Jesus Has Spoken
—Sometimes God’s Truth Hurts
Another lesson presenting Bible teaching which people find hard to hear. The truth is not always soft and easy. Sometimes it is hard and difficult. But it still needs to be believed and taught.
1 Listen to Jesus
1"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they" (Hebrews 1:1-4 NKJV).
At least four of the most important truths about Jesus are found in that text.
(1) In these last days He was appointed to reveal the Word of God.
(2) He is the Creator, the image and glory of God.
(3) He purged our sins to reconcile us to God.
(4) He now sits at God's right hand.
We should therefore listen to the Word Jesus inspired in the New Testament scriptures 2000 years ago. We should not listen to the words of modern day "prophets".
2 Ask for the Ancient Paths
Thus says the Lord: "Stand by the ways and see, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls." But they said, "We will not walk therein... We will not listen"(Jeremiah 6:16-17).
In the arrogance of this 21st century, many people regard the way of God, and the word of Jesus, as obsolete because it is ancient. But the old paths are the good way. God's ancient way is ever new.
3 Preach in All the World
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16).
(1) We must preach every word of the gospel that God gives us in the scriptures.
(2) We must preach every day, as God gives us opportunity.
(3) We must preach every one of us, as God gives us the ability.
4 Do Not Mock God
"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8 ESV).
People who turn their ears away from Jesus and deny him are mocking God and sowing their own destruction. They corrupt themselves, reaping what they sow. Others reap what they did not sow, as Jesus said (John 4:37). For example, we reap eternal life from the labour of the prophets, our Lord Jesus, and his apostles.
5 Be As a Child
"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein" (Luke 18:17).
We can easily become puffed up and arrogant, rejecting the wisdom of our Lord Jesus. We need to be like a child, humble and attuned to God. Jesus does not mean that we should be childish. Rather, we should be childlike, having humility, simplicity, and openness, like that of a little child.