Divided Opinions: Who is Jesus Christ? (Part 1)

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John 7:40-44

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Divided Opinions: Who is Jesus Christ? (Part 2)

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Well, I'd like to invite you to open your Bibles with me this morning as we continue our study through the gospel of John John's gospel and Chapter 7 here we are in chapter 7 as pilgrims who fear
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God journeying together Through this wonderful wonderful gospel Keep in mind the word gospel means good news
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Glad tidings great joy It's all about the Lord Jesus Christ the theme actually in John's gospel is the deity of Christ The Gospels speak of who
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God is But it's who God has revealed himself through Jesus Christ Jesus Christ Who is
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God the second person of the Trinity in flesh? Incarnate the
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Word of God As you turn with me to chapter 7 I'd like to begin with verse 40
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Read to verse 53 we begin another section here, and I'm not going to be able to get through all this
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So I'm breaking this up in a two -part Series today. We will only look at verse 40 to verse 44 and then
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God willing Next Lord's Day, we will pick up verse 45 to verse 53 then
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Lord willing and Near future we will begin in chapter 8 and many things to say about chapter 8 which
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Many says that many commentators believe that this was not original in the original manuscript but we're going to look into that and by no means
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It will harm our faith I can guarantee you because every word of God's peer and it's ordained it's just a matter of how we
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Know a little of the his the history there of how we got the manuscripts and how they were pieced together
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But we'll look at that in the future. God willing, but right now we're in John chapter 7 and Let me begin reading verse 40 to 53
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Hear the word of the Living God Therefore many from the crowd
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When they heard this saying said truly this is the prophet Others said this is the
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Christ but some said Will the Christ come out of Galilee?
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Has not the scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem where David was
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So There was a division among the people because of him Now some of them wanted to take him but no one laid hands on him
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Then the officers came to the chief priest and Pharisees Excuse me who said to them.
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Why have you not brought him? the officers answered
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No man ever spoke like this man Then the then the Pharisees answered them.
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Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers of the
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Pharisees believed in him But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed
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Nicodemus He who came to Jesus by night Being one of them said to them
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Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing
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They answered and said to him Are you also from Galilee search and look for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee and Everyone went to his own house
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May God richly bless the reading of his word From the hearing of our ears to our hearts this morning
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Please bow with me as we seek our Lord's face and blessing within this hour of worship our great father and our
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God Lord we praise you this morning. We thank you for your great wonderful.
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Holy word Lord it goes forth and it does not return into you void it accomplishes exactly what you have sent it to do
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And Lord your word It's like a sword a two -edged sword
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It cuts it pierces, but also there's a great healing balm within it as well
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Father with as the Lord Jesus says thy word is truth Sanctify us now through the hearing of thy word and Lord, I would pray
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Give us ears to hear What your spirit is saying to the church today?
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and Lord, I pray that you would give us a heart to perceive and to understand thy truth
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Lord we need your Holy Spirit to show us to reveal this to us through your words Need your spirit.
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Oh God And we cannot do it without you and Lord we pray that you would change us
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As your word says from faith to faith from glory to glory Lord And we will be changed
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More into the image of Jesus Christ, and we will be careful Lord to give you all the honor and the glory in Jesus name
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I pray amen Well here in John's gospel chapter 7 verse 40 through 53
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We read about divided opinions concerning the person of the
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Lord Jesus Christ There's no doubt Division and Division still takes place in our polarized world today confusion disbelief belief
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But there are different opinions and this is exactly what's before us here Jesus Christ is a very controversial
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Person He has always been throughout history Very controversial and he was here as at the
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Feast of Tabernacles the controversial person Now I'd like for you to keep this in mind as we have already looked at verse 37 to 39
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Let me read it because you truly Understand The text of which
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I just read to you today. Who is Jesus? Who is he? Who is he? That's the question
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Jesus at the last day of the the last day the great day of the feast says in verse 37 Jesus stood and cried out
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He cries out Saying and he gives a wonderful glorious invitation if anyone and includes all
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There's thousands of people there now keep that in mind the last day of the feast At the temple in Jerusalem and anyone thirst let him come to me and drink
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Then he says he who believes in me as The scripture has said out of his heart will flow rivers of living water but this he spoke concerning the
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Spirit whom those believing in him would receive for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified now that's pivotal and Everything that is going to be said today because Jesus Christ is the only one that can give this
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He's the only one that could give water the Holy Spirit To him who believes because he says if anyone thirst
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Let him come to me and drink. There are thirsty souls in this world Before we came to the
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Lord Jesus Christ as a believer, we were very thirsty a Lot of people do not know what they're thirsty for but the only water that satisfies is living water that is the living water of the
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Holy Spirit that comes from the fountainhead Jesus Christ and Then Jesus says he who believes in me noticed constantly.
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He's talking about if you thirst let him come to me If you believe in me as the scripture says out of his heart will flow rivers of living water
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That's a glorious glorious promise that our Lord gives and that's an invitation Now don't you to think about this arguments are usually started in a number of ways debates.
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I'm sure you know that Just think back upon your life and bring to mind some of the arguments that you've
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Participated in or have observed and I think many times of myself When there was something worth arguing about or debating about I stood my ground
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You have as well Can you remember the last time you have been part of one?
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What was the topic of the conversation? What is this something very important to you? Was it something worth standing for?
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Was it an opinion that you believe it was worth the debate Usually it was a grave importance and usually a great importance concerning something you
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Seen or felt that you absolutely right about and therefore there would be no argument to it
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But yet someone else had a different view They had a different Set in their mind about the way you felt and they disagreed with you and if you could remember there's
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Surefire way of to start an argument or debate in that matter way
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Just pick a controversial topic today Usually concerning politics or religion they say my
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Grandfather Bless his soul always told me when I was young. This is before I came to faith in Christ He says two things you never argue about that's politics and religion
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But aren't those the things that really matter Yeah, I look back in hindsight.
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I wholly disagree with him and believe me I At my age at that time if I disagreed with him,
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I'd be in for a world of a trouble Hey, he was right about everything far as he was concerned but Setting that aside.
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I'm sure you've heard the same thing never argue about politics or religion but you know something you got to take a firm stand on one side of the issue or the other while in the midst of a large group of people
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Then see what happens And they'd be prepared to defend yourself beloved
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And can I say in my introduction here that's exactly what's happening here There is a great controversial
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Debate There is different sets of opinion concerning the
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Lord Jesus Christ The Lord Jesus Christ cried out.
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He shouted out in the temple court He invites people to come to him to find new life through him believing in him
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Of living water in here in verse 40 to 44, we're going to take a look a quick glance at the response of Jesus's invitation to himself this is the response that happens or that happened in that day
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After Christ cried out with a loud voice Inviting the thousands to come to him and yet look at it's very intriguing.
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It's very interesting of how This stirs up so much and keep this in mind.
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Nothing's changed Everybody has an opinion about Jesus Christ Now, let me say this at the forefront our opinions really doesn't matter.
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It's what God's Word says That's where we must check ourselves.
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I Got more to say about that in the application, but what you and I believe about Jesus Christ is absolutely critical of our destination for eternity
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And how we will live that out Not just to know it factual and intellectual but experimental
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Now We're gonna look at the response that these people had to the wonderful words of life that our
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Lord gave first of all in verse 40 We will see an initial response to the statement of fact the initial response to the statement of fact
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Or is it a fact? Second we will look in verse 41 a and see the immediate reaction
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Which people thought was a better idea a third we will see from verse 41
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B to 42 another reaction is The use of false evidence and where there is resistance the first group we will see
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That there is confusion about the Lord Then there's belief about the
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Lord Then there's resistance about the Lord and then fourth we will see them and last we will see the aftermath in the situation in verse 43 to 44
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Then we will conclude with personal application of who Jesus is Let's make our way make tracks here.
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First of all is the initial response Is it a statement of fact the initial response a statement of fact the first verse 40 says this
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There there for many from the crowd When they heard this saying said
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Truly this is The prophets the prophet now
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The question is did this group of people are they very sure of themselves
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Yes, they are They're very sure of themselves and they really believe that they are right
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But in reality they were confused They were confused Actually their conclusion is stated in fact and I'd like to ask the question.
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Do we have any idea who these people? Were who made that statement? I believe it's important to realize who the audience
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Jesus is speaking to and there are several groups of people here We must know who
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Jesus's audience is it appears My study here and you could check me
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Bereans. Please do so I lay myself Accountable to you because it's critical how we look at the
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Word of God it appears that they must have been some of the pilgrim Jews the pilgrim
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Jews Who came a great distance to attend the feast of the tabernacles the feast of the booths?
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There were pilgrim Jews that was passing through from a distance and this particular group didn't know
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The negative attitude by the way of the Jewish leaders at that time toward Jesus at this feast
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They had a negative attitude and actually in their hearts and mind they wanted to arrest him as the scripture says
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To take him but the Lord in his sovereignty God in his sovereignty did not allow that to happen because his hour is not yet come
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These people actually made a statement without without bias based upon What they heard
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Jesus say and what they wanted and I'm sorry what they watched Jesus do
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So keep in mind that there's much unbelief here in the hearts of people and unbelief goes to the very soul
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It's more than just something intellectual. It is the soul The and and it's opposite of faith that unbelief towards Christ They wanted to hang on to what they believed was a statement of fact and they really believed it
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But yet it was unbelief Nevertheless, they have jumped to the conclusion with very little evidence of support to it
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Now were they right? Well in one case here, we see that the the facts that is brought out is right
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So what do they mean when they call Jesus the prophet?
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Was Jesus a prophet? Well, sure. He was a prophet, but listen what what the scripture says
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Which prophet are they referring to now? This is supported by the verses found in Deuteronomy chapter 18 go with me to Deuteronomy 18 very quickly and When Moses is actually telling or should
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I say forth telling the people of Israel? Not to listen to the spiritualist those who practice divination those who practice witchcraft among the people of the land
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That they're about to enter now There are many voices in this world, aren't there?
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voices and You can even hear more now on the internet Be careful what you hear folks even
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AI can duplicate people's voices to deceive many and The Bible surely says in the last days the hearts of many will grow cold and there is a great deception in the land
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And people already have deceived hearts Because people don't know their own hearts
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Because deception abides within our hearts That's why we need the supernatural intervention of the
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Lord and he's given us his truth in his word So many voices take place, especially in a heathen land and here's
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Israel Israel was in a heathen land God brought them out by a strong voice a strong arm and Brought them out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage and he speaks to him through Moses Moses was their leader
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He represented the law Keep in mind what John says for the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ Moses was a lawgiver
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He was a lawgiver But he was known as a prophet and he speaks here in Deuteronomy 18.
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Let me read verse 15 to 18 and Verse 15 is actually the bird the verse in which these people have in mind
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The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your mist
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From your brethren him you shall hear according to all you desired
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The Lord your God and Horb and the day of the assembly saying let me not hear again the voice of the
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Lord No, my god, nor let me see this great fire anymore. At least I die and the
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Lord said to me What they have spoken is good and I will raise up for them a prophet again
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Notice verse 15 verse 18 a prophet like you from among Their brethren and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak to them all that I command
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Commanded him command him. So there you have what these people have in mind
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But there yet they're still very confused So the Jews here the pilgrims from the distance in verse 40 were stating that scripture
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Actually the prophet Jesus was definitely that prophet they were right about that so you cannot say that's one group that identifies
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Jesus as the prophet referring to Deuteronomy 18 15 and The other verses another group
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Goes a step further Not only do they speak about Jesus being the prophet
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But they also speak about Christ notice verse 41 others said this is the
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Christ the Christ the word Christ the name Christ Actually means anointed one the anointed one
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Messiah But some said will the Christ come out of Galilee. We'll go to that next
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Let's look at the second one So the first group of people are somewhat confused, but they got it right about Jesus being the prophet
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Statement of fact, but I want you to keep this in mind even though Jesus is a prophet
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He's more than a prophet many people look at Jesus many of the cults today
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Look at Jesus as just a prophet or the prophet even the
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Muslims Speak of Jesus as being the prophet But we know better that Jesus is more than just the prophet
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He's the son of the Living God and we're going to get to that later But it's much it doesn't there's much more in what
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Jesus is now could a prophet stand up and Could he speak and invite?
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People to himself and say if anyone thirst let him come to me and drink could
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Moses say that No, God forbid only the
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Lord Jesus Christ Can say invite people to himself and say if anyone thirst let him come to me and drink
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Also, there was a time that Moses if you recall That when God was about to wipe out the entire people of Israel because of their sin and rebellion and idolatry against God and Moses said
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Lord, I want to stand in the place Blot me out as well God was going to blot him out and start a new nation and Moses stands up to intercede praise
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God for the intercessor but Moses in a sense was saying I want to be the atonement but Could could
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Moses be the atonement for them? God forbid no There's only one
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Lamb of God There's only one that was made atonement you see what this is saying because he is the
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Messiah the son of the Living God the Christ you see Cannot you it sounds so good to hear a person.
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Oh Jesus is the prophet But yet they do not know who he really is
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You see what you see how important it is We we can have these views in our mind and think oh,
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I'm right about this well Well in one sense. Yes. He is the prophet. He's priest.
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He's king, but he's even much more than that folks He is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world?
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He's the son of the Living God that God himself Puts the stamp of approval and his satisfaction on his son and God the father even spoke
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Audibly several times and said this is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased
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Could he say that about Moses? No Could he say that about Elijah?
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No There's only one that the father is well pleased in and that is the
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Lord Jesus Christ How important it is so? We go from one group of people that had an initial response a statement of fact then and secondly then
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We go to another Where we see immediate reaction? There's confusion a better idea others were saying or This is the
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Christ. This is the Christ the anointed one once again It was probably some pilgrim
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Jews Who made that statement obviously the Jews at that time considered the
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Prophet and the Christ to be two different people now
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Why I say that? about two years earlier remember Jesus is in his third year of ministry here and Two years earlier
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John the Baptist was asked to reveal his identity. Remember that Let's go back a little bit we've already covered this ground
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But I think it's very important for us to look at this in context to our text. Amen Context is
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King and we want to see in the right perspective of what's being said here John Chapter 1 go back to John chapter 1 and let's look at what is said in verse 19 to verse 21
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Verse 19 to verse 21 And I may go a little bit further
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Now keep in mind
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John the Baptist was last of the Old Testament prophets. He was the forerunner of Jesus Christ He said of himself.
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This is a humble godly man, and he is a prophet John the Baptist is a prophet
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But he realized John even realized That Jesus was far greater than just a prophet
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John John the Baptist Realized all he was even though he was a prophet
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He realized he was nothing but a voice in the wilderness Notice what he says in verse 19.
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Now, this is the testimony of John speaking of John the Baptist When the Jews sent priests and Levites From Jerusalem to ask him.
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Who are you? He confessed I did not deny and did not deny but confessed.
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I Am NOT the Christ He admits I am NOT the anointed one.
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I'm not the Messiah and They asked him also what then? Are you
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Elijah? He said I am NOT I Am NOT are you the prophet the prophet and he answered no
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So you see it goes on to say then they said to him Who are you?
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That we may give an answer to those who sent us These were evil people religious people that was sending them.
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What do you say about yourself? What do you say about your identity? He said
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I am and notice how he confesses says I love this The voice of one cried in the wilderness.
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That's all he said he was Now we know he was a prophet last of the Old Testament proper forerunner of Christ But he didn't boast about that beloved he said
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I'm just a voice That's what we you know, we're just a voice in the wilderness Such a great model for ministers.
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Amen And he says make straight the way of the Lord make it straight
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As the prophet Isaiah said now those who were sent Were from the Pharisees you see so He goes on to say and they asked him saying why do you baptize if you're not the
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Christ the anointed one nor Elijah the prophet of fire nor the prophet John answered them saying
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I baptized with water but there stands one among you whom you do not know you do not know and As same is today
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Many people have many opinions and preferences and differences about Jesus But they really don't know
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It is he who is coming after me is preferred before me whose sandals strap. I'm not even worthy to loose
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And he says these things were done and Beth Barbara beyond Jordan where John was baptizing now
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Like for you to notice something That may seem insignificant, but it's important.
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It's significant Did you notice the descending order when John the Baptist answered them?
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Christ Elijah the prophet There's a in the mind of the
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Jew Christ the anointed one was the highest in view
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Elijah was second the prophet of fire and The prophet was third in their rank in the pecking order there so Yet the prophet was held in high regard in his appearance
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It was awaited but see there is in the mind of the Jewish people there
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Christ was Supposedly in their mind first, even though they didn't know Christ was the
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Messiah Some held to that view But did they really believe him as the
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Messiah? Well, that leads me to the third point third we see another reaction So we first see confusion
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There's belief and There's resistance. Here's resistance. Now. This is a very important one, but We see this in verse 41
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B to 42 back to John 7 41
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B But some said will the Christ come out of Galilee Notice in verse 42
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Has not the scripture at least they went to the scripture, right? They did
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Said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem where David was question mark
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Well, this is very interesting. Now. There's a reference here as well My Micah the minor prophet doesn't mean
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In a sense of is he minor or smaller than the major? it's just basically refers to a smaller
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Section of the book of the prophecies Micah's prophecies found is speaking of Micah chapter 5 verse 2, right?
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Which says but you Bethlehem a thoran if a wrath, I'm sorry, though you are little though You're small among the thousands of Judah yet out of you
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Shall come forth to me and the one to be ruler in Israel Whose goings forth are from old from everlasting
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There it is You see the group here of people May be composed mainly of local
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Residents I would say Because they know where Jesus is presently living huh, but Their information's wrong their form of argument is sometimes what we call a straw man argument, right?
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That's what I'm thinking of here A straw man argument is used often to try to convince people to take their side in an argument
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Just to win the argument These Jews have directed the focus of conversation away
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From the person of Christ. Do you see that? Do you notice even though they are saying?
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Okay, the scripture says Christ comes from the seed of David and from out of the town of Bethlehem Where David was notice they went to out of who
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Jesus was from the previous verses or who he is To where he's born to his location
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Do you see that? You see they got their focus all wrong
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Even though they're right about And their motives is wanting to go to the scripture that Christ comes from the seed of David That's correct.
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And from the town of Bethlehem where David was But you see they've created a straw man
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They created a straw man because the details they were giving about Jesus It's our
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Untrue since they are based upon false assumptions just because a person lives in a particular town as An adult does doesn't mean that he was born there, right?
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We have several people here I know That's from different towns
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You know we could say Keith of Cartersville don't mind me pointing out there
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Keith But is Keith from Cartersville was he born there? No, he's born in Monticello, right?
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Making okay. See I didn't know that So you see you see you see what I'm talking about Brother Ben, you know, where were you born?
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Florida but Ben has moved all across this country We don't know whether to define
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Ben as a Yankee or a Midwesterner or a southerner We don't know yet, but he's a good combination of a little everything.
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But but my point is this Here they the they they were talking about Jesus being born in Bethlehem and but yet they changed the location just again
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They look at the location their claims about Jesus were investigated if their claims were investigated they would fall to pieces like a straw man
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You see that? Actually in this case the purpose is for what just to win an argument
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You know, I don't know about you, but this really searches my own heart because We must when we speak about the
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Lord Jesus Christ. We we we should not be all about just to win an argument We tell people exactly what the
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Word of God says about Jesus That he's more than just a prophet and yes, he is the
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Christ the anointed one and Yes, he did. He was born in Bethlehem But remember what the
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Lord Jesus said he says a greater one than Solomon's here a
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Greater one than Jonah's here He's just not just a prophet another prophet or even deep prop
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He is the prophet. But what I'm saying is from the scriptures. He's the son of the
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Living God Do you realize that this is what? Net why they arrested
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Jesus Eventually to put him on the cross because they said he commits blasphemy.
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He claims equality with God He's crazy. He's insane.
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So what did they do? They arrested him? Eventually he goes to a cross a criminal's cross
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It's all ordained of God He actually laid down his life lay down his life if they knew who he was as Paul says in Corinthians They would never have crucified the
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Lord of Glory but God allowed it to happen man's
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Responsibility they were evil men that nailed Christ to the cross and Peter addresses that in Acts chapter 2 in his sermon
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But yet God ordained it because he's God's Lamb. He was the Lamb of God before the foundation of the world
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Pastor, I don't understand that. How can men be responsible and yet God ordained it? I don't know.
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I Can't answer that question, but I do know this God is absolutely sovereign. He allowed it.
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He ordained it. He is Christ He laid down his life willingly Yet at the hands of willful wicked men
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God Ordained it. I like what R .C. Sproul said about wicked the wickedness of people of the nations and wickedness and evil that's rampant and in our world today
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Did God permit it? You know what R .C. Sproul said? God beloved not only permitted it.
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He ordains it He ordains it There's a lot of people that will argue against that point
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Because they do not understand Why does God allow such suffering if God is so good and I've even had my children
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I even heard my grandchildren come to one day I asked me if God is all -powerful and this is this is something we've all thought of isn't it?
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If God is all -powerful, why didn't he just do away with Satan from the beginning? If he knew he was going to sin
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But see God had a purpose and a plan all for his glory to demonstrate his mercy to demonstrate his goodness to demonstrate his justice to demonstrate his faithfulness and his redemption in Jesus Christ at the cross
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Isn't that glorious? No, we may not understand it all beloved, but what the
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Bible says whether we believe it or not is true And that's that's the conclusion we must come to now actually
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This group of people did not even bother to investigate the true birthplace of Jesus.
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Did they? You know, what's mind -boggling? Jesus was right there
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They could have asked him. They could have asked him the Messiah Christ himself Where were you born actually?
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Tell us You see that they they there it was Christ right in front of them and they did not even ask
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Wow Absolutely critical that we believe we as believers know every detail the right details according to the scriptures according to the
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Bible who the person and works of Jesus Christ is and Beloved to do that. We must study our
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Bible on a daily basis It is critical to Devour this word and don't let anything else get in your way of reading this
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Bible From day to day and not only reading it. I'll go one step further meditate on it search the scriptures be a
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Berean Go after this every word of God like a man like a man that is parched with thirst and say
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I'm thirsty I want to read this word. I want to live it were rivers of living water come out from this and it will if you truly seek the
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Lord with all your heart and He will answer you. He will answer you. Well, let me move to the fourth
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We see here the last the aftermath the aftermath verses 43 to 44
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And I need to shorten this because I got a lot to say in application. We can pick it back up God -willing next
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Lord's Day So what happened verse 43
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Three different groups of people so there was a division You get that There was a division among the people because of him
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Now some of them wanted to take him but no one laid hands on him They wanted to arrest him, but God did not allow that to happen.
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But there was a division concerning the Lord Jesus Christ All because of differing opinions because of their different views because of their
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Ignorance some had ignorance to it There was a division among the people because of Jesus Christ and it's still the same today beloved
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Men and women are divided on who Jesus is Some say he's simply just a man like the rest of us
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As they would say some would say he is just a prophet Others say and willing to admit that he was the greatest man who ever lived
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Beloved he's more than that Can I tell you according to the Word of God, but those who truly believe the
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Word of God Those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ know and believe
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Just like we sung today like Paul says I know whom I have believed in and I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that Which I've committed unto him against that day
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We know who he is that he's Lord over all He is
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Lord and According to Romans 9 5
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B Christ came who is over all the eternal
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Eternally blessed God. Did you get that? He's God. He's God in the flesh
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So Christ still divides Does he not I? Love the quote from Leonard Ravenhill and I got this on my notes here
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I won't I will not withhold this from me because it's a jewel. This is what
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Ravenhill said about Christ concerning division quote
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Although Herod and all Jerusalem were troubled at the birth of Christ There was a minority too insignificant to mention who were not troubled
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Which were Simeon and Anna at the temple come to mind
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When Christ was born and I think he says that often we overlook the first thing that Jesus ever did
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Before he knew where he was Before he knew who he was
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Before he could walk Before he could talk Jesus set a pattern for his life and a measure for eternity
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He divided men He divided men the first thing that Jesus the babe did was to divide the nation
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Most were against him and few for him He divided on he divided them on his blessed cross in his death
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He divided them in his life in The synagogue here in John 7 verse 43
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He goes on to say he would divide them at the judgment seat in Matthew 25
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Jesus declared quite openly that his mission was to divide men and Luke 12 51 we'll look at that in just a minute he still divides men and He will do so Until the end and until time ends end quote and I'll say amen all the way
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Jesus divides Remember in Hebrews chapter 4
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In this a wonderful Book all of its wonderful But think of what the
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Word of God does What does the Word of God do? it cuts and What happens when it cuts it cuts it searches it divides
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What does it divide? Let's look at it. It tells us notice in verse
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Let me start with verse 11. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest
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This is application. This is the first application. We must allow the Word of God to discover our condition
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Therefore be diligent to enter that rest Lest anyone fall
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He's warning us about falling here. Okay fall according to the same example of disobedience
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That's how we fall folks is Just disobeying the Lord By a heart of unbelief you see this through chapter 3
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But then he says in verse 12 for the Word of God is living.
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It's alive and It's powerful And notice what he says
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Sharper than any two -edged sword. It's sharper What does it do it piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit?
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and of the joints in the marrow and notice what he says and is a discerner of The thoughts and the intents of the heart it discerns
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Your very thought life folks Can any other book do this?
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No God's Word is so sharp. It's so piercing it
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Divides the soul the spirit the joints of the marrow it discerns it reads
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Your thoughts and intents of your heart even the very motives of your heart
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Verse 13 and there is no creature hidden from his sight in other words You could try to hide all you can with fig leaves folks behind religion and play church, but no one can hide from God Ask Jonah the prophet
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He tried to hide God knew exactly where he was Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves and their nakedness with fig leaves
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But yet God could see through all of it Because it says no creature
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Is hidden from his sight the eyes of God is upon every soul upon this entire world
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But all things are naked listen to this and Open to the eyes of him to whom and what does it say?
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we We this the writer of Hebrews includes himself we must give an account the judgment the judgment
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Well, there's much to be said about that wonderful verse, but God's Word discovers our true condition
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We must see who we really are in the eyes of God Go with me to Matthew 10 chapter 10.
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I'll try to get through these very quickly, but this is application Jesus said this
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Matthew 10 Notice beginning with verse 32 verse 10 verse 32
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Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword
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But a sword that's the truth folks the truth of God.
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He is the truth I Have come to set a man against his father a daughter
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Against his mother a daughter -in -law against her mother -in -law and a man's enemies will be those of his own household he who loves father her mother
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More than me is not worthy of me This is such a convicting verse listen is it searches our hearts doesn't it?
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He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me You know what
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Jesus is saying as much as you love your father your mother your brother your sisters You're you're your family.
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Jesus must be preeminent He must be first in all things and he who does not he goes a step further he who does not take his cross and Follow after me is not worthy of me and basically it means obedience to the commandments of Jesus following after him and He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life for my sake will find it must die to self
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Self denial that obstacle that Jesus put on the straight and narrow way that we must deny ourselves
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Come to an end of ourselves and the only thing the only object that can put it to an end of our wicked
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Selfishness is the cross of Christ The cross can put an end to it and it should
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I Like what Tozer said when a man was hung on the cross back in that day
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He was only facing one direction Folks listen to that one direction.
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He could not look behind him for what was behind him He is dead he was dead too and Paul says
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I've been crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life that I live now in the flesh
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I'll live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me That's way
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Jesus the master went. That's the way of the master and everybody says they're Christian. They're Christian But do they deny themselves?
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Do they take up the cross of Christ and take up their own cross daily and follow
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Jesus and Love him to the very end above family above anything above self
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And Jesus says if you find your life, you will lose it. And if you lose your life for my sake you will find it
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What a Savior You see that he set the example He set the example go to the reference to this is
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Luke chapter 12 jump to Luke 12 Luke gives a little bit more detail as a physician would
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And I love that about Luke Luke chapter 12 verse 49 59
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Christ brings division Listen what he says He begins by saying
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I came to send fire on the earth You know what he's talking about. He's talking about the judgment to come
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He's talking about and oh how I wished it were already kindled Jesus had a desire of Urgency and compassion in a sense to make things right and he will
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But he says I have come to send fire on the earth and how I wished it were already kindled how he desired it.
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Oh You see that But I have a baptism to be baptized with and how distressed
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I am to it be accomplished What's he talking about his death? He's talking about hanging on the cross and absorbing the full
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Punishment of the wrath of God that fire. I Have a baptism to be baptized with how
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I'm how distressed I am to be accomplished. That was his mission
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Was to die Listen what he says in verse 51. Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth?
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Question I tell you not at all But rather division Jesus said that himself
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Now does not negate that Jesus Gives us eternal peace, right?
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He does he is the prince of peace but what he's saying is as coming to him as being a follower of his it brings division and It divides you away from the wicked where you come in unification to those who are part of the family of God And that's why
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Jesus looked When people came to him and says look your mother your brother is standing without he said who is my mother my brother?
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And he looked to the crowd and his disciples. He looked at the disciples and said These are my mother and brother
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Those who do the will of God From now he says 50 verse 52 from now
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From that from now on five and one House will be divided three against two and two against three father will be divided against son and son against father mother against daughter
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Daughter against mother mother -in -law against her daughter -in -law and daughter -in -law against her mother -in -law.
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That's exactly what Jesus does he divides now So many other verses
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I think Matthew 16 is important because there's the confession the confession that Peter gives
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When Jesus came in chapter 16 verse 13 when Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying who do men say that I the son of man am
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Who do men say they am? So they said some say John the Baptist some
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Elijah's others Jeremiah What are the prophets notice everybody had an opinion?
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He said to them and I want you to think about this very very urgently
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But who do you say that I am Simon Peter answered and said you are the
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Christ the son of the Living God That's Revelation folks
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He didn't think that up How do we know that Jesus in verse 17 answered and said to him blessed are you?
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Simon Barjona for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven
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And also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and he's thinking of himself that he's the boulder
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Peter is the the small Rock the pebble
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Jesus is the rock. I Will build my church my church the first time church is given the body of believers of the kingdom of God and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it
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Who do you say that I am Thou art the Christ the son of the Living God in Matthew 25 there will be a day
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That Jesus will divide In Matthew 25 that Jesus would divide on that great and day in chapter 25
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Actually that whole chapter deals with the parable the wise and the foolish virgins the parable the talents and if you go a
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Little bit further. There's the Son of Man that will judge the nations as that's what I'm thinking of And when the
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Son of Man comes in his glory this is at the great resurrection day and all the holy angels with him and He will sit on the throne of his glory
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All the nations will be gathered before him get that all the nations and he will what's it gonna do?
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He will separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats and And he will set the sheep on the right hand on his right hand and but the goats on the left and Then the king will say to the on his right hand come you blessed of my father inherit the kingdom of prepared for you
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From the foundation of the world for I was hungry. You gave me food. I was thirsty. You gave me drink
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I was a stranger you get you took me in. I was naked you clothed me. I was sick.
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You visited me I was in prison you came to me and Then the righteous will answer him saying
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Lord When did we see you hungry and feed you and thirsty? What did you give you drink?
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when you When did when did we see you a stranger and take you in and naked and clothed you or when did we see you?
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Sick or in prison and come to you and the king speaking of himself will answer them saying assuredly
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I'll say to you in as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren You did it unto me
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Listen to that and then the same thing. He will also say to those on the left hand, which are the goats
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Depart from me you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels
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Do you see that there's a line of demarcation The joy of the Lord eternal bliss in heaven and then there's a fire
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The eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels for I was hungry you gave me no food
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I was thirsty. You gave me no drink. Now. He's not referring to earning our way to heaven folks
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He's talking about the works that follow us the fruit I Was a stranger you did not take me in naked you did not close me sick and in prison
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You did not visit me and then also I will answer him say saying Lord They will answer him saying
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Lord When did we see you hungry and thirsty and a stranger naked or and sick or in prison?
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Did we not minister to you? And he said then I will answer them saying assuredly I say to you in as much as you did it and not do it did not do it to one of the least of these you did not do it to me and These will go away
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Into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life Do you see what he's talking about?
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When you're truly justified and saved like Luther said faith saves alone
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Faith in Christ saves alone, but the faith that saves is not alone. It has good fruits
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It will show something in our lives Unto the glory of God and it's all about the glory of God He has purchased us with his precious blood now may we
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Live our lives unto him for his glory Praise his name may we
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Be those that are on the right and not be deceived like those that were on the left the goats
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Thinking and they even called him Lord if you notice that See you just because you say
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Jesus is Lord Doesn't mean he's really your Lord. Is he really Lord of your life?
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I like what the old Godly man, I don't know who came up with it originally, but he says if he's not
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Lord of all he's Lord He's not Lord at all He must be Lord of all
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Is he Lord of your life? Well, we know that he's Lord, right? No one can make Jesus Lord.
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I'm not saying that he's Lord regardless I'm just asking have you submitted to his
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Lordship? Are you obeying him as the Lord of? glory
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Well, it's obviously that the people in John 7 many did not understand that we will continue that God -willing next
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Lord's Day. May the Holy Spirit search our hearts out today and Know who
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Jesus really is. Let's pray Our father we thank you and everything no one also that we
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Are never never alone because you promised You never leave us nor forsake us
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Even in our struggles and our afflictions our trials and our sorrows Knowing that your good grace
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Lord is sufficient and when And that we can experience a peace that passes all understanding and joy unspeakable full of glory
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Lord knowing you and you know when us is all that really matters may our prayer be like the
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Apostle Paul that I May know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings the fellowship of his sufferings
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Being made conformable unto his death Father in all things. We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ that loved us
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Furthermore recognizing and knowing truly through from the scriptures that Jesus Christ is
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Lord Messiah Yes prophet priest and King but more than that the
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Messiah the Son of the Living God And Lord help us by your spirit lead a life of self -denial daily cross -carrying daily following Christ daily a life of discipleship and a life of missions for your glory as we participate faithfully daily and these ongoing workings of reconciliation justice and peace
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True holiness May we do it all because of your great love and for your mercy
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And for your glory in a broken and hurting world. We praise you for this We glorify you
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O God Be exalted O God above the heavens may your glory fill the earth in Jesus name.