If Ye Continue in My Word, then are Ye My Disciples, Indeed!

If Ye Continue in My Word

John 8:30-32, 36

Introduction:

We can see that, in the previous verses, there was a division forming amongst the Jews. The “better educated” (and proud) Pharisees, along with the Scribes, the Levites, and the Priesthood all tended to reject Jesus: He wasn’t one of them!

The less-educated, usually less prosperous people, because of the miracles, were increasingly aware that He was actually doing something. There was substance to His ministry! The other leaders “talked a good fight,” but mainly excelled in taking the money and the flocks of the poor.

Jesus was actually teaching people to know God. The Priests, the Scribes, and the Pharisees said that was what they were doing, but in fact only laid heavier and heavier burdens of Law-keeping on the people. That only left them further away than ever, knowing their inability to walk in the Holiness of God. But Jesus pointed out, in front of all the people, that the Scribes and Pharisees made no attempt to lift that load themselves. (Matthew 23:4 “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”)

As a result of this division growing among them, many of the people had begun to truly believe in Jesus (verse 30.)

³⁰As he spake these words, many believed on him.

But notice the change in verse 31.

Speaking to Believers

Jesus is no longer speaking to unbelievers: He is speaking to believers! This is an important shift: To the unbelievers, He had just warned, “Ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins.”

But to these new, baby believers, He had a different admonition: He did not warn of a coming judgment, but rather exhorted them to move forward from being just believers, and to become disciples.

³¹Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Being born again does not guarantee that a person will become a disciple; a follower of Jesus. We are called to follow Jesus. We are called to be obedient to His Word. We are called to feed on His Word, as newborn babies nurse hungrily to obtain their mother’s milk. (1^st Peter 2:2)

We are called to continue in His Word: press on to maturity, following Him as dear children, but growing as we feed on His Word, to become the mature believers He calls us to become, teaching others, functioning as ambassadors, and shining as lights in this dark world.

What happened when they believed? What changed?

Back in John 1:12, we saw that people who believed on His name became children of God. In John 3:3, and John 3:14-16, Jesus told Nicodemus that unless he (Nicodemus) was born again, he was not going to enter into the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus was confused by that, so Jesus reminded him of the account of Moses making the bronze serpent in the desert. (You can read all about it in Numbers 21:5-9.)

He was told to hang it up high on a pole, so everyone could see it. God’s promise was that if anyone was bitten by one of the thousands of deadly snakes He had sent to punish them for sin, they were to look to that serpent on the pole and they would not die. They were still sinners; they still had the bite marks on their leg, but they were not going to die of that bite. Jesus explained to Nicodemus that, in the same manner, those who looked to Him in faith, would escape the eternal judgment of God.

Changed Permanently

When we first believed, the judgment of eternal separation from God in the lake of fire was permanently lifted and we became children of God. That has permanently put you into the family of God. But if you want to be a working part of the “Family Business,” reaching out to see precious souls rescued from that final judgment on sin, then it requires that you get out of your “comfort zone” and follow Jesus!

Peter was called several times, before he finally broke free from his old life and faithfully served Jesus. John Mark was rejected for service by Paul, because of an uncommitted life: Because of unreliability. But “Uncle Barnabas” stepped in, took John Mark under his wing, so to speak, and made a disciple of him. (You can read all about that in Acts 15:36-39. Incidentally, John Mark is the fellow we know as Mark, the writer of the Gospel according to Mark.) You see, people have to grow into being a mature disciple. They aren’t “born that way,” as a rule.

Position versus Condition

The position of these believers changed forever, the moment they placed their faith in Jesus as their Messiah. They were permanently saved, just like the thief on the Cross. But once that position has been secured, the focus changes.

Throughout a pregnancy, all of the mother’s family and friends are solicitous for the health of the mother and baby, and a safe delivery. Once the child is born, however,the focus begins to change! Now they are watching the child grow and develop into a walking, talking, strong and mature human being. They feel joy to see that child increasing in size, strength and ability.

Jesus was refocusing their attention on the next step: Becoming disciples. Their position in His family was secure forever, but in order to see and understand that security, they needed to begin feeding on the Word and walking in the Word and Growing in the Word. That would change their condition.

They would grow into a knowledge of Christ that was more and more full. Then they could know the freedom from fear and the confidence that comes with a stable walk with God. They could become free of the entangling sins that once tormented them. Your condition can change, for better or for worse. Your position in Christ is secure forever, from the moment you trusted Him as your Savior.

Knowing the Truth

³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

This verse has been misused by believers and unbelievers alike, for different reasons. The believers claim that if you know (as a fact), that the Bible is true, then you will be free (from the ravages of sin.) The unbelievers say the opposite, that if you know (as a fact) that the Bible is a collection of myths and fairytales, then you will be free from the slavery to a mythical God.

The issue, in both cases, is that the word in this verse, which has been translated as “know,” is a form of the Greek word “gnosko.” It specifically means a relational, growing, experiential knowledge of a person or a concept…not simply “accepting something as a fact.”

Jesus was inviting the people to get to know Him! Verse 36 confirms this, saying “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Later on, Jesus will confirm that He, Himself is the Truth (John 14:6.)

**How can we relationally know Jesus well enough to be “Free?”**

The Christian experience is called “walking” for several reasons, but primarily because it is not “gliding, or coasting.” We have to “march along,” one step at a time, every day, in order to “walk with Jesus.” Sometimes it may feel as though all we are doing is “plodding.” It is not always exciting, nor will it always feel “fun.” It requires effort on our part, if for no other reason, just because it is hard to maintain faith when we are under constant attacks on our faith.

The World Hates Jesus

I find it interesting that the World does not attack the cults in this way. It doesn’t care about them. It does not attack myths, or superstitions in this way: it doesn’t care about them.

It attacks the Gospel and the Person of Christ: because the Gospel is true, and the Jesus Christ we serve is not only our Savior, but is also the Judge of all the Universe! The World hated Jesus and it hates us along with Him.

No one is attacking Islam, or constantly mocking it. They are afraid to do so. Look what happened to Salman Rushdie! 33 years after he was foolish enough to publish a book of satire, mocking Mohammed, and 33 years after some Imam wrote a “Fatwah” against him (putting a contract out on him) he was attacked in public by a Muslim man with a knife…and has at least lost an eye…and still may die of his other wounds.

No one is going out of their way to attack the many “Swamis and Gurus” coming out of India to claim an “inside connection to God” and get rich off of foolish Americans. Unless they break some law and can be prosecuted for that, the fact is, no one cares!

No one is going out of their way to attack the Hari Krishnas…why? Because they are part of the “comfortable darkness of this world” and the world simply doesn’t care about them.

Called to Walk

We are called to “walk by faith.” We are also told that “If we walk in the light as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanseth us from All Sin.” (1^st John 1:7) We are called to shine as lights in the darkness…and the darkness does not appreciate it!

We are called to Walk with Jesus! And, as we do so persistently, in that, after the world has tripped us, or dragged us down, we keep on “getting up and walking again,” we “get to know Jesus.” As we walk with Him, we gain experiential, relational knowledge of the Person of Christ, of His Love, His Forgiveness, His Faithfulness, and His Truth.

We get to see, personally, how Jesus keeps His promises. And as our faith grows, we become increasingly free of the baggage of our old sins, and free from the “twin, yapping dogs” of self-condemnation and guilt. We learn to set aside our old sin nature, and to rejoice that Jesus has lifted the Curse of the Law, taking it off of our shoulders completely, and bearing it all on Himself at the Cross. We find that we are truly made Free. We are free to serve Him out of Love and gratitude.

Not a “Self-Help Scheme”

This is not something we can “plan out and accomplish on our own:” In John 15:5, Jesus said, “…apart from Me ye can do nothing.” It was the simple truth: We are facing invisible enemies in a universe we do not understand, and attempting to function in what is effectively a “maze,” most of which we cannot see at all. The only thing we can do is walk by faith!

We can’t decide for ourselves to “become wise:” We can obediently study and meditate upon God’s Word and He can begin to change our foolish hearts so that we become wise: but God’s Word accomplished the change, not us!.

When we choose to walk with Jesus, we begin to discover what He has chosen for us to do. As we continue walking with Him, we discover the Joy of being part of His work, in the fellowship of the Gospel.

Only to Believers

The promise in John 8:32 is only to believers. To unbelievers, the invitation remains: “Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish.” And “Whosoever will, let Him come!”

Once you have been born again, the call is to immerse yourself in His Word, and continue in His Word, so as to become true disciples, and to be set free from your old slavery to Sin and fear. An unbeliever cannot receive that, without first being Born again into God’s family. That is when spiritual life begins, from God’s perspective. But believers are called to Feed, to Walk, and to Grow.

Lord Jesus, we ask for Your Grace to be poured out upon us. Transform our hearts through Your Word. Change us into Your likeness, and allow us to be Your representatives, here on Earth. Change our hearts so that we may shine as lights in the World.

December 6, 2020December 6, 2020

Feeding on, and Holding Forth the Word of Truth.

2^nd Peter 1:4; Philippians 2:16; Psalm1, 119:9, 11; Deuteronomy 17:19; 1^st Timothy 4:13

Introduction:

We have been studying through 1^st Peter, and passages related to that book: we read in 2^nd Peter 1:4 that by means of the “Exceeding great and precious promises” in God’s Word, we are to “become partakers of the Divine Nature.” We are to feed on God’s Word, according to 1^st Peter 2:2, so we need to examine how that is supposed to happen. Does it mean, “If I go to church once a week, and read my Bible for a few minutes before I go to sleep, then I am OK?” Or is there more to it than that?

And what are the results expected to be? We already saw that one result is that we are to “become partakers of the Divine Nature.” But we also have seen in Philippians 2:15, 16, that we are expected to shine as lights in the world, holding forth the Word of Truth. So we need to do some thinking about what that means, as well.

Our involvement with the Word of God has two aspects: what we are to take in, to affect our own lives, and what we are to give out, to affect the lives of others. So, let’s talk about both of those ideas: Intake and Output.

Intake: Feeding on the Word of God

As we look through God’s Word, we find at least five levels of involvement described for us, in taking in the Word of God: Hearing, Reading, Studying, Memorization, and Meditation.

Hearing is always important, and it should lead to a change in behavior all by itself, although we are warned (James 1:25) that it is possible to be a “…forgetful hearer and not a doer of the Word.” So we don’t want that to happen. But we also know that “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!” (Romans 10:17) So hearing is really important: No one has ever been saved without hearing (or receiving in some way) the Gospel of Christ…the preaching of the Cross, (1^st Corinthians 1:17, 18).
Reading is commanded in both the Old Testament and the New Testament: In Deuteronomy 17:19,Israel’s kings were commanded to read the scripture daily, for a combination of the effect in their own lives and the result in the nation. (I wish our leaders today were doing this.) In 1^st Timothy 4:13, referring to the public reading of scripture for the edification of the hearers, reading of the scriptures was clearly commanded to be done on a regular basis. But we are also warned to take the time to think about and understand what we read. (Matthew 24:15)
Study is at least implied, in the Bible, though the Biblical term “study” means to “give effort and attention to” something. We tend to only use that word to mean book-work: intense reading and careful analysis of a topic or a passage. But, “giving effort and attention to understanding God’s Word” does imply some “book-work,” as a rule, and we are encouraged to “study to show ourselves approved unto God.” (2^nd Timothy 2:15) but, it goes on to say, “rightly dividing the Word of Truth!” That does imply Bible Study, and mastering the content of our Bibles so that we use the scriptures appropriately, not taking things out of context: not misinterpreting the intent of scripture. The result is that we are each to become “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.” (That is a good goal all by itself!)
Memorization is only mentioned a few times, but Psalm 119:11 makes it pretty clear: “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee!” Someone has famously pointed out that “either the Word will keep you from Sin, or Sin will keep you from the Word.” That is fairly accurate. We tend to find ways to occupy our thoughts so as to not consider the changes that need to occur in our lives, or any other uncomfortable thoughts. So all sorts of activities and entertainment are marketed precisely to meet that desire in humans. But if we deliberately turn away from all those distractions and focus on God’s Word, the Word begins to change us, and to change our desires, so that we are less driven to “escape the presence of God,” and more likely to desire to “walk with Him.” Think of the difference between the response of Adam and Eve fleeing from the presence of God, and Enoch, walking with God.
Meditation is the last means of “taking in” God’s Word, and it has the deepest effect upon the believer. “Meditation,” in scripture does not mean the “blanking or emptying of one’s mind so as to allow every passing, vagrant idea to have free rein in one’s heart” but rather the deliberate focus of one’s unhurried, conscious thought upon a particular concept or passage in scripture, so as to allow that truth to “soak in” and permeate one’s thinking. Psalm 119:9, along with all of Psalm 1, gives the idea of what meditation on God’s Word implies, and the expected result in one’s life. Psalm 119:9 says that “taking heed thereto according to thy Word” would have the effect of “cleansing” my way. If I want my life to change for the better, so that I am learning to walk with God, I need to apply God’s Word to my life: take heed to my life, in accordance with God’s Word. Psalm 1 says that a man who meditates on God’s Word day and night, will be blessed and flourish before the Lord; that “he will be like a tree, planted by rivers of water.” He will be strong, and unshakeable, and he will flourish spiritually, at the very least.

All five of these activities concerning the Word of God are commanded in scripture. I find it a good memory aid, or object lesson, perhaps, to consider the fact that I have five digits on each hand: if I grip something with just my smallest finger, I really can’t get a secure grip. So, unless the object is very light, or perhaps has a hole through which I have inserted my smallest finger, I really can’t depend upon that grip. I compare that idea to limiting my intake of God’s Word to just “hearing.” It will not prove sufficient, in the long run, or in times of trial.

If all I ever do is hear the scripture, unless I hear a great deal of it, I am not likely to develop a good “grip” on God’s Word. Now, there can be exceptions: I knew a fellow whose job allowed him to listen to tapes on ear-bud headphones during work, so he bought a full set of Bible tapes—eighty-four 45-mimute cassettes, comprising the entire Bible, being read aloud—and he proceeded to listen to them all day, every day, at work! That meant that every two weeks or so, he “heard” the entire Bible being read to him, on those recordings. He wasn’t just “casually listening,” either: he was hungry to learn, so the sheer volume of “hearing” the Word, was getting closer to “study,” even though all he was “physically” doing was hearing it.

But, the more “fingers” I add to my “grip” the better my grasp of scripture will become. The fellow with the tapes did not restrict himself to simple hearing: he went home and looked things up, reading for himself, and taking time to think about what he was reading. He quickly moved along into genuine study, and from there into memorization through sheer familiarity, if not by deliberate “rote memory.” And Meditation came right along with the rest. The result was that God was rapidly transforming his life, as he was feeding heavily on God’s Word.

He began to lead his family members to Christ, beginning with his elderly mother, who died just a few months later. Next, he led all of his adult children and all their spouses to Christ, and began teaching them the Scriptures. The transformation was astonishing, and it was entirely due to the effect of God’s Word, working by the Holy Spirit, to mold him into the likeness of Christ! This is how “Intake” turns into “Output!”

“Output:” Holding Forth the Word of Truth

You see, what happened in that man’s experience was the natural outworking of God’s Word changing a life: The result of a constant, powerful intake of God’s Word soon became the powerful outflow of God’s Word into the lives of others. And that “chain-reaction” will continue, provided that those who are being “fed” on the Word gain the same passion for understanding that their teacher has: but there is no way to guarantee that will occur. If they become satisfied to just sit and be “fed;” a little here and a little there, then perhaps they will never go further. But we all are admonished to “lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us,” and to pursue with diligence the “race” that is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1) If that happens then there is no limit to God’s Power in the human life.

So, what forms might “Output” take?

Being a Living example is required of all of us, but it is the “minimum.” It has to be there, but our lives alone cannot transmit the Gospel. They can only give credence to it as it is spoken. Jesus said “let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” This sort of learned behavior is part of what the Bible calls “discipleship.” It means “following Jesus and learning from Him.” And that truly is the minimum requirement for our lives, if we want to walk with God.
Preparing to give an answer is also required, in terms of “output,” but it requires more study. It means deliberately thinking through our testimony, writing it out, perhaps, and practicing it privately, so that when questions arise, we can clearly articulate why we believe what we believe, how we came to believe it in the first place, and what change it has made in our lives. (1^st Peter 3:15) We are thus prepared to give a spoken testimony, whether a single sentence, or a one-minute short explanation, or a longer, more detailed account of our own journey from being lost to being saved, how it is accomplished by faith in God’s promise, and what changes it has made in our own lives.
Learning to accurately quote the Scriptures (memorization) is, at the very least, a defense against temptation. Jesus demonstrated this in Matthew chapter four. But it also stands as the single most effective way to answer arguments against the Gospel: It puts the adversary into the position of arguing against God, rather than against our logic, or our understanding. Even if I only have a handful of memorized scriptures to use, they are a better tool (and/or a better “weapon”) than my own reasoning will ever be.
Holding Forth the Word of Truth is what we are all supposed to be doing (Philippians 2:16): it means the Written Word as well as the Living Word. We are offering the spoken word, reflecting the Written Word, when we share with others. We offer a glimpse of Jesus, the Living Word, as they see the reality of Christ worked out in our lives; and we offer the Living Word as a permanent gift of Eternal Life, when we offer the Gospel as God’s only plan of salvation. All of this is “Holding forth the Word of Truth.”
Feeding the Flock was specifically commanded to Peter (John 21:15-17), but, along with the Great Commission, it applies to all mature believers. We have a job to do, and while the main thrust of it has to do with offering the Gospel to a lost world, the other part has to do with building up the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16.) The whole body ministers to itself, strengthening itself and becoming more effective in the assigned work. We encourage one another, and help one another with the burdens of life, and work together to see the assembly become healthy and strong, as well as reaching out to believers in other places, through missions, and letters and prayer.
Discipleship is not only required of each of us as a lifestyle, it is the commanded means by which to transmit the values and knowledge and skills necessary to continue the spiritual “chain reaction.” It is the specific way that spiritual reproduction is to take place, and it is part of the great commission: When Jesus said, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations…” the Greek word “matheteuō,” translated “teach” in this passage, is actually the verb-form of the word “Disciple.” It actually means “be a disciple” or “make disciples,” depending upon the context. It is not the common word “didaskō,” meaning simply “to teach.” In the remainder of that verse, when it says “…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” the Greek word is from the common verb “didaskō,” simply meaning “teach.” But the stated goal is discipleship!

So, in 2^nd Timothy 2:2, though he does use the common word “teach,” when Paul commanded Timothy “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also,” the idea is that Timothy is training disciples in the manner Jesus meant, whose purpose is to carry on the teaching of sound doctrine. The “Faithful Men” are those to whom he commits the training and the subsequent ministry. They are believers, and committed to the Lord, as well as being specifically those gifted to teach others: those who hopefully will become the leaders, elders and shepherds Paul had already described in 1^st Timothy 3:1-8. But the fact is, we are to make disciples of all those hungry enough to feed on the Word. God is the one to decide specifically what He will do with their lives. We do not “assign” gifting nor individual tasks. Jesus is the head of the Church!

All of these are just examples of how God might choose to pour His Word through believers to reach out to others, whether to other believers or to unbelievers. This is by no means an exhaustive list: there are far more ways for God to pour His Word, His Grace, His Mercy and His Blessing through His people than there are ways for us to “drink in” the fullness of His Word. But we are told to feed on His Word and to expect to see His divine nature manifesting itself in our everyday lives. This is not something to be taken lightly, as if it is a “hobby” or a pastime. This is the core of who we are as His people! This is the “normal Christian life!”

Jesus is identified in several places in scripture as being “the Word of God:” the Living Word of God. It seems to me that the manner in which we respond to the written Word of God may reflect deeply on how we are really responding to the Living Word.

Give that some thought! Consider how you approach the Bible…and how often. It is far more than just an “instruction manual for life,” though we sometimes refer to it as such a manual. It is the ink-and-paper manifestation of God’s Redemptive plan for the Human Race. Thousands, over the centuries, have given their lives to make the Bible available to us. Thousands still today are spending their lives, and hazarding their lives, trying to bring the New Testament (and Jesus, personally) to people who have never heard of Him, and in whose language His name has never been spoken. It is evidently worth their lives to get that message to those who haven’t heard. How much is it worth to us?

Is it worth hearing God’s Word? (It must be, to most of you, at least: you are here, listening, and perhaps you also intend to read the notes and scriptures later.) Is it worth reading God’s Word? Is it worth studying it, carefully examining it word by word, phrase by phrase, spending the time to actually learn to understand what God says? Is it worth taking the trouble to memorize at least some key verses, so as to arm yourselves against the battle you know is already upon us? Is it worth taking the time, alone, to meditate on the Word, and allow God to actually speak through His Written Word, and by His Holy Spirit, so that He is free to work in your life, and set you free from the bondage of besetting sins, fears, worries, and distractions? Is it worth the time, and focus, and effort to do all of this?

I really hope it is! That is what this relationship is all about: it’s about getting to know Jesus, and learning to walk with Him, and being willing and able to serve as His hands, His feet, and His voice here among the human race.

Lord Jesus, please focus our hearts on You, the Personal Messiah and Savior, who died for us, to the extent that we will focus our minds upon Your written Word, allowing You to use Your Word to transform our lives, and remold us in Your image. Allow us to serve as Your hands, Your feet and Your voice so that as long as we live, we live for You.