Bibleline Radio Show – 2016-06-30 – The Life Of Christ Pt.4
Transcription:
This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.
Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. We just toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.
Now take your Bible and turn to the gospel of John, the gospel of John. John in chapter 8, little discussion had come up and they were harassing Jesus. And he had made a few statements and they would come back at him and he would answer them. So you can see the wisdom that Christ had. Even though he was young, he was standing up against all these intellectual giants of his day. Remember when he was 12 years old, he did the same thing, didn’t he?
The Bible says when he was 12 years old, he was in the temple and debating with the lawyers that was in there. In a way, 12 years of age. Here he makes a statement and look there in, let me see, get down here to where he says in verse 44. Notice how he is tiptoeing around the tithers. You know the religious people of his day. his day. Last thing Jesus wanted to do was hurt anybody’s feelings. He didn’t want to set the apple cart.
He didn’t want to rock the boat as people do today. He was for peace. I get a little harassment once in a while on people emailing me trying to straighten me. I think it mattered to me. They say nasty things about me. I’m the sweetest guy I know. But you’ll He makes the statement of verse 44, he says, ye are of your father, the devil. He didn’t say the pope, he says the devil. And the lust of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning and a boat not in the truth, because there’s no truth in him, and you’re just like them. What are you saying? And you’re just like the devil. And he says in verse 45, and because I tell you the truth, you believe me not, truth is offensive to some people. You talk about anything else, but don’t hit me between the eyes. You can talk about sin, just don’t name any, because that’s a thing.
I may be doing that. So he says here in verse 48, this is what they said, then answered the Jews and said to Him, say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hath a devil? Well, Jesus said, so there’s a argument going on here. So He says, I got some things to say to you. He says, if a man was to keep my sayings, he’d never die. See, there is in verse 51. Then in verse 52, then said to Jews unto him, now we know that thou have to devom.”
He was thinking, here’s God that made the heavens and the earth. Never did a thing wrong. All he can speak is the truth. He can’t speak alike. He can only speak truth. Did he hold back? Did he beat around the bush? Right between the eyes. So he says, Abraham, he says, thou have to devom. Abraham is dead and the prophets and thou sayeth, if a man keep my sins, he shall never taste of death or thou greater than our Father Abraham, which is dead and the prophets are dead.
Who do you make yourself? Who are you? Who do you think you are? Well, we know who he is, but you see, they had a problem with him. And so he says in verse 54, Jesus doesn’t let him get away within the heat. I mean, this is, oh, I love it. If I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my Father that honors me, of whom ye say that he is your God. Yet ye have not known him, but I know him, and if I should say I know him not, I shall be a liar, like unto you.
But I know him and keep his sayings. Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. Oh boy, did he open up a can of worms there. Now, He knows this is going to prick him a little bit. So they said in verse 57, then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Well, he says before Abraham was, I am. Oh boy, he knew they didn’t understand.
I think he was having fun. And you’ll find out that Jesus was a man’s man, but he knew the word he was so into. He was the smartest man that’s ever lived. He was the Lord. He knew their thoughts before they ever said them. And he knew what they were going to say and how they were going to react before he ever said a word. He was God. He knew all of this. But you’ll notice in the book of Luke, it talks about, and he was about 30 years old, beginning of his ministry.
here they’re saying, you’re not yet 50 years old because the ministry that do the work that impose it to is between 30 and 50. Listen, you’re not even 50 years old yet and has dowsing Abraham? So he says there in verse 58, truly I say unto you, very, very, very, before Abraham was, I am, then took the up reefs to put upon his neck in a crown and worshiped him No, that’s not exactly what they did. They took up stones to cast at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple going through the midst of them and so passed by him.
Now as you read these scriptures, you’ll find that the Bible says Jesus did all the miracles that he did. Everything that he did he did by the power of the Holy Spirit. So take your Bible and look at the book of Matthew chapter 12. you in chapter 12. And look in verse 22, the Bible had prophesied from the book of Isaiah that the Messiah would come and he says, when he comes, it is he whom the Gentiles will trust.
Now there’s never been another prophet out of Israel in all these years, thousands of years except one and and that happens to be Jesus. The Gentiles are not the Jews, the Jews are not the Gentiles. But he says the Gentiles is going to believe on this Jewish Messiah. See there in verse 21, and in his name shall the Gentiles trust, or if it’s not Jesus, who second?
You know anybody else? There isn’t, there has been anybody else. It’s only been Jesus. So is that a fulfillment of the scripture? I mean, we’re living 2000 years since then, but now notice what he says in verse 22. Then was brought unto him, one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb. He healed him in so much that the blind and dumb both spake and saw him. And all the people were amazed and says, is not this the son of David?
And when the Pharisees heard it, they said, this fellow doth not cast out devils, but by beels above the prince of the devils. Jesus is doing this by the power of the devil. They did not credit that what he did was by the power of the Holy Spirit. And Jesus knew their thoughts. Said unto them, every kingdom is divided and so on. Verse 26, And if Satan cast out Satan, he’s divided against himself. How shall this then his kingdom understand.
And if I buy Beals above cast out devils by whom do your children cast them out. Therefore they shall be your judges.” In other words, there are others who claim to be able to have that same power and they cast out devils. In verse 28, But if I cast out devil by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his good except he first bind the strong men, and then he shall spoil his house.”
In other words, Satan doesn’t have the power that the Lord has. And the Lord is able to come into Satan’s kingdom and take those demons and cast them out of those people that the devil sent his demons into. So who’s the strongest? But if I am able to do this, then evidently. I must be doing it by the power of the Holy Spirit, and they did not believe it. So they call it the unpardonable sin, and that is not to believe that Jesusolute claim to be.
So the Holy Spirit is the one according to John, convicts the world of sin, righteousness, judgment. We’ve all sinned, we need to be righteous, we’re going to be judged. who reveals those things to us so that we trust Christ as our Savior. So as we preach the word and we carry it out, the gospel reveals those things. We’re all sinners, we need to be righteous, and we’re going to be judged so we trust Christ as our Savior. So the work that the Holy Spirit does, if you reject the message that the Holy Spirit reveals, you can’t be saved because you’re rejecting that which He reveals.
And so the sin of blasphemy, this mentioned, or the unpardonable sin, is the sin of unbelief. When you don’t believe, you have no forgiveness in this world nor the world to come, because you must believe that what he did was for you. Anyway, that’s down to verse 31 and so on. So we know that the Holy Spirit came upon Christ to begin his ministry. Now, take your Bible look in Matthew chapter 4. Matthew chapter 4. Christ has come out of the the wild of the Holy Spirit’s come upon Him and He begins His ministry.
When He begins His ministry, the first thing that the Holy Spirit does is allows Him to be in the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. How many days did He go without food? Forty. That’s a long, I can’t even go four hours. Well, I can think about it, you know. But look what He says here in verse one, then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. In other words, you’re going to have to be tempted in all points like as we are and yet without sin.
So the devil does everything he can to get Jesus to take matters into his own hands and not do what he does by the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ says, all that I do, I do it by the power of the Holy Spirit. So it wasn’t because of his human physical abilities, but he yielded himself to the Holy Spirit. And as you read these things and understand it, it’s to help us. See, we trusted Christ as our Savior.
We’ve been baptized by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells us. And when you dedicate your life to Him, I’m going to serve the Lord. Everything gets easy. There’s no more trials, no more tribulations, no problems. Everything’s just hunky dory. Everything is just wonderful. It’s a piece of cake. Right? No, it wasn’t that way even for the Son of God. And if you want to have a picture of what is the Christian life really like? Well, study the Apostle Paul’s life and see what happened to him.
All the things that happened to him, people wanted to kill him, they were stoned, left for dead, all kinds of things happened to him. There’s a whole chapter on it over to book in Corinthians, chapter 12. I mean the whole thing, it’s terrible. Chapter 11, chapter 12, you read those about the apostle Paul and you find out this is what serving the Lord is about. Yeah, we think serving the Lord is me just living a wonderful quiet quiet Everybody leaving me alone andNormally everybody else alone and I just stay out of trouble You can stay out of trouble if he just takes your home Wouldn’t it but evidently he left us here to be used but you have to be tested We got kids coming to Bible college Are we gonna test them?
Sure, I’m going to test them. I give a test just about every day. Because I want to know, did you listen? Did you learn what I said? Now I can only give them that kind of a test. The Lord is going to make them apply it. He’s going to be testing them too. So it’s a wonderful thing. But look what he says here. He was taken into the wilderness to be tempted of When he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, he was afterwards hungry.
I would be hungry too. And when the tempter, who’s the devil, came to him. He said, if they’ll be the Son of God. If. I mean, if you’re. Okay. They prove it to me. You know, I have a high deed. Somebody said that. Again what? Now I feel like I have got to show you that I can do that. Jesus didn’t always bite. He would always answer every problem with Scripture. He used the Word of God. And that’s why when you studied the Bible it talks about how have all shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to thy word.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. The entrance of thy word giveth light. So as you read the 119 Psalm tells you all, all the advantages of reading the word. And then when you get into the problems if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. So you learn to have scripture in your mind. And so that’s why you memorize scripture so that the Holy Spirit can bring it to you rememberance when you need it.
So he says here in verse four, I mean, verse three, he says, if thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread. He answered in this says, It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. So there’s a difference between the food of this world that keeps the body alive and the word of God that keeps you and I alive and keeps us going and keeps us serving the Lord.
God’s word will meet all of your needs. So he’s hungry. Does Jesus have the power that he could take rot and make it into a piece of bread? You think he could do that? Could he walk on water? Remember, he took a few little loaves and a few little fishes, and everybody got to go to McDonald’s for a fish sandwich. Just think he could do all of that. Just make it happen. But when it came to himself, he was trying to get him to sin that he would not do.
So he says here in verse 5, Then the devil take him up to the holy city and set it on the pinnacle of the temple. You think, how could the devil do all of this? They’re out there in the desert. And all of a sudden he’s in Jerusalem sitting upon the edge of the pinnacle. And he says, cast thyself down because you know that the scripture says that the angels will watch over you so that you don’t even stub your toe.
like the lady that jumped off the Empire State Bill. Somebody opened up the window halfway down and said, how you doing? So far so good. But you know she’s got an appointment with the ground. You’re not to tempt the Lord. You know I think I’ve got such faith that God’s gonna take care of me. I’m gonna get on the express way, set this thing on auto, put it on crows and I’m gonna sit back and I’m tired. I’m going to Athens, Georgia and I’m gonna trust the Lord to drive my car.
Am I tempting God? Chances are what’s going to happen. I’m going to die or kill somebody. In other words, you don’t tempt the Lord thy God. To do something God doesn’t have to do or want to do. You don’t tempt God by doing wrong and think you’re going to get away with it. It’s called mocking God. The Bible talks about it in the book of Galatians in chapter six. It says, do not mock God. And how do you mock God by mocking sin?
I can sin and nothing’s going to happen. Are you mocking God to think you can do that and get away with it? No, there’s a price to pay and pay you will. And it will probably be when you’re least expecting it. It’s coming. Always believe it. Look what else he says here in verse six and said unto him, If thou be the son of God cast thyself down, for it is written, he shall give his angels charge concerning them, and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou shalt dash thy foot against the stone.”
And Jesus said unto him, it is a written again. Remember, he always referred back to the word, it is written, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Number eight, again the devil taken him up into an exceeding high mountain and show with him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. So somewhere he had a VCR set up and a big old screen and said Jesus now watch this. Look at all the kingdoms of the world.
You know they were able to do things that were just beginning to figure out some of the things we do now. You know the Bible talks about all that stuff back then It’s in the Bible didn’t tell how he did it, but he was able to snatch him and take him here and take him there And all of a sudden he’s going to show him the kingdoms of the world. How did he do that? Satan has to have certain amount of power, but he’s always got limitations.
He can’t do everything he wants to do God has put breaks on him. So then he makes a statement If you’ll just fall down and worship me, look what I’m going to give you. Now remember these three things, you’ll find out there’s the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. And that’s mentioned in all three of these, exactly the same. That’s how Satan tempted Eve in the garden. You know when she saw, saw it’s good for food and lust and make one wise and all that.
And you’ll find out the same three things. And then when you get to 1 John in chapter 2, verse 15, 16, 17, it talks about love not the world, neither the things that are in the world for the love of the world is not of God. And he says, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life. Those three things he got at the beginning with Adam and Eve. And those are the same three things he got with Jesus, didn’t work there.
And the scripture tells us that’s what he’s going to do to us. So he’s always a working. And those are the three things that you really have to watch in your life. The things that you see in this world and forgetting about the spiritual world, where we’re going to live thinking this is all there is and nothing matters of it now or fame and power and honor and glory and the material things of the world. He says here in verse 10.
Then said Jesus unto him, get thee hence Satan, for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve, and the devil leaveeth him, and behold angels came and ministered unto him.” So did Jesus get tested? He’s going into the ministry and you are going to be tested. The more you want to accomplish for the Lord, the greater those testings are going to be. And the Bible says another place and he left him alone for a season.
In the words, he’s coming back. Just because you had victory over the devil yesterday doesn’t mean you’re gonna have victory over him today because it’s a daily walk. Cast all your cares upon him for he, careth for you. And he also says, carry your cross daily. Every day, my Paul says, I died daily. Every day you have to, like, I’m going to die today. And this is the last day I have of my life to do something for God.
And lo and behold, you didn’t die. You woke up with another chance. Today is my last day. And today, I don’t want to mess up. I don’t want to go. See, a lot of people are very quick to dedicate their life to the Lord. That’s that time out there that they don’t have. That’s easy, but it’s hard to dedicate that day. You do have. But if I give God today and then when tomorrow comes, I give him that day and then the next day and then the next day.
And I take his thing one day at a time. Then I’ll be able to say, I gave my life to Christ. See, a lot of churches tell people commit your life to Christ. That’s easy. Why? You don’t have it. You only have this moment. Give to the Lord what you do have. Not what you don’t have. When tomorrow comes, I should renew a fresh in my mind. I am God’s child and I want to serve the Lord. And I got testing that will come today so that I can keep on going.
And the key to having a successful life in the future is by having from successful past experiences where you’ve won some battles. And when you have some victories that you have won gives you more confidence and courage. I trust the Lord yesterday and He brought me through Him. He can do it again. And He can do it again. And you walk with the Lord and God will walk you through it. As it says concerning in it, He walked with God.
And Noah, he walked with God, serving God is just walking with God. Look up here, this hand represents you and me, the wall of represents him. We all have sin on us. God says that he loves us, he hates our sin. And for us to pay for sin is eternal separation from God in hell. But God loves us, he wants us to go to heaven, to go to heaven, we have to be perfect and none of us are perfect.
We’ve all sinned, we’ve all come short of God’s perfection. And God says you cannot earn eternal life, you cannot work your way to heaven. He says, there’s only one way to get to heaven. And most people have heard this. They just don’t understand it. Jesus Christ had no sin. He was God in the flesh. He came into this world, lived a perfect life, and voluntarily took our sins and paid for their own cross. He came back from the dead and God says, all you have to do to go to heaven, will you believe that when Jesus died, He died for you, paid for your sin so that you wouldn’t have to pay for them and the only thing that makes his whole thing work is if you will believe he did it for you.
You’re saved by grace through faith. It doesn’t cost you anything. It’s free, but you have to believe he did it for you. That’s faith. Taking God at his word. And if you’ll believe that, he will give you as a free gift everlasting life. And you get to go to heaven on what Christ did for you. And understand this. You think about the difficulties when Christ was here. And yet he finished the race that was set before him, endured the cross.
When you partake of the bread, you realize what He was willing to go through for us and how He suffered for us and how that He bore our sins in His own body on the cross. And when He shed His blood, He gave His life. He did this and He says, I suffered for you. And here we are beneficiaries of this. And God says, now I want you to suffer for them. Take the message to them. And God says, I will reward you regardless of how difficult it may be.
And you may even die for your faith because of what you’re doing for the Lord. It will be worth it all because there’s a God in heaven that keeps the books. Let’s pray, shall we? With every head bowed and every eye closed and no one look at around, if you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, would you right now say, I don’t understand it, But I believe that when Christ died, I believe He died for me. And right now I will put my trust in Him.
And if you’re making that decision, I’d like to pray for you. But I’m not going to have you forward, not going to embarrass you. But right what you’re saying, say, preacher, I will accept Christ as my Savior right now. And I’d like for you to know it. And I’d like for you to pray for me in closing. So it is by my close. Is there anyone at all? So if yes, pray for me, I will trust Christ right now as my Savior.
Would you just slip your hand very quickly? Yes, God bless you. Anyone else, God bless you man. You can put it down. Anyone else. There’s no tricks to it. Just say that made sense to me, and I want to trust Christ right now. It’s my only hope of going to heaven. Anyone at all. Our Father, we thank you so much for your blessings. Thank you for giving us the free gift of everlasting life. We pray, Lord, your will to be done in the lives of each person here.
And we pray, Lord, your blessing upon the individual who indicated that they would trust you as Savior by doing so they become your child for all eternity. And while we ask your blessings upon each person, we want them to realize the importance that whenever the difficulties seem like it’s just too much, consider Him. Consider Christ and what He was willing to go through as He suffered for us. We’re not paying for people since Christ did that, but Father help us to be willing to get that message to them so that they can have that free gift of everlasting life.
So bless today in Christ’s name. Hello, this is Peter Amato with Bibleline, and we hope that you’ve enjoyed today’s program. We’re so thankful your support of Bibleline, and we would like to offer you a free gift. During this month, for a gift in any amount, we’re going to send you Dr. Arnold’s teaching series on the book of Colossians. Paul writes to a concerned pastor about false teachings that are entering his church. Some were teaching that one could find additional and greater knowledge outside of Jesus Christ, which is not true.
Paul teaches that Christ is the head and we are complete in him. This teaching series is certain to help you in your spiritual growth. So email, call or write to us today to receive your CD series on the book of Colossians. Our mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And don’t forget to include your mailing address as well. God bless you and thank you again for supporting Bible on. Thanks for joining us on Bible on. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us.
The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believe in that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.
