Here we are onto day 77; we are going to begin this reading in St. John chapter 16.
John 16
2They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
Jesus is further comforting and warning His disciples of what's to come; that the Pharisees are going to put them out of the synagogues and will think that killing you is doing God a service; but they are not to fret. The Lord will still be with them and with us.
23And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. This is all we have to do; keep the commandments, then with faith, pray to the Father in Jesus name; and He will give it.
31Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
Jesus mentioned something that made the disciples believe even more; and Jesus asked do you really believe? Because when the time comes; all of them are going run and leave the Lord alone; but He won't be alone because the Father is with Him. They cannot say they truly believed because if they did they would not have ran away. You have to have good understanding to really, truly believe.
John 17
2As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Jesus is now in prayer to the Father!
5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Jesus again tells us that He was around before the world was. He was around before it was the Father and Son; back when it was just God, back when it was Jehovah and Jesus and all the angels and they decided to make a man in their image. The man sinned and one of them had to save the world from this sin, and Jehovah took on the task. Jesus made a body for Him and sent Him to die for the sins of as many as will receive Him. Jesus did not begin with Mary, to become a son of man, He had to come through man so He come through Mary.
9I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. Praying for everyone is not always a good idea. You could be praying for a no good person who will never try to do good. You are to pray for those who are earnestly trying to follow the Lord.
17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. The truth shall set you free, in other words, the Lord's Word shall set you free. When you read and understand the Lord's word, then you are set free spiritually from the bondage of this world; mentally, physically, and spiritually.
20Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; Jesus just prayed for us; because we were not there when this took place, but we read it or have been told it and we believe through their word.
John chapter 18
So they took Him to the chief and high priest as He allowed them to do. He came before Caiaphas and was asked about His doctrine and His disciples. Jesus told them to ask the disciples what He taught them; they will tell you. And one of the high priest servants slapped Jesus in the face telling Him is that how you speak to the high priest? Imagine you do not know the scriptures so you do not know who you slapped in the face.
Pilate asked Jesus if He were a king; Jesus said are asking because you think I am or because the Pharisees told you this? Pilate said I'm not a Jew, your own people want you killed. Jesus then said if this was my kingdom my servants would surely fight so that I am not delivered. So Pilate asked Him again, so then are you a King since He has a kingdom?
37Pilate 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.
Pilate asked what is truth? We read it in the previous chapter, the Lord's words are Truth. Pilate found no fault in Jesus and attempted to let Him go.
St. John chapter 19
Jesus was then sentenced to be crucified as we've read in other previous gospels. Keep in mind, that all of this is taking place on the actual passover day; that Jesus died on the passover day. That means for us today, we should have easter (resurrection day services) three days and three nights after the passover day and not automatically on Sunday.
14And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
15But 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.
Just as they had removed Jesus from being king over them and set up Saul, they said away with Him here as well. The children of Israel did not and currently do not want Jesus to be their king. They threatened Pilate of his job and loyalty to Caesar and that pushed him to have Jesus killed; but He put the blood of the innocent man on the heads of the children of Judah.
19And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.
21Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
22Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
Pilate deep down believed that Jesus was what He claimed to be and would not change the ascription on the cross for His title.
31The 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.
We have to remember this is a book about the Jews customs they received from Moses, from God. The passover is on the 14th and on the 15th is the feast of unleavened bread, which is a high Sabbath day. High Sabbath's are just like weekly Sabbath day except they have preeminence over the weekly Sabbath. So when verse 31 says it was a High Sabbath, early Christians did not know that it is different than the normal 7th day of the week Sabbath. This is why they assumed Jesus died on "good Friday" because Friday is before Saturday, the Sabbath Day. However, this was a high Sabbath and they can fall on any day of the week, it depends on the rotation of the year and day it falls under.
34But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
35And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
This just shows that there was a difference in Jesus and from other men.
39And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
This gospel let's us know that Nicodemus, a Pharisee that believed in Jesus as the Son of God, came with Joseph to take the body of the Lord to His grave.
John 20
She came early on Sunday, the first day of the week, so early it was still dark out and she found out that Jesus was gone, the body was gone. He rose from the dead and the sun, had not even risen yet, it was still dark out. We all have to question SUN-rise service on SUNday now don't we?
Jesus Reveals Himself to Mary v16
Jesus showed Himself to the brothers; and they believed; but Thomas wasn't there and wouldn't believe them; so Jesus appeared to them eight days later and spoke with Thomas; telling him not to be faithless; but believing.
28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. They called Jesus Lord, Master, Teacher, Son of God, Messiah, but never had they called Him God. He had at this point been born back into the God family.
29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
30And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
This is for us and those who came in generations after Jesus, that we will read and believe, blessed are those who believe without seeing.
John 21
12Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. The last supper was not the last supper. Jesus dined quite a few times after the passover dinner they had before He was killed.
24This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
25And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
John is letting us know today that everything they saw Jesus do is sure and did happen; in fact there are so many things that He did that didn't get recorded because there were so many things.
We will move into the book of Acts.
Acts chapter 1
5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Now the Lord told the disciples to leave Jerusalem when they see it surrounded by armies; but they should wait there till the Lord visits them. They still thought at this time the Lord will restore the kingdom of Israel; but it is not yet.
11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
We should remember in Zechariah the fourteenth chapter that it says the Lord returned and the first place the souls of His feet hit was the mount of Olives. The angel lets us know He will return in the same manner.
The chapter ends with the eleven praying to God for guidance in selecting the another disciple to become an apostle to fill in for Judas who betrayed Jesus. This is how you do things correctly; pray to the Father to help you make a good decision.
Acts 2
2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting
Pentecost seems like it is a new Christian thing that the Jews began doing after the death of Jesus, and the events introduced the the beginning of the "Church." First off, Pentecost means 50, and this was a feast of the Lord that the Israelites were and are required to to keep. It was the Feast of Weeks. This feast you are to count seven weeks after the Sabbath after the passover, which will be a total of 49 days, then the day after the 49th is a feast and high Sabbath day to the Lord. It will always take place on the 1st day of the week. This is what the Jews were doing there when the Spirit of the Lord filled the house.
The Lord did a miracle by showing tongues of angels translating everything that the speaker was saying to all the people who returned to Jerusalem for the feast. He used fiery cloven tongues to do it. This is like the UN does when it's translating for other national leaders. Let's see who came up for the feast, was it all men or just children of Israel?
5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
It was only Jews, devout Jews that were in coming up out of every nation on the earth to keep the high Sabbath and feast to the Lord.
7And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? This let's us know that they were all Jews; because when the speaker spoke, the men said aren't these men from Galilee, how is it we can here them in our language. If they were from other Gentile nations they would have said, aren't these men Jews, how is it we can hear them speak in our Russian language?
The Lord's Sabbath days and festivals were and are something that Christians think are only for Jews and not for them. But they are the Lord's and should be kept by all people. Since the children of Israel were scattered into all countries; all the people who returned for this feast came from many different nations as mentioned.
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
And Peter addressed the men of Judaea; not the men of Judaea and Gentiles and Ham; just the men of Judaea who were keeping the commandment of God to keep His feast at their appointed times.
Peter tells them that Jesus Christ, who they killed by wicked intentions was a man approved by God. God did raise Him up from the dead, He is let His Spirit down on them with this sign and wonder.
40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
When they heard that the Lord had made Jesus Christ both Lord and Christ, many of the men were remorseful and scared. Peter advised and warned them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins in order to receive the Holy Ghost. Then Peter tells us to save ourselves from this horrible generation; this is to say our salvation is in our own hands by our faith and behavior or works.
41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 3
6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
Peter heals a crippled beggar in the name of Jesus Christ, and the man rose and walked into the temple along with Peter and John.
The people came amazed and that is when Peter let's them know not to be amazed at their God. 13The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
Peter went on to tell them that Jesus is the one Moses wrote about and not only Moses; all the prophets.
22For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
24Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
Jesus is the prophet that if you don't listen to Him, it will be required and you will be destroyed.
Acts 4
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.
They were not going to be able to speak freely about Jesus without persecution from the men who put Jesus up to being killed. They came in and put them in jail for preaching about Jesus. However, about 5,000 men that heard Peter speak believed.
The Pharisees proceed to question Peter, and Peter spoke as the Holy Spirit guided him. 11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The Pharisees let them go on the condition of verse 18; but they were full of knowledge and zeal and ask the elders should we listen to you or to God? The Pharisees let them go and the people praised the Lord and quoted the prophet David.
25Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
26The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
27For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
36And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
37Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Here we see a Levite named Barnabas, selling his land and bringing the money to the apostles' feet. Levites were suppose to receive the tithes, but the Levite priesthood was stopped at the death of Jesus Christ. Now we no longer have to go to a priest that is a man and ask for forgiveness; but we can go right to the Lord Jesus, who is our High Priest.
Acts 5
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.
Here a man named Ananias and his wife were selling their land and donating the money to the ministry of God; and they attempted to keep some of the money they vowed back. A vow to the Lord is a vow you must keep; and the Lord had them both killed for lying on a vow (v3-10).
14And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) We still have not heard of Paul who became an apostle to the Gentiles. The church is growing in multitudes and we still have no Paul.
They were healing people and doing the works that Jesus had done that people wanted to just walk by the shadow of Peter to be healed. This angered the Pharisees and the put the apostles in a common prison.
19But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
And they went and the Pharisees came to see about what to do to them when they found that the apostles were back out teaching. This time they went and took them peacefully so they are not stoned and anger the people because the people loved the apostles. The Apostles let them know we have to obey God rather than man; plus you all killed Him now He is alive and we are going to teach Him till we die. This really angered the pharisees to the point they were going to kill them; but then someone spoke up.
Gamaliel spoke up saying many sects have rose and fell; so don't worry about these guys. If it is from the Lord it will prosper no matter what you do; if it is not it will become nothing like anything else out here that is not from God. However, do not find yourself happily fighting against God. That is good advice today, not to fight against something that is moving in truth; because it may be directly from the Lord.
The pharisees listened to Gamaliel, after beating up the Apostles first, and let them go. 41And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. If this ever happens to you as Jesus said, be very happy because it is written that this would happen.
Acts 6
2Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
As the church is growing, we have to remember the children of Israel, really Judah, were still in captivity to the Romans and had daily jobs they had to do and this started to bother the Greeks who ruled over them. So they called a man wise in this manner to rule over it.
They chose Stephen to discern over this matter; he was a man who was very skilled in the Word of God. Some elders in Israel came against Stephen and accused him of being blasphemous and attempting to destroy Moses's statues. They brought him in and brought false witnesses in and waited to hear his account.
15And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
This finishes our reading for today; we will resume tomorrow.
Peace & Grace
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