sunrise the next morning, Nisan 15, the beginning (high day) of The Feast of Unleavened Bread. aka Passover Week.
Jesus was crucified on Nisan 14 and had to be off the cross before Nisan 15 which started at sundown .   

Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.

Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

Lev 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Lev 23:8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Exodus 12 provides greater detail.

 

Joh 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

Joh 19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

Joh 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

Joh 19:35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

Joh 19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

Joh 19:37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

Most of the discussion was centered around the Old Testament prophecies of the above event and how under One God many writers saw the same events.

Sunday  PM Service
November 14th

John 19:15-16

Joh 19:15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

Mat 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Committing Spiritual Suicide

Mat 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Joh 19:16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

 

Sunday  PM Service
November 7th

Honoring

We started with a look at our all knowing LORD.

The complete Chapter of Psalms 139
do not think anything is hidden from God

Psa 139:1  O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Psa 139:2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Psa 139:3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

Psa 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Psa 139:5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Psa 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Psa 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

Psa 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Psa 139:9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Psa 139:10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Psa 139:11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Psa 139:12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

Psa 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Psa 139:15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Psa 139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

Psa 139:18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Psa 139:19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

Psa 139:20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

Psa 139:21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

Psa 139:22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

Psa 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Psa 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Even while we know the Lord knows us through and through, verse 23 calls on God to search us.  On the outset it sounds like a lack of faith in the Lords knowledge, but the one with a crises of not knowing was David.  He, as it would also apply to us, is asking for God to reveal our weaknesses and lead us in a better Way.

As we begin to prepare for the Lord's Supper, we look at a time when Paul was correcting the Church for a lack of understanding in the solemn Spiritual importance of the event.

First, come in the right Frame of Mind

1Co 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

1Co 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

1Co 11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.

1Co 11:21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

1Co 11:22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

The purpose is simple.  
Remember Christ and Honor His sacrifice until He returns.

1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

There is a penalty in not taking this event seriously

1Co 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

1Co 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Sunday October 31st  PM Service

5th Sunday Fellowship & Fall Festival

Combined ~ 6:00 pm

Bible Study Sunday October 24th PM Service

John 19:1-11

Joh 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus,.... Finding that the Jews would not agree to his release, but that Barabbas was the person they chose, and being very desirous, if possible, to save his life, thought of this method: he ordered Jesus to be taken by the proper officers,

and scourged him; that is, commanded him to be scourged by them; which was done by having him to a certain place, where being stripped naked, and fastened to a pillar, he was severely whipped: and this he did, hoping the Jews would be satisfied therewith, and agree to his release; but though he did this with such a view, yet it was a very unjust action in him to scourge a man that he himself could find no fault in: however, it was what was foretold by Christ himself, and was an emblem of those strokes and scourges of divine justice he endured, as the surety of his people, in his soul, in their stead; and his being scourged, though innocent, shows, that it was not for his own, but the sins of others; and expresses the vile nature of sin, the strictness of justice, and the grace, condescension, and patience of Christ: and this may teach us not to think it strange that any of the saints should endure scourgings, in a literal sense; and to bear patiently the scourgings and chastisements of our heavenly Father, and not to fear the overflowing scourge or wrath of God, since Christ has bore this in our room.

Joh 19:2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns,.... This was an emblem of his being surrounded by wicked men, sons of Belial, comparable to thorns, whilst he hung suffering on the cross; and of the sins of his people compassing him about, which were as thorns, very grievous to him; and of his various troubles in life, and of his being made a curse for us at death; thorns being the produce of the curse upon the earth.

And put it on his head: not only by way of derision, as mocking at his character, the King of the Jews, but in order to afflict and distress him.

And they put on him a purple robe: Matthew calls it a scarlet robe; and the Arabic and Persic versions here, "a red" one: it very probably was one of the soldiers' coats, which are usually red: this was still in derision of him as a king, and was an emblem of his being clothed with our purple and scarlet sins, and of the bloody sufferings of his human nature for them, and through which we come to have a purple covering, or to be justified by his blood, and even to be made truly kings, as well as priests, unto God.

Joh 19:3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

And said, hail, King of the Jews!.... Some copies before this clause read, "and they came unto him"; and so read the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, Coptic, and Ethiopic versions; that is, they came and prostrated themselves before him; bowed the knee unto him, and addressed him in a mock way, as if he was an earthly monarch just come to his crown, and whom they wished long to live; thus mocking at his kingly office, and despising him under that character, as many do now: some will not have him to reign over them, but reject him as King; and others, though in words they own him to be King, yet disregard his commands, and act no better part than these scoffing soldiers did:

and they smote him with their hands: upon his cheeks, as the Syriac version reads it. These, and many other affronts they gave him; in all which they were indulged by Pilate, and was a pleasing scene to the wicked Jews, whose relentless hearts were not in the least moved hereby, though Pilate hoped they would; and which was his view in allowing the soldiers to use such incivilities and indecencies to him.

Joh 19:4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

Joh 19:4 Pilate therefore went forth again,.... When all this was done to Jesus, Pilate went again out of the judgment hall, or however from the place where Jesus had been scourged, and ill used in the manner he was: he went a little before him unto the Jews that stood without,

and saith unto them, behold I bring him forth unto you; that is, he had ordered him to be brought forth by the soldiers, and they were just bringing him in the sad miserable condition in which he was, that the Jews might see, with their own eyes, how he had been used:

that ye may know that I find no fault in him; for by seeing what was done to him, how severely he had been scourged, and in what derision and contempt he had been had, and what barbarity had been exercised on him, they might know and believe, that if Pilate did all this, or allowed of it to be done to a man whom he judged innocent, purely to gratify the Jews; that had he found anything in him worthy of death, he would not have stopped here, but would have ordered the execution of him; of this they might assure themselves by his present conduct. Pilate, by his own confession, in treating, or suffering to be treated in so cruel and ignominious a manner, one that he himself could find no fault in, or cause of accusation against, was guilty of great injustice.

Joh 19:5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

Then came Jesus forth,.... Out of the judgment hall, or place where he had been scourged, as soon as Pilate had said these words:

wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe; with his temples scratched and torn with the thorny crown, and the blood running down from thence, and his face and eyes swollen with the blows he had received from their closed fists, and all besmeared with his own blood, and the soldiers' spittle; his body appearing to be almost of the same colour with the purple or scarlet robe, through the stripes and lashes he had received, when that was thrown back.

And Pilate saith unto them, behold the man; not their king, that would have provoked them; though he did say so afterwards, when he found he could not prevail upon them to agree to his release; but the man, to move their compassion; signifying, that he was a man as they were, and that they ought to use him as such, and treat him with humanity and pity; and that he was a poor despicable man, as the condition he was in showed; and that it was a weak thing in them to fear anything with respect to any change of, or influence in, civil government from one that made such a figure; and therefore should be satisfied with what had been done to him, and dismiss him.

Joh 19:6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

When the chief priests therefore, and officers, saw him,.... In this piteous condition, in his mock dress, and having on him all the marks of cruel usage, enough to have moved an heart of stone: and though they were the principal men of the priesthood, and who made great pretensions to religion and piety, and the officers were their servants and attendants, and all of them used to sacred employments; which might have been thought would have at least influenced them to the exercise of humanity and compassion to fellow creatures; yet instead of being affected with this sight, and wrought upon by it, to have agreed to his release, as Pilate hoped,

they cried out, saying, Crucify him, Crucify him; which was done in a very noisy and clamorous way; and the repetition of their request shows their malignity, vehemence, and impatience; and remarkable it is, that they should call for, and desire that kind of death the Scriptures had pointed out, that the Messiah should die, and which was predicted by Christ himself.

Pilate saith unto them, take ye him, and crucify him, for I find no fault in him. This was not leave to do it, as appears from the reason he gives, in which the innocence of Christ is again asserted; nor did the Jews take it in this light, as is evident from their reply; and it is clear, that after this Pilate thought he had a power either to release or crucify him; and he did afterwards seek to release him; and the Jews made a fresh request to crucify him; upon which he was delivered to be crucified: but this was said in a way of indignation, and as abhorring the action; and is an ironical concession, and a bitter sarcasm upon them, that men that professed so much religion and sanctity, could be guilty of such iniquity, as to desire the death of one that no fault could be found in; and therefore, if such were their consciences, for his part, he desired to have no concern in so unrighteous an action; but if they would, they must even do it themselves.

Joh 19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

The Jews answered him,.... Finding they could make nothing of the charge of sedition against him, and that Pilate could not be prevailed upon to condemn him to death upon that score, they try another method, and charge him with blasphemy; which, if the other had succeeded, they would have concealed; because this, if proved, according to their law, would not have brought on him the kind of death they were desirous of:

we have a law; meaning the law of Moses, which they had received by his hands from God:

and by our law he ought to die; referring either to the law concerning blasphemy in general, or concerning the false prophet, or to the having and asserting of other gods, and enticing to the worship of them; in either of which cases death by stoning was enjoined:

because he made himself the Son of God; the natural and essential Son of God; not by adoption, or on account of his incarnation and mediatorial office; but as being one with the Father, of the same nature with him, and equal to him in all his perfections and glory. This he had often asserted in his ministry, or what was equivalent to it, and which they so understood; and indeed had said that very morning, before the high priest in his palace, what amounted thereunto, and which he so interpreted; upon which he rent his garments, and charged him with blasphemy: for that God has a son, is denied by the Jews, since Jesus asserted himself to be so, though formerly believed by them; nor was it now denied that there was a Son of God, or that he was expected; but the blasphemy with them was, that Jesus set up himself to be he: but now it is vehemently opposed by them, that God has a son; so from Ecc_4:8 they endeavour to prove (q), that God has neither a brother, ולא בן, "nor a son"; but, "hear, O Israel, they observe, the Lord our God is one Lord". And elsewhere (r),

""there is one"; this is the holy blessed God; "and not a second"; for he has no partner or equal in his world; "yea, he hath neither child nor brother"; he hath no brother, nor hath he a son; but the holy blessed God loves Israel, and calls them his children, and his brethren.''

All which is opposed to the Christian doctrine, relating to the sonship of Christ. The conduct of these men, at this time, deserves notice, as their craft in imposing on Pilate's ignorance of their laws; and the little regard that they themselves had to them, in calling for crucifixion instead of stoning; and their inconsistency with themselves, pretending before it was not lawful for them to put any man to death; and now they have a law, and by that law, in their judgment, he ought to die.

Other verses that make Him the son of God

John 1:34;  1:49;   3:18;   3:35;    5:19-23;  11:27

Joh 19:8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;

When Pilate therefore heard that saying,.... That Jesus had asserted himself to be the Son of God, and that the Jews had a law to put such a person to death that was guilty of such blasphemy:

he was the more afraid; he was afraid to put him to death, or to consent to it before; partly on account of his wife's message to him, and partly upon a conviction of the innocence of Christ, in his own conscience: and now he was more afraid, since here was a charge brought against him he did not well understand the meaning of; and a law of theirs pretended to be violated hereby, which should he pay no regard to, might occasion a tumult, since they were already become very clamorous and noisy; and he might be the more uneasy, test the thing they charged him with asserting, should be really fact; that he was one of the gods come down in the likeness of man; or that he was some demi-god at least, or so nearly related to deity, that it might be dangerous for him to have anything to do with him this way: and in this suspicion he might be strengthened, partly from the writings of the Heathens, which speak of such sort of beings; and partly from the miracles he might have heard were performed by Jesus; and also by calling to mind what he had lately said to him, that his kingdom was not of this world, and that he was come into it to bear witness to the truth.

Joh 19:9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.

And went again into the judgment hall,.... From whence he came out, taking Jesus along with him, in order to interrogate him alone upon this head:

and saith unto Jesus, whence art thou? meaning not of what country he was, for he knew he was of the nation of the Jews; nor in what place he was born, whether at Bethlehem or at Nazareth, for this was no concern of his; but from whence he sprung, who were his ancestors, and whether his descent was from the gods, or from men; and if from the former, from which of them; for as Pilate was an Heathen, he must be supposed to speak as such:

but Jesus gave him no answer; for his question was frivolous, and deserved none; and besides, he was not worthy of one, who had used him so ill, when he knew, in his own conscience, that he was innocent; nor was he capable of taking in an answer, or able to judge whether it was right or wrong; and since Christ was come to die for the salvation of his people, it was not proper he should say anything that might be a means of hindering it.

Joh 19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Then saith Pilate unto him,.... Being angry with him, resenting his silence, and looking upon it as a contempt of him;

speakest thou not unto me? he wondered that he stood in no fear of him, who was the Roman governor, his judge; who had the power of life and death; and that he should make no answer to him, who was in so much dignity, and in so high and exalted a station.

Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? proudly boasting of his authority to do one or the other. The sudden change of the man from fear, to vain and proud boasting, is to be observed; just now he was afraid of the divine power of Christ, lest he should have any divinity in him; and now he boasts and brags of his own power, and menaces and threatens with his authority to punish with death, even the death of tho cross; in which he discovers his wickedness, as a magistrate, to endeavour to terrify one that he himself believed to be innocent: and besides, his assertion is false; for he had no power, neither from God nor man, to crucify innocent men, and release criminals: and moreover, he himself must be self-condemned, who had a power, as he says, of releasing him, and yet did not do it, though he had once and again declared he found no fault in him.

Joh 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Jesus answered,.... With great intrepidity and courage, with freedom and boldness, as being not at all dismayed with his threatenings, or affected with his proud boasts, and in order to expose the vanity of them:

thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: meaning, not from the Jewish sanhedrim, whose court of judicature was in the temple, which was higher than the other part of the city; nor from the Roman emperor, or senate of Rome, the higher powers; by whom Pilate was made governor of Judea, and a judge in all causes relating to life and death; but reference is had to the place from whence he came, and to the decree and council of God above, and the agreement between the eternal three in heaven. Christ speaks of a power he had against him, that is, of taking away his life; he had no lawful power to do it at all; nor any power, right or wrong, had it not been given him by God: and which is to be ascribed, not merely to the general providence of God, without which nothing is done in this world; but to the determinate counsel of God, relating to this particular action of the crucifying of Christ; otherwise Christ, as God, could have struck Pilate his judge with death immediately, and without so doing could as easily have escaped out of his hands, as he had sometimes done out of the hands of the Jews; and, as man and Mediator, he could have prayed to his Father for, and have had, more than twelve legions of angels, which would soon have rescued him: but this was not to be; power was given to Pilate from heaven against him; not for any evil he himself had committed, or merely to gratify the envy and malice of the Jews, but for the salvation of God's elect, and for the glorifying of the divine perfections: and to this the Jews themselves agree in general,

"that all the things of this world depend on above; and when they agree above first, (they say (s),) they agree below; and that there is no power below, until that דאתייהיב שולטנותא לעילא, "power is given from above"; and the whole of that depends on this:''

therefore he that delivered me unto thee, hath the greater sin; מן דילך, "than thine", as the Syriac version adds; and to the same purpose the Persic. Pilate had been guilty of sin already in scourging Christ, and suffering the Roman soldiers to abuse him; and would be guilty of a greater in delivering him up to be crucified, who he knew was innocent: but the sin of Judas in delivering him into the hands of the chief priests and elders, and of the chief priest and elders and people of the Jews, in delivering him to Pilate to crucify him, according to the Roman manner, were greater, inasmuch as theirs proceeded from malice and envy, and was done against greater light and knowledge; for by his works, miracles, and ministry, as well as by their own prophecies, they might, or must have known, that he was the Messiah, and Son of God: and it is to be observed, that as there is a difference in sin, and that all sins are not equal, the circumstances of things making an alteration; so that God's decree concerning the delivery of his Son into the hands of sinful men, does not excuse the sin of the betrayers of him.

 

Bible Study Sunday October 17th PM Service

John 18:28-38

Joh 18:28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

The hall of judgment - Εις το πραιτωριον, To the praetorium. This was the house where Pilate lodged; hence called in our margin, Pilate’s house. The praetorium is so called from being the dwelling-place of the praetor, or chief of the province. It was also the place where he held his court, and tried causes.

St. John has omitted all that passed in the house of Caiaphas - the accusations brought against Christ - the false witnesses - the insults which he received in the house of the high priest - and the assembling of the grand council, or Sanhedrin. These he found amply detailed by the other three evangelists; and for this reason it appears that he omitted them. John’s is properly a supplementary Gospel.

Lest they should be defiled - The Jews considered even the touch of a Gentile as a legal defilement; and therefore would not venture into the praetorium, for fear of contracting some impurity, which would have obliged them to separate themselves from all religious ordinances till the evening, Lev_15:10, Lev_15:11, Lev_15:19, Lev_15:20.

That they might eat the passover - That Jesus ate a passover this last year of his life is sufficiently evident from Mat_26:17-19; Mar_14:12-18; Luk_22:8-15; and that he ate this passover some hours before the ordinary time, and was himself slain at that hour in which the paschal lamb was ordered by the law to be sacrificed, is highly probable, if not absolutely certain.  

Mat 26:20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

The next day begins at sundown.

Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. - It is a common opinion that our Lord ate the passover some hours before the Jews ate it; for the Jews, according to custom, ate theirs at the end of the fourteenth day, but Christ ate his the preceding even.  Christ kept this passover the beginning of the fourteenth day, the precise day and hour in which the Jews had eaten their first passover in Egypt. See Exo_12:6-12. And in the same part of the same day in which the Jews had sacrificed their first paschal lamb, viz. between the two evenings, about the ninth hour, or 3 o’clock, Jesus Christ our passover was sacrificed for us: for it was at this hour that he yielded up his last breath; and then it was that, the sacrifice being completed, Jesus said, It Is Finished.

Joh 18:29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?

Pilate then went out - This was an act of condescension; but, as the Romans had confirmed to the Jews the free use of all their rites and ceremonies, the governor could not do less than comply with them in this matter. He went out to them, that they might not be obliged to come into the hall, and thus run the risk of being defiled.

Joh 18:30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.

If he were not a malefactor - So they did not wish to make Pilate the judge, but the executor of the sentence which they had already illegally passed.

Joh 18:31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

Judge him ... - The Jews had not directly informed him that they had judged him and pronounced him worthy of death. Pilate therefore tells them to inquire into the ease; to ascertain the proof of his guilt, and to decide on what the law of Moses pronounced. It has been doubted whether this gave them the power of putting him to death, or whether it was not rather a direction to them to inquire into the case, and inflict on him, if they judged him guilty, the mild punishment which they were yet at liberty to inflict on criminals. Probably the former is intended. As they lied already determined that in their view this case demanded the punishment of death, so in their answer to Pilate they implied that they had pronounced on it, and that he ought to die. They still, therefore, pressed it on his attention, and refused to obey his injunction to judge him.

It is not lawful ... - The Jews were accustomed to put persons to death still in a popular tumult Act_7:59-60, but they had not the power to do it in any case in a regular way of justice. When they first laid the plan of arresting the Saviour, they did it to kill him Mat_26:4; but whether they intended to do this secretly, or in a tumult, or by the concurrence of the Roman governor, is uncertain. The Jews themselves say that the power of inflicting capital punishment was taken away about 40 years before the destruction of the temple; but still it is probable that in the time of Christ they had the power of determining on capital cases in instances that pertained to religion (Josephus, Antiq., b. 14: John 10, Section 2; compare Jewish Wars, b. 6 chapter 2, Section 4). In this case, however, it is supposed that their sentence was to be confirmed by the Roman governor. But it is admitted on all hands that they had not this power in the case of seditions, tumults, or treason against the Roman government. If they had this power in the case of blasphemy and irreligion, they did not dare to exert it here, because they were afraid of tumult among the people Mat_26:5; hence, they sought to bring in the authority of Pilate. To do this, they endeavored to make it appear that it was a case of sedition and treason, and one which therefore demanded the interference of the Roman governor. Hence, it was on this charge that they arraigned him, Luk_23:2. Thus, a tumult might be avoided, and the odium of putting him to death which they expected would fall, not on themselves, but upon Pilate!

Joh 18:32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.

That the saying of Jesus ... - To wit, that he would be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles and be crucified, Mat_20:19. Neither of these things would have happened if he had been put to death in the way that the Jews first contemplated, Mat_26:4. Though it should be admitted that they had the power, in religious cases, to do this, yet in such a case it would not have been done, as Jesus predicted, by the Gentiles; and even if it should be admitted that they had the right to take life, yet they had not the right to do it by crucifixion. This was particularly a Roman punishment. And thus it was ordered, in the providence of God, that the prediction of Jesus in both these respects was fulfilled.

Joh 18:33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?

Art thou the king of the Jews? - St. Luke says, expressly, Luk_23:2, that when the Jews brought him to Pilate they began to accuse him as a rebel, who said he was king of the Jews, and forbade the people to pay tribute to Caesar. It was in consequence of this accusation that Pilate asked the question mentioned in the text.

Joh 18:34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?

Sayest thou this thing of thyself - That is, Is it because my enemies thus accuse me, or because thou hast any suspicion of me, that thou askest this question?

Joh 18:35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?

Am I a Jew? - That is, I am not a Jew, and cannot judge whether thou art what is called the Christ, the king of the Jews. It is thy own countrymen, and their spiritual rulers, who delivered thee up to me with the above accusation.

What hast thou done? - If thou dost not profess thyself king over this people, and an enemy to Caesar, what is it that thou hast done, for which they desire thy condemnation?

Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

My kingdom is not of this world - It is purely spiritual and Divine. If it had been of a secular nature, then my servants would have contended - they would have opposed force with force, as the kingdoms of this world do in their wars; but as my kingdom as not of this world, therefore no resistance has been made. Eusebius relates, Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. 20, that “The relatives of our Lord were brought before Domitian, and interrogated whether they were of the family of David; and what sort the kingdom of Christ was, and where it would appear? They answered, that this kingdom was neither of this world, nor of an earthly nature; that it was altogether heavenly and angelical; and that it would not take place till the end of the world.”

Joh 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Art thou a king then? - Dost thou admit the charge in any sense, or dost thou lay claim to a kingdom of any kind?

Thou sayest ... - This is a form of expression denoting affirmation. It is equivalent to yes.

That I am a king - This does not mean simply that Pilate affirmed that he was a king; it does not appear that he had done this; but it means, “Thou affirmest the truth; thou declarest what is correct, for I am a king.” I am a king in a certain sense, and do not deny it.

To this end ... - Compare Joh_3:11-12, etc. Jesus does not here affirm that he was born to reign, or that this was the design of his coming; but it was to bear witness to and to exhibit the truth. By this he showed what was the nature of his kingdom. It was not to assert power; not to collect armies; not to subdue nations in battle. It was simply to present truth to men, and to exercise dominion only by the truth.

Most commentators indicate that Jesus agreed to the charge that He was a king.  I see this as Jesus saying "you are the one accusing me of being a king" and then began to declare what his true purpose was to do.

Joh 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

What is truth - Among the sages of that time there were many opinions concerning truth; and some had even supposed that it was a thing utterly out of the reach of men. Pilate perhaps might have asked the question in a mocking way; and his not staying to get an answer indicated that he either despaired of getting a satisfactory one, or that he was indifferent about it. This is the case with thousands: they appear desirous of knowing the truth, but have not patience to wait in a proper way to receive an answer to their question.

I find in him no fault - Having asked the above question, and being convinced of our Lord’s innocence, he went out to the Jews to testify his convictions and to deliver him, if possible, out of their hands.

 

October 10, 2010 Homecoming

Sermon for 10/03/10

Presented by Doc. Gene Strickland

1 Kings 17:1- 18:46

Constantly surrounded by what appear to be contradictions in reason, 
we find it impossible to understand God.

God tells Elijah to give bad news to King Ahab and then to run and hide.

God promises to give him food and water but the water runs out.

Elijah is to ask for the food from a widow preparing her last meal.

Elijah's presence believed to have caused the widow's son's death.

Elijah told to return to King Ahab.

Elijah orders 12 barrels of water to be poured out in the midst of a severe drought.

There are more contradictions of reason embedded in these two chapters. as there are many interwoven in our own lives.  Through them all God provides not only the answer but the full purpose that grows us into the crooked stick with which God will draw a straight line.