LUKE 20:41-47
“And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?” Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
”Luke 20:41-47 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/luk.20.41-47.NKJ
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The Pharisees and Sadducees had asked their questions. Then Jesus turned the table and asked them a question about what they thought about the Messiah's identity.
The Pharisees knew the Messiah would be a descendent of David, but they didn't understand that He would be more than a human descendant, that He is actually God in human form (PHILIPPIANS 2:6).
Jesus quoted from Psalm 110:1 to show that David knew that the Messiah would be both human and Devine. The Pharisees expected only a human ruler to restore Israel's greatness as it was in the days of David and Solomon.
The central issue of life is what we believe about Jesus, unless we believe that Jesus is who He said He is, all other spiritual questions are irrelevant. The Pharisees, like some people today, didn't really believe, and remained confused over Jesus identity. Jesus is who He said He is; He is God in human form (PHILIPPIANS 2:6). In deed Jesus said, ““Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32-33 NKJV
The teachers of religious law loved the benefits of their position, and sometimes cheated the poor in order to gain.
Today, we believers all have a job to do, to share the Good News, and support our brothers and sisters in Christ; we are all individual parts of the body of Christ (ROMANS 12:4), and have been gifted accordingly to our calling; and since the Holy Spirit is the source of all spiritual gifts and Christ is the head over the whole body (1 CORINTHIANS 12), we should all work together as one body like a well oiled machine.
But however, their hasn’t really happened in the past; Prophets were continually rejected, teaching and became conflicted as the Pastors and leaders run churches their way which often brought division in our churches; usually because of selfish ambition; many craving to be number one.
They operate from the flesh rather than by the leading of the Spiirt. The result is false prophecy, teaching, and the manipulation of Scriptures. As Jeremiah warned us, ““The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”
Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV
It would be quite wrong to use our position for personal gain or status.
We are all individual parts of the same body and must remain obedient to the head. Not one part is more important than another, and all should respect one another’s calling.
God will punish people who use their position of responsibility to cheat others and esteem themselves.
Spiritual gifts are not given to edify one’s self, but to edify the whole body (1 CORINTHIANS 14:22). Therefore, whatever resources you have been given are to help and encourage others, not just yourself.
Jesus said, that the teachers of religious law would receive the greatest of punishment, because behind their appearance of holiness and respectability, they was arrogant, selfish, and uncaring.
Jesus exposed their evil agendas; He showed that despite their pious words, they neglected God's laws, and that the most severe punishment awaited these teachers because they should have been living examples of mercy and justice.
We believers should be setting the example of Christ by the way we live our lives; showing ourselves as different-helpful, loving, and caring people, so that everyone can see that we are truly children of God shining for Christ Jesus our Saviour.
My brethren, their has never been such a time as this-broken businesses, unemployment, the world wide financial systems are collapsing, our hospitals are failing, and unreasonable rules and regulations are being forced upon the people.
We are seeing lawlessness, immoral sexuality, pedophilia, child trafficking, addictions, depression and suicides at the highest levels in history, and these things are being taught as “normal” in our schools.
We are seeing corruption at the highest level in both world leadership and the church, and persecution is growing day by day; street preachers are being arrested and churches are being closed. Fear is dominating this world and its not difficult to recognise its all but over and Christ’ coming is just around the corner.
Jesus shall return very soon to take His people.
He forewarned us, saying, ““But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 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. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Matthew 24:36-44 NKJV
But however my beloved, I encourage you to be still, wait patiently on the Lord and put your trust in Him, until He makes His enemies His footstool.
The wine has run out, and man’s old church system is finished; the new is here, for Jesus time is now (JOHN 2:1-11).
The new is here, along with the new wine skins, those chosen for such a time as this; “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
Regardless of what we are witnessing in our world today, including Israel, I encourage you, God is in control.
As Joel told us and the time is now:
“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame. “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.”
Joel 2:25-32 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.