Category: New Testament

False fake miracles, signs, and wonders

  1. Miracles, signs and wonders do not happen today.
  • It should be obvious that miracles do not happen today when we consider just some of Jesus’ many miracles.

2.  There is no need for miracles, signs and wonders to happen today.

Miracles, signs and wonders proved that the doers of them were from God, because only God can do such things:

  • e., Only God:
    • 72:18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders.
  • Jesus:
    • 10:37-38 “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”
    • Jn. 3:1-2 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
  • Jesus’ disciples:
    • Mk. 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.

Jesus and His apostles saw to it that many of these things were written down, and when they were written down there was no more need for the miracles, signs and wonders to be performed in each succeeding generation:

  • 20:30-31 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

 False/fake miracles, signs and wonders occur even today

What about those who testify to “supernatural experiences” that have supposedly happened today?

(i)  Some are simply liars.

This may sound harsh, but such lies have made by many religious people in the past:

  • g., 1Ki. 13:18 He said to him, “I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'” But he lied to him.

(ii) Others might be sincere, but they are deceived.

Again, sadly, there have been many such sincere but deceived people down through the years:

  • g., 1Ki. 18:25-29 So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” 26 Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made. 27 It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” 28 So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. 29 When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.

 

  • Rom. 10:1-2 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

The Bible is its Own Best Dictionary

Words in the Bible can have their meanings changed in society over time.

  • Therefore modern English dictionaries can sometimes wrongly define Bible words.

If you want to know what a word means in the Bible, then pull out the Bible itself and look up all the different places where that word is used! The bible is its own best dictionary.

We look at 11 bible words misunderstood today

  1. church
  2. saint
  3. priest
  4. Christian
  5. baptize
  6. minister
  7. pastor
  8. love
  9. miracle
  10. hades
  11. antichrist

 

The one who took the place of Judas Iscariot

Who was the one who took the place of Judas Iscariot?

Matthias was one of the 12 apostles. Let’s consider 12 things we know about him

  1. Matthias fulfilled prophecy
  2. Matthias was intimately acquainted with the Lord Jesus.
  3. Matthias was chosen to be an apostle by the Lord.
  4. Matthias received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
  5. Matthias performed signs and wonders.
  6. Matthias with great power was giving testimony to the resurrection of Jesus.
  7. Matthias helped distribute money to needy saints.
  8. Matthias was arrested, threatened and beaten.
  9. Matthias helped resolve a problem with needy widows.
  10. Matthias was able to give Christians the Holy Spirit.
  11. Matthias assisted in resolving the controversy over circumcision.
  12. Matthias was part of the foundation of the church by teaching the doctrine of Christ.

How to live as a Christian

Eph. 4:1-6 is on how to live as a Christian!

Lessons:

  1. Walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1)
    Col. 1:10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
  2. Have all humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance in love (Eph. 4:2)
    Matt. 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  3. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in peace (Eph. 4:3-6)
    1Cor. 1:10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Mary’s Song of Thanksgiving

When Mary found out that she was pregnant with God’s Son, her response is somewhat muted: “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Mary appears to have had concerns about the matter, and it is not until after she visits her relative Elizabeth that her concerns are allayed and she is filled with joy and thanksgiving to the Lord for the great honour that is bestowed upon her: that she should carry the Messiah in her womb.

Mary’s song traces the same thread as the songs of Hannah and David before her, marvelling at the faithfulness of God towards those who serve Him; who exalts the humble and destroys the proud and those who are wise in their own estimation.

Ephesians 3: Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles

  • How was Paul “the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles” (Eph. 3:1) according to the following Scripture?
  • What might the Ephesians (cf. Eph. 1:1) “have heard of” concerning Paul according to Ephesians 3:2?
  • How could the Ephesians (cf. Eph. 1:1) understand Paul’s “insight into the mystery of Christ” according to Ephesians 3:4?
  • When was “the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4) revealed according to Ephesians 3:5?
  • What does the following Scripture teach concerning “His holy apostles and prophets” (Eph. 3:5)?
  • What is “the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4) according to Ephesians 3:6?
  • In “Christ Jesus our Lord … we have” what according to Ephesians 3:12 Ephesians 3: Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles

The Blessings Chapter

Which new testament chapter of the Bible would you describe as “the Blessings Chapter”??

Ephesians chapter 1 is what I would describe as “the blessings chapter”!
• After the introduction to the letter to the Ephesians (1:1,2),
• Paul lists many of the blessings which (the Ephesian) Christians have in Christ (1:3-14),
• and then prays that they may be enlightened about all these blessings (1:15-23).

What is so great about Christianity? Let us examine ‘the blessings chapter’
    1. Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him
    2. verse 5,6 In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
    3. Eph. 1:7-8 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
    4. Verse 9-10 In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
    5. Eph. 1:11-12 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance [also we were made a heritage, ASV], having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
    6. v 13-14 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

The Danger of Bible Ignorance

1. The danger of Bible ignorance in the nation

Hos. 4:1-2 Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel, For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land. 2 There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.

2. The danger of Bible ignorance in the home

Prov. 6:20-23 My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother; 21 Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22 When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life

3. The danger of Bible ignorance in the church

Heb. 5:11-14 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
• Such ignorance leads to a lack of discernment = knowing right and wrong (v. 14)!
o Sadly, people can then fall back into “situation ethics” (i.e., allowing circumstances to justify
breaking God’s commandments).
• Are we growing spiritually as we should? If so …
o Eph. 4:14-15 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

4. The cure for Bible ignorance.

Jesus gave two important principles:
• Mk. 4:24 And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it
will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.
• Lk. 8:18 “So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”

Is the Bible out of date?

Introduction
Is the Bible out of date? (= outmoded, obsolete)?

• After all, it was completed almost 2,000 years ago.
• And society has changed and progressed so much, even in just the last 50 years (calculators,
computers, phones, internet, etc.)!
• We certainly know that modern textbooks are constantly being updated!

1. The old covenant is obsolete because it has been replaced with the new covenant.

God never intended the OT to be permanent:
– Gal. 3:19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.
– Gal. 3:24-25 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Heb. 7:12 For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

2. The old covenant is obsolete but is not irrelevant.

-1Cor. 10:5-6 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. 6 Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.
– Lk. 24:25-27 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

3. The whole Bible is the word of God and has not changed.

2Tim. 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
– 1Co 14:37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.

= Jude 1:3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

4. Mankind’s need for the word of God has not changed.

Ecc 7:20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. Eccl. 12:13-14 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

Is the Bible out of date?
• This has not changed today.
• i.e., Every person needs God’s commandments!
• God’s commandments for us today, as we have seen, are in the NT (new covenant).
• Our need for the word of God has not changed!

Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
• Mankind still needs salvation today.
• The gospel is still the only “power of God for salvation” today.