Grace Bible Church
Basic Training in Doctrine.
March 10, 2009
The first was in John chapter 3. In Judah Jesus Christ was rejected — no reception, rejected by religion and it won’t be the last time.
Christianity is God doing something for man through His grace, and God getting the glory, both at salvation and for spirituality.
Religion is the greatest opposition to the truth (the antithesis). It is ritual without reality.
(See any passage dealing with the Pharisees)
Religion is the Satanic counterfeit of true relationship with God. Isaiah 14; 2 Thessalonians; Revelation 13.
The old sin nature has an area of human good which cranks out this “do-goodism”, this sincere human good. This human good ultimately worships Satan, as does all religion.
Religion appeals to the lust pattern of the old sin nature (Approbation or ego lust) or the emotions.
(Desire to get into the glamour of the ritual)
Christianity recognizes the freedom of the individual and this freedom cannot exist unless there is separation of church and state.
Religion purports to be a mass solution. Christianity IS a personal solution.
In Samaria He had a genuine reception based on doctrine.
In Galilee He will get a superficial reception because it is based on His miracles and His fame, rather than on His doctrine.
Luke 4:16-24 and Matthew 8:5-13 are both just prior to the events of John 4.
ISA 61:2
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
The Lord will not perform miracles in Nazareth. The Lord only used miracles when He knew that some of the witnesses would believe in Him as their Savior.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
Familiarity happened to Christ and He was perfect, how much more will it happen to you?
The Lord gave them the Word of God which is magnified above God’s very name, which is better than a thousand miracles.
The two miracles at Cana have some interesting similarities. For instance, both Mary and the nobleman were rebuked by the Lord, cf JOH 2:4 and JOH 4:48.
Both miracles were in response and in obedience to the person operating in faith-rest, cf JOH 2:7 with JOH 4:50.
Both miracles were accomplished by the word of TLJC. He uttered a word and a miracle was performed, JOH 2:7/JOH 4:50.
And after both miracles some believed, JOH 2:11/JOH 4:53.
Neither rank, nor riches, nor power can exempt one from the sorrows, trials, and adversities of life.
The centurion is a believer; the nobleman is an unbeliever. Jesus cannot deal with the problem of the dying son until He takes care of the spiritually dead father.
But the nobleman has gone on positive signals at the point of God-consciousness. He believed that Jesus had the power to heal, and therefore God is going to provide him information through His Son, Jesus Christ, and there will be a response – a faith response which is given only by the word “Lord.”
The issue is not miracles, the issue is salvation – always the issue. This man must accept Christ first.
Jesus avoided gimmicks and miracles as false persuasion. True persuasion is simply giving the facts of the gospel and allowing the Holy Spirit to do His ministry.
Titus 3:5-6
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
/”Sir” – “Lord,”
1 Cor 12:3
Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
In Matthew 8:13 He said the same thing to the Centurion, poreuomai means “Go about your normal business.” Forget about your son now, he is well.
“and he went his way” – faith-rest. He is relaxed; his son is well; he can go about his business in Cana of Galilee.
kurioj. By the time that we get to verse 49, whatever time elapsed since verse 48, he is now a saved man, recognizing Jesus as Lord, the word for deity. 1 Corinthians 12:3.