Living Water

The Water of Life

Book of John Chapter 4:6-26

This is a story of truth where a woman who had lived a life of sin met the Lord Jesus Christ at a well in Samaria and seized on that opportunity to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus may not have ever passed by that way again and we should understand this today.

A great lesson for today is that the Lord Jesus Christ can save anybody, anywhere, at any time!

No soul is so lost that the Lord Jesus Christ cannot find it!

This woman would go unnoticed today because she would fit in to the things that are happening, where there is no commitment to marriage and couples choose to just live together as being married, free to leave at any time.

Our young people today are just afraid to make a commitment, yet a commitment must be made to the Lord before we can enter into God's New Heaven!

Jesus knows so much about all of us that He knows exactly what to say to us at any given moment and sometimes it only takes a very few words to lead someone to Christ.

Another great lesson we can learn from this passage is that as powerful as is the Lord, He will still accept a small gift, such as this drink of water from any of us!

Jesus and His disciples were traveling back to Galilee and took a short cut through Samaria which could be said to be the enemies of the Jews.

They at least had no respect for one another because the Samaritans were a people of mixed breeds.

Even today the world still frowns of mixed relationships that produce children of a new color. This is one of the greatest proofs of the Book of Genesis.

*****Joh 4:6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

Joh 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

We should understand that there is no one upon the face of this earth that does not need the Gospel!

It was about the 6th hour of the day which means it was high noon and the human side of Jesus was tired and thirsty. "Yes that earthly body of Jesus felt the same things that our bodies feel and we all get tired and thirsty!

Mat 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

The truth is, the Lord will always ask so He can get an opportunity to give!

God is always ready to bless us at any given moment and He offers many opportunities to get a blessing every day!

What is the truth of Jesus our Messiah?

He shared our infirmity, yet He had no sin.

He would accept human supplies to maintain His earthy body.

He would then because of His great love, surpass all human expectations!

This woman had walked about a half mile to get some fresh water from a well that was called Jacob's well because Jacob had dug this well many years before this day. This well was very near to the tomb of Joseph.

The Jews considered themselves a pure race then as most of them still do today.

They considered the Samaritans as mixed breeds because of what had happened when Assyria had over run the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel many years earlier.

Jesus Christ only sees souls in need of salvation. Jesus does not see the color of the skin and no, He is not color blind, He can very well tell what our skin color is, but this is irrelevant to Him!

The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans.

*****Joh 4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

Joh 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

We should understand that the disciples of Jesus at this time did not understand the "Love of God" and had they not been sent to gather food they would certainly have attempted to interfere with the conversation that Jesus was having with this woman.

Her soul was much too important for her to be turned off by some who despised her.

The Jews would only deal with the Samaritans in business matters such as the markets of fresh foods that met the food laws of the laws of Moses.

The Samaritans had kept only the five books of Moses to live by and none other books of the Old Testament.

This woman took no time in noticing that Jesus was a Jew.

No matter what people say Jesus was born as a Jew, lived as a Jew and died as a Jew according to all the Laws of Moses.

Jesus raised from the dead because those laws of Moses cannot bring life and "New Life" comes by a New Covenant!

It was only when Jesus was raised from the dead that He had a glorified body that was not of this world!

Rom 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

By continuing in conversation with the Lord, this woman opened the door for Jesus to teach her the truth of God's Word.

*****Joh 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Jesus immediately begins with "Grace" because of His love for each of us.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Just as each of us, this woman was unworthy to receive the gifts of God, yet there she was side by side with the Messiah and she did not know Him.

James the half-brother of Jesus said it this way.

Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

The truth is, Living Water is alive and that "Living Water" can come only by the Lord Jesus Christ!

What is the truth of our world today? The world does not accept the precious gift of God, His Son, Jesus the Messiah!

In our world today, many want everything given to them and this is exactly what God does, He gives His gifts freely, but God does have one rule that cannot be avoided. God says if you do not work then you will not eat!

Jesus says, if you just knew the gifts of God, you could just ask, and they would be given to you!

Water is one of the two great necessities of life the other one is the air we breathe. Without these two things we would die very quickly, and we know that both these things can describe the work of the Holy Spirit!

This woman could not understand the truth because she was caught up in sin and immorality, which also describes our world of today!

We cannot “Passover” to the side of Jesus Christ until we know the truth of Jesus Christ!

Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Joh 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

We might ask ourselves, why does the world think we need some part of this world in order to understand what the Lord is saying.

This woman said, you are not even equipped to draw any sort of water from this well.

This woman was thinking, that without her bucket, this man was not going to drink any water.

*****Joh 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

Joh 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

To this woman who knew that it was Jacob who had dug this well but even Jacob could not have guessed the number of blessings this well would provide to those near unto it and traveling strangers.

This considered, how could this stranger provide a greater blessing than that of Jacob who was a patriarch of the Jewish people but also of the Samaritans. The Samaritans only recognized the 5 books of Moses and this only loosely.

This woman insinuated that there was no water anywhere else in the world any better than the water of this well provided by the hands of Jacob the patriarch of all Israel.

This woman was already thinking a works religion when the Lord was offering the free "Gift" of "Grace".

Certainly Jesus was greater than Jacob!

Certainly Jesus was greater than Moses.

Certainly Jesus was greater than the Jonas.

Certainly Jesus was greater than Solomon.

Certainly Jesus was greater than Abraham.

Certainly Jesus was greater than the Temple.

And, Jesus is greater than the Church because He is the fountain of "Living Water". The "Grace" of God cannot flow except by the hands of Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ knew the circumstances of this woman. Sometimes we can have this same feeling when we sense that the Preacher is preaching directly at us.

Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Jesus Christ must be preeminent in our lives before we can dig deep into that well of "Living Water"!

It is only Christ Jesus who can give the gift of "the water of life" which refers to the Holy Spirit.

All those who reject the Lord will drink of the "Lake of Fire"!

Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death

So Jesus answers this woman, whoever drinks of this water that you hold in so high regard will always have to return for another drink.

*****Joh 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

You see it did not matter how much this woman esteemed the water from Jacob's Well, because in the end it was only water and water that was provided to meet the needs of these people not by Jacob but by the Lord!

To be at peace in this world, we need much more than water from some well, we need that "Living Water" that can come only by the Lord!

The one thing we understand about wells is that wells will eventually dry up.

But there is a fountain: Pro_14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

What will be the difference with the way the Lord treats all people? Remember there are only the believer and the unbeliever.

Isa 65:13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:

Isa 65:14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

We all know how to quench our thirst but until you know the Lord your spiritual thirst cannot be quenched!

Today, especially among our young people there is a void in their lives and that void is spiritual thirst!

Suicides are up among all people especially are young because they cannot quench their spiritual thirst with the things of this world, no matter how much they think they should be given.

We must also understand that suicides are the highest among those children who have been coerced to think of themselves of as opposite sex from which they were born.

This world we live in is like salt water, the more you drink the more you want until you die of thirst because they have forsaken the Lord!

Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Once we drink of the fountain of the Lord we will never have a spiritual thirst again!

Do we need a refilling of the Holy Spirit every day, we sure do because we need His guidance and His protection not so much because we are athirst?

Isa 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

The only wells we need to drink from are the waters of salvation!

Isa 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

And what did this woman say after Jesus explained the truth to her?

*****Joh 4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

This woman had thought life was nothing, but a time of sensual enjoyment and she had become miserable living this life of lies.

There is no complete fulfillment in the things of this world, including sensual pleasure! This is why drugs are so popular.

We know that all of us have an inner thirst that in most cases we do not understand and like Solomon we try everything this world has to offer, and nothing in this world cannot supply things to fulfill that inner thirst!

Christ alone is the answer to all life's questions!

At this point this woman still had no respect for the Lord and we can just imagine as she said "ok smarty pants show me this water" so the Lord starts telling her things that He could not possibly have known if He was just a man.

*****Joh 4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

Joh 4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

Joh 4:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

We should know by now that the conviction of sin is by the Holy Spirit.

It should be obvious that this woman knew she was a dirty rotten sinner, but she thought that her past was hidden to the rest of the world!

Even the man she was living with now may not have known that she had been married 5 times, but the Lord knows everything about our lives and about our sin!

Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

If we do not see anything else surely, we can see the love of God for this poor woman.

Sin is like a life-threatening disease such as Cancer and as sinners, the cure seems to always too far from us.

This woman needed to be delivered from her sin, but she had to renounce that sin before this could take place.

This woman attempted to deny her sin by saying she did not have a husband, but the Lord saw straight through this partial truth.

Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

If Christ knows exactly how many hairs are on my balding head at any given moment, then we can be sure, Christ knew everything about this poor woman.

We must understand God keeps a record of everything we do.

Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

God has already heard every excuse made by the sinner who rejects the truth so, there will be no excuses at the White Throne of Judgment!

When we go before the Lord it makes no sense for us to hold back any detail of our sin because, He already knows, and He just wants us to understand if we know ourselves!

This woman had been married 5 times and this sixth man may have been the reason she was divorced from that 5th husband.

Someone who has been married 5 times will be the subject of many conversations but notice Jesus did not judge her at all and this poor woman responded with the truth, she was not married to the man she was living with at that time.

A certain man once wrote "an age in which divorce was easily allowed cannot be judged by the same rules as one of stricter principles".

Yet this is the age we live in today divorce is fairly easy to obtain but many today also choose to live together so they do not have to go through the pain of divorce.

If this woman was trying to make herself to be someone innocent, then this also failed because Jesus sees us for who we are because He knows all our thoughts!

The woman was astounded that the Lord knew everything about her past.

We should understand that there is not one thing we can hide from the Lord.

We are all sinners.

So, what do we do when we are in a conversation with someone who knows more about our lives than we do?

This is exactly what happens when we are in contact with the Lord.

We are guilty of every disobedience!

We are guilty of every law we break!

We are guilty of sin and condemned!

We must confess our sin!

Had this woman confessed all her sin, then there would have been no sin for Jesus to remember!

This woman recognized Jesus as a prophet but not yet as her Savior!

*****Joh 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Joh 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

It had been over 400 years since there had been a true prophet of God and the one since that time would have been John the Baptist whom this woman probably had never heard of.

In reality this woman changed the subject of her being a sinner into this man(Jesus) was a prophet.

If Jesus was a Prophet, then He would be sure to know the place of worship of the Samaritans on mount Gerizim.

She also knew that the Jews worshipped in Jerusalem, but she did not see Jerusalem as a better place to worship.

In essence she was saying "which one of us is right"?

We should never take this approach with the Lord!

Mount Gerizim was officially the Mount of Blessing for this was where Joshua blessed the children of Israel.

Many historical events had happened on and near this mountain and Gerizim is still to the Samaritans, what Jerusalem is to the Jews.

On this day of Jesus this one lady would begin to know the truth!

That truth is, true worship shall be no longer confined to any one place or to one nation!

*****Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

We must understand that the place we worship is not important.

1) An hour was coming that would change the whole concept of worship. There would be a "new way" to approach the Living God.

2) On this hour a historical event would take place that would change the worship of Jehovah.

3) The people of God could worship God in any place and at any time!

By following the ways of the Samaritans, this woman had no idea about true worship.

It was not the worship of the Jews that was important, but Jesus Christ was a Jew, and therefore salvation is of the Jews.

In true worship our whole being must be focused on the One True Living God!

Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

Rom 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

The Jews were intended to be our example for the Church and this points out some things about our Lord.

God wants a people who will love Him above all other things and give Him their loyalty.

God wants a people who are unashamed to tell others how wonderful He is.

God wants a people through whom the Messiah will return.

God wants a people who will preserve the truth of the Word of God.

This was indeed what God wanted from the Jews and is now true of the Church!

The Jewish nation failed, and it is the Church in place now and the Church must not fail!

The Jewish nation is still the apple of God's eyes and is still the time piece for all prophecy to be fulfilled!

Jesus was a Jew and God took all the sin of the world and placed all that sin upon His Messiah so that sin could be done away with!

*****Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

So how are the true worshippers described? All those who worship the Father in spirit and truth. All others will fail!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who determines true worship! (In spirit and truth)

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who determines the place of worship. (In our heart, down deep in our soul).

Spiritual worship is to seek a close and personal fellowship with God. Resting in God's acceptance and God's peace.

True worship is to approach God in the right way and the right way is through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ!

Why? Because God is seeking all those who will worship Him in spirit and truth and they will spend eternity with Him and not any others!

Pro 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Pro 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

Pro 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Pro 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

To worship in truth means that God has dictated the only method of pleasing Him and that is the worship through His dear Son!

We must present our bodies to God for His use!

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This is the results of God's Living Water!

Amen

Let’s Pray

The New Birth

The Necessity of the New Birth

Book of John Chapter 3

There are several ways used in the Scriptures that speak of the New Birth.

1) Regeneration actually means "new birth".

Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, "by the washing of regeneration", and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

2) Restitution of all things.

Act 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

Act 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive "until the times of restitution of all things", which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

3) Passing from life to death.

1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

4) Becoming a New Creature.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, "he is a new creature": old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

5) Jesus simply says, "We must be Born Again".

We can call all these things the Doctrine of Salvation!

*****Joh 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

Joh 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

We could say that Nicodemus is remembered as the secret disciple but in fact Nicodemus was also a Pharisee.

In fact Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin Court, the Supreme Court of Israel.

Nicodemus was a ruler, a high ranking official in the government of Israel.

It is obvious that he had seen Jesus perform miracles that as Nicodemus said, He could not have done "except that God be with Him".

Nicodemus first came to Jesus to prove Him wrong, but the truth has a way proving to yourself that it is you who are wrong.

We could also say that the Holy Spirit was convicting Nicodemus of the truth!

Nicodemus came to Jesus as formal religionist who had forgotten the work of a Shepherd.

Nicodemus had to ask the Lord, "just who are you" because he did not know Him, but the Lord would ask Him why did he not know, if he was who he said he was.

Jesus was and is much more than a Teacher called of God!

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

In truth, miracles and signs are not that important because the Word of God is most important.

The importance comes when we know the Lord well enough that our lives are changed forever!

Religion will get in our way of knowing Christ.

Religion will only allow us to reverence Christ.

Religion will not allow for the Spiritual change that comes from knowing the Lord in a personal relationship.

Religion will leave you in the darkness, while accepting Christ for who He is, will allow the Light of the Lord to erase that darkness forever!

The truth is once Christ begins a work in our soul, He will carry that work to an ultimate completion!

What was Jesus' answer to the question of Nicodemus?

*****Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Jesus says bluntly, that unless there is a "Spiritual Change", then no one can see the kingdom of God!

We know what that word "Born" means so, what does that word "again" mean?

1) Again means we must have a clear understanding of these things!

Luk 1:3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

2) Again means it must be repeated, it must be a personal relationship, a complete change!

Gal 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

3) Again means it must be from above! We cannot be "Born Again" by using the things of this earth.

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

Being "Born Again" means a complete change of mind and a complete change of direction, away from the bondage of Satan.

We entered this world by a physical birth, so we cannot enter the Spiritual world without a Spiritual birth!

We are dead to the Spiritual world until the sin of this world has been removed!

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

So how can these things be possible?

*****Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

How were we first created?

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

God first gave us life made in His image.

When Adam chose to not obey God, He chose death instead. So all his children even down to our own generation are now born in the image of Adam and face eternal death.

Now mankind loves this world, that will end in death, more than they love Heaven in which is eternal life.

So we must be "Born Again" in the image of God.

We are "Born Again" by accepting the life that is in Jesus Christ and therefore now we are to be in the image of Christ or Christlike or we say Christian.

This is not a maybe thing, this is a certainty, or we will never enter into God's Heaven really God's New Heaven!

*****Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

We should understand that what the Lord was saying to Nicodemus was not impossible for him to understand, just as we understand.

We all must have an inward cleansing and an inward experience of Holy Ghost influence.

What Jesus was saying to Nicodemus was, "in your present moral state you are unable to accept the idea of the New Birth!

This is what is wrong with the world today!

The Kingdom of God begins with a complete submission to the Will of God! To enter this Kingdom there must be our New Birth!

We must understand that we need a "new life" based upon a "New Foundation" that is not of this world!

Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

**The "born of water". For the Jews, the High Priests had to go through a ritual cleansing before He could offer a sacrifice to the Lord.

To the Christian that ritual cleansing has been replaced by the water of regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

Tit 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Why is this necessary?

*****Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Job 15:14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

Job 15:15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

Job 15:16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

Our flesh, that is void of the Holy Spirit, cannot be at peace with God! The flesh that is washed and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, will be at peace with God and possess the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Jas 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

We should not wonder why these things are true!

*****Joh 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

We cannot see the wind, but we know that the wind exists because we can feel it and we can hear it as it moves from place to place.

Even today modern scientist cannot truly know where or when the wind is going to blow or where the wind came from.

They certainly cannot understand those gentle breezes that move around us each day.

To understand what Jesus is saying, no one can understand the workings of the Holy Spirit except God.

We can learn many a lesson from the Book of Job and we can learn this lesson to.

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

This is something we all need to understand!

The Holy Ghost must be allowed to do His work by convicting us of sin!

1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Even with the greatest Teacher of all speaking, Nicodemus was so full of religion and worldliness, he just could not grasp what the Lord was teaching Him.

*****Joh 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Joh 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

We should understand that this was not some new doctrine for the Jews, even the songs they sang in worship gave this doctrine.

Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

This is the same doctrine of the Millennial Kingdom when the Lord next returns to this earth.

Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Eze 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

The was very little excuse for a Pharisee or a member of the Sanhedrin to not know these things!

They were too busy looking upon all others to take a look at themselves!

Jesus will have these same words for us when we refuse to study the Word of God, as we are commanded.

What is sure is just what the Lord says. If we cannot receive the truth of our existence upon this earth, we will never understand the Heavenly things that are also real!

*****Joh 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

Joh 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

The words of the Lord are certain and their fulfillment sure!

When we do not believe the words of the Lord, then we have rejected the Giver of all life!

On this day Nicodemus could not believe what he was hearing from the Lord, but we know that maybe he went back and studied what the Lord had said and compared it to the Scriptures for in the end Nicodemus became a believer!

As for those who doubt the Lord today, they need only look at the nation of Israel and the Jewish people as a guarantee of the truth of God!

God expects us to believe and accept every Word He has given to us and we cause our own problems when we do not!

God divides our world into only two groups, those that believe and repent and those who do not believe nor repent!

1Jn 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

It is a fact that no man in the flesh has ascended up to Heaven because they would perish from the Glorious Majesty that is God.

The Lord Jesus Christ had to take on the form of a man after He came to this earth to keep from destroying mankind. He came to save and not to destroy.

We should also know that the Lord Jesus returned to Heaven in His glorified body and whatever that body looks like is the way our body look when we see Jesus.

1Jn_3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Before these things can take place, the Lord Jesus had to die!

*****Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

The serpent in the wilderness is a great Biblical truth.

The escapees from Egypt had journeyed in the wilderness safe in the harms of God and had become discouraged forgetting that had been redeemed and God had met all their needs.

When God had heard enough of their complaining God sent fiery serpents among the people and those who were bitten would die without God's help.

God gave some instructions to Moses on how this people could be saved.

Num 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

Num 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

These people could only live if they put forth the effort to gaze upon that serpent that was raised, so more of them could see.

Jesus said: "if you are familiar with this story in the Bible you could better understand what He had come to this earth to do"!

It may not have been until Jesus was raised upon the cross at Mount Calvary that Nicodemus totally understood what the Lord was teaching him that day.

God came down from Heaven and took upon Himself the body of a man just, so this body would die to pay the sin debt of all this world.

It took the pure Lamb of God to be such a sacrifice!

We may ask why God would do such a thing and we will get the same answer every time!

*****Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We see that to God, salvation is a love thing!

1) The fact is: God "So" loved.

2) The evidence was: God gave.

3) The purpose was: to save.

4) The proof was: God sent His Son to die.

5) The means of salvation: it is only through the Lord Jesus Christ that salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of God can take place!

To the Jews this was a wakening. They had thought that Jehovah God was only the God of the Jews.

This world we live in, is not the perfect place that so many depend upon.

This world we live in, is not to be the world of the angels that did not leave with Lucifer.

This world we live in, is not a world of creations such as Adam that was said to be very good.

This world we live in, lies in wickedness!

God made us to be as common as the sunshine but those that close their eyes, the sun is no good to them.

Salvation extends to all the ignorant and the educated, all the very worst and all the very best. Salvation is for all!

When we that know the Lord think about it, there is no greater gift that God could have given to us!

Most all the world of false religion do not believe that God can love, and they are so very wrong!

God loves with so much affection, it cannot be matched even by the love of our Mothers!

1Ti 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1Ti 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

1Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

God does not allow unworthiness to cloud His eyes!

God does not allow religion to cloud His eyes!

God does not allow cruelty to cloud His eyes!

God does not allow anything to stop His love for us all!!!!!!!!!!

God has a loving nature!

1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

God wants everyone in this world to know His love!

1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

God also wants this world to know that His love is complete when we accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

Joh 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

Joh 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

There is not enough of paper in all the world to write down all the words that describe the love of God!!!

It is God's love that draws us to Christ and it is Christ who brings us to everlasting life!

But there are always those who chose to go their own way trusting this world to show them life.

*****Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

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

We know that love of God does not mean that all the world is saved.

We know that God is not disappointed in His design because we know God had this plan of salvation in place before the first day of creation.

We must believe that God has provided the only means of salvation and we must volunteer to reach out and take this precious gift of God!

God's love is based upon the "redeeming" work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God's love is based upon the energy of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore salvation can come only by the combine work of the Triune God, the Holy Trinity.

We know the proof of God's love, shown His greatness when He raised the Lord Jesus Christ up from that garden tomb!

Jesus Christ is now the Mediator of God's love!

If we should ever wonder, it is not the believer who can ever be condemned, it is only the unbeliever!

Every sinner holds righteousness in his own hands!

The unbeliever is condemned already because they remain under the present curse upon this world brought on by the sin of Adam!

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

The sinner is condemned because they have not believed the truth of God!

1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

Amen

Let's Pray!

Jesus the Authority of God

The Power and the Authority of Jesus

Book of John Chapter 2

We know that the first recorded miracle that came by the hands of Jesus was in the City of Cana during a marriage in which His whole earthly family and His disciples had taken part in. His family also continued with Him as they went with Him to Capernaum.

Capernaum had become the place where Jesus and His disciples had made the home base of His ministry. Both Cana and Capernaum were cities in what was called Galilee, but Capernaum was a city on the Sea of Galilee about 18 miles downhill from Cana.

It was in the city of Capernaum where Jesus taught in a synagogue that was probably built by a Roman Centurion.

In fact so many miracles happened in the city of Capernaum that God placed a curse upon this city because the people failed to see Jesus as the Messiah.

Mat 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Mat 11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

We will see this city mentioned many times as we seek to study the Book of John.

*****Joh 2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

Joh 2:13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

Joh 2:14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

After this means, after the wedding that all the earthly family of the Lord and all the disciples of the Lord attended, they all then went to Capernaum. Capernaum was at a lower elevation or downhill from Cana and their next trip would be up hill all the way to Jerusalem for Feast of the Passover.

We must understand that the pathway to Heaven is not always easy but the view from the top will be wonderful when we get to New Jerusalem.

The annual Passover was a Memorial to freedom but also a symbolic Memorial in memory of that first Passover night in Egypt much like our July the 4th celebration.

It is symbolic because the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover was Mount Calvary where the Lamb of God took away the sins of the entire world.

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

1Co 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

1Co 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Jesus and those with Him could only stay a few days in Capernaum because it was a long walk up hill all the way to Jerusalem.

The Temple that sat on top of Mount Zion is believed to have covered 30 acres.

The Temple itself was a small ornate building near the center but there were several courtyards each courtyard was separated by its own wall.

There was the courtyard of the priests and only priest could enter there. Only the High Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies and that only once each year.

There was the courtyard of the Israelites and only Jewish men could enter there.

There was the courtyard of women for Jewish women only but on certain occasions could these women worship with the men.

There was the courtyard of the Gentiles, which was the greatest court of all others in size and was intended for Gentiles who were converted to Judaism. These converted Gentiles could be put to death if they tried to enter into the other courtyards.

Remember the Apostle Paul was accused of bringing a Gentile into the place of the priest when He first went back to Jerusalem after his conversion to Christianity.

It was bad enough that oxen and sheep were found on the Temple grounds to be purchased for sacrifice. The people were to bring the best that they owned.

It was bad enough that there were money-changers who converted any money and revenue to Temple money for a profit. It was illegal for the Jews to charge ursury to another Jew in any way.

These things were bad enough but the priest, even the High Priest, shared in the profits of these things, including the High Priests who could have been the only one who sanctioned these things.

The Temple grounds had become like a carnival side show and King Herod loved it because even he was made richer when he collected the taxes.

The Temple brought in much revenue to Jerusalem.

We must understand that the Temple and the Church are to be for the glory of God and not for such things as these!

It was the priest who were rewarded as they collected their reward for allowing these merchants upon the Temple grounds.

They had made merchandise out of God's people!

The court of the Gentiles had been turned into an open market, a mall, a bazaar.

You know what is so sad? Many a so-churches have done the same thing today!

We hear of Coffee shops and donut shops and God forbid a tavern where even the preacher says he can preach much better after a couple of beers.

These high-ranking Jewish priests had forgotten what the House of the Lord was all about!

The House of God is set for the worship of Jehovah God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in Spirit and Truth, a place for believers to gather to worship in the truth of God and fellowship in the Lord!

*****Joh 2:15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

Joh 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

How do we abuse the House of God?

1) We forget God's holiness while forgetting our duty to reverence God! It is not only our duty to gather in the House of God, but it is our privilege to worship in God's House.

2) We forget what worship is all about.

3) We misuse the facilities and the buildings of God's house.

4) We allow "questionable", non-worship activities in the House of God.

All these things have no purpose in God's House!

The House of God must be about worship of the Lord and the hospital for lost souls. Every activity at the church must keep these two things in mind!

1) Jesus chased out all those who were buying and selling.

2) Jesus threw over the tables of the moneychangers.

3) Jesus threw over the chairs of the dove dealers.

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2Co 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Jesus called God "My Father" and Jesus called the Temple "My Father's House".

Once a place of worship is dedicated to the Lord it belongs to Him!

Every place that is made for the worship of Jehovah God then becomes a House that God built!

The Church is not to be a place for buying or selling. The Church is not to become a bazaar. The Church is not a place for commercial profit. The Church is not a place for stealing or cheating or going against the written Word of God.

The Church is to be a place set aside to worship and that worship directed at Jehovah God, the Lord Jesus Christ or it is not even a Church.

The Church is to be a place to train disciples to send out to make more disciples.

The activities that take place at the Church should be about these two things!

Psa 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Psa 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

Psa 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

Psa 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

The disciples of the Lord did not ever forget this day when the Lord cleaned out the House of God!

These disciples remembered what was written in the Scriptures!

*****Joh 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

Psa 69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

Psa 119:138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.

Psa 119:139 My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.

Psa 119:140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

Psa 119:141 I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.

Psa 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

These disciples remembered what was written in the Scriptures, which showed that they were familiar with the Psalms, the song book of Jews!

They also realized that these Psalms were written of the Messiah.

If we are to be like Jesus Christ (Christian) then we to are to possess such zeal as He showed here in this passage for the House of God!

For instance, how can we expect our lost family members to come to Christ if we do not put forth a great effort, a great zeal, for their salvation and for the truth.

In fact our Pastor has a great zeal to reach the lost but not many members of our church are willing to go house to house to reach out to them. I am guilty of this myself!

Jesus Christ had a great zeal for the House of God, but He did not destroy those things in the Temple, He just stopped what was going on because the House of God has no place for these things.

As is always the case, those who made a profit off of the sales of these things were the true deceivers.

It is most always true that if a crime has been committed we only need to follow the money trail to find those who are the more guilty.

*****Joh 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

Jesus the Messiah had every right to do these things at a place set aside for worship of Jehovah God! This was His house!

These people who had witnessed these things then, showed they belonged to Satan as they tempted the Lord to show them some miracle for proof that He was the Messiah.

The Apostle Peter said that there is not greater proof than the written Word of God.

2Pe 1:15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.

2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

2Pe 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

As it is today, the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ is still the stumbling block of the Jewish people.

Jesus knew all these things, so He simply said "when this body I have taken is murdered then, I will raise again in 3 days and this would be the only sign that they needed.

Act 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

Act 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Act 10:41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

These who were probably Temple priests, representing the High Priest were ignorant of the truth of the Messiah, they would not accept this answer, nor would they have accepted a miracle had Jesus caused one to happen.

The Lord decided they did not deserve any other answer at all!

We are never to enter into discussions about the truth of the Scriptures. What God has said is the truth, period!

We do not have to answer the world because of their unbelief. They make this choice themselves and they had already decided that they could not be proven wrong.

There is very little doubt that Jesus was pointing to His own body when He said these things because the disciples clearly understood what He was speaking of.

*****Joh 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

We know that the Temple of Solomon had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. We also know that those Jews who had returned from Babylon had rebuilt the Temple but not in the same splendor of that of Solomon because they were too poor.

Ezr 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

Ezr 3:13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

King Herod had taken it upon himself to transform that Temple into a grand structure but only succeeded in making the Temple a worldly structure that God would later cause to be destroyed.

The work on the Temple had been going on for 46 years and this work would continue for 36 more years until it was within 6 or 7 years of the time when Titus completely destroyed the Temple again in 70AD.

Why did Jesus weep when returning to Jerusalem for the last time before He went to the Cross?

Luk 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Luk 19:42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

Luk 19:43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

Luk 19:44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

We can trust the Lord to know the future of all things!

*****Joh 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

Joh 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

The goal of our Father in Heaven was to provide an even newer Temple, a Temple that would last forever, a Temple built without the hands of man. This would be a new meeting place for God to meet with us, up close and personal.

For all those who would believe, the Holy Spirit would be the first to move in and we all would become the greatest Temple ever built.

Act 11:16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We should also understand that it was this same statement that was twisted into a lie and used against Him, when Jesus was tried for insurrection.

Mat 26:61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

This was also the same statement that was used to taunt Jesus when He was on the cross.

Mat 27:40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

The Jews never considered that Jesus was offering them eternal salvation and they rejected all His Words!

Rom_4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Rom_5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

There were many who were at the Temple that knew the Lord because of the miracles He had done in the many places He had traveled.

*****Joh 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

Even at the Temple during this Passover there were some who believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. They had the same belief that we have today.

There were also some at the Temple who had seen the Lord perform the many miracles and they only believed Him for this reason which is not good enough to get into God's New Heaven.

Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

The Lord Jesus Christ was truly full of power, in fact extraordinary power, explosive power and it is this belief that could get them saved.

1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

1Co 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

There were also those who just believed just because they had witnessed all the things that Jesus had done.

Joh 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

Joh 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

We should also understand that the Lord knows exactly what is in the mind of every human being and our Lord is not a deceiver but always of the truth.

*****Joh 2:24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

Joh 2:25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

To many of that day, their faith just did not go far enough.

What are the 2 commandments of the Lord that have real meaning?

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

These are the guide lines for our faith and these 2 things must be real!

The Holy Spirit will not move into our bodies unless we possess this love.

Even today Jesus Christ knows everything about everybody.

We simply cannot fool God!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

If we will believe that Jesus Christ is exactly who He says He is, then by the "Grace" of God, we can be saved from a sinners Hell and rewarded by being adopted into the family of God!

Amen

Let's Pray!