American Loon

All Glory to God the Father and to our Savior Jesus Christ

I thought, since this is the last Wednesday of the month, we should review what we have learned so far in this Book of John.

Chapter 1: The disciple that Jesus loved, introduces us to what I believe should give you a complete understanding of who Christ our Savior is. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him.” (John 1:1-3) Everything you need to know is right there in those verses.

Then we are introduced to John the Baptist, who was sent as a herald to the chosen one, and came preaching in the wilderness, found in Matthew 3:1. The word was made flesh and walked among us in John 1:14.

Christ then gathers his disciples and goes to a wedding in chapter 2. The wedding is where His mother looks upon her son and sees also her Savior. (John 2:3-5) Jesus changes the water into wine (John 2:7-9) and after that He and his disciples go to the temple for the Passover festival and He cleanses His Father’s house of commerce and corruption. (John 2:15-16) This action caused his disciples to believe (John 2:17) and the Jews to disbelieve at what He told them. (John 2:19-22)

Chapter 3, there came a man named Nicodemus, a ruler and teacher of the Jews, (John 3:1)who was told what he should have known, but found very hard to accept. (John 3:3)
And now we are at the point where we can finish out chapter 3. In my NASB bible, this part of the scripture is known as John the Baptist’s Last Testimony. Yes, John the baptist is still around, still baptizing people and telling them “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Which is curious, why this man whose whole life was foretold in Isaiah 40:3, which is 700 years before Jesus was born. John the Baptist’s job was to herald the coming of Christ. And He did that job in Matthew 3:13.

So what’s a prophet to the coming of the Lamb of God to do once he’s done his job? This is an important lesson to us all. He continued doing what the Holy Spirit called him to do. Preach the word, continue being an example to those that see you. (1 Peter 2:21) Convict those that need conviction, come alongside those that need it. Our calling to Christ is a lifelong endeavor. (Micah 6:8) We shall be tested and refined, (1 Peter 1:7) to be more Holy as our God is Holy. (Ephesians 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:9) John the Baptist still had use, just as we still have use, those of us old, or disabled, no longer in our prime. God uses weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) so whatever we do in His name, with meekness and humility, true to His word and Law, that the unbelieving would know that it was God, not us that did this thing. This is all over the bible. Think of Noah, (Genesis 6) or Pharaoh and all the miracles performed to convince him to let Moses’ people go. (Exodus 4-12) Think of Paul, who had first persecuted the church, and ended up writing a lot of our New testament. He was said to be unimpressive in appearance, but was able to do signs and wonders (Romans 15:19) and convert many, many people. He is probably responsible for much of what we know of as Western Civilization. Not really him, but God using him. And God uses us too. (Matthew 28:19)

So John was still doing what he was born to do and still had disciples following him, as was the custom of that day. There came a dispute from John the Baptist’s disciples, pertaining to a certain Jew about purification. The Pharisees had instituted so many useless and petty rules over purification, washing hands, or do this when you do that, especially on the Sabbath, we see what happened in Matthew 12:1-2. John MacArthur put it this way, “Keeping the Sabbath was still a binding ceremonial duty for the Jews of Jesus’ day, but most of them had little idea of God’s original purpose for the day. Instead of being a day of rest, it had become a day of burden with thousands of man-made restrictions. Ironically it became harder to “rest” than to work the other six days.”

So it is no wonder that John the Baptist’s disciples had a question over purification with a certain Jew. We don’t know exactly what the question was, as the scripture does not say, but it brought up a larger issue and I think this is the whole reason for this part of the scripture. John the Baptist’s disciples I think were wondering why John was still baptizing people when He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, He also is baptizing people and all the people are coming to Him. (John 3:26)

A little jealousy perhaps, feeling maybe that they were following the wrong guy. The scripture does not say that, in so many words, but you can read between the lines pretty plainly here. John sets them straight, he tells them that a person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven. (John 3:27)

I want you to ponder upon that. Not one thing can come to you, unless heaven is involved, not one. Look around you and see all that you have. Then think again how this came to you. Not by your hands or work, your status in life or paycheck. Your very life was given to you by God. (Job 33:4)

Now expand your thinking out and look at our country. We have been blessed greatly and have prospered, but no longer. We have, for the most part, kicked God out of our lives. What’s more, we’ve been smooth talked by the government, them telling us that they will take care of us, give us things, and look out for our best interests. We are in the un-envious position of that frog being boiled in water. We swallowed their smooth lies, and lies they were. The next thing you know, not many of us at all believe that God takes care of us, gives us our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11) Most of us, by our willingness to listen to the government, will and have done what the government has said for us to do. Who are we serving here, God or Man? I would ask you to ask that of yourself, and please be honest, for as we know, God will know the truth of it.

Getting back to our scripture, John the Baptist told his men, well, I’ll just let John speak for himself. “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ He who has the bride is the groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.

He who comes from above is above all; the one who is only from the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. What He has seen and heard, of this He testifies; and no one accepts His testimony. The one who has accepted His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God sent speaks the words of God; for He does not give the Spirit sparingly. The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:28-36)

John’s joy has been made full, because Christ must increase and he must decrease. I have found in my life, all that I was, all that I was so proud of, must and has decreased. I still fight with my pride and self sufficiency. I have not often walked with humility, so I find I am way out of practice. But I rejoice in what He has removed from me and am very grateful that I can breathe, swallow and think. For what He wants me to do, that is sufficient. Consider yourself sufficient in your current condition, to do the Lord’s work.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

Due to the rising panic of caseloads of Covid virus, the state of Minnesota has started once again to restrict its citizens. Their thinking that Man can control what God hath wrought is unfortunate and doomed to fail. As such, our small town of Grove City, which owns the building of South Grove, where we have our Bible study, has decided to close the building to all external activities. I do not have a problem with this as the people of South Grove are in the most vulnerable group of people affected with this virus. It means however, that until further notice, possibly until the Leaders of this state repent and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, and thereby come to understand that God controls all, including this virus, Bible study will be offered in online form only. May the Lord be praise and Glory given to Him in all that he does.

All Glory to God the Father and to our Savior Jesus Christ

From Westminster Shorter Catechism (written in 1647), questions 59 to 62

Q59: Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath? 

A59: From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath; and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath. 

Q60: How is the Sabbath to be sanctified? 

A60: The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God’s worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy. 

Q61: What is forbidden in the Fourth Commandment? 

A61: The Fourth Commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about our worldly employments or recreations. 

Q62: What are the reasons annexed to the Fourth Commandment? 

A62: The reasons annexed to the Fourth Commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, His challenging a special propriety in the seventh, His own example, and His blessing the Sabbath-day. 

Last week, we learned of our Lord and His disciples coming to the temple to celebrate the Passover. (John 1:13) Our Lord, being fully Man and fully God, knew the hubris of Man, and when He came upon the temple that was full of commerce, (John 1:14) He then took measures to instruct these so called righteous Jews, as to how they should treat the House of the Lord. (John 1:15-16) The Jews, being kicked out of the temple, were indignant that this simple carpenter would take upon Himself to do what they should have already known. They were already convinced of their standing in God, how could this young man teach them anything?

So I ask, are we convinced of our standing before God? I have come to know people who claim to be Christians, and act nothing like what the Lord instructed us to do. The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace and more, found in Galatians 5:22. Love, most of us have, for family and friends, but what of our neighbors? Christ told us to love our neighbors as much as ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) That conveniently gets forgotten for that one person that irritates you by stealing your parking place at a busy Walmart. Or leaves their laundry in the only available washing machine for hours when you really need to use it. Yes, we are all sinners and prone to sin. (Romans 3:23) That is why it is important for you to confess your daily sins to the Lord (1 John 1:9 ) and not let them fester inside you. But when we make a pattern of irritation or anger with people not of our family and friends, this is a problem. One that can be fixed by contrite repentance to God. 

What of Joy and Peace? Last week I asked at the end of Bible Study who had anxiety? Turns out, besides Pauline, my wife and myself, everybody did, and from the sounds of it, it seems to be a permanent condition. We did mention bringing it to the Lord, or to lay your concerns at the cross, (Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5: 7) however to paraphrase the response, “We tried that and it didn’t work,” Hmm. I understand that being human is to be weak in how we handle things, and our time table and God’s are not anything alike. (Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 27:14) Faith is what binds us to God. Faith and belief in Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection and Him being Lord of all. (Revelation 19:16) 

I would ask you that are anxious, you that are worn down by life, those of us that are being shaken in this year where God is shaking all that can be shaken, (Hebrews 12:26-29) to come to our Lord Jesus Christ and trust in Him. Matthew 11:28 Christ said come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. You can believe that!

Today’s scripture deals with a man who found it hard to believe what our Lord had told him. A learned man, one who was drawn to the Lord, but couldn’t quite accept what Christ told him.

His name was Nicodemus and he was a ruler of the Jews. (John 3:1) A teacher and scholar in the ancient texts. He came to speak with this rabbi in the dark of the night, because his peers would look very dimly at his consorting with this carpenter with high aspirations. (John 3:2)

(A rabbi is a Jewish scholar or teacher, especially one who studies or teaches Jewish law.)

Jesus skips the pleasantries and goes to the heart of the matter. He tells Nicodemus the one thing that would confound him and cause him to reject what was said. Simply this, you must be born again to see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3) This was too much for a scholar of these ancient texts to accept. It would upend everything he believed in, everything he taught. 

Nicodemus, I think stalling for time as he rapidly tried to come to grips with what was said, responds with “How can a grown man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” (John 3:4) It is an incredulous statement because what Jesus has told him was just as incredulous. These Jews were so convinced of their understanding of the scrolls, so sure of their righteousness by being sons of Abraham, even though Christ had done miracles and signs that no mortal man could conceive of, they would not accept that He was a son of God. That thought made them tear at their hair. No way! Romans 9:6-7 tells us that just because you are a Jew does not make you a descendant of Abraham. John the Baptist was a bit more pointed when talking to the Pharisees, to the point of calling them offspring of vipers and saying that from these stones God is able to raise up children for Abraham. (Luke 3:7-9)

Jesus responds to Nicodemus saying “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

That must have rocked Nicodemus back on his heels. He asked Jesus “How can this be?” (John 3:9) Jesus gave him no slack, telling this Ruler of the Jews “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you people do not accept our testimony. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him.”

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God.” (John 3:10-21)

So I have to ask you, those that are anxious, those that are shaken, those that say they have “faith, but,” are you in the position of Nicodemus? Knowing what you know, having gone to church, reading the bible, if you have, are you saying that you’ve done all you can, but it doesn’t seem to be working? I mean you’re still anxious aren’t you, still shaken. Are God’s arms not long enough to reach you? (Isaiah 59:1, Numbers 11:23)

Know this, that your strength lies in your weakness. The Apostle Paul, as strong as he was for the Lord, he had a thorn in his side, the bible says a messenger from satan. He could have said “Well, I tried to have faith and patience, but it didn’t work.” Could have, but didn’t. In 2 Corinthians 12 he states “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” This is where you can take heart. We are tested in our faith, by God. (1 Peter 1:7) Accept it, glorify God for His interest in you and get on with what it is that he wants you to do. Faith can move mountains, but you have to believe, truly believe. (Matthew 17:20)

I pray to the Lord for you to be granted peace, the peace and joy that I have been blessed to know and would willingly share with you and be left without. Follow what Christ has commanded us, that is to love thy neighbor as thyself and love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. In these things you can trust and believe.