To Know Him
To Know Him
Jesus said "If you love me, keep my commandments" - what did He really mean?
Have you ever wondered what Jesus really meant when He said, "If you love me, keep my commandments"? Was He referring to the Ten Commandments or something deeper?
Following a lung transplant that compromised my immune system, our family began holding church at home. During this intimate gathering, we discovered a profound truth often overlooked in modern Christianity: the distinction between the Old Testament Law and Jesus' specific commands. This revelation transforms how we understand discipleship and spiritual foundation-building.
We journey through key passages in John 14, where Jesus repeatedly emphasizes "my commandments" and "my words" as the true test of our love for Him. As we examine Matthew 7, we see that those who hear and obey Christ's words build their spiritual houses on rock—unshakable during life's storms—while those who merely listen without applying His teachings construct fragile foundations that collapse under pressure.
The implications are sobering. Jesus warns that many who perform religious activities and even miracles will be rejected at judgment because they never truly knew Him. The test isn't religious performance but obedience to His specific teachings found throughout the Gospels.
What makes this message unique is its focus on returning to the first-century church model where believers interacted and questioned, rather than passively consuming sermons. We explore how Jesus' commands transcend cultural, racial, and socioeconomic barriers, creating an inclusive faith that challenges modern church segregation.
Ready to discover what Jesus actually taught and build your faith on the solid foundation of His words? This home church session will challenge you to move beyond religious tradition into authentic relationship with Christ through obedience to His commands.
That I may know him in the power of his resurrection, in the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. The video of this church event is on YouTube at To Know Him. Hello guys, today we're going to be doing something a little bit different. Today I've decided that we're going to begin having church at home.
Speaker 1:Because of my recent lung transplant procedure back in May the 16th, my immune system has been tremendously compromised and lowered so that my body would not reject my lungs. So therefore I cannot attend church, which has big groups of people, and be exposed to infections, bacteria or what have you, or getting sick period. So we decided that we want to have church at home and, to be fair with my family you know we don't want to give up having church. We haven't been to church for a while now because of my lung transplant. So we decided every other Sunday we'll have church at home and then every other Sunday in between my family will go and visit a church so that we can keep up with the fellowship of the universe. In addition to that, I'm recording this so that I can send it to my son, who's in a room in California with the folks that he'll attend with us on those Sunday mornings via Zoom live or whatever fashion, or go to church yourself. So here we go, All right, Ready, All to Jesus.
Speaker 3:All to Jesus. I surrender All to him. I freely give. I will ever love and trust him in his presence, daily, live. Oh, I surrender all, oh, I surrender all, all to thee, my blessed Savior. I surrender all oh to Jesus. Jesus, I surrender Holy at His feet. I bow Worldly pleasures all forsaken. Take me, jesus, take me now. Oh, I surrender all, savior. I surrender all, all to Jesus. I surrender, lord, I give myself to thee. Fill me with thy love and power, let thy blessing fall on me. Oh, I surrender all. Yes, I surrender all, all to thee, my blessed Savior. I surrender all to Jesus, I surrender. Now. I feel the sacred flame.
Speaker 1:Oh, the joy of the Lord. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, thank you for today. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to have church here at home. You said where two or three are gathered in my name. Dear, you are in their midst and we thank you that you are here with us. Lord, because we are gathering in your name, Lord, I pray that you will teach us more about you. Help us to be more like you. Give us the grace, Lord. Grace, Lord, and your word says that your Holy Spirit will give us the power to obey your will and you will give us the desire to obey your will, Lord. We ask for both of you this morning, Lord, and we ask for both of them for each day of our life going forward. Give us the grace, Lord, the power and the desire to do your will. Teach us now as we open up your Bible. Teach us about you and your word and help us to hide it in our hearts. We pray on your access in Jesus' name Amen.
Speaker 1:Let's open up our Bible for John, chapter 1. And I'm going to give out some verses that you guys know I always do. Can you guys read for me John chapter 1. So we're all going to read John chapter 1, but after that I'm going to give you guys our verses, okay For you guys to read? We're going to start off in John, chapter 1.
Speaker 1:And even though we call this church, we're not having church like your regular church, right? You know how most of the time in church, nobody says anything, nobody asks a question, right? No one. It's only the preacher preaching. No one has the opportunity to say anything. For one reason or another, they don't allow it or it's just not a common practice.
Speaker 1:But when we read Matthew, mark, luke and John, when Jesus then met in the synagogue, or when the disciples had a church, people asked questions, didn't they right? It wasn't just the speaker or the preacher talking, they were interacting. So it's not wrong. If you have a question in the middle of the sermon, feel free to ask it. Okay, we understand that. We're setting that as a ground limit If you guys have questions or want to say anything, specific questions, because if we go through just saying everybody want to share something, and church will never end right. I know that's one thing that churches are afraid of other people taking over the service, but if you have questions and you want to interact, feel free to ask them. If you don't understand something, so that we can pair it up before we end.
Speaker 2:Understood.
Speaker 1:Any questions? Alright, Could you read the altar of the Bible? When they had church, people were interacting with the person speaking and teaching. Okay, so we want to try to get back to those, to how they had church in the beginning, the first century church, and not the tradition that we've come to know nowadays. So in John, chapter 1, we're going to be focusing on verses 1 through 29 and as we go through these verses we want to want to keep them. I'm not keeping our minds. Who is the verse talking about? Right, start with verse 1. It says in the In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Okay, so Scripture here makes a clear indication in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God. So what does that mean? Is it talking about two different things or one same thing?
Speaker 4:It's the same thing.
Speaker 1:Right? No, it said in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God. He was alongside God, he was with God. Do you still think it's the same thing? Doesn't it make a separation? In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God.
Speaker 4:But then you said and the Word was we didn't get to that part yet. Yes, I thought we did read the whole. Thing.
Speaker 1:No, let's stop there. Well, yeah, we probably did it. I probably read the whole thing, but we're going to get to that point. It says in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So it may appear to be confusion, doesn't it? Doesn't it seem to be that way, because when it first starts off, it talks about in the beginning was the Word, okay, one thing, and then it said the Word was with God. Now we're talking about two things. And then the Word was God. Now we're back to one thing again. Is the Bible meant to be confusing? It's not meant to be confusing, because we remember what one of the disciples said I write to you so that you would know that you have eternal life, so that you would know. So the Bible is not meant to be confusing, but it can be if we're not students of the word. So let's look at it. The word was God. The word in the beginning was the Word Right, the Word was with God, two things, and then the Word was God. Not in the library, back to one? No, but it's saying that there is two separate entities here. But there are one and the same, but there are two separate entities.
Speaker 1:I always like to use the, the example of H2O, remember. Remember the example I like to use. H2o is the chemical equivalent. For what water? You have the solid form, which we call what. What's solid water? Ice. What's the liquid form Water. And then we have a third form of H3O that we can't see Evaporation, condensation, however you want to call it, but there's three forms of it, three different entities, but in three different forms.
Speaker 1:Now my question to you is who's the word? Because it goes on and talks more about it, right? Because it says here, in verse 3, look at what it says in verse 2, and then we get to verse 3. The same was in the beginning with God. They're still talking about who, the Word or God, who was with God in the beginning, the Word or God? The Word was with God in the beginning, verse 3,.
Speaker 1:All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made. Are we talking about God or the Word? We still. We're talking about the Word, we're talking about the word. Now, when you all, when you boil it all down, joseph, yeah, it is God, because the three are one in itself. It's almost like saying me and you are one son because you came from me, me and you are one. And when you have a grandson, all three of us are one because we all came from each other. Our DNA is the same. You understand what I'm saying, but there's still three different entities. Now, when you have a son and I have a grandson, that's what I mean.
Speaker 1:All things were made by him and without him was not anything made. That was made In him was not anything made. That was made in him was life, and the life was the life of men. So the word is the source of life for all of us. The word is what gave us all life at birth. They're talking about the word, the word of life. And who do we know to be the word of life? Who does scripture teach us is the word of life? Nobody knows Jesus. Huh, what did you say?
Speaker 1:I can't tell if you're being rhetorical, but I was going to say Jesus, jesus, no, I say I can't tell if you're being rhetorical about his messages. Jesus, no, I wasn't being rhetorical. No, I'll stay away from rhetorical questions during the Bible study. Yeah, but Jesus is what Scripture tells us, that he is the light of all men. Right, he gives life, even to the good people and to the bad people. So what does that tell you? That every man has the opportunity to be saved. Why? Because Jesus gave them life in the beginning. He is the source of their life. They choose to go their own way. They choose to go their own way. That tells me that everyone has a fighting chance to do what's right. Everyone has a fighting chance to be saved. Everyone has a fighting chance to be in heaven. But man choose his own way, or woman choose their own way. And also, look at verse 12. Well, let's read on to verse 12. Let's look at verse 12. Verse 11. Start with verse 11. Well, let's start with verse. I hate to jump and skip verses. Verse 5, we're going to read that to 12. And the light shineth in the darkness, and we know who that light is the Lord, jesus Christ. And the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light that all men, through him, might believe. He was not that light Talking about. John the Baptist was not the light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. And that was the true light, which is Jesus Christ. Which light of every man that cometh into the world, you hear that Light of every man that cometh into the world. You hear that Lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He was in the world when he walked this earth, came as a baby, and they knew him not. He came unto his own. The Jewish people and His own received Him not, but look at verse 12. But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. He gave us the right to be called sons of God. As evil and bad as our hearts is that the Lord Jesus Christ gave us the right to be considered and to be called sons of God, sons and daughters of God, because we couldn't earn that right in and of ourselves, anybody here, perfect? That's rhetorical, I'm sorry. I said I'll stay away from rhetorical questions, but none of us are perfect, right? None of us are. Only by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that we remain perfect. He is the human form of God.
Speaker 1:Look at verse 29. No, not verse 29. Verse 13. Which were born not of blood? Those who he gave the right to become sons of God. Verse 13. Which were born not of blood nor of gave the right to become sons of God. Verse 13. Which were born not of blood, no, of the world of the flesh, no of the world of man, but of God. And here's verse 14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we know who that was. It was so Jesus. Jesus, the word was made flesh and blood among. So we got God the Father and we have Jesus Christ the Son, any question? Verse 29 it says the next day, john see if Jesus coming unto him and said behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. This is he of whom I said after me comes a man which is preferred before me, but he was before me.
Speaker 1:The supremacy of Jesus Christ is set forth in Scripture here in John, chapter 1 in the beginning he was, he was with God and he was God. And without Jesus, nothing was made. And without Jesus, no man can have life, not even to mention eternal life. You can have life period. So if Jesus is the reason why we have life, who does our life really belong to? Does it belong to us or does it belong to him because he gave us life? Because he gave us? So, when we live our lives, we want to ask ourselves the question are we living our lives the way our Maker designed for us to live? Because he gave us life for a reason? Right, he gave us life for a reason. Imagine me inventing a microwave and the microwave gets up one day and says I don't want a microwave, I want to go do something else. Sounds ridiculous, right, I know it sounds ridiculous, but the application is still true. What were you created for? What did God give you life for? And we can't lose sight of that. And it's so easy to lose sight of that. God gave you life. It doesn't matter where you've been, what you've done thus far, you always have the opportunity to turn around and repent and get back to it. What god created you for matthew, chapter 28.
Speaker 1:We know in the in the life of jesus, the story of our lord jesus christ in the Gospel. We know that he ended up being killed, crucified, brutally beaten and hung on a cross. And on the third day he rose again. And when he appeared unto the disciples Slavs, slavs, you know that. And when he rose on the third day after his resurrection, he appeared unto the disciples and to many people, and this was the last commandment that he gave to his disciples before returning back to heaven. And a lot of people and we all treasure the last words of any person, especially right before they die or the last time we saw them we remember the last words they said to us and most of the times, if we know that those are going to be the last words and make it the most important words, at least for the most part.
Speaker 1:Verse 16 here's jesus great commission, and his final words. It says Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them, and when they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go, ye, therefore, and teach them all. I'm sorry. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded you and lo, I am with you even until the end of the world, amen.
Speaker 1:Now notice what he says here in verse 19. He says go. He didn't say sit around, he didn't say wait. He didn't say wait till someone fall upon you, but he says go. He's commanding us to be intentional in this, to be intentional Not just sitting around waiting. Lottie Dimes, oh, they didn't ask me to preach today. No one asked me to help today. He says go. He didn't say wait for an opportunity to present itself, but he said go and notice what he says. After that, he says go ye, therefore, and do what that's not what's horrible and do what that's not rhetorical. And do what and teach. I think there's a difference between teaching and preaching. In my opinion. I think there's a difference between teaching and yelling, in my opinion. I think there's a difference between teaching and motivational speaking. In my opinion, I think there's a difference between teaching and motivational speaking. In my opinion, I think there's a difference between teaching and putting on a show.
Speaker 4:in my opinion, what do I mean?
Speaker 1:by that. There's a lot of people I've been seeing online and the churches online and everything, and I don't hear teaching. I hear motivational speaking, I hear yelling, I hear storytelling. I hear everything else but teaching.
Speaker 1:He says go and teach you know, all right, and that's what Jesus Christ is saying. He wants us to enroll as scholars to teach. He's not telling you to enroll in the school to be a scholar, but that's the kind of attitude, approach that he wants us to have. He wants us to teach people as if we were scholars. Not slap them in the head and say saying receive the Holy Ghost and people fall on the ground, Not punching people and pushing people on the floor, Not running up and down the church. He said to teach. And who does he say to teach? He says all nations, all nations, all nationalities, all people. Racism has no place in the church. Show me a church that has multinational people. I'll show you a good church. Show me a church that only has black people. Hmm, I have a question mark. Show me a church that only has Chinese people. Hmm, I have a question mark. You might say well, actually it's because of the language barrier. Yeah, I understand that, but do you make room for other people? Do you have?
Speaker 1:other services for other people that speak different languages as well? Or is it just to Chinese people? Or is it just to this people? Or just to that people? He says to teach who? All nationalities? It's not about being pro-black, pro-white, pro-chinese, pro-this or pro-that, but do we allow room for all nationalities to fellowship with us, not just ourselves? All nationalities, and do we only help only people that look like us or do we help all people? That's a question we have to ask ourselves. Is your mind fixed or trained to only see the pain of your people? Someone that looks like you, talks like you, acts like you, but do you have the capacity to care about others that don't look like you, don't act like you?
Speaker 1:financial barriers are not part of the equation. How about people that are poorer than you or people that are richer than you? Do you use your favoritism? You should teach them all, poor and rich alike. Culture barriers there's no this church or that church. The Bible transcends all cultures. There's no such thing as culture bearing in the church. The Bible transcends them all.
Speaker 1:Class difference, because in heaven there be no classifications or designated sections in heaven, there won't be heaven. There be no classifications or designated sections in heaven. There are one of them. There will be some with greater rewards than others, but there will be no class Upper class, lower class, middle class, first world country, second world country, third World Country no one. And finally, he says teaching them to observe. Hold on, I'm going ahead of myself. Teach all nations. And then he said baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Three things he said go, be intentional, make disciples to teach them. We're going to find out what Jesus wants us to teach them. And then, third, he said baptize them.
Speaker 1:Baptism is a thing. Jesus Christ wants us to be baptized. Baptism is an outward expression of what has taken place on the inside, where the old person has died went under the water and then a new person in Christ comes out of the water. So baptism is a thing. This is not an Old Testament ritual. Jesus Christ wants you that, if we became Christians, wants us to be baptized to demonstrate to the world that our old self has died and a new self has risen in Jesus Christ. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, verse 20. What do we teach them? Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. So what does Jesus Christ want us to teach people when we make disciples? He says it right there in the scripture let's not resort.
Speaker 6:To hear about things.
Speaker 1:What things which?
Speaker 6:he commanded that's right.
Speaker 1:He said all I have commanded says that uh uh, working ashram, he said all I have to man. Now we want to make a determination to mostly network command. What we think of was the first thing we think of yes, the Ten. Commandments.
Speaker 5:What? What he told his disciples to do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what he told his disciples to do. Mom, what'd you say?
Speaker 4:The Beatitudes, the Beatitudes. That's a good point.
Speaker 1:What are Ten?
Speaker 4:Commandments.
Speaker 1:The Ten Commandments is the first thing I think. Whenever I hear commandments, it's normal to think of the Ten Commandments. But you're right, he commanded his disciples, he gave his commandments to his disciples. That's the first thing I think of the Ten Commandments. But he's not talking about the Ten Commandments. He's talking about what Janelle said, what he commanded his disciples. There is a difference. He's not talking about the Ten Commandments. He says here, clearly teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded you. Chapter 28 of Matthew, verse 20. Teach them to observe all things whatsoever, I have commanded you. He's not referring to the Ten Commandments. He's referring to everything that he commanded you, his directives, everything that he taught His disciples when he walked this earth. Now, does it mean that the Ten Commandments doesn't matter anymore? No, it doesn't mean that. It does not mean that he said everything that I have commanded you. He's not referring to the Ten Commandments. No, because look at some other places where he talked about it.
Speaker 1:I'm going to give out some verses now. Mom, if you could read Matthew, chapter 5, verse 17 through 22. Joseph, keep your fingers at John, chapter 14. You can turn to what Mama's at too, but keep your fingers at the ones that I'm going to hand out. John, chapter 14. I'm going to give you like five verses, joey. I'll give you those five verses when it's your turn to read. Okay, they're spread out, they're not right next to each other, but they're in the same chapter. Aaron, john, chapter 15, 15, verse 14 and 17. Janelle, matthew, chapter 15, verse 36 through 38. Okay, alright, is he referring to the Ten Commandments? No, he's not referring to the Ten Commandments, but he's also not saying that the Ten Commandments doesn't matter either. So what is he saying? What is he talking about? Chapter 17,. I mean chapter 5 of Matthew, verse 17 so he's saying he's not here to get rid of the Ten Commandments.
Speaker 1:He's not saying he's not here to get rid of the ten commandments. He's not saying he's not here to nullify the ten commandments, but he's here to fulfill the ten commandments. What does that mean? He's brought, he's here to make sure that we understand the purpose of the ten commandments, what it really meant. Because when we read the Ten Commandments, we read letters, right, we read black and white thou shalt not kill, thou shalt have no other God, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not covet, and so on and so forth. And we got to the point that if we haven't killed anybody, we think we're okay, we think we fulfilled the Ten Commandments. But Jesus Christ got another thing coming for you. Jesus is saying it is deeper than that that if you hate your brother without cause, you're guilty of murder. See, we was okay with I didn't kill nobody, I didn't pull out a gun and shoot nobody. We think we're cool, we're good. But Jesus Christ said it's deeper than that, it's a whole lot deeper than that.
Speaker 6:That if you hate your brother without reason.
Speaker 1:you're guilty of murder already, Right? That's crazy, ain't it? That's a whole lot more serious than the 10 commandments. Go ahead, Samara.
Speaker 4:Go ahead, snohara, and for verily I say unto you Till heaven and earth pass. One job or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled fill. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men, so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1:All right look at that. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men, so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. One unique thing I see here is that, even though he's talking about someone being a hypocrite someone who teaches the law and breaks the law and teaches other people to keep the law, they're still going to heaven, but they're going to consider these. That's something unique I never caught before. However, the person that does the law and keeps the law and teaches them should be called great. They're not being hypocritical, verse 20.
Speaker 4:For I have said unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and prophecies. Pharisees, sorry, ye, shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1:Okay, so he's not here to get rid of the law, no, he's here to give us a better understanding of what it meant. And the command he sought from God is not the Ten Commandments, it's the command that he gave to the disciples as they walked this earth. It says here in verse 20, just rereading, and these last verses, for I say unto you that, except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. And for the people that were standing there listening to them, that must have been daunting. You mean we got to be more righteous than the Pharisees and the scribes. You mean we gotta be more righteous than the Pharisees and the scribes Because on the outside appearance the Pharisees and the scribes they appeared to be very righteous, but Jesus Christ revealed that on the inside they were full of dead men's bones.
Speaker 1:They were like a whitewashed sepulcher, a coffin that looked all pretty on the inside, all clean and neat, but once you open it up it's full of dead men's bones. So the righteousness that he was speaking of was the righteousness that he would bring through belief in him and trust in him. Joseph, here is where Jesus, joseph, here is where Jesus Christ mentioned his commands, not the Ten Commandments, but his commands.
Speaker 6:John, chapter 14, verse 15 if you love me, keep my commandments and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comfort okay, see, he's not talking about the Ten Commandments, he's talking about His commandments.
Speaker 1:If you love me, you shall keep what I have commanded you. My commandments Was that all of verse 15?
Speaker 6:Yeah, Okay, verse 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, but I will love him and will manifest myself to him.
Speaker 1:Look at that. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them. Is he talking about the Ten Commandments? No, he's talking about his commandments. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and I will manifest myself to him. So the question what are Jesus Christ's commandments?
Speaker 1:That should put onus on us to find out what those were right. That should put onus on us to find out what those were right, because he makes a bold statement he that hath my commandments and keepeth them. He it is that love me. Now, if we don't know what those commandments are, how can we demonstrate love to Jesus Christ, if not accidentally? That should put a desire in our hearts to find out what those commandments are. What are those commandments that he talked about in Matthew, mark, luke and John when he walked this earth? Because the entire New Testament is dedicated to that. You guys do realize that, right, the entire New Testament, from from Acts to Revelation, is dedicated to the commands of Christ, because that is what Paul, peter, philemon, letters to Philemon, letters to Timothy, letters to the Galatians, letters to the Ephesians, all of those were based on the commands of Jesus Christ, on the life of Jesus Christ, and they were reinforced with the Old Testament prophecy. So if we don't know the commandments, how do we demonstrate love for Him? So that should put in all of our hearts a desire to learn what those commandments are right, and that's what we want to be talking about every time we have church is talking about Jesus Christ's commands.
Speaker 1:What did Jesus Christ teach? Matter of fact, that is the test of all preaching. When you hear someone preach, if you don't hear these two things in their preaching, you know their preaching is garbage. You know those two things? Yeah, garbage. Alright, we're going to use our modern terms today. Their preaching is garbage. What are the two things? If you don't hear Jesus's own words and his life, how to carry it out? The preaching is garbage. Use that as a test for the next sermon that you listen to.
Speaker 2:Am I hearing Jesus' words, or am I?
Speaker 1:hearing the preacher just telling stories good stories and motivational speaking and telling about their experiences and their dreams, or somebody else's experiences and dreams. Did they quote one time Jesus' words? Did they share Jesus' words? Or are they sharing their words? How they feel about something and God, they live it. How does this apply to me? How can I live Godly living? How does this apply to me? How can I live Godly? Use that as the test for your next sermon. Jesus says go and teach them right Everything that I commanded Right. Why are we teaching what we command? Oh, we want. We want to motivate Verse 20. You read 21 already, son 23 now.
Speaker 6:Jesus answered and said unto him If a man love me, he will keep my words and my Father will love him and will come unto him and make our abode at sea.
Speaker 1:Look at that If a man love me, he will keep my what? My words? My words, what are his commandments? His words, right, alright, he's not talking about the Ten Commandments, folks. It says there in 23,. Jesus answered, john, chapter 14, verse 23,. Jesus answered and said unto him if a man loved me, he will keep my words. He's not talking about the Ten Commandments. He will keep my words and my Father will love, love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. That's an necessary statement. We will come unto him and make our abode with him.
Speaker 6:Verse 24 he that loveth me not, keepetheth not my saying, for the word which he heareth is not mine, but the Father's which sendeth.
Speaker 1:That's pretty specific. He ain't talking about the Ten Commandments, folks.
Speaker 6:Verse 26, which is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name. For the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance. Whatsoever I have said unto you.
Speaker 1:Okay. Will he bring to your remembrance the Ten Commandments? No, it says here whatsoever I have said unto you. You see the emphasis Jesus Christ is putting on his words, his commands, and where do we find them? In the Gospels when it talks about the life of Jesus Christ, when he talks to people. Here are specific teachings that Jesus Christ taught and he wants us to follow them and teach them to other people. And this is true discipleship. This is true discipleship making. It's when we teach people what Jesus said, not what I said, not what I want, but what Jesus said. That is true discipleship. That is true discipleship. John, chapter 15. I gave that to Aaron.
Speaker 6:Verse 14 and 17. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command Henceforth. I call you not servants, for the servant oath not what his Lord doeth, but I have called you friends For all things. Have I heard of my Father? I have made known to you Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and regained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain, that whosoever shall, whosoever ye shall ask for the father, my name may give it to you these- things I command you that you love one another?
Speaker 1:all right. So if we have a confusion about the Ten Commandments, look at what he said. These things I command you that ye love one another, alright. Matthew, chapter 15, verse 1 through 6. I'll give that to you now. Can you read that for us today? Matthew, chapter 15, verse 1 through 6.
Speaker 5:Then came to Jesus Christ, the Pharisees which were in Jerusalem saying why did I decide to transgress the tradition of the elders? For they walked not through him to meet me, but and he answered and said to them why did ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Speaker 1:For God commanded, saying Now what?
Speaker 5:is he?
Speaker 1:talking about here King's commandments or his mother, which have been freed. We're talking about the commandments of Jesus Christ. Now he makes a differentiation. When he's talking about the law, he points that out. This is the commandment of God that the Pharisees were breaking, that they were allowing a loophole for a man or woman to disrespect their parents and not honor their father and mother, and the loophole that they were using. They were saying well, you know, I'm only giving this only because God wants me to give this to you, or I'm helping you, mom and dad, only because God told me to do it.
Speaker 1:You know how disrespectful that is. That's disrespectful to your mom and your dad. It's like saying, if God didn't tell me to do it, I wouldn't do it Right. It's like saying if God didn't tell me to do it, I wouldn't do it Right. That's kind of like a low-key. What do you call that? A low-key disrespect or a low-key diss to your parents? Jesus said how do you allow someone to be free? What do you mean? You only do it until God tells you to do it. Matthew 22, genesis, verse 36-38. Matthew 22, verse 36 through 38.
Speaker 1:Alright, so he's specifically talking about the commandments here, which are the Ten Commandments Specifically, and read verse 39 as well, and 40.
Speaker 5:And the second is like unto it, thou shalt not send any man as thyself on these two commandments, saying all the law is his own.
Speaker 1:Alright, listen to that. So when he's talking about the Ten Commandments, he specifically makes sure that he makes a differentiation, but when he talks about his commandments, there's something totally different. It's what he's teaching his disciples, and you can find his commandments even in this, because he designated two of the Ten Commandments as the greatest of all commandments that if you did this, you would fulfill all the Ten Commandments, which is is love the lord, your god, with all your heart, mind and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. There are specific things he wants us to learn and to teach other people. Is this a new teaching that I'm talking about here? To commence, that Jesus Christ gave to us and he expects us and wants us to follow. It's not a new teaching. I'm going to give out some more verses Mom, matthew chapter 13, verse 51 and 52. Joseph, matthew chapter 7, verse 24 through 29. Aaron, matthew chapter 7, verse 21-23. Janelle, matthew, chapter 7, verse 15-20. And Janice, you have Matthew, chapter 28, verse 20.
Speaker 1:Okay, your verse is going to be Matthew, chapter 7, verse 24 through 29. Alright, your verse is Matthew, chapter 7, verse 15 through 20. Let's all turn to Matthew, chapter 13. Hold your verses on your ones I gave you.
Speaker 4:Let's all turn to Matthew, chapter 13, verse 51 and 52. Jesus said unto them have ye understood all these things? They said unto him Yea Lord. Then said he unto them Therefore, every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man, that is a householder which bringeth forth out of his shadow things new and old.
Speaker 1:All right, listen to this guys.
Speaker 1:It says Jesus said unto them have ye understood all these things? They say unto him yes, lord, we understood all these things. Now, what things is he talking about? Right, because we just jumped to verse 51, didn't we? What things is Jesus Christ talking about? Well, he's talking about Right, because we just jumped to verse 51, didn't we? What things is Jesus Christ talking about? Well, he's talking about the parables that he gave them.
Speaker 1:And the parables started. It started really in the beginning, at verse 1 of chapter 15, of chapter, I'm sorry, chapter 13. It really started at verse 1 1, but we don't have the time to go through every last parable. But the first parable was the parable of the sower. Remember that there was a man that went went to a place and he was scattering seed. Some fell on good ground, some fell on bad ground. The next parable the wheat and the tares. How god gathers the wheat and it's also in his barn and he burns up the tares. No, there was a man that went into god's garden and he planted tares among the wheat, which is weeds and um, and the person that tended the garden said do you want us to go ahead and pull up the tariffs to the wheat and the owner of the garden said no, let them grow together and at the end of harvest we'll separate them. At that time, talking about the end of the world judgment. Then he gave the parable of the mustard seed in verse 31. That, if you have the shape of a mustard seed being so small and that mustard seed die and plant, it grows up to be a big old tree.
Speaker 1:Then he gives a parable about the 11th in verse 33. How a little leaven yeast works through a whole batch of dough. He's talking about his word. How, just a little bit of his word. If we hide it in our hearts, it'll saturate our entire soul. If we hide it in our hearts, it will saturate our entire soul. And he goes on to explain the parables.
Speaker 1:Then he talks about the buried treasure. These are shorter, so let's read these shorter ones, okay, before we go further. It says verse 44, in chapter 13. Remember, in verse 51, he said Did y'all guys understand all these things? And they said, yeah, lord. Well, let's read some of the things that he talked about. Remember, in verse 51 he said did y'all guys understand all these things? And they say, yeah, lord. Well, let's read some of the things that he talked about. I bypassed the other ones because there are longer parables. Here are some short ones.
Speaker 1:Verse 44 again the kingdom of heaven is light unto treasure, but hid in the field and the which, when men, when a man hath found it, he hideth and for joy therefore, goeth and selleth all that he hath and he buyeth the field. It's like someone walking through a field and he finds something very valuable in that field. Because that field didn't belong to him, he put it back and buried it and he went and got all the money he could and bought the entire field Because he saw the treasure that was in that church. He said that's like the kingdom of heaven. When someone finds out about the kingdom of heaven, they surrender all to the kingdom of heaven. Verse 45, again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls who when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and saw all that he had and he bought it.
Speaker 1:Another parable it says again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew it to shore and sat down and gathered the good, which is the good, fishes, into the vessels, but it cast the bad ones away. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angel shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. There should be whirling and gnashing of teeth talking about judgment day. Those are some serious parables, aren't they? And so Jesus Christ says have you understood all these things that they said of him? Yea, and this is what I like, what mom read. Then he said unto them therefore, every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, guess who he wants us to be? He wants us to be like scribes. Every person that is instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. So how can he bring forth things that are both new and old? Here's what I'll tell you new because you've never seen or heard them before. Old because it was always there. It was always there. Have you ever read the Bible and something pops out to you for the very first time and you read that same verse 10,000 times? But 10,001 is like whoa. I never saw this. This is new, but it was always there. Jesus Christ saying the teachings of the kingdom of heaven is just like that. We may not understand it until at a certain time. Maybe it's because God, maybe we're not ready to understand it at the time that we've read it before, or maybe it's because we're not reading it with a teachable heart or a student intention. We're just reading it out of motions, just going through the motions. But it says that the one that is well, how do you say Well, the word is not vested, vetted in the things of God's kingdom is like someone that brings out of his treasures both things that are new and old. It's new because, man, we never saw it that way before. And I'm going to tell you, man, there's a lot of things that I read in the Bible. I look around and I'm like whoa, we're not doing this as a church. We're not doing it at all. We're actually doing the opposite, and it's been in the Bible the whole time. So why are we not doing it Now?
Speaker 1:We want to subtract the things that he said to specific people, like when Zacchaeus was in the tree. He said Zacchaeus, come down. Alright, he only spoke to Zacchaeus. That only applied to Zacchaeus at that time, right. When he spoke to the demon-possessed man, when he said, come out of him and he told those demons to go into the pigs, he only spoke to that demon-possessed man. It applied only to him. So if you had to subtract all of those things and there were times that he spoke specifically to the Pharisees, you whitewashed walls and so on and so forth whoa to you, pharisees, whoa to this, whoa to that. He didn't say that to you, he said it to the Pharisees, right? So we subtract all those things where he spoke to the people directly, specifically Satan and the Pharisees. We will find his commandments where he meant for all of us, for all of us.
Speaker 1:Now, how important are these commandments? Are these even important If we just read our Bible? Isn't that enough, ashley? Isn't that enough? That's good, that's a good start, but are His commandments important? Let's look at it. Is it really important that we know His commandments and teach them? Matthew 7, verse 24-29. Joseph, can you read it like you're the only one who's depending on reading? Can you read it like you're the only one who's depending on hearing it from?
Speaker 1:Meaning loud and clear. Matthew 7, verse 24-29. How important are these commandments that you need to do?
Speaker 6:Therefore, if you still overhear these sayings of mine and do with them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell. Fell not, for it was founded upon the rock. All right, now, listen to that and everyone that you can stop, jim.
Speaker 1:It says whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, what are you saying? It's commandments, right? Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a man that built this house on the rock. Now we're in this house, right? Let's say a hurricane comes. Is that a time to party, to have a party? Well, if we were in Miami, they'd be having hurricane parties, but we're not in Miami. It's not a time to party. That's a hardship, right, that's a problem. We can't even go outside in the middle of a hurricane because of the potential of danger and harm.
Speaker 1:Jesus Christ says that the person that hears these words of mine is like a man that built his house on a rock. The rains came down, the wind blew and beat against the house, and the house went nowhere. It's still strong. That's what he's comparing to. How important is his word? His command is so important that we obey them and live by them. When hard times come our way, we'll be able to stand in those hard times Because of His Word that we hide in our heart, we'll have a solid foundation. His Word is a solid foundation. Does it mean that any of the other words in the Bible is not solid. No, it's not saying that, but Jesus Christ specifically saying here that we obey his command and his saying, we will have a solid foundation. Continue on Joseph, verse 29.
Speaker 6:But everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish Alright. So how do we liken the person that hears His Word were astonished at his doctrine, for he had taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
Speaker 1:So how do we liken the person that hears his word and doesn't do them.
Speaker 1:He calls them foolish. He calls them foolish the guy that does do it. He calls them wise. Well, consider him wise. He calls them wise. The one that does it is wise. The one that does it is foolish. How important is it for us to listen to his commandments? It's important. Your life depends on it. The stability of your Christian life depends on it. You ever wonder why you struggle with something you just can't overcome. Are you following his commandments? You ever wonder why, when hard times come and it takes a big toll on you, are you following his commandments, listening to him? Do you have a solid foundation? What are his commandments? What are his things? What are his saying? What have I been missing all this time? We find it in Matthew, mark, luke and John.
Speaker 1:Let's look at another example why it's important Verse 21 through 23. Aaron Matthew, chapter 7, verse 21 through 23.
Speaker 6:Not every man that saith unto me, lord lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father, which is in heaven. Many will say to me that day, lord lord, have we not prophesied? In thy name, and in thy name I cast out devils, in thy name done many wonderful works verse 23 and then will I profess unto them I never knew depart from me.
Speaker 1:Ye, that were alright, that's pretty self-explanatory, right? A lot of people want to think that they can get into heaven. People that actually preach, people that actually believe that they cast out demons, people that actually believe that they cast out demons, people that actually believe they did miracles. Scripture says Jesus said I never even knew you, right? Imagine how many fellowships and churches are filled with people like that. Imagine how many pastors and preachers fall under that category. There's a lot, and a lot of famous ones too. Yeah, some have been to Diddy's party and he exposed I lied. And Jesus said I never even knew you. Away from me, you, workers of iniquities. Other scripture says, other translation says ye, that practice wickedness, evil doers. You know what iniquity means when you boil it all down, it means doing your own thing. You're not doing it. Commandments not listening to his words. You're doing your own thing, what you want to do. Heaven and hell depends on time point. How important is Christ's command? Heaven or hell depends on it. Janelle, john 15, verse 20. Why is it?
Speaker 5:important Wait, I have.
Speaker 1:John 15? Yes, Matthew 7, verse 15 through 20. Oh, did I say it wrong?
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Oh, matthew, 7, 15 through 20.
Speaker 5:Do you wear a false prophet, which comes to you in the first morning but is every day out of raven and wolves? You shall never wear other fruits. Do men gather grapes of the love of perfect services? Even so, every good tree can be put to good food, but a corrupt tree can be put to evil food. A good tree cannot be put to evil food, neither can a corrupt tree be put to good food. Every tree that be put to good food is hung down and passed into a fire, wherefore by their fruits ye shall not live.
Speaker 1:Alright, is it important for us to know the commandments of crime? Beware of false prophets. There's a saying that the way that the FBI and CIA are able to recognize counterfeit money is that they study the real thing. They know the real thing so that when they see the fake thing it's pretty obvious. Jesus Christ said Beware of false prophets. It says they come to you in sheep's clothing. They look nice, they talk nice, they sound nice, but inside they're ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruit. Can a good tree bear bad fruit? No. Can a bad tree bear good fruit? No. When Can a good tree bear bad fruit? No. Can a bad tree bear good fruit? No.
Speaker 1:When I was a kid, we had a mango tree in our backyard. I think we had two of them. One of them, it produced mangoes, and every time you cut into the mango, for the most part it was good, but there was always one spot in each mango that was black and I never wanted to eat from that tree again. Almost every mango. For the most part it was good, but in that mango there was an area of that mango that was black on the inside and if you didn't cut it with a knife and take it out piece by piece, you would never notice it.
Speaker 1:You would probably just eat a whole, just like that, the dog piece, and it is nasty. So it was not only that. The fruit was bad, the tree itself was bad. That tree should have been cut down and gotten rid of, because almost every fruit had that black spot in it, and that was a bad tree. And that's the same as a person.
Speaker 1:That's the test of a preacher, that's the test of anybody that comes to you and try to peddle God's word. Do they have bad character? That's not a mistake. Did they say something bad and be like oops, that's not a mistake. Or did they do something very, very bad that they shouldn't have done? That's not a mistake. Something's up with that.
Speaker 1:A pastor should not be breaking kids. A pastor should not be having a male boyfriend. A pastor should not be stealing money. A pastor should not be at Diddy's parties. That's bad truth. Something's wrong there. You can only pretend for so long. Mistakes is like if a pastor yells at somebody, okay, that's a character flaw. Pastor curses, that's a character flaw. Okay, that's something that we all probably struggle with. But an action that hurts someone else directly and indirectly. No, something's wrong. You shouldn't be a pastor, you shouldn't be a preacher. Something's wrong.
Speaker 1:And scripture gives you direction for people who want to be pastors, people want to be elders, people want to be teachers. Scripture tells you this is the qualification. If you don't need this qualification, you should not be a pastor or preacher or a. It's right there in the Bible. So is it important to know Christ's commandments and to do them? It is.
Speaker 1:You can read Matthew, mark, luke and John yourself and write down the times that Jesus Christ gave commandments and follow them. And the very first command he gave we find it in Matthew, chapter 4. Here's the very first one Matthew, chapter 4. Verse 17. It says from that time, jesus began to preach and to say repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. That's his very first command. He wants all men everywhere to repent, to repent.
Speaker 1:And Jesus Christ gave us a promise if we follow his commands, janice, matthew chapter 28, verse 20. What does he say? Okay, he gives us a promise, teaching them to observe all the things that I have commanded you and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen, jesus Christ promises to be with us to the very end, to the very end. Is this commandment important? Yes, it is. Should we try to figure out what they are? Yes, we should Read Matthew, mark, luke and John. It talks about the life of Jesus Christ, the conversations that he had, and you will find the commands of Christ. The very first one that he says Matthew, chapter 4, verse 17, is repent. The very first one. You guys have any questions At all? No questions. Any recommendation for a song?
Speaker 6:Hmm.
Speaker 1:I have one, but you guys can feel free if you have another one as well, all right, we want to have 467. If you have a Bible like this, when we all get to heaven. If you don't have a hymn like this, let go. When we all get to heaven, 467.
Speaker 3:It's 6, so perfect, it's 6, so perfect. It's six, so perfect, it's six so perfect.
Speaker 2:Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, sing his mercy and his grace In the mansions, bright and blessed, he's prepared for us of late. Oh, when we all get to heaven, what a day that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout victory, victory. We'll tread the streets of gold. Oh, when we all get to heaven, what a terrific, wonderful thing that will be. Then, when we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the glory, sing and shout victory. Come on, mama, sing it. When we all get to heaven, when we all see Jesus, we will sing and shout victory and shout the victory. We're gonna sing, we're gonna sing, we're gonna sing, we're gonna shout hallelujah. Thank you, jesus. You see, you see, you see, you see, you see, you see, you see, you see, you see, you see.
Speaker 1:You see, you see Amen, and I pray that we all here realize how obeying your commands is setting the foundation of our faith. It reassures us, lord, that we're building it on a solid foundation, which is your word and the way you live. I pray also, lord, that you all have a spark in our hearts to read our Bibles, lord, to Matthew, mark, luke and John about your life, how you live this life, and the command that he gave us in this life. It's not to nullify the Ten Commandments or any other scripture not at all, lord but it's to fulfill it. Just as you said that you didn't come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. You didn't come to create confusion but to clear up all misunderstandings about the law, and therefore you gave us your command.
Speaker 1:The law says thou shalt not kill. You said that even if we're angry with someone for no reason, we're guilty of murdering that person. Already. You said thou shalt not commit adultery. The law said thou shalt not commit adultery. You said that if we look at a woman with lust in our hearts, we've already committed adultery with that person in our hearts. Stoke in our hearts, lord, in our spirits, in our soul, a desire to learn what they are. Now. We hunger, lord, to read your word and learn what those commands are and the things that you taught, and I pray again and ask that you give us the grace, lord, the desire to apply it to our life and the power to apply it to our life. The scripture says you work in us to will and to work according to your great purpose. Give us this saying Lord, give us this willingness and give us this ability to work, to apply it to our life. I pray and I ask this in Jesus' name Amen, amen.
Speaker 6:Alright, thank you.
Speaker 4:Thank you, good luck, alright now go to your neighbor and say hello and welcome.
Speaker 1:Thank you for coming. Thank you, I think it's message to the city. Yes, sir, alright, guys, I'll tell the devil. I'll tell the devil to love you. What did she say? God's peace on earth. I don't know. I'll tell the devil. Hey, you know what? You're missing a man. Why are you walking around the church? Huh, huh. All right, did you listen? Did you learn anything? You did? All right, cool, thank you you.