Now Ain't That Good News!

Many people are perplexed about who God is and they ask many times, “Is Jesus God?” Well, lets ask the Scriptures. In the gospel of John, the same question was asked many times by the Pharisees, scribes and the people and Jesus always gave them the same answer. Let’s listen in on their conversation.

John 4:1-42…Jesus is speaking to the woman at the well in Samaria. Please read the whole dialogue but for our understanding lets begin listening at verse 21-26.

²¹ Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. ²² You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. ²³ But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. ²⁴ For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

²⁵ The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

²⁶ Then Jesus told her, “I A m the Messiah! ” (New Living Translation)

In the eight chapter of John, after Jesus had exposed the heart of the Pharisees in relation to the woman caught in adultery. The Pharisees asked the following question.

John 8:25 (New Living Translation)

²⁵ “Who are you?” they demanded.

Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be.

In chapter eight, verses 54-58, Jesus identifies himself to be the great I AM.

John 8:54-58 (New Living Translation) ⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’ ⁵⁵ but you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.” ⁵⁷ The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I A m !^c]">”

Search the Scriptures for they testify about Jesus.

Now, Ain’t That Good News!

(to be continued)

"Now Ain't That Good News"

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                                   Jesus is God (continued)

Have you ever experienced people asking you the same question over and over again?  How did that make you feel to keep giving the same answer to the same question over and over?  I don’t know about you but it appears that ADD had heavily infiltrated the religious leaders of Jesus’ day.  Through the book of John, Jesus repeatedly told them He was God, the Messiah, and the Son of God and that He was equal to God.  These religious people (like the people of our day) did not want to hear that kind of talk.  They were full of unbelief.  I like what John Macarthur says about their unbelief:  “Unbelief often asks the right questions, but then does not willfully accept the truthful answer.  And in this particular case, the Jewish leaders that confront Jesus Christ ask Him the right question, and just like that they refuse the right answer.”

I wonder if that is the case with a lot of us even in the church.  Maybe, the right answer does not allow us to continue in the same old sins, the same old unrighteousness, the same old patterns and convictions because Jesus is not interested in our agenda.  He was busy trying to get religious folk to line up with God’s agenda.  In order to bridge the gap between God and man Jesus came as a sacrifice for our sins and all he asked of all men then and now is to believe in Him.  Listen to some of the questions he answered as taken from the book of John chapter 6:28-35.  New Living Translation

   Question:   ²⁸ They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

 Answer: ²⁹ Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

Question:   ³⁰ They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? ³¹ After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^g]">[g]”

Answer: ³² 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. ³³ The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Question: ³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

 Answer:  ³⁵ Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. ³⁷ However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. ³⁹ And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

The question for you my friend is…will you accept Jesus' answer to your questions? Further, do you believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God?  O yes, I do and I pray that you dear reader will believe too.  Jesus came to fill His Father’s House with believers.  It does not matter where you have been, what you have done or what you are currently involved in; if you will believe that Jesus is God, REPENT (change your mind about sins), turn your life over to Him, ask for (mercy) help to come out of your sins, and for forgiveness, the Bible teaches us that the moment you in sincerity ask, He will save you. Listen to this text from: 1John 1:9 (New Living Translation) “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”   

Do you want to be saved?  Believe in Jesus and be baptized.  Then attend a church that teaches the Word in way you can understand so that you may grow up into Christ.  Friend, I know that is good news, I pray you do as well.  If you need help changing directions, contact us and we will do all we can to help you.

Remember, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!