It's a little heaven below, to imagine sweet things. Prior to that, dialoguing with a Jewish elder, Nicodemus, Jesus explains that all salvation is predicated upon the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit you must become a new creation (born again) in order to be saved. [12] http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/bio2.htm. In the poem Jesus pursues Thompson with "unhurrying chase, and unperturbed pace, deliberate speed, and majestic instancy [or urgency]." The answer, simply, is nothing. Only the Holy Spirit can effect that change in a mans heart. That verse helps us understand why Jesus was so indignant. David was not speaking about himself, but rather prophesied about one to come a holy one whose body would not see corruption or be abandoned to Hades. This holy one is the Lord Jesus who defeated death. He will not leave prodigals, wayward sinners alone. Now given what we know of these two principles, we know that God is both reigning supreme over all, but also dynamically working in and through His creation to bring about His purposes. Weve all been there in fact, more likely than some cash in an envelope is the case that the bank charged you 5 times for overdraft fees even though you have plenty of money sitting in another account. What makes it beautiful is multi-dimensional. [13] They said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.. Ezek. This will bring you both peace and joy and give you great strength when all else seems to fail. He waits patiently for Gods plan. These are people who used to hate the light, and run from it. All goodness, all illumination as far as truth is concerned comes from Him. So when Christ says, let us go to Judea again we can perhaps understand the nature of the disciples concernthey knew full well the danger of what Jesus was suggesting. [17] But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my fathers hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I think that perhaps letter (f) is a little far fetched, and letters (d) and (e) are very similar. He was not a hypocrite in His teaching, He lived out this love it was this love that motivated His every action and controlled His every move. The Lord who remarked that a good father gives his children a fish and not a snake, gives fish in abundance. [xi] We must inculcate His truths into our minds and lives. . Psalm 139: No Escape From God | Bible.org Ordo we stay in our homes sobbing over a loss or a heartache. No, no, no. What is missing? Footnotes. To argue a distant futurist reign of Christ is to argue the opposite of how the Bible describes the efficacy of Christs work on the cross. North Little Rock, Arkansas. "Our own experience," he said, "recalls to us the period when we panted for the Lord, even for Him, our only want. Therefore we must be continually putting ourselves in a position to learn more, to hear the Word more, to pray more. The nations will always go on quarreling, wrangling, and fighting. Paul understands that the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is the lynchpin of our faith: And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. Believing in the Son glorifies God because it gives proper due to who the Son is, and it magnifies Him. [2] For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (Ephesians 6:13-18 ESV), Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. [i] This is also seen in Exodus 33:11, 17 and 18. An important part of the gospel is the hope for eternity with God. Furthermore, we can rest in the fact that it is God the all powerful who is working within us. In fact, if we think carefully about what John has been saying in verses 19-21 we will see that our natural disposition is to love the darkness. [6] In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Lets close by examining the great words of Paul in Romans 8:31-39: What then shall we say to these things? Why then are we here? [xii] I dont know where to put this, or if it really even fits in, but there is such a stark contrast between our own affections and those of the angels in Zechariah 3. We weep because we are dying and we live in a dying world. When you are lazy in your learning, you hurt the body of Christ and cause other people (and yourself) pain in at least two ways: 1. The Spurgeon Library | Not Bound Yet This section doesnt currently include any content. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. [40] For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Act on that conviction and surrender your heart to His call. The first is that it has been inaugurated by Jesus Christ, and will be consummated upon his return. Carson notes how some theologians remark that this power seemed to be so awful (awe-inspiring) that had He not specified the name of Lazarus that all dead people everywhere would have had to obey His fiat. About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. Would God keep his children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? 12:1-3), but Thomas went (in his mind) to his death because it seemed like the only dutiful thing to do. If Adam represented us in the garden, Peter represented us in the courtyard: Liars. Likewise, the miracle that were about to read of bolstered the faith of the disciples and those who were near Christ. The verse says that we get eternal life by believing, not by doing, not by working. I have felt the sting of public reproach, the rejection of so-called friends, and the despair that can set in when ones life is taken stock of and the future may seem bleak. The second point is mind blowing and its also where people get tripped up in Universalism. Still, even His great acts were not enough for some to trust that He was who He claimed to be. was used in a literal fashion. Imagine working all day long, getting dinner made, getting the laundry going, the kids finally in bed, the house somewhat clean (if youre lucky), and you sit down to get the money ready for grocery day tomorrow. We are never to be lacking in zeal but keep our spiritual fervor serving the Lord. The copper snake had the power (efficaciousness) to save all/anyone who looked at it, as does Christ. But not everyone would look at the copper snake, and not everyone will look to Christ. We have all sinned against God. That is why we say: Come Lord Jesus! Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. A careful look at the text reveals, however, that it teaches nothing of the kind. [2]It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. He basically says, Fine, you want these things? We also see the kind of person he is chasing (sinners) and what the proper reply is to his calling (repentance). Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears. John 3:16 may perhaps be the most famous Bible verse in the world. They were never intended to do it. So not every thought is written long-form, there are several footnotes with other thoughts at the bottom, and everything is in bullet form. Cowards. Sarah Boxer, "Charles M. Schulz, 'Peanuts' Creator, Dies at 77", McNamara, Pat. The truth that this conveys is that when human beings are allowed to have everything they naturally want, those natural desires are evil and rebellious not loving and seeking after the will of God. One of the things that fascinates me about the Biblical accounts of angels is their perspective. . Repentance! Section 1: vs. 1-16 The Plans of God for the Glory of Christ, Section 2: vs. 17-27 Abramatic Faith & Ego Eimi, Section 3: vs. 28-44 The Sovereign Power of the Son of God, Section 4: vs. 45-57 Heart of Darkness: The Power of Unbelief, Section 1 The Plans of God for the Glory of Christ. One cannot understand or appreciate the need for Christs imputed righteousness, the importance of His being fully man, the significance of Christs non-Levitical (and eternal) priesthood, or the typological significance of this enigmatic character Melchizedek if one is still learning the basic truths upon which these are built. The fish were not counted until the shore had been reached, in order to teach us that the exact number of the elect remains unknown until they have reached the shore of heaven. Here we see that they are completely obsessed with adorning Joshua (the High Priest at the time) with the best robe etc. But the blessing of this passage is the reminder that even the greatest leaders can fall, and even the greatest falls can be restored. We must trust in His promises as Jesus trusted in the Father until the final breath of. Only then do I feel like I have an excuse to lose my temper. [21] Why do you ask me? The truth is that unless God does a supernatural work in your heart you will always be dead in your sin and will always rebel against God. Is John contradicting himself? [18]And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. This truth is revealed further in the next few verses, 11:21-22Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. First, the idea that the world will be saved through Him, despite the fact that we just heard John use the word world to refer to a wide group of people, all humanity in fact, we now hear him use the word world in a more selective way those who will be saved. You see, death here seemed to have the last say, and the attitude of defeat among the mourners smacked of Satan. The first thing Mary does is run to Peter who happens to be hanging out with John, the other disciple (John always avoids naming himself). The kingdom was in their midst became (sic because) the King was there. There were two trials, one Jewish and one Roman. This is a very famous poem that has had much influence. No eye except that of the angels had as yet rested upon His form. He always ordains and acts according to what will bring him the most glory this is the wisdom of God. In His speech to the disciples He is patient and kind. Nevertheless, the Bible makes clear that we are still held responsible for our actions and our choices. This is where He finds us. John says earlier in chapter 3: [36] Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. We just need to glean a few things to understand the context, Needless to say these great truths these are deep truths and they arent going to make a whole lot of sense to someone still stuck on the basics. It is a kingdom which will never be shaken. Carson. 11:11-15After saying these things, he said to them, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him. [12]The disciples said to him, Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover. [13]Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Why is it that Christ Jesus is so little beloved? His tripartite restoration of this impetuous man mirrored the three-fold denial which Peter had so shamefully displayed just days before. Ridderbos says, He is certain the to go to Judea means death for them all. NOTE: Some of the dispensationalists might argue that God rules spiritually in the hearts of men, but not physically here on earth, and does not rule them in any way other than in their hearts. 153 fish,all the species/nations of the world can fit into the net and the net is not broken.. It is only by Gods grace that we arent completely turned over[viii] to these desires in the first place.[ix]. And He does this by stating I am he. This phrase is ego eimiand it is undoubtedly the open declaration of Jesus as Jehovah. (Romans 1:24-25, ESV). In fact, they just left and went back to their homes leaving Mary at the tomb with her sorrow. This biography follows the journey of a young man who plummeted from the heights of a comfortable life to the depths of drug addiction in London's seedy alleysand then found redemption. If grave robbers stole the body of Jesus why in the world would they A) take the linen cloths off of His body and B) set the facial shroud neatly folded in a separate pile. (Psalm 16:9-10). All nations will call Him blessed. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. The Hound of Heaven. It is why one of my favorite verses in Scripture is Exodus 33:11. 1:1-3). Secondly, the living of this son is the life promoted by the world. 3:19-21 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. I can just see Him now patiently repeating Himself so as to make them understand His meaning, and I wonder how many other times He had to do this same thing. [28] You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence. [29] Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. But never think that imagination can picture heaven. So certainly the gospel has transformed our world. This is the same man who we call Doubting Thomas, but we see here that there is more to this man than simply cynicism (though that certainly seems to be a dominant characteristic of his nature). You can find most of the answers you need in ourFAQ. In 1883, Charles Spurgeon was sitting on a bench in Menton, France, when a pale, emaciated woman sat down beside him. Have gave Himself for people who have it in them to betray Him, people like you and me. 11:16So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.. All of this can be comprehended by identifying how the Bible speaks about the kingdom of God and the reign of His Christ in other places, and how we are to understand this in light of what we read in chapter 20. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Note also that when He healed people, he didnt just give them an aspirin. It does not describe the intricacies of the new birth. The number of men here is likely to be around 200 or so. He says, In Pliny the Elders Historia Naturalis he lists all the known fish species at the time. Piper closes his thoughts on the matter this way: When Jesus died, he glorified the Fathers name and saved his Fathers people. I think theres something to this. In Eden, Adam took the fruit from Eves hand; in Gethsemane, Christ received the cup from His Fathers hand. He looked around Himself and was constantly surrounded by incompetence, sin, rejections, and idiotic behavior. Now from what John says, its apparent that the disciples didnt fully grasp yet the significance of what they were seeing. (f) I think, besides this, that the respective positions of the disciples and Christ, when they first saw Him, may possibly be intended to represent the respective positions of Christ and His people during this dispensation. He goes to a familiar place, and knows full well that Judas will certainly find Him and fulfill a plan laid long before the foundation of the world. He has saved us and not to mope about in introspection for our entire lives, but to love others in service to our Lord. Christ was ushering in His spiritual kingdom in a way that no man could deny. Peter learned that fateful evening that though the spirit may be willing, the flesh is weak. We all must stand in debt and awe that the Hound of Heaven has chased us down, has set His great and mighty love upon us, and though we deserved it not, has rescued us from certain death. (Matthew 12:38-42). He isnt trying to just get himself out of a spot with the intention of going right back to the life he led before. His justice is seen in His passing over those self-righteous older brothers who refuse to come in and eat with the prodigals. The third observation is what she saw, or rather what she didnt see. Believers will indeed gain wealth, influence, and even dominance.[xv]. But she didnt yet comprehend the power of the man she knew as Jesus. Thats where you need it! John Owen rightly explains that this charge against them isnt aimed at their being slow mentally, or having a learning disability. How can anyone be saved? Therefore your are called to believe and that faith, that belief, is the instrument by which you obtain your salvation. HE BOY SPURGEON continued in quest of Christ for five yearsfrom the time when he was between ten and eleven years old until he was between fifteen and sixteen.