In John 10 Jesus shares two pictures of who He is. Jesus also shares with us that there is one who would do us harm. In presenting us with who He is and with the fact that there is one who would harm us, Jesus gives us a choice - Who Will I Follow?
John 10:1-2
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Anyone who attempts to get to the sheep by any means but the door is a thief.
The word thief means one who steals by having a specific plan.
The thief, we are told in John 10:10, wants to:
Steal - take something away
Kill - to slay something till it is dead
Destroy - to put an end to something or to make something useless
Jesus offers something very different.
John 10:7
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you I am the door of the sheep.”
Jesus says that He is The Door.
John 10:9
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
Jesus as The Door promises us three things.
First, He says we will be saved. He promises us salvation if we enter through Him.
The thief only gives death and destruction.
Jesus, according to verse 10, gives life, and life abundantly.
The word life in this verse is the Greek word Zoë. It means life to the fullest, a vitality of living. It is living, not just surviving. It is the life of God.
God is offering us a quality of life that is eternal and complete.
Second, He says we will go in and out. He promises us liberty or freedom.
The thief only wants trap and enslave us.
Jesus wants to free us to be who He created us to be, our true selves.
John 8:36 says that if the Sons set us free, we are really free.
The word free means to liberate or exempt from moral, ceremonial, or mortal liability.
Jesus, by His death, paid the penalty of our sin.
We are freed from the:
Penalty of Sin
Power of Sin
and
Eventuality the Presence of Sin
It is not that we have done everything right or can ever do anything to deserve Jesus’ gift of His life, but that out of grace Jesus gave Himself for us.
It is also not that we are not responsible for how we live. But because of the grace of Jesus we don’t have to always be looking over our shoulders wondering when our sin will catch up with us. Jesus has dealt with our sin - It Is Finished.
We are truly free.
Third, He says we will find pasture. He promises spiritual food.
When the Israelites were in the wilderness for forty years God fed them with manna.
In 1 Corinthians 10:3 Paul says that they all ate the same spiritual food. It was that spiritual food that gave them the strength day after day to follow God.
In John 4:34 Jesus says that His food is to do the will of the Father. Our food, that which gives us daily strength, should be the desire to do God’s will.
The thief only wants to take from us.
Jesus wants to give to us whatever we need to follow Him.
Life is the choice between yielding our lives to Jesus as The Door or having it stolen from us or killed or destroyed by the thief.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is entering and living life with Jesus as The Door.
John 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
John 10:14
I am the good shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me.
Jesus is The Good Shepherd.
Jesus is not just a shepherd.
Jesus is The - one and only - Shepherd.
Jesus is The Good - beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable - Shepherd.
Jesus as The Good Shepherd promises us five things.
John 10:3
To Him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.
First, Jesus promises that He knows us by name.
Isaiah 43:1
But now says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
Think about the sovereign, supreme, all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of everything knowing each of us by name.
The most famous and powerful people on earth don’t know my name, but God (who is more powerful and famous them all of them) does.
I will use one of my granddaughter’s favorite words to describe that fact - AWESOME!
John 10:4
When He has brought out all His own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.
Second, Jesus promises to lead us and go before us.
Just as God provided the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire to lead the Israelites, Jesus is the one who goes before us and shows us how to live in obedience to the Father.
It is not just anyone leading us, it is one who claims us as his own. It is the One who we intimately know.
We don’t follow a stranger. We follow One with whom we have a love relationship.
In John 10:11 Jesus says that as The Good Shepherd He lays down His life for the sheep.
Third, Jesus promises to give His life for our good.
Jesus died on the cross not for any wrong or sin that He had committed. Jesus is the sinless perfect One.
Jesus died on the cross for the wrongs we have done and the sins we have committed.
The predators who the shepherd protected the sheep from were there to get the sheep, not the shepherd. But it was the shepherd who put his life on the line for the sheep.
Jesus gave His life so we could live.
John 10:14b-15
I know My own and My own know Me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
Fourth, Jesus promises a unity among us as His people with Him and the Father.
In John 17 four times Jesus prays that we as His people will be one with Him as He and the Father are one.
Jesus wants to manifest Himself through us as the Father manifested Himself through Jesus. We are the body of Christ.
In Philippians 3:10 Paul says he wants to know Jesus, to experience the power of Jesus’ resurrection, to fellowship in shared sufferings with Jesus, and to be conformed to Jesus’ death.
Paul wants what we as Jesus followers are to want: to be in complete unity with Jesus and the Father.
John 10:16
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
Fifth, Jesus promises to remove the barriers between His people.
We as the church need to allow Jesus to remove barriers that keep us from coming together as brothers and sisters in Jesus.
Barriers like:
Church Structure
Worship Styles
Bible Translations
Worship Dress
Generational Differences
Social Standing
Financial Status
Race
The world needs to see a diverse people united by their love and passion for Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is following Jesus as The Good Shepherd.
When you come to the end of this passage in John 10:19-21 what do we find? We find people making an eternal decision.
One group said Jesus was crazy and demon possessed.
One group said look at His teachings and what he does because they are not the words and actions of a crazy demon possessed person.
You have to decide who Jesus. If He is The Door and The Good Shepherd then we need to:
Yield ourselves to Him
Submit our lives to Him
Surrender everything to Him.
Entering The Door and Following The Good Shepherd to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls,
Joe
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Relationship Not Method
I remember the day that my friend Bob died. I remembering crying and then yelling at God. I was angry at God because He didn’t heal Bob and maybe a little guilty that possibly God didn’t heal him because I didn’t believe enough that He would.
When I read passages like John 9 where Jesus heals the man who was born blind, I am in awe of the miracle of healing. I also don’t fully understand it. I am very thankful that I don’t have to fully understand things for God to do them.
I tell you this to let you know that I don’t fully understand the miraculous power of healing that God has and why He heals and why He doesn’t heal.
In John 9:1 Jesus encounters a man who is described as blind from birth.
There are several things that this passage speaks about.
In John 9:2 the disciples ask Jesus a question. They ask, “Who sinned, this man or his parents?”
We seem to be constantly looking to assign blame for things. We want to know whose fault it was or who caused the bad thing to happen.
I know a lot of people who struggle with why bad things happen to “good” people.
We live in a fallen world. We live in a world dominated by sin.
Our whole creation has been corrupted by sin.
When God punished Adam for his sin of rebellion and disobedience, He cursed the ground.
In Romans 8:22 Paul speaks of all of creation groaning and along with humanity waiting for the fulfillment of our redemption.
David in Psalm 51:5 says, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” David knew that he was born into a sinful world.
Bad things happen to “good” people because that is what happens in a fallen world dominated by sin.
That is why Scripture tells us not to sin, to even run from the temptation to sin.
We also learn from Romans 3 that there is no one who is really good.
Romans 3:10-12
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one, no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
It seems very clear from this passage that no one is naturally good. And no one can make themselves good.
In Matthew 19 when Jesus is asked about good, He says that only God is good.
Since I am not born good and I cannot make myself good, and since God is good, then I would need to come to God so He could make me good.
Why do bad things happen to good people? Because we live in a world full of sin and we are not good without God in our lives
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is realizing how awesome a thing is the gift of God’s grace that leads to forgiveness and salvation.
Another thing about this passage is the answer that Jesus gives His disciples in response to their question.
In John 9:3 Jesus says, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
One thing I have learned about God is that He doesn’t think like I do. And because He doesn’t think like I do, He doesn’t do things the way I do them. He actually says that in Isaiah 55:8 & 9 that His way and thoughts are not like ours. And His ways and thoughts are higher than ours.
I don’t understand all of God’s ways, but I do know that I can trust God’s ways because of the truth of John 3:16.
God loves me!
Nothing will ever change that. Everything God does He does out of love. Everything God does will glorify Himself and benefit us.
I have learned that when I can’t understand what God is doing I just trust His heart.
In this passage the man’s blindness didn’t come because He had sinned or His parents had sinned. His blindness wasn’t about his or his parents lack of faith.
This man’s blindness was so Jesus could show the awesome work of God and be glorified.
I am blown away by the fact that Jesus can take the things that we label bad, and many are, and use them for His glory and our benefit.
When Paul says in Romans 8:28 that God takes all the stuff in the life of the person who loves God and is walking according to God’s purpose and works it out for their good - He Means It!
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is not worrying about fault or blame but helping others find the grace of God and yielding their lives to Jesus as Lord.
The next statement from Jesus reminds us again who He is.
John 9:4-5
We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one will work. As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.
Jesus again tells us that He is the Light of the World.
We are to allow God to use us to show His works as long as it is day.
Are we then in the night or dark now that Jesus is not in the world?
The church is called the Body of Christ and Jesus is the Head.
In Matthew 5:14 followers of Jesus are called the light of the world.
The church as the Body of Christ with Jesus as our Head is to reflect the Light of God through us into a dark world.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
We need to not allow circumstances to discourage us. The Holy Spirit is living in us and He will shine out through us so that the world sees Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is letting Jesus, the Light of the World shine in and through us so the world sees Jesus.
The Jesus heals the blind man.
John 9:6-7
Having said these things, He spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then He anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
Jesus made a paste of dirt and spit.
I have never seen a pastor or a televangelist heal with dirt and spit. I don’t think it would play well in the pew. That is what Jesus did.
Jesus never healed anyone else like this.
In fact Jesus uses seven other distinct methods of healing in the Gospels.
Touching People
People Touching Him
Speaking to the People
Speaking healing from a Distant
Spitting on them
Touching People Twice
Telling the People to Go Do Something
Why does Jesus use different methods?
Jesus is showing us it is not in the method.
It is in the person - Jesus.
We depend on methods to build the kingdom when Jesus is showing us that it is our following Him that will build the kingdom.
I spent may years trying to help people connect with Jesus using methods. It was only when I realized that it was about connecting people with Jesus in a relationship that I saw things happening.
We connect with Jesus by the truth of His Word.
We connect with Jesus in the relationship of prayer.
We connect with Jesus in the celebration of worship.
We connect with Jesus in the service of ministry.
We connect with Jesus in the intimacy of fellowship.
We connect with Jesus in the joy of sharing Him with others.
These are not about methods; they are about relationship.
Raise the Roof and Removing the Walls is relating to Jesus as Lord and letting Him determine how you live.
Humans complicate things.
God simplifies things.
God says to us, I know you are sinners, but I love you and sent Jesus so you could know and love me. I have opened Myself up to you so come and yield your life to Me so we can spend eternity together.
Trusting God’s Heart Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
When I read passages like John 9 where Jesus heals the man who was born blind, I am in awe of the miracle of healing. I also don’t fully understand it. I am very thankful that I don’t have to fully understand things for God to do them.
I tell you this to let you know that I don’t fully understand the miraculous power of healing that God has and why He heals and why He doesn’t heal.
In John 9:1 Jesus encounters a man who is described as blind from birth.
There are several things that this passage speaks about.
In John 9:2 the disciples ask Jesus a question. They ask, “Who sinned, this man or his parents?”
We seem to be constantly looking to assign blame for things. We want to know whose fault it was or who caused the bad thing to happen.
I know a lot of people who struggle with why bad things happen to “good” people.
We live in a fallen world. We live in a world dominated by sin.
Our whole creation has been corrupted by sin.
When God punished Adam for his sin of rebellion and disobedience, He cursed the ground.
In Romans 8:22 Paul speaks of all of creation groaning and along with humanity waiting for the fulfillment of our redemption.
David in Psalm 51:5 says, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” David knew that he was born into a sinful world.
Bad things happen to “good” people because that is what happens in a fallen world dominated by sin.
That is why Scripture tells us not to sin, to even run from the temptation to sin.
We also learn from Romans 3 that there is no one who is really good.
Romans 3:10-12
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one, no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
It seems very clear from this passage that no one is naturally good. And no one can make themselves good.
In Matthew 19 when Jesus is asked about good, He says that only God is good.
Since I am not born good and I cannot make myself good, and since God is good, then I would need to come to God so He could make me good.
Why do bad things happen to good people? Because we live in a world full of sin and we are not good without God in our lives
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is realizing how awesome a thing is the gift of God’s grace that leads to forgiveness and salvation.
Another thing about this passage is the answer that Jesus gives His disciples in response to their question.
In John 9:3 Jesus says, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
One thing I have learned about God is that He doesn’t think like I do. And because He doesn’t think like I do, He doesn’t do things the way I do them. He actually says that in Isaiah 55:8 & 9 that His way and thoughts are not like ours. And His ways and thoughts are higher than ours.
I don’t understand all of God’s ways, but I do know that I can trust God’s ways because of the truth of John 3:16.
God loves me!
Nothing will ever change that. Everything God does He does out of love. Everything God does will glorify Himself and benefit us.
I have learned that when I can’t understand what God is doing I just trust His heart.
In this passage the man’s blindness didn’t come because He had sinned or His parents had sinned. His blindness wasn’t about his or his parents lack of faith.
This man’s blindness was so Jesus could show the awesome work of God and be glorified.
I am blown away by the fact that Jesus can take the things that we label bad, and many are, and use them for His glory and our benefit.
When Paul says in Romans 8:28 that God takes all the stuff in the life of the person who loves God and is walking according to God’s purpose and works it out for their good - He Means It!
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is not worrying about fault or blame but helping others find the grace of God and yielding their lives to Jesus as Lord.
The next statement from Jesus reminds us again who He is.
John 9:4-5
We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one will work. As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.
Jesus again tells us that He is the Light of the World.
We are to allow God to use us to show His works as long as it is day.
Are we then in the night or dark now that Jesus is not in the world?
The church is called the Body of Christ and Jesus is the Head.
In Matthew 5:14 followers of Jesus are called the light of the world.
The church as the Body of Christ with Jesus as our Head is to reflect the Light of God through us into a dark world.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
We need to not allow circumstances to discourage us. The Holy Spirit is living in us and He will shine out through us so that the world sees Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is letting Jesus, the Light of the World shine in and through us so the world sees Jesus.
The Jesus heals the blind man.
John 9:6-7
Having said these things, He spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then He anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
Jesus made a paste of dirt and spit.
I have never seen a pastor or a televangelist heal with dirt and spit. I don’t think it would play well in the pew. That is what Jesus did.
Jesus never healed anyone else like this.
In fact Jesus uses seven other distinct methods of healing in the Gospels.
Touching People
People Touching Him
Speaking to the People
Speaking healing from a Distant
Spitting on them
Touching People Twice
Telling the People to Go Do Something
Why does Jesus use different methods?
Jesus is showing us it is not in the method.
It is in the person - Jesus.
We depend on methods to build the kingdom when Jesus is showing us that it is our following Him that will build the kingdom.
I spent may years trying to help people connect with Jesus using methods. It was only when I realized that it was about connecting people with Jesus in a relationship that I saw things happening.
We connect with Jesus by the truth of His Word.
We connect with Jesus in the relationship of prayer.
We connect with Jesus in the celebration of worship.
We connect with Jesus in the service of ministry.
We connect with Jesus in the intimacy of fellowship.
We connect with Jesus in the joy of sharing Him with others.
These are not about methods; they are about relationship.
Raise the Roof and Removing the Walls is relating to Jesus as Lord and letting Him determine how you live.
Humans complicate things.
God simplifies things.
God says to us, I know you are sinners, but I love you and sent Jesus so you could know and love me. I have opened Myself up to you so come and yield your life to Me so we can spend eternity together.
Trusting God’s Heart Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, August 16, 2015
The Claims of Jesus
When Jesus asked His disciples who the people were saying He was, they replied:
John the Baptist
Elijah
Jeremiah
One of the Prophets
The people saw Jesus as a man, human.
Then when Jesus asked His disciples who they, after a year with Him, thought He was, Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
The world sees Jesus at best as a great:
Teacher
Leader
Philosopher
Followers of Jesus know Him as Lord and God.
The truth is that when you look at what Jesus claims about Himself, He does not give the option to see Him as just a good human being.
Based on what Jesus claimed He is:
A Liar
A Lunatic
or
The Lord
In John chapter eight Jesus makes three claims that if He is not God then He would be the biggest fraud in the history of the world.
Claim #1: Jesus is the Light of the World
John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The first property of light is that it illuminates. It shows us what is around us.
Darkness is simply the absence of light. But without light we get a distorted view of what is around us.
Satan uses darkness to distort what is right and true.
2 Corinthians 4:4
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
If we don’t have God’s light we can not see the truth of the Gospel, and we will stumble and fall.
1 John 1:5
This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
We have to stay connected to God by obeying and following Him.
If we walk in the light not only will we see the truth, we will have been cleansed of our sin.
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is walking in the Light, Jesus.
Claim #2: Jesus is from above.
John 8:23
He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”
We are of this world.
We are made up physically of the substance of this world.
We came into existence in this world.
We will die and our bodies return to the earth of this world.
Jesus proves that He is not of this world by His resurrection and ascension.
And even though we are of this world and are living in this world we don’t have to belong to this world.
In 1 Peter 2:11 we are called temporary residents. We need to see ourselves as pilgrims. We live here to serve Jesus, but our real home in not on this earth.
In the song Where I Belong by Building 429 the chorus expresses what is to be our attitude as we live out our life on this earth.
All I know is I’m not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing that we are in the world but not of the world.
Claim #3: Jesus can set you free.
John 8:31-32
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Many people talk about freedom, but much of what the world sees as freedom is really chaos. They see freedom as no boundaries, no restraints, nothing to hinder them from doing what they want.
True freedom, the freedom Jesus offers. is freedom from sin and guilt and shame.
It is freedom to be our true selves, the people God created us and redeemed us to be.
Freedom based in this world is only temporary.
Freedom based in Jesus is eternal.
Freedom based in this world can lead to destruction.
Freedom based in Jesus will always lead to life.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing true freedom
If Jesus is the Light of the world,
If Jesus is from above,
If Jesus can set you free,
(And He Is)
Then Jesus is the One you and I are to yield our lives to.
Then Jesus is the One you and I are to submit our minds to.
Then Jesus is the One you and I are to surrender everything to.
With Jesus as My Light Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
John the Baptist
Elijah
Jeremiah
One of the Prophets
The people saw Jesus as a man, human.
Then when Jesus asked His disciples who they, after a year with Him, thought He was, Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
The world sees Jesus at best as a great:
Teacher
Leader
Philosopher
Followers of Jesus know Him as Lord and God.
The truth is that when you look at what Jesus claims about Himself, He does not give the option to see Him as just a good human being.
Based on what Jesus claimed He is:
A Liar
A Lunatic
or
The Lord
In John chapter eight Jesus makes three claims that if He is not God then He would be the biggest fraud in the history of the world.
Claim #1: Jesus is the Light of the World
John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The first property of light is that it illuminates. It shows us what is around us.
Darkness is simply the absence of light. But without light we get a distorted view of what is around us.
Satan uses darkness to distort what is right and true.
2 Corinthians 4:4
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
If we don’t have God’s light we can not see the truth of the Gospel, and we will stumble and fall.
1 John 1:5
This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
We have to stay connected to God by obeying and following Him.
If we walk in the light not only will we see the truth, we will have been cleansed of our sin.
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is walking in the Light, Jesus.
Claim #2: Jesus is from above.
John 8:23
He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”
We are of this world.
We are made up physically of the substance of this world.
We came into existence in this world.
We will die and our bodies return to the earth of this world.
Jesus proves that He is not of this world by His resurrection and ascension.
And even though we are of this world and are living in this world we don’t have to belong to this world.
In 1 Peter 2:11 we are called temporary residents. We need to see ourselves as pilgrims. We live here to serve Jesus, but our real home in not on this earth.
In the song Where I Belong by Building 429 the chorus expresses what is to be our attitude as we live out our life on this earth.
All I know is I’m not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing that we are in the world but not of the world.
Claim #3: Jesus can set you free.
John 8:31-32
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Many people talk about freedom, but much of what the world sees as freedom is really chaos. They see freedom as no boundaries, no restraints, nothing to hinder them from doing what they want.
True freedom, the freedom Jesus offers. is freedom from sin and guilt and shame.
It is freedom to be our true selves, the people God created us and redeemed us to be.
Freedom based in this world is only temporary.
Freedom based in Jesus is eternal.
Freedom based in this world can lead to destruction.
Freedom based in Jesus will always lead to life.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing true freedom
If Jesus is the Light of the world,
If Jesus is from above,
If Jesus can set you free,
(And He Is)
Then Jesus is the One you and I are to yield our lives to.
Then Jesus is the One you and I are to submit our minds to.
Then Jesus is the One you and I are to surrender everything to.
With Jesus as My Light Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Compassion and Repentance
In John chapter 8 Jesus is at the Temple teaching. While He is teaching the scribes and Pharisees bring a woman to Him that was caught committing adultery. The word is such that they are saying, “We caught her in the very act of adultery.”
Every time I read this passage I have three thoughts:
One, how do you catch someone in the “very act” of adultery?
Two, how did they watch?
Third, where is the guy?
Well, this whole thing was a setup. The scribes and Pharisees wanted to create a situation where they could discredit Jesus and accuse Him of breaking the Law.
John 8:5
Now the Law of Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?
Why were they asking Jesus? They certainly didn’t see Jesus has having any kind of authority or even any certification as a Rabbi.
John 8:6 tells us. It says, “This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him.”
This was not about concern for the Law.
This was not about concern for right and wrong.
This was a plan to discredit Jesus in the eyes of the people.
The word test here means to put something or someone on trial.
The scribes and Pharisees were attempting to put Jesus on trial and have the people condemn Him.
The word test here is what Jesus says in Matthew 4:7 that we are not to do in relationship to God.
The scribes and Pharisee were making the same mistake here that we as Christians many times make - Trying to make Jesus do or say what we want Him to do or say.
When I was a much younger Christian I really thought I had this all figured out. I saw things in two colors: black and white. I saw things in one of two ways: right or wrong.
The white and the right was what I thought.
The black and the wrong was what anyone who disagreed with me thought.
There is black and white.
There is wrong and right.
White and right are what Jesus defines them as; and black and wrong are what Jesus defines them as. You and I don’t define them: Jesus does.
We are to yield our lives to Him and what He says. We are not to make others yield, but to yield ourselves.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is yielding our lives to the authority of God’s Word.
Jesus does a very interesting thing at this point. John 8:6 goes on to say, “Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground.”
I don’t know what Jesus wrote. Since we don’t know what Jesus wrote, it was not important.
John 8:7 says that the scribes and Pharisees continued to ask Him as He was bent over writing. Maybe Jesus was doing what I do when something really annoys me: I ignore it and hope it goes away.
In John 8:7 Jesus stands up and says, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Jesus was pointing out two huge truths with this statement.
First, we are all sinners.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Sin is missing the mark. We fall short of hitting the target of God’s standard. So we have all sinned.
The fact that we have all sinned means we are All in the same boat.
I once heard the question asked, “Are we sinners because we sin or do we sin because we are sinners?”
The Answer: We sin because we are sinners. All of us.
I am grateful that I am a recovering sinner, but I still sin.
Second, there is no difference between sins. Sin is sin.
James 2:10-11
For the person who keeps all of the law except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
That is one reason Jesus tells us not to judge someone else. People who have sinned don’t have the ability to judge other people who have sinned. Only the Sinless One can judge sin.
We also have to remember that sin is not just the outward act.
Matthew 5:27-28
You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks on a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus says that our thoughts without ever acting on them are also sin if they violate God’s commands.
Wow, Jesus makes it very hard for us to claim we have never sinned.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is allowing God to deal with our sin and fix us.
Jesus then continued to write on the ground.
John 8:9
But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him.
The scribes and Pharisees heard Jesus. They got the message. They left.
Jesus and the woman were left alone.
John 8:10
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?
Jesus asks the woman where her accusers are.
Jesus asks if anyone is condemning her.
Jesus knew the answer to both these question. He knew that all the men who had sought to accuse her were gone. Jesus knew that no one was left to accuse her.
Why did Jesus ask?
In John 8:11 the woman says, “No one, Lord.”
Jesus knew that the woman needed to hear the truth in her own voice. She needed to declare that they were gone. He also knew that she needed to see the truth with her own eyes.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is believing that Jesus is who He says He is, that He can do what He says He can do, and that we are who He says we are.
Then Jesus says to the woman, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
What an awesome statement and command.
Was the woman guilty? - YES!
Did Jesus have every right to condemn her? - YES!
So why doesn’t Jesus let this woman have it for her sin?
First, she refers to Jesus as Lord in verse 11.
That indicates that she acknowledged Jesus as having authority in her life as Lord. He then just had to command her to leave the life of sin she had been leading.
Jesus saw a brokenness in this woman and that allowed Him to show her compassion.
2 Corinthians 7:10
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
The purpose of Jesus pointing out our sins and bringing conviction is not to beat us down but to bring us to a point where we repent, leave the sin and turn back to Him.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is responding to godly conviction by acknowledging our sin, turning from it, and turning back to Jesus so that forgiveness and restoration can occur.
The bottom line for the reason that Jesus not condemning this woman is simply - HIS GRACE!
In God’s Grace Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Every time I read this passage I have three thoughts:
One, how do you catch someone in the “very act” of adultery?
Two, how did they watch?
Third, where is the guy?
Well, this whole thing was a setup. The scribes and Pharisees wanted to create a situation where they could discredit Jesus and accuse Him of breaking the Law.
John 8:5
Now the Law of Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?
Why were they asking Jesus? They certainly didn’t see Jesus has having any kind of authority or even any certification as a Rabbi.
John 8:6 tells us. It says, “This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him.”
This was not about concern for the Law.
This was not about concern for right and wrong.
This was a plan to discredit Jesus in the eyes of the people.
The word test here means to put something or someone on trial.
The scribes and Pharisees were attempting to put Jesus on trial and have the people condemn Him.
The word test here is what Jesus says in Matthew 4:7 that we are not to do in relationship to God.
The scribes and Pharisee were making the same mistake here that we as Christians many times make - Trying to make Jesus do or say what we want Him to do or say.
When I was a much younger Christian I really thought I had this all figured out. I saw things in two colors: black and white. I saw things in one of two ways: right or wrong.
The white and the right was what I thought.
The black and the wrong was what anyone who disagreed with me thought.
There is black and white.
There is wrong and right.
White and right are what Jesus defines them as; and black and wrong are what Jesus defines them as. You and I don’t define them: Jesus does.
We are to yield our lives to Him and what He says. We are not to make others yield, but to yield ourselves.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is yielding our lives to the authority of God’s Word.
Jesus does a very interesting thing at this point. John 8:6 goes on to say, “Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground.”
I don’t know what Jesus wrote. Since we don’t know what Jesus wrote, it was not important.
John 8:7 says that the scribes and Pharisees continued to ask Him as He was bent over writing. Maybe Jesus was doing what I do when something really annoys me: I ignore it and hope it goes away.
In John 8:7 Jesus stands up and says, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Jesus was pointing out two huge truths with this statement.
First, we are all sinners.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Sin is missing the mark. We fall short of hitting the target of God’s standard. So we have all sinned.
The fact that we have all sinned means we are All in the same boat.
I once heard the question asked, “Are we sinners because we sin or do we sin because we are sinners?”
The Answer: We sin because we are sinners. All of us.
I am grateful that I am a recovering sinner, but I still sin.
Second, there is no difference between sins. Sin is sin.
James 2:10-11
For the person who keeps all of the law except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
That is one reason Jesus tells us not to judge someone else. People who have sinned don’t have the ability to judge other people who have sinned. Only the Sinless One can judge sin.
We also have to remember that sin is not just the outward act.
Matthew 5:27-28
You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks on a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus says that our thoughts without ever acting on them are also sin if they violate God’s commands.
Wow, Jesus makes it very hard for us to claim we have never sinned.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is allowing God to deal with our sin and fix us.
Jesus then continued to write on the ground.
John 8:9
But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him.
The scribes and Pharisees heard Jesus. They got the message. They left.
Jesus and the woman were left alone.
John 8:10
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?
Jesus asks the woman where her accusers are.
Jesus asks if anyone is condemning her.
Jesus knew the answer to both these question. He knew that all the men who had sought to accuse her were gone. Jesus knew that no one was left to accuse her.
Why did Jesus ask?
In John 8:11 the woman says, “No one, Lord.”
Jesus knew that the woman needed to hear the truth in her own voice. She needed to declare that they were gone. He also knew that she needed to see the truth with her own eyes.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is believing that Jesus is who He says He is, that He can do what He says He can do, and that we are who He says we are.
Then Jesus says to the woman, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
What an awesome statement and command.
Was the woman guilty? - YES!
Did Jesus have every right to condemn her? - YES!
So why doesn’t Jesus let this woman have it for her sin?
First, she refers to Jesus as Lord in verse 11.
That indicates that she acknowledged Jesus as having authority in her life as Lord. He then just had to command her to leave the life of sin she had been leading.
Jesus saw a brokenness in this woman and that allowed Him to show her compassion.
2 Corinthians 7:10
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
The purpose of Jesus pointing out our sins and bringing conviction is not to beat us down but to bring us to a point where we repent, leave the sin and turn back to Him.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is responding to godly conviction by acknowledging our sin, turning from it, and turning back to Jesus so that forgiveness and restoration can occur.
The bottom line for the reason that Jesus not condemning this woman is simply - HIS GRACE!
In God’s Grace Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, August 2, 2015
The Truth About Jesus
The Bible gives us insights into the reality of who God is. The Gospels give a very intimate look at God as He shows us Himself in Jesus. The Gospel of John gives us some very unique insights into Jesus that the other Gospels don’t.
There are six truths revealed in John chapter seven. These truth will allow God to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls from our lives.
The context of John 7 is at the time for the Feast of Booths. This took place in early October and was the most festive of the three Jewish feasts. It was a time of great celebration. Jesus’ brothers tell Him that He should go up to Jerusalem because that is where He can get noticed and make a name for Himself.
John 7:6-8
Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.”
Truth #1: Jesus followed the Father’s agenda, not His own or anyone else’s.
Jesus’ brothers, either in earnest or mocking Him, tell Him that He should go to Jerusalem during the feast because the city will be full of people. Jesus can then do something to get Himself noticed and make a name for Himself as a great prophet.
Jesus tells them it is not His time. Jesus is saying that His brothers are not going to set His agenda.
The Father set what Jesus did and said.
Jesus didn’t allow others to determine what or when He did things.
We, as followers of Jesus, need to follow His example.
We need to yield our daily agendas to Jesus.
We need to submit dreams and goals to Jesus.
We need to surrender our wills to Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is letting Jesus set your agenda.
Jesus does go to the feast. In the middle of the feast, Jesus goes to the temple and begins to teach.
John 7:16-19
So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on My own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill Me?”
Truth #2: Jesus taught what the Father revealed to Him.
What Jesus taught was not what He made up. It was what the Father showed Him.
We are told by Jesus in Matthew 28:20 to teach people to observe all that He has commanded us.
We are not to teach our opinions.
We are not to teach our preferences.
We are not to teach our political viewpoints.
We are not to teach what we like or are comfortable with.
We are to teach ALL OF GOD”S WORD!
We are not to teach it for our glory.
I see too many Christians in America who treat the truth of God’s Word as something to beat people over the head with. I see many Christians in America who see God’s truth as an argument to win.
The truth of God’s Word is to:
Glorify God
Bring People Salvation
Bring People Forgiveness
Set People Free
Provide People with Real Joy and Peace and Hope
Jesus said that He taught what the Father revealed to Him. And thus there was no falsehood in His teaching, only truth. What He taught was based on the Father’s authority, not His own.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is teaching the whole truth of God based on His authority and for His glory.
The crowd then says that Jesus is possessed by a demon and asks who is trying to kill Him.
John 7:21-24
Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the Father), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Truth #3: Jesus was persecuted for obeying the Father.
Jesus was constantly in trouble for obeying the Father and breaking manmade laws. This caused the religious leaders to hate Jesus and constantly try to publicly disgrace Him.
Jesus didn’t let this persecution hinder Him from obeying the Father in all He did.
We as followers of Jesus need to do three things in response to persecution:
We need to pray for the persecuted church. There are many brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are facing imprisonment and death because of their faith in Jesus. We need to continually pray and intercede on their behalf.
We need to get real about the persecution of the church in America. The reality is that we are not persecuted. We are not threatened with imprisonment or death for our faith in Jesus.
We need to let the times of opposition to our faith in Jesus be a motivation to live out our faith even more strongly.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is hurting with our persecuted brothers and sisters and not letting opposition hinder us from living out our faith.
A discussion arose among the people whether Jesus could be the Messiah.
John 7:28-29
So Jesus proclaimed, as He taught in the temple, “You know Me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of My own accord. He who sent Me is true, and Him you do not know. I know Him, for I come from Him, and He sent Me.”
Truth #4: Jesus knew and obeyed the Father. That made what He said and did true.
Sincerity has two sides.
We can be sincerely right.
We can be sincerely wrong.
Jesus is proclaiming that He is sincerely right because He is proclaiming what the Father has told Him.
Seven times in the book of John Jesus claims to be the truth or that He is telling the truth.
When we live out what God says in His Word, we are living the Truth.
When the Pharisees heard what the crowd was saying, they sent soldiers to arrest Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing Jesus and obeying Him so that we are living in the truth.
John 7:33-34
Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to Him who sent me. You will seek Me and you will not find Me. Where I am you cannot come.”
Truth #5: Jesus determines when He can be found.
I hear the idea that we can come to Jesus anytime “we” want. Because Jesus loves us, He will always be available to us. Jesus tells the crowd that there will come a time when they will look for Him and not be able to find Him.
In John 6:44 Jesus says that nobody can come to Him unless the Father draws that person to Jesus.
Jesus determines the timing of His work in our lives. When Jesus speaks, we need to listen and obey right then.
It is now the last day of the Feast of Booths.
John 7:37-38
Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’”
Truth #6: Jesus produces living water in the lives of people who will surrender their lives to Him.
In John chapter four Jesus has a conversation with the woman at the well and offers her living water.
In Revelation 7:17 we are told that the Lamb will lead those in heaven before His throne to springs of living water.
Jesus as the Living Water satisfies our thirst. He gives us what we really are seeking: eternal life.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is receiving from Jesus eternal life.
These truths applied to our lives by the Holy Spirit will gives us freedom and lead to experiencing joy and peace even in the midst of living in a broken world.
With God’s Truths Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
There are six truths revealed in John chapter seven. These truth will allow God to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls from our lives.
The context of John 7 is at the time for the Feast of Booths. This took place in early October and was the most festive of the three Jewish feasts. It was a time of great celebration. Jesus’ brothers tell Him that He should go up to Jerusalem because that is where He can get noticed and make a name for Himself.
John 7:6-8
Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.”
Truth #1: Jesus followed the Father’s agenda, not His own or anyone else’s.
Jesus’ brothers, either in earnest or mocking Him, tell Him that He should go to Jerusalem during the feast because the city will be full of people. Jesus can then do something to get Himself noticed and make a name for Himself as a great prophet.
Jesus tells them it is not His time. Jesus is saying that His brothers are not going to set His agenda.
The Father set what Jesus did and said.
Jesus didn’t allow others to determine what or when He did things.
We, as followers of Jesus, need to follow His example.
We need to yield our daily agendas to Jesus.
We need to submit dreams and goals to Jesus.
We need to surrender our wills to Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is letting Jesus set your agenda.
Jesus does go to the feast. In the middle of the feast, Jesus goes to the temple and begins to teach.
John 7:16-19
So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on My own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill Me?”
Truth #2: Jesus taught what the Father revealed to Him.
What Jesus taught was not what He made up. It was what the Father showed Him.
We are told by Jesus in Matthew 28:20 to teach people to observe all that He has commanded us.
We are not to teach our opinions.
We are not to teach our preferences.
We are not to teach our political viewpoints.
We are not to teach what we like or are comfortable with.
We are to teach ALL OF GOD”S WORD!
We are not to teach it for our glory.
I see too many Christians in America who treat the truth of God’s Word as something to beat people over the head with. I see many Christians in America who see God’s truth as an argument to win.
The truth of God’s Word is to:
Glorify God
Bring People Salvation
Bring People Forgiveness
Set People Free
Provide People with Real Joy and Peace and Hope
Jesus said that He taught what the Father revealed to Him. And thus there was no falsehood in His teaching, only truth. What He taught was based on the Father’s authority, not His own.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is teaching the whole truth of God based on His authority and for His glory.
The crowd then says that Jesus is possessed by a demon and asks who is trying to kill Him.
John 7:21-24
Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the Father), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Truth #3: Jesus was persecuted for obeying the Father.
Jesus was constantly in trouble for obeying the Father and breaking manmade laws. This caused the religious leaders to hate Jesus and constantly try to publicly disgrace Him.
Jesus didn’t let this persecution hinder Him from obeying the Father in all He did.
We as followers of Jesus need to do three things in response to persecution:
We need to pray for the persecuted church. There are many brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are facing imprisonment and death because of their faith in Jesus. We need to continually pray and intercede on their behalf.
We need to get real about the persecution of the church in America. The reality is that we are not persecuted. We are not threatened with imprisonment or death for our faith in Jesus.
We need to let the times of opposition to our faith in Jesus be a motivation to live out our faith even more strongly.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is hurting with our persecuted brothers and sisters and not letting opposition hinder us from living out our faith.
A discussion arose among the people whether Jesus could be the Messiah.
John 7:28-29
So Jesus proclaimed, as He taught in the temple, “You know Me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of My own accord. He who sent Me is true, and Him you do not know. I know Him, for I come from Him, and He sent Me.”
Truth #4: Jesus knew and obeyed the Father. That made what He said and did true.
Sincerity has two sides.
We can be sincerely right.
We can be sincerely wrong.
Jesus is proclaiming that He is sincerely right because He is proclaiming what the Father has told Him.
Seven times in the book of John Jesus claims to be the truth or that He is telling the truth.
When we live out what God says in His Word, we are living the Truth.
When the Pharisees heard what the crowd was saying, they sent soldiers to arrest Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing Jesus and obeying Him so that we are living in the truth.
John 7:33-34
Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to Him who sent me. You will seek Me and you will not find Me. Where I am you cannot come.”
Truth #5: Jesus determines when He can be found.
I hear the idea that we can come to Jesus anytime “we” want. Because Jesus loves us, He will always be available to us. Jesus tells the crowd that there will come a time when they will look for Him and not be able to find Him.
In John 6:44 Jesus says that nobody can come to Him unless the Father draws that person to Jesus.
Jesus determines the timing of His work in our lives. When Jesus speaks, we need to listen and obey right then.
It is now the last day of the Feast of Booths.
John 7:37-38
Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’”
Truth #6: Jesus produces living water in the lives of people who will surrender their lives to Him.
In John chapter four Jesus has a conversation with the woman at the well and offers her living water.
In Revelation 7:17 we are told that the Lamb will lead those in heaven before His throne to springs of living water.
Jesus as the Living Water satisfies our thirst. He gives us what we really are seeking: eternal life.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is receiving from Jesus eternal life.
These truths applied to our lives by the Holy Spirit will gives us freedom and lead to experiencing joy and peace even in the midst of living in a broken world.
With God’s Truths Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
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