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John 15:16 Authorized (King James) Version
{Paraphrased}
16 {And Jesus said} "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it you".
Four Commands and Two Sacraments
Acts 2:42 Authorized (King James) Version 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship,
and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Four (4) New Testament Commands that Constitute the Basics of Christianity
Church Heb. 10:19-25
Bible Study 2 Tim. 2:15
Prayer Eph 6:10-18
Witnessing Mt. 24:14; 28:18-20/ Mk. 16:14-20/ Lk. 24:45-49/ Jn. 15:18-27/ Acts 1:1-11; 2:29-33; 3:15; 4:33; 5:29-32; 10:34-43; 13:26-31; 22:12-16; 23:10, 11; 26:1-23/ Rom. 3:21-23/ 1 Jn. 1/ 1 Jn. 5/ Rev. 20:4
The Eight (8) Sacraments of the New Testament
Baptism
Confirmation
Blessing of children
The Lord's Supper (Communion)
Ordination
Marriage
The Evangelist Blessing
Administration to the sick
In this message we focus on two,
Communion Mt. 26:20-30/ Mk. 14:17-25/ Lk. 22:14-20/ 1 Cor. 10:14-22; 11:17-34
Water Baptism Acts 2:38, 39; 19:1-7/ 1 Pt. 3:18-22/ Col. 2:6-23/ Eph. 4:4-6/ Rom. 6
Since Christ, God the Son, came from heaven and died to redeem the lost children of God the Father to give us His right standing through faith in Him with the Father, by God the Father's grace (Eph. 2:8, 9), we are free in God the Holy Spirit from religious legalism (Col. 2:6-23/ 2 Cor. 3:17/ Gal. 5); we are free inside the Holy Spirit from religious "restrictions & rules" to show the Lord Jesus how much we love Him for dying for us on the Cross, by obeying His commands. The motive to obey God is love, not legalism (Jn. 15:9-15).
Adherence to God's commands and sacraments show God that we love Him. He knows that we love Him. But with obedience, He wants us to use our freewill to show Him that we love Him, because our freewill isn't free. Your freewill is subject to God's Word.
God doesn't need you to get you to heaven. He can do all the obeying through you. But He doesn't want to make it easy for us. Jesus almost had to do everything for us to get us back to God from the devil and the works of the devil (1 Jn. 3:7-9). Once the Holy Spirit shows you that God is good and that all things work together for our good in Christ (Rom. 8); once you say "yes" to Christ, it's an eternal welcome to God to work out His eternal salvation in our hearts (Phil. 1:6). The Holy Spirit uses that "yes" to work out His Word in us (Phil. 2:12, 13).
Furthermore, God's Word makes us say yes to Christ through His love and goodness. For it is written,
...the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance..." (Rom. 2:4)
...We love {God}, because He first loved us... (1 Jn. 4:19)
Our freewill is subject to God's will; His goodness & love for us. It's a psychological fact, that you can't tell an adult what to do. You can't change a full-grown adult without their consent. They will fight you if you try to. However, an adult will gladly change if it's in their best-interests. You can lead & help a person grow if it's in their best-interests. Best-interests is human nature. That's how people are regardless of race, gender or skin color. Every human being has that same nature to choose what's best for them. It is what I call "The Pursuit of Personal Welfare & Safety" (See "How Should I Live"? 19-egoism (nd.edu) and Egoism | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (utm.edu). God knows this about people because He created them and made us this way. The Lord draws us to Himself and causes us to yield to Him for salvation because it's in our best-interests to do so. If it's good for us, we'll do it, amen? God's goodness leads us to repent. We fall in love with God when we witness that He loves us and when we witness that Jesus loves us and that His commands are for our best, we declare an eternal "yes" to His Word in our hearts and minds. All things work together for good for those that love God (Rom. 8:28). When He commands us to do something, we lovingly and gladly do it because we know it's for our good and because we love Him back for His love & goodness toward us.
Jesus Is Lord
John 6:1-65 Authorized (King James) Version
{Paraphrased}
The Meaning of Communion
Jesus the Bread and Blood of Life
1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He did on them that were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. 4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 5 When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this He said to prove him: for He Himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto Him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 12 When they were filled, He said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take Him by force, to make Him a king, He departed again into a mountain Himself alone. 16 And when even was now come, His disciples went down unto the sea, 17 and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. 18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. 19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. 20 But He saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. 21 Then they willingly received Him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. 22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto His disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples were gone away alone; 23 (howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither His disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 25 And when they had found Him on the other side of the sea, they said unto Him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. 30 They said therefore unto Him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto Him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen Me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 41 The Jews then murmured at him, because He said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that He saith, I came down from heaven? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me. 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God, He hath seen the Father. 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in Him. 57 As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 59 These things said He in the synagogue, as He taught in Capernaum. 60 Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, He said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him. 65 And He said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of My Father.
So, God shows His love. He's good to us. That makes us come to Him. It draws us to Him. That drawing is the power of His Word. God draws us to Himself with His Word and with His Word, He gets us to heaven. Accepting Jesus (Rom. 10:6-17) really has nothing to do with your freewill. It has everything to do with God's love and drawing you and then working in you to get you to heaven. It's all the grace of God. He doesn't need us to say yes because He's going to get a yes from us with His Word. Whoever hears the Word of God, they're going to be saved due to the witness of His love & goodness for mankind. God knows that everyone who witnesses His love & goodness; His grace, is going to come to Him with an eternal yes, because He made the human race.
This is why in Genesis 6 that Satan tried to contaminate the pure human species with angelic genes and children called Nephilim; half human and half angel, because he tried to make mankind unresponsive to God's love & Word with evil contamination through angelic genes. Angels aren't made for God to live in them as humans are.
God told me that He can do all the obeying through us to get us to heaven. But He's not. He wants you to show Him that you love Him. That's what the sacrament of Communion is about. You do it to show Jesus that you love Him for what He done for you in shedding His Blood for the forgiveness of your sins, and in giving His Body to be broken for your healing (1 Cor. 11:23, 24/ Isa. 53:1-5).
The Godhead (Gen. 18:1-5/ Acts 17:28-30/ Rom. 1:19-21/ Col. 2:8-10) know that they are more than capable to get us back to themselves. God extends an offer of eternal life in the Bible to you all. People say that it is our part to say yes to it. But, that's not what God teaches. We love Him because He first loved us. When you find out, through the hearing of His Word, that God loves you, you will love Him in response. The goodness of God leads men to repentance. When you find out that God works out everything in your life for your good, you will repent in response. There's no doubt about it. There's no doubting the Sovereign power of Christ's Word over the freewill of mankind. There's no rejecting Christ in the hearing of Christ's Word. That's the power of God's Word drawing you to Him. When God speaks to you, you will come to Him in response. When you hear God speak to you, your will shall submit to His will because He's good. God is what we need in life. This is why His Name is the "I Am" (Ex. 3:14, 15). God is our everything. This is also why Jesus is our bread of life. He and His Word are our spiritual nourishment and food (Mt. 4:4). We need the love & goodness of Jesus to nourish us because we are created by Jesus in His image to be loved by God and people (Gen. 1:26, 27/ 1 Jn. 4:7-21).
So, God wants us to start doing communion like the first church did in Acts 2:42, "...they continued stedfastly in the...breaking of bread (communion). They did it all the time. This is how God wants us to do communion too: all the time. When we do communion, we show Jesus what He means to us. God wants us to show Him what He means to us by how much we do communion. I do it alone with the Light more than at church. I make Jesus happy when I do. Go, and do the same.
In conclusion: the human freewill agency, is subject to God's Sovereign Word. There's no escaping God's love & goodness for you once you hear the words of Christ in the Bible. For in this prophecy, the Lord Jesus spoke to the spirit of my mind these words through the gift of prophecy to you who hear the Lord calling you to the Rapture on this my page,
"My Power Is My Word".
World without end. Amen.
"My Power Is My Word" (Playlist)