Join us on this insightful episode of Classic Christianity Radio with Bob George as we delve into the profound teachings of Jesus Christ. Bob explores the significance of Jesus’ resurrection and its transformative power over our spiritual lives. Learn how we were born in the image of Adam and what it truly means to be reborn through the image of Christ.
In this engaging conversation, Bob shares the fundamental principles of living a Christian life by following Jesus’ example of total dependency on the Father. Discover the only path to salvation and eternal life through Christ and the critical role
Welcome to Classic Christianity Radio with Bob George. Bob’s clear, timeless teachings on the complete forgiveness and unconditional love of Jesus Christ will transform your life as you learn about God’s amazing grace. Let’s join Bob as he teaches us from God’s Word.
SPEAKER 01 :
Let us turn to the 14th chapter of John. We are about three weeks from today away from the most, I think, important day in the history of the world. And it was the day that Christ Jesus was raised from the dead. Raised from the dead so that that life that raised him from the dead can be given to you and me and raise us from our state of spiritual death that we’re born into by being born in Adam. There are many people who do not understand the fact that we are not born in the image of God. We hear that constantly. We’re all God’s children. No, we’re not. We are born in the image of Adam. Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. You and I were born in the image of Adam, dead spiritually. The only man that was ever born alive spiritually is Jesus. And that’s why he’s the only one who had a life to lay down for you and me, is he’s the only one that ever had a life to lay down for you and me. And so we are born in the image of Adam into this world, dead spiritually, and in need of spiritual life. And the resurrection is what provided that life to you and me today. Now when a person is getting ready to leave because we’re in this 14th chapter and actually some chapters before then, but you’re talking about the last days of Christ before he was going to go through the cross and the resurrection. And you and I both know that if we knew that we were going to depart from this earth in a very short period of time, that probably we would like to at least gather our family together in some way shape or form and at that time to express to them the deepest needs of our hearts wouldn’t we and that would be the most natural thing in the world knowing I’m going away and here’s what I want to leave you with and such was the case of Christ Jesus and in these last days of Christ Jesus you’ll see some of the most profound teaching of all of his ministry Now, in the last chapter, in the last verses of chapter 12, Jesus again shows us and tells us how he lived his life when he was here on this earth. Because, guys, if we don’t understand why Jesus performed the way he did, we’re not going to be able to understand how he wants us to perform. And so he gave us the example. I am the example of how to live your life here on this earth. And Jesus in those verses told us that the Father is the one who commanded me what to say and how to say it, that I do nothing unless the Father tells me to do it, I say nothing unless the Father tells me to say it and how to say it. And as the Father has sent me, so send I you. Jesus showed them, here’s why you see me doing what you see me doing. You think it’s me doing it. But what the me is doing is abiding in the Father and the Father is doing it through me. Wouldn’t have to. I could have done it. He didn’t say this, but we know that. I could have done it on my own. But I wouldn’t have taught you anything. If I would have been here as Jesus doing everything in my own initiative, I wouldn’t have taught you anything because you can’t behave as Jesus. It’s like this. What would Jesus do? Well, walk on water. That’s nonsense. Because what Jesus did was what his father told him to do. And what the father told him to do isn’t necessarily what he tells you to do. And what he told him to say, I’ll guarantee he hadn’t told any of us to say in those words on our own. And so he said, I’m going to show you how I’m living. I’m going to show you why you see me do the miracles that I do. I’m going to show you why you hear the wisdom that you hear coming out of my mouth. It’s because I’m living in total dependency upon the Father to tell me what to do and to tell me what to say and how to say it. That’s pretty dependent, isn’t it, folks? Now let’s grab a hold of that. There’s the example. that jesus gave to us in regard to here’s how he lived in a moment i’m going to show you how you’re going to live you’re not going to live with me with you in physical form and so i’m going to have to instruct you on how to live without me physically being here and and i’m going to show you the way for you to do that And I’m going to show you that, in essence, there’s things that you’re going to do that are greater than what I did. If you’ll learn to do what I did. And that’s abide in me. The imitation of Jesus is the same thing Paul said. Imitate my faith. And Jesus is saying, imitate how I live my life. Not what I did. Because what I did is what the Father told me to do. But… I lived in dependency upon the Father. Now we go over to the 14th chapter. Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Now folks, how many of us have troubled hearts sometimes? We all have them, don’t we? We get troubled hearts many times with our children, with our mates, with our friends. with what’s going on in the world today if that doesn’t trouble you I don’t know what would with fear because that’s what troubled hearts basically is around fear fear of to what’s gonna happen he said trust in God now basically you’ve got also an alternative translation there where it says you trust in God Trust also in me. Now again, trust in God the Father. This is the whole essence of what he’s talking about here. Trust in God the Father. Trust also in God the Son. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you. And I am going there to my father’s house to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, then I will come back and take you with me so that you may also be where I am. Now that’s quite a promise, isn’t it, folks? In my father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you so. And I am going in a very short period of time. I’m going to go to my father’s house and to prepare a place for you. I’m going to die physically. I’m going to be raised from the dead and I’m going to raise you from the dead. And when you are raised from the dead, you got a home that I’ve prepared for you. And when I come, and the way you’re going to get to that home is, I’m going to come and get you. And take you to your home. So that where I am, you will be also. Is that good news, guys? So he said, don’t let your heart be troubled. It doesn’t make any difference what’s going to happen to you down here. You’ve got a home in glory. You’ve got something to look forward to. And that’s the eternal life that I’m going to grant to you in Christ Jesus. You know the way to the place where I’m going. Now, Thomas said, we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way? He just got through telling him that I’m going to my father’s house and I’m going to go get you. And he said, I don’t know where you’re going. Is that unusual? Are any of us ever that dumb? Lord, we don’t know where you’re going, he says. So how can we know the way? In other words, if I don’t know where you’re going, how do I know how to get there? If I say to you after we leave here, I’m going to Denton. Do you know where Denton is? Yeah. Well, do you know how to get there? Yeah. But if I’m saying, do you know how to get there? Where are you going? If I don’t know where I’m going… Or you don’t know where I’m going. How in the world are you going to know how to get there? So they didn’t know either way. They did not know where he was going and they did not know the way to get there. And so here’s what Jesus said. And this verse is quoted continually, I think many times without meaning. I, Jesus, am the way to who? The Father. He just got through saying, I’m going to the Father. Right? So I am the way to the Father, and I am the truth about the Father, and I am the life of the Father. I’m the way to the Father, I’m the truth about the Father, and I’m the life of the Father. And no one comes to the Father except through me. That narrows it down, doesn’t it, folks? That if you believe that God is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, but if you believe that God is God, he’s saying to the world, there’s only one way to get there. Do you want to get to the Father? There’s only one way to get there, and that is through the Son. Not being narrow-minded, it just happens to be the only way you can get there. Now, if your God is Allah, then your God is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, so it doesn’t make any difference what path you’re taking to try to get there. You’re not going to get there anyway. There is no other way. You don’t get there through Buddha, You don’t get there through Muhammad. You don’t get there through the Pope. You don’t get there through Luther. You get there through a man called Jesus of Nazareth who claimed himself to be the way to God, the truth about God, the Father, and the life of God. And no one comes to the Father except through me. Now, folks, does that mean as Christians… that God gave us the assignment to go out and to conquer the world? Is that what that is? I mean, do people have anything to fear about that statement that no one comes to the Father except through Him? There’s nothing to fear with that. We’re not out trying to take over nations. We’re just there telling people there’s only one way to God. And that’s through Jesus. If you don’t believe in Jesus or you don’t want to believe in Jesus, that’s your prerogative. But it’s also going to be your destiny not to get there. Because you don’t know who you’re going to and you don’t know how to get there. But we’re not there to discredit you. We’re not there to beat you up. We’re not there to put you in jail. We’re not there to kill you if you don’t believe. We’re just there to proclaim the truth that… That is the only way to God the Father, is through God the Son.
SPEAKER 02 :
Classic Christianity Radio thanks you for your support of our online and radio ministry. Make sure to visit bobgeorge.net to order a copy of the Closer Look Bible Study Series. A Closer Look Bible Studies features eight in-depth study guides that detail hundreds of Bible verses to help you deepen your understanding of the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. A Closer Look Bible Study Guides are an excellent tool for both individuals and larger Bible study groups. Please visit bobgeorge.net to order your copy of A Closer Look Bible Studies as well as many other wonderful books, CDs, and study guides. With your support, we can continue to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Let’s continue now with our Classic Christianity radio program.
SPEAKER 01 :
You have nothing to fear with that. We’re not out trying to recruit. We are out trying to see if God… can touch your heart the way he touched my heart and convert you. But when you’re converted, we’re not there to say to become an enemy of all religions of the world. We’re not enemies of those religions at all. They’re nothing to be an enemy about. We just know from the Bible that the way to God is through the Son. And we pray and hope that you’ll grab a hold of that as well. And come to know that new birth that he is offering in Christ Jesus. Not to politicize you. Not to lord it over you. Not to sit around and tell you what to do and what not to do. But to show you how to come to the Father. That should be our intent as Christians. Nothing to fear from us at all. Nothing at all. And so he says, no one comes to the Father except through me. Now he said, if you really knew me, and an alternate translation of that is, if you really knew about me, you would know my Father as well. So if you really knew about me, if you really knew me, Jesus, you would know the Father as well. There’s something inside of you that’s going to testify to the fact that I know not only the Son, but I know the Father. And from now on, he said, you will know him and have seen him. Now, again, guys, this is all preparation for the time that Jesus is leaving this earth in physical form. It’s all preparation. It’s preparing you and me for how to we live with Jesus physically away from us. Philip said, Lord, show us a father. He still didn’t get it. Show us a father and that’ll be good enough. He just got through saying, I am the father of one. He said, show us a father. That’ll be good enough. If you just show us him, it’ll be good enough. And Jesus said, do you not know me, Philip? Even after I have been among you for such a long time, you’ve seen the miracles that I have done. You’ve seen me raise the dead. You’ve heard words come out of my mouth that you’ve never heard before. You’ve seen a love that you’ve never seen before. You’ve seen the joy of the Lord that you’ve never seen before. You’ve seen patience and kindness that you’ve never seen before. And I told you where that all came from. It all came from the Father. Because I don’t do anything unless the Father tells me to do it. And I don’t say anything unless the Father tells me to say it. That’s where it came from, Philip. Don’t you know that? Don’t you understand that? Now, guys, in a moment, he’s going to bring all of this down to how we live with the vine and branch illustration. It’ll be in the next chapter. But before he does that, I want us to see that if we’ll get a glimpse of this vine and branch as it relates to God the Father and Jesus, I think it’ll help us with understanding how we live. And so you could look at this and say anyone who has seen the branch has seen the vines. If you want to follow along with me, we’re in verse 9, chapter 14. Anyone who has seen me, the branch, has seen the vine, the father. How can you say, show us the vine? Don’t you believe that I, a branch, am in the vine and that the vine is in me? We know that, don’t we, in the relationship of the vine and branch. It works together. With God’s economy, the vine couldn’t produce fruit apart from the branch. And the branch could not bear fruit apart from the vine. They need each other. They’re a part of one another. They may look different, but they’re all one. Do we understand that? They all look, might have a different look to them. Total function is different, but it’s all oneness. The vine does nothing that the branch does nothing that the vine didn’t tell it to do. And the branch does nothing or says anything that the vine didn’t tell it to say. Are we together? The words I say to you are not my own. Rather, it is the vine, the father, the vine living in me, doing his work. It’s like a branch saying, look, I’m not doing this on my own. It’s the vine doing it in through me. If a vine could talk or a branch could talk. But Jesus is kind of talking to us here. Believe me when I say that the branch is in the vine and the vine is in me, the branch. Or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves that could not have been produced by any man but only by God who lives in me. I tell you the truth that anyone who has faith in me, the branch, will do what I, the branch, have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And I, the branch, will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Son may bring glory to the Father and you may ask anything in my name and I’ll do it. Now we ask the question, that’s good, Jesus. You’ve just told us how you functioned. Because I don’t think anyone figured that out while he was there. You would look at the works of Jesus and say, wow, what a guy. And Jesus is saying, yeah, what a guy is because I’m abiding in the Father. He is explaining to you, guys, look, I know what you think that I’m doing is something quite unusual, which it is. But the reason is because I’m abiding and depending on God to do that in and through me. He’s showing us how we are to live. If it’s good enough for Jesus, it ought to be good enough for us. There’s no other way to live the Christian life except how Jesus lived it, and that is in total dependency upon the Father to produce in us what we cannot produce in and of ourselves. He’s preparing us for that. So he’s going to show us now how to pull that off. If you love me, you’ll obey what I command. And I will ask the Father and he’ll give you another counselor to be with you forever. It’s always saying, here’s how it’s going to be pulled off. I’m going to give you my spirit to live in you. The spirit of truth is going to live in you. And my friends, if you will abide in the spirit of truth, you will be so set apart from this world that you won’t even be recognizable. Because the world is full of lies. The world is motivated by the kingdom of lies. By the author of lies, Satan. And I’m going to give you the spirit of truth. So that you can discern the difference between truth and lies. Is that worthwhile guys? I mean if we’ll grab a hold of that. And to realize that the standard of truth is not what Rosie says. That the standard of truth is God and what God says. That we have to have a standard of what is truth. And God has told us what truth is. He calls sin what it is. And he wants us to call it what it is. He called us what we are, wicked and deceitful above all things, and who can know us? Wretched man that I am. That’s the condition of mankind until he becomes a born-again believer. That’s the condition of the world. Wretched. Hearts wicked and deceitful above all things. Who can know them? Now, you see, we don’t even believe God with that. And as a matter of fact, I think that’s the biggest point of rebellion in regard to salvation messages. It’s not that I don’t want to believe that Jesus died on a cross. It’s just don’t tell me I’m a sinner. And for goodness sakes, don’t tell me I’m wretched. Because I’m basically a good person. And if you don’t believe me, just ask me. And I’ll tell you how good I am. Is that right or wrong, guys? We don’t need defense attorneys. We’re the best defense attorneys in the world of ourselves. Highly skilled to defend ourselves. God says it doesn’t make any difference how nice you’re acting. I have said that you’re wretched apart from me. You’re lost and you’re wretched. And the only thing that a wretched man needs is salvation. And there’s only one point of salvation in the Bible, and that’s through Jesus. So he comes and says, the Spirit of truth, the world can’t accept him, doesn’t know anything about him, because it neither sees him or knows him. But you do. For he lives with you, that’s Jesus, and will be in you, that’s the Holy Spirit. Do you believe that? Do we believe that Jesus through his Holy Spirit literally lives in you? If he doesn’t, we’re to be pitied of all people. If Christ Jesus isn’t alive living in us, where are we going to get our instruction from? I’ll not leave you. I’m not going to leave you. He says, I am not going to leave you. I’m going to leave you physically, guys, but the physical is not the issue. The spiritual is. I’m going to leave you physically, but I’m going to send my spirit to live in you, and my spirit will never leave you nor forsake you. I will come to you. I’ll never leave you as orphans. I’ll come to you. So that’s a promise. I’m going away physically, but I’m going to come to you spiritually. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. Is that good news? I’m going to be raised from the dead, and you also are going to be raised from the dead. Salvation. Salvation isn’t the cross. That was preparatory to salvation. We celebrate Good Thursday instead of Good Friday because he didn’t die on Friday. He died on Thursday. We’ll see that that was preparatory. to the resurrection that the cross had to take away eternally the cause of death before he could give you life eternal he could have given us temporal life by not dealing with the cross and gave you life and next time you sin you just die again but in order to give you eternal life he had to take away eternally the cause of death which was sin which is what the cross was preparatory to salvation
SPEAKER 02 :
Until next time, walk in faith, be good to one another, and praise the Lord. Amen.
