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That's connectwithskip.com. Now, let's get started with today's message from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Throughout the Bible, essentially we have a record of God the Father as the witness for His Son. We have 330, roughly, prophecies, predictions, statements made in advance about the character, nature, and work of the Messiah, the Son of God, when He comes.
What He'd do, where He'd be born, how He would die, parentage, lineage, et cetera. So we have several, over 300 different statements, testimonies made in advance that come from God through the prophets, through the Psalms about Jesus. Very, very strong witness. You judge according to the flesh.
I judge no one. And yet, if I do judge, my judgment is true. For I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am one who bears witness of myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness of me. Then they said to Him, where is your Father?
Now, how are they thinking when they ask that? Where's your human father? Some of them knew that Joseph, if they were from the Galilee region, that Joseph, the carpenter, was his stepfather.
And there was some question among the Jews about his birth, as you will see, even in this text. So they say, where is your Father? You keep mentioning your Father.
Where is He? Jesus answered, you know neither me nor my Father. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. These words Jesus spoke in the treasury as He taught in the temple.
And no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come. Don't you love when the Bible says that? It does amazing things in my heart.
It shows me that no matter what's going on, nothing can touch you unless it first is sifted through the hands of a sovereign God. So here's, you know, the Rock of Ages, slipping through the hands of the men with rocks in their hands, ready to stone this woman. They want to control the scene. They want to put Jesus to death. They have His death wish in their heart and in their mind.
But it was not His hour. Now, He's in the treasury. In the treasury, in that section of that court that I mentioned, it is colonnaded. It is a portico, a porch. So it's covered. There are columns in it, or there were columns in it.
The temple is no longer there. And there were 13 boxes, receptacles, where you could put money in, sort of like our brown wooden agape boxes, as we've called them. But much nicer than these. These things are as old as the hills and twice as dusty. They've been around 30 years. So you'd think we'd build new ones by now, but we'll get around to it.
It's in the budget. But in those days, they were called shofarot, which is the plural in Hebrew for shofar. You know what a shofar is? A trumpet, a ram's horn. So they were shaped sort of like trumpet-like, where the big part of the trumpet was on the base of the floor, and then it narrowed up.
And in that little small opening, you would place coins, money for the poor. Jesus was in that area as He was speaking in the temple. But His hour had not yet come. His time had not come. Then Jesus said to them again, verse 21, I am going away, and you will seek Me, and you will die in your sin. Do you think Jesus pulled any punches here? Do you think He just was He being seeker-friendly?
No. And that's not to say we should be seeker-unfriendly. But they needed to hear this.
They were being cute. They had tried to trap Him. They are against Him.
They are going to make slurs about Him. So He's cutting right to the heart. As you will see, the language gets strong in these verses. He says, you will die in your sin. Where I go, verse 21, you cannot come. So the Jew said, will he kill himself?
Because he says, where I go, you cannot come. And He said to them, you are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world.
I am not of this world. They asked an interesting question. Is He going to kill Himself?
Is He going to commit suicide? Why would they ask the question? Why would they take the words of Jesus that where I'm going you can't come and infer that He has got suicidal thoughts?
Here's why. It's a slur against Him and His character. Some of the rabbis taught the worst place in hell is reserved for people who take their own lives. Even Josephus mentions this, that the darkest part of Hades will be reserved for those who take their own lives. And even he said that God will visit the sins of those who are dead upon the relatives who are alive.
Just horrible stuff. So when they say, oh, He must mean He's going to kill Himself, it's a way of saying you're going to hell, Jesus, and you're going to the lowest worst place in it. Can you imagine even thinking thoughts like that, let alone saying that in the presence of Jesus. So Jesus says to demonstrate, no, you're from beneath. Me, I'm from above.
You got it totally messed up, you smug little hypocrites. That's an editorial comment. And then Jesus says this, I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.
You need to know that term. You need to know this thinking in the New Testament. 77 times your New Testament uses the term the world not to mean the sphere, the planet on which you set, the earth that is revolving, rotating around the sun. It doesn't mean that world. It means the system, the world system that includes ideologies, values, philosophies, and people who run in that system, who are opposed, actively opposed to God and His plan. That's called the world.
When Jesus says you are of this world, that's what you are. You're of that system controlled by Satan, 2 Corinthians 4, called the God of this world who works in the children of disobedience. So Satan is the God of this realm, of this system that is against God. He's the Lord of that system.
And you are of that system. You are from beneath. You have your roots in hell. You are of your father, the devil, he will say in a few verses, if God willing I get to it. And I need to so you can get the context.
But he's just like, no, let me just be, since I'm speaking truth here, let me just tell you, you're going to die in your sin. You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. Therefore I say to you, or I said to you, verse 24, that you will die in your sins.
Now watch this. For if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins. Now I left out a word, didn't I? But look at the word in your Bible. It's the word he. If you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. Do you notice something about the word in your Bible? Is it italicized?
You know why? It's not there in the original. It's added by the translators because the translators are making their editorial statement that, well, he didn't say the word, but it's implied that he's saying, if you don't believe that I am he. But in the original it's, if you don't believe that I am, you will die in your sins. And the construction in Greek is, if you don't believe that, ego, I am he. Ego, I am he.
Those are the words he used. Do you remember when the Lord spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, which is freaky enough for an old dude, right? How am I going to explain that a plant talked to me today?
And it was like on fire, but it was like, didn't burn up. How am I going to tell people that? Who's going to believe me? And then God spoke to him and sent them to deliver the children of Israel. And he said, okay, so when they asked me your name, who am I going to say sent me? And God said, I am that I am. Tell them I am sent you.
That's what I'm known as. I am. You're listening to connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we get back to Skip's teaching, in order to connect even more people with Jesus in the year ahead, connect with Skip Heitzig needs to meet a financial goal by December 31st. And we're asking for your help to meet this goal in full so that together in 2025, we can reach more people with gospel centered teaching and resources that connect them with the God who loves them. Finishing this year on solid financial footing will mean that connect with Skip Heitzig can grow current efforts and say yes to new opportunities in the coming year to expand to new stations, new countries, and new technologies, all with the goal of sharing the good news of Jesus with more people around the world. Your gift today will have an eternal impact on many lives. So go to connectwithskip.com slash give or call 800-922-1888 and give a tax deductible year end gift to help connect more people with Jesus in the year ahead.
Let's continue with today's teaching with Pastor Skip. Now I'm going to read another scripture to you in Deuteronomy. This is Deuteronomy chapter 32. This is a construction that we pointed out when we were in the Old Testament, but to refresh your memory. In Deuteronomy chapter 32, the 39th verse. Now see that I, even I am he, and there is no God beside me. I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal, nor is there any who can deliver from my hand. Now that is the Lord speaking.
Now see that I, even I am he. I'm reading to you in English. The original text it was found in was Hebrew. If we lived in the Greek world, the Bible we would be reading would not be English and it would not be Hebrew. It would be the Greek translation of the Bible.
You follow? It's called the Septuagint version. In the Greek or Septuagint version of the Old Testament, translated in Alexandria, Egypt by a group of scholars, it would read like this. Now see that I, even I go, I me, and there is no God besides me. It would have been a construction that anyone in the New Testament times could conversant in the Greek language would have understood when Jesus said, if you don't believe that I go, I me, you will die in your sins. Now I'm bringing this to your attention because this will help you understand their reaction by the time we get to the end of this chapter and the chapter took place in a very short period of time.
It's taking me time because I'm giving the explanation, but it was a short conversation. But by the end of this chapter, they're picking up stones to kill him because they think that he's blaspheming because he's claiming to be God. And my point is this, duh. It's exactly what he's claiming to be. It's unmistakable who he's claiming to be.
Don't you find that interesting? If you don't believe that I am that I am, you're going to die in your sins. So when somebody says, well, you know, I have different ideas about Jesus than you have.
I think he was a wonderful teacher. I think he may have even been a son of God of sorts. But but I don't know that I can say he was actually God in a human body.
Well, they've got a huge problem. Because if you don't believe that you'll die in your sins. You have to believe the revelation of Jesus Christ as given to you by the Bible and by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. You have to find out what it is the Bible says about him and what it is he said about himself and see if you're going to square with that. And if you're going to believe that because believing that or not believing that will determine everything.
It's a powerful statement. If you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins. They said to him, Who are you?
You see how agitated they're getting? Jesus said to them, just what I've been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but he you sent me is true. And I speak to the world those things which I heard from him. Look at there's a lot more I could say there's a lot of things I could speak.
I have lots of truth about you and things to judge which you will eventually judge. But understand that when Jesus spoke, he spoke only what the Father wanted him to speak at that time. He was in perfect sync with the Father. So it wasn't like, well, you know, here's something I just thought of.
No, that's what I do. Jesus spoke the words of the Father directly from the Father. Verse 27, they did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father. Then Jesus said to them, When you lift up the Son of Man, you will know that I am he.
And then I do nothing of myself but as my Father taught me, I speak these things. What did he mean when when he is lifted up when you lift up the Son of Man? Does that mean a worship service or okay, we're going to lift Jesus higher, we're going to lift him up.
I sort of cringe when I hear that language. Because when Jesus said if I be lifted up, I will draw amen to myself or here when he speaks of being lifted up, he doesn't mean a group of people getting together and singing songs with his name in it. He's speaking of being lifted up off the ground on a cross in death.
It's his suffering. It's his crucifixion. When I be lifted up when the Son of Man is when you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he.
He's referring to the crucifixion. When I die, you will know you will believe that I am he. Now, did that happen? Did they believe when he died?
Well, some did. There was a criminal next to him that said, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. He believed. And then he died. And after he died, there was a soldier at the cross who said, Truly, that man is the Son of God.
He believed. Then the rock split. The veil in the temple was ripped in two. The graves opened up. Dead people, dead men walking were running around Jerusalem. It was like the zombie apocalypse in Jerusalem.
That'll get your attention. Then the people in Jerusalem shortly after that heard Peter on Pentecost stand up and say, You have taken him by your wicked hands, and you've crucified him, and you've put him to death. And it says they were cut to the heart. And 3,000 of them that day gave their lives to Jesus.
So a lot of them did. A lot of those people in Jerusalem after the death, at the moment of his death and subsequent to his death, believed and knew that he is who he claimed to be and that I do nothing of myself. But as my father taught me, I speak these things. And he who sent me is with me. The father has not left me alone, for I always do those things that please him. How I wish I could say that.
There's only one person who can say that. Now, I have run into people who have told me that they have stopped sinning. That really is the proper response, what you just did.
That's the right reaction, because that's what I did. They believe in a place that you can come to of total sanctification here on earth. So when somebody has told me that, I get my obnoxious gear going, and I think of ways I could get them to get angry or just, I want to test it. I want to probe it.
I want to see if indeed this is true. Oh, really? You're sinless now.
Okay, this will be fun. I know that's bad because I shouldn't cause anybody to stumble, but that's the gear that I go into. Jesus said, I always do those things that please him. I can't claim that.
I wish I could. That is our heart, is it not? It's a good thing to aim for. It's what Paul said when he said, whether we are present or we are absent, we make it our aim to always be pleasing to him. Whether we are absent from the body or we are in the body, we want to please it. That's our aim. We don't always achieve it.
We have good days and we have bad days. But it suggests to us at least the possibility of a life lived with that motive to please God. The psalmist said, delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. We were created to please God. If you ever wonder, I have a question. Why am I here? I can answer that.
You are here on this earth to bring pleasure to God. Well, that's not fair. Okay, when you can make your own universe, you can make your own rules.
How's that? Until then, really, you can't complain because you've just been made by somebody who made you and said, I made you to please me. Okay, he's God. He can do that. That's why we praise him. That's why we glorify him. Revelation chapter four, you created all things and for thy pleasure, they are and have been created.
I always do those things that please him. Jesus could say, I can't say, I want to say, and by God's grace more and more as we grow in holiness, we're able to say that. As he spoke these words, many believed in him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, if you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. Now, I have to clarify something.
You may not notice it, but you have maybe noticed it and so you wondered about it, but I don't mind bringing it up to you even if you haven't noticed it. Jesus is speaking to people who believe him. He's going to speak some very harsh words and you would naturally say, is that any way to speak to people who believe in you?
So now that you've come to me, bam, bam, I beat you up a little bit. So to clarify this, and this has been a linguistic problem within the text, I want you to look at the text a little more carefully and I think you will see there isn't just a homogenous group. There are different levels of people in this group. There are almost two different groups he is addressing. So notice, he spoke verse 30, these words, as he spoke, many believed in him.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, it's different now. The first group seems to be those who are placing their faith in him. The others are going, yeah, okay, what he just said, yeah, okay, I believe that. I'm more interested.
I'm buying in, but I'm not bought in. I don't believe in him, but I believe him. So they're open to it, and that's how it is with any group, by the way. Do you think that every single person right here in this room is an authentic believer? Maybe, and I'm not going to get into some weird trip or anything, but Jesus did say, as he gave the parable of the sower and the seed, that of the people that hear the truth, only 25% of them were true believers, bearing forth fruit. Others, they fell on rocks and they fell away, and so they weren't really true. Others got choked up.
Others, the enemy immediately took. So at any given time, is every single person here in this room right with God and going to heaven if they die? I wouldn't raise my hand and say, oh, yeah, sure, I believe that. So he's speaking to a crowd. Many believed in him. To those who believed him, they're going, yeah, okay, I'm with you.
What do you got to say? He said, if you abide in my word. Now, have you noticed this word, abide?
Can I just tell you to notice it from now on? Because it's mentioned a lot in the Bible. Do you know in the New Testament it's mentioned 34 times, and John takes 31 of them? He likes that word, abide. Meno is the Greek word.
Meno means to remain or to continue. Stay at it. Stick with it. Don't give it up. Don't be sporadic.
His word is important. I go to church every Easter. Okay, Christmas too. Come on, give me a break.
Twice a year, that's pretty good. You know, whatever. Then there are those people who are like in it, with it, and on it, and they're all over it, and the word, they remain in it. If you abide in my word, remain, continue, stick with it, stay with it. You are my mathetes, my followers, learners, disciplined ones, disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Thanks for listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. We hope you've been strengthened in your walk with Jesus by today's program. Before we let you go, we want to remind you of the financial year-end need that must be met by December 31st to ensure this ministry you love stays strong, reaching millions more in the year ahead. Your gift today will help share gospel-centered teaching with more people in 2025, making an impact that will last for eternity.
So jump in with your best year-end gift. Call 800-922-1888. That's 800-922-1888. Or visit connectwithskip.com slash give. And did you know that you can find full message series and libraries of content from Skip Heitzig on YouTube? Simply visit the Connect with Skip Heitzig channel on YouTube and be sure to subscribe to the channel so you never miss any new content. Come back next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
