Whitticisms challenged

I like to read Dwight Whitsett's "Whitticisms" dwhitsett.wordpress.com/ . They are well thought out comments on a wide range of subjects. However I don't always agree with what he writes. That is not to say that Dwight is wrong when we disagree after all it is my opinion. I don't usually go public when I disagree but I feel strongly about Dwight's latest "Whitticism".

In his latest "Whitticism" "World Evangelism is a 'God Thing'" Dwight writes

"6.5 Billion! Mind-blowing, isn’t it? How can we possibly be expected to bring the good news to all those people? Illogical! Unreasonable! No way! Staring at the overwhelming task, we’re tempted to opt out. And yet, Jesus says, “Do it.”"

I'm assuming that Dwight, when he writes "Do it" is referring to Matthew 28:19 and /or Mark 16:15, where Jesus tells the Apostles (see Matt 28:16 Mk 16:14) to go into the whole world and preach the Gospel.
It's my belief that we were never told to preach the Gospel to the whole world. It was only for the Apostles.

Let's look at some biblical facts:
Jesus spent three and a half years teaching the Apostles.
Then he had to give them "Another Helper (John 14:16,17) whom the world could not receive. This helper would testify of Jesus (John 15:26).
John 16:13 says the Spirit of truth was to come and lead or guide them into all truth.
In Mark 16:16 Those early believers who believed the Apostles teaching were given signs.
The Word was confirmed by the accomanying signs. Mk 16:20


Now, what have we been given?
Jesus hasn't spent three and a half years with us.
No signs, no miraculous gifts, no special helper, no Spirit of truth. which answers the next question which Dwight asks.
"Okay, so let’s ask ourselves, would he give us a command without also giving us everything we need to obey it? Not likely!"
I agree Dwight, Not likely.
Next we read that God expects us to do his will with His power and provisions (1Peter 4:11) Philippians 4:19, 2 Corinthians 9:8, 10,11.

I'm a little confused at this point. I knew Dwight when he was a missionary in South Australia. As far as I know, he used to teach that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were not available to us today. I still believe that. However Dwight uses 1Peter 4:11 which speaks of gifts (see verse 10). Now, do we believe in the gifts or don't we.

Dwight writes. Also remember that, along with the tools, we are stewards of a mighty message with guaranteed effectiveness (Isaiah 55:10,11; 2 Corinthians 4:7 and Romans 1:16

Where are these tools? And what is this mighty message that we are stewards of. You see, ask 20 people and you will get twenty versions of the "message". If we all face up to the truth and not cover our eyes and close our ears. We would have to admit that we don't really know what the message is. Other than saying things like: The Gospel is the power of God for salvation. or It is the cross, or It's that God so loved the world that he gave his only son to die for us. As great as all these things are, it wouldn't take Jesus three and a half years to teach that to the disciples. Nor would they have so much trouble remembering those things that they would need a special helper or the Spirit of truth to guide them into all things.

What’s more, we have easy access to divine power – power to do much more than we can dream (2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 3:20,21).

How does this power manifest itself? And if we have this power. Why are the churches declining.

My explanation: Jesus came to this earth because of the Jews and came only to the Jews. Matthew 15:24

Matthew 5:17, 18. Jesus came to fulfil the law and the prophets

Luke 21:20-22 Jesus says that those days were the days of vengence for the Hebrews that all things which were written might be fulfilled. All things. All things, to me, means everything, nothing left to do.

When Jesus said on the cross "It is finished" John 19:29. I believe he was saying that he had accomplished everything that he had been sent to do.

I also believe that when the Roman army came upon Jerusalem in AD 70 the Jewish nation ceased to exist. That is why Jesus came to the earth not to turn God's people back to God but to tell them (God's chosen ones) that it was all over for them, that there was no going back (read Malachi). But he also reconciled us, the Gentiles back to God. Read Romans 5.

I also believe that the church is a leftover from the Judaistic way of doing things and that there is no pattern or authority for what we do today. I'm not saying that those who want to meet and do the ritualitic things are doing wrong either. I'm saying that I don't find any authority today for it.

Now , instead of jumping up and down and getting annoyed at me. Step back and look at what you believe as a christian. People say that the bible has no mistakes in it but compare Mathew 27:5-8 with Acts 1:18. In Matthew the Pharisees buy a field after Judas hangs himself but Luke in Acts 1:18 says that Judas bought a field then fell headlong and his middle burst open. I have heard this explained this way: that Judas did hang himself that the rope broke and he fell and burst open. That's not what the Bible says. That is what man says happened. It still doesn't explain how one passage says that he bought the field and the other passage say that the Pharisees bought it. How do you explain Mark 16:9-20 which supposedly is not in the original text? Likewise 1John 5:7-8. For there are three... most of 7 and the first half of verse 8 is disputed and only appears in 4 or 5 late manuscripts.

I think sometimes that we trust the Bible more than we trust God and the Holy Spirit. Do you know how the Holy Spirit works in you? Do you know if the Holy Spirit is trying to make you do something? We need to start looking at what we teach and see the inconsistencies in what we teach and are taught. Stop accepting what those who consider themselves teachers say we have to believe. It's hard at first but being free is hard work. There is always someone who wants to take you captive.

Will the heavens, elements and the earth explode in the end?

Does 2 Peter 3 teach that the earth is going to burn up?

2 Peter does say in verses 8-10.
“8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
If this passage is indeed teaching that the world is going to end in fire and the heavens are going to disappear with a roar. Then it needs to be consistent with the rest of the teachings in the New Testament.
I believe that what we think it says is inconsistent with the New Testament teaching for the following three reasons:

First. 2 Peter 3:1-3
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts”
Peter says in verse 3 “…knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days …” Peter spoke of the last days in Acts 2:17
“ And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh…”Here he mentions the fact that they were in the last days.
In 2 Peter 3:3 Peter tells them that scoffers would come in the last days and that they must understand it or know this first. Either way Peter was telling those in the 1st century that the scoffers were coming in the last days. In Acts 2:17 Peter tells them that they were in the last days. Was this the last days of the Church? How could it be, the Church was just beginning.
I believe that it was the last days of the Hebrew nation, which terminated in the destruction of their Temple when Jerusalem was laid waste. I believe that these people understood that Peter was speaking present tense not 2000 years in the future.

Second. Luke 21:20-22
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.”
It is quite clear that this passage refers to the destruction of Jerusalem. Verse 22 also says quite clearly that these were the days of vengence (Gods’ vengence on the Hebrew people TP). Then we are told why. “that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” Would all things that are written include those things written about the end? I believe they would.

Third. Matthew 5:17-18
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”
Jesus says that he came to fulfil the law and the Prophets. Then he says that not one bit of the law would pass away till all was fulfilled. Jesus said All.
Did Jesus fulfil all the law and the Prophets. I believe he did. If he didn’t fulfil the law and the Prophets then we are still under law.

Does that mean that 2 Peter is incorrect? It only means we don’t understand what it means. But I do believe that the people Peter wrote to understood it to happen in their lifetime.

"The rapture" or "Where do we go from here"?

A coupl,e of days ago I was talking to a friend at my place and the subject of "The Rapture" came up and she asked me what I thought and then pointed out that if "the rapture" had happened why was there no record of this amazing event in history. I thought "Good point". So I decided to blog it.

You will not find the word “Rapture” in the New Testament, yet you most likely have heard the words mentioned. The event, that some call “the rapture”, comes from Matthew 24 and Luke 17
Matthew 24:40,41 “Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.” Luke 17:34 adds “I tell you in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.”

You may not agree but it is my opinion that Matthew 24 is talking about the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, as is Matthew 25. I don’t believe that Matthew 24:36 – 25:46 is speaking of “the end” of the world.

Some believe that Matthew 24:1-35 is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple but that in Matthew 24:36 Jesus starts talking about the end of the world and subsequently all scripture from then on is concerned with the end of the world.

I disagree because in verse 36 we read “But of that day and hour…” What I have done in the past, wrongfully, is to marry this to verse 35 where we read “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away”. I now think that it would be better suited to be married to verse 42: “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”

I don’t believe that this is talking about the end of the world for the simple reason that it doesn’t make any sense. Let me give a couple of examples:
Vs 42 says: “Watch therefore for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming”. If it is the end of the world and then judgement. Why would a person keep watch? It’s unavoidable.
Vs 43-44 is a similar passage. If the master of the house had known. He would not have allowed his house to be broken into. If it is the end of the world the master of the house would not have been able to stop his house being broken into.

I believe that right through to the end of chapter 25 Jesus is warning the Jews that his second coming was coming soon. It makes sense.

Now what about Matthew 24:40-41?
It is my belief that that there are three possible ways of interpreting these passages.
The first that it speaks of the “end time” transformation of the Christian church being taken up to be with Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) My problem with this interpretation is that it appears in the scriptures that I believe were fulfilled around the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in or around 70AD

The second possible interpretation is that it did happen circa 70AD and that they were the Christians who were living around that time and they suddenly disappeared or were taken up or that they were faithful Jews who were taken up. One of the problems I see with this interpretation is that if they were faithful Christians or Jews. Why were there a lot of Christians left and why were the Apostles left behind? Why is there no record of this amazing event?

I arrived at this third interpretation when a friend and I were talking about scripture and I realized that the first two interpretations seemed at odds with the scriptures as I saw them.

A third interpretation is that it refers to the siege of Jerusalem and the taking of prisoners or the killings that went on. Luke 17:22-37 tends to put more urgency into these passages than Matthew. Luke 17:31 says that if a man is on the roof of his house and his possessions are inside the house he shouldn’t go down to get them. It says if you are in the field don’t look back. 32 says quite simply “Remember Lots wife”.
These passages seem to infer that there was something to run away from. It couldn’t be “the end” because there is no running away from it. But they could run from the approaching army. I don’t know if the invading army took some and left some.
However, we must remember that Jesus was talking to Jews and was sent only to the Jews and was bringing judgement on the Jews. Christians were not involved as Christians. That might be hard to swallow but nonetheless it’s true. The events surrounding the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem involved only the Jews. Others might have been caught up in the situation but it was only between God and His people.

You might have some other ideas. Leave a comment if you like.

The Secret and other natural laws of God

This past week 3rd – 10th March 2007 I saw 2 interesting documentaries. One was “The Secret “ (Thanks to Bill) the other was a program for children called “Scope”. Scope is a science program. The program I watched dealt with “The law of Buoyancy”. What is The law of buoyancy? This concept, perhaps the oldest stated principle in fluid mechanics, was first put forward by Archimedes in the third century B.C.
The principle that the net fluid force on a body submerged (or floating) in a stationary fluid is an upward force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body.
So I got to thinking about the laws that are at work in this world and the next one I looked at was energy
Energy exists in many forms, such as heat, light, chemical energy, and electrical energy. Energy is the ability to bring about change or to do work. Thermodynamics is the study of energy.
The first Law of Thermodynamics states: Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed. The total amount of energy and matter in the Universe remains constant, merely changing from one form to another. The First Law of Thermodynamics (Conservation) states that energy is always conserved, it cannot be created or destroyed. In essence, energy can be converted from one form into another.
The second Law of Thermodynamics states that "in all energy exchanges, if no energy enters or leaves the system, the potential energy of the state will always be less than that of the initial state." This is also commonly referred to as entropy. A watch spring-driven watch will run until the potential energy in the spring is converted, and not again until energy is reapplied to the spring to rewind it. A car that has run out of petrol will not run again until you walk 10 kilometres to a petrol station and refuel the car. Once the potential energy locked in carbohydrates is converted into kinetic energy (energy in use or motion), the organism will get no more until energy is input again. In the process of energy transfer, some energy will dissipate as heat. Entropy is a measure of disorder: cells are NOT disordered and so have low entropy. The flow of energy maintains order and life. Entropy wins when organisms cease to take in energy and die.
Did you get all that? Finally I looked at Gravity.
The Law of universal gravity is: Every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force directed along the line of centres for the two objects that is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the separation between the two objects.
That’s when I thought. “Enough is enough”. Simply put that little bit of rhetoric on gravity (Universal) explains why the moon hasn’t crashed into the earth yet. We understand gravity to mean anything we drop whilst wearing thongs will hit our toes. Or is that Murphy’s law? Anyway if we fall off a building we don’t stop until we hit the ground. That is gravity.
I don’t think that any of you reading this will argue that the above is true. (Except the Murphy’s thing)
We accept gravity yet most of us don’t understand it. We accept buoyancy yet most of us couldn’t explain the formula. Most of us have heard about the 1st and 2nd law of thermodynamics but, if the Simpson’s are on tonight well, what chance has it got? We accept them because they are the laws that God put into place and they work. Now think. Is God there when you are standing on a chair changing a light globe and you step back and find empty space under your foot? Yes he might be there but does he change the law so that you will float gently down and not get hurt? No he doesn’t. That’s why it’s a law. The law of gravity says you step back on to fresh air and you will fall.
When was the last time you said “I don’t think we give God enough credit for gravity”. When you were explaining the laws of buoyancy to your children did you say. “Well it’s really God not buoyancy. Yes it’s God that keeps the Queen Mary 2nd afloat not buoyancy”. God created the laws of buoyancy, he doesn’t have to be there every-time something or someone wants to float.
How many times a day is the law of gravity used? You’re using it now just by being on the earth. Do you think God is walking along side every person on this planet , keeping them from floating off? God created a law. Break the law and we suffer the consequence.
I believe that God set in motion thousands of laws (I’ve no idea how many). So that we could live on this planet in safety. God made the laws predictable. Imagine how we would cope if the law of gravity was intermittent, some days it was there some days it wasn’t. This whole universe is so predictable that we can set our clocks by it. God set those laws in motion.
Yet, when I showed some people “The Secret “ which explains one of those laws they said to me that. A. It wasn’t true. B. God wasn’t given enough credit. C. They only believed one side of the law. D. Where does prayer fit.
The law I speak about is the law of attraction. Without giving too much away and then having to explain a whole lot more than I want to, let me say this: Do you know anyone who seems to attract bad luck to themselves? Have you ever climbed out of bed in the morning just knowing it’s going to be a bad day and it is? Everyone I spoke to said yes to those questions and only a minority said that one could attract good things to themselves.
But by far the most popular statement was God wasn’t given enough credit. The Secret is about the law that God set in place sometime in the ages gone by. The Secret is not about God (Although God is given credit). It is about the law of attraction. The Secret is not about Christianity or any other religion or even about atheism. It’s about one of the laws that God set to work for us. The law of attraction. Now some might say I don’t believe it can work. It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not. Try living on this planet and not believing in gravity. Gravity doesn’t need your permission to work. God set it to work so work it does. God set the law of attraction to work and work it does.
Email terrypickles@bigpond.com

Does God give gifts today?

Does God give gifts today?

Email me if you have any comments about the following article. terrypickles@bigpond.com

I’m going to try to keep this as short as possible because too often we try to blind each other with how much we know about the Greek text and Hebrew text and the syntax of sentences etc.. Well I know very little about the Greek text and even less about the Hebrew text and I think that we have enough taxes without taxing sin. Sin is taxing enough anyway.

From my earlier opinions some may have come to the conclusion that I don’t believe in God. Nothing could be further from the truth. I believe in the God of the Bible as do you. I believe that God is Love, that He sent Jesus to die for us, that He is all powerful.

Where I have a differing opinion is on how I interpret the Bible and God's involvement in our lives today. Having said that I would now like to look at:

Does God give gifts today?
I think the first thing we need to determine is:
Which gifts am I talking about?
I am not talking about the gifts that God gave to the Christians in the first century. Those being:
(I’m not going to give individual scriptures)
1 Corinthians 12:
Speaking in tongues, Healings, the ability to Prophesy, interpretation of tongues, the message of wisdom, knowledge, faith, miraculous powers, distinguishing between spirits. Apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, administrations,

Ephesians 4:
Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, teachers.
You will probably find some that I have missed but all the above are gifts given by God or by Jesus.
We could probably argue for hours as to whether Apostles, Prophets etc. are gifts but if you accept what the Bible teaches in Ephesians 4. They were gifts given by Jesus for a period of time. That time being clearly noted in Ephesians 4:12-13.

If, as some say, we haven’t reached the requirements of verses 12 –13 then it stands to reason that all those gifts would be still in place but the truth is the Church that I have been associated with since 1972 believes that some of those gifts are not around today. What does the congregation that you meet with believe?

We either have the gifts (All of them) because we haven’t met the requirements set out in Eph 4:12-13 or we don’t have any of them because the requirements have been met.
It is my opinion that we don’t have any of the before mentioned gifts. My reasons being:

1. The reason for their being has been fulfilled. See Eph 4

2. There is no evidence of their existence today.

Answer me honestly. When was the last time you saw, first hand, a seriously ill person made immediately well? When was the last time you experienced a resurrection? When was the last time you saw a person who you knew was suffering from epilepsy, cured? When was the last time you saw a blind person given their sight?

I have watched televangelists knocking people down by waving their hands across a group of people but out of the thousands (this man claimed millions) that were there I didn’t see one person cured. A handful came forward to claim they had been cured. But no one offered proof. Now read your New Testament. When people were healed they were healed instantly and visibly and it was done frequently. It was a common thing to see people being healed.

It is my opinion that those gifts are not available today.
But It’s not those gifts that I’m writing about. It took me a long time to get to the point and I said I would be quick.

I want to talk about those gifts that God is apparently giving to people under the table.
I’m sure you’ve heard them. God has given him/her the gift of door knocking. God has given them the gift of being able to talk to others in pain. God has given them the gift of missionary work. God has given them the gift of singing. God has given them the gift of playing the guitar/piano/violin/spoons/saw etc.
Why would I insist on saying that God would give me the gift of writing, producing and recording music when if it is a gift, I wouldn’t have had to learn how to do it. It took me a long time to learn how to write music and understand it.

Why would God give me the gift of missionary work and not give me the necessary miracles that went along with that work (See Mark 16)
We use “A gift from God” when we should be saying I have an ability…

Did God give me the ability to give Reiki? Some say that it comes from Satan. But where have you read that Satan can give gifts today? I am able to relieve the symptoms and yes, get rid of the source of some illnesses such as migraine, back pain, and on one occasion I was able to reduce the frequency of seizures in a friend of mine. But if it comes from Satan how is it that Satan and the Holy Spirit can co-exist inside me?

It is an ability that anyone can learn to do.

Tell me. If healing is a present day gift from God. Why do Kenneth and Gloria Copeland have a healing school, where you go to learn to heal. If speaking in tongues is a present day gift of God. Why does Benny Hinn have an interpreter when he goes over seas?

If Reiki is a gift from God why did I have to spend $400.00+ to learn how to do it.

If missionary work is from God. Why does one have to go to one of the many schools to learn how to do it?
God no longer gives gifts today because the purpose for them has passed. So don’t you think, that if we claim to have a gift from God, it puts our integrity, honesty and knowledge of God in some doubt.

We need to think what we are saying before we give God credit for something he didn't do. Why? Because if it isn't from God and it goes wrong then who gets the blame?

Can we apply Old Testament passages to Christians

Can we apply Old Testament passages to Christians?

Matthew 15:24 He answered,

"I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."

Like the prophets in the Old Testament, Jesus was sent to God’s people. Jesus lived and died under the Old law.
The Prophets were sent to warn God’s people that they were sinning, on the brink of disaster or about to be over run by the enemy.
It was no fun being a Prophet.

Jesus message to the lost sheep of Israel was not pretty.

Luke 19:43-44 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

Can you see why Jesus cried over Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37-38

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
38Look, your house is left to you desolate."

Jesus had come to tell the lost sheep of Israel that for them it was over.

Luke 20:9-19

He went on to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. 13"Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.' 14"But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. "What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!" 17Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
" 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone? 18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed." 19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

Look at verse 19.

“…because they knew he had spoken this parable against them.”

There is no doubt about whom that parable is spoken. The teachers of the law knew it and so did the chief priests.
How many times have I sat in classes and in meetings and heard this passage “applied” to Christians. How many times have I, in the past, done the same thing? It wasn’t spoken to Christians. It wasn’t even directed at the garden variety Hebrew. It was directed at the teachers of the law and the chief priests. There are many more passages like this and I believe that we should be taking note of them and be careful how we handle them.
You will hear or you may have said , as I have, that “We can use the principle taught in the OT to teach …etc.” Where do we get the authority to change the meaning of the Bible?
We use the word “principle” when we should be using the longer sentence “I want to bind this on others.” For instance: We know that the Sabbath was a command under the Jewish law. We know that we are not under the law but under grace. Therefore the Sabbath does not apply to Christians.
But, if I want to stop you from participating in sport on Sunday. I simply apply the principle of the “Christian Sabbath.” In other words I simply tell you that “we are not under law, but if it was good enough for God to tell the Hebrews to rest, then don’t you think it would apply to Christians as well?” The answer is, No we can not apply it to Christians today because it didn’t apply to Christians back then.
It is adding rules where no rules are given.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:17-18

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."

This passage says one of two things.
1. The law has been fulfilled and has disappeared or
2. The law has not been fulfilled and the Jews are still under the law.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 that he had come to fulfil the law.
Colossians 2:14 says that

“having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

Matthew says that Jesus came to fulfil the law and Colossians says that he took it away.
Colossians says that the law was against us and that it stood opposed to us.
Do we think anything has changed?
Do we think God has reinstated the law?

Jesus died a painful death to fulfil the law. Why do we want to apply its principles to Christians today.

The Great Commission

The Great Commission.

I want you to understand that what I am telling you this morning is my opinion and nothing more.
I believe that what I am about to tell you is correct. Otherwise I would be wrong in telling you.

I have read the New Testament from Matthew to Revelation an average of seven times a year since 1997. If you’re not good at math then it adds up to roughly 70 times.
I’m not saying this to boast but by way of background.

What’s the difference between study and reading?
I think studying something, whether it is a subject, a character, or series of passages tends to give me a kind of tunnel vision of the subject.
Where-as reading the NT from beginning to end eventually gives the whole picture.
I believe that we should get the whole picture and not just parts of it.

In Matthew 28:16-20 we read about what has come to be known as “The great commission”.

Let’s look at what I believe the bible is saying about the “Great Commission”.

Matt 28:16, There were eleven disciples and they went where they were told to go.
17, Jesus meets them and they (the eleven) worship him but some doubted.
18, Jesus says “All Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.”
19. “Go therefore…” “Baptizing them…”
20. This is an important passage. Teaching them… all things that I have commanded you…” “…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Mark 16:14-20
14:Jesus appears to the eleven.
15 Go into all the world.
Let’s just stop there a minute and look at “Go into all the world.”
Could the disciples go into all the world in their lifetime?
Look at Colossians 1:6 “…as it has also in all the world.” And also 23: “…the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven…”
Colossians was written before 70 AD.

Vs 16 read
17, 18 And these signs will follow those who believe…
19. Jesus is received up to heaven.
20. The Lord working with them AND CONFIRMING THE WORD THROUGH THE ACCOMPANYING SIGNS. Amen

Turn in your bibles to John 15:26-16:16
The setting is that Jesus is talking to his disciples and only to his disciples. If we read from chpt 13 onward it is clear that those he is addressing are the select twelve that he chose.
Note verse 15:26 The helper is not the outpouring of the Spirit. He is the Comforter. He will testify of Jesus.
And then in verse 27: And you will bear witness of me (Jesus), BECAUSE you have been with me from the beginning.
Now 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come.
Now note “HE WILL LEAD YOU INTO ALL TRUTH… AND HE WILL TELL YOU THINGS TO COME”

Matthew tells me that the Disciples Jesus chose were the ones who had Authority to teach the great commission, because, the authority was given them by Jesus.

Mark tells me that there were certain things that would happen or accompany those who had been given the task of the great commission.

John tells me that those who went out were given a comforter and the Spirit of truth (not the indwelling spirit) who would tell them what to say.

Before I move on, let me just say this:
Those who think that they are responsible for telling the world about Jesus need to have the following:
1 They need to be chosen by Jesus. So, they will be Apostles.
2 They need to be sent by Jesus. So, they need to have authority
3 They need to possess at least one of the signs that would accompany them on their mission to confirm that word.
4 They need to be a recipient of the Comforter because He, the Comforter, would testify about Jesus
5 They need to have been with Jesus from the beginning And
6 They need to be the recipient of the Spirit of truth because he would lead them into all truth and tell them things to come.

So, that being said. Why can’t we go out into all the world and preach the gospel?
Don’t the people of the world need to know about Jesus?
Maybe we don’t have those gifts like picking up snakes and drinking poisons but we can still go out into all the world and preach the gospel.

So, why can’t we preach the gospel to all the world.
When I ask the question. “What is the gospel?” The answer usually comes back something along the lines of:
It’s the good news of Jesus.
Or
It’s the good news that Jesus died for us
Or
It’s the good news of reconciliation
Or…
Well, which is it?
Is it the good news of Jesus?
Is it the good news that Jesus died for us?
Is it the good news that we have now been reconciled to God?
Is it about the kingdom?
Or
Is it a combination of all?

The truth is we don’t know.
We are not privy to what Jesus taught the disciples about anything other than what he taught them about the coming vengeance upon the Jews (Luke 21:22)
In Matt 5:5-7 the disciples are sent out only to the lost sheep of Israel.
They are told not to go to the Gentiles nor the Samaritans.
What were they to preach?
The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
And in Verse 23 in the second half of the scripture we read: “…you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the son of man comes”.
You might say that this wasn’t the great commission. You are right, it’s not the great commission.
It’s Jesus saying I came only to the Jews.
Jesus confirms this in Matt 15:24 Where he says:”…I was not sent but to the lost sheep of Israel”

Why can’t we just go out and preach the gospel?
a. Jesus gave the disciples authority to preach. Who gave you the authority?
b. The signs that accompanied them confirmed the word. What will confirm the words that you speak?
c. The disciples were given the Spirit of Truth that lead them into all truth and told them what to say. What are you going to say?




Matt 15:24 says that Jesus was sent only to the lost house of Israel.
Luke 21:22 “For these are the days of vengeance, that “all things which are written may be fulfilled.”