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The Truth Of The Matter is - Episode: 137 Comprehending The Presence Of Truth.
34 Plays9 months ago
A week after revealing the theme of the year Johnathan opens up the podcast by giving a personal testimony of how he has been active in applying the theme. Continuing with the Gospel of Matthew series he also takes a divide into Matthew 9:1-8 tune in to hear some of his thoughts. You might be surprised at what he discovers along with an interesting process of things that could be beneficial to you. Remember reading the Word of God should be a practice and just because you read a passage once doesn’t mean you have received all that it has to offer. This is a marathon not a sprint.
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Transcript
Welcome and Introduction
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to the Truth of the Matterist Podcast. I'm your host, Jonathan, and this is episode 137. Let's begin by giving a round of applause to all of our new and consistent listeners. We thank you all in advance for continuing to press play at your own convenience.
00:00:28
Speaker
First thing I want to do is I want to thank you all for tuning in and I hope that what I have to share today will be a blessing for you today or whenever you're pressed to play.
Reflecting on Blessings
00:00:40
Speaker
So before the new year, I added something into the podcast and that was I wanted to share and I wanted to encourage you to share.
00:00:53
Speaker
one of two ways the lord has blessed you and the reason for doing that is i think when it comes to appreciating the presence of god when it comes to admiring what god is doing it's essential that we reflect throughout the week and a day to see what god has done and how he has showed the for you
Encounter with Grace
00:01:21
Speaker
And I thought it would be important to add this in. And of course, provide an example because some of us need examples and reminders of doing the right thing, evaluating and appreciating life and seeing how we can incorporate that and be reminded of who God is and what he does. So as I look back last week, there were two ways the Lord blessed me. And I'm going to share with you those two ways right now.
00:01:52
Speaker
For one, it started with an encounter that I had with a woman that I saw in the grocery store, and then I saw outside the grocery store. I believe this woman's name was Grace, and I didn't find that it was a coincidence that I believe as Christians, as followers of Christ, it is important that we give grace to people over their lives, their situations, their circumstances,
00:02:22
Speaker
Just like God gives us grace, it's important that we should give people grace as well. And I'm not saying that it's a coincidence, but I'm saying that it's interesting to see that little reminders, like someone's name, as could be in grace, is a reminder that you should provide grace for people that ask for it, because at one point you needed it. And upon meeting Grace, I met her in a store.
00:02:52
Speaker
And we were kind and generous to one another. And then I met her outside the store. So continuing with the theme of the year, and it's something I'm going to incorporate, is that the theme for the year was to be a willing instrument for righteousness. Right? For righteousness. And what I did is I noticed she had four bags on the ground. It was cold out. And she was right in front of me while I was working.
00:03:22
Speaker
So as I packed my car with the groceries I had for the customer that I was picking up groceries for, I asked her how far she had to go with those groceries. She was smoking a cigarette. She had to be between the ages of 50 and 65. And she said two long blocks.
00:03:46
Speaker
And I said, okay, no problem. I'll help you out. She says, really? And I said, yeah, absolutely. And she says, I'll take you up on that offer. So what happened was I took her bags. I put it in the back of the car with the bags. I already have the customer I was picking up for. And as she got inside the car.
00:04:08
Speaker
Briefly, I told her who I was, I told her what I was doing, and I mentioned it that I was a Christian. She also echoed the same sentiment that she was a Christian as well, and that she appreciated my generosity. So what I did was this was an opportunity for me to share with her my podcast. So I did that. I gave her a flyer. I shared it with her and she says she would listen to
Lessons from Apostle Paul
00:04:34
Speaker
it. So
00:04:36
Speaker
You know, I believe that the Apostle Paul sums up what I did and what I intend to do and what I encourage you guys to do, ladies as well, that you should do this. So the passage that I'm going to reference here is the book of Acts chapter 20 verse 35. And it says, I have been a constant example
00:05:02
Speaker
of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus. It is more blessed to give than to receive. I repeat that. I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Now I actually did some research.
00:05:30
Speaker
And I couldn't find this statement by Jesus in the gospel books. Now, does that mean that the quote Paul is using happens to be questionable or lie? By no means. In fact, if you go to the gospel of John chapter 21 verse 25, it says, Jesus did many of many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that
00:06:01
Speaker
would be written. Jesus did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world cannot contain the books that would be written. Which means if Jesus did, a lot of things that weren't written down. It's safe to say
00:06:24
Speaker
that he said a lot of things that weren't written down. And therefore, if the apostle Paul says he said it, I believe with faith and in faith, he said it.
Building Community with Ryan
00:06:35
Speaker
Whether he heard it himself or heard of it from the mouth of another apostle or a trusted person who heard this, I believe it. And I believe it is a trustworthy quote and a trustworthy saying.
00:06:54
Speaker
The second way the Lord blessed me will happen to be my relationship with my neighbor. So I started to reflect and this came to mind. You know, in some cases, some people think it's okay to never speak to those that are close to you or that you see daily.
00:07:18
Speaker
We would call those acquaintances. And you know, when I was in middle school and high school, I took public transportation in both those periods of my life. And I used to take the same route. And a lot of the time I would run into the same people around the same time.
00:07:44
Speaker
And it was during this time I made a lady friend named Sheba because I spoke to her and referenced the fact that I saw her on multiple occasions. So I say this to say, it's always gonna take someone to speak up for a relationship, a personal or a potential relationship to be established or developed. So when it comes to my neighbor,
00:08:13
Speaker
who's Ryan, by the way. Our relationship began four years ago. When I saw him trying to start his car, he had a Jeep, and he wasn't successful. So I offered to give him a jump. We eventually discovered that the battery was dead, but in the process of me taking time out of my day to assist him in his time of need, he appreciated it.
00:08:43
Speaker
He appreciated that I cared enough to say something and show some concern versus watching him struggle, but proceed to mind my own business. Now, what I didn't know and I soon learned is that Ryan knows a lot about cars. And I had two situations the week before going on to the new year where I needed to have knowledge of something.
00:09:10
Speaker
And because we spoke at length about cars and some of the issues that I go through and because I drive a 2003 Honda Accord, I've always had to take the initiative to fix those things or discover those things and to educate myself on those things so that when they resurface or I see it happening in a different situation, I'm educated to know enough what it is and what I could do about it and how I could address it.
00:09:40
Speaker
And I want to say in this moment, I realize that I'm going to, if I'm going to, if I'm going to address something like this, it's going to take courage. It's also going to take confidence. And I actually exercise the confidence along with the courage for the current situations that happened to me before the new year.
00:10:08
Speaker
and I was able to address them successfully.
Prayer and Gratitude
00:10:11
Speaker
So the first thing that happened was that I changed the hose that went from my radiator into my engine. The hose was worn down and started expanding. And if it's expanding in the wrong direction, horizontal versus vertically, then that could potentially cause an explosion.
00:10:33
Speaker
The second thing that I had to address was that I had a dying battery that was draining my alternator. There was no juice going from my alternator to my battery with my battery to my alternator. And I was able to change that successfully with the tools that I already had in my trunk that I had brought previously for a different reason. So.
00:10:56
Speaker
I share it easy because you'll be surprised how amazing it feels to be able to accomplish things on your own. Being able to fix it on your own versus relying and having to pay somebody else for their time and efforts. Knowledge is powerful indeed. And with the knowledge you have, so much can be accomplished. So much can be addressed.
00:11:24
Speaker
And it doesn't always have to be on your buck. That's the importance of having knowledge. Now, speaking of knowledge, that's going to be a topic of discussion for today's scriptures that we're going to read. But first and foremost, let's start with prayer. Heavenly Father, I just want to thank you for life.
00:11:52
Speaker
and the experiences that happen, because through them, in a lot of cases, we have a choice. And that choice is determined based upon what we decide to do and the outcome that may come from
Jesus' Healing Authority
00:12:08
Speaker
it. In some cases, the decisions are not always made by us, but having the ability to think and respond is critical.
00:12:20
Speaker
I thank you for all of the relationships that I have. I thank you for the ability to think and of course, the reasoning to make a value judgment. As we go to your word today, bless us. I pray that our minds are stimulated to see the value of what your word has. I ask you these things in faith and in Jesus name, as we pray. Amen.
00:12:48
Speaker
So continuing with the gospel of Matthew series, we move on to chapter nine and our text is going to be fine. Obviously the gospel of Matthew chapter nine versus one who ate an English standard version. My goal today is not to be with you long because I think that this in itself is extremely meaty and
00:13:12
Speaker
When something's extremely meaty such as this, it gets you thinking while also appreciating the value that comes from it. So I'll begin. In getting into a boat, he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought him a paralytic lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, take heart my son,
00:13:39
Speaker
your sins are forgiving and behold some of the scribes said to themselves this man is blaspheming because Jesus knowing their thoughts said why do you think evil in your hearts? Well it's just easier to say your sins are forgiven or to say rise and walk but that you may know
00:14:02
Speaker
that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. And he said to the paralytic, rise, pick up your bed and go home. And he rose and went home. When the crowd saw it, they were afraid and they glorified God who had given such authority to men. So when I began to read verse two,
00:14:29
Speaker
I personally visualize two things. The immediate need for the presence of Jesus or Jesus having some downtime before the need of his presence. Now you might say interesting way to see that, I'll tell you why, right? Anytime I read scripture, I believe there are certain portions of scripture that have gaps in time.
00:14:56
Speaker
that are glossed over, that are not necessarily emphasized for the reader. There isn't a mention of how long certain events that occur that happen, and I've always wondered why. From the perspective of the storyteller, I would reason myself to believe that the writer at times
00:15:26
Speaker
wanted to save the reader time by not talking about certain parts that don't really matter in terms of the narrative. In other cases, realistically, timelines in scripture are key and should be acknowledged.
00:15:44
Speaker
The reason is because it provides a temple of how things are going to happen. And you can learn to personally appreciate the immediate need when something is happening, is addressed, or the patience that's required for something to eventually happen and get addressed for that reason in the scripture.
00:16:08
Speaker
Today, you know, we live in a time where the day, the hour, the minute, the second matters when it comes to various things that have to do with us, have to do with other people and have to do with the situation I had. Timestamps matter when given an account for your whereabouts and so many different scenarios. Okay.
00:16:35
Speaker
You know, when I also thought about this, I realized that the complaint from the non-believer when it comes to the Bible is rooted in the lack of depth and accuracy of events that occur in the Bible, but also that occur in world history.
00:16:52
Speaker
In the Bible, the book of Numbers does provide dates and times, but again, we are living in the 20th century where we are much more advanced and strict when it comes to something being truthful without a reasonable doubt. So the reason why I went down this rabbit hole is because I like to envision the story as I read it. I allow it to come alive in my mind so that I can consider how things
00:17:22
Speaker
are taking place, they're happening. I like to ask questions and consider what was and what is not accounted for. From any story, I like to view things through a humanized perspective so that I don't lose perspective in how it's relatable to me and how I can apply it and how I can be empathetic to the character or to the situation.
00:17:52
Speaker
So I titled this podcast episode, Comprehending the Presence of Truth. And I did that for several reasons. Again, I titled this podcast episode, Comprehending the Presence of Truth. And I did it for several reasons. For starters, the men who I believe were his friends brought Jesus
00:18:23
Speaker
their paralyzed friend. And I think the paralyzed friend along with those who brought Jesus understood potentially the presence of truth. And I think they understood that partly
00:18:54
Speaker
because they kept their faith on their journey to eventually meet Jesus for a need. From a practical standpoint, they had a reason to believe that Jesus was a person
Faith and Truth in Scripture
00:19:12
Speaker
who could in fact address their friend by healing their friend. The reason why I believe that's possible is because
00:19:23
Speaker
They wouldn't have came if they didn't hear about who Jesus was and what he was potentially capable. Remember, when Jesus did things, the news spread far and wide. Why else would they take the chance to travel in hopes to see Jesus
00:19:51
Speaker
to be rewarded or witness their friend be healed. The paralyzed friends had active faith and every decision leading up to this point concerning their friend. They had confidence that it could be done. And so they moved with that belief in their hearts
00:20:21
Speaker
The part about this text that's interesting comes at the end of verse two. Jesus says, take heart my son, your sins are forgiven. So I wondered, how was this man paralyzed? Did he do something? Was he born this way? These are the questions that I asked.
00:20:48
Speaker
And I honestly don't believe he was born this way. Now there's a text in the Gospel of John chapter 9 verses 2-3 that speaks about a man being born blind and the disciples asking Jesus plainly about this.
00:21:06
Speaker
And it says, Rabbi, his disciples asked him, why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins? Verse three, it was not because of his sins or his parents' sins, Jesus answered.
00:21:25
Speaker
this happens so that the power of God could be seen in him. So we know that's not the case in this particular situation when it comes to Matthew nine versus one to eight. Then I thought about what Jesus said to the man he led with, don't be afraid or take heart, right? Or depends on the translation you're reading this from, which had me wondering,
00:21:55
Speaker
Did the paralyzed man truly comprehend the presence of truth that was before him? So remember this, right? Jesus said this to his disciples. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.
00:22:14
Speaker
Therefore, Jesus, a man, a person, is the truth. He stands before the paralyzed man, knowing all that he has done up until this point. So I imagined, what were the feelings that the man had? How overwhelming was this moment for the man
00:22:44
Speaker
who was in the presence of truth. You see, a lot of us look at truth in the sense of an idea or a concept. Truth is also a person, which is so personable. When Jesus says, I am the way, the way being the example, I am the truth, meaning I am the very essence of what truth is.
00:23:11
Speaker
And I am the life, meaning my life and the way in which I live it is an example for all. The way is directing back to himself, which means if I strive to do what is right, the only way, the only example is me.
00:23:35
Speaker
Jesus Christ, not me and myself, but Jesus Christ. I want to be clear on that. So imagine if God made an appearance to see you. Imagine that encounter. What will your feelings be? What will be the mindset? The truth of the matter is one day we will meet our maker.
00:24:02
Speaker
This will be an honor to some and to others, it will be a frightened moment. So I ask yourself, I ask all of you who are listening, put yourselves in this moment. You're the paralyzed man. You have done some things you are not proud of.
00:24:25
Speaker
But your makeup, your makeup shows up in the flesh, recognizes, understands, and sees your condition, whatever that condition may be. Let's say you're hurt in some way, your handicapped, you're blind. Something happened to you. Let's say this condition came at the course of your misbehavior.
00:24:56
Speaker
And now due to your choice, this is the circumstance that you find yourself in. Just ponder on that possibility. Now what we can say is that man obviously had faith, which is why they were there and which is why he agreed to be there.
00:25:17
Speaker
Right? If you're in a condition like that, of course you want to be well. If there's any sliver of hope, of course you want to be on the other end of receiving that, right? There had to be a heightened level of reverence in that moment that was present for that situation. Why? Because if there's any possibility of getting well, if there's any possibility of a circumstance that's changing, it has to come at the precipice.
00:25:49
Speaker
of being humble and placing your faith in your hope and someone that can change your circumstance. When Jesus said, your sins are forgiven, I personally had to sit with this for a while. Now here's why I had to sit with this for a while. For those who know the story,
00:26:17
Speaker
And I'm familiar with what transpired. You read the gospel of John, you know that that is a depiction of Jesus, of God being in the flesh through the life and person of Jesus Christ. Which is why I titled this podcast what I did, right? If you think about it,
00:26:40
Speaker
If you followed along through the Gospel of John, which we haven't gotten through yet, but for those who have, I want you to follow me here. You would realize and remember his disciples, the religious leaders,
00:27:00
Speaker
those who were healed of their sight and set free from demon possession and many were on the side of being fed. The question that I have to ask and the thought that I've always had is that any of them truly comprehend the presence of truth, of God who was before them.
00:27:27
Speaker
Am I on this opinion as I don't think they did. I don't believe they understood it nor realized it legitimately. It may sense to me why when he talked about the Son of Man must suffer many things and he eventually was murdered, killed, there was a sign of hope. There was a lack of sign of hope. Sorry, there was no hope.
00:27:57
Speaker
they were concerned that the man they followed, the man that they spent time with, they thought through the idea of Jewish custom that Jesus was going to take the kingdom by force. And when it didn't happen the way they envisioned it,
00:28:18
Speaker
They wondered who was the man that died? Why did he show a sign of weakness? Why did he not lead a revolution? Why, before this power that he had, he did not utilize it for the kingdom to be taken by force. It didn't make sense to them through the way in which they thought it would happen. If you look through
00:28:42
Speaker
What transpired through history, every leader, for the most part, were leaders of war. Joshua, David, right? The time in which things changed was Solomon, who was full of wisdom, but he wasn't a man of war. He was a man of intellectual capacity. He was a man that was extremely wise, one of the wisest men to ever live. That to me was a change.
00:29:10
Speaker
That change was that what Jesus came to do and to fulfill was not going to be done through aggression. But you can't fault them for questioning the legitimacy of Christ because that's not what they thought was going to happen. When you're running the story back and you see what Peter did, and if you just run through history in general, you'll notice that
00:29:37
Speaker
Your followers who are true believers of your mission and your plan and your vision will fight for you till the end. They're going to be there to support you. They're going to be there by your side.
00:29:54
Speaker
And Jesus sacrificed to himself talking to Peter about get behind me, Satan, know that Peter was gonna fight for him. And more importantly, he protected them and he sacrificed himself. These things were difficult to comprehend, to understand, which is why I don't believe they truly recognize
00:30:22
Speaker
and appreciated and took it all in that the presence of God, the presence of truth was in their midst. I don't think they comprehended and understood it. I believe the people enjoyed the blessings, but were slow to knowing that God had made his dwelling among them.
00:30:48
Speaker
There's a passage in the book of Colossians chapter 2 verse 9 through 10 and the New King James Version that says, for in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete in him who is the head of all principalities and powers. For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily
00:31:14
Speaker
and you are complete in him, who was the head of all principalities and powers. I believe many honestly had no clue and they were there physically and didn't know. So when Jesus says, don't be afraid, your sins are forgiven, he was talking as God, as God.
00:31:44
Speaker
one who's part of the Godhead, the Trinity. Now here's where I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all, right? Jesus has not gone to the cross yet and paid the price for our sins, but yet he proclaims to the paralyzed man that his sins, which is like a penalty, is actually paid. That I don't quite understand.
00:32:11
Speaker
Jesus is proclaiming that the guilt was removed and that now he is in right standing with God. That I believe because Jesus knowing men's hearts could see if a person was truly remorseful. So he recognized the remorsefulness and therefore he said what he said knowing the heart of the person, which is amazing, right?
00:32:41
Speaker
Remember, going back to the book of Samuel, God told Samuel, men look at the outward appearances, but the Lord looks at the heart.
Understanding Jesus' Divinity
00:32:55
Speaker
Therefore you can't hide your sincerity or lack thereof from God. So if you say, I confess out of my mouth, and I'm talking about the passage in Romans chapter 10, I believe, I confess out of my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is Lord. I am saved. The only person that can legitimize that is God.
00:33:20
Speaker
not man, not heart. I also say there are three ways in which we have no right to judge a person. And that's their heart, their motives, and their internal destination. Three ways we cannot judge a person, their heart, their motives, and their internal destination. We don't know those things.
00:33:50
Speaker
But we can address and talk about their fruit and what they've done, not their motives, not their heart, and not where they're going to go. So if you see anyone judging somebody on that merit, be very careful of engagement, be very careful of involvement, and I would question
00:34:15
Speaker
the participation and what that person has to say in regards of what's coming out of their mouth. However, my question remains, how could the penalty be paid if Jesus did not go to the cross yet? And I mean, I sat here and I thought about it and I said, this is very interesting.
00:34:44
Speaker
So I asked myself again, was Jesus speaking in future reference? Was he addressing this situation right in that moment differently without the shedding of blood for the purification of sins? This was a mystery to me and it still is. Maybe Jesus did it because he's God and he could. And maybe the sacrifice was to address the larger issue moving forward. So what am I saying?
00:35:15
Speaker
I'm saying, I believe God could always do it. But I think when it came to the sacrifice and it came to the way it was done, I believe it was something that had to be done universally. And I think when we started diving deep into who Jesus was and how
00:35:35
Speaker
He is the ultimate priest who can continue to bat for us. And I'm talking about Hebrews 4.15, and I started digging deep into who Jesus was and how he was fulfilling one covenant to then shift us and move us into a covenant of grace and mercy, not under the law. I think he was able to do that, and I think he gave us a hint. Well, we'll get there. Now, the scribes did not, in my opinion, comprehend the presence of truth.
00:36:05
Speaker
They didn't believe God was standing before them in the flesh, which is why they accused Jesus of blaspheming. They thought he was a blasphemer. They thought we had to say he was blasphemous. They were jealous, which is why Jesus questioned their hearts and thoughts on the matter, right? Now, Jesus fulfilling the law and providing the perfect example without sin was only one aspect.
00:36:33
Speaker
He had to be the sacrificial lamb and died as a representation of his love for us. By laying his life down, it's proof of his love for humanity. There are so many points to be made in support of the method of God that we can begin to understand once we begin to peel back his plan that was executed to perfection. I believe as students of the Word,
00:37:02
Speaker
We now have a better chance of comprehending the presence of truth through the story and through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Believe it was James who says, if you draw near the guy here, draw near to you. When I talk about just comprehending the presence of truth, comprehending what truth really is and how it is played out and what the implications are.
00:37:31
Speaker
The more you walk with Jesus, the more the relationship develops, the more you come to know him, the more you can comprehend him in so many ways.
00:37:47
Speaker
Now, I don't think you won't be able to know his ways because he's God, right? His ways is past us finding out, but you will learn some of his ways, which were strengthening your faith and trusting him even more because you have evidence of experience and you see it in the scripture and it plays out in both ways, which pretty much makes the picture of everything very clear.
00:38:20
Speaker
You know, Jesus, who is the truth, said something that I believe gave his identity away and yet describes, couldn't comprehend it. He said, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority and a power on earth to forgive sins. Jesus said, so that you may know, Beliezes verse six, by the way, the Son of Man has authority and a power on earth to forgive sins. And if you really think about it,
00:38:51
Speaker
If the Son of Man has authority and a power on earth to forgive sins, then he must be God. The phrase Son of Man is another title for God, and I believe the phrase Son of Man speaks to his humanity just as much as it speaks to his divinity. I believe it does both. During the time
00:39:17
Speaker
You know, during this time, during this time, many did not comprehend the presence of truth before them. And it showed. In verse eight of Matthew nine, when the crowd saw that the paralyzed man could get up and walk, of course they were amazed. Some may say they were awestruck and glorified God and praise God. And there was something that Jesus said.
00:39:43
Speaker
in the garden and I'm talking about the passage in the Gospel of John and I want to finish with this.
00:39:51
Speaker
Because I think again, this is another verse that hints at the fact that Jesus in so many different ways, maybe not inadvertently, but definitely directed to those who are his sheep and know his voice and know all that he has done and what he is doing for them to pick up on the fact that he might have spoken in code, but he definitely made himself known to those who would eventually recognize truth
00:40:18
Speaker
appreciate truth, comprehend truth, and therefore can read this and know what is being said and operate in it. And this is what is mentioned. So if you go to the Gospel of John chapter 17, and I'm going to read verses one through 10 in the English Standard Version, and I'll repeat some verses that I think we should zoom in on and potentially study in our own time.
00:40:47
Speaker
And you'll see the significance of what's said here moving forward. Okay. And it says this, when Jesus has spoke these words, he lifted up his eyes to the heaven and said, father, the hour has come. Glorify your son that the son may glorify you.
00:41:07
Speaker
Father, the hour has come, glorify your son, that the son may glorify you. Verse two, since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him, and this is eternal life, that they may know you
00:41:29
Speaker
the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. And this is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ who you have sent. I glorify. It's interesting how he says, and to combine the two. It's beautiful, right? Verse four, I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
00:41:56
Speaker
And now the father glorified me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
00:42:05
Speaker
And now father glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were and you gave them to me and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.
00:42:31
Speaker
For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them, and have come to know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
00:42:53
Speaker
all mine are yours and yours are mine and I glorified in them all mine are yours and yours are mine and I am glorified in them amazing text if you read it slowly you will notice immediately that Jesus is speaking of himself as God and yet as son at the same time while also they're being equal
Reflective Devotional and Conclusion
00:43:18
Speaker
Amazing, truly amazing. Let's finish with devotional time.
00:43:28
Speaker
But before we go into devotional time, I hope this is a blessing. I hope that you appreciate the perspective that I have. And I hope that this could be a model for you moving forward, that when you read scripture, slow down. And if you have questions, write them on the side. And if you don't have answers, that's okay. It's okay not to have the answers because it's more for God to reveal to you in a different time in your life.
00:43:54
Speaker
or is more time for God to reveal to you in a different way. Be a student, appreciate the scripture, hold it tight, and I'm pretty sure you will be blessed and it will change your life and your outlook on what's being stated. So we're going to finish with devotional time.
00:44:21
Speaker
Go to the Gospel of John chapter 14, reading 6 through 10. Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. For now on, you do know Him, and you have seen Him.
00:44:39
Speaker
Philip said to him, Lord, show us the father and it's enough for us. Jesus said to him, have I been with you for so long and you still do not know me? Philip, whoever has seen me has seen the father. How can you say show us the father? Do you not believe I am the father and the father isn't me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on my own authority, but the father who dwells in me does his works.
00:45:07
Speaker
What helped me understand the character of God was every time I saw Jesus, I saw God. I envisioned that. If you read the word with that comprehension, I believe you can start to learn what God is like. And I will help you learn more about God through the four Gospels. So I suggest to give that a shot and see how personal
00:45:30
Speaker
God is, which means God is Spirit. We know him from a distance, but God sent his sons so that we can envision and understand who he is as a person. Therefore, it becomes personal. His death was personal. His teachings were personal.
00:45:48
Speaker
His interaction with the disciples is personal, so once you understand the personal interaction, you realize that God is not ashamed of His creation, but rather dwelt among His creation, and therefore He loves and cares for us more than you would know. So here's a prayer to close us out. Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name,
00:46:14
Speaker
I thank you for the time that we have together. I thank you so much for your son. It's because of your son we have life and we can have it abundantly. I pray that many more strive to learn you because by doing so they will no longer be ignorant but instead being annoyed.
00:46:30
Speaker
And it's good to be an annoying. So Lord, I ask you these things and I thank you for this time that I have with my listeners. And I pray that we continue to grow and mature in 2020 horror. Well, I thank you and I ask you these things in Jesus name with surety and patience and love. We say these things in Jesus name we pray. Amen and Amen.