Lessons Page

Memory verses for this week: Psa 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

I. While in Conflict and Sorrow

John 16:19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?

1 Cor 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

1 Cor 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

And speaking to the Hebrews, he warned how that we can stagnate as Christians and not grow up in God’s Word.

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.

Jesus proves himself to be God in Verse 19 when he asks them if they were not questioning what he meant about being with them a little while and then going away. We see in these few verses the term "a little while" used 7 times. Jesus would soon die, and for a little while (3 days and 3 nights), he would lay in the tomb. Jesus is trying to make them comprehend this ‘meat of the word’ that they would understand his death, the coming of the Holy Spirit shortly, and how He would rise from the tomb, be seen of the disciples again before his ascension, and then ultimately ascend to the Father. And after that, He would come again to take all of His children with Him to be with the Lord. I’m looking forward to that day. And we are one day closer today to the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ in that eastern sky.

John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

How true this verse is. The disciples and all those that knew Jesus as Savior were about to see the worst possible crucifixiation that had ever taken place. And the death of their Lord was going to make them very sorrowful. But as is the case many times in the Lord’s plan for our lives, the horrible sorrow would soon turn into great joy. I can relate that to my salvation experience. I saw myself hopeless and condemned. A heart beat away from spending eternity in the flames of Hell. But when God gave me the faith and strength to step out of that pew in 1963 and come forward in the church, it was just a few seconds later that all my fears were gone. And the greatest glory I’d ever experienced flooded my soul. And over 35 years later, I’m still basking in the joy of that salvation experience. Oh, I’ve been down many times, and felt that I couldn’t go on another day. But the Holy Spirit has been there to lift me up, and Jesus sets my feet on the Solid Rock and I’ll never ultimately fall. These men had not yet received the Holy Spirit like we did at our salvation. Not until the day of Pentecost was the church baptized in the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ. But all of this was part of the joy that was soon to come.

John 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

When a woman is near birth, she is in great agony physically. The Lord uses that experience that we can understand to explain how it would be when they lost Jesus for a time. As a woman experiences such great pain before giving birth, the disciples would soon face a similar harsh time when Christ died there on Calvary. But when the new birth of the child comes, the woman soon forgets the pain, and rejoices in the new son or daughter she has brought into the world. When Christ came forth from the tomb, all the sorrow was going to be turned into joy. What Jesus promises, we can believe and know it is true. God never lies, but Satan is the one who deceives and turns us from perfect service to the Lord. Jesus tells them, "But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." Since the day I was saved, as I mentioned, I’ve had some low spots. But the joy of my salvation has NEVER been taken away. It can’t be, due to the sealing of my soul by the Holy Spirit. When Jesus came out of that tomb, and was saw of the multitudes, all the teachings began to come alive to these men. It was no longer speculation if it were true… now they would see Jesus risen from the grave. He was God manifested in the flesh.

Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

1 Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

1 Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1 Pet 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

1 Pet 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

1 Pet 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Pet 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

1 Pet 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Pet 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

1 Pet 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

1 Pet 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

1 Pet 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

We have joy, and not joy like the world gives, but joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

II. The Words of Christ bring Joy and Peace

John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

This is the third time Jesus speaks of praying in His name. The disciples as of yet had never prayed to God in the name of Jesus Christ. When we are one of His sheep, abiding in the love of the Lord, and obeying Him, living by the commandments, we can have great power with God through prayer. He promises "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, HE will give it to you." Do you get everything you pray for? If you do, then you must be abiding in the Lord as He has instructed, and praying for all the right things. So many times, we tend to pray for things that are wants, not the specific needs of our life, and sometimes without concern that it be the Lord’s Will for our lives. We have a family member in my family who is very sick. And our earthly tendency is to pray that he will be healed. If that is God’s Will, we will rejoice. But if not, we must accept the Will of the Father. As long as our prayers are in Jesus’ name, and tempered with "And they will be done", we will be pleasing to the Father.

John 16:25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father.

What time was about to come? The hour that was coming was his crucifixion, the our of redemption for which He had come into the world. After Christ’s death, they were to pray to the Father in Jesus’ name. All of our prayers are to come in Jesus’ name, not the Father nor the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit bears witness of the Son, and God the Father placed all things in the hands of the Son.

John 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

When Jesus died for our sins, He went before God and poured His own blood on the perfect Mercy Seat that God had pitched, not man. And after that, he sat down on the right hand of God signifying that the job of salvation was finished once and for all. Jesus now stands before God as our lawyer per se, he is our propitiation for our sins. He is our mediator. When Satan accuses us, Jesus stands in our defense and says "See this one through my blood Father. He (or she) is one of my own." And because of this, you and I can approach the throne of God with confidence. Not due to our goodness, but because of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Heb 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

Heb 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Heb 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Some Verses on the Peace of God.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

2 Th 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

 

Website: http://www.internetbible.net

Practice Random Acts of Kindness. Each act spreads, and many will be blessed.