I have a question???

[truthistforjesus]

My question, as a faith son of God, is this.  What was Jesus teaching during his life in the flesh?  I have been wondering this lately.  Can anyone help me?  I'm sorry for my ignorance....

With Love
TFJ

[Stevernator]

Hmm well Jesus went to towns and preached repentance and the kingdom of God. To his disciples he let them know things about the end, the Father, how they should live (forgiveness, love enemies etc). What comes to my mind is when Jesus was talking to the Canaanite woman.
21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."

23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."

24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."

25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.

26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."

27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Matthew 15

So I think his teaching in the flesh was about repentance, forgiveness of sins, faith and pursuing the kingdom of God above all other pursuits. I'm not sure if this is what youre looking for. Oh yeah and all parables are about the many called (people drawn to church/religous system) and few chosen (people drawn from the called and are elect). Hope this helps.

[truthistforjesus]

Thanks for these passages.  I still, however, cannot get a clear picture of his ministry.  Wasn't he preaching the 'Brotherhood of Men through God'  and 'Fatherhood and Sonship with God'.  Didn't he preach that God is the God of ALL men, even the wrongdoers, and not just a God of a chosen people as in the God of Israel in the O.T.?  Didn't the Jewish people read the prophecy that the 'Messiah' would come and give them their country back.  When Jesus was preaching that God lives in EVERY man, this upset the Jewish structure of the Synagogs correct?  Leading to the crucifixcion commanded by the Jews....?  The MEN that sent Jesus to his horrible death? 

In truth,
TFJ

[Stevernator]

Those are some good questions and I will try to do my best to answer some of them. Jesus preached both about human brotherhood and God as a father. Example, Jesus said if you call a brother a fool then you are in danger of gehenna fire. However Jesus called the Pharisees fools so there appears to be a contradiction. Well it is not because the Pharisees were inwardly corrupt and hypocrital so they were not children of God. So to someone who is a child of God is not sinning by calling them a fool in exposing their hypocrisy. We come into the world conceived of man but eventually we are born of God and become His true children. Thats what hes talking about in John ch. 3 about being born again.

44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

God is God of all humanity and provides for the good and evil. He loves (agape, not phileo) the wicked as well as righteous. But it is more in a self-sacrificial love than a friendly love. In Gospel of John, Jesus talks about how the greatest love is for a man to lay his life down for his friends.

13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you

Also Jesus and the Father are one so this also works for the Father. So while God provides for all humanity, he hates iniquity and will not phileo those that blatantly disobey Him. Once we repent and turn towards God we can begin fellowship with Him as we learn to die to sin and be filled with the holy spirit.

God was always God of all people but the old covenant was a special contract that God had with his chosen people. Jesus brought the more spiritual new covenant to replace the old physical one which is open to the faithful of every race.

Yes, Jewish scripture prophesized that the Messiah would restore Israel and bring peace etc. but that kingdom is for Jesus' second coming. His earthly ministry was more of the suffering servant role in Isaiah ch. 53

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
       a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
       Like one from whom men hide their faces
       he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
       and carried our sorrows,
       yet we considered him stricken by God,
       smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
       he was crushed for our iniquities;
       the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
       and by his wounds we are healed

As for when Israel will be restored Jesus told his disciples it is not for them to know. I don't know that God lives in every man because we cannot both be a child of God and of Satan at the same time. Those that claim to know God but continue in sin are deceived. These statements are all backed by scripture.

The religous leaders hated Jesus mostly because he was the light of the world and bore witness that they were evil. They thought there self-righteous acts justified them before God when in reality they were morally bankrupt and needed Jesus but they weren't ready to admit. The religous leaders wanted to be in control and they were very jealous when people started following Jesus and this is what lead to them having Him crucified. This was all part of God's plan. According to my understanding, the same one who gave Moses the 10 commandments and lead the Jews out of slavery in Egypt is the one that was crucified by the Jewish authorities of the time. The Jewish leaders had also persecuted the earlier prophets that God sent to deliver His people. Its very shocking to think about.

So to summarize I would say yes God sends rain for the wicked and provides for them but light does not have fellowship with darkness so they are not His beloved spiritual children until they repent. God is making us into His own image as part of his perfect plan.

Please tell me if you have any more questions or if I did not address what you were trying to get at.

God Bless,
Steve

[brandon h]

All my books are packed, since I'm moving in a few days. I only have my Pc Bible. So I can give scriptures without verses.

The first thing Jesus declared was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

That phrase started his preaching ministry his temptation in the desert. And that sipmle sentence sums up his earthly ministry. Notice how he exposed all of the pharisees contradictions? Because the pharisees belief system was polar opposites to the kingdom. They focused on the physical- Jesus on the spirtual.
They thought the kingdom of God would come-physically.
They thought the messiah would save them-physically.
They thought they pleased God with acts that were-physical. You get the idea.
But all of man thought this way. Without Christ's ministry, we would think that way today.
Babylon is still there. The kingdom of spiritual love, power, grace, mercy, healing and forgiveness is here today, right now in our midst! There need not be waiting for a day for an unscriptural rapture to experiance the kingdom. Jesus was saying the same thing in his day to his people. "Some will say, there is the kingdom, or here is the kingdom, but do not follow after. FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS WITHIN YOU.Seek the lord now! That was the basis of Christ's ministry. Paul says in Hebrews" Seek the Lord now while he may be found. Will all be saved? Absolutley. But seeking the kingdom and preaching of the kingdom and manifesting the kingdom is what Christ was anointed for. And if the head is anointed, the body must be as well.

God Bless

[truthistforjesus]

Unreal, I was reading the reply to my post from Stevernator.  Very insightful Steve, but, I found an empty feeling since I am going through a spiritual crisis right now.  That is when I was notified from the forum that a new reply was submitted.  TY soooo much Brandon, well, not really YOU, you just typed....  Thank you both for your time and efforts.  You have both lifted my spirits.  I KNOW to do 'God's Will'.  The Father has shown me in many aspects the 'error' of my OWN ways.  Sometimes I get a little stagnent, and this seems to be when I 'fall' backward.? Does this make sense?  And, too, lack of rest....My Faith, however, might lie differently than other believers.  Please, in truth, let me explain.  I know that in certain situations the Father wants US to make a decision.  The lack of making a free will choice decision connotes a potentially spiritually 'dead' individual.  We are not all supposed to be God's Puppets.... He has given us all a unique gift, has given us a personality/character, has freely given us the potentiality of choice.  I have learned that I can't rely on God for everything in this life, some things I need to do myself WITH HIM.  Example:  God cannot pay my bills.  BUT, God can most certainly, and does, assist me in ways and leads me to paths that pay my bills.......by MY choices.  I am still making the choice....  Maybe a bad example.  On a deeper level, God can most certainly, and does, enrich my life so I can better serve my fellow man, my spouse, my family, God, etc.... Since we cannot actually 'give' any material gift to God, since he is not a material being, the choicest gift I believe we can give him is, returning, the free will he has given us, returning that very will and submitting it, all of it, to HIM..... "Not my will but yours be done."  We clearly see this recital of our Master.  I repeat this to God, try to, on a daily basis, but, I understand Jesus' pronouncement in a different light, I say, "It is my will, that your will be done."  I am directly affirming my will, which the Father has freely given me, and giving, the only gift, back to HIM..... Does this resonate with anyone?  I will say in demonstrating the 'fruits of the spirit' which is, love/service for our fellow man, (Jesus' teaching)understanding that I am a child of God, Jesus' pronouncement, that we are all sons and daughters of God, not any particular sect, not any particular people, so, you mean to tell me that the JEWS, ISLAM, BUDDHISTS, CATHOLICS, and the like are going to 'burn in the lake of fire' NO WAY!!! 

[truthistforjesus]

Sorry, in the midst of excitement I hit ENTER.  Anyway, these are some of the things that GOD has presented to me.  It was a very rough going at first and I almost destroyed it all... He was there though, the whole time, through the heartaches, turmoils, tribulations, transgressions....       joys, jubilees, love, wisdom, worship.  He has show me that NO religion can pronounce to hold HIM.  His love pervades ALL MEN.  Don't you think the synagogs of old were threatened with Jesus?  If God lived in all men, not just the church/sabbath followers, why would the church need an exsistence??? I know this 'theology' might border on 'deceitfulness' for some, but hence has been my experience through CHRIST.... There could not be another 'SON OF GOD' AND 'SON OF MAN'.   Correct??? Whom then is giving me this guidance?  Please in a pronouncement of the love of the Father which Jesus spoke of, some of you, release within you, the shackels that have 'walled' God in your hearts and to your fellows....  To be a follower of Christ is to be a 'lover and server of all'  NOT any particular sect..... Let Scripture speak for itself....

81. For unto us a child is born, (JESUS CHRIST) unto us A SON (OF GOD) is given: and the Government shall be upon his shoulder: and his Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, THE PRINCE OF PEACE. Isiah 9:6

84. (JESUS SAYS:) ALL things are delivered to Me (as Agent) of My FATHER; and no man knows who the SON is but the FATHER;and who the FATHER is but the SON, and those to whom the SON chooses to reveal HIM. Mat 11:27, Luke 10:22

98. For it pleased THE FATHER that IN CHRIST JESUS ALL OF GOD'S FULLNESS IS! Colos 1:19

111.(Apostle Thomas to JESUS) My Lord and my GOD ! ! John 20:28

384....no man can (wholeheartedly) say that JESUS IS THE LORD GOD except by (the power and influence of) The HOLY SPIRIT !!! I Cor 12:3

163. I JESUS AM COME that ALL might have LIFE, and that they might have LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY!!! John 10:10

156.(Disciples) Who then can be saved? (JESUS) With men, this is impossible, but WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. Mat 19:25,26 Mark 10:26,27

131...an ENTRANCE shall be ministered unto YOU ABUNDANTLY INTO the EVERLAST- ING KINGDOM (FAMILY) of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. II Peter 1:11

164. I (JESUS CHRIST) WILL DRAW ALL MEN ONTO ME !!! John 12:32

207. SEE !, what manner of LOVE The FATHER has bestowed upon US, that WE should be called the SONS OF GOD !! Beloved, NOW WE ARE THE SONS OF GOD ! ! ! ! ! ! ! I John 3:1,2

218. ALL MEN SHALL BE CALLED THE SONS OF THE LIVING GOD! Rom 9:24-26, Hos 1:10, 2:23

213. IN GOD, WE LIVE, MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING; FOR WE ARE THE OFFSPRING OF GOD ! Acts 17:28

242 (JESUS) WHOSOEVER SHALL DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN, THE SAME IS MY BROTHER, SISTER, AND MOTHER! (If we are Brothers of JESUS WHO IS A DIVINE SON OF GOD, we too are sons of GOD! JESUS is even more!) Mat 12:50

255.(JESUS) And the Glory which YOU (GOD OF ALL) GAVE ME, I HAVE GIVEN THEM; that they my be One, even as WE ARE ONE. John 17:22

97. &100. I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE! (JESUS speaking) John 10:30

235. BEHOLD, (SEE !!) the Kingdom of GOD IS WITHIN YOU !!! Luke 17:21

237. YOU are not only in the flesh, as THE SPIRIT OF GOD INDWELLS YOU !! (HERE AND NOW and WITHIN YOU !!) Rom 8:9

241. GOD'S Glorious SPIRIT IN the INNER MAN strengthens us to have faith such that JESUS CHRIST may DWELL IN our hearts; that we KNOW the trans- cendent eternal LOVE of JESUS CHRIST; and WE SHALL sometime be filled with all the fullness of GOD! Eph 3:16,17,19

376. (JESUS) THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH DWELLS WITH YOU AND SHALL BE IN YOU FOREVER!! John 14:16,17

380. (JESUS) YOU LIVE IN ME; LET ME LIVE IN YOU. John 15:4

359. (JESUS) If a man loves Me, he will keep My Words; and My FATHER will LOVE him, and WE WILL COME INTO HIM, and make OUR HOME WITH HIM !! John 14:23

325. (JESUS) This is My Commandment: THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU. John 15:12

381. (JESUS) YOU SHALL KNOW THAT I AM IN MY FATHER, AND YOU ARE IN ME, AND I AM IN YOU. (Thus, through JESUS, YOU ARE IN THE FATHER OF ALL; HE IS IN YOU !!) John 14:20

479. SEE! I stand at the door and knock; if ANY man hear My Voice and opens the door, I WILL COME IN TO HIM, AND WILL SUP WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME. Rev 3:20

93. ...and he who receives Me (JESUS) receives HIM who sent Me! Mat 10:40

304. Your heart was sometimes dark, NOW it is full of Light of the Lord; BEHAVE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT!!! Because of this LIGHT WITHIN YOU, you should strive for goodness, righteousness and Truth. Eph. 5:8,9

469. (JESUS) I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, even to the ends of the earth!!! Mat 28:20

471. REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS ...THE LORD IS AT HAND ! (HERE AND NOW!!) Philip 4:4,5

483. CRY OUT AND SHOUT! GREAT IS THE HOLY ONE (JESUS)...AMONG US!!! Isa 12:6

177. FEAR NOT: for I AM WITH YOU; I will...bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth; even EVERY ONE who is Called by My Name; for I have created him for My Glory, I have formed him; yes, I have made him. Isa 43:5,6,7

379. (JESUS) I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD: HE WHO FOLLOWS ME shall not walk in darkness, but SHALL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE!!! John 8:12

409. (JESUS)...he who SEES ME SEES HIM who sent Me. I AM COME A LIGHT into the world. ( ! ! ! ) John 12:45,46

484. BEHOLD ( S E E ! ) YOUR GOD ! ...FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND! Isa 40:9 Rev 22:10



In truth fellow seekers,  thanks for enriching me.  Keep your hearts OPEN...FEEL the spirit's presence.
TFJ