Category: Christ’s earthly ministry

Paul in the Synagogues #2

Friday, March 7, 2025

“…Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Acts 9:19b,20 KJV).

What are the three reasons the Apostle Paul went to the synagogues?

The Lord Jesus Christ’s principal objective during His earthly ministry was to lead the Jewish people back to the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. He achieved this by preaching sound Bible doctrine, whether teaching Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) verses, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, or performing miracles to illustrate and validate who He was and what He was doing.

See Matthew chapter 4, verses 13-17: “And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” There was such spiritual “darkness” in the land of Palestine, but Messiah’s arrival and ministry would expel that Bible ignorance (see Isaiah 8:22–9:8). In His first recorded sermon of Luke 4:16-21, Jesus Himself used the text of Isaiah 61:1,2 to outline what He had come to do for and with Israel. He was fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy right there in that synagogue of Nazareth, and would keep fulfilling it every place He went!

Alas, in spite of Jesus’ influence for three years, unbelief and hypocrisy were rampant in these synagogues (for example, Matthew 6:2,5; Matthew 10:17; Matthew 12:9-14; Matthew 13:54-58; Matthew 23:6,34; Mark 3:1-6; Mark 6:1-6; Mark 12:39; Mark 13:9; Luke 4:22-30 [attempted murder!!]; Luke 6:6-11; Luke 11:43; Luke 12:11; Luke 13:10-17; Luke 20:46; Luke 21:12; John 6:25-71, noting especially verses 26-30,41-43,60-66; John 9:22; John 12:42,43; John 16:2). They had works-religion, human “goodness,” but no faith in God’s words to them, and that led to Christ’s crucifixion on Calvary’s cruel cross….

Paul in the Synagogues #1

Thursday, March 6, 2025

“…Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Acts 9:19b,20 KJV).

What are the three reasons the Apostle Paul went to the synagogues?

“Synagogue” is from Greek, and it means “lead together, collect, convene, assemble.” As far back as the destruction of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem circa 587/586 B.C., synagogues were places of worship where Jews gathered to pray, read, teach, and hear Old Testament Scriptures every Saturday Sabbath. We can look to Christ’s earthly ministry for some clues. “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23; cf. Matthew 9:35).

Read Luke 4:14-21 now: “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

By looking at and considering what Christ Himself was doing in synagogues, we can more fully understand what Christ in Paul was doing in synagogues during the Acts period….

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #20

Friday, January 24, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

The Lord Jesus Christ cautioned Israel in Matthew 12:31,32 and Mark 3:28-30 that blasphemy against Him would be forgiven them but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost would never be forgiven them. The culmination of their speaking against the Son of Man was their crucifixion of Him, yet Father forgave them for His Son’s sake (Luke 23:34) and sent the Holy Spirit to minister to Israel during early Acts (chapter 2 onward). Following the three years of unbelief during Christ’s earthly ministry, Israel had a one-year extension of mercy to repent (change the mind) and believe Jesus was Christ (see Luke 13:6-9). The one year covered Acts chapters 1–7.

During those opening chapters of Acts, apostate Israel kept resisting the Holy Spirit working through the Little Flock or Israel’s believing remnant (ministries of the 12 Apostles, Stephen, et cetera). At the end of that one year was Acts chapter 7: “[55] But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, [56] And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. [57] Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, [58] And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. [59] And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. [60] And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

As per Psalm 10:12, Psalm 68:1, Psalm 110:1, and others, God’s wrath against His enemies would be poured out when Christ would rise from His right hand. Stephen advised Israel of this as they plotted his murder. Overseeing Stephen’s death, leading Israel’s rebellion against Jesus Christ, and blaspheming the Holy Spirit, was a lost Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus….

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #16

Monday, January 20, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

God has formed—and will form—the nation Israel’s believing remnant to become His earthly people, who will eventually occupy Earth’s governmental offices in accordance with Colossians 1:16-20. This Little Flock includes all believers in Christ from His earthly ministry and early Acts: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). It also involves all believers in Christ during Daniel’s 70th Week (a time after our dispensation ends). Redeemed, believing Israel reigns only when Christ reigns, and that cannot be brought to pass until His Second Coming of Revelation chapter 19.

Observe Revelation 20:4-6: “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

“For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth” (Psalm 37:9). “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). Until believing Israel is redeemed and regathered into the Promised Land to reign with Christ, conditions on Earth will not improve….

NOTE: Happy 45th Spiritual Birthday to my Mom, who will be reading this, and led me to faith in Christ almost 30 years ago!

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #15

Sunday, January 19, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

Remember, when Jesus Christ presented Himself as King to Israel, He was rejected in unbelief and crucified on Calvary’s cruel cross. He would have reigned even upon resurrecting, but they still refused Him. However, He is destined to return to, and rule, Earth one day. This is the heart of the prophetic program, the earthly kingdom God had in mind with Adam (Acts 3:19-21; Luke 1:67-75; Matthew 25:34).

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one” (Zechariah 14:9). “For unto us a child [Jesus Christ] is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6,7).

“And he [Jesus Christ] shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4). “…JESUS…. shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).

Until the Lord Jesus Christ occupies King David’s throne in Jerusalem, conditions on Earth will not improve….

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #7

Saturday, January 11, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

Back in Genesis 1:26-28, the LORD God delegated governmental power (“dominion”) to Adam and Eve, but Adam (mankind’s federal head) relinquished this earthly authority to Satan in Genesis 3:1-6. See Luke chapter 4, part of the Lord Jesus’ temptations: “[5] And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. [6] And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. [7] If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. [8] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Observe how Satan boasted that he owned the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them. They were his to give to the Lord Jesus—but only if Jesus worshipped him! Satan is a usurper, and he reigns on earth even today through sinful governmental leaders (humans) and reigns in heaven using sinful governmental leaders (fallen angels). We thus read of “spiritual wickedness in high [heavenly] places” (Ephesians 6:12). “The heavens are not clean in [God’s] sight” (Job 15:15). “The stars are not pure in [God’s] sight” (Job 25:5). See Revelation 12:7-11, when Satan will finally be cast out of the second heaven (outer space) in the ages to come and then removed from earth in Revelation 20:1-3. As touching earth, we know this is a “present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because Satan is “the god [ruler] of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

When Adam handed his God-given authority over to Satan, God placed a curse on creation so as to signify an enemy or adversary had taken over (Genesis 3:16-19). Satan could not use creation to its full potential, for God wisely “sabotaged” that hijacked work of His! This is the curse of sin, “the bondage of corruption” of Romans 8:17-25, which affects us until now….

The Misunderstood Messiah #5

Monday, December 30, 2024

“Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God” (John 8:41 KJV).

Did you ever notice the magnitude of the insult put forth toward Jesus Christ in today’s Scripture?

Once Christ replied with sound doctrine (verses 42-47), Israel’s religious leaders simply resorted to name-calling again (verse 48): “Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?” A Samaritan was half-Jew/half-Gentile, and “the Jews [had] no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9). Notice Jesus was insulted twice more—they called Him a “Samaritan” and “devil possessed.” Throughout the rest of John chapter 8, Israel’s religious leaders continue arguing with Jesus and nearly stone Him to death (verse 59)!

Why did Jesus not simply “zap” these religionists and instantly throw them into hellfire? They belittled and blasphemed Him several times in this one account, and then attempted to murder Him, but rather than Jesus killing them with His spoken word (which would have been justified), He only conversed with them. Why?

Remember, when the Apostles James and John saw how the Samaritans refused to accommodate Jesus, they asked Him if He wanted them to call down fire from heaven and consume those sinners, He replied, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9:55,56). This First Coming of Christ was His “meek and lowly” coming: He did not come to judge man’s sins, but to die for them!

Even today, God is still not pouring out His wrath on wicked mankind (2 Corinthians 5:19), creatures who still snicker at Jesus Christ, deceive others in His name, persecute His saints, ignore His Word, and “rub His nose” in their sins. Lost mankind is wasting God’s grace and mercy that He is offering so freely. When His grace is finally exhausted, the undiluted wrath that has accumulated will finally be poured out (His Second Coming). May we trust Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour now so we have our sins forgiven now, lest we face that angry, righteous God in judgment (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)!

For more information, you may also see our archived Bible Q&A: “Did God ‘rape’ Mary?”

The Misunderstood Messiah #4

Sunday, December 29, 2024

“Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God” (John 8:41 KJV).

Did you ever notice the magnitude of the insult put forth toward Jesus Christ in today’s Scripture?

Society’s anti-Bible, anti-Christian attitude is nothing new. While today’s Bible-believing, Bible-quoting Christian is accused of “hate speech” and “bigotry,” the “non-narrow-minded” face no repercussion for their slandering of the Lord Jesus Christ and their trampling His Word under foot. Due to sin, the world is upside down, and when the Christian attempts to expose it, he or she is to blame. The world wants Romans 3:4 to read, “Let every man be true, but God a liar!”

Like the (self-righteous) Pharisees of old, lost mankind, despite religious participation, has no capacity to stop sin. Never become angry at the world and never let their behavior puzzle you. Sinners do nothing but sin: by nature, man literally knows nothing but sin. As Jesus said to the lost Pharisees, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do” (John 8:44a). What they need is not simply to stop their activity (sins); they need a new nature from God! Today’s Scripture demonstrates the Pharisees’ willful ignorance of their sinful state.

Like the (“educated”) Pharisees of old, lost mankind, despite several degrees, has no capacity to understand the Bible. The Pharisees studied their Old Testament scrolls, yet they were equivalent to today’s average seminary graduate—years of Bible “study” and no (!) Bible understanding. Today’s Scripture demonstrates the Pharisees’ willful ignorance of one of hundreds of Old Testament prophecies that foretold Jesus Christ’s coming. They had plenty of philosophy and religion, but they had no capacity to understand and appreciate the Bible. People today do not need degrees to comprehend the Bible; they need the Spirit of God! “But the natural [lost] man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned [judged, evaluated]” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Let us summarize and conclude this devotional arc….

The Misunderstood Messiah #3

Saturday, December 28, 2024

“Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God” (John 8:41 KJV).

Did you ever notice the magnitude of the insult put forth toward Jesus Christ in today’s Scripture?

The Pharisees are personally attacking the reputation of Jesus Christ, attempting to humiliate Him by saying, “We be not born of fornication.” After denigrating His virgin conception (that is, His deity), they exalt themselves by declaring, “We have one Father, even God.” What irony!

Notice Jesus’ response: “If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me” (verse 42). Had these Pharisees really known God on an intimate level, they would have understood His Word (that is, their Old Testament Scriptures) prophesied the coming of the Man they were now ridiculing. Had these religionists believed the prophecy that God had sent His only begotten Son, they would not have insinuated that Jesus was “born of fornication.” They would have known what He meant by the words, “I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.”

Alas, God’s Word was “foolishness” to their dead souls (1 Corinthians 2:14). Jesus explained why they misunderstood Him: “Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:43,47). They could hear the sound of Jesus’ voice, but could they hear with comprehension? Nay, they were spiritually dead, not of God like they claimed. Thus, Jesus told them, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (verse 44).

The Pharisees were spreading lies about Jesus Christ because they were lost. Lost mankind has not changed one bit….

The Misunderstood Messiah #2

Friday, December 27, 2024

“Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God” (John 8:41 KJV).

Did you ever notice the magnitude of the insult put forth toward Jesus Christ in today’s Scripture?

Like the Bible scoffers of today, those during Christ’s earthly ministry rejected the notion of the virgin conception of a human (His own conception).

“Then Joseph her husband, being a just [righteous, fair] man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily” (Matthew 1:19). Joseph, still wondering what happened to Mary, decides to divorce her in secret to spare her from becoming a public spectacle. Suddenly, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream and informs him that the Holy Ghost has generated the Christ child in Mary (verse 20).

Imagine the humiliating rumors that circulated: “Mary was a pregnant virgin before she consummated her marriage to Joseph.” The story just did not make sense to most. Evidently, the general Israeli public, unwilling to believe God’s fulfilled Word, believed Mary was unfaithful to Joseph. That gossip lingered for over three decades, which is why the Pharisees said to Jesus what they did in today’s Scripture: “We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.” In other words, they called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, an illegitimate child, and they claimed they were God’s children! (You can sense the vicious attitude these self-righteous religionists had toward our Lord Jesus, another attempt to intimidate Him into silence, seeing as to they are all in the Temple and a crowd of people is listening to this entire conversation.)

At this point, we need to remember that Satan is actively working in and through these Pharisees. Jesus Christ’s deity is being questioned and His credibility is being attacked, which causes those in the Temple to doubt God’s Word (thereby leaving room for Satan’s error to creep in). Our Lord is aware of this, but He does not waver in His Father’s Word. Let us see how He wisely responds to this insult….