Good News Notes
Note 1: Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them
rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the
earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man
in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created
them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill
the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and
over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Genesis 1:26-28)
Note 2: The Bible is the most unique book on the planet. It contains the only truly
inspired and infallible Word of God. One will find within its pages the life-changing
message that I'm sharing with you. People from all over the world, from every walk
of life will attest to its mighty power to radically change lives with its message. "All
Scripture is God-breathed [or inspired] and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness." (II Timothy 3:16) "For prophecy never
had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along
by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:21)
Note 3: Galatians 5:19-21, "The acts of the sinful nature [that is this fallen nature]
are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft;
hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who
live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." In other words, this fallen nature
keeps one out of the presence of God.
Note 4: The word "sin" in the original language that the Bible was written in is an
archery term. It means to shoot an arrow at a target but the arrow falls short of
the mark. Therefore, it means that we've all "fallen short" of God's glory-- His
righteousness. In other words, we all miss the target with our lifestyles and
attitudes. No matter how hard we try, no one is able to live a perfect life. We all
miss the target.
Note 5: Here's an example of how flawed we are. Psychologists say that average
person has something like 60,000 thoughts a day. How many of those thoughts do
you suppose aren't exactly wholesome? Suppose you live a superior life and have
only a couple of sinful thoughts a day-- just two. You would then be guilty of two
sins for the day, right? That's not too bad, is it? In fact, you would be almost an
angel.
However, did you know that only one sinful thought a day would average out to
about 30 sins a month, 365 sins a year. Then at the end of an average life span you
will be guilty of over 25,000 sins! How many traffic judges do you suppose would let
you off if you had 25,000 traffic violations? None, I'm sure. As you see no one is
without fault. None of us is without sin. Indeed, we are all sinners.
Note 6: When the Bible speaks of death, it literally means separation. In Isaiah 59:2
it's expressed this way. "But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Iniquity literally
means unrighteousness-- which is the absence of a right standing with God.
Ephesians 4:18, "They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the
life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their
hearts."
Note 7: Jesus described what God would do with sinners at the end of the world in
Matthew 13:40-42, "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be
at the end of the age (the end of time). The Son of Man will send out his angels, and
they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth."
Note 8: The term "scapegoat" comes from the practice described in Leviticus 16:8-
26. God instructed Israel on how to temporally remove the guilt of their sinfulness.
The High Priest of the Jewish faith made atonement by symbolically laying Israel's
sin-guilt upon a spotless goat or a lamb. He would then send it away. The goat or
lamb would then symbolically bear the sins of the people and carry them away. It
was a picture of what Jesus would one day do for us. "The next day John (the
Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29)
Note 9: An intercessor is one who is a go between; one who mediates between two
parties for the purpose of bringing peace between the two. This is what Jesus did
between God and us. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)
Note 10: To make atonement for something is to make compensation for it. Example:
to pay a debt that is owed is to make compensation. In the case of Jesus, He made
compensation for us in regards to our sin debt by taking it upon Himself to pay for it
with the sacrifice of His life. "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for
ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)
Note 11: These two brothers were identical twins. Although they looked alike there
was a great difference in their character. While one brother was hard working and
virtuous, the other was a drunkard and troublemaker. The former worked hard
every day, was always reliable and a man of good reputation. The latter caroused
all night and slept all day. The two brothers shared a room together.
One night the good brother was awakened by a loud commotion. It was the noise of
his brother rushing into the room in the middle of the night and hurriedly rummaging
around in the dark. He then raced out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
By the time the good brother could light a lamp, there was no one but him in the
room. Looking about the room, he found a pile of bloody clothing lying on the floor;
clothes he recognized as his brother's.
Knowing his brother as he did he quickly concluded that he had probably gotten into
a drunken brawl and hurt someone seriously, perhaps even killing him. That would
explain why he had changed the bloody clothes and hurried out the door. The police
must have been hot on his trail. The good brother sat on the side of his bed and
stared at the heap of bloody clothing on the floor. Sure, he knew his brother was
mean and ruthless but he still loved him dearly and knew what would happen when
justice caught up with him.
Suddenly, a desperate idea came to him. He quickly removed his nightshirt, put on
the bloody clothes his brother had left on the floor, sat down on a chair and waited
for the authorities. When they arrived, they saw the good brother sitting calmly
wearing his brother's blood soaked clothes. Assuming he was the guilty party the
police arrested him and put him in jail.
At the end of his trial, the judge pronounced sentence upon him-- death. Yet,
through the entire ordeal, the innocent brother never opened his mouth. He just sat
quietly allowing everyone to believe he was the guilty one. Soon, the sentence was
carried out. He was hanged on the gallows and no one was the wiser.
This was before the days of mass communications. So it was some months later
when the guilty brother heard the tragic news of his brother's death. He was
shocked and filled with remorse. He came out of hiding and returned to San
Francisco to search out the presiding judge at his brother's trial-- the trial that
should have been his trial. Finally, he found the judge. With tear-filled eyes and a
broken heart he admitted his own guilt. He told about the bloody clothes and how
his brother must have taken his place. He explained that he knew nothing of the
trial and, most of all, that he was the one who deserved to die and not his brother!
The judge was facing a dilemma. No one had any idea about this and the innocent
brother had given no hint of the truth. It was too late to right the wrong. Besides,
what should he do with the man now standing before him confessing to a crime that
another man had already died for?! The judge would have to think long and hard on
this one.
After much deliberation and great mental anguish the judge returned with his
decision. A man had been murdered. The murderer had escaped. He had escaped
because another man took his place. There was no way to bring the innocent
brother back to life. As the judge saw it there was only one decision to make. This
was his ruling.
"I'm sorry," he told the grieving brother, "but I cannot make two men pay for the
same crime." He then immediately set him free.
My friend, this is precisely what Jesus did for us. In a very real sense, He put on our
bloody garments and took our place. He, who was innocent of sin, took on our
judgment. He stood in our place and received our condemnation. He made himself
our atonement.
Note 12: The original Greek word that was translated into the English word "grace"
is "charis". It's the same word translated "gift". It means, "Unmerited favor." In
other words, grace is the favor of God-- a favor that we did not earn nor do we
deserve and it's being offered as a gift. "For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so
that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Note 13: The word "salvation" comes from the Greek word that means "deliverance,
preservation, safety, deliverance from the molestation of enemies." This passage
goes on to say that a final deliverance is coming for those who have partaken of His
grace. More about this as you read on.
Note 14: The word "believe" goes far beyond the idea of one having a mere
intellectual acceptance of the historical facts concerning Jesus Christ. The original
Greek word means "to be persuaded of, to place your confidence in, to put your
trust in someone or something." It is used 99 times in the Gospel of John and it's
always a verb-- an action word. So, to believe "in him" is to act on the facts
presented in the Gospel by making a commitment of one's life to Christ. You'll see
more on how one does this as you read on.
Note 15: According to the Bible and other historians of the day (such as Josephus,
The Writings of Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews: Book 18 - Chapter 3),
Jesus was crucified in traditional first century Roman fashion. Nails were used to
fasten him to a cross made of wood. They were driven through His feet and hands.
Read the accounts of Jesus crucifixion in Matthew chapter 27, Mark chapter 15,
Luke 23 and John chapter 19 in the Bible. If you've never seen the film, The
Passion of the Christ, rent it. It could change your life.
Note 16: The original Greek word translated "redeem" means to secure someone's
release by paying a ransom price for them. It carries the idea of buying the freedom
of a slave. It speaks not of the price paid itself, but rather it signifies the actual
deliverance or the setting at liberty of the one in bondage. For us it means, in the
spiritual sense, to be set free from our slavery to sin and lawlessness.
Note 17: The original Greek word rendered "justification" denotes the act of
pronouncing one righteous, acquitted of all charges, made guiltless in God's sight.
The English word "justified' can be broken down in such a way that helps to make
it's meaning clearer. Because of what Christ did for me, and because of my
subsequent surrender to His Lordship; God now sees me in a unique way-- just-if-
I'd never sinned. 1 Peter 1:3 says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
Note 18: "I claim to be an historian. My approach to Classics is historical. And I tell
you that the evidence for the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ is better
authenticated than most of the facts of ancient history . . . "-- E. M. Blaiklock--
Professor of Classics, Auckland University. Also, here is an excellent article on the
subject. (Evidence for the Resurrection, by Josh McDowell)
An Englishman by the name of John Singleton Copley, better known as Lord
Lyndhurst, is recognized as one of the greatest legal minds in British history. He was
the solicitor-general of the British government, attorney-general of Great Britain,
three times high chancellor of England, and elected as high steward of the
University of Cambridge, thus holding in one lifetime the highest offices ever
conferred upon a judge in Great Britain.
After Copley's death, some personal papers were discovered which contained his
comments concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the light of legal evidence,
and why he became a Christian. Listen to what this great legal mind said, "I know
pretty well what evidence is: and I tell you, such evidence, as that for the
resurrection, has never broken down yet."
Dr. Simon Greenleaf was a famous Royal Professor of Law at Harvard University
and was primarily responsible for Harvard's eminent position among law schools in
the United States. Greenleaf produced a famous, three-volume work, entitled A
Treatise on the Law of Evidence, which is still considered one of the greatest
authorities on the subject in the entire literature of legal procedure.
At one time Dr. Simon Greenleaf believed the Resurrection of Jesus Christ was a
hoax. And he determined, once and for all, to expose the "myth" of the
Resurrection. After thoroughly examining the evidence for the resurrection - Dr.
Greenleaf came to the exact opposite conclusion! (An Examination of the Testimony
of the Four Evangelists by the Rules of Evidence Administered in the Courts of
Justice-Simon Greenleaf, p.29.
With a lawyer's skill, Greenleaf put his principles to work as he examined the
historical evidence surrounding the resurrection of Jesus Christ as recorded in the
Bible and other historical writings. After careful examination, he wrote a book
concerning the authenticity of the resurrection entitled An Examination of the
Testimony of the Four Evangelists by the Rules of Evidence Administered in the
Courts of Justice. The evidence wins out again.
Former Chief Justice of England, Lord Darling, was once talking about the truths of
Christianity at a dinner party and particularly the evidence for Christ's resurrection.
Placing his fingertips together, assuming a judicial attitude, and speaking with a
quiet emphasis that was extraordinarily impressive, he made this powerful
statement and I quote:
"We as Christians are asked to take a very great deal on trust; the teachings, for
example, and the miracles of Jesus. If we had to take all on trust, I, for one, should
be skeptical. The crux of the problem of whether Jesus was, or was not, what He
proclaimed Himself to be must surely depend upon the truth or otherwise of the
resurrection. On that greatest point we are not merely asked to have faith. In its
favor as a living truth there exists such overwhelming evidence, positive and
negative, factual and circumstantial, that no intelligent jury in the world could fail to
bring in a verdict that the resurrection story is true."
Note 19: To be "saved" in the Biblical sense, means to make one safe and sound. It's
to rescue one from danger or destruction. In the case of John 10:9, it is to be saved
from the penalty of sin.
Note 20: Let me explain what commitment means with an amusing story.
Amazing Andrew was a daredevil who lived in the late 19th century. He went from
town to town selling tickets for people to come and see his act. This act consisted of
him pushing a wheelbarrow on a tight rope between two tall objects, such as
buildings or ravens. It was some pretty hair rising stuff.
Our hero ventured to a little town in the western United States that had a deep
canyon nearby. He spent a few days erecting a tower on either side of the huge
chasm. Once finished with the construction, he went to the nearby town to sell
tickets. Anyone with the lease bit of curiosity and the price of a ticket came to the
big show.
On the day of the show a small crowd of about 200 gathered at the base of the
tower on the town side of the ravine. Some stood mulling around in the late
afternoon sun while others engaged in polite chatter as they awaited the festivities.
“How many of you are… believers?!” The shout of a voice above them echoed
through the canyon below. Their eyes searched the platform some 20 feet
overhead for the source of the sound. Adjusting their vision to the brightness of the
Arizona skies, their gaze soon fell on an unimpressive looking, frail little figure of a
man, standing on the platform next to a wheelbarrow. He was waving down at
them.
“I said,” He repeated. “‘How many of you are believers?’” No one uttered a sound.
A bit confused by the question, they looked around at each another to see who
would be the first to speak. Andrew took a deep breath and shouted all the louder.
“How many of you believe... that I can push this wheelbarrow from this platform to
the platform on the other side of this deep ravine without falling to the rocks
below?” The crowd remained silent; that is except for one good ol’ boy who was
considered the town loudmouth.
“Well, I don’t care to tell ya, mister. I don’t believe!” he challenged. “There ain’t no
how, no way that you could do it!” He continued shouting back at the Amazing
Andrew. “I just came to watch you splatter all over the canyon floor. Let’s get this
over with so I can go home and feed m’chickens. They get cranky when their
supper’s late.”
The crowd erupted in laughter. The loudmouth, seeing he was a hit, threw his head
back and joined in the laughter. Amazing Andrew waited with the patience of a man
who had endured his share of hecklers. Soon the sound began to die down. Without
another word he turned on his heals, grabbed the wheelbarrow firmly by the
handles and proceeded to carefully step out on the tightrope. The crowd pressed
closer to the edge of the ravine in an effort to get a better look at this small man
perched precariously on the narrow rope above.
They watched in astonishment as he gingerly placed one foot in front of the other.
Step by careful step, he crossed the huge divide with the grace and skill of a finely
tuned athlete. The crowd was amazed to see him slowly, but surely, make the
journey back without mishap.
“Ta-dah!” he sang as he leaped from the rope to the platform. A blinding smile
spread across his face as he lifted his hands to the skies in a gesture of triumph. The
gathering was stunned. A few gave a token applause but most remained
dumbfounded.
“How many of you believe now?!” The Amazing Andrew defiantly shouted to the
silent assembly. “How many of you good people believe I can do this again?” He
challenged. “Let me see a show of hands.” About half raised their hands. There
were still doubters in the midst. Oh yes, the heckler continued heckling. “No sir! I
don’t believe it. It was just a fluke! There’s no how, no way that you can do that
again. Uh-uh! No sir-ree!!!”
Andrew didn’t wait for the heckler to finish. He was already pushing the
wheelbarrow out onto the rope for a second time. Again everyone crowded toward
the edge of the canyon. They watched in stunned silence as Amazing Andrew made
his way to the other side, turned and almost skipped all the way back. Andrew was
indeed amazing!
There were no unbelievers awaiting his return this time; no peals of laughter
greeting him. Instead a roar of shouts and applause greeted The Amazing Andrew.
The echo from the nearby canyon magnified their cheers until the noise was almost
deafening. Andrew danced the last few feet of his journey and again leaped to the
platform with hands out stretched and a smile brighter than the one before. He
bowed once, twice, and then a third time.
The heckler—no longer heckling—seemed to be leading the throng. “Yeah!!” he
shouted, clapping his hands as loudly as he could. There was no scorn this time. No
sir, he was a true believer.
“Thank you! Thank you, my friends.” Andrew responded and raised one hand to the
audience in a call for silence. The crowd slowly quieted down. All ears now belonged
to The Amazing Andrew.
“How many of you are believers... now?” He said softly. All hands immediately
stretched for the heavens. “I’m a believer, Mister Andrew. I promise you I am”
volunteered the now converted heckler.” Oh, you are, are you? Andrew answered
without looking down. “Yes sir. I surely am... absolutely. I believe you can push that
wheelbarrow on that little rope to the other side of this here canyon as many times
as you want. Ain’t no doubt in my mind. In fact... I know you can!”
The Amazing Andrew suddenly dropped his gaze, directed it toward his new convert
and locked his eyes on the young man’s. He paused for a moment never breaking
eye contact and challenged, “Ok, young man. Get in the wheelbarrow.”
Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter
the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in
heaven." There are many like the heckler in my story who stood at the base of the
tower and shouted, "I believe!", but offer no commitment to their declaration. Few
are willing to get in the wheelbarrow. Few are willing to commit their life to that
belief.
Note 21: The "rest" that Jesus offers is not a reference to a rest from industrial
labor. Rather, it's a call to cease from depending on one's own good works to get
one into Heaven. This rest that Christ offers is found in a salvation that does not
depend on one's ability to be good, but rather, comes by placing one's dependence
on Christ's personal goodness (righteousness) and what He did for you. It's laying
aside personal performance and yielding to the complete work of the cross. "There
remains, then, a Sabbath-rest [the word "Sabbath" means rest] for the people of
God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God
did from his." (Hebrews 4: 9-10)
rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the
earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man
in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created
them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill
the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and
over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Genesis 1:26-28)
Note 2: The Bible is the most unique book on the planet. It contains the only truly
inspired and infallible Word of God. One will find within its pages the life-changing
message that I'm sharing with you. People from all over the world, from every walk
of life will attest to its mighty power to radically change lives with its message. "All
Scripture is God-breathed [or inspired] and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness." (II Timothy 3:16) "For prophecy never
had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along
by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:21)
Note 3: Galatians 5:19-21, "The acts of the sinful nature [that is this fallen nature]
are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft;
hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who
live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." In other words, this fallen nature
keeps one out of the presence of God.
Note 4: The word "sin" in the original language that the Bible was written in is an
archery term. It means to shoot an arrow at a target but the arrow falls short of
the mark. Therefore, it means that we've all "fallen short" of God's glory-- His
righteousness. In other words, we all miss the target with our lifestyles and
attitudes. No matter how hard we try, no one is able to live a perfect life. We all
miss the target.
Note 5: Here's an example of how flawed we are. Psychologists say that average
person has something like 60,000 thoughts a day. How many of those thoughts do
you suppose aren't exactly wholesome? Suppose you live a superior life and have
only a couple of sinful thoughts a day-- just two. You would then be guilty of two
sins for the day, right? That's not too bad, is it? In fact, you would be almost an
angel.
However, did you know that only one sinful thought a day would average out to
about 30 sins a month, 365 sins a year. Then at the end of an average life span you
will be guilty of over 25,000 sins! How many traffic judges do you suppose would let
you off if you had 25,000 traffic violations? None, I'm sure. As you see no one is
without fault. None of us is without sin. Indeed, we are all sinners.
Note 6: When the Bible speaks of death, it literally means separation. In Isaiah 59:2
it's expressed this way. "But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Iniquity literally
means unrighteousness-- which is the absence of a right standing with God.
Ephesians 4:18, "They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the
life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their
hearts."
Note 7: Jesus described what God would do with sinners at the end of the world in
Matthew 13:40-42, "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be
at the end of the age (the end of time). The Son of Man will send out his angels, and
they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth."
Note 8: The term "scapegoat" comes from the practice described in Leviticus 16:8-
26. God instructed Israel on how to temporally remove the guilt of their sinfulness.
The High Priest of the Jewish faith made atonement by symbolically laying Israel's
sin-guilt upon a spotless goat or a lamb. He would then send it away. The goat or
lamb would then symbolically bear the sins of the people and carry them away. It
was a picture of what Jesus would one day do for us. "The next day John (the
Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29)
Note 9: An intercessor is one who is a go between; one who mediates between two
parties for the purpose of bringing peace between the two. This is what Jesus did
between God and us. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)
Note 10: To make atonement for something is to make compensation for it. Example:
to pay a debt that is owed is to make compensation. In the case of Jesus, He made
compensation for us in regards to our sin debt by taking it upon Himself to pay for it
with the sacrifice of His life. "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for
ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)
Note 11: These two brothers were identical twins. Although they looked alike there
was a great difference in their character. While one brother was hard working and
virtuous, the other was a drunkard and troublemaker. The former worked hard
every day, was always reliable and a man of good reputation. The latter caroused
all night and slept all day. The two brothers shared a room together.
One night the good brother was awakened by a loud commotion. It was the noise of
his brother rushing into the room in the middle of the night and hurriedly rummaging
around in the dark. He then raced out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
By the time the good brother could light a lamp, there was no one but him in the
room. Looking about the room, he found a pile of bloody clothing lying on the floor;
clothes he recognized as his brother's.
Knowing his brother as he did he quickly concluded that he had probably gotten into
a drunken brawl and hurt someone seriously, perhaps even killing him. That would
explain why he had changed the bloody clothes and hurried out the door. The police
must have been hot on his trail. The good brother sat on the side of his bed and
stared at the heap of bloody clothing on the floor. Sure, he knew his brother was
mean and ruthless but he still loved him dearly and knew what would happen when
justice caught up with him.
Suddenly, a desperate idea came to him. He quickly removed his nightshirt, put on
the bloody clothes his brother had left on the floor, sat down on a chair and waited
for the authorities. When they arrived, they saw the good brother sitting calmly
wearing his brother's blood soaked clothes. Assuming he was the guilty party the
police arrested him and put him in jail.
At the end of his trial, the judge pronounced sentence upon him-- death. Yet,
through the entire ordeal, the innocent brother never opened his mouth. He just sat
quietly allowing everyone to believe he was the guilty one. Soon, the sentence was
carried out. He was hanged on the gallows and no one was the wiser.
This was before the days of mass communications. So it was some months later
when the guilty brother heard the tragic news of his brother's death. He was
shocked and filled with remorse. He came out of hiding and returned to San
Francisco to search out the presiding judge at his brother's trial-- the trial that
should have been his trial. Finally, he found the judge. With tear-filled eyes and a
broken heart he admitted his own guilt. He told about the bloody clothes and how
his brother must have taken his place. He explained that he knew nothing of the
trial and, most of all, that he was the one who deserved to die and not his brother!
The judge was facing a dilemma. No one had any idea about this and the innocent
brother had given no hint of the truth. It was too late to right the wrong. Besides,
what should he do with the man now standing before him confessing to a crime that
another man had already died for?! The judge would have to think long and hard on
this one.
After much deliberation and great mental anguish the judge returned with his
decision. A man had been murdered. The murderer had escaped. He had escaped
because another man took his place. There was no way to bring the innocent
brother back to life. As the judge saw it there was only one decision to make. This
was his ruling.
"I'm sorry," he told the grieving brother, "but I cannot make two men pay for the
same crime." He then immediately set him free.
My friend, this is precisely what Jesus did for us. In a very real sense, He put on our
bloody garments and took our place. He, who was innocent of sin, took on our
judgment. He stood in our place and received our condemnation. He made himself
our atonement.
Note 12: The original Greek word that was translated into the English word "grace"
is "charis". It's the same word translated "gift". It means, "Unmerited favor." In
other words, grace is the favor of God-- a favor that we did not earn nor do we
deserve and it's being offered as a gift. "For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so
that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Note 13: The word "salvation" comes from the Greek word that means "deliverance,
preservation, safety, deliverance from the molestation of enemies." This passage
goes on to say that a final deliverance is coming for those who have partaken of His
grace. More about this as you read on.
Note 14: The word "believe" goes far beyond the idea of one having a mere
intellectual acceptance of the historical facts concerning Jesus Christ. The original
Greek word means "to be persuaded of, to place your confidence in, to put your
trust in someone or something." It is used 99 times in the Gospel of John and it's
always a verb-- an action word. So, to believe "in him" is to act on the facts
presented in the Gospel by making a commitment of one's life to Christ. You'll see
more on how one does this as you read on.
Note 15: According to the Bible and other historians of the day (such as Josephus,
The Writings of Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews: Book 18 - Chapter 3),
Jesus was crucified in traditional first century Roman fashion. Nails were used to
fasten him to a cross made of wood. They were driven through His feet and hands.
Read the accounts of Jesus crucifixion in Matthew chapter 27, Mark chapter 15,
Luke 23 and John chapter 19 in the Bible. If you've never seen the film, The
Passion of the Christ, rent it. It could change your life.
Note 16: The original Greek word translated "redeem" means to secure someone's
release by paying a ransom price for them. It carries the idea of buying the freedom
of a slave. It speaks not of the price paid itself, but rather it signifies the actual
deliverance or the setting at liberty of the one in bondage. For us it means, in the
spiritual sense, to be set free from our slavery to sin and lawlessness.
Note 17: The original Greek word rendered "justification" denotes the act of
pronouncing one righteous, acquitted of all charges, made guiltless in God's sight.
The English word "justified' can be broken down in such a way that helps to make
it's meaning clearer. Because of what Christ did for me, and because of my
subsequent surrender to His Lordship; God now sees me in a unique way-- just-if-
I'd never sinned. 1 Peter 1:3 says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
Note 18: "I claim to be an historian. My approach to Classics is historical. And I tell
you that the evidence for the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ is better
authenticated than most of the facts of ancient history . . . "-- E. M. Blaiklock--
Professor of Classics, Auckland University. Also, here is an excellent article on the
subject. (Evidence for the Resurrection, by Josh McDowell)
An Englishman by the name of John Singleton Copley, better known as Lord
Lyndhurst, is recognized as one of the greatest legal minds in British history. He was
the solicitor-general of the British government, attorney-general of Great Britain,
three times high chancellor of England, and elected as high steward of the
University of Cambridge, thus holding in one lifetime the highest offices ever
conferred upon a judge in Great Britain.
After Copley's death, some personal papers were discovered which contained his
comments concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the light of legal evidence,
and why he became a Christian. Listen to what this great legal mind said, "I know
pretty well what evidence is: and I tell you, such evidence, as that for the
resurrection, has never broken down yet."
Dr. Simon Greenleaf was a famous Royal Professor of Law at Harvard University
and was primarily responsible for Harvard's eminent position among law schools in
the United States. Greenleaf produced a famous, three-volume work, entitled A
Treatise on the Law of Evidence, which is still considered one of the greatest
authorities on the subject in the entire literature of legal procedure.
At one time Dr. Simon Greenleaf believed the Resurrection of Jesus Christ was a
hoax. And he determined, once and for all, to expose the "myth" of the
Resurrection. After thoroughly examining the evidence for the resurrection - Dr.
Greenleaf came to the exact opposite conclusion! (An Examination of the Testimony
of the Four Evangelists by the Rules of Evidence Administered in the Courts of
Justice-Simon Greenleaf, p.29.
With a lawyer's skill, Greenleaf put his principles to work as he examined the
historical evidence surrounding the resurrection of Jesus Christ as recorded in the
Bible and other historical writings. After careful examination, he wrote a book
concerning the authenticity of the resurrection entitled An Examination of the
Testimony of the Four Evangelists by the Rules of Evidence Administered in the
Courts of Justice. The evidence wins out again.
Former Chief Justice of England, Lord Darling, was once talking about the truths of
Christianity at a dinner party and particularly the evidence for Christ's resurrection.
Placing his fingertips together, assuming a judicial attitude, and speaking with a
quiet emphasis that was extraordinarily impressive, he made this powerful
statement and I quote:
"We as Christians are asked to take a very great deal on trust; the teachings, for
example, and the miracles of Jesus. If we had to take all on trust, I, for one, should
be skeptical. The crux of the problem of whether Jesus was, or was not, what He
proclaimed Himself to be must surely depend upon the truth or otherwise of the
resurrection. On that greatest point we are not merely asked to have faith. In its
favor as a living truth there exists such overwhelming evidence, positive and
negative, factual and circumstantial, that no intelligent jury in the world could fail to
bring in a verdict that the resurrection story is true."
Note 19: To be "saved" in the Biblical sense, means to make one safe and sound. It's
to rescue one from danger or destruction. In the case of John 10:9, it is to be saved
from the penalty of sin.
Note 20: Let me explain what commitment means with an amusing story.
Amazing Andrew was a daredevil who lived in the late 19th century. He went from
town to town selling tickets for people to come and see his act. This act consisted of
him pushing a wheelbarrow on a tight rope between two tall objects, such as
buildings or ravens. It was some pretty hair rising stuff.
Our hero ventured to a little town in the western United States that had a deep
canyon nearby. He spent a few days erecting a tower on either side of the huge
chasm. Once finished with the construction, he went to the nearby town to sell
tickets. Anyone with the lease bit of curiosity and the price of a ticket came to the
big show.
On the day of the show a small crowd of about 200 gathered at the base of the
tower on the town side of the ravine. Some stood mulling around in the late
afternoon sun while others engaged in polite chatter as they awaited the festivities.
“How many of you are… believers?!” The shout of a voice above them echoed
through the canyon below. Their eyes searched the platform some 20 feet
overhead for the source of the sound. Adjusting their vision to the brightness of the
Arizona skies, their gaze soon fell on an unimpressive looking, frail little figure of a
man, standing on the platform next to a wheelbarrow. He was waving down at
them.
“I said,” He repeated. “‘How many of you are believers?’” No one uttered a sound.
A bit confused by the question, they looked around at each another to see who
would be the first to speak. Andrew took a deep breath and shouted all the louder.
“How many of you believe... that I can push this wheelbarrow from this platform to
the platform on the other side of this deep ravine without falling to the rocks
below?” The crowd remained silent; that is except for one good ol’ boy who was
considered the town loudmouth.
“Well, I don’t care to tell ya, mister. I don’t believe!” he challenged. “There ain’t no
how, no way that you could do it!” He continued shouting back at the Amazing
Andrew. “I just came to watch you splatter all over the canyon floor. Let’s get this
over with so I can go home and feed m’chickens. They get cranky when their
supper’s late.”
The crowd erupted in laughter. The loudmouth, seeing he was a hit, threw his head
back and joined in the laughter. Amazing Andrew waited with the patience of a man
who had endured his share of hecklers. Soon the sound began to die down. Without
another word he turned on his heals, grabbed the wheelbarrow firmly by the
handles and proceeded to carefully step out on the tightrope. The crowd pressed
closer to the edge of the ravine in an effort to get a better look at this small man
perched precariously on the narrow rope above.
They watched in astonishment as he gingerly placed one foot in front of the other.
Step by careful step, he crossed the huge divide with the grace and skill of a finely
tuned athlete. The crowd was amazed to see him slowly, but surely, make the
journey back without mishap.
“Ta-dah!” he sang as he leaped from the rope to the platform. A blinding smile
spread across his face as he lifted his hands to the skies in a gesture of triumph. The
gathering was stunned. A few gave a token applause but most remained
dumbfounded.
“How many of you believe now?!” The Amazing Andrew defiantly shouted to the
silent assembly. “How many of you good people believe I can do this again?” He
challenged. “Let me see a show of hands.” About half raised their hands. There
were still doubters in the midst. Oh yes, the heckler continued heckling. “No sir! I
don’t believe it. It was just a fluke! There’s no how, no way that you can do that
again. Uh-uh! No sir-ree!!!”
Andrew didn’t wait for the heckler to finish. He was already pushing the
wheelbarrow out onto the rope for a second time. Again everyone crowded toward
the edge of the canyon. They watched in stunned silence as Amazing Andrew made
his way to the other side, turned and almost skipped all the way back. Andrew was
indeed amazing!
There were no unbelievers awaiting his return this time; no peals of laughter
greeting him. Instead a roar of shouts and applause greeted The Amazing Andrew.
The echo from the nearby canyon magnified their cheers until the noise was almost
deafening. Andrew danced the last few feet of his journey and again leaped to the
platform with hands out stretched and a smile brighter than the one before. He
bowed once, twice, and then a third time.
The heckler—no longer heckling—seemed to be leading the throng. “Yeah!!” he
shouted, clapping his hands as loudly as he could. There was no scorn this time. No
sir, he was a true believer.
“Thank you! Thank you, my friends.” Andrew responded and raised one hand to the
audience in a call for silence. The crowd slowly quieted down. All ears now belonged
to The Amazing Andrew.
“How many of you are believers... now?” He said softly. All hands immediately
stretched for the heavens. “I’m a believer, Mister Andrew. I promise you I am”
volunteered the now converted heckler.” Oh, you are, are you? Andrew answered
without looking down. “Yes sir. I surely am... absolutely. I believe you can push that
wheelbarrow on that little rope to the other side of this here canyon as many times
as you want. Ain’t no doubt in my mind. In fact... I know you can!”
The Amazing Andrew suddenly dropped his gaze, directed it toward his new convert
and locked his eyes on the young man’s. He paused for a moment never breaking
eye contact and challenged, “Ok, young man. Get in the wheelbarrow.”
Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter
the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in
heaven." There are many like the heckler in my story who stood at the base of the
tower and shouted, "I believe!", but offer no commitment to their declaration. Few
are willing to get in the wheelbarrow. Few are willing to commit their life to that
belief.
Note 21: The "rest" that Jesus offers is not a reference to a rest from industrial
labor. Rather, it's a call to cease from depending on one's own good works to get
one into Heaven. This rest that Christ offers is found in a salvation that does not
depend on one's ability to be good, but rather, comes by placing one's dependence
on Christ's personal goodness (righteousness) and what He did for you. It's laying
aside personal performance and yielding to the complete work of the cross. "There
remains, then, a Sabbath-rest [the word "Sabbath" means rest] for the people of
God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God
did from his." (Hebrews 4: 9-10)