Jesus The Greatest Teacher - Part 2 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley Jr., pastor of the Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church. Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise, Thou forest of my God and King, Thou triumphs of His grace. This is LeSaire Bradley Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. Pray, thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me, As thou didst break the walls beside the sea, Now through the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord. My spirit fasts for Thee, O living Word. Teach me to live, dear Lord, only for Thee, As Thy disciples live in Galilee. Then all my struggles soar, then everyone, I shall behold Thee, Lord, the living One.

I encourage you to take time to write and let us know that you've listened to the program. Our address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Today we continue the message, Jesus, the Greatest Teacher. The text is John 1313.

You call me Master and Lord, and ye do well, for so I am. We'll first observe that, without question, Jesus was a teacher, and that being the case, He was obviously the greatest teacher. And we're talking about what Jesus taught, and we'll finally conclude with what does Jesus command us to teach. And then, let's further say, or those 18 upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell. Now there's no detail given us about that.

We don't know if these people were standing there observing the tower, or if they just happened to be walking by, and at that moment the tower fell and killed 18 people. Think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem. I tell you, nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. So failure to repent is not just an option that, if it suits your case, if you want to do it, if you're inclined to do so, repent, but if you don't, it doesn't really matter.

That's not what Jesus taught. Jesus said, if you don't repent, you're going to perish. And then He was talking about the lost sheep. Man has a hundred sheep in his fold, but one has gone astray. What's going to be his response to this situation?

Will he go after this one or say that one doesn't really matter? No, he goes after that one lost sheep and brings it back safely to the fold. And Luke 15, 7 says, I say unto you that likewise shall joy be in heaven. This man that brings the lost sheep back is rejoicing. It's a happy time, rejoicing that the lost sheep is found. I tell you that there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety-nine just persons which need no repentance.

That certainly elevates this issue to a high place, does it not? If there's joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, that's a pretty important matter. Some skeptic says, hold up heaven, don't rejoice yet. All this fellow's done is repent.

We don't know if he's sincere or genuine. We'll wait and rejoice later, but heaven doesn't wait. Man repents and there's joy in heaven. Well, if there's joy in heaven, there ought to be joy in the church.

If there's joy in heaven, there ought to be joy in all of our hearts when someone repents. Not only so, but Jesus taught the necessity of believing. John chapter 3 verse 14, this is in his conversation with Nicodemus. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Just as that serpent was put on the pole and those who were bitten by the serpent would look, they would live.

Look and live was the message. So Jesus Christ will be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life.

So what's it saying? Those who believe in him will not perish. The implication is that the ones who do not believe in him are going to perish. And it goes on to explain that. Verse 18, he that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Language couldn't be plainer. The one that believes is not condemned. The one who does not believe is condemned already.

Then the 36th verse of the same chapter. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but what?

The wrath of God abideth on him. So again, the matter of believing is not optional. John tells us in his first epistle that one who denies that Jesus Christ is the Son of God calls God a liar. So the person who rejects the testimony is obviously sinning, calling God a liar. The person who believes the testimony, believes on Jesus Christ, repenting of his sin and trusting Christ and him alone for his salvation is not condemned. The one who does not believe is condemned already. In John chapter 8 verse 24 Jesus says this, I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins, for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. What's the result of dying in sin? It's important that a man wants to die and after this is judgment and if one stands in the presence of God at the great judgment without his sin being covered, without the sin debt being cancelled and paid for, without one to intercede for him, he's condemned.

Condemned forever. John 14 6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Nobody comes to the Father by good works, by religious exercise, by sincerity. Oh how many people today with a pragmatic view that prevails will say, I just believe that if a person is sincere that's what counts.

I just believe there's good in all religion and some approach it one way and some another but though that if a person is sincere everything will be fine. That's not what Jesus taught. Jesus said, I am the way, I am the truth, I'm the life. Faith is the gift of God but it is not some dormant quality. It is through faith that one believes. By grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves.

It is the gift of God not of works unless any man should boast. So just as God grants repentance he gives faith but the one to whom repentance is granted repents. The one to whom faith is given believes.

Certainly Jesus did not suggest by calling on men to repent or believe, by preaching the gospel that men could come to faith by an action of their own free will. In Matthew chapter 16 and the 15th verse, he saith unto them, the question had been raised, who do men say that I am? So Simon Peter answered and said, thou art the Christ the Son of the living God.

Now listen carefully. And Jesus answered and said unto him, blessed art thou Simon Barjona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven. We're to be faithful in preaching the gospel. We are to call on all men to repent. We are to call on men to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But we know that for that preaching to have any impact, to be effective, it must be the result of God's work.

Peter you didn't come to this on your own. Flesh and blood didn't reveal it to you. It's been revealed unto you by my Father which is in heaven. So the fact is, Jesus Christ himself taught the doctrines of grace. He taught total depravity. Already we looked at the passage in John 665 that no man can come to me except for giving him of my Father.

That's man's inability to come by an act of free will. He taught unconditional election when he prayed the prayer to the Father in John 17 9. He said, I pray for them.

I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for thereby. Who were the ones who were giving him of the Father? They were the elect of God.

They were the ones that the Father chose and gave them as a love gift to his Son. Jesus taught the doctrine of particular redemption. John 10 15, as the Father knoweth me even so know I the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Redemption was special in particular. He died for those who were given to him by the Father and he secured them. Jesus taught the doctrine of effectual calling. John 6 37, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me.

Effectual calling, effectual drawing. He taught perseverance. Matthew 24 13, he that shall endure to the end shall be saved. And then he gives the other side of it, the preservation. John 13 1, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. So as one perseveres, they give evidence that they're being preserved, that they belong to the Lord.

Now the next question. What does Jesus command us to teach? Well, let's look at his disciples in those early days and also observe his specific instructions. Mark 6 12 says, and they went out, talking about his disciples, they went out and preached that men should repent. Now somebody might hear those disciples preaching or hear Jesus preaching and say, hold up here. You didn't say a word about grace.

You didn't say anything about election. All you did was preach repent. Well, those fundamental doctrines of grace were certainly expounded at other times. But there is a place to call on men to repent and pray that the Spirit of God will use that to convict them and bring them to repentance. Here's the example of the disciples.

Here's the message to us. Matthew chapter 28 verse 18. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 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'm with you all the way even unto the end of the world.

I've actually heard some say, oh, that's already been fulfilled. We don't have to be concerned about that. These are the words of Jesus addressed to his followers. If we're following Jesus, it applies to us today. First it says we're to go. We're not to be indifferent about his message, we're to be excited about it. We want to see it scattered abroad. We want to have others hear it. We are to go. Well, not everybody's going to be able to go at some distant place.

There are those who feel burdened to go overseas and we're thankful for those who are laboring in those places. But your going may be just to your neighbor next door, may be just to somebody that you work with, somebody that you meet on the street, have conversation with them. I've found so often how interesting it is to converse with somebody and I've asked numerous people this question. Some I was acquainted with, some I just didn't met. I said, I want to ask you a question.

If you died today and stood in the presence of God, on what basis would you expect him to let you live in heaven? As far as I can tell, nobody ever got mad at me asking that question. But they would sometimes look a little bit startled. Sometimes say, well, I never thought of that before. And so I asked somebody that this past week. And they thought, thought, said, well, I think on a scale of one to ten I'd be a seven.

I said, well, you're in deep trouble. God doesn't judge on the scale of human thinking and reasoning. He doesn't grade on the curve. God requires perfection. And if you're only a seven, you've missed it.

We've all missed it. We're all sinners. We've all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We need Jesus Christ and He's the only Savior.

So let us go. Now, what's our mission? Well, from a negative standpoint, somebody would say, well, I think we ought to find God's elect and preach to Him. I think these messages only belong to God's elect.

I've never seen anybody with an E stamped on their forehead so we could identify the elect. We're to preach the gospel to all, knowing that only those who are God's elect will respond to it. But we don't know who they are. So we're to go preaching wherever God gives us opportunity. Somebody said, well, I just think you ought to congregate God's children. The message is for the children of God and instruct them. Well, God's children need instruction. But all men need to hear the message God calls all men to repent. Somebody says, well, I just think that any time you find an admonition, even a call to repent, that has only to do with the Christian life now and has no eternal implications. But that's not what we find in Scripture.

He says, we're to go. Go in spite of obstacles. The Apostle Paul suffered, oh, how much that man suffered in his ministry. But he didn't quit going until long as he lived.

In spite of being beaten, in spite of being in prison, in spite of all kinds of infirmities, he continued to go preaching the gospel. So from a positive standpoint, we're to go trusting God to bless His word. We're to go, though it might be out of our comfort zone. As a matter of fact, he says, go teaching all nations.

So you don't just pick out a select group. You preach to all nations. Go teaching all nations. Now, what are we to teach? Well, the wrong view of it would be we're going to have to bring a message of prosperity. That's a popular message today that many have concluded that if we preach, Christianity is a religion that promises you good health and prosperity, people will accept it. But the problem is that's not the message that Jesus preached. And that's not what we're to preach. Jesus said, if you follow me, you're going to have a lot of tribulation.

Somebody said, I don't think I want that. Well, the person that's genuinely moved upon with the Holy Spirit moves forward nevertheless. Or somebody says, what are we to teach? Let's teach something that won't offend people. Let's leave out the message of repentance.

People don't want to hear that. They want to come to church so they can go away feeling good about themselves. But if we're going to preach what Jesus preached, we're going to preach men are to repent. We're to preach the gospel that Jesus preached. That message calls for men to repent and recognize his lordship. As a matter of fact, it calls for those who repent to be baptized.

It's not just a matter of verbally confessing, I've repented to my sin, I'm believing on Jesus, but there's to be a public declaration of it by being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And what is his promise? I will be with you always, even unto the end of the world. I will be with you when the COVID-19 virus is disrupting our schedules.

He still says, I'll be with you to the end of the world. When the economy is struggling. When the challenges are particularly great. When there's much animosity against Christianity as there is in this country today. I will be with you. What a promise! You sometimes may feel alarmed, discouraged, disheartened, and wondered what the future holds for us as we endeavor to preach the gospel. But we have the promise.

He is going to be with us. Look at this example. Jesus talked about hell. Many feel today that's such a terrible, terrible subject that ought to be left out.

Maybe have it in the articles of faith, admit it's taught in the Bible, but don't say anything about it. Jesus said more about hell than any other teacher. Mark chapter 9 verse 43. Hell into the fire that is never quenched where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.

Their worm dieth not. Their conscience plagues them forever. The guilt of having sinned against God and suffering the consequences in hell itself. We have to admit, this is one of the most difficult doctrines in the Bible. To try to envision human beings suffering under the wrath of God forever is just almost more than you can imagine, but Jesus taught it.

So embrace it. We believe it's the truth. It would be one thing if it was punishment for 10 years, 100 years, that would be bad, but forever. Oh, the fact of the reality of hell is something that Jesus taught. In Luke chapter 16 verse 23, he described it as a place of torment from which there can be no deliverance. Matthew 13 42, and shall cast them, these are the words of Jesus, into a furnace of fire and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25 30, and cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus dealt with sin. He dealt with the punishment of sin. He therefore called men to repent.

But at the same time, he spoke some of the most comforting, beautiful words that could ever be spoken. We go back to Luke 4, Luke 4 and verse 18, which we looked at in part. 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. If one's heart has been broken with a sense of sin, they know they're guilty, they know they need help, they know they need salvation. He came to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and the recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

What beautiful words. And then Matthew 11 28, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Come.

What a warm word of welcome. Come unto me. He speaks to those who are weary of the burden of sin, weary of trying to help save themselves. Come unto me, you're laboring, you're tired, you're heavy laden. Take my yoke upon you. Salvation involves submission, submission to his lordship, recognizing him in every detail of our life that he is Lord. The yoke symbolizes obedience and that includes learning from Christ, the greatest teacher.

And then these words. John 6 37, him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. Somebody may come to the place and say, well I don't know if he would take me, I'm such a sinner. Him that cometh unto me, what does that mean to come unto him?

It means to believe on him. And that coming is beautifully pictured in the story that Jesus gave about the prodigal son. The prodigal son had wasted his substance in riotous living. But he's awakened to the fact that there are hired servants in his father's house that fare better than he does. I will arise and go to my father, I'll say father I've sinned against heaven and in thy sight and I'm no more worthy to be called thy son.

He was apprehensive. He didn't know if the father would receive him. But as he got near home he saw this figure down the road running toward him with his arms outstretched and it was his father. His father embraced him and kissed him and prepared a great feast because he said my son which was lost is now found. No one, no one who comes to the father.

No one who comes to Jesus Christ being the only way to the father will be cast out. The hymn writer expressed this way. Come ye sinners poor and needy, weak and wounded by the fall. Jesus stands ready to help you, full of pity, love and power.

Now ye needy come and welcome God's free bounty glorified. True belief and true repentance, every grace that draws you nigh. Let not conscience make you linger nor of fitness fondly dream.

All the fitness he requireth is to feel your need of him. Come ye weary, heavy laden, bruised and mangled by the fall. If you tarry till you're better you will never come at all. High will arise and go to Jesus. He will embrace me in his arms, in the arms of my dear Savior.

Oh there are ten thousand charms. Out of my heart, in sorrow and night, Jesus I come, Jesus I come. Into thy freedom, gladness and light, Jesus I come to thee. What a wonderful promise, him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. So if I'm speaking to somebody today who is heavily burdened under the weight of sin and questions, would God receive me? Here's the words of Jesus. You come to him and you'll not be cast out.

I hope that you will take time to write us this week or next week at this same time. May the Lord richly bless you all. Out of my shameful failure and loss, Jesus I come, Jesus I come. Into the glorious gain of thy cross, Jesus I come to thee.

Out of earth sorrows, into thy balm, out of thy storms and into thy calm. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr., pastor of the Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Out of unrest and arrogant pride, Jesus I come, Jesus I come. Into thy blessed will to abide, Jesus I come to thee. Out of myself to...