King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 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.]
Date: Friday, November 12, 2021
Chapters: John 17-18
Message: Accounted As Sheep
Hello My Friend,
I was not going to mention this just yet because I have not received any word as to whether or not I got the job I had mentioned that I interviewed for, but I am going to go ahead and talk about it. My job, the one who has been giving me such a hard time since I started, has suspended me because I accidentally gave the last name of one of the managers of the company because the guy was threatening to cause problems if I did not. So, while I am not worried as I know that God has my back, even if I do not get this job that I want, He will take care of me. I knew I would be in tears as I read each verse today, there truly is something humbling and quite shocking to know that Jesus prays for His own, especially when we know that we fail Him every day. Jesus Himself declares that our faith in Him alone makes us perfect, [John 17:23,26 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.]
I am a little melancholy today, but not too much, just a little sad that we as saved, born again Christians, are constantly being watched by the world, just waiting to find something they can use against you. I did not touch on this yesterday, when Jesus said, [John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.] Thank God, no one is trying to kill me or put me out of church, but there are many who are treated this way today. Do you know who the biggest contributors are that persecute faithful, God fearing Christians? The religious, who think they know who God is. They think by firing you, suing you, charging you, or putting you out of their group is doing a service to God, but oblivious to them is the fact that God has nothing to do with them, and documenting every single one of their crimes against His people, and they will actually be tried for their crimes, [Mark 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.]
As we continue in the reading of the Gospels, John gives an account to the prayer that Jesus had said, I believe it was before He prayed, [Matthew 26:39b O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.], prior to His being captured. He knew that the time had come that He would die for His believers so that they too could have eternal life.
[John 17:1-7 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.]
[I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.] As much as I keep playing over the past four months and asking God to forgive me for not listening to Him when He told me not to take this job, I do not count it as a total loss. God reminded me of something this morning, He has been with me the entire time, I did what was in my ability to do, I went above and beyond what was expected of me, even though I had no help. I finished the work that He had given me to do with this job, and now, it was time to move on. This test that God had given me showed Him that I will not back down, no matter how many times they knock me down, my Jesus picked me back up. The funny thing, my trainer after I had passed the certification in order to keep my job, called me the Energizer Bunny because she said I keep going and going. We have nothing and no one to prove, but God Himself, and this is one of the reasons why being faithful to Him pays off, we can do all things through Christ, [2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.]
Yes, we are often put to the test by the world because want to see us weak and groveling as though they are the ones who control our future. Well, I got news for them, I know who controls my future, and that was determined the second I accepted Christ as my Saviour. So, I will take pleasure in their reproaches and persecutions because I know my Jesus is not only my strength, He is praying for me. Now, Jesus does not just pray for Himself, He starts praying for His people, the ones that His Father has entrusted Him with.
[John 17:9-13 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.]
[and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition;] This is why I believe that true, saved born again Christians cannot turn away from their faith in Christ. Once Jesus finds us, He does not let go of us, and we may get caught up in sin and hang on that cliff in our salvation, but it is Jesus who is holding on to us. The only ones who let go are the ones who never really held on to Him in the first place, who Jesus calls children of Satan, [John 8:42-44 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.]
Before a person even asks Jesus to save them, amazingly, He has already seen their hearts open to Him, and He prays for them, literally pleading that they would receive Him. Even more amazing is that the second a person says, “I believe Jesus died to save me from my sins.” they are saved before they even say Amen, and He is with them forever. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can separate us from Jesus, He knows that we are going to be hated because we are not of their world.
[John 17:14-21 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.]
[because they are not of the world,] If you ever wondered why you do not even need to speak the name Jesus for them to hate you, this is why, we are not one of them, and they know it too. These people that suspended me have been watching me the entire time, listening to all of my calls, just waiting for something they could use against me. I had to watch my supervisor hang her head down as she heard that customer swearing at mean, even though I did tell them what was going on and asked them to let me transfer him to a manager. When they told me I was suspended the funny thing was, while I really did not want to leave my job this way, I felt a huge sense of relief and knew right away that God’s hand was in this. We may not understand why we are put in these situations to begin with, but God does, and He has a purpose for each and every one of them, [Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.]
Jesus came here for one purpose and that was to give His sinless body as the unblemished sacrifice needed in order for God Himself to be satisfied with the offering forever and redeem those who believe in Him. Well, as soon as Jesus stops praying, here comes Judas with the band of men that would capture Jesus.
[John 18:3-9 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. 7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.]
[they went backward, and fell to the ground.] Could you imagine seeing each one of them falling back as soon as Jesus said, [I am]? It must have looked like domino’s falling back. Christ was about to suffer for them, and therefore, it was not the time for them suffer too, nor was it proper that they should suffer with Him, unless their sufferings should be thought to be a part of the price of redemption. Right there, Jesus shows His love to His disciples, and care of them, and also His power. At any point, He could have saved himself as well as them, but He submitted to them because He know that His sacrifice was the only price that would pay for their redemption, [1 Corinthians 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.]
[Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.] This is in reference to what Jesus said as He was praying to the Father prior to His being captured. Every single thing, from Christ’s virgin birth to His crucifixion was written in the prophecies and has come to pass exactly as it was written. Those who are not lost are the ones that heard about Jesus and accepted that He who knew no sin did in fact, become sin so that He might redeem them, [2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.]
When Jesus was captured, Peter followed Him for a little bit to see what they were going to do to Him, but got scared and denied that he knew Jesus. Someone else followed Him from His being captured through His crucifixion, and that was John, known as the other disciple. They were actually familiar with John, but did not seem to mind that he was there among them. Now, after they took Jesus they brought Him to Annas first.
[John 18:12-14,19-24 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. 14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. 19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. 20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. 22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? 23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? 24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.]
[ask them which heard me,] I was told that I was suspended so they can do an investigation into what happened that led me to give our this persons information. Considering the fact that even before they spoke to me that my credentials were cut off right in the middle of a customer, I already know that they intend to fire me. They asked me how I even got the manager’s information to begin with and I just said that it is in the notes to transfer him to her extension if a problem arises, but they denied me from doing that. I could be angry at this whole thing, I am not, and I am not going to lie and say that I am not a little bit dumbfounded by all this, but I know that God was with me even during that conversation. I could feel Him calming me down, in fact, I did not even say anything, other than that I really did not realize what I was doing when I gave him her last name, and that I am not going to lie to the customers. If anything or anyone tells you that you must go against everything that you stand for as a Christian, it is best to just walk away gracefully, God is the one they will answer to, [James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.]
Oh yes, they knew exactly what Jesus taught the entire time, and every bit of it was written in the Scriptures, which is why they tried to kill Jesus from the start. Did you ever notice that it is the most evil people get others to do their dirty work for them? That is exactly what Satan does, he uses the lost both in an attempt to overthrow God, and keep them away from Christ to do what he is too cowardly to do. Well, this man who called himself the high priest was supposed to be representing God, and yet he was the leader of the pack that led to their crucifying Jesus. They were too spineless to kill Him themselves, they sent Jesus to the governor, Pilate, stating that they could not do it themselves because it was still Passover, [John 18:28-32 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. 29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? 30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. 31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: 32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.]
[if he were not a malefactor,] [Malefactor; One who commits a crime; one guilty of violating the laws, in such a manner as to subject him to public prosecution and punishment, particularly to capital punishment; a criminal.] Now they want to follow the Law of God! Notice that they said to judge Jesus according to the law of the land, but Pilate said to judge Him according to the Scriptures. They accounted Him as one of those who were guilty of crimes that were not even existent. Let me tell you, Satan make up all kinds of garbage in order to overthrow the Scriptures and those who live by them. Nevertheless, he will never prevail, and while unfortunately many will go the way of Satan, a few will, in fact, find Jesus in the midst of their own trials. Now, as Pilate confronts Jesus, he may not have known who Jesus was, but he did know one thing, Jesus did not deserve to die.
[John 18:33-38 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.]
[Sayest thou this thing of thyself,] This man had no idea who Jesus was, and yet he is asking Him if He is the King of the Jews? Ninety-nine percent of the news people get about Jesus is hearsay, never having actually read the Bible for themselves. Do you know how many people talk about Jesus, but have no idea who He is? That number is astounding. Let me tell you, the second we ask Jesus to come into our heart and save us we become His property, and that means that we belong to Him and He belongs to us. Jesus knows that they will face some persecution but us to assures us that He is ours and nothing can separate us because we are not of this world, we are of God’s world. And Praise God for that! [Romans 8:36-39 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.]
Let Us Pray: God, I want to thank You for sending Your Son to save me, I am trusting fully in Him for eternal life with You. While I humble myself to You, help me to submit solely to You, with all the joy, peace, and comfort that only comes from Christ who is mine. Lord, just as You are the example that I need to follow let me be the example for someone else to follow in hopes that they too can find peace in the Saviour. And even though I must face lots of reproach and persecution, I know that You are my strength to see me through. I ask this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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