Bible Study: The Mind of Christ 11.03.10

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Today is Wednesday November 03, 2010 and we are continuing our reading through the Bible. Today's message comes from the Book of John, chapters 6-8. In these chapters we will read about, Jesus feeding 5000 men, the Bread of life, Jesus walking on water, the Feast of Tabernacles, the disciples disbelief, the Light of the world, Jesus teaching in the Temple, Jesus forgiving an adulteress, righteous judgment, the Jews disbelief, and Abraham, all Scripture quoted comes from the King James Version. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: imfollowingjesus.com/bible-november-3

Today's Message: The Mind of Christ
A disciple is defined as a follower of the doctrines of a teacher, as Christians, we follow the doctrine of our teacher, Jesus Christ. Now, here is where many who say they follow the doctrine of Christ falter. The doctrine that we are to follow, is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, who is the only begotten Son of God, born of a virgin, is God in the flesh, and the only way to eternal life. Many religions say they know God and Jesus, but they only know the name, they do not Him. “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” - I Timothy 6:3-5. The truth is this, any religion or religious group that does not preach the words spoken by Jesus Himself, which is the Word of God, is false and will always become offended by those who speak the truth.

We know that Jesus chose twelve men to follow Him around, but Jesus had more than just twelve disciples. When Jesus began showing His miracles in the flesh, He had many followers, but it did not necessarily mean that they all believed in His doctrine. As Jesus was teaching in the Temple He was questioned by many when He began telling them that He was the Bread of life. “When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” - John 6:61-69.

Jesus knows in the midst of all the people who claim to know Him which ones truly do believe in Him and follow His doctrine. People get offended when they live by the flesh and not the spirit. Since God is a Spirit, feeding the flesh does not do anything for Him, but feeding the spirit does when we believe in Him and follow His truths. Of course, we are not always going to understand some of the things that God places before us, but by yielding to the spirit and putting our faith in His Word we can see that all things work together for God's glory and our own good. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” -Romans 8:28.

Giving glory to God is what it is all about, Jesus who is God, when He came down in the flesh did not give glory to Himself, He gave all the glory to God. “Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.” -John 7:1-18.

You say, if Jesus is God and He gave glory to God than isn't He glorifying Himself? He is not. Jesus is part of the triune God, meaning God is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. When God came down to earth He made Himself as one of us so, Jesus the Son, gave all the power and glory to God the Father. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,” -Hebrews 2:9-11. Just like an ordinary man can be a father, a brother, and an uncle, three different people, with different roles, yet one person, God can be the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

No one is perfect, yet we have all been quick to judge others for their faults before fixing our own, as Jesus was preaching He was interrupted. “They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”- John 8:4-11.

Jesus attended to the great work in which He came into the world, that was, to bring sinners to repentance, not to destroy, but to save. He aimed to bring, not only the accused to repentance, by showing her His mercy, but the prosecutors also, by showing them their sins, He sought to convince and convert them. When Christ sent her away, it was with this caution, Go, and sin no more. God does give us the right to judge people, but we are to judge them righteously, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.” - I Corinthians 2:14-16.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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