ARM & HAND 26 Mar 2009

Theme: Arm & Hand 26 March 2009

Gospel Introduction: John 10:22-30

When our Lord declared Himself to be the son of God and One with His Heavenly Father, His enemies made attempts on His Life. Several attempts were made on His life; most of them during one of the great feasts but always after He had proclaimed His Divinity.

The first attempt was in Nazareth, his own country....where he proclaimed “The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me....... This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.”..... The respond from his own countryman was “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?”

Another assault on his life came after the curing of the disabled man at Bethsaida on the Sabbath day where he spoke of God as his own father, and so made himself God’s equal. “My father goes on working, and so do I”

Another attempt was on the Feast of the tabernacles where he said ”My teaching is not from myself; it comes from the one who sent me” He was claiming to be God in the form of man.

In tonight Gospel, He visited the last remnant of the old temple, which was known as Solomon’s porch during the Feast of Dedication(8 days), the last great feast before to the Passover, in Jerusalem. His enemies, the Jews gathered round him and asked him “ If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”..... Noticed the line of questioning is very similar to the Temptation in the wilderness “ If you are the son of God......”

Jesus responded “I have told you, but you do not believe.” “The Father and I are one.” ..... so, there go another stoning again....

Why the Jews... have eyes but yet cannot see?

1) Their ideas of a Messiah did not correspond with God’s idea of a Messiah.They could not conceive of the humiliation of God in the form of man. Could God go so low?

2) “You are only a man and you claim to be god.” His answer was that though a mere man could not be God, God could become man, while still remaining God.

May I suggest that this is the biggest “stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles?” The “intelligent” being cannot accept such proposition – This in fact is the stumbling block for the Synagogue and Islam. Neither can accept a God who is so human. He must remain Almighty... Majesty...... but not to the point of paying for the faults of His own creatures, for their sins.”........

We must all remove this obstacles & stumbling blocks before we can be healed & delivered..... The whole world need healing & deliverance.