Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
“Spending time” – diatribo = to tarry or wear away by friction
Guest Speaker: Pastor Joe Sugrue
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Lord’s rebuke of Nicodemus caused friction among the disciples and our Lord. But our Lord is going to wear away the friction by teaching them doctrine.
Sanhedrin now send some representatives to John to try and start a division between John and Jesus.
And in their attempt to do so it is brought out very clearly that John is one of the greatest believers of all time. He refused to succumb to the very subtle temptation of competing and comparing, a trap that is forbidden,
(2CO 10:12).
2 Co 10:12-13
For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.
The disciples of John the Baptist are guilty of jealousy. Apparently they have let their jealousy be known to the religious crowd (the Pharisees, the Sanhedrin). Therefore the Sanhedrin sends some representatives to John to try to start a rift between John and Jesus.
PSA 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
“Discussion” – zetesis = a dispute or a theological debate; = to dispute or argue about something that is not really an issue.
The sight of the growing crowds and the dwindling crowds with John have provoked John’s disciples to jealousy. The Jews are stoking that fire with the hope of making John jealous.
MAT 9:14
Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
1) Jealousy always motivates people to revenge,
(PRO 6:34).
PRO 6:34
For jealousy enrages a man,
And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
2) It is the strongest of all the mental attitude sins, (PRO 27:3-4).
PRO 27:3-4
A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But who can stand before jealousy?
3) It turned Nebuchadnezzar into a monster and it can turn anyone into a monster, (Dan 4,5).
4) Jealousy is also the basis for destroying the marital relationship,
(SOS 8:6).
SOS 8:6
Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the Lord.
5) Jealousy also causes psychoses and neuroses,
(JOB 5:2; PRO 14:30).
JOB 5:2
For vexation slays the foolish man,
And anger kills the simple.
PRO 14:30
A tranquil heart is life to the body,
But passion is rottenness to the bones.
6) Jealousy will remove happiness from the believer. It is a M.A. sin by which you make yourself miserable.
7) When a person can’t stand the success of others, jealousy destroys the relaxed M.A. which is the basis for friendships.
8) The sin of jealousy was so great that an entire offering of the Levitical code was prescribed for it,
(NUM 5:11-31).
9) Jealousy was the motivator of the religious leaders who crucified Christ,
(MAT 27:18; MAR 15:10).
MAT 27:18
For he knew that because of envy they had delivered Him up.
10) NVTD manifests itself in jealousy,
(ROM 1:28-29).
11) Those controlled by the M.A. sin of jealousy reject BD and Bible teaching,
(ACT 13:45; 17:5).
They won’t even mention our Lords name but they acknowledge that John has borne witness and they put it in the perfect tense meaning that even they understood that John’s ministry was always to communicate the Lord’s person and purpose.
The objective of the plan of God is to glorify God and not the glory of individual believers. When one member is promoted the other members rejoice because God is glorified.