Blessed Are Those Who Believe - 240407

SPEAKER A Hello, I'm Clive Nash. Welcome to Let God Speak. Throughout the Gospel of John we find sentences affirming the divinity of Jesus Christ. Some people say that Jesus was just a good man. C.S. lewis once observed that good men don't go around claiming to be God. Either Jesus was what he claimed to be or he was mad. We're going to discuss just a few of the witnesses to the divine nature of Jesus as found in John's Gospel. We'll be back in just a moment. Well, on our panel today we have Leeboy, Tobias and Kaysie Vokurka. Good to have you with us, Kaysie and Leeboy. I'm looking forward to our discussion today, but before we begin that, let's take time to pray our wonderful God in heaven. We just thank you that you have given us the Bible and in particular the Gospel of John. What a wonderful book. And we just pray that as we dig a little deeper into it today that you, you'll be here to bless by the Holy Spirit. And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Well, I'm going to have a look at a text in John chapter 8, verse 56 to begin with and Jesus made a big claim here. John chapter 8, verse 56, he says, you father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. And he saw it and was glad. Now Leboy, how could Jesus make a claim like this, a statement like this? SPEAKER B So you may remember the story of the three strangers that appeared to Abraham. And Abraham was given the promise that his wife, the aides wife Sarah would bear a son. And one of the person who was in during the visit the strangers were the Lord. And it's interesting that like in Genesis chapter 1816-18. I'll just read from here. And it reads and the men rose up from trans and looked towards Sodom and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the Lord said shall I heed from Abraham the things which I do see that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all nations of the head shall be blessed in him. See this is why Jesus could say that Abraham rejoice to see the day of Jesus and hear the preview of what the preview of the, you know like to see Jesus and because he was welcoming, entertaining Jesus unaware of what he was doing. And this is what they call it like Christophany and and Jesus appeared in his pre incarnate like there are other instances where it appears also and we could see from Hagar even from like the story of Gideon and then the three Hebrew boys in the fiery fence so there the examples in the Old Testament that tells us of those appearances even in John chapter 5, verse 39, and I'll read from here. And it reads, says the Scripture, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are which they testify of me. SPEAKER A Yes. So as you say, Jesus appeared in his pre incarnate form in many, many instances in the Old Testament. It's interesting that when we go to Matthew chapter one and verse one, it starts out by saying the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Now Kaysie, how could Jesus be also their Lord as well as be their son? SPEAKER C Very interesting question, isn't it? And God made a special covenant with Abraham and he had a special relationship with Abraham. And we can read a little bit about that. Well, a lot about that in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, in Galatians 3, 8, we read and it says, and the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, in you all the nations shall be blessed. Now this is an interesting text which is actually alluding to what Christ would do. So when Jesus came, he was one of, as we just read in Matthew 1:1, he was one of Abraham's descendants by the genealogy, but he was also actually God in the flesh. And he was also the one who had this relationship with Abraham and who gave him the covenant. And he also helped Abraham understand what he was going to come to do when he came to earth by giving him that experience where he was asking him to sacrifice his son for Abraham to. And when that happened and when Abraham ended up having the ram as a substitute, that was helping him understand that Jesus was going to come and be part of his, part of his posterity as a redeemer for the human race. And so he was God at the time when Abraham was alive, but as a human he came later. And so this is how he can be his descendant, but also Abraham's Lord. Only something God can do. SPEAKER A Yes, you know, and we've got David, who's calling him Lord as well, as well as being the son of David. So Leboy, was Abraham only the father of a great nation or was there something more implied in this? SPEAKER B Abraham was a great patriarchal example of faith. And like there are different texts that talks about it. And one of the interesting one was In Hebrews chapter 8:11, verse 8, and also verse 17 to 19 and verse 8 it reads, by faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he sought after Receive for an inheritance, obey. And he went out, not knowing whether he went. And in verse 17 to 19 it reads, by faith, Abraham, when he was tied, offered up Isaac. And he that had received the promise offered up his only begotten Son, of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called. So he was also the father of the spiritual Israel, not just those who circumcised Gentiles and like, not just those who are blood descendants. And even In Romans, chapter 4, verse 11. And I'll read from here. Chapter 4, verse 11 it reads, and he received the signs of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith, which had yet been uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. So Paul develops a long argument to show that Abraham was not only the father of the circumcised, Abraham was the father of the circumcised Gentiles, and also of the circumcised, the Jewish also. And even verse 12 sort of continues down in Romans, chapter 4, verse 12, and it reads, and the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but also who walked in the steps of the faith of our Father Abraham. And yeah, that's something that we could look at it. SPEAKER A Yeah, yeah. So, Kaysie, these regular sacrifices that happened in Old Testament times, you know, sacrifice might be a goat or it could be a lamb or things like that, they prefigured the Lamb of God, of course, as John the Baptist said. But the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his only son gave us, I think it gave us some fresh insights into Calvary. Well, Calvary, what do you think? SPEAKER C Absolutely, because that would have been a very difficult, exceedingly difficult, such as we couldn't imagine thing for Abraham to do. And it showed that he had such a close connection with God to be able to make that decision, which is what Christ had with his Father as well. And the difference with Jesus though, is that in that case there was no. There was no outlet, there was no lamb for Jesus. He was the lamb, Right. So he had to endure that. And that was a very terrible ordeal, but he did it selflessly. And the significance of what Jesus did is magnified by the fact that he wasn't a mere human being, that he was actually human, but also divine. And he made a big claim to his pre existence in John 8 and verse 56 to 59, which we read. SPEAKER A Verse 56 before, but could we hear it again? SPEAKER C Yep. So we'll continue there. It says, your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. And he saw it and was glad. Then the Jews said to him, you are not yet 50 years old, and have you seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, most assuredly, I say to you before, Abraham was, I am. Then they took up stones to throw at him. But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. And so the Jews knew from what he said that he was alluding to what God had said back in the Old Testament when he appeared to Moses in the burning bush and said, I am. That I am. So by Jesus identifying himself as I am, he is saying that I am the God who was alive back then. SPEAKER A I'm divine. SPEAKER C Exactly. And so they reacted to that. SPEAKER A Yeah, let's consider a human witness to the Messiah. And I'm thinking about Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. Levi, as the passover approached, what did Mary do out of her heart of love? SPEAKER B Yeah, this is like something very conspicuous. So, like, if you look at the Jewish culture and all these things, and in John, chapter 12, verse 1 and 2, as I'll read from here, then Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper, and Mary served. But Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenut very coarsely and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with his hair, with air hair. And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. And like, especially in the culture where, you know, Simon the leper was the one who was supposed to did all that Mary did. And Mary was the one who did that. She washed the feet of Jesus. And this memorable act that Mary did was see foreshore or to see forced her the. The death and the burial of Jesus and even John. Like we go down to verse seven and it reads, then Jesus said, let her alone against the day of my burial at sea. Captives. So Ellen White also commented in these are of ages and page 563. And she said, until time. She said, until time should be no more. That broken alabasca box would tell the story of the abundant love of God for a fallen race. SPEAKER A What a beautiful thought, isn't it? SPEAKER B That's powerful. SPEAKER A So, Kaysie, what prompted Jesus to defend Mary's fragrant act here? SPEAKER C Yeah, it's very interesting because not everyone saw what Mary did as something positive. And if we look in the verses in John, that gives a bit of context. In John 12, 4, 6, it says, but one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray him, said, why was this fragrant oil not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the money box and he used to take what was put in it. And so that exposes a bit of insight to some dynamics in the room. But basically, you know, she's been attacked here, essentially that she has done the wrong thing. But Jesus saw through. He not only saw through Judas motives, he saw through Mary's motives and saw that she had pure motives and was very sincere and it was a way that she was expressing her devotion to Jesus. And so he validated that because he can read the motives. SPEAKER A Yeah. And again, this is another evidence of the divinity of Jesus, isn't it? He can read the thoughts and intents of the heart, which is, you know, depending on whether you're with Jesus or against him, that could be good or bad, couldn't it? Yes, but if he, in Mary's case, he understood her heart, he knew her act of devotion. You know, the Andrew study Bible says the following. Anointing the head was an act of honour. Anointing the feet was an act of humble devotion. So, Leeboy, why do you think Mary did this? SPEAKER B Yeah, that's an interesting question. See, read in John, chapter 12, verse 7, where he tells us that, you know, Jesus said that Mary had been keeping that very costly perfume for his burial. And if we go further, like, since the triumphal entry into Jerusalem from verse 12, it is possible to anticipate that, you know, Mary was preparing things for, like to proclaim, you know, proclaiming King. And John, chapter 12, verse 15. And I'll just read. So it reads, fear not, daughter of Zion. Zion, behold thy king cometh sitting on an hesse. So if we read further, like in verse 12, verse 15, it tells us that no doubt she also, like, she anointed the feet of Jesus with an expensive perfume for two important reasons. And this is concerning brother Lazarus is there to appreciate him and also for forgiving their sins. So these are some of the things that we could look at. Yeah. SPEAKER A Hmm. Yeah. Now, Kaysie, in reading the thoughts of Judas, was Jesus doing something for the first time here? SPEAKER C Not at all. There are many instances in the scripture where we can see that Jesus actually can read people's motives and hearts. And just for an example of that, we can look at John chapter 2 and verses 23 to 25. And it says now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover during the feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs, which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man. For he knew what was in man. So he knew people like he could see really right to the heart. And it's, it's something which is requiring divine power to do that because you and I can't read someone else's motives. But it's something that's also very much a source of comfort for us that, you know, even if, like Mary, we are misunderstood, even when we've done something good, Jesus understands and he knows where we're coming from and he will validate us for the truth. SPEAKER A Yeah. Now Leeboy, with regard to the timing of the life and death and resurrection of Jesus, was there a prophetic timeframe for all of this? SPEAKER B See, Daniel chapter nine makes that clearly. Jesus often like said that his time was not yet come. And we can read it in John 7, 6, 8. SPEAKER A So you think he would have been referring to Daniel's prophecy. SPEAKER B So he said in Daniel 7, 6, 8. So Jesus said, then said unto them, my time is not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but me it hated because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast. I go not up yet unto this feast, for my time is not yet full Come. And he also, but he also knew that his time come, like there are times where you know, he knew that his time is at hand and he will be tried and crucified. And he's an all knowing God. And Mark 14:41 and 42 clearly stated it. And I'll read from here. Mark 14:41, 42, 41, it reads. And he cometh the third time and said unto them, sleep on now and take your rest. It is enough. The hour is come. Behold, son of man is betrayed into the hands of the sinners. Rise up, let us go. Lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. SPEAKER A Yes, so that's significant, isn't it? He says there, the hour has come. Whereas earlier he'd been saying, my time is not yet come, but now he says, my hour has come. So Jesus was arrested, he was brought before Annas and then Caiaphas the high priest, and then before the Roman Governor Pilate Kaysie, what is significant about the witness of Pilate to the nature of Jesus? SPEAKER C It's very interesting to see how Pilate related to Jesus because he was essentially a heathen governor. And his perspective was quite unique and, and quite discerning, actually. We find in John chapter 18 and verse 38, Pilate said to him, what is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, I find no fault in him at all. And then if we have a look Also at chapter 19, there's a couple of verses there which are really helpful. In verse 4, it says Pilate then went out again and said to them, behold, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in him. So again, same sort of position there. And then finally, when Jesus was ultimately crucified, in verse 19 of that same chapter, it says Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. And so he acknowledged Jesus for who he was, even prophetically. And he found him to be innocent. But even though he found him to be innocent, Pilate still condemned him. Even though Pilate had a warning from his wife, she had had some dreams and basically told him, don't have anything to do with the man, but he still, he still condemned him. So, yeah, it's just interesting how Pilate was able to see so clearly who, Jesus. SPEAKER A Yes. Finding no fault in him. He was very clear on that. And yet he was weak, wasn't he? SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER A In regard to. He wasn't able to stand up to the pressure of the crowd, it seems. Can we learn anything from the witness of Pilate? Leboy? SPEAKER B One of the most important and the biggest lesson that we could learn is it is dangerous to sacrifice principles and moral values for personal gain. And right now we can see around the world there are a lot of, you know, those same things have been happening, especially in the political arena. And it still continues in the past and even today, we also experiencing the same things. And the Jews were able to play on the weakness in Pilate's character. And we see this like even George Knight writes that he describes in, like Pilate, he said Pilate is described by, like both Philo and also in Josephus. So and this is what George Knight, he wrote in his book the Abundance Life Bible Amplifier. And he described it as, Pilate has been like, Pilate is greedy. He's also inflexible and cruel, and one will restore to robbery and oppression. So those are Some of the things that, you know, paladists engage in. And according to the Britannica, Pilate killed himself and others from the emperor Caligula. And let me just read the first Timothy, chapter four, verse two. And it reads, speaking lies is hypocrisy. Having their conscience curds with a hot iron. See, Paul highlighted the danger of sharing the conscience. And this is what Pilate has been engaged in and it has been destroyed in the time that they lived in. SPEAKER A Now, with regard to the evidences of divinity of Jesus in John's Gospel, let's turn our attention to the disciple Thomas. We often call him Doubting Thomas. And there's a reason for that. He was not with the other ten disciples when Jesus appeared to them after his resurrection. How did he react to the news about Jesus being raised from the dead? SPEAKER C Kaysie, it's very interesting what he said. And we can read this in John chapter 20 and verse 25. And it says the other disciples therefore said to him, we have seen the Lord. So he said to them, unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. So he was quite adamant that he needed something very tangible in order for him to believe. And so it was probably at best a conditional belief, but very much doubt. He didn't really have any faith in any of the evidences that were put to him. SPEAKER A So how do you think Jesus, Thomas felt Leboy when he saw Jesus himself? SPEAKER B I think he was overcome. Yeah, I think Thomas was overcome. And in like John, chapter 20, verse 26 to 28. And I'll read. And after eight days, again, his disciples were with him and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, peace be unto you, verse 27, 28. Then said he to Thomas, reach here thy finger and behold my hands. And reach here thy hand and thrust it into my side. And be not faithless, but believe in. And Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord and my God. And in calling Jesus my Lord. The Seven Day Adventist Bible Commentary says that by his confession, Thomas associates being before him with the Jehovah of the whole Testament. And in the first chapter of John, we could see that the Word was God. And when we come towards the end of the Gospel, it tells us about the divinity that is proclaimed once again. So it starts with the word was God, and then it finished with it. SPEAKER A Yeah. So Leeboy, how did Jesus encourage future generations by what he said to Thomas? SPEAKER B Oh, that's a nice question. Well, I'll read back. We'll go back to John, chapter 20, verse 29 and I'll just continue. Jesus said unto them, thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed. Theology courses usually, you know, includes the study of Christian evidence and like even court cases decided on the presentations of evidence. And Thomas shows that there is room for doubt. But LNG White wrote in Steps to Christ, page 105, that faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration. SPEAKER A So, Kaysie, did Jesus perform more miracles, talking about evidences, more miracles that we have recorded in the Gospel of John? SPEAKER C Absolutely. John even says so. We read that in chapter 20, verse 30 and 31, it says, and truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the and that believing you may have life in his name. And I think that's just such a beautiful statement of John's to just say, hey, there's so much that could be said here, but we can only fit just this portion. And we believe that what we have done is going to encourage and inspire your faith. And I think that's. That's really beautiful for us. SPEAKER A Yeah. And in the very last verse of the Gospel, he says there are also many other things that Jesus did which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world herself could not contain the books that would be written. Yes, well, thank you very much. Leeboy and Kaysie, good to have you with us today. I've been talking with Kaysie Vokurka and Leeboy Tobias and my name is Clive Nash. You know, today we have looked at a few of the witnesses to Jesus Christ in John's Gospel. There are many more examples that John recorded, but I think for a moment of my story, you might think about your story, your faith journey. We were not there to see Jesus Christ as Thomas and the other disciples were, but we all can have a story to tell of transforming grace, of redeeming love. We're glad you joined us today on Let God Speak. If you were blessed by this programme, why not tell your friends? Remember all past programmes plus teachers notes are available on our website, 3abnaustralia.org.au email us if you wish on [email protected] we hope you'll join us again next time. And until then, we wish you God's rich blessing. SPEAKER B You have been listening to let God speak, a production of 3ABN Australia television. To catch up on past programmes, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au. Call us in Australia on 02 4973 3456. Or email [email protected]. we'd love to hear from you.