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Greater works pt. 2 · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. Amen. Hallelujah. Let's have a seat.
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John chapter 14 verse 12. John chapter 14. On
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Sunday, we were introduced to our team for the
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year. So by the grace of God, I'll just be building
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on what we started on Sunday with the foundation
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by which We've laid on Sunday and then to build
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a little bit. John 14 from verse 12. Most assuredly,
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I say to you, he who believes in me, the works
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that I do, he will do also. And greater works
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than this he will do because I go to my Father.
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And whatever you ask in my name, that I will
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do, that my Father may be glorified in the Son.
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If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.
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Hallelujah. And we said the theme for the year
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is Greater Works. It's Greater Works, and I want
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to believe that our hearts are inspired, you
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know, for what God we want us to do this year
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and beyond. Our hearts are inspired and directed
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and stayed up to do the works, you know, that
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God has called us to do. So we started by saying
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that it is important to, in a bit, to understand
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this text. There are some certain questions that
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we just want to ask. These questions will help
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us to understand the stakes. And one of the questions
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we asked was, who is Jesus speaking to? Who is
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the audience by which Jesus is speaking to? And
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we also asked a question about what the works
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of Jesus are. What works did Jesus do? And then
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what are the greater works by which He's calling
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the disciples to do and invariably calling us
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today who are the disciples of the disciples
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to do. Hallelujah. So we observe from the scripture,
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we will observe from the scripture that Jesus
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was speaking specifically or contextually to
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his disciples. He was not speaking to the crowd.
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All right. He was very particular about the audience
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he was speaking to. Not to the crowd, not to
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the 5 ,000, but the people he was speaking to
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is very, very important. The kind of people Jesus
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was speaking to is very important. The timing
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of the speech is very important. So, specifically,
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he's addressing the disciples. Of course, the
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12. the 12, even including Judas Iscariot, because
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he was there before he, he didn't wait till the
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service finished. He didn't wait till that explanation
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finished because in the course of the conversation
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we saw, you know, he went out to go and do what,
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you know, the devil has inspired in his heart
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to do, that is to betray Jesus. So Jesus was
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particularly addressing his disciples who he
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had. Been with for about over three years. So
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in these three years, they have listened to him
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teach them. In these three years, they have heard
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him taught many things in many ways concerning
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his mission and what he will do. And these three
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and a half years, they've seen him done many
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works. They've seen him perform miracles. They've
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seen him done many things. So they've heard him
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and they've seen. They've heard, they've seen.
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And this hearing Jesus and seeing what he did
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was even very important. It's a very important
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criteria. Even when Judas was to be replaced,
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later on we'll see, you know, they had to go
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to look for someone that was with them from the
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beginning, right from the baptism of John the
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Baptist, right from the teaching of John the
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Baptist, right from the ministry of John the
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Baptist, to when Jesus, you know, was with them
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and they were all through the follow to the end
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up onto the resurrection. So this was particularly
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important for the mission that they will do.
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So by implication, doing greater works is for
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those who have become disciples. All right? If
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you are not a disciple, then I don't think...
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you will be able to do greater works. In fact,
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you will not do what Jesus did, talk more of
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doing greater. So for us to do greater, for us
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to do the works that Jesus have done, or to do
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greater works, it means that we must be disciples.
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Now, discipleship is not just a cliche. We're
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not just telling you just be a disciple because
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we won't, no. Discipleship is important. It's
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very crucial to doing the works of God. To become
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a disciple, you must first believe, right? Because
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these people believe Jesus. To become a disciple,
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you must first believe that Jesus is who he said
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he is. Later on, we'll see that when Jesus rose
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up and then he taught them, they later believed
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Jesus. And it is in the belief that they believe
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Jesus that he was able to hand over a ministry
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to them. So fundamentally, you must believe in
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Jesus. Who he said he is. The Messiah who came
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from God for not only to die for our sins. All
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right. The Messiah who came from God to die for
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our sins. die for the forgiveness of our sins.
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So, they have to come to a point of belief that
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this is who Jesus is. We'll see it in their sermons
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in the book of Acts. This is the one that God
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has sent. This is the one to whom God has appointed.
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That through him, we'll see it in their records
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in the book of Matthew. They recorded and they
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were pointing to Jesus as the promise of the
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Father. Because the context of the work that
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we're going to do will be related to the identity
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of the Messiah, will be related to the identity
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of who Jesus is. Hallelujah. Because in the identity
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of the Messiah or Jesus, the Savior, we'll find
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ourselves in him. Hallelujah. So we are not doing
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something separate from what Jesus is doing even
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now. We are doing what God in Christ has done
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and we see Christ is all in us by the Spirit
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doing. So there's a relationship. So they have
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been with Jesus and have learned very well from
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him. Okay? They've seen him. So he's speaking
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contextually to the things they've seen him done.
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They've seen him done. Give me that text, verse
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12. John chapter 12, chapter 14, verse 12. It
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says, the works that I do, he will do also. The
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works that I do, which means that they might
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have seen the works that Jesus have done. That
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same work, that person will do also. Hallelujah.
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So, these are those who have seen and know his
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works. Alright? They've been with him, so they've
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seen his works and they know his works. Okay?
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They know his purpose. They know his will because
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in his works they will know his will. They know
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his purpose and thereafter they will do his will.
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So for us to do his work and to do greater, we
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must be intentional about building a life around
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knowing Jesus. We must be intentional this year
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and beyond. We must be, listen, Church shouldn't
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be church as usual for us. Knowing God should
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not be as usual for us. We must, as the brother
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was leading us in prayer, we must seek to heighten
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our desire. We must make knowing God a top priority.
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If knowing God or knowing Jesus Christ must be
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a top priority for us, then there will be a need
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for arranging our priority, our programs, our
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schedules, and give knowing him a top priority
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in our lives. If your desire, number one, is
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to do greater works, then knowing God, being
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a disciple actually, being a student, being a
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disciple must be your topmost priority. It must
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be greater than any other thing. Even greater
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than your academics. Even greater than life itself.
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Because it's not going to be for passive people.
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So we must give priority to learning and to knowing.
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Because there's only one pathway by which we'll
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know Jesus. We'll know God. There's only one
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way that God has revealed himself to us, through
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Jesus Christ. And how can we know about Jesus
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Christ by the scriptures? Hallelujah. So the
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story of the word, the written word particularly,
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preached and taught and practiced must be our
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priority. We cannot do greater works outside
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the knowledge of God that we have, outside what
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is written for us in scripture. There is no new
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revelation that we can have beyond what has been
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given. So we will understand the character of
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God. We will understand the will of God. We will
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understand the desire of God. We will understand
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what God is doing now in our season. So you must
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also be intentional about the time of fellowship
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because in the fellowship as this, as a fellowship
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together, you know, we learn the word together.
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We must be intentional about the time of fellowship
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with other Christians, with other believers,
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and also a time to fast and pray as an individual.
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Listen, if you will do greater works, your spiritual
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life, you know, you must change, let me use the
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word, you must change gear this year. You cannot
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be doing what you've been doing all along the
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years and expect another result. And that is...
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That is stupidity. You've been doing something
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in a particular way and then you are seeing one
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result and you are expecting that you continue
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that way like the way you've been doing last
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year and then to see another result. I mean,
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that's no wisdom. So there must be a rearrangement
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of our priority to knowing God, to knowing the
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Word, to fasting. Listen, basic disciplines.
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That is necessary to knowing God. We must go
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back to the basics. Relationship with believers.
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You know. The word of God. Spending time to pray.
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Spending time with God. You and God alone. These
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are basic disciplines that we must go back to.
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These are basic disciplines. If you've been doing
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it last year, praise God for that. This year.
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You must seek to have a quality time than ever
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before. There's always room for growth because
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consistency will bring about perfection in that
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particular exercise. So it is important that
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we know that God will work with us based on the
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knowledge. we have about him. This is how we
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build ourselves for greater works. This is how
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we build ourselves for greater works. So discipleship
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is key. And each and every one of us must be
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disciples of Jesus. Disciples simply means you
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must be a student. And a student doesn't skip
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classes. A student doesn't earn, it is no graduation.
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You can't say, okay, for the next three months,
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I'm going to be a disciple and after that I've
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graduated. No, no, no. Discipleship is a lifelong
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thing. For the rest of your life, you must continually
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grow. You must continually keep on learning the
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things of God. It is in this learning that we
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get better, that we get our mind transformed,
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that we get ourselves acquainted with the plan
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of God, that we get ourselves acquainted with
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the will of God, and then we are able to do.
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what God is calling us to do. I went on to begin
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to ask, okay, what are the works Jesus did? This
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was where we started to know what are the works
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that Jesus did, right? So we said that the work
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Jesus did includes the things Jesus did, practically,
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right? And also the things he taught. His teachings
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and his actions, and we made reference to what
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Luke wrote in the book of Acts, chapter 1, verse
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1 to 3. Luke, Acts, rather, chapter 1, as he
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was writing to Theophilus, he says, the former
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things I made, oh, the former accounts I made,
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oh, Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both
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to do and to teach. So Jesus did some things
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and he taught. All right? Until the day in which
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he was taken up after he, through the Holy Spirit,
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had given commandments to the apostles whom he
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had chosen, to whom he also presented himself.
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So what commandment did he give them? Of course,
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we know the commandment. Matthew 15, 16. All
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right? The commandment he gave them to remain,
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they will be in due with power and all that will
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happen. By the coming of the Spirit. So, the
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works of Jesus has to do with the things he did
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and the things that he taught. And we say that
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when we go through the Synoptic Gospels, we can
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see summarily that Jesus revealed the Father
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through the powerful works he did. Okay? The
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powerful works that confirms his divine identity.
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Jesus performed works. Works has to do with the
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miracles he did. Including healing the sick.
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He cast out devils. He raised the dead. We see
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him in the gospels exercising authority over
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nature. Speaking to the storm. Walking on water
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and all these things were miraculous things Jesus
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did. Turning water into wine, miraculous activity
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that Jesus did. He accomplished redemption. You
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know, the forgiveness of our sins. These are
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what Jesus did. We see him proclaiming and demonstrating
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the kingdom. Of course, by the miracles he did,
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he demonstrated the kingdom. And then he proclaimed
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the goodness. of salvation. And what we also
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see him do is laying the foundation of the church.
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You know, commissioning the apostles, the foundational
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apostles, you know, bringing, ushering them into
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the era of the church. These are what Jesus did.
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Hallelujah. So in Matthew chapter 11, verse 1
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to 4, we also, you know, looked at a sign that
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proves Jesus' identity as a Messiah. Matthew
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chapter 11, verse 1, when John was arrested,
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Matthew 11, Now it came to pass that when Jesus
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finished, Matthew, yes, when Jesus finished commanding
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his 12 disciples, that he departed from there
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to teach and to preach in their cities. And when
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Jonah heard in the prison about the works of
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Christ, he heard about the works of Christ. And
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these works of Christ, including... the teaching
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of Christ, right? Including the miraculous things
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he was doing. When John had heard in prison about
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the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
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and said to him, are you coming? Are you the
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coming one? Or do we look for another? So if
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I was Jesus, I would simply say, yes, I'm the
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one that has been promised to come. And I'm here,
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right? It's as simple as that. But Jesus gave
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him a coded communication. It's a code by which
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when he decodes as a prophet of God, he will
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know what Jesus is referring to. And what was
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the coded language Jesus gave him? Jesus answered
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and said to them, go and tell John the things
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which you hear and the things which you see.
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So what are they hearing? They're hearing the
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teachings of Jesus, all right? And they're hearing
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about the works of Jesus and they are seeing
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the works of Jesus. So, what are these? Verse
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5. The blind see. Okay? And the lame work. The
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lepers are cleansed. The deaf hear. The dead
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are raised up. And the poor have miracle money
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transferred to their bank accounts. The what?
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they heard the gospel preached to them. So these
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things were literal things that happened, but
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in their literal nature, they communicate something
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spiritual concerning the Messiah. Hallelujah.
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So Jesus graciously explained about himself.
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This about himself. John chapter 5, verse 36.
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John chapter 5, verse 36. That I have a greater
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witness than John's. Or rather, let's read from
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verse 35 to give us a better understanding. He
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was the burning and shining lamb. He's talking
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about John. And you were willing for a time to
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rejoice in his light. Concerning John, he's speaking
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concerning John. But I have a greater witness
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than John's for the works which the Father has
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given me to finish. The very works that I do,
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what do they do? They bear witness of who? Of
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me. So the works Jesus was doing or Jesus do
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bear witness of who he is. That the Father has
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done what? Has sent him that he is a Messiah.
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John chapter 10, verse 22. So the works that
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Jesus did reveal his identity. That's what we
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are establishing. The works that Jesus did reveal
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who he is. Verse 22. Now it was the feast of
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dedication in Jerusalem and it was winter. And
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Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
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Then the Jews surrounded him and said to him,
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How long do you keep us in doubt? If you are
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the Christ, tell us plainly. Which means that
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they were expecting the Christ, right? Jesus
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answered them, I told you and you do not believe.
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The works that I do in my Father's name, what
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do they do? They bear witness. Of who? Of me.
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But you do not believe. Because you are not of
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my sheep. As I said to you. My sheep hears. My
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voice. And I know them. And they follow me. And
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I give them eternal life. And they. Shall never
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perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out
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of my hand. My father who has given them to me.
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Is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch
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them out of my father's hand. I and my father
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are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to
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stone him. Why? Jesus answered them, Many good
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works I have shown you from my father. For which
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of these or which of those works do you stone
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me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good
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work we do not stone you. But for what? For blasphemy.
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And because you being a man, make yourself God.
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That statement of saying that he and the father
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are one simply means that he and the father have
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the same nature. They understood his communication.
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That was why they pick up stones to stone him.
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Because that is blasphemous. How can you that
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we know your father, we know your mother, we
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know your siblings, we know your house, we even
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know your business, we know your shop, your carpentry
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shop. and then from nowhere you wake up and you
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tell us that you and the Father are one? I mean,
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let's not be too quick to judge them. But some
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of us would have done even worse. So Jesus answered
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them, Is it not written in your law, said you
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are gods? If he called them gods, to whom the
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word of God came, and the scripture cannot be
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broken, do you say of him whom the Father sanctified?
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and said into the world, you are blaspheming
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because I said I am the son of God. If I do not,
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if I do the works of my father, if I do not do
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rather the works of my father, do not believe
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me. All right? Listen, because there are many,
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many people that have come up in the name of
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God. There are many people. We even see in the
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statement of one of the fathers, is it Gamaliel?
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He was trying to defend Jesus or the apostles.
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He was saying that if these people are fake,
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they will fade away. Which means that many that
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have come have gone. And many will see, come
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and go. There are many fake people, even in our
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generation. There are many people that this year,
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they will be exposed. Because by their works,
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we will know who they are. Hallelujah. By their
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deeds, we will know. Alright? So he says, but
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if I do, if I do, that is the works of the Father.
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Though you do not believe me, believe. If you
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don't believe me, as I'm saying that I'm from
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the Father, all right, believe the works. Believe
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the works because the works I do from the scripture,
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the works I do. Believe the works that you may
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know and believe that the Father is in me and
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I in him. By the works, they should believe.
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Therefore, they sought again to seize him. But,
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He escaped out of their hand. Hallelujah. So
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the works that Jesus did was very, very crucial.
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Amen? It was very crucial to revealing his identity.
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It was very important in revealing who he is.
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And even when Jesus rose from the dead, let's
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look at the testimony of his own disciples. Luke
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24 from verse 13. Luke 24 from verse 13. Now
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behold, two of them were traveling when Jesus
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was killed and then they were scattered. They
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were disappointed. Now behold, two of them were
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traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus,
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which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they
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talked together to all these things which had
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happened. All right. So it was while they conversed
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and reasoned that Jesus himself drew near and
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went with them. But their eyes were restrained,
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so that they did not know it was Jesus. And he
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said to them, What kind of conversation is this
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that you have with one another as you walk, and
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your faces are looking sad and disappointed?
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Then the one whose name was Caiaphas answered
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and said to him, Are you the only stranger in
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Jerusalem? And have you not known the things
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which have happened there in these days? And
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he said to them, what things? So they said to
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him, the things concerning who? Concerning Jesus
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of Nazareth, who was a prophet. Okay. Now this
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is the explanation of who Jesus is. Who was what?
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Was a prophet. Mighty in works. That's the same
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word for works. Mighty in works. And word. what
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he spoke before God and all the people. Jesus
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was mighty in works and mighty in words. Okay?
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And how the chief priest and our rulers delivered
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him to be condemned to death and crucified him.
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That we were hoping. What was their hoping? That
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it was he. who was going to redeem Israel. So
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they saw the characteristics of him who was to
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deliver Israel in Jesus. How? By his works and
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by his words. Okay? Indeed, besides all this
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today, it's the third day since these things
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happened. So the way of hoping was he who was
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going to redeem them as the Messiah. Because
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Jesus was a prophet to them, mighty indeed, and
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worked before God and all the people. So they
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could see that Jesus fit into the description
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of the Messiah as promised in the scripture.
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So how? His works, by words and by his deeds.
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Hallelujah. Now, let's look at another example
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in Acts 2, verse 22. when Peter was also preaching
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the first sermon. This is what he said about
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Jesus. Men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus
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of Nazareth, a man, what? Attested by God. How
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did God attest of Jesus? To them. A man attested
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by God to you, by what? By miracles, right? Wonders
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and signs which God did through him in your midst,
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as you yourself also know. So he reminded them
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of what? Of the signs and the miracles that Jesus
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did was God actually attesting of who Jesus was.
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That he is the one. So Peter in his sermon speaks
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of how God attested that through the miracles
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Jesus performed, The signs and wonders, they
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speak of who Jesus is. So the miracle of Jesus,
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the works of Jesus, the things Jesus spoke about
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himself, the teachings, because all that Jesus
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taught was about himself. All right? About himself.
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He expanded the scriptures to them of all the
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things concerning who? Concerning himself. This
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was the context of his ministry. This was the
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basis of his teaching. the things concerning
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himself. So it means that the works that he did
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and what he was saying align together with his
31:19
purpose on earth. Hallelujah. So the miracles
31:23
of Jesus prove not only that he is the Messiah,
31:27
but they also foretold what he did in redemption.
31:32
All right? Or what we will do in redemption.
31:36
Now, let's look at one example of his miracles
31:38
quickly. Let's look at one example of the miracles
31:42
he did and let's see how he speaks more concerning
31:48
him. Now, John chapter 9. Let's go to John chapter
31:52
9. In John chapter 9. Now, as Jesus passed, he
32:12
saw a man who was blind from birth. And his disciples
32:17
asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned? This man
32:23
owe his parents that he was born blind. I mean,
32:28
this kind of mindset. Jesus answered, neither
32:34
this man nor his parents sinned. but that the
32:39
works of God should be revealed in him. I must
32:45
walk the works of him who sent me while it is
32:49
day. The night is coming when no one can work.
32:54
As long as I am in the world, I am the light
32:57
of the world. You know, people easily associate
33:01
bad things that happens to us or to them or to
33:05
others with sin. You know, the reason why your
33:09
life is not working is maybe because something
33:12
is wrong. You are not doing something that God
33:14
is not happy with you. Or someone has done something
33:17
that God is not happy with. So, it's as though
33:20
the bad things that happen is God dealing with
33:23
us. God is the one punishing us for either one
33:27
sin or the other. And they are associating this
33:31
blindness on this man to actually sin. And clearly
33:36
we can see Jesus Christ. answering them and saying,
33:39
neither the man nor his parents were the ones
33:41
that sinned. But then the verse that followed
33:45
sometimes gets us confused. Alright? Give me
33:51
verse 4. Verse 3. Jesus answered, neither this
34:04
man nor his parents sinned. but that the works
34:07
of God should be revealed in him. Some translation
34:12
will say that he was blind. He was born blind
34:16
or he was made blind so that God's work will
34:20
be established in him. And the question is, you
34:26
mean God decided and God planned in all eternity
34:31
that he will create a blind man? So that he will
34:36
heal him to show his power to people. I mean,
34:42
think about the character of God. It's just like
34:45
saying God created sin. Listen to this. It's
34:50
just like saying God created sin so that he will
34:53
forgive us, so that we will know the love of
34:54
God. Alright? It would be unfair For the character
35:04
of God to say that he created the man blind to
35:08
show his power. This does not in any way align
35:14
with the character of God all through the scriptures.
35:19
Okay? It will mean that God created sickness.
35:23
Alright? It will mean that God created the blindness.
35:28
It will mean that God created the evil things
35:31
we see. The wickedness. We see. And this will
35:36
not be a justification to the character of God.
35:40
Because the scripture says that God is a good
35:42
God. In him there is no darkness. In him there
35:45
is no evil. And blindness is not good works.
35:51
Are we together? Is it something good to be blind?
35:56
That is why you open the blind. The blind eyes.
35:59
God's work is to open the blind man's eyes, not
36:04
to make him blind. Are we together? So blindness,
36:11
both physical and spiritual, is a work of Satan.
36:15
That's what I want to establish from this, even
36:17
though it's not our focus. Maybe we can go back
36:19
and study again the Greek and the Hebrew and
36:21
contextual interpretation of that verses. But
36:23
I want you to know that blindness, whether it
36:27
is physical, All is spiritual is not from God.
36:32
Alright? It is the work of Satan. Jesus came
36:35
to undo the works of darkness. That is God's
36:39
character in Christ. We see him undoing the works
36:42
of darkness. So neither the man nor his parents
36:46
sinned, but the works of God, regardless of where
36:50
that particular blindness is coming from, whether
36:55
it is as a result of sin or whatever it is, God's
36:59
responsibility or God's work in that situation
37:02
is to bring what? Is to bring solution. Is to
37:09
bring healing. That is God's work. Is to see
37:13
that the man is met well. And concerning every
37:21
situation that must have happened, listen, sometimes
37:24
Let me deviate a bit. Sometimes you may look
37:26
at your life and your situation and things that
37:27
happened to you. And sometimes we quickly begin
37:32
to look, where did I get it? What sin did I commit
37:35
that I'm facing this? As though God treats us
37:39
based on our behavior, right? It's because we
37:44
are good to God, so we enjoy his goodness. And
37:47
when we are bad, or when we do something wrong,
37:49
or when we sin, then we see God's other side.
37:53
If there's another side of God, apart from goodness,
37:56
they will begin to see the wrath of God, the
37:59
punishment that comes with what? With living
38:02
contrary to his will and his purpose. So no matter
38:07
what happens or what will happen in your life,
38:09
or no matter what situation you are facing, God's
38:12
work must be revealed in your life. And what
38:17
does God reveal in your life? He takes away every
38:19
darkness. All right? God's work in every temptation,
38:24
in every trial is to bring an escape route. It's
38:28
to create an escape route for us. It's to bring
38:30
us to a place where we understand him. He brings
38:34
order to every darkness. So darkness must be
38:40
cast away by light. So Jesus will go on to say
38:43
that he is a light, right? Jesus said he was
38:46
a light that entered the world. Reference to
38:49
1 John 4, verse 1, when John was giving testimony
38:52
about Jesus as the light that entered the world.
38:56
Not 1 John, John 1, verse 4. In him was life,
39:09
and the life was the light of men, Jesus himself.
39:12
Okay? Verse 5. And the light shines in darkness,
39:18
And what happens when light shines on darkness?
39:21
Darkness leave, right? Darkness disappear. Genesis
39:26
1 .1. Darkness does not comprehend it. Jump to
39:29
verse 8 and verse 9. Verse 8. He was that light.
39:38
He was not that light. Talking about John. John
39:41
the Baptist was not that light, but was sent
39:45
to bear witness to that light. Verse 9. That
39:49
was the true light which gives light to every
39:53
man coming into the world. That light was coming
39:57
into the world. This is the gospel. So let's
40:02
continue our reading. Chapter 6, verse 6 of John
40:04
chapter 9. When he had said these things, he
40:11
spat on the ground and made clear with the saliva
40:15
And he anointed the eyes of the man. Anointed
40:18
means he rubbed it on the eyes of the man. All
40:20
right. Let's be very deliberate about what we're
40:23
explaining here. He rubbed it. That is, he anointed
40:27
the eyes of the blind man with a clay. Okay.
40:30
And he said to him, go wash in the pool of Silom,
40:35
which is translated scent. So he went and washed
40:42
and came back seeing. Hallelujah. There was an
40:48
instruction. Jesus did something, right? And
40:51
when Jesus did, he gave an instruction. And the
40:54
instruction is to go and do what? And wash. You
40:59
familiar to something that was done in the Old
41:00
Testament? Who can remember? Is it Elijah or
41:06
Elisha? Elisha? And Naaman, right? He was asked
41:13
to go and dip himself in the pool. How many times?
41:18
Seven times. And then he would be made whole
41:19
of leprosy. And then he was angry. He mean upon
41:24
all the luxury and all the resources we have
41:29
in my country land. Instead for you to just come
41:33
out and do the things you're supposed to do.
41:35
Lay hand on me. Perform some gymnastics and let
41:40
healing take place. So I should go and wash myself
41:42
in the river. And then he took the servant girl,
41:46
right, to speak sense into him. Forbear. And
41:52
when he lived in obedience, we see that he was
41:55
made whole. So similarly to this, Jesus said,
41:58
go and wash yourself. Go and wash. Verse 7. And
42:05
he said to him, go wash in the pool of Siloam,
42:08
which is translated sin. So he went and washed
42:11
and came back seeing. He came back what? Therefore,
42:16
the neighbors and those who previously have seen
42:20
those who seen that he was blind said, isn't
42:25
not this he who sat and begged? Some said, this
42:30
is he. Others said, it's like him. He said, I
42:35
am he. Hallelujah. And listen, this year, right,
42:41
that will be the testimony of God concerning
42:45
your life, that men will begin to ask, is it
42:50
not God the fruit that we know? Do you know why?
42:56
Because God has done something in your life.
42:59
Amen? And listen, what God will do in your life
43:03
is founded upon obedience. All right? Some of
43:10
us here, listen to this carefully. The reason
43:13
why we've tarried on a mountain for so long is
43:17
because we've not applied the instruction that
43:21
God has given us. It's simply because everywhere
43:26
you turn, the same word this brother Chris will
43:30
give you, it's the same word Pastor Victor will
43:33
give you, it's the same word Pastor Chidi will
43:35
give you, but you've listened and you've refused
43:38
to obey. And you're expecting you see a different
43:42
result in your life. I'm speaking to somebody.
43:46
So you must be intentional to follow the leading
43:50
in obedience to what God is saying part -time,
43:52
part -season. You know, sometimes we hold on
43:55
to one method that God has done something in
43:57
your life. Or maybe something that God has said.
44:01
It's not everywhere we see Jesus putting spirit
44:03
and healing the blind. Alright? is sometimes
44:08
some people, by touching the hems of his garment,
44:11
they were made whole. Alright? You must seek
44:15
to know what God is saying per time, per season,
44:19
in order for you to enjoy in your living the
44:23
goodness of God. It's in obedience that you will
44:25
see the manifestation of greater things in your
44:28
life. Because instruction comes. It's encoded
44:34
in instructions. You pray and then you have a
44:39
leading. Alright? And then you're loved by the
44:42
leading of the Spirit. You have God spoken to
44:46
you, instructions given to you. And when you
44:49
don't obey, you don't expect to see. Hallelujah.
44:53
I don't know why we're debating, but... Therefore,
45:00
they said to him, How will your eyes open? He
45:05
answered and said, A man called Jesus made clear,
45:10
anointed my eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool
45:14
of Siloam and wash. So what happened? I went.
45:20
A man called Jesus made clear, anointed my eyes,
45:29
and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam and
45:33
wash. So I went and washed and I received my
45:37
sight. Did he argue? Did he try to deliberate
45:41
the technicality or the cleanliness of this miracle
45:44
or how gross or how sanctimonious it is? He moved
45:53
in obedience. Hallelujah. And then he received
45:58
his sight. When you want to know how God wants
46:02
to do it, You want to understand how the miracle
46:05
will happen. You want to understand the technicalities
46:08
of how God wants to move. I don't want to move
46:11
God. Oh, God is the one moving. So when God gives
46:15
us instruction, sometimes on the pulpit, sometimes
46:18
through pastor, sometimes, you know, by conversing
46:23
with people that God has blessed you with, instruction
46:25
comes. Our sister was telling us, all right,
46:28
instructions will come and instructions are coming.
46:33
Right now. And if you will not live in obedience,
46:36
don't expect to see. First of all, you are the
46:39
first partaker of the greater works of God. Are
46:43
we together? You are the first one that will
46:46
experience the works of God. Of course, you've
46:50
experienced it in salvation. Are we together?
46:53
And it doesn't end there. You will continue to
46:55
see the work of God in your life. Are we together?
47:00
You will see it is in healing, in healing. He
47:02
will be healed, alright? Do believers get sick?
47:05
Yes. Do we receive healing? Yes. You see it in
47:10
God intervening miraculously in your life. But
47:16
the scripture will say, don't forsake the garden
47:18
of the brethren. You refuse to go to serve. When
47:21
your healing will be there to meet your need,
47:24
you will not go. When you're living in disobedience,
47:28
it's difficult for you to experience. It's the
47:34
use of God. So I went and washed and I received
47:38
my sight. Then they said to you, where is he?
47:41
He said, I do not know. See, you don't need a
47:46
depth of revelation to enjoy the power of God
47:48
in your life. This man doesn't even know who
47:53
Jesus is. You don't need a depth of revelation.
47:55
You don't need Greek and Hebrew to not only enjoy
47:59
the power of God, but even to walk in the power
48:01
of God. You don't need depth of revelation to
48:05
walk in power. What we need is obedience. The
48:08
one you know. The one you know. The one you already
48:11
know. Are you practicing it? The one you already
48:16
know. This is how we're going to walk in letter
48:19
walks. You don't even need to know the technicalities
48:23
of how the miracle will happen. Maybe you have
48:25
that on the signing letter. Alright? Obedience.
48:31
The works of God will be manifested through your
48:35
life. They brought him who formerly was blind
48:46
to the Pharisee. You see them? They have a problem.
48:50
And the problem they had was that Jesus healed
48:51
on the Sabbath. Now, who is the Lord of the Sabbath?
48:57
I want to give you some... Some pictures. Maybe
48:59
we can go and make research. The blind, Sabbath,
49:03
the pool. These are familiar things that as a
49:08
Bible student, you know. What do we call them?
49:11
They are... I'm forgetting the word. They are
49:15
symbols, right? But it speaks of something very,
49:18
very spiritual. Okay? The blind, the pool, the
49:24
Sabbath, Jesus. I will use the word, violating
49:28
the Sabbath rule, because he's the Lord of the
49:31
Sabbath. Okay? So, they brought him to who? They
49:36
brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.
49:40
Now it was Sambath when Jesus made the clay and
49:44
opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked
49:48
him again how he had received his sight. He said
49:53
to them, He put clay on my eyes and I wash and
49:56
I sing. Simple. He put clay on my eyes and I
50:04
washed and I sing. Therefore, some of the Pharisees
50:09
said, this man is not from God because he does
50:12
not keep the Sabbath. Others said, how can a
50:15
man who is a sinner do such signs? And there
50:19
was a division among them, so they were debating.
50:22
This man is all from God because he did not keep
50:24
the Sabbath. Then I said, okay, if he's all from
50:27
God, how did he do this sign? So, there's a problem
50:34
here. Alright? With them, not with us, obviously.
50:42
Verse 17. They said to the blind man, what do
50:45
you say about him? Because you open your eyes?
50:48
He said, he is a prophet. Now, I want you to
50:54
understand how we are progressing just by reading.
50:56
What was the reason of the opening of the eyes
50:58
of the blind? This is the reason, not just for
51:01
show. Listen, there's no miracle Jesus said that
51:06
was just for miracle's sake. Every miracle has
51:10
a message. And the message points to his identity.
51:16
Revealed in what was done. Are we together? Now,
51:21
this man realized that he is a prophet, right?
51:25
So he can underline prophet. Because they were
51:29
probing, ah, something is wrong here. He is a
51:31
prophet. But the Jews do not believe concerning
51:34
him that he had been blind and received his sight
51:37
until they called his parents, the parents of
51:41
him who had received his sight. So Saul was blind.
51:44
He told you, I see. He don't believe that he
51:47
saw. They called his parents. And they asked
51:51
them saying, is this your son who say he was
51:55
born blind? How then does he now see? His parents
52:01
answered to them and said, we know that this
52:04
is our son. Of course, they cannot say they don't
52:07
know this is their son. But by what means he
52:12
now sees, we have no idea. We do not know. Or
52:15
who opened his eyes, we do not know. He is of
52:20
age. That means he is mature enough to answer
52:23
for himself. Ask him. He will speak for himself.
52:28
His parents said this thing. Why? Because they
52:31
feared the Jews. For because they feared the
52:34
Jews. For the Jews had agreed already that if
52:37
anyone confessed that he was Christ, if anyone
52:40
confessed that Jesus was the Christ, he would
52:43
be excommunicated from the church. Alright? Therefore
52:48
his parents said, He is of age. Ask him. So they
52:54
called the man who was blind again and said to
52:57
him, Give glory to God. We know that this man
53:01
is a sinner. Which man are they saying is a sinner?
53:04
Jesus is a sinner. Then the man answered, The
53:09
man is smart. The blind man is smart. He answered
53:11
and said, Whether he is a sinner or not, I do
53:17
not know. But one thing I know, that I was blind
53:21
and now I see. Can your testimony be denied?
53:30
Were you blind? Yes. Can you see? Yes. So your
53:34
opinion about who did it doesn't matter. Hallelujah.
53:40
Then I said to him again, what did he do to you?
53:44
How did he open your eyes? He answered them,
53:48
I told you already. And he did not listen. Why
53:52
do you want to hear it again? Do you want to
53:54
become his disciples? He was poking them in their
54:01
hearts. And they reviled him and said, you are
54:06
his disciple. But we are Moses' disciples. We
54:10
are coming to talk. I was just laughing because
54:15
I know that this way we are going to study. You
54:18
see, they were saying that they were disciples
54:20
of Moses. If they were truly disciples of Moses,
54:24
they would have known who Jesus is. If they were
54:27
truly following Moses, they would know who Jesus
54:29
is. For Moses did what? He wrote about Jesus.
54:33
Moses wrote all the teachings of Moses. The ministry
54:37
of Moses was about Jesus, isn't it? Then they
54:41
reviled and said to him, you are his disciple,
54:43
but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God
54:48
spoke to Moses. As for this fellow, we do not
54:51
know where he is from. The man answered, look
54:55
at his answer in verse 30. To them, why is it?
54:58
Why? This is a marvelous thing that you do not
55:01
know where he is from. Yet he opened my eyes.
55:06
Now we know that God does not hear sinners. By
55:12
the antichrist, God does not hear sinners. But
55:16
if anyone is a worshipper of God and does his
55:20
will, he is him. So this man is now schooling
55:26
them. By his experience of the goodness of God,
55:32
he was better positioned to be a testifier of
55:37
who God is. And if you have experienced the goodness
55:40
of God, you become equipped. empowered to speak
55:45
more about who Jesus is. Hallelujah. So, verse
55:52
31, right? Now we know that God does not hear
55:55
sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God
55:58
and does his will, he hears him. Since the world
56:02
began, it has been unheard. That is him speaking
56:05
up to now. Or that anyone opened the eyes of
56:08
one who was born blind. Okay? If this man were
56:13
not from God, he could do nothing. So first of
56:18
all, this man in his Bible study to these Pharisees,
56:22
he told them that Jesus is a prophet. He told
56:26
them that he is from God. That's a team, if you
56:30
look at it clearly. He has painted to them the
56:34
identity of who the Messiah is. Even without
56:38
going to theological seminary like them. Okay.
56:45
If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.
56:49
They answered and said to him, you were completely
56:53
born in sins and you are teaching us and they
56:59
excommunicated him. So they are now saying that
57:03
this man, you were born in sin and you are now
57:07
the one to teach us. How dare you? So they excommunicated
57:14
him. So Jesus heard that they had cast him out
57:19
of the church. All right. And when he had found
57:22
him, he said to him, do you, now listen to this.
57:26
Do you believe in the son of God? He answered,
57:31
who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? Imagine
57:36
all the things he said. And see, he doesn't even
57:41
know. who Jesus is. He answered and said to him,
57:46
Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? And
57:50
Jesus said to him, You have both seen him, and
57:52
it is he who is talking to you. Then he said,
57:56
Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe. And what did
58:04
he do? He worshipped him. And Jesus said, For
58:09
judgment I have come to this world, That those
58:12
who do not see, does that summarize a miracle?
58:17
Huh? Does that summarize a miracle? For judgment,
58:21
I have come into this world that those who do
58:24
not see may see. Is it physical seeing or spiritual
58:26
seeing? It's something spiritual. All right?
58:30
And those who see may be made blind. Who are
58:34
those who see and are made blind? The Pharisees.
58:37
They refuse to believe. All right? Then some
58:40
of the Pharisees who were with him had these
58:42
words and said to him, Are we blind also? Jesus
58:46
said to them, If you were blind, you would have
58:49
no sin. But now you say, we see. Therefore, your
58:54
sins remain. So technically, Jesus told them
58:57
that you guys are blind. Hallelujah. So we see
59:01
that the miracle Jesus did, the works he did,
59:04
speaks of who he is. Speaks of who he is. And
59:10
when we do the works of Christ, work in these
59:15
dimensions, we reveal the identity of who God
59:18
is. We reveal God as who he is and what he's
59:22
doing. Hallelujah. I just want to stop here.
59:25
There's more to talk about. I just want to stop
59:27
here and thank God for what God is planning to
59:32
do in our lives, first of all. What God is planning
59:37
to do in our lives. We appreciate you being here
59:42
today. We hope you carry this word with you throughout
59:45
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
59:48
for additional insights. Stay connected with
59:51
us through our website or follow us on social
59:53
media. If you are encouraged, share this message
59:57
with someone you care about. Until next time,
1:00:00
stay blessed.