Month: April 2010

…That They Might Know… God

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“And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent”  John 17:3 (KJV).

Jesus proceeds to pray for eternal life for those whom the Father has given Him.  Eternal life He says is knowing the Father.  It is God’s desire that people might know Him.  The knowing of God is having to do with an intimate relationship.

Does that blow your mind when you hear the word “Intimacy” or “intimate” what is the first thing that flashes through your mind?  It is probably like ‘Loving your spouse’ or something along that thought line.  And it is similar.  It is opposite of knowing about God.  Many of us might say, “I know the President of the United States”, but in fact only know of him, because we voted for or against him in the last election.  We hear about him everyday.  There are a few who can actually say and be truthful, “I know Barrack Obama”.  One of those would be his wife.  Others could be their two daughters.  They have an intimate relationship with our President.

Eternal?  How long is it?  It could be expressed this way; If you counted one million years, multiplied it by another million, then eternity would only be as a grain of sand on the seashore.  That is the life Jesus Christ as purchased for those who will trust in Him.  Eternity with the God of creation; who created all that is; and we have access to His very throne even now (Hebrews 4:16).

To know the Father one must also know Jesus Christ.  Jesus made it His life’s goal to make a way possible for men, women, boys and girls of every tribe, tongue, and nation to come to faith in God.  He made that possible by way of the cross, and now you can have a personal intimate relationship with the Creator of all that is.  By way of the cross of Jesus; the One whom the Father sent.

-Tim A. Blankenship

…He Should Give Eternal Life…

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We continue to look at THE LORD’s PRAYER

“As Thou has given Him [the Son of verse 1] power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.”  John 17:2 (KJV).

Since Jesus had come for the most distinct purpose of glorifying the Father He also realizes that the salvation of many is dependent upon the Father.  The Father has given His Son Jesus “Power over all flesh”.  He will give eternal life to as many as the Father has given Him.

We must understand that no one can be delivered from sin and given life eternal except it be given from above.  The man or woman on the street or in church, cannot, just with his, or her own accord, decide that they are going to follow Jesus.  It must be given to them of the Father.  It is the Father who will open their eyes, and their hearts, make them aware of their sin, their lostness, then they have desire to know God, and to call on Him for salvation.

Salvation or eternal life is given by the Father and the Son as a free gift.  It cannot be earned, nor bargained for.

These verses, and this whole prayer declares to us the very sovereignty of God in our salvation.  It is solely of God.  Our part is only in receiving the gift.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works; which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV)

-Tim A. Blankenship

Mark Eleven – Twenty Seven through Thirty three

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“And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, 28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? 29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. 31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? 32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. 33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.”  Mark 11:27-33 (KJV)

WHERE DOES JESUS GET THE AUTHORITY TO DO SUCH THINGS AS PURIFY THE TEMPLE?

If you are anything like me you are thinking to yourself that these religious leaders must be “fuming mad” at Jesus.  Here for the second time in three years He has come into the Temple compound, and tossed tables, money, caused animals to scatter, and “offended” many of the people and upset the business of the Temple people.  The thing we must realize is that God was offended by their “Business” in His house.  They were more concerned with the pocketbook than with the hearts of the people.  They were more upset over the money than they were with the shattered lives of the people around them.

Who gave Jesus the authority to do what He did?  Who did He think He was anyway?  We know the answer to that question – He was/is the Son of God, in the flesh.  He is the Creator of the world.  His authority came from Heaven.  His authority came from His position as Creator, Son, Savior, Messiah, Lord, Redeemer, Master, Healer, Sustainer, the Almighty, and many other titles and names that is given Him.  Now, where does the authority come from?  Who gave Him this power?  Did He need to ask  permission?  NO!  It is all His.

These leaders would not answer Jesus’ question concerning John the Baptist.  They knew what He would say if they would acknowledge John as a prophet of God.  They were also afraid to answer he was just from men lest they received ridicule and rejection from the people.  They would not stand on anything, so they would fall for a lie instead.  They would have suffered rejection from the people because they saw John the Baptist as a prophet of God.  How foolish, and how weak.  It only proves they wanted only popular approval.

Why did Jesus not answer their question?  If they were rejecting John’s message, they would not believe Jesus’ message of Himself.  Why waste the time and effort to bother with an answer.  There are times when an answer is not warranted or deserving of those who ask it.  This was one of those cases.
Jesus was always willing to answer honest questions.  He answered  many of them.  This was not an honest question.  It is like you or me proving our identity, and then, having someone ask us, “Are you sure you are who you say you are?”  Only with Jesus it is much more severe.

Jesus is the Son of God, became flesh, who died for our sins, carried our sins away at His burial, and after three days He rose from the dead for our justification, and He is one day soon returning for those who are His in the rapture of the Church, and then returning to earth to rule and reign for a thousand years and then for all eternity.  Do you know the God/man Jesus?

-Tim A. Blankenship

The King and Offenses

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We last saw Jesus speaking of receiving children, and whoever receives one of them in His name receives Him; but what about those who offend?

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”
Matthew 18:6-7 (KJV)

Jesus tells us that it would be better for that person to drown, than for that person to live.

This is a reference to those who would attack and abuse those who are the followers of Jesus Christ.  There is also much to be concerned with small children as well.

As Christians we should know that there are going to be those who wish us harm and who will seek to defraud us.  We can see it going on every day with special rights given to some groups, with unholy agendas.  This is expected, but certainly not our desire.  Jesus did say, “In the world you will have tribulation…” and I am fairly certain that included the offenses of the wicked.

Our response can be and should be to pray for those who offend us.  For their salvation, for God to intervene in a glorious way for His honor and glory.  And forgive them.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Jesus…Lifted Up His Eyes To Heaven…

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This will begin a focus on the “Lord’s Prayer” as given in John 17 –

“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee:” John 17:1 (KJV).

There is a teaching the Lord gave concerning how His disciples are to pray in Matthew 6.  It is often called “The Lord’s Prayer”; however it should in reality be called something like “The Model Prayer”, because Jesus in that prayer was teaching His followers how to pray.  It was not a prayer He would pray.

This beginning of His prayer in John 17, is the beginning of “The Lord’s Prayer”.  This is the prayer that He prayed for Himself, and those who follow Him.

Jesus, realizing that the time of His death is approaching asked the Father to glorify Him.  A time of trial was approaching in the life of Jesus unlike anything He had ever experienced.  It was a trial that was going to be for His glory and the glory of the Father.  Jesus asked for something He knew the Father had willed for His life.  He fully believed and trusted the Father to see this matter through to the end.

When we pray in the Father’s will we will be asking for His glory to be seen in our trials, and our joys of life.  That is the heart of Jesus.

Let’s begin to follow Jesus in our praying.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Mark Eleven – Twelve through Twenty six

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“And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. 15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. 19 And when even was come, he went out of the city. 20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”  Mark 11:12-26 (KJV)

IN THE FIG TREE JESUS SHOWS US THE FRUITLESSNESS OF A DEAD RELIGION AND CONFRONTS IT.
As Jesus and the disciples were  leaving Bethany, back toward Jerusalem, Jesus spots a fig tree with leaves on it – advertising that it had fruit.  When Jesus arrives there they discover it has no fruit.  Jesus curses the fig tree.  To some this may seem unnecessary for Jesus to have done, but it seems to me that there is a message we must hear and heed.

  1. “There was a voice in it for the JEWISH CHURCH. Rich in the leaves of a formal religion, but barren of all fruits of the Spirit, that Church was in fearful danger, at the very time when this withering took place. Well would it have been for the Jewish Church if it had had eyes to see its peril!”
  2. “There was a voice in the fig tree for all the branches of Christ’s VISIBLE CHURCH in every age, and every part of the world. There was a warning against an empty profession of Christianity unaccompanied by sound doctrine and holy living, which some of those branches would have done well to lay to heart.”
  3. “There was a voice in the fig tree for all the branches of Christ’s VISIBLE CHURCH in every age, and every part of the world. There was a warning against an empty profession of Christianity unaccompanied by sound doctrine and holy living, which some of those branches would have done well to lay to heart.”   From J. C. Ryle commentary on Mark’s Gospel.

Dead religion offers nothing but leaves, and like the “fig leaves” which Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves with were inadequate, so are the “fig leaves” of a dead religion.  In Scriptures the “Fig tree” often represents the nation of Israel and/or its religion (See Hosea 9:10; Nahum 3:12;  Zechariah 3:10).  It is somewhat intrigueing that we have Jesus’ strong words to this fig tree just before He enters the Temple compound and finds them “Buying and selling”.  You will also notice that when Jesus and the disciples pass by the fig tree again that it is dead.

Why did Jesus “curse” the fig tree.  First of all “it was not the season for figs” according to the text, but it had leaves, and most usually the leaves and the figs grew together.  Secondly, by having leaves but no figs it was “advertising” it had fruit when it did not.

There are many people who do not believe that Jesus ever became angry.  Those who think that must have never read of the two times Jesus cleansed the temple.  He cleansed the temple once when He had just began His ministry three years prior to this, and then He does it again here.  You can read about the first “Cleansing” in John chapter two, verses thirteen through seventeen.

Here is what was going on in the Temple compound.  It was expected that the animals brought to the Temple for sacrifice would be inspected by the priest, but it had became a practice to find fault when there was no fault.  It may have been something like this – A priest would say an animal was at fault then sell the owner of the “faulty” offering an “approved” offering, and then, he would sell this man’s animal as “approved” to someone else.  Some people who travelled great distances may expect to buy a Temple approved offering at the Temple.  It was nothing more than theft, and dishonesty that was taking place in the name of God.  There was no holiness, righteousness, or godliness in the place.  The “House of prayer” had been turned into a “Den of thieves”, and Jesus would not tolerate it.

The money changers would charge great fees for exchanging Greek and Roman monies for the Temple money.  They made a great deal of profit by this deed, and took advantage of many poor people by the selling of doves for an extravagant  profit.

The Church of the Lord Jesus this day needs to pay careful attention to this.  The things of God are not for the making of profit.  Using the name of God to attach a price on things is theft, and dishonors the name of the Lord.  There are business men today who attend church so as to maintain a base for their business, and to keep a good name in the community they are in.  Some will even try to conduct a little business in the church.  There are some who think the church should be conducted like a business, when it is not a business, nor should it be conducted as such.  It is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and is to be conducted by His guidelines and for His purposes, and glory.

In looking at the fig tree this is how we could define “Dead religion” – 1.  It offers much but delivers little;  2.  It is cold and formal;  3.  It seems alive by its much activity [its buying and selling], but God is not there;  4.  Its leaves cover its fruitlessness, but not to God’s eyes.

In verses 20 through 26 Jesus gives us a lesson in faith.  The fig tree He “cursed” the day before has already withered – it is dead.  It was so dead that even its roots were dried up.  “Have faith in God” is the statement Jesus issues to the disciples.  It is faith in God that makes all things possible.  Someone has said, “Where God guides, He provides”.  Is that true.  Yes! it is.

Faith is believing in what you cannot see, touch, smell, taste, or hear in the physical realm.  You can see evidences of faith in God, for instance; the rising of the sun, and its setting; the order of the universe; the intricacies of the human body, and the bodies of animals as well;  the singing of the birds;  and all the other details of life.  Faith believes in God, even when there is no possible way of something happening.  Jesus’ words on prayer are strong, and is telling us to ask as if we have already received it “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24(KJV).

That is genuinely the prayer of faith.  Believing you have received it before you do.

Notice the importance Jesus places on “Forgiveness”.  Without forgiveness we cannot expect answer to our prayers.  God is so good to forgive us, we ought also to forgive those whom we believe responsible for offending us.

Remember this, NO FORGIVENESS, NO ANSWER TO PRAYER.  KNOW FORGIVENESS, KNOW ANSWER TO PRAYER.

-Tim A. Blankenship