John 16
Persecution of disciples in future verse 1- 4
These things have I spoken unto you
that ye should not be offended
they shall put you out of the synagogues
YEA – the time comes
that whosoever kills you will think
that he does God service
And these things will they do unto you
because they have not known the Father – nor ME
BUT these things have I told you
that when the time shall come
you may remember that I told you of them
AND these things I said not unto you at the beginning
because I was with you
Purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit verse 5- 11
BUT now I go MY way to HIM that sent ME
and none of you ask ME – Whither go YOU?
BUT because I have said these things unto you
sorrow hath filled your heart
nevertheless I tell you the truth
It is expedient for you that I go away
FOR if I go not away the Comforter
will not come unto you
BUT if I depart – I will send HIM unto you
and when HE is come
HE will reprove the world of sin – righteousness – judgment
OF sin – because they believe not on ME
OF righteousness – because I go to MY Father
and you see ME no more
OF judgment – because the prince of
this world is judged
Message of the Holy Spirit comes from Jesus verse 12- 15
I have yet many things to say to you
BUT you cannot bear them now
howbeit when HE – the Spirit of truth is come
HE will guide you into all truth
FOR HE shall not speak of HIMSELF
BUT whatsoever HE shall hear – that shall HE speak
and HE will show you things to come
HE shall glorify ME – FOR HE shall receive of MINE
and shall show it unto you
All things that the Father hath are MINE
THEREFORE said I
that HE shall take of MINE
and shall show it unto you
Confusion of disciples verse 16- 18
A little while – and ye shall not see ME – and again
a little while and you shall see ME
BECAUSE I go to the Father
Then said some of HIS disciples among themselves
What is this that HE said unto us
A little while – and you shall not see ME
and again – a little while – and ye shall see ME
and Because I go to the Father?
They said therefore
What is this that HE says – A little while?
we cannot tell what HE said
Explanation of Jesus verse 19- 24
NOW Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask HIM
and said unto them
Do you inquire among yourselves of that I said – A little while
and you shall not see ME – and again – a little while
and you shall see ME?
Verily – verily I say unto you
That you shall weep and lament
BUT the world shall rejoice
and you shall be sorrowful
BUT your sorrow shall be turned into JOY
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow
BECAUSE her hour is come
BUT as soon as she is delivered of the child
she remembers no more the anguish
FOR JOY that a man is born into the world
AND ye now therefore have sorrow – BUT I will see you again
and your heart shall REJOICE
and your JOY no man takes from you
And IN THAT DAY ye shall ask ME nothing
Verily – verily – I say unto you
Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in MY name
HE will give it you
Hitherto have you asked nothing in MY name
ASK – and ye shall RECEIVE
that your JOY MAY BE FULL
Jesus prays for disciples verse 25- 28
These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs
BUT the time comes
when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs
BUT I shall show you plainly of the Father
AT THAT DAY ye shall ask in MY name
and I say not unto you
that I will pray the Father for you
FOR the Father HIMSELF loves you
BECAUSE ye have loved ME
AND have believed that I came out from God
I came forth from the Father – and am come into the world
AGAIN – I leave the world – and go to the Father
Disciples know Jesus came from God verse 29- 30
HIS disciples said unto HIM – Lo – now speak YOU plainly
and speak no proverb
now are we sure that YOU know all things
and need not that any man should ask YOU
by this we believe that
YOU came forth FROM God
Jesus responds to their comments verse 31- 33
Jesus answered them
Do you now believe?
BEHOLD – the hour comes yea and is now come
that you shall be scattered
every man to his own
and shall leave ME alone
and yet I am not alone
BECAUSE the Father is with ME
These things I have spoken unto you
that IN ME you might have peace
IN the world ye shall have tribulation
BUT be of good cheer
I have overcome the world
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 12 I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (941 “bear” [bastazo] means carry, take up, to take up in order to carry or bear, to sustain, uphold, to cognitively receive something difficult to understand or accept, or undergo)
DEVOTION: Sometimes we want to run ahead of God. HIS disciples were able to handle some of HIS teaching but not all of them. They continually asked HIM to explain HIS teachings. They were confused many times. They had a lot of questions.
Jesus knew what they could handle in the three years that HE was with them. HE trained them but said that HE didn’t give them all they would need to build HIS church.
They needed the Holy Spirit. Once the Holy Spirit came they had a better understanding of their responsibility. HE taught them more than Jesus did because they were ready to handle it.
There are steps in our Christian growth. We start with the milk of the Word of God and then move to the meat. Many new believers want to take it all in all at once and it causes confusion. Sometimes it even causes some new believers to give up.
Our churches need to start with milk for baby Christians and build them up to be young men/women in the LORD by giving them solid food. Finally, after a time of solid food these individuals would be able to handle meat on a regular basis.
CHALLENGE: Jesus knows what each of us can handle and trains us accordingly. We need to make sure that our church is ready to train when people are ready for the training.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. (3594 “guide” [hodegeo] means lead on one’s way, a teacher of the ignorant or inexperienced, to instruct, to explain or to give guidance to)
DEVOTION: How many of think we know it all? How many of us think we don’t know anything? That is a wide gap. Now we come to the truth that even though Jesus was with these eleven disciples for three years they didn’t know it all. In fact, Jesus said they were not ready for it all. HE told them that HE had to leave before the Holy Spirit could come to give them instruction. The Spirit of truth or the Comforter or the Holy Ghost was the one who would give them what they needed to know when they needed to know it. HE will come and instruct them regarding what they need to know but are presently not able to understand or learn. The Holy Spirit will not speak of HIMSELF. HE will not elevate HIMSELF. HE will elevate JESUS. All through this passage we find that the Holy Spirit is referred to as a male individual. All through this passage the Holy Spirit is not in ministry to present himself but the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sometimes people and churches allow the ministry of the Holy Spirit to take first place. Jesus tells us that we are to pray in HIS name to the Father through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. All through this passage, Jesus is telling the disciples that the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit’s coming is to instruct them regarding their presentation of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is going to inform the disciples of the future events that are going to happen in this world. The Holy Spirit is going to deal with sin, righteousness and judgment.
We need to honor each member of the Godhead. Each member has their responsibility. Each member is working together. We are to listen to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. HE will lead us in the direction of truth. HE will show us the path we are to follow. One of the great truths about the Holy Spirit is that HE is going to comfort us. HE is going to encourage us. Praise the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Listen to the teaching of the Holy Spirit as we read and study the Word of God. HE wants us to learn.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (5479 “joy” [chara] means gladness, state of rejoicing, happiness, or delight)
DEVOTION: When you walk into many churches and look around it doesn’t look like a place full of rejoicing. I come from a Lutheran background where everything was very liturgical. There didn’t seem to be any smiling as I was growing up. After that I went to a Fundamental Baptist church and it seemed that there were a few smiling at times.
Today I visit many churches and there seems to be few smiling as I walk around in each church. It seems like many are not very happy to be in the service.
I have told many congregations that I wished there was a mirror behind the pulpit so people could see what their faces looked like. I had to preach to them with those faces.
Jesus told the disciples that HE wanted their requests or prayers to be offered to HIM and HE would cause them to be glad. HE promised to answer our prayers that were sent to bring glory to God.
So when we pray according to the will of God we are going to get a positive response. It should cause us to have answered prayers. If we have answered prayers then we should have a smile on our face to show we appreciate HIS grace and mercy.
CHALLENGE: People should see gladness in our attitude on a regular basis. HE promised HE would do HIS part and we should do our part. We should like our gladness is full.
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: 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in ME you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have over come the world. (1515 “peace” [eirene] means rest, quietness, a state of national tranquility, exemption from the rage and havoc of war, freedom from worry, or harmony)
DEVOTION: Our world doesn’t like Jesus. Our world wants to limit Jesus. We have people writing books who don’t even know who the real Jesus was when HE came to this earth.
One of the latest authors wants to study the “historic Jesus” and leave out all of HIS miracles. They want to leave out many of HIS teachings. They want nothing to do with the Jesus of the Bible. This author thinks that the Bible is an allegory.
We are fighting a real battle against a world that puts us down for believing the truth of the Word of God. We are to take the teachings of Jesus literally. If HE said it happened – it happened.
There are many battles that we are going to lose to the enemy but we know that the war is won and that those who don’t believe all of the teachings of Jesus will face HIM someday and realize that they were wrong.
Victory is ours through Christ. We are to never give up. We are to fight a good fight each day. We are to teach the truth of the Bible whether a majority doesn’t believe it.
While we are waiting for the LORD to return, we are to live in the state of peace. When there is war all around us it is hard to live in peace but that is what the LORD wants and give us. We need to thank HIM for it.
CHALLENGE: Let the peace of God permeate your thoughts and life each moment of each day as we face the battles the LORD allows in our lives. Praise HIS name!
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Ask verse 23
Ask in Jesus name verse 23
Receive verse 24
Joy may be full verse 24
Prayer of Jesus to Father verse 2
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Synagogues verse 2
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Father verse 3, 10, 15, 17, 25-28
Ask Father in Jesus’ name verse 23
Father loves believers verse 27
Father with Jesus verse 32
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Jesus verse 3, 19, 31
Presence of Jesus verse 4
Goes to Father verse 16, 17, 28
Spoken in proverbs verse 25
Pray to Father for disciples verse 26
Came from Father verse 28
Knows all things verse 30
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Comforter verse 7
HIM verse 7 , 8
Reprove the world of sin verse 8
Righteousness verse 8
Judgment verse 8
Spirit of truth verse 13
Guide verse 13
Glorify Jesus verse 14
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
God verse 2, 27
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Prince of this world (Satan) verse 11
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
World shall rejoice verse 20
World verse 28, 33
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Kill verse 2
Wrong thinking verse 2
Not knowing Father or Son verse 3
Sin verse 8, 9
Believe not verse 9
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Not offended verse 1
Sorrow verse 6, 20, 22
Truth verse 7, 13
Comforter verse 7
Reprove verse 8
Righteousness verse 8, 10
Spirit of truth verse 13
Guidance verse 13
Glorify God verse 14
Joy verse 20, 22, 24
Rejoice verse 22
Ask [Prayer] verse 23, 24
Pray verse 26
Love Jesus verse 27
Believed verse 27, 30, 31
Peace verse 33
Tribulation verse 33
Good cheer verse 33
Overcome the world verse 33
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Disciples verse 17, 29
Last Things (Future Events)
Judgment verse 8
Show you things to come verse 13
At that day verse 26
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QUOTES regarding passage
16:23–24. The forthcoming events brought about changed relations. Since Jesus would not be with them physically (in that day means after His Ascension), they would not be able to ask Him questions. But the Holy Spirit would help them (vv. 13–15).
I tell you the truth again introduced an important statement. They would be His ambassadors and therefore had the right to ask the Father for whatever they needed to accomplish His will. The words in My name are not a magical formula which enable the user to get his will done; instead those words tied the requests to the work of the Son in doing the Father’s will (cf. “in My name” in 14:13–14; 15:16; 16:24, 26). Up to this point the disciples had not prayed in the name of Jesus. Now they are to do this since Jesus’ death and the Spirit’s coming would enable them to enter into God’s new program of the Church Age. Answered prayer brings complete joy (cf. 15:11; 16:22) because God is at work in them. (Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 329–330). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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The central theme of this paragraph is prayer: “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). It is important to note that the text uses two different words for “ask,” although they can be used interchangeably. The word used in John 16:19, 23a, and 26 means “to ask a question” or “to ask a request.” It is used when someone makes a request of someone equal. The word translated “ask” in John 16:23b, 24, and 26b (“pray”) means “to request something of a superior.” This latter word was never used by Jesus in His prayer life because He is equal to the Father. We come as inferiors to God, asking for His blessing; but He came as the very Son of God, equal with the Father.
In John 16:23, what period of time did Jesus mean by “in that day”? I think He was referring to the time after the coming of the Spirit. He promised them in John 16:22 that He would see them again, and He kept His promise. He spent forty days with them after His resurrection, teaching them clearly the truths they needed to know in order to take His place and minister on earth (Acts 1:3ff). “That day” cannot refer to the day of His return for His church, because there is no evidence in Scripture that we shall pray to Him after we get to heaven.
Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him a question (John 16:19). He assured them that a day would soon come when they would not ask Him questions. Instead, they would pray to the Father and He would meet their needs. This was the promise that they desperately needed to believe: that the Father loved them and would hear their requests and meet their needs. While Jesus was on earth, He met all the needs of His disciples. Now He would return to the Father, but the Father would meet their needs. Here is the wonderful promise and privilege of prayer.
Our Lord had mentioned prayer many times in His ministry, and He had set the example for prayer in His own life. He was indeed a man of prayer. In His Upper Room message, Jesus emphasized prayer (John 14:12–14; 15:7, 16; 16:23–26). He made it clear that believing prayer is one of the secrets of a fruitful Christian life. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 365). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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16:16–24 Grief transformed to joy. The statement in v 16 carries further the hint already given in 13:33 that there is a little while which will have a radical outcome. Since there is a double little while here, it is best to think in terms of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The perplexity of the disciples in vs 17–18 is understandable, although it is not clear why no direct question was put to Jesus. When Jesus answered their unspoken confusion (19) he again repeated the little while. John’s comment about the disciples’ lack of understanding reflects close knowledge of their thoughts at this time. In his reply to their perplexity Jesus reminded them again of coming sorrow (20), but this was in order to add the promise of the joy that was to follow. There is a vivid contrast between the world’s joy and the disciples’ joy. The transformation of grief into joy is illustrated by the metaphor of childbirth. It is a universal law that labour pains are forgotten once the joy of new birth is realized (21). The same principle of sorrow being turned into joy was applied to the disciples (22). The main characteristic of that joy would be its security. The joy would be so lasting that no amount of opposition would be able to destroy it. In that day (23) refers to the time when the full implications of the resurrection have dawned upon them, in which case questions such as the meaning of Jesus’ enigmatic statements regarding his departure would be unnecessary. There would also be a change in procedure—they would be put to the Father (23). The importance of this reference to prayer is seen by the use of the formula I tell you the truth. Prayer becomes more vital after the departure of Jesus. It is seen as the means of ensuring a constant fullness of joy (24). The suggestion is that until now the disciples had not addressed the Father in Jesus’ name as they would learn to do after the resurrection. (Guthrie, D. (1994). John. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 1058). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.)
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16:24 joy may be made full. In this case, the believer’s joy will be related to answered prayer and a full supply of heavenly blessing for everything consistent with the purpose of the Lord in one’s life. See note on 15:11. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Jn 16:24). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 24. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name, &c.] Not that they had never prayed as yet; for they had desired him to teach them to pray, which he did: they had prayed to him particularly for an increase of faith, and for many other things; but either they had only asked him, he being present with them, and not the father; or if they had asked the father any thing, yet not in the name of Christ: they had made no mention of his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, nor any use of his mediation; things they had not as yet such clear knowledge of; or they had not asked as yet any extraordinary thing, as they afterwards did; see Acts 4:29, 30 ask, and ye shall receive; that is, in my name, and whatever ye ask for, ye shall have it, to fit you for your work, to carry you through it, and to give you success in it: see Matt. 7:7 that your joy may be full; go cheerfully through your work, find much pleasure in it, and with great satisfaction see the Gospel spread, souls converted, Satan’s kingdom weakened, and the interest of your Redeemer thrive and flourish; than which nothing can more contribute to complete the joy of the ministers of Christ. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 79). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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We note also why we are to ask (16:24): “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” The Lord had already taught them this revolutionary concept of coming to God and appealing to him as “our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9; 7:7–11). But up to now they had not appealed to him in Jesus’ name.
Coming to the Father in the name of Jesus would fill their souls with joy. Every time they did so, it would remind them of him and where he now was, and of what a friend they had in him. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary (Jn 16:23–24). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
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23–24 The joy of the new time introduced by Easter is to be characterized by two notable features: first, the joy of understanding; the disciples will no longer have to question Jesus in the kind of bewilderment which they had just known (vv 16–18), for Easter will be as a shaft of light from heaven on the way of Jesus, and the Spirit will be their leader into “all truth”; second, the joy of efficacious prayer, since the Father will hear and grant their prayers “in the name of Jesus.” (The reference of “in my name” is uncertain, as is illustrated by its different positions in the early manuscripts. If the reference is to prayer asked in the name of Jesus, it assumes the naming of his name as Redeemer-Lord and presenting petitions for his sake and glory. If the reference is to the Father giving in the name of Jesus, it signifies giving in virtue of the achieved redemption of Jesus and the relation of the petitioners to him. In either case the promise assumes the role of Jesus as Mediator of the saving sovereignty of God for man.)
The parable of v 21, despite its simplicity and naturalness, is replete with echoes of OT prophecy, and it has the important function of emphasizing the eschatological nature of the event in view, namely the death and resurrection of Jesus. The figure of the pangs of childbirth is frequent in the OT for the swift coming of God’s judgment upon wrongdoers (cf. e.g., Isa 21:2–3; Jer 13:21; Mic 4:9–10). Isa 66:7–14 is an example of the same image applied to bringing to birth the new age of salvation. Moreover the phrase “a little while” also frequently occurs in passages anticipating the eschatological action of God (e.g., Isa 10:25; 29:17; Jer 51:33; Hos 1:4). In this connection Isa 26:16–21 is particularly important, since it combines the “little while” of God’s coming for judgment with the figure of a woman writhing in her labor pains and a startling promise of resurrection (“Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy!”). In view of these associations the whole passage, vv 16–24, has been interpreted as primarily relating to the appearance of Jesus as Son of Man at the end of the age (as early as Augustine, In Jo., 101.5–6). Barrett believes that the language is intended to apply both to the resurrection of Jesus and his Parousia (491–92). Brown considers that the original teaching of Jesus as to his vindication was vague, and that the distinction between his resurrection and Parousia was due to teachers within the Church; the Evangelist interprets the tradition before him as indicating the presence of Jesus in his Church through the coming of the Paraclete-Spirit (730). The majority of exegetes, however, recognize that this passage has in view the coming of Jesus to his disciples in the Easter appearances and the new age which it introduces. There is no thought of the Parousia in vv 16, 20–22, as the sequel in vv 23–24 surely makes plain, nor does the Evangelist wish to depict in this passage the sending of the Paraclete. His intention is one with his representations throughout this Gospel that the death and resurrection of Jesus bring to a climax the eschatological action of God in him through which the promised saving sovereignty of God comes to humankind (see esp. Hoskyns, 487–89; Lindars, 506–10; Schnackenburg, 3:155–60).( Beasley-Murray, G. R. (1999). John (Vol. 36, pp. 285–286). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.)
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FROM MY READING:
Classic dispensationalism is a result of consistent application of the basic hermeneutical principle of literal, normal, or plain interpretation. No other system of theology can claim this. (p. 97)
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This approach has led nondispensationalists to equate, or at least to merge, Israel and the church, which in turn has resulted in spiritualizing the yet unfulfilled blessings promised to Israel by having them fulfilled presently by the church. (p. 97)
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In speaking of the issues still on the table to be discussed by covenant theologians and progressive dispensationalists, Blaising and Bock say, “The final issues on the table is hermeneutical. The issues is not a distinct hermeneutic but debate about how to apply the hermeneutic that we share” This sharing is between covenantalists and progressives,, not progressives and normative dispensationalists, Further demonstrating the distance progressivies wich t have between themselves and classic dispensationalists. (p. 100-101)
(Dispensationalism by Charles C. Ryrie)
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WE HAVE OVERCOME, AND WE ARE OVERCOMING
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4
I am trying to say how at one and the same time it can be said that as Christians we have overcome and we are overcoming. Think of it in terms of the Battle of Quebec. General Wolfe conquered the French general Montcalm on the Heights of Abraham, and as the result of that battle Canada was conquered. And yet we read in our history books that the fight for possessing Canada went on for some seventy or eighty more years. That is it; the country was captured, and then captured in detail. The position of Christian men and women is something like that in this world. They are no longer under the dominion of Satan; they have been taken out of his kingdom, but that does not mean that they have finished with Satan.
Or look at it like this—think of it in terms of two big estates with a road going down between. On one side of the road there is one estate, and on the other side there is another; one of them is the kingdom of Satan, and the other is the kingdom of God. Now this is what has happened to Christian men and women: They were in the estate under the dominion of Satan, but they have crossed over the road and are now in the kingdom of God. But though they are in this life and world, working in that new estate, the kingdom of God, Satan, their old enemy, is still there in that other kingdom, and he thinks that Christians will be foolish enough to listen to him. He forgets that they have been once and forever taken out of his dominion; he forgets that they are free. So Christians do not come under his dominion, but they are still subject to his attacks and onslaughts and his suggestions and insinuations. They have overcome, but they are still fighting; they still have to overcome as they go on in this life walking with God and with Christ.
A Thought to Ponder: Christians have overcome, but they are still fighting.
(From Life in God, pp. 42-43 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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1 Peter 1
Because of our great hope for the future, we should be steadfast in the face of present trials.
INSIGHT
One mark of maturity is the ability to put off present gratification for the sake of a future reward. A child of six is not willing to give up buying a piece of candy to save that money for college tuition; yet an older child might be willing to forego present purchases for the sake of future education. Though in the Christian life the stakes are much higher, the principle is the same. Peter urges us to consider our future inheritance and endure present trials in expectation of our eternal reward. (Quiet Walk)
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My Chains Fell Off
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
The fourth verse of Charles Wesley’s great hymn “And Can It Be That I Should Gain?” compares Peter’s miraculous deliverance from prison with a sinner’s deliverance from bondage to sin. “Peter was sleeping, . . . bound with two chains. . . . And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: . . . And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him . . . follow me” (Acts 12:6-8).
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light:
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
The Bible teaches that before being delivered, “ye were the servants of sin [i.e., in bondage to sin], but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). We were powerless to gain freedom on our own.
But “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6), bringing freedom and life. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened [made alive] by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18). “And you, being dead in your sins . . . hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13). If He has done all this for us, how can we do less than follow Him?
(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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AS you can tell we are having trouble with the devotional. My computer has a glitch. I have a new computer that we are going to set up in the next few days. I hope this settles the problems. Thank you for your patience. Also the giving for SCM has been down. Please pray for this issue. Thank you