Category: New Testament

Jesus, the Light of the World

Scripture: John 8: 12-18

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”

Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.  But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.  In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.  I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”

Scripture Commentary: Walk in the light.

Jesus said that He is the light of the world. What does it mean to follow Him? As a soldier follows his captain, so we should follow Christ, our commander.

As we follow the advice of a trusted counselor, so we should follow Jesus’s commands to us in Scripture. Additionally, as we follow the laws of our nation, so we should follow the laws of the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus told the truth about Himself.

The Pharisees thought Jesus was either a lunatic or a liar. Jesus offered a third alternative: He was telling the truth. Because most of the Pharisees refused to consider the third alternative, they never recognized Him as Messiah and Lord.

If you seek to know who Jesus is, don’t close any door before looking through it. Only with an open mind will you know the truth that He is Messiah and Lord.

Is Jesus the light of your world? Let Christ into your life and see His light shine on you.

Read the Entire Chapter:

John Chapter 8

Watch and Pray; Jesus Will Return

Scripture: Mark 13: 33-37

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Scripture Commentary:

We go through life doing what must be done. We pay our bills, buy food, and whatever else we need to do to make it through. But are we so wrapped up in things that we have forgotten God? Watch and pray for Him.

Is the journey we are on leading us away from Jesus?

We go to church, pray, go home, and that’s it. When we leave God’s house, what are we doing next?

Jesus has given us all a task. Are you working at yours? When Jesus returns, what can you say to Our Lord about the task He has given you? Will God find you asleep or doing His work? Are you giving God your best?

Mark chapter 13 tells us how to live while we wait for Jesus’ return. We don’t know the time or the day it will happen. So what are you doing until then?

Read the Entire Chapter:

Mark Chapter 13

Receive the Kingdom of God with Childlike Faith

Scripture: Mark 10: 13-16

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” he took the children in his arms,placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Scripture Commentary:

Jesus was often criticized for spending too much time with the wrong people: children, tax collectors, and sinners. These people needed Him most. Of the children, He said that we needed to be like a child to receive the kingdom of God.

Some, including Jesus’s disciples, thought Jesus should spend more time with important leaders and the devout. They felt this was the way to improve His position and avoid criticism. But Jesus didn’t need to improve His position. He wanted to speak to those who needed Him most.

Jesus revealed Himself to the little children.

Adults are not as trusting as little children. Jesus said that people should believe in Him with a childlike faith. We should not have to understand all of the mysteries of the universe. It should be enough to know that God loves us and provides forgiveness for our sins.

This does not mean that we should be childish and immature, but we should trust God with a child’s simplicity and receptivity.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Mark Chapter 10

Jesus Is More Than Enough

Scripture: Luke 21: 1-4

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Scripture Commentary: Do you give God all you can?

You may think you give all you can but if you really think about it, you can give and do more. When it comes to God taking care of us, He gives us more than we need.

God gives His love, forgiveness, and He is always there for us.

The widow in Luke 21 gave all she had to live on. She did it not knowing from where her next meal would come. She had faith in God.

Let’s be realistic, you are not going to give your last dollar but will you do all and more to help someone to spread the Gospel?

Money is not all you can give to God.

You can give your time. You can give from the gifts He has blessed you with.

The widow’s gift was a sacrifice but she gave it willingly. Are you willing to give?

Read the Entire Chapter:

Luke Chapter 21

Jesus Came to Call Sinners to Him

Sermon (Part Two): And When He Saw Their Faith – Jesus Came Not to Call the Righteous

Mark 2: 17


When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus came for all of us, for we are all sinners in need of repentance. The man in Mark chapter 2 was physically and spiritually sick but he had faith that Jesus could heal him. If he didn’t, then why go through the hardship of getting to Jesus?

We all need Jesus.

Some of us are led to Jesus by friends or family. Or something happens in our life that cause us to turn to Him.

Some are like the man being handed down through an opening in the roof. Some are like Saul on the road to Damascus when Jesus asked, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”* When we go against God, we are persecuting Him.

When I was in the world, I was not of God.

God loved me enough to turn me around and put my life on the road to serve Him. I’ll tell you this: I am happier because I know Jesus loves me. And I know that He loves each of you.

If you are sick, ask Jesus for healing. If you are blind, let Him give you sight. Not the sight that you use to move about, but the sight of His holiness.

Let Jesus open your eyes in the spiritual sense.

Then you will see that what you think is so important isn’t. When you put yourself in Jesus’ hands, you are saying, “God, take me. Guide me. Deliver me. I accept you as my Lord and Savior.”

Read the Entire Chapters Referenced:

Mark Chapter 2

*Acts, Chapter 9

Read Part One of the Sermon, “And When He Saw Their Faith.”

And When He Saw Their Faith

Sermon (Part One): And When He Saw Their Faith

Luke 5: 20

(King James Version)

And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

(New International Version)

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark 2: 5

(New International Version)

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

The words ‘man,’ ‘friend,’ and ‘son’ are written so that we may know that this person is a man that Jesus considered a friend. The word ‘friend’ is used one other time to describe Jesus’s relationship with his disciples.

How would Jesus describe His relationship with you?

If you have a relationship with Jesus, then you are his son and friend.

What are you willing to do to bring someone to Jesus?

In Mark, chapter 5, a paralyzed man is brought to Christ. This person was a grown man, not a child, yet Jesus calls him ‘son.’ This man had the faith that a child has in his parent. His faith was so great that he let nothing prevent him from getting to Jesus.

If you knew someone who needed help, would you help him?

We are all in need of something. For some it’s shelter, clothing, finances, healing. As Christians, we are to do God’s work and that is to help, love and bring God’s Word to those in need.

Read the Entire Chapters Referenced:

Luke Chapter 5

Mark Chapter 2

Please return later this week for Part 2 of the sermon, And When He Saw Their Faith

Jesus Went to Synagogue Every Week

Scripture: Luke 4: 16-19

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,  and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Scripture Commentary: Jesus went to the synagogue every week.

Jesus attended services. Do you? His example makes our excuses for not attending church sound weak and self-serving.

In Luke 4, Jesus proclaims that He will bring the good news to pass, but in a way that the people would not be able to grasp. Jesus was not accepted as a prophet or the Son of God in His hometown.

Many don’t accept what is clearly before them.

Many people have a similar attitude. An expert is anyone who carries a briefcase and comes from a faraway place. We don’t accept the preacher who is standing in front of us, clearly led by the Holy Spirit.

Keep your heart pliable to accept Jesus’ life-changing message. When God touches your life, share the wonderful events with others.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Luke Chapter 4

Jesus and the Throne of God

Scripture: Hebrews 1: 5, 8, 13

For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? (5) But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.” (8) To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? (13)

Scripture Commentary:

God is telling us who He is and who His Son is. He tells us about the angels and what they do, and about Jesus, what He is, and His relationship to the throne.

Jesus is God’s only Son who He sent into this world to be a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus saved us from ourselves, opening the gateway so that we can come directly to Him.

God tells us that only His Son, Jesus Christ, is the way to be saved. God tells us of His love for His Son, and where He sits.

Jesus is our security in an ever-changing world.

If you have any questions about who Jesus Christ is and what His place is in heaven, read Hebrews chapter 1. Jesus is our only security in this ever changing world. He has never changed. His love for us (despite ourselves) has never changed.

If we trust Him, we are absolutely secure because we stand on the firmest foundation in the universe. Jesus Christ is the unchanging Son of Our God in heaven.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Hebrews Chapter 1

Do You Recognize God’s Voice?

Sermon (Part Two): What Side of the Cross Are You On? … Do you recognize God’s voice?

John 10: 4-5

” … When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

If you haven’t accepted Christ into your life, how do you know if or when He is talking to you? You know your friend’s voice, you know your enemy’s voice. You’ve learned to trust one and not the other.

God will never tell you wrong, but satan will tempt you always.

Jesus hung on the cross with two criminals. One was on His right; the other was on His left. One says to Jesus to save Himself and them also. But the other criminal was different.

Luke 23: 40-41

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 4We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

This criminal admits they were there because of their deeds.
It’s the same with us. We have done many wrong things and have finally been caught.

Luke 23: 42-43

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[”

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

This criminal saw God in the flesh. He saw goodness, mercy, love and forgiveness. He repents and Christ saves him. The other was not saved.

Which criminal are you?

Are you the criminal who thinks and acts only for himself? Are you the one who receives God’s love and don’t return it? You cannot ask for forgiveness yet not give it.

The two criminals had time to ask for forgiveness and accept God. One was saved, the other wasn’t.

The time is now.

You have time today to accept Jesus and ask for forgiveness. Later is not promised. So, if you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, stand and ask for His forgiveness! Ask for His love, and tell Him you love him!

Praise the Lord. Thank you, God. We love you. Thank you for your Son. Thanks be to God.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John Chapter 10

Luke Chapter 23

Read Part One of the Sermon, What Side of the Cross Are You On?

Jesus, Remember Me

Sermon: What Side of the Cross Are You On? … Jesus, Remember Me

Part One: Luke 23: 37-43

… and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him,[c] “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,[d] saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” 3Two criminals are to be crucified along with Christ. One is on His left; the other on His right. Each criminal is tied to his cross with ropes. They endure no physical punishment. In contrast, Jesus is nailed to the cross with large nails. But before He is nailed to the cross, He is whipped, beaten, spit upon and a crown of thorns is forced on His head.

Isaiah 53: 3

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

One of the criminals says to Jesus to save Himself and them, too. Similarly, Satan tempts Jesus after He is baptized by John the Baptist.

Matthew Chapter 4 recounts Jesus being led of the spirit into the wilderness. He was there 40 days and nights. When Jesus was weak and hungry Satan came to him.

Matthew 4: 2-3

And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 

Jesus’ response is very clear. In Matthew 4:10, Jesus says, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”

Satan tried to tempt Jesus, fully knowing that He is God’s Only Begotten Son. So, if He would approach Jesus to tempt Him, what chance do you have?

I am here to tell you, you have no chance unless you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You must be under the covering of God’s grace.

Read the entire chapters of the Scriptures referenced:

Luke 23

Isaiah 53

Matthew 4

Read Part Two of the Sermon, What Side of the Cross Are You On?

Do You Recognize God’s Voice?