Tax cuts are good for the economy when everyone gets them. Trump’s 2017 tax cuts reduced federal income tax for everyone by 2 – 4%
Jesus Extracts the Lies from the Truth
Last time, we watched as many of Christ’s followers (except for the apostles) abandoned Him because they found His preaching to be too radical and / or obtuse. (See Watch Jesus Continue to Pursue Your Salvation).
At the very same time, Jesus was approached by the Pharisees, (the ones who doubted / feared Him the most), to try to trap Him in a way that His behavior would violate the Mosaic Law. That way, Christ could be tried and executed for blasphemy. For example:
So the Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus, “Why do Your disciples not live their lives according to the tradition of the elders, but [instead] eat their bread with [ceremonially] unwashed hands?” Mk. 7:5 AMP
The Pharisees invented litanies for how to eat, how to use and clean cooking utensils, even for discerning one’s place at the table. Following these man-made rules were supposed to keep one spiritually pure. On this occasion, they were looking to see if Jesus was teaching the apostles to disobey Pharisaical law.
In response, Christ lambastes them:
He replied, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders), as it is written [in Scripture],
‘These people honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
‘They worship Me in vain [their worship is meaningless and worthless, a pretense],
Teaching the precepts of men as doctrines [giving their traditions equal weight with the Scriptures].’[1]
You disregard and neglect the commandment of God, and cling [faithfully] to the tradition of men.” He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside and nullifying the commandment of God in order to keep your [man-made] tradition and regulations.” Mk. 7:6 – 9. AMP
Jesus is alluding to the worthlessness of the Pharisee’s traditions.
The Pharisees claimed that they spoke for God. But in fact, they were twisting Scripture by adding to or subtracting from His words. Not a good thing. Jehovah God tells us of the prohibition Himself:
You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, so that you may keep the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you. Dt. 4:2 CSB
One such violation is a Pharisee tradition that allows one to ignore their parents in need, in violation of the 5th of the Ten Commandments:
(For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you. ’In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.” Mk. 7:10 – 13. NLT)
Further vilifying the Pharisees, Jesus calls out to a crowd of people nearby as He delivers His final say about their complaint regarding His apostles’ cleanliness habits:
“…there is nothing outside a man [such as food] which by going into him can defile him [morally or spiritually]; but the things which come out of [the heart of] a man are what defile and dishonor him.” Mk. 7:15 AMP
After His dust-up with the Pharisees, the apostles took Jesus to a nearby house and asked Him to elaborate upon what He meant when He addressed the crowd earlier. A slightly frustrated Jesus reiterates:
He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a person from the outside can defile him? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach and is eliminated” (thus he declared all foods clean). And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, self-indulgence, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person.” Mk. 7:18 – 23. CSB
Note that Satan cannot force you to do anything. He only makes suggestions. Thus, if you transgress the word of God, you are doing it of your own free will. You are responsible for your own actions.
Jesus and the apostles then travel to the region of Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon). It was only one of two trips that He ever made out of Israel. While there, He is approached by a Phoenician woman who begged Him to cast out a demon-infestation in her daughter. Christ replies:
“I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.” Mt. 15:24 NLT
The Gentile woman was aware that God had sent Him to save the Jews first. After all, they are God’s first children, regardless of how frequently they’ve disobeyed Him. He promised that He would save them first, then the non-Jews (Gentiles), when He spoke to Abraham so many centuries earlier:
(Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.” Gn. 22:15 – 18. NLT)
Jesus reminds the woman of His godly mandate:
“It is not good (appropriate, fair) to take the children’s bread and throw it to the pet dogs.” Mt. 15:26 AMP
He is rightly following His heavenly charge. But she stands her ground and persists in her pleas:
“That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.” Mt. 15:27 NLT
Jesus is so moved by her petition that He honors her faith and heals her daughter:
“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed. Mt. 15:28 NLT
Afterwards, Jesus traveled to His second Gentile destination, the Decapolis, a region consisting of 10 cities spread across the countries of Jordan, parts of Israel (Judea), and Syria.
During that time, Jesus healed the sick from a crowd of 4000, and He fed them as well, starting out with 7 loaves of bread.
Jesus and His apostles returned to the region of Galilee, only to be accosted again by the Pharisees, who asked Him to provide them with a supernatural sign to prove that He is the Messiah. Just like the last time He was confronted with this same request[2], He answered in kind:
Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah” Then Jesus left them and went away. Mt. 16:4 NLT
Again, Jesus is saying that like Noah was inside the fish for 3 days, He too would be interred in the earth for 3 days after His crucifixion before He is resurrected from death.
After this, Christ and His disciples set sail for the opposite shore of the sea of Galilee. There, He healed a blind man. Then, they traveled on to the district of Caesarea Philippi, located in the northernmost region of Israel.
Upon arrival, Jesus asked the apostles to tell Him who the people through He was. They answered:
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Mt. 16:14 NLT
Immediately afterwards, He asked them who they (the apostles) thought He was. Peter speaks up:
“You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.” Mt. 16:16 AMP
Jesus immediately answers Peter’s description:
Then Jesus answered him, “Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, favored by God] are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (mortal man) did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this [rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]. I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven.” Mt. 16:17 – 19. AMP
Jesus is telling Peter that he could not have deduced His true nature unless God opened his spiritual eyes. He is also exercising a little wordplay with Peter’s name. It is derived from the Greek ‘petros’, which means ‘rock’. Jesus is referring to Peter’s rock-like faith as the foundational faith that He will build His church upon. (This is the first time the word ‘church’ is used in the Bible.)
What Jesus is not saying, is that Peter has a more special relationship with Him than the other apostles. They all (sans Judas Iscariot) had equal authority in the Church, and each held the keys to the Kingdom.
You too can hold your own key. It’s always about the faith…,
Goodnight and God Bless.
[1] Is. 29:13
[2] Mt. 12:39
Building Better Americans 183
What is the best way to face the next pandemic? Don’t close schools or businesses; no mandates for masks or drugs, and don’t give up your constitutional freedoms!
Watch Jesus Continue to Pursue Your Salvation
For the last five weeks, we’ve taken a little detour into how to effectively share Christ’s message of salvation. (See Jesus is One Serious Son; The New Boss is the Same as the Old Boss; Do You Know How to Enter the Kingdom of Heaven; How to Handle Salvation Doubts; and Revealing the Mysteries of Christian Theology.)
Now, let’s return to where we left off with the adventures of Jesus and His apostles. (See Are Their Limits to the Power of Christ). He was teaching people (and the apostles) in parables. And then He prepared them to evangelize others with His Salvation message.
Last time we heard of John the Baptist, he was languishing in prison, locked up by the governor in Galilee, Herod the tetrarch. The consequences forced upon John for publicly shaming Herod for stealing his brother’s wife.
John was in prison for a year when Herod threw a birthday party for the daughter of Herodias, his new wife. Herod told the birthday girl that she could have whatever she wanted. After she consulted her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist. To save face in front of the party’s guests, Herod reluctantly granted her wish.
Jesus learned of fate of John the Baptist in the spring of 29 A.D. and wanted to seek solace by Himself. However, a very large crowd came upon Him asking for healing. Our compassionate Savior granted their request.
…the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick. Lk. 9:11 NLT
The evening of the same day, the apostles returned from their ministerial travels. Seeing the large crowd, (now numbering 5000*), the apostles asked Jesus to send the crowd away. Instead, Jesus told them to feed the crowd! *That was a count for adult men. There were also women and children present.
…He said to Philip, “Where will we buy bread for these people to eat?” But He said this to test Philip, because He knew what He was about to do. Jn. 6:5, 6. AMP
Jesus asked the apostle Philip, because he was a local to that area. He answers Him – basically telling Him that it would cost far more money than they had:
“Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.” Jn. 6:7 CSB
At the same time, the apostle Andrew approaches and tells Jesus that there is a boy present with 5 barley loaves and 2 fish, but states that that amount was meaningless with regards to being able to feed the entire crowd.
Jesus tells His disciples to have the people sit down:
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. Jn. 6:10 – 13. NLT
This miraculous display created many converts that day:
When the people saw the sign (attesting miracle) that He had done, they began saying, “This is without a doubt the promised Prophet who is to come into the world!” Jn. 6:14 AMP (Note: this is the only miracle Christ performed that is in all 4 Gospels).
But the people thought the Messiah was going to come as a military king, to conquer the Roman’s rule over them. That is not part of His plan. Jesus reacts:
Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself. Jn. 6:15 AMP
Immediately He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee], while He sent the crowds away. After He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was there alone. Mt. 14:22, 23. AMP
The disciples were waiting for Jesus, but the boat they were waiting in, drifted away from the shore to the middle of the sea. And the wind thwarted their efforts to row to return to the shore.[1] Suddenly, the see Christ walking on the water towards them!
…but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. Mk. 6:49 NLT
Jesus assures them that it is He. Peter gets a little cocky and tells Him that if He is the Messiah, He should be able to make it possible for Peter to walk on water as well:
“Yes, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. Mt. 14:29 NLT
Peter had left the boat with faith in Jesus’ ability to facilitate his walking on water. But he noticed the rough winds, and panicked as he began to sink into the sea – crying out to Jesus to save him.
Jesus pulls Peter out of the water and says:
“You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Mt. 14:31 NLT
The moment Jesus gets on the boat, the wind stopped; and the boat supernaturally sailed to the opposite shore. Jesus’ Holy stature is finally sinking into the apostles’ minds:
Then those in the boat worshiped Him [with awe-inspired reverence], saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!” Mt. 14:33 AMP
(This is one of the proofs of Jesus’ deity, that He allowed them to worship Him.)
Christ and His retinue land on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Gennesaret. When they debarked, Jesus healed multitudes, some being healed by only touching His garments.
Jesus and the apostles then journeyed to the city of Capernaum – followed by a large crowd, many of whom were just looking for a meal, after hearing about His previous feeding of the 5000. Knowing this, Christ addresses it in His preaching:
“But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” Jn. 6:27 NLT
Initially, the crowd is confused because the Pharisees previously taught them that one must earn their way to heaven / eternal life. So, in response, the people ask Him what it is that they must do to please Jehovah God. He responds:
“This is the work of God: that you believe [adhere to, trust in, rely on, and have faith] in the One whom He has sent.” Jn. 6:29 AMP
(For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. Eph. 2:8, 9. AMP)
The people answer by asking Jesus for a ‘miracle to prove His Messiahship.’ Jesus will not entertain them like a trained seal. Instead, He leads them into deeper thought as to His purpose in being obedient to His Fathers commands:
“…our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Jn. 6:31 – 33. NLT
(“…necessary food for the spiritually starving.” J.C. Ryle)
The crowd cannot keep their minds off their flesh. They ask Him for some of this ‘literal’ bread. Our Lord of infinite patience, love, and mercy responds:
“I am the Bread of Life. The one who comes to Me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in Me [as Savior] will never be thirsty [for that one will be sustained spiritually]. But as I told you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe. All that My Father gives Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, never reject anyone who follows Me]. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but that I [give new life and] raise it up at the last day. For this is My Father’s will and purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him [as Savior] will have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.” Jn. 35 – 40. AMP
This is a great moment to affirm the above Scripture with my personal biblical favorite:
(And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rm. 8:38, 39. NLT)
Jesus could not be clearer. He is our one and only ticket to eternity – the living, breathing redemptive plan for all of humankind that accept Him as their Savior.
However, He is facing a tough crowd, whose minds are being led into confusion through satanic attempts to interrupt or distort the Gospel. There are many unbelievers in the crowd. Jesus lovingly tries to give them greater clarity to bring them to His Father:
So Jesus answered, “Stop murmuring among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him [giving him the desire to come to Me]; and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught of God.’[2] Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father, comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He [who was with the Father and] who is from God; He [alone] has seen the Father. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who believes [in Me as Savior—whoever adheres to, trusts in, relies on, and has faith in Me—already] has eternal life [that is, now possesses it].
“I am the Bread of Life [the Living Bread which gives and sustains life]. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.This is the Bread that comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior], he will live forever. And the Bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh (body).” Jn. 6:43 – 51. AMP
Finally! We get the complete picture of our God-connection:
When we seek God, He leads us to Christ. Jesus in turn, connects us with God through Himself. Christ willingly vacated His heavenly throne next to the right hand of His Father[3] to inhabit flesh, so that we could relate to Him and to the redemption that Jehovah offers through His Son’s sacrifice of His flesh and blood upon the cross.
(Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Rm. 8:1, 2. AMP)
Yet despite Christ’s entreaty, this thick-skulled crowd is repulsed by Jesus’ flesh and blood analogies. Instead, they take Him literally, thinking they really must eat His physical flesh and drink His blood. Our Savior is relentless with regards to the salvation of humankind. He presses in deeper:
“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood [unless you believe in Me as Savior and believe in the saving power of My blood which will be shed for you], you do not have life in yourselves. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] has eternal life [that is, now possesses it], and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day. For My flesh is true [spiritual] food, and My blood is true [spiritual] drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] remains in Me, and I [in the same way remain] in him. Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, even so the one who feeds on Me [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] will also live because of Me.” Jn. 6:53 – 57. AMP
Jesus is attempting to plant seeds of faith that will be required for the people to hold onto their salvation, once the events in Calvary take place. But He will not violate anyone’s free will.
His flesh is an allegory for the spiritual food (Gospel), that one must ‘eat’ (bind to their hearts) to walk a godly path towards salvation. And His blood (His life) that He will shed for them, must be ‘drunk’ (believed in the cleansing power within), to obtain atonement for their sins, so that they may receive that salvation.
Yet most of the crowd, and even some of His followers, abandon Him.
(For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God. 1 Cor. 1:18 AMP)
After most had left Him, He turns to His apostles and says:
But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about it, asked them, “Does this cause you to stumble and take offense? What then [will you think] if you see the Son of Man ascending to [the realm] where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh conveys no benefit [it is of no account]. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life [providing eternal life]. But [still] there are some of you who do not believe and have faith.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe, and who would betray Him. Jn. 6:61 – 64. AMP
Then Christ asks them if they want to leave Him as well. The apostle Peter rightly responds:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]. We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God].” Jn. 6:68, 69. AMP
To be continued…
Goodnight and God bless.
[1] Mk. 6:47
[2] Is. 54:13
[3] Rm. 8:34