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: Tuesday, November 05, 2019
Chapters: Luke 20-21
Message: The Delectable Meat Of Jesus
Hello My Friend,
“Our Lord would have all his people rich in high and happy thoughts concerning his blessed person. Jesus is not content that his brethren should think meanly of him; it is his pleasure that his espoused ones should be delighted with his beauty. We are not to regard him as a bare necessary, like to bread and water, but as a luxurious delicacy, as a rare and ravishing delight.” – Charles Spurgeon
There is something very disturbing in this generation, even among Christians, and that is a disregard for life. Men and women, living immorally, and irresponsibly, babies being killed before they even get a chance at life, kids killing parents. And while all this is happening, all the world can think about is maiming and torturing their bodies to be something they were never created to be. And all the church can think about is attendance, money, and not offending anyone with their watered down version of what they call a Bible. Yes, this is all very sombering, and here is the center of the problem, the church. The church has diminished the beauty of Christ, it is merely feeding off His bread and water, and not the delicacy of the meat that He is. As I began reading the chapters for today, I thought how it must grieve God to have so many souls reject Him. Just think about all the people born since He created man, and yet, only an elect will be saved. “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,” – I Peter 2:6-7.
“I lay in Sion a chief corner stone,” It is fitting that God led me to this Scripture as Luke retells the parable of the wicked tenants, in which Jesus tells of how the religious killed the prophets, and foretells of them killing Him. Notice something interesting in how Luke tells the story it compared to Mark.
“Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.” – Luke 20:13-20.
“And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.” The religious do not want to believe that God will not accept anyone who does not fully believe in and receive His Son as their Saviour. They can be born and raised in a church, believing in and serving God, they can even be taught about Christ, and reenact His birth, crucifixion, and death, but God will not accept them unless they believe every single truth about Him, that He is the Son of God, that He is sinless, that He was born of a virgin, that He arose three days later, that He is alive today, and that He alone is the only way to God, and heaven (Romans 10:9-10). Luke also gives the testimony of Jesus watching all the rich men casting money into the offertory, and the old widow woman.
“And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.” – Luke 21:1-9.
“how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts,” There are churches still today, adorned with stained glass windows, altars with jewels and gold, but they too will be destroyed and thrown down. These men did not know one thing that Jesus was talking about, and yet, they wanted signs to know when it will all come to pass. We all want to know when Jesus will return, even He does not know, God, the Father, has blocked that knowledge from Him right now, and when He gives the word, that is when He will return. However, there will be signs, several, in fact. And Jesus describes how it will be before He returns or His people.
“But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.” – Luke 21:12-20.
“being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.” Christian persecution was on the downlow for a while, but it is at an all time high right now, it is almost as bad as when the disciples first started preaching about Jesus. The religious reject Jesus because they want to get the glory for getting themselves to heaven, priding themselves on all their righteousness. The world rejects Jesus because they want the freedom to live in sin and not feel guilty about it. Both of them are headed straight for hell, but not one soul of those who receive Christ as their Saviour will perish. Jesus goes on to explain what will take place before He returns, but He also gives a stern message to the saved, born again believers.
“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” – Luke 21:27-36.
“for your redemption draweth nigh.” The saved, whether we are already in the grave or not, will not have to see any of this. Those who are sleeping in their graves will resurrect first, their souls will reunite with their new glorified, and immortal bodies, while those remaining will be given their new glorified and immoral bodies, and taken up. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” – I Corinthians 15:52-54.
“Heaven and earth shall pass away:” This generation, meaning all the people from creation, will not be destroyed until the very last soul to receive Christ gets saved. When God sees that there is only reprobates left on the earth, that is when everything will be destroyed. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,” – II Peter 3:9-11.
“and so that day come upon you unawares.” Do you see why we as, saved, born again Christians need to live our lives, not on the bread and water of Christ, but on the meat of Christ. We are not perfect nor should we pretend to be, Christ perfects us through our faith alone in Him, but we need to be more than just a name written in the Book of Life, we need to be a testimony of what Christ has done in our lives. Who cares if the world rejects and gets offended by us, Jesus told us it would happen. Walk tall in the fullness of Christ, and never be ashamed or afraid to tell the world that you belong to Jesus. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” – II Timothy 2:15-16.
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, You have told us the signs that will lead to Your return, You have told us how we can be prepared and ready for Your return, and You have already fulfilled Your promise to make redemption possible and permanent for all who believe in and receive You as their Saviour. Thank You, for dying on the cross for me, even as the mess I am, You redeemed me through my faith alone in You. Thank You for teaching me and preparing me for Your return, and for your endless mercies and grace as I fail You daily. Even at my best I do sometimes take for granted what You have done for me, and I do just feed off Your bread and water just to survive, and for that I am sorry. Thank You for loving me, and not giving up on me, and still using me, despite my mishaps, and for reminding me that I am strong even in my weakness, when I feed off the meat of Your Word, which You gladly give me when I come to my senses. I love You Jesus, and pray this in Your name, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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