Question: “Why did Jesus Change People’s Names?”

In John chapter 1, Jesus saw Peter, and called him “stone”.  Why did Jesus change people’s names?

It was sort of like He gave them knicknames.  He wasn’t aloof and untouchable.   He loved them as individuals, and let them know that by giving them special names which meant something to Him and them.  He saw their hearts, and He saw what was in their future, so He gave them these special names based also on what He knew they would someday accomplish for Him.

Did you know He loves each one of us just that much, too?  Enough to have special names for us – knicknames.   Look at Revelation 2:17  – a promise made by Jesus to Christians who are trusting in Him:   ” To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

Since He loves all of us that much, you can see why He had to do something to solve our sin problem – He wants a relationship with us…but He knows we are hopeless sinners and can’t make ourselves good enough for Him.

 

Question: “Why did John the Baptist Baptize and not Jesus?”

God chose John the Baptist to be the one who announced Jesus to the world.  Jesus didn’t do the baptizing because He was the One being announced.

So before Jesus ever began His ministry on earth, God told John to begin preaching out in the wilderness and to use baptism as a way to teach people they needed to be washed clean of their sins so they would be ready to meet the coming Savior.

Baptism was a “drama”… a sign from God for the people that their Savior was about ready to come!   John’s baptism was to get people ready..

Later on Jesus’ own disciples would also baptize, but that was not to get people ready, but to help them understand that Jesus, their Savior, was already there.

Today we get baptized in order to let people know that we have believed in Jesus, and that we know He is coming again.

Baptism never saved anyone – it is now and always was a “drama” –  like a one-act-play on a stage which was meant to convey a message to the watching audience and also to the ones in the play.

Question: “I’m not a Christian. Why Should I read the Bible?”

The purpose of reading your Bible and asking questions is so that Jesus can begin to show you Who He is and you can begin to have a relationship with Him.  You and I always have to come to the Word of God admitting we are sinners and we need God (Jesus) desperately.  We come to the Bible asking Him to help us understand how to be right with Him.   If we know we can’t clean ourselves up, that’s the first step.  After that, He continues to show us what He has done to solve our sin problem for us.

Ask yourself 2 questions at this point:

  1. Do I know I can’t be good enough to be worthy of a relationship with God?
  2. Do I want to know what He can do to solve this huge problem?

If you answer yes to each of those questions, you are on your way.  The next step is to read your Bible – every day – He will meet you there.

Matthew 25:31-46 “The Last Part of His Coming…His Final Judgement”

25 31 thru 46 black line

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This is poignant – because in this passage Jesus is about to die in order to pay the price for everyone – so that they don’t have to go through His promised future judgment.  ……   But He knows that many will not accept His gift of exchanging His death for theirs…and He knows that there will be people standing in front of Him someday, unfortunately having to receive the judgment they deserve – the judgment He paid for, but they never accepted.

Matthew 24:32 – 25:30 “What Will it be Like?”

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Lots of people tell me they are afraid of the prospect of the return of Jesus.  If you are in that camp, I think  today’s passages are going to change your mind about the coming of the Lord:  instead of having fear about His return, you just might be filled with hope and excitement….for the Last 7 Years to arrive ASAP!

Matthew 24:1-31 “What are the Signs of Your Coming?”

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In these 31 verses Jesus tells His disciples (and us) what to look for when it is time for Him to return to earth:   Anti-Christ, wars, death, famine, great cosmic and earthly catastrophes, and unprecedented, horrific persecution.

Wow.  Did He think we would look forward to this?

Matthew 23 “Warnings!!!”

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Some religious leaders we know are doing the very same things the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were doing.  We need to be aware of this and be on the lookout.  This kind of religious leader is dangerous.

Question: So…Who is Satan?

A few facts about Satan from scripture:

  •  He was an angel, created by God.  (Rev. 12:1-4, Job 1:6&7)
  • He rebelled against God, wishing to be greater than God.  (Isaiah 14:12-15)
  • He inspired 1/3 of all of God’s angels to rebel with him (Rev. 12:1-4)
  • He tempted Eve & Adam  to also rebel against God, trusting what he (Satan) said over what God had said. (Genesis 3)
  • When Adam and Eve trusted (worshipped) Satan, they forfeited their inheritance (creation) to him.   (II Cor. 4:4)
  • He (Satan) is an extremely powerful being in God’s creation.  (II Cor 4:4, John 12:31)
  • He continues today to:

  1. Tempt (Matt 4:3)
  2. Accuse (Rev. 12:10)
  3. Destroy people (I Peter 5:8)
  4. Lie  (John 8:44)
  5. Murder (John 8:44)
  6. Bring darkness (Col. 1:13, Eph 6:12)      
  • Jesus came to destroy Satan and his work  (I Jn. 3:8)
  • Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead destroyed Satan’s work.  (Romans 5: 18&19)
  • Jesus’ return will totally destroy Satan forever.  (Rev. 20)                

 

Matthew 22 “Stump the Chumps”

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“Stump the Chumps” is a time-honored tradition.  It’s a question-answer session where anyone in the audience is invited to try to ask an unanswerable question of a carefully-chosen panel of experts.  In Matthew 22, the tables get turned.  The ones asking the questions turn out to be the “chumps”, who are “stumped”.

Question: Are We Not to Get Prayed Over?

hands joined in prayerHere’s a good question sent to me a few days ago:

“Can you help me understand 1st Timothy 5:22?  I just don’t get it.  What’s the context?  Are we not to get prayed over?”

This question gives us a great example of the importance of the big picture.  No verse just stands on its own.  Every verse in the Bible is related to verses before or after, and usually both.  The before and after verses help us see the big picture of what is being talked about – and therefore we can better understand what the one verse means.  In other words:  what’s the context?

Here’s what 1st Timothy 5:22 says:

1st Timothy 5:22  “Do not lay hands on anyone hastily…”

In this verse, Paul is writing to his protege, Timothy, and giving him a few parting instructions.  He’s offering Timothy some advice about how to be a Godly leader in a church.  Paul knew what it meant to be a Pastor, and he’s telling the younger Pastor, Timothy, how to avoid problems.

Paul knew Timothy would face the challenge of needing other leaders in his church, and would need wisdom to know whom to choose.

Paul is not giving advice here about healing and laying hands on someone to ask the Spirit of God to bring health to them.  Instead, he is referring to the practice of church leaders “laying hands on” other church leaders to commission them for ministry.  The “laying hands on” was not so much to pass on some authority or importance to the job to be done, but more to say “when you go out to minister, I am praying for the Holy Spirit to go with you….and I go with you.  I am with you and I support you in what you are doing”.

So, young Timothy, don’t lay hands on anyone hastily to commission them to leadership.  Don’t ask anyone to lead without first taking the time to get to know the character and heart of the one wanting to lead.

The Bible does talk about being “prayed over” in James 5:14.  It is a good thing to ask the Elders of your church to pray for you as you face sickness.  It’s an awesome thing to do to cement in your heart, and in the hearts of those watching you do this,  that it is the Lord you are trusting through this illness.