PLEASE BE A BLESSING TO US!
Roof Contribution Announcement
Matthew 16:18 ESV
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
New Bethel AME Church is asking for your assistance, as we continue to maintain our local assembly for a place of fellowship and worship. We have a goal to obtain funding to replace our roof by the end of this calendar year. We are asking you to partner with us in making a monthly or one-time donation. There are multiple ways to make your contribution. Please feel free to give online via New Bethel’s website (http://www.newbethelameredtop.com), via the donate icon, Givelify, or mail your contribution to the address listed below. Please add the comment ‘roof donation’. We appreciate your continued efforts
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Lord I thank you, I can see the NEW ROOF going on.
Sunday School Lesson
November 24
Lesson 13 (KJV)
Faith That Escapes Corruption
Devotional Reading: Psalm 90
Background Scripture: 2 Peter 1
2 Peter 1:1–15
1. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
13. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
15. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
Key Verse
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.—2 Peter 1:4
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. State from memory several elements of Peter’s list of godly traits.
2. Explain the connection between faith and an ethical life.
3. Recruit an accountability partner to help identify and eliminate threats to his or her calling and election.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Aramaic | Air-uh-may-ik. |
| Cephas | See-fus. |
| heresies | hair-uh-seez. |
| Nero | Nee-row. |
| Plato | Play-tow. |
| Silvanus | Sil-vay-nus. |
Introduction
A. Making Every Effort
Students can be divided into four categories according to ability and effort. First are the highly capable students who work hard and excel beyond the course requirements. They get great benefit from the class. Second are less capable students who work hard even to meet the minimum requirements. They too get huge benefit from the class. Third, there are highly gifted students who do not work hard. They may pass the course (or not) but gain little benefit from it. Fourth, there are students with low academic ability who do not expend much effort. They tend to fail the course and receive little or no benefit.
Which type of student is the greatest joy to a teacher? Many instructors prefer the second category, the student who works hard to overcome academic deficiencies. The least favorite student is the third type, the student with great potential who squanders learning opportunities through laziness or neglect. During today’s lesson, perhaps you will see a need to change your student-type!
B. Lesson Context
Peter’s second letter consists of only three chapters (61 total verses), yet it presents several intriguing connections to other books of the New Testament. Many have noted the overlap of material between 2 Peter and Jude. Both letters express concern that false teachers would try to lead Christians astray (compare 2 Peter 1:20; 2:2–4, 10, 12–15, 18–22; 3:3–5, 17 with Jude 3–16). Such teachers claimed authority and insight from God that they did not have. The warning from the apostle Peter is stated in terms of “damnable heresies” (2 Peter 2:1).
Another cross-connection is found in 2 Peter 1:16–18, which refers to the transfiguration of Jesus recorded in the Gospels (compare Matthew 17:1–5). That pivotal and spectacular event revealed the true nature of Jesus and His glory to His inner circle of disciples of Peter, James, and John. Peter continued to tell of this event for some 30 years, bringing credibility to his preaching and teaching (Acts 2:14–36; 8:25; 1 Peter 2:23–25; etc.).
An obvious connection between 1 and 2 Peter is not so clear however. The style of writing in 2 Peter is much rougher than the elegant Greek of 1 Peter. This difference may be explained in 1 Peter 5:12, which indicates that Peter had the help of Silas in writing the first letter. There is no record that Silas, perhaps a more educated man, helped write 2 Peter. Without a writing partner, it makes sense that Peter’s solo work on 2 Peter resulted in a different style than that of 1 Peter.
Peter wrote his second letter in the context of the persecution of Christians in the city of Rome. He wrote under duress, believing his own death to be near (see commentary on 2 Peter 1:13–15, below). The grim reality of persecution in Rome under Emperor Nero (reigned AD 54–68) served to focus Peter’s thoughts in the direction we see in today’s lesson text.
I. Greeting
(2 Peter 1:1, 2)
A. Through God’s Righteousness (v. 1)
1a. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Simon Peter identifies himself with both his Hebrew and Greek names. His given Hebrew name can also be spelled “Simeon” (see Genesis 29:33; 49:5). If names in two languages were not enough, Jesus called Simon “Cephas,” the Aramaic version of Greek “Peter”; both names mean “stone” (John 1:42) or “rock” (Matthew 16:18).
Peter further identifies himself in terms of two roles. The word servant (absent from 1 Peter 1:1) implies that one has a master (compare 2 Peter 2:19). Such a master is the servant’s “lord.” In calling himself a servant of Jesus Christ, Peter identifies his Lord.
Peter’s use of the designation apostle reminds his readers that he has been given authority by Christ himself (see Matthew 10:2; 28:16–20; Galatians 2:8; 1 Peter 1:1). This title reveals that the person who is so designated is sent by or on behalf of someone else. To accept a role as Jesus’ apostle means Peter believes that his mission and authority come from his Lord Jesus, not from Peter’s own aspirations.
Simon Peter referred to himself only as Peter in his first letter (see 1 Peter 1:1). The lengthening of his name may suggest that he is asserting his authority more strenuously than before. This impulse is probably linked to the false teachers that have him concerned for his audience (see the Lesson Context). Peter is fighting for and exercising his apostolic voice.
1b. To them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Those to whom Peter writes possess a precious faith like his own. By use of the plural us, he is including other firsthand witnesses of Jesus’ ministry, especially the other apostles (compare 2 Peter 3:2). Such faith comes as a gift because of the righteousness of God, which has made a way for all people to come to saving faith in Jesus.
Peter presents a high view of the deity of Christ, the apostle’s remembered and living Lord (compare John 14:7–11). Most scholars believe that by the phrase God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, Peter refers not to Father and Son, but to the Son only. In so doing, Peter emphasizes Jesus’ deity instead of His humanity.
B. Through Knowledge of God (v. 2)
2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.
Peter’s desire that grace (a Greek greeting) and peace (a Hebrew greeting) be multiplied in the lives of his readers echoes his salutation in 1 Peter 1:2 (see Lesson Context of lesson 12). This speaks to having peace with God, not mere earthly peace. Although Peter was primarily an apostle to the Jews (Galatians 2:9), he was the one chosen to reveal God’s will for including Gentiles in salvation (Acts 10:1–11:18). Because of God’s grace, everyone can experience peace with Him.
The fact that such peace comes through knowledge of God, and of Jesus (also 2 Peter 2:20; 3:18) involves much more than “head knowledge.” Peter will make this abundantly clear as this letter unfolds. What should be clear at this point is that by equating knowledge of Jesus with knowledge of God, Peter again affirms that Jesus is God (see 2 Peter 1:1b, above).
Referring to Jesus as our Lord groups Peter’s audience with the apostles once again. Not only do they share the faith (again, see 2 Peter 1:1b); they also share in their roles as servants of the Lord. No one can follow the Lord without being subject to the Lord (contrast 2:1–3).
II. Godliness
(2 Peter 1:3–11)
A. Glory (vv. 3, 4)
3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.
God interacts with believers through his divine power, and the results are gifts we need. Specifically, God’s working in our lives provides life defined by godliness, which prepares us for His glory and virtue. All of this depends on our knowledge of him, which is not propositional or “book knowledge” as much as personal relationship (see commentary on 2 Peter 1:2, 8). As we know God better, we live the godly life more completely. We will never match God’s perfect standards, but we still progress toward excellence in our lifestyle.
The concept of virtue is well known to the Greek philosophers. Those great thinkers argue about what should be the primary characteristics of moral and ethical behavior. Before Peter’s day, Plato proposed the cardinal virtues of discernment, courage, moderation, and justice. To the philosophers, virtue yields the best life. But the Greeks do not look to their gods as examples of virtuous goodness; those (fictitious) deities are often seen to be petty, dishonest, and capricious.
Peter will discuss specific virtues later, based not on philosophical musings and human wisdom but on the character of God and revelation of Jesus (see commentary on 2 Peter 1:5–8). Christian virtues and moral characteristics are defined by God and known as godliness.
4a. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.
Related to God’s working with divine power are certain promises for believers that result in being granted the privilege of being partakers of the divine nature. This is a striking way of talking about the gift and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Sharing in godly behavior shows the hand of God in our transformed lives.
4b. Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
To be granted the privilege just discussed is based on the fact that we see here. Worldly desires are destructive, driving us away from God and his people. Peter speaks of corruption not as the breakdown of the body but as the depravity of the soul. Our self-inflicted moral wounds begin to heal as we experience the Holy Spirit in our hearts and yield to the Spirit’s influence in our lives.
B. Morality (vv. 5–9)
5a. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue.
Godly habits do not happen without diligence and real effort. Peter warns against a lazy attitude in pursuit of godly traits, knowing that making every effort toward godliness is crucial to one’s relationship with God. We don’t know God in any identifiable way if our lives do not reflect our commitment to Him.
All godly habits flow from faith, based on our committed relationship to God. Peter presents seven characteristics to look for as a connected chain, starting with virtue. This word indicates moral excellence, the opposite of sinfulness. Christians should be morally excellent people. Everyone we meet should be able to recognize virtue in our lives.
The Sound of Music
On my way to work one morning, I flipped on a popular music station. The upbeat music made the hour-long drive pass by effortlessly. Throughout the day, I found myself singing those same songs.
This particular morning, I heard one of my favorite songs. Turning it up, the song’s meaning suddenly became quite apparent. I cringed; I had sung that song a hundred times but had never considered its vulgar message. The lyrics had been there all along, but somehow I was hearing them for the first time. I quickly shut the radio off.
We are told to make every effort to supplement our faith with virtue. I needed to surround myself with things that would help me look upward, toward God, not keep me focused on worldly desires. While the Spirit guides that change, we must nurture it with godly, virtuous things. What tune are you singing all day long?
—P. L. M.
5b. And to virtue knowledge.
Second, virtue should lead to knowledge, clear understanding of the parameters of the Christian life. Knowing God and knowing about God will result in knowing how to behave in a godly manner (compare Proverbs 2:1–10). This is self-knowledge based on God-knowledge.
6a. And to knowledge temperance.
Third, our knowledge of God and His expectations for our lives should produce temperance. Such self-control should be applied to all facets of life.
6b. And to temperance patience.
Fourth, temperance leads to patience, steady endurance. For Peter’s readers in their environment of persecution, patience is necessary. God fulfills promises in His timing, not ours. Sometimes we can only wait patiently on Him (Isaiah 40:31).
6c. And to patience godliness.
Fifth, we should be refining our godliness, our patterns of devotion and respect for the Lord. This cannot be done passively, just as none of the other Christian traits discussed so far can be obtained through inaction. Human hearts are inclined to evil (Genesis 6:5; Psalm 14:1–3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18–20); without the Holy Spirit’s work and our own persistence, we will cultivate evil instead of godliness.
7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
We group the sixth and seventh characteristics together because brotherly kindness is so closely related to charity (translated “love” in other places; example: 1 John 3:1). Love that results in action with and for fellow Christians is to be a hallmark of believers (John 13:34, 35; Romans 13:8; 1 John 4:19–21; etc.). This primary characteristic of the church defines how we are to relate to one another (Romans 12:10).
This should flow naturally from patient endurance and godliness. Loving others often requires great patience and requires many other godly traits to be exercised in a holy way. Unselfish love is motivated by a concern for others that has greater weight than concern for oneself. What Peter began with faith (see 2 Peter 1:5), he ends with charity (compare 1 Corinthians 13:13).
| What Do You Think? Of the characteristics listed, which one will pose the greatest challenge to Christians in general in the year ahead? Why? Digging Deeper |
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.Diligent attention to these faith-based characteristics will result in spiritual fruit (compare Galatians 5:22–25). Growing in Christ is based on our knowledge of him (see commentary on 2 Peter 1:3, 5b). As we know him more fully, it is reflected in our lives. As we develop these characteristics of godliness, we know him better.
| What Do You Think? How will you assess your personal progress in the areas Peter mentions? Digging Deeper |
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.Does the neglect of the godly characteristics that flow from faith result from or result in a blindness to what God has done for a person? Perhaps it’s both, in a mutually reinforcing and vicious cycle (compare Matthew 15:14; 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4; 1 John 2:9–11).
This cycle must be broken or, better, not allowed to start in the first place. The beginning point for either is always to keep in mind the fact that we have been purged from our old sins, and they no longer condemn us.
Blind Spot
My phone dinged. Who is texting me so late? It was a male coworker with a joke. I laughed and replied quickly. I was brushing my teeth when a second text came through. My husband walked into the bathroom with a puzzled look on his face. “Who’s texting you ‘good night, sleep tight’?” With a flushed face, I spat out the toothpaste and practically spat at him, “It was just a friend.” My husband backed off.
Six months later, the texting had almost ended my marriage. I should have recognized the danger the moment I felt the urge to hide my phone. I told myself it was innocent even though my face would flush with excitement at the thought of the next text.
When we are saved, we receive a new nature, one that opens our eyes to temptation. We are to want what God wants and hate what God hates. How can you discover your own blind spots and learn to see clearly?
—P. L. M.C. Calling (vv. 10, 11)
10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.
To be called is to be invited; to be elected is to be chosen. These are not separate concepts but different aspects of the same thing. God both chooses and calls us to be part of his people. (On the relationship between these terms and the concepts of human freewill and God’s foreknowledge, see commentary on 1 Thessalonians 1:4 in lesson 11.) We make our status sure through the practice of godly habits as a priority. We are not earning our salvation but living it as God expects. The practice of godliness becomes a beloved lifestyle, not a burden.
| What Do You Think? What steps can we take to ensure that a strength doesn’t lapse back into a weakness? Digging Deeper |
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For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The risen Christ promised the church in Smyrna that the one who is faithful until death will be given a crown of life (Revelation 2:10). Peter offers a similar promise to the ones who strive for godliness. This reminds us of Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom of God, which Peter heard often (Matthew 6:33; 19:16–30; Mark 4:10–20; Luke 8:1; etc.).
Jesus warned the unbelieving Jews of His day that they would be barred from the kingdom of God because of their failure to produce fruit that God desired (Matthew 21:43). They were blind to His will and would suffer the consequences (Mark 4:11, 12; see commentary on 2 Peter 1:9).III. Remembering
(2 Peter 1:12–15)A. To Establish Truth (v. 12)
12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
Peter commits himself to helping his audience remember and practice these important components of Christian living (compare Psalm 119:52–56; Ezekiel 20:43; 1 Corinthians 11:23–29). This is not a new endeavor for the apostle. His readers already know how they should live and be established in truth. Peter’s concern is that they not grow tired in the midst of persecution or fall for compromises offered by false teachers who would demolish the foundation Peter has built with them (2 Peter 2:1–3).
| What Do You Think? What good aids have you discovered for remembering your status in Christ? Digging Deeper |
- Because Time Is Short (vv. 13–15)
13, 14. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
Peter is feeling his mortality. Choosing to refer to his life as a tabernacle recalls the temporary structure that housed God’s presence in the desert wanderings (Exodus 29:43, 44; 33:9, 10; 1 Kings 8:10–12, 27–30; 1 Corinthians 6:19). Christians look forward to the new, resurrection bodies that we will be given after our temporary, earthly bodies die.
The brevity of Peter’s remaining time has been revealed to him by Jesus himself, although Peter does not explain how (compare John 21:18, 19). He believes his last days are best served by refreshing believers’ memories concerning the important lifestyle matters just presented. In this way, they will be prepared for the return of Jesus or their own deaths, perhaps as a result of the murderous Roman persecution.15. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
The Christian life is not about seeking new commands or innovative doctrine. Quite the opposite: the Christian life is about remembering and practicing the old, that which has already been given (see 1 John 2:7, 8; 2 John 5, 6). Nothing would please Peter more than to know that his readers are doing just that.
| What Do You Think? How can our church help older believers leave a positive legacy of faithfulness to younger generations? Digging Deeper |
Conclusion
A. Christian Efforts
Christians cultivate godly characteristics and habits as modeled by Christ. This is essential in following Jesus as Lord. Our values and attitudes flow from faith in Christ. This is the Christian life as Peter presents it to his readers.
We do not live without guidance in how to do this. We have Jesus’ example and the Holy Spirit to guide us. God has shown us what he values. Are you making every effort to confirm your calling, to live your faith virtuously?
B. Prayer
Lord, guide us as we seek to live out our faith. Prod us with Peter’s words daily that we might not be useless, unfruitful, or blind. We pray in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
The condition of our faith defines our lives.
KID’S CORNER
Jesus Spoke the Words of God
Sunday, November 24, 2019
John 3:31-36
John 3:31-36
(John 3:31) “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
Beginning with John 1:1, we learn that Jesus is God and was with God from the beginning; furthermore, Jesus is the Son of God, the Word made flesh. To emphasize these truths, John revealed the same truths from a slightly different perspective when he wrote that Jesus came from above, from heaven (from God) and is above all. All human beings are from the earth, and their bodies will return to the earth as Genesis 3:19, teaches, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Therefore, no matter how primitive or sophisticated our different philosophies, our different religions, and our different worldviews, our human ideas are earthly, finite, and worldly. No one can understand the full truth of God and ultimate reality using reason alone or experiences or emotions. With the help of the Holy Spirit, believers can use reason to understand and explain what God has revealed in the Bible; therefore, believers pray for the help of the Holy Spirit when they study and teach the Bible. The Bible draws a sharp distinction between what God has revealed and what human beings have dreamed. Some follow their own ideas and dreams, or the dreams and ideas of others. The Bible teaches people to follow the revealed truths from God and from Jesus’ ministry on earth and in heaven.
(John 3:32) “What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He testified to or bore witness to what He had personally seen and heard above in heaven and throughout the universe. Jesus has seen and heard everything that has ever taken place in time and eternity and within the mind of God [see Note below]. Jesus knew and knows all the plans and purposes of God His Father, and He now sits at the right hand of God in heaven where He participates in all the plans and purposes of God. The Bible makes these bold claims about Jesus. In a variety of ways, Jesus made these bold claims about himself as we will learn lesson-by-lesson throughout our study of John’s Gospel. So, no wonder John wrote, “No one accepts His testimony” (meaning “very few,” for Jesus’ disciples accepted His testimony as far as they understood Him). But to John, so few accepted Jesus’ testimony that it seemed like “no one” was (the type of expression we all sometimes use meaning “very few”). During this time of Jesus’ ministry, He spoke to His disciples using parables, proverbs, and “figures of speech,” so they did not understand Him plainly (see John 16:25-29). After Jesus’ death on the cross and after His resurrection from the dead, Jesus sent the indwelling Holy Spirit to teach His apostles the absolute accuracy of Jesus’ testimony on earth and how to understand, live according to, and communicate what Jesus taught. In John 16:13, Jesus promised them, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
[Note: Consider what Jesus meant in Matthew 24:36, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” The Father and Jesus knew that depending on where and when someone lived, the day and hour would be different for them. One only needs to ask themselves how Jesus would have explained Time Zones, Daylight Savings Time, and the International Date Line to His listeners 2,000 year ago in ways they would understand. To solve this and other problems, before Jesus came into the world, the Father and He probably agreed that knowledge of the day and the hour would be withheld from Him. Furthermore, His followers would have been demoralized if He had told them something like, “I’ll come back about 2,000 years from now.”]
(John 3:33) “He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.
In courts of law, judges and juries hear the testimonies of witnesses, and from these testimonies and other factors they decide to the best of their abilities whether what they have seen and heard from these witnesses is true or false. As a personal witness to all the facts about God and reality, during Jesus’ ministry on earth, Jesus, the Son of God, revealed all the truths about God and reality which were helpful and needful for people to know the truth of God and receive Jesus as the Son of God. After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit revealed more truth about God and reality to His apostles, which they recorded in the New Testament. John and the other apostles certified that what they taught and wrote in the Bible is true. Whenever a person accepts the testimony of Jesus, they certify that God is true. Believers certify that Jesus and His testimony, which we learn from the Bible, are truthful, without defect, and are completely reliable. Believers certify that people can receive eternal life through believing in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I, too, certify that God has spoken truly in Jesus and in the Bible. As a believer in Jesus, you can do the same.
(John 3:34) “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.
God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for the Messiah, and John pointed people to Jesus, the Lamb of God. God sent John the Baptist and when he preached, he spoke the words of God. He taught about God, Jesus, and the reality his hearers needed to learn to repent of their sins and be baptized. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was born, and the Holy Spirit guided his thoughts and words during his ministry (see Luke 1:15). God sent Jesus, the only Son of God, the Word made flesh, and Jesus spoke the words of God. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus baptized and baptizes His followers in the Holy Spirit and fills them with the Holy Spirit without any limits. Jesus fills believers with all the presence of the Holy Spirit, but we must be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit or assume whatever we say has the infallibility of the Bible (see Ephesians 4:30 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Holy Spirit works within all who love Jesus. The Holy Spirit helps us understand and share what we learn from the Bible, the Word of God written. The Holy Spirit helps us teach the truth of God to unbelievers and helps many of them believe. The Holy Spirit guides and empowers us to fulfill God’s will in serving Jesus and others.
(John 3:35) “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.
None of the gospels speak of love more than the Gospel of John. The first truth we learn about God’s love is in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Because God loves, God gives. Because God loves, the Father sent Jesus into the world. Because God loves, those who believe in Jesus may have eternal life and not perish. Regarding God the Father and Jesus, John used the word “loves” three times. First, in John 3:35, we learn that because God loves Jesus, the Father gives all things into Jesus’ hands. Second, in John 5:20, we read, “The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished.” Because God loves Jesus, the Father shows Jesus all that He is doing and will show Him even greater things. Third, in John 10:17, we read, “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.” Because God loves Jesus and Jesus loves the Father and the world, Jesus will lay down His life and take it up again that many might receive the gift of eternal life. Because God loves, the Father wants the best and wisest plans perfectly fulfilled for all concerned throughout eternity. Because the Father knows His Son, He knows Jesus will always fulfill the best and wisest plans perfectly for all concerned throughout eternity. The Father has placed all reality, all that exists, all that has been, is, and ever will be, in the hands of Jesus or under the control, direction, and power of Jesus. God the Father knows Jesus is and will always be perfectly true and trustworthy. Jesus has revealed and continues to reveal to all who believe in Him that He is perfectly true and trustworthy; therefore, all who receive Jesus love Jesus, and with confidence they place their lives in His hands for all eternity.
(John 3:36) “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
As we conclude the third chapter of John, notice John repeated in a slightly different way what Jesus proclaimed in John 3:16. Because God and Jesus love the world, Jesus came so whoever believes in Him, the Son of God, has eternal life—which begins the moment we first believe in Jesus. When we receive the gift of eternal life through believing in Jesus, we are born again or born anew and become children of God. Truthfully, nothing can be simpler than believing in Jesus as the Bible reveals Jesus to us. On the other hand, John has told us (and we know from observation) that few accept the testimony of Jesus and the Bible. Why is this so? John’s Gospel has given us the answer: most people love darkness and want to remain in darkness because their deeds are evil. In John 3:19, we learned, “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” Those who love darkness and the pursuit of evil will not obey God or the Son of God; they will not do what God and Jesus require them to do to receive eternal life; they will not believe in God and Jesus as revealed in the Bible. Jesus is the only One the Father has given to us and through whom we can receive eternal life, and Jesus died and rose again to make it possible for us to justly and mercifully receive eternal life from our loving God. When some choose to live in rebellion against Jesus, they also choose the consequence of not seeing life. God’s anger, wrath, and punishment are not irrational. Our loving, just, merciful, and reasonable God must and will uphold justice. Even today, millions call out for justice, and God will bring justice to world. But everyone must remember that bringing justice requires the punishment of those who live in disobedience to God’s Law of Love, unless they repent and place their faith in God’s Way of salvation (see John 14:6). The Bible reveals the reasonable character and nature of the God who loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die, rise again, and lead us from darkness into the light—if we will only follow the Way and the One that God has sent to us, even Jesus Christ.
Jesus Spoke the Words of God
Sunday, November 24, 2019
John 3:31-36
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. (John 3:34— KJV). For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure (John 3:34—NASB). He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure (John 3:34—NRSV). John wrote that we can get information from the earth and from above. Information from the earth is of the earth, whether our information comes from our imagination, speculation, or investigation or from someone else’s imagination, speculation, or investigation. I suppose philosophers and scientists could explain how we get information better than most of us; but even then, their explanations are from the earth and therefore earthly (John 3:31).
John also wrote that One who is above all came from above, from heaven to earth, and He testified to what He had seen and heard in heaven. From John’s Gospel, we know this One is Jesus, God’s only Son. People choose whether they will accept and believe what they see and hear that is earthly. People also choose whether they will believe what the Bible says about God and Jesus. John wrote that in his experience “no one” believed Jesus’ testimony about the things of heaven; yet, Jesus spoke the words of God. By “no one,” John meant “very few.” We often use the expressions “no one” and “everyone” to mean “very few” or “almost everyone” (they did the same in Bible times). Since very few accepted Jesus’ testimony, it was easy to arrange His crucifixion. Notice that John also wrote that some did accept Jesus’ testimony, and they certified that “God is true” (John 3:33). How could they certify this? First, Jesus performed many signs that proved He had come from God; so, when Jesus spoke, some recognized He spoke the words of God. Second, Jesus gave believers the Holy Spirit without any limit, and the Spirit inspired their confidence in Jesus.
Thinking Further
Jesus Spoke the Words of God
Sunday, November 24, 2019
John 3:31-36
- What does it mean when John wrote that Jesus testifies? To what did Jesus testify?
- What do believers in Jesus certify? What does that mean to you?
- What did Jesus speak? What did and does Jesus give?
- What has the Father done for Jesus? Why has the Father done this?
- What is the difference between believing in Jesus and disobeying Jesus?
Discussion and Thinking Further
- What does it mean when John wrote that Jesus testifies? To what did Jesus testify? Jesus came from heaven to earth spoke about what He had personally seen and heard in heaven.
- What do believers in Jesus certify? What does that mean to you? Believers in Jesus certify that God us true. This means to me that everything God says and does is true and based on the truth. I am a Christian because what the Bible teaches about God the Father, Jesus the Son of God, the Holy Spirit, and the way to receive the gift of eternal life is true.
- What did Jesus speak? What did and does Jesus give? Jesus spoke the words of God, and His words are recorded truly in the Bible. Jesus gave and still gives the Holy Spirit without limit to those who receive Him, believe Him, love Him, and follow Him according to the Bible.
- What has the Father done for Jesus? Why has the Father done this? The Father has put all things into the hands of Jesus. God has done this because He love Jesus, His Son.
- What is the difference between believing in Jesus and disobeying Jesus? Those who believe in Jesus have eternal life. Those who disobey Jesus will not see life but must endure God’s just punishment. The Bible gives good and sufficient reasons why everyone should believe in and obey Jesus.
Word Search
Jesus Spoke the Words of God
Sunday, November 24, 2019
John 3:31-36
Name ______________________________
L Y L H T R A E B S C E P I M
K X S C O C T E T D K U W J L
W T E U J S L Q O S A E S R T
Z V J T S I K G X Q X W C Y L
Q N R Q E E Y A W R E H T A F
A O D V B R J B E O K P K L Z
F S E T W C N F L P R O B F G
E S B E O F I A Q M S D Z T L
U H K S R L S K L D P R S M K
R B Y T C E R T I F I E D J P
T U E I A W U F E W A R X Z Q
M G N M V C N T I R I P S T Y
F K L O G B S C M X C E Y C P
G M W N E V A E H R V N P R L
T X D Y U S E I F I T S E T A
Speaks
Earthly
Heaven
Testifies
Testimony
Certified
God
True
Spirit
Words
Father
Son
Believes
Eternal
Life
True and False Test
Jesus Spoke the Words of God
Sunday, November 24, 2019
John 3:31-36
Name ________________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
- Those who are of the earth speak of earthly things. True or False
- Those of the earth sometimes teach ideas about what is above that are not true. True or False
- Those born on earth need to learn the truth about God and reality, and Jesus taught some truths about what is above. True or False
- Jesus came from above, and He spoke of what He saw and heard above; therefore, everyone but the Pharisees believed Him. True or False
- Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can certify that God is true. True or False
- Jesus spoke the words of God, and Jesus gives a little bit of the Holy Spirit to everyone born on earth. True or False
- The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. True or False
- Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him. True or False
- Whoever believes in the Son have eternal life. True or False
- Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
10.True
Prayer
Lord, guide us as we seek to live out our faith. Prod us with Peter’s words daily that we might not be useless, unfruitful, or blind. We pray in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.