Jesus is speaking to the Jews here because in their hearts at the time, they were seeking to kill Him. Not only because He had broken the sabbath by making a man with an infirmity for 38 years whole, but because He said that God was His Father, making Him equal with God. To the Jews (and sadly, to many even today), Jesus was second fiddle. To the Jews herein, Jesus was not God manifest in the flesh, as prophesied afore. (I Timothy 3:16) To those observing the man healed and made whole, Jesus could not possibly be the promised Messiah/Christ. (Matthew 1:18, 21-25) But even sadder, these did not recognize Jesus as the Lord coming forth as a mighty man, even though the scriptures told them so. (Isaiah 42:13)
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)
Indeed, Jesus said, "I and My Father are One." (John 10:30) And "if ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also; and from henceforth, ye know Him, and have seen Him." (John 14:7)
Even when this impotent and sick man proclaimed that it was "Jesus which had made him whole," this was not what the Jews wanted to hear. "And therefore, did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, "My Father works hitherto, and I work." Therefore, the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath but said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God." (John 5:15-18; John 8:37; John 10:39; John 9:4; John 17:4; John 7:1. 19; John 10:30; John 14:6-7; John 14:8-15)
We see similar responses to those disciples who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the book of Acts. The offense at the time (and to this day) being the apostles' use of the Name of Jesus in everything that they did. This same Jesus whom ye have crucified, as Peter standing with the eleven on the day of Pentecost declared is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36-47)
But the mainstream mindset was this. If only the apostles would stop preaching in the "Name of Jesus" they would not have to be imprisoned. They would not have to be beaten, or literally chased out of cities, one after another. The lives of the disciples would never have been put in danger whereby these were persecuted and maliciously slandered at every juncture.
But neither would the apostles have preached the whole gospel that Jesus said "is written of Me." (Hebrews 10:7; Psalm 40:7)
"For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me, for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?" (John 5:46-47)
And thus, we would not have had an opportunity to experience the risen Christ living within -- the Holy Ghost who leads and guides us into all truth. We would have missed the opportunity to be made whole -- both spiritually and physically.
This is why Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: No man comes unto the Father but by me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:1-17)
"I will not leave you comfortless," Jesus said, "I will come to you." (John 14:18)
So, why then, if Jesus is God our Saviour, and the same Jesus (after He was taken up) through the Holy Ghost gave commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, do we in this current moment in time believe that we don't need to remain steadfast in the apostles' doctrine? (Acts 1:2; Acts 2:1-47) Why do we think it is appropriate, even when the scriptures declare that God became our Saviour to reduce Jesus to second fiddle?
"The Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive because it sees Him not, neither knows Him ..." (John 14:17)
It doesn't have to be this way. As Jesus so clearly stated, we have hope because "ye know Him, and He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. yet a little while, and the world sees Me no more but ye see Me, because I live, ye shall live also. At that day, ye SHALL know that I [am] in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you. He that hath My commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves Me, and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him." (John 14:17-21)
The precious Name of Jesus!
"Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that BY THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, WHOM YE CRUCIFIED, whom God raised from the dead [even] by Him doth this man stand here before you whole --- this is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the Head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED!" (Acts 4:10-12; Acts 2:22-24; Acts 3:6, 16; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; I Pter 2:4-8; I Timothy 2:5-6)
Clear, succinct, and to the point. Jesus is the Bread of Life! The ONE and ONLY GOD as specified in both Deuteronomy 6:4 and Mark 12:28-31. He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending.
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth -- for [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (I Timothy 2:3-5)
Now, we see that the due time has come, and the witness of God our Saviour declared to one and all.
And yet, sadly, there are those who will deprive believers of the whole truth -- as it is written. This week, I was reading the work of an author who diligently described Acts 1 and Acts 2 up to and including Acts 2:36 ... and then there was nothing. It was almost like Acts 2:37-47 were none existent -- of no consequence. Why? Because this author in declaring the rest of Acts 2 in his writing would have to stand up against all those "the trinity workers of iniquity" that have perfected a religious system without any basis of truth. Just like the Jews did in the time of Jesus.
Nevertheless, for those who believe in Jesus by faith, we do have the rest of Acts 2, and thus, can assuredly know that Jesus is the only Way, the Truth, and the Life. And that when we repent, we are to water baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, so that ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:36-47) And that this promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afar off -- even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And that they who gladly received His Word were baptized, and these continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread from house to house, eating their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people.
So, the next time someone proclaiming to preach the good news gospel of Jesus Christ stops suddenly in somewhere in Acts 2, but never gets to the message of salvation in Acts 2:38, then ask yourself why. Because at this juncture, we need to save ourselves from this untoward generation! (Acts 2:40)
Stand in the offering plate.
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