Follow Me
John 1:43-51
February 5, 2010
When our Lord began His public ministry, He started by gathering a group of disciples that He would train for the work of the ministry. When we come to John 1:43-51, Andrew, John and Peter are now following the Lord. They would lapse in the days to come back to the fishing boats, but Jesus would not laps in His leading and drawing of them to His side.
After the meeting with Peter, our Lord goes forth into Galilee to find Philip. Notice the two words, “Follow me” in verse 43. This is going to be the real battle for the remainder of his whole life. The issue will not be what he would be called to do, the issue at hand will be about following the Lord.
1. The Call
We are not told where the meeting took place, but our Lord went by Himself to find Philip. Bethsaida was the city of Andrew and Peter. It was not far from the place where the Jordan River runs into the lake. It was a fishing suburb of Capernaum. That’s the city where Philip was from. No matter where you are from, the Lord has called you to follow Him!
The Lord has called all of us with a holy calling. We should never look lightly at it.
2 Timothy 1:9-11 “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”
Paul describes his calling here. He states that his call from God was for him to be a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. Paul’s call was not one dimensional. He did whatever the Lord wanted him to do!
We all have a calling. This call to service is not an attempt to find what you like and do it. It is finding what the Lord wants and obeying Him! We are called to follow Him!
2. The Concern
We notice that the first concern that Philip had was for his friend Nathanael. So just as the Lord found Philip, Philip found Nathanael. Some call him Bartholomew.
Philip began describing Christ as one that fulfilled the scriptures. (vs. 45) These men knew the scriptures. They, like so many others had been reared to believe the scriptures. To Nathanael’s shock, He was called Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael came from Cana of Galilee (21:2), less than 5 miles from Nazareth.
Someone said, “Because of its proximity to gentile cities and its mixture of gentile population, its backwoods manners, general biblical illiteracy and lack of sophistication, and the coarseness of its dialect, the people of Judea held Galilee in low esteem.”
Philip said, “Come and see.” (vs. 46) Notice in verse 48 that before Nathanael could see the Lord, the Lord saw him. O what joy to know that the Lord sees us. No matter what we are dealing with in life, be it children, finances, burdens, disappointment, sorrow, God sees us! His back is not against us. He is not hiding in the heavens. He sees us! 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…”
3. The Confession
This passage with wording (guile) seem to point to what had passed in his mind just before Philip found him. Our Lord said in verse 47, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” This phrase seemed to look back on what changed the name of Jacob into Israel-and the evident reference to the full realization of Jacob’s vision in Bethel (vs. 51), and may be an indication that this very vision had engaged his thoughts. Guile means half truth. It means Jacob! Jesus was saying to Nathaniel, “You are no Jacob!”
Notice Nathaniel’s confess. “Jesus, you are the Son of God”-acknowledgement of His deity. “Jesus, you are the King of Israel”-acknowledgement of His destiny. What a confession! Romans 10:9 tells us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Nathanael had made what modern physicists would call a quantum leap. In one burst of revelation he had see this man from Nazareth as God manifest in the flesh! When this confession is realized and made, it is easy to “Follow Him!”
4. The Coming Ministry
Nathanael would see greater things. His grasp of truth would be nearly limitless in the coming days. The Lord arrested his attention.
Jesus said in effect to Nathanael in verse 50 & 51, “You have hailed me as “Son of God,” and so I am. You have hailed me as “King of Israel,” great David’s greater Son, and so I am. I link God and man, Heaven and earth. I am the one and only mediator between God and man. The angels ascend and descend because of me. I am Jacob’s ladder.”
In Genesis 28:10-14, we have the story of Jacob and the ladder he was at Bethel. The Bible states, ”And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”
What a moment this must have been! What a meeting this must have been for these men! But what about you? Do you know the Lord as your Saviour? Do you know that you will see greater things then these? There are greater prayers to be answered. There are greater mountains to climb. We will see all those things accomplished by the power of the Lord! Nathanael, you think it’s good now, keep following the Lord and you will see greater things then these! But it will only begin when we “Follow Him!”
The Devotion Life
1Timothy 4:7-9
January 29, 2010
The Bible teaches us how to conduct our lives. If we understand that the Word of God is our final authority, so many issues will be settled.
Read 1 Timothy 4:7-9 and notice the words, “exercise thyself rather unto godliness.” When a person is exercising (training), it’s all in preparation for something. It may be a race, game, match or something else. God says we are to exercise or prepare ourselves to be godly. How do we do that? Devotions!
We should not go one day of our lives without spending time with the Lord. We should open His book and pray every day. Here are some definitions to think about.
Devotion=to dedicate ones self to…to attach to
Synonyms=passion, love, worship, service
Ways to stay devoted
1. Read the Bible
Have a plan. Read some every day. Challenge yourself to read more. If you read 3 chapters per day, you can read the Bible through in a year.
2. Meditate on what has been read
Often the Lord will speak to your heart as you think about the word of God. Joshua 1:8 Think of the stories of great faith found in the Bible. You will draw strength for your own faith in God.
3. Memorize a scripture
Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
4. Study the scriptures
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
5. Pray
Before you open the Bible, ask the Lord to speak to your heart. Pray humbly before Him. Psalms 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Read through the Psalms and see how many times the writers said, “I cried unto the Lord…and He heard my cry.” We must learn to cry before the Lord. It shows our sincerity.
Prayer shows our utter dependence on the Lord. Dr. Bob Jones Sr. often admonished: “A man is a fool to lean on the arm of the flesh when he has access to the power of Almighty God in prayer.” John Bunyan wrote, “Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.” Prayer is not the least we can do, it’s the most we can do!
Why should we have devotions?
1. Keeps our minds on the Lord
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
2. Reminds us during the day that we have been with the Lord
3. Gives Him the place He deserves in our lives
4. Shows Him we love Him-spending time with the Lord
5. Gain strength for each day
Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
All the Devil wants to do is distract you. He wants to put good thinks in your life to keep you from have the best thing in life. He distracts you from looking unto Jesus. If he can keep you from looking unto Jesus, you cannot be devoted to Him. May the Lord help us to live a devoted life by spending time with Him in devotions.
I Know Thy Works
Revelation 2:1-7
January 8, 2010
When I was just a young man, and got serious about the things of God, I noticed something. I noticed that it was real easy to become active in the service of the King. I was involved in many things that were in the church. I sang in the choir. I worked a bus route. I taught Sunday School. I went on visitation. I mowed the grass. I was active. But I recognized that just because I was active, did not mean that I was spiritual.
I have lived long enough to see those that were extremely active in a church leave. Blame was placed on the members, the pastor, the teacher, the women, the men, the youth department and or other things. Activity became a substitute for spirituality. They fell in love with the work and not the God of the work.
The church at Ephesus was a good church. They were a working church (vs.2-3). But their work was not the issue. It was their love that God was concerned about. How can we avoid having the “candle stick removed?” How do we move from “doing” to “being?”
1. Check Your Love Every Day
Someone said, “It is quite possible for all the machinery of a Church to be in full working order, while at the same time the spirit of love and zeal which first set it agoing is on the decline.”
Do not substitute your love for the Lord for anything. Jesus asked Peter the all important question.
John 21:15 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?”
We must look to the love of the Cross and see that God has been so gracious to us that we have no right to withhold our love for Him. Have you allowed some burden to skew your love for the Lord? Have you allowed some job to take away your love for Him? Have you allowed your friends to get in front of the one who loves you? Have you allowed something to take the place or steal your love for God?
2. If You Do Not Have The Work Love The Lord
You may not be able to do the work anymore, but you can still love the Lord. Your identity must be in Christ not in your service! You may have messed up, but you can love Him again! Paul was in prison, but he still loved the Lord and served Him there.
3. Desire The Lord More Then The Work
There had been much good which had not died out in that church of Ephesus. They had laboured. They had endured, when work had to be done under trying circumstances, in the midst of a great city, whose occupants were carried away by the worship of the great goddess Diana. There was still a great hatred for evil, and a keen and faithful exposing of doctrinal error (ver. 3). Someone stated, “They had applied to some false apostles a test so severe and so successful, that they were exposed and put to shame. And towards the close of the epistle the commendation is again renewed, as if to show how lovingly our Lord notices every virtue.”
You are a Sunday School teacher. You plan your lesson. You get the hand outs ready. You get your games and activities ready. You get your songs read. You dress up to stand in front of those children or those students, but do you love the Lord?
You are a bus worker. You go on visitation and get everyone ready to ride the bus. You plan a program on the bus and you prepare for the Sunday. You go to the store and get some prizes ready. You smile at the children and put your bus number on your hand and away you go. But do you love the Lord?
You sing in the choir, or play the piano or prepare a meal, but do you really love the Lord or is this just a mundane activity?
God said, “I know thy works.” The work was not the issue. The real issue is-do you really love Jesus?
The Need of Every House
Acts 16:16-34
November 16, 2009
There are those that would tell you that the family’s greatest need is a nice house to live in. Others would say that the greatest need is love. The greatest need of every house is Salvation. That is, every person in that house needs to have a personal relationship with the Lord. They must be born again! (John 3:3)
At the beginning of this chapter, we see the thrill of ministry victory. There is nothing more exciting than seeing someone like Lydia come to Christ, get baptized, and begin to evidence the fruit of the Spirit. Now that a nucleus of believers had been formed and the Lord had opened a door at Philippi, the Lord’s work also faced opposition. Whenever God’s servants move into an area where Satan has had a hold, you can count on opposition and persecution. Opposition is a fact. The Christian who is not conscious of being opposed is in danger.
We can see the need of every house in this passage.
Every house needs…
1. A Willing Witness
Roman imprisonment was usually preceded by being stripped naked and then flogged-a humiliating, painful, and bloody ordeal. The bleeding wounds went untreated as prisoners sat in painful leg and wrist chains. Mutilated, bloodstained clothing was not replaced, even in the cold of winter. Most cells were dark, especially in inner cells of a prison, like the one Paul and Silas inhabited in Philippi. The bone chilling cold, lack of water, cramped quarters, and sickening stench made sleeping difficult and waking hours miserable. Because of the terrible conditions, many prisoners begged to be killed. Others simply committed suicide, but Paul and Silas sang.
Think of what Paul was willing to endure. The warden was no doubt mesmerised by Paul’s endurance. Here’s a man who has been beaten and humiliated, yet he prays and sings out loud. That warden knew that Paul had something that he did not have. Paul suffered the pain of being beaten with a whip, shackled and thrown into the dungeon yet he endured.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Songs in the church service are appropriate and expected. It is easy to sing in Church. But Paul sang in prison. He made that little prison and sanctuary and filled it with praise to God. What an impact it had. Even in prison — in such a prison as that of Philippi, and after such lacerating blows as they had endured — Paul and Silas sang praises unto God. Someone said, “Patience is power. With time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes silk.”
There is no doubt that the warden and those prisoners were listening. Paul had his eye on the keeper of the Prison and in kindness won him to Christ. This man had hurt Paul, but he was willing to suffer to see this man get saved. Not only him, but his whole house!
Philippians 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.
2. A Concerned Parent
It took an earthquake to awaken the jailor. Someone said, “God sends the earthquake. He will shake the very ground under men’s feet. He will make their own plans and purposes to rock and quiver. He will send loss, or He allows terrible bereavements, to compel men to think of those things which otherwise they would continue to disregard, to make men see the solemn realities which are about them, to place judgment and eternity in full view before their eyes.”
We notice that the first place this man went to when the earthquake came was to the one that he thought was nearest to God. Then he did what every concerned parent should do. In this passage, the jailor took Paul home. Notice that the whole family was saved. He allowed Paul to speak to his whole family about the Lord. I’ve been around folks that wanted their whole family saved. They have called me and asked me to speak to their family members. I think that pleases the Lord!
Before he cleaned the wounds that he had inflicted directly or indirectly, he wanted Paul to speak the Word. Every home needs parents that are concerned about every person in that family for their salvation.
2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
3. A Receptive Family Member
The Bible says they were all baptized and after they received the Word. This is the pattern throughout the New Testament. Every person in the home should have this same response. The Lord died, was buried and rose again! Notice that Paul believe in the potential of the gospel. He believed that the whole house could be saved if they would believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
Salvation brings rejoicing (vs. 34). There is no greater joy then to know that your whole house has been saved. I have a wife and four children. I am thankful that every one of them know the Lord. I can rejoice in knowing that we will all be in Heaven beholding the face of Jesus some day. Each of them had to come personally to Christ for salvation. If you have not received Christ, today trust Him today without delay.
Jehovah-jireh
Genesis 22:1-14
If you live long enough, you’re going to find that the Lord will bring you to the place where your only way out is to trust Him. God had called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees to make him a mighty nation. Through him, God would bring the Saviour to the world. After a long period of waiting on the Lord, Abraham and Sarah were blessed with a son whose name was Isaac. This would be the son that God would continue the promise of the Saviour through. After several years pass with Isaac being the promised one, God asked something unusual of Abraham. It would cause him to be tested above anything he had ever faced. This test would strip him of all his superficiality. This test will reveal if his faith in God was genuinely authentic or no. No one would be watching; just him, Isaac and God.
This was not just a test to see what was in Abraham, it was a test to show Abraham that “Jehovah-jireh-God will provide.” This chapter has been misunderstood by many and has become a stumbling block for many who have read it. They think that God wanted Abraham to kill his son. God did not want Abraham to kill his son, He wanted Abraham to be obedient. God wanted to make sure and prove that Abraham was a real believer. Have you been there? Have you been to the place where there is no answer and then after you have exercised faith in God, you look around and see “the ram caught in the thicket” and you recognize that Jehovah-jireh, God has provided?
1. This Was A Personal Test
We could say that this trial certainly was unexpected. After all that he had been through, surely the trials are over. It would seem that he had proven his faith in God many years before. What would his neighbors think of he comes home without his son? What would his wife think if he comes home without his son? What was God doing?
Someone said, “If we follow the Lord’s bidding, he will see to it that we shall not be ashamed or confounded. If we come into great need by following his command, he will see to it that the loss shall be recompensed. If our difficulties multiply and increase so that our way seems completely blocked up, Jehovah will see to it that the road shall be cleared. The Lord will see us through in the way of holiness if we are only willing to be thorough in it, and dare to follow wherever He leads the way. The timing of it was at the moment when the sacrifice was about to be consummated, neither too soon for evincing the completeness of Abraham’s obedience, nor too late for effecting Isaac’s preservation.”
God is always on time to provide!
2. This Was A Promise Pictured
This is the only place that refers to a man being offered for sin in the Old Testament. Since man did the sinning, and not animals, then it must be that by man sin is paid for. Here, as nowhere else, are we shown the Father’s heart. Here it is that we get such a wonderful foreshadowing of the Divine side of Calvary. This passage carries a promise picture with it! God alone could supply that which would satisfy Himself. Nothing of man could meet the Divine requirements. It is only by passing through trials that we learn who God is — His grace, His faithfulness, His sufficiency.
Isaac carried the wood; Abraham carried the knife and the fire. His son asked the whereabouts of the sacrifice. To this Abraham replied that God would provide Himself a lamb for a burnt-offering. And God did! Before Abraham could kill his son as a sacrifice demanded by God, the angel of the Lord stayed his hand… Nearly 2000 years ago the Son of God carried, Himself, a wooden burden, the cross and the Father held the fire (judgment), and the knife (death), and God did provide Himself a Sacrifice for our sins-His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Whatever you may be facing, remember Abraham and “Jehovah-jireh-God will provide.”
Water To Blood
Exodus 7:1-25
October 1, 2009
This is the beginning of the ten plagues that God used to break Egypt when He declared war on them. The first plague was when the waters of the Nile River that run 4135 miles north through the continent of Africa and dump into the Mediterranean Sea were turned to blood. This river was the life of the people. I have read that it provided fertile ground for growing crops, animals and water life, flax for making fabric, dye, paper, medicines, fishing nets, hair gels and soap. It was also a source for the spiritual dimension. The Egyptians made the river a god among their 80 or more deities.
Now the purpose of the plagues were to show the Israelites the strength of their God, and show the Egyptians the total inability of their gods.
Since Pharaoh would not listen to the Lord, He turned the water into blood. The very thing that they needed to live by was what the Lord took away from them. The river became absolutely useless to them. All the fish died, and the water stank. Why? Because there will be no other god before the true and living God.
In our lives, there are things that we think are greatly important. We can even make a god out of them. Then the Lord steps in and turns our “water into blood.” That which we thought was of great value and importance becomes useless. So what are the lessons to be learned here?
1. We should not make a blessing from God our God.
2. We should use the resources from God but not worship those resources.
3. We should always make sure we are not setting up gods in our lives.
If you are saved, God will not be crowded out of your life for long. If you and I do not listen and obey as a child of God, He will begin to take the things we think are most important away and turn our “water into blood.”
No Greater Joy
III John 1-4
August 28, 2009
Many things in life bring us Joy. John the Beloved said that he had no greater joy than to hear that his children walked in truth. Now John is writing about those that had been saved under his ministry. He considers himself a spiritual father to them, and they were his spiritual children. We should aways be thankful for the ones that led us to Christ. Taking his metaphor of parenting let’s consider this. It is one thing for our children to do right in our presence. It is another thing for them to do right when we are not around them. It is even greater to hear that they are doing right from someone else.
In the ministry, there is “no greater joy” then to see someone get saved, baptized, discipled and starting to grow under your watch. This leads me to the following.
This is …
1. The Highlight of the Ministry
“No greater Joy” – Are you more excited when your child plays at an athletic event and does well than you are when they memorize a Bible verse? Are you more excited about them fitting in or being popular in their school than for them going soul-winning? Are your more excited about their new shoes you bought them to walk in than them walking the narrow road? The highlight of the ministry is seeing someone move forward in their christian life for God’s glory!
2. The Hope of the Ministry
“That my children walk in truth” – To walk in the truth is to conduct our life in the truth. We know Christ is the truth (John 14:6). We should teach principles found in the Bible that will be instilled in the hearts of our children (literal or spiritual), so they will at least be equipped to make the right choices in life. Every person that brings a friend to church is expecting the teachers and preachers to be filled with the Spirit to the place where God can use them and speak through them to their friend. This is so they can gain a truth to walk in. The first step of course is to be saved. Every bus worker is praying that the Sunday School teacher and Junior Church worker is walking with God so they can transfer the truth to their students. This is the hope of them ministry to see them walk in the truth.
I have received phone calls from some former youth that sat under my teaching and preaching. The honest truth is that I thought they would never yield to God and serve Him with their life. When they called and told me they were serving the Lord, going to Church, walking with the Lord and married to a godly spouse, I hung up the phone and clapped my hands and praised the Lord! Why? Because there is no great joy then to know that my children walk in the truth!
3. The Help of the Ministry
Thank God we have the “truth.” We are not looking for the truth, we are looking in the truth. The Bible is the very Word of God. It is our final authority. It is our guide, our manual, help in the ministry. We have nothing to offer folks without the truth! We have no hope of gaining victory without the truth. There is great power in the phrase, “Thus saith the LORD!”
Psalms 138:2 “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
If the Lord has magnified his word above his wonderful, precious, glorious, magnificent name, then we should sit it and pay attention to His Word. When someone comes to me and needs help in their life, I thank God I do not have to give them my opinion. I can give them my opinion if they want it. But that’s not what’s going to help them. They need the TRUTH!
What are your rejoicing in? What gives you great joy? John said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
