King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024
Chapters: Matthew Chapter 16, Mark Chapter 8
Message: Discerning The Truth About Religion
Hello My Friend,
I remember when growing up reading of all the Bible stories, I went to church on Sunday’s sometimes (we had to walk to church), watched it on television though. I loved going to midnight mass on Christmas Eve, and Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday was always a must to be in church. I remember praying before bed, fish on Friday’s, fasting during lent, and being told that if I did one thing wrong I will go to hell when I die. But if I die before my time, I will be in purgatory, and someone on earth will pay for me to eventually get to heaven. Well, let me tell you just how fast religion will send someone directly to hell. Jesus, said it this way, [Matthew 16:27-28 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.]
If I had left my soul in the hands of that religion all of “my works” would have been null and void, but thank God I found out the truth and received Christ as my Saviour almost twenty years ago and it has been a roller coaster ride ever since. When I first got saved I did not know much about serving God, but in 2006, I dedicated my life to Christ and got baptized, which is merely a public profession of my faith in Christ, [Romans 6:4-5 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:]
Baptism, is another thing that religion gets wrong, I saw first hand what religion did to me and my family and wanted others to know the truth, which is why I started my ministry. When God first began His ministry in which He would direct believers on how to properly have a relationship with Him He used the Levites as His ministers. However, in the four hundred years that God did not speak to any prophets until John, the Baptist came on the scene many religions formed, one being the Pharisees. The Pharisees were proud of their religion, so proud that they knew if their followers got wind of Jesus then they would run to Him, which was why they tried everything to discredit Him. As we continue in the reading of the Gospels, Matthew and Mark give their account of some of the same events that took place. First, Mark, gives his account of Jesus feeding four thousand people, which we read from Matthew yesterday.
[Mark 8:1-4 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?]
[From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread] They seriously needed to ask Jesus that question after they already witnessed Him feed the five thousand? Sometimes, even Christ’s faithful can be so oblivious to what Jesus has done so many times. Nevertheless, Jesus, commands all the people to sit down while He took the bread, blessed it, and passed it around, and some fish also.
[Mark 8:6-10 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away. 10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.]
[they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.] This miracle was intended to demonstrate that Christ is the body that we are to never forget was broken to save our soul, [1 Corinthians 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.]
There is a difference between a Christian who wholeheartedly follows God and one who halfheartedly follows Him. There is also a difference between one who is truly a Christian and one who only plays the part. One who is halfhearted only seeks help from God when they get into trouble and does not do one thing to turn their life around when He does. One person who is wholehearted recognizes that even though they doubt God from time to time, they know that they can do all things through Christ. On the other hand, one who only plays the part will always question Christ. Now, Matthew and Mark record the conversation that took place when the Sadducees arrived and joined the Pharisees in their pursuit to discredit Jesus, and demanded that He give them some sign from heaven to show proof of who He is.
[Matthew 16:1-4 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.]
[but can ye not discern the signs of the times?] Seriously, these fools saw countless signs, including Jesus feeding the five thousand and four thousand that He came from heaven and is the Son of God. This is why Jesus called them hypocrites, they believe what is obviously in front of their faces and yet He is in front of them yet they do not believe in Him. The Pharisees were the religious know it all’s, what we would call the modern Jewish religion of today, while the Sadducees were what you would call the Scientologists of today. Now, Mark, adds to what he saw when they asked Jesus that question.
[Mark 8:12-15 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. 13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.]
[And he sighed deeply in his spirit,] Jesus was so grieved at just how faithless these people were, even though they had the nerve to say that they believed in God. If they understood the Scriptures like they say they did, then they would have understood what Jesus meant about Jonah, [Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.]
[And he charged them,] Mark, specifically notes that Jesus commanded them to pay attention to lies that the Pharisees and Herod were deceiving the people with. Matthew, records this also, but words it a little differently, [Matthew 16:5-6 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.]
[beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.] Matthew, omits Herod because his account appealed to the Jews, but Mark mentions him because he claimed to follow the Jewish faith. In other words, Herod, along with Pharisees and Sadducees made themselves look good for the people, but in reality it was all lies. Now, the disciples were still trying to figure out what to do about about food and were quite confused about what Jesus had said. Jesus, hears them talking and is quite perturbed by them.
[Matthew 16:8-12 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? 9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.]
[How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread,] Our body needs more than physical provisions to sustain it, it also needs spiritual provisions, and the right provisions. And just like our physical bodies cannot be sustained on a diet full of sugar, our spirits cannot be sustained on a diet full of lies, [2 John 1:9-11 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.]
You see, while the Pharisees believed in God, they believed that their works were pleasing to God and He would accept them for payment of their sin. The Sadducee’s while they believed in God did not believe the Law was given to them by God nor in resurrection. So, since neither one were true, anyone believing in either of them would risk their soul being cast into hell if they did not repent. Now, since these fools were looking for signs that Jesus is the Son of God, perhaps they would believe if He did something that they could see. So, when they brought a blind man to see Jesus, He did something kind of strange.
[Mark 8:22-26 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.]
[And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees,] Jesus, did not need to touch the man, He could have given him his sight just by speaking. However, until we believe in Jesus by faith, we are blind to Him, it is only when we look up to Him that we can see Him, and that is when He will reveal to us who He truly is, [Matthew 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.]
[Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.] In other words, Jesus was telling him to stay away from the crowd and just go home as staying among the crowd would have brought doubts and confusion. The second that one gets saved, they are not to remain in the world, even though Jesus sends them out into the world once they learn more and are able to discern more of the truth from the lies, they are no longer of the world, [2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.]
Now, after they all witnessed that strange way in which Jesus had healed the blind man, the question came up as to who the people believe Him to be. Matthew, goes into detail about a the conversation that Jesus had when asking them who they think He is.
[Matthew 16:13-18 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.]
[for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,] It is the Holy Spirit that teaches us the things about God and Jesus for that matter. Just like Jesus said, we need to be careful of false doctrine, sometimes things may appear to be Gospel, but it is not. We can be sure that once we learn the truth that there is someone else among us who is going to try and convince us that it is not. No sooner than Jesus tells Peter that God was the one who revealed to him that He is the Christ, here comes the devil planting things into his head.
[Mark 8:31-33 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.]
[he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan:] Peter, may not have understood the purpose of what Jesus was about to do, but the devil sure did, he knew that had Jesus fulfilled His purpose that that curse of death to all mankind would be broken. Whenever those doubts and fears start coming to mind we need to be reminded that it is the devil, and we need to tell him the same thing that Jesus did. When we believe in the Gospel, and receive Christ as our Saviour we lose our lives, meaning we are given a new life, one that is eternal as our soul is no longer dead, it is alive through Christ. Jesus, explains it this way.
[Mark 8:34-38 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.]
[when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also,] Following Christ is not about pleasing every lust of the flesh, doing that will keep us from growing in Christ. It is about walking with Christ, growing in Him, and letting Him create a great work in us. If we faithfully follow Him, we will become like Him, and others will see Him in us, and in turn He will take care of their every need and then some. That is not the case for those just going through the motions are not really saved, [Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You, for giving us hope beyond the grave and letting us know what we can expect to come so that we can reach others with the Gospel before Jesus returns. We do not always know where our steps will take us on life’s journey, but we do know where they lead, and that is to Your Son. We do not have to fear and have no reason to doubt that everything will work together for good because we have put our faith and trust in Your Son to save our soul from hell. Now, because of this Satan will use every means to get us doubt Your promises, and that doubt often blinds us to the truth. Lord, lead us and guide us, give us Your power, wisdom, and strength to stand strong in the strength of Christ until You come to get us. Put Your hedge of protection around us, and give us the power to rebuke Satan every time he tries to place doubt in our minds. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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