The Shepherd Psalms Part 2

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Psalm 22 - Cross of Christ - Sufferer (Past)
Psalm 23 - Crook of Christ - Shepherd (Present)
Psalm 24 - Crown of Christ - Sovereign (Perpetuity)

Psalm 22 - Grace for Sinners
Psalm 23 - Guidance for Sheep
Psalm 24 - Glory for Saints

Read Part 1.

Via Veritas Vita Part 6

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Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

Way (sacrificial)
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

Truth (scriptural)
"If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Ephesians 4:21-23

Life (spiritual)
"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." 1 John 5:20

Christ Portrayed by the Gospels Part 2

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Matthew - Greatness of the Sovereign
Mark - Grace of the Servant
Luke - Goodness of the Son of Man
John - Glory of the Son of God

Read Part 1.

Please understand the classification above and those in Part 1 are not "water-tight compartments". None of the description is confined to its Gospel alone but is also applicable to other Gospels to a lesser extent.

Seven Churches of Asia

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Ephesus Fallen church (cooling)
Smyrna - Fearful church (coercion)
Pergamos - Faltering church (compromise)
Thyatira False church (corruption)
Sardis - Formal church (conformity)
Philadelphia - Feeble church (commitment)
Laodicea - Facade church (complacency)

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

Mary and Martha

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Mary at the feet of the
* Prophet, waiting - receive sustenance (Luke 10)
* Priest, weeping - receive succour (John 11)
* Potentate, worshipping - render sacrifice (John 12)

Martha
* Agitation with her sister (Luke 10)
* Anguish for her brother (John 11)
* Accomplishment for her service (John 12)

The Shepherd Psalms

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Psalm 22 - Christ, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
Psalm 23 - Christ, the Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20)
Psalm 24 - Christ, the Glorious Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4)

Psalm 22 - Pierced Hands
Psalm 23 - Unseen Hands
Psalm 24 - Clean Hands

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6.

Via Veritas Vita Part 5

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Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

Christ is the Way in the practical sphere
Christ is the Truth in the intellectual sphere
Christ is the Life in the spiritual sphere

"Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof." Exodus 12:9

legs – way : practical
head – truth : intellectual
purtenance – life : spiritual

"Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously." 1 Peter 2:21-23

Who did no sin - sinless life of consecration
neither was guile found - sincere truth of communication
reviled not...threatened not... - silent way of commitment

Brief Outline of Esther

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Esther 1-4 Great Danger
Esther 5-7 Great Deliverance
Esther 8-10 Great Delight

A. Naismith

Brief Outline of Ezra and Nehemiah

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Ezra
Ezra 1-6 Rebuilding of the Temple
Ezra 7-10 Restoration of Worship

Nehemiah
Neh 1-7 Rebuilding of the Walls and Gates
Neh 8-10 Renewing of the Covenant
Neh 11-13 Reforming the Nation

"First the temple was built; afterward, the wall of the city -- the inner before the outer. Cleanse the heart and all else will be clean." D. L. Moody.

Three Aspects of Salvation

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"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" Romans 1:16

Salvation from the
* Penalty (guilt) of Sin - Past
* Power (grasp) of Sin - Present
* Presence (gloom) of Sin - Future

Only Christ can Transform

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Nature forms us
Education informs us
Sin deforms us
In law, we conform
In religion, we reform
Only Christ can transform us

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18

Via Veritas Vita Part 4

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Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

The inviolable way for our direction - way of faith
The infallible truth for our discernment - truth of love
The infinite life for our devotion - life of hope

Resurrection of Christ in Romans

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Eight aspects of Christ's Resurrection in Romans
- Proof of Christ's Deity (Rom 1:4)
- Pledge of Believers' Justification (Rom 4:24)
- Pattern of New Life (Rom 6:4-5,9)
- Power of Expression of New Life (Rom 7:4)
- Promise of Believers' Resurrection (Rom 8:11)
- Provision for Intercession (Rom 8:34)
- Profession of Faith (Rom 10:9)
- Preeminence of Christ (Rom 14:9)

Brief Outline of Romans

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Rom 1-8 Doctrinal - Power of God in the Gospel
Rom 9-11 Dispensational - Purpose of God in Israel
Rom 12-16 Devotional - Pleasure of God in the Saints

Read Part 1, Part 2.

Resurrection to Natural Plane

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Nine accounts of resurrection back to natural plane
1. 1 Kings 17:22 - Son of widow of Zarephath (Elijah)
2. 2 Kings 4:35 - Son of the Shunammite (Elisha)
3. 2 Kings 13:21 - Dead man touching Elisha's bones
4. Matt 9:25, Mark 5:42, Luke 8:55 - Jairus' daughter (Lord)
5. Luke 7:15 - Son of widow of Nain (Lord)
6. John 11:44 - Lazarus (Lord)
7. Matt 27:52 - Saints at the Lord's death
8. Acts 9:40 - Dorcas (Peter)
9. Acts 20:12 - Eutychus (Paul)

Characteristics of the Gospels Part 4

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Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Cor 1:30-31

Matthew's Gospel (wisdom) - Consider the discourses of the King
Mark's Gospel (righteousness) - Consider the righteous acts of the Servant
Luke' Gospel (sanctification) - Consider the prayer life of the Son of Man
John's Gospel (redemption) - Consider Lamb of God as the Son of God

Via Veritas Vita Part 3

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"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

Three Conditions of the Unsaved
- Luke 19:10 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
- John 9:41 "Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, we see; therefore your sin remaineth."
- Ephesians 2:1 "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."

Christ is the Way, you don't have to be lost
Christ is the Truth, you don't have to be blind
Christ is the Life, you don't have to be dead

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved". Acts 16:31

Priesthood of Christ

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In Hebrews 7, Christ's priesthood is
- unending (Hebrews 7:17)
- unchallengeable (Hebrews 7:21)
- untransferable (Hebrews 7:24)
- uninterruptible (Hebrews 7:25)
- unique (Hebrews 7:26)
- unparalleled (Hebrews 7:27)
- untaintable (Hebrews 7:28)

Ten Pictures of a Believer

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Ten Pictures of a Believer in 2 Timothy 2.
v1. Son - privilege
v2. Steward - faithfulness
v3-4. Soldier - courage
v5. Sportsman - discipline
v6. Sower - patience
v7. Speaker - consideration
v8-10. Sufferer - endurance
v15. Student - diligence
v20-21. Sanctified Vessel - cleanliness
v24. Servant - meekness

Christ seated in Hebrews

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Four passages in the Epistle to the Hebrews record that Christ is seated at the right hand of God. The right hand of God is a place of
- prominence (Hebrews 1:3)
- power (Hebrews 8:1)
- privilege (Hebrews 10:12)
- pleasure (Hebrews 12:2)

Hebrews 1:3 - Christ as the Son (His person)
Hebrews 8:1 - Christ as the King * (His perfection)
Hebrews 10:12 - Christ as the Priest (His propitiation)
Hebrews 12:2 - Christ as the Prophet (His passion)

* may not be obvious, confer Melchisedec (7:1), king of Salem

Thou art a Priest

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What is the significance of the phrase "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" which occurs three times in the Epistle to the Hebrews?

The Office of Christ (Heb 5:6)
"Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec"

The Order of Perfection (Heb 7:17)
"Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec"

The Oath of God (Heb 7:21)
"Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec"

Via Veritas Vita Part 2

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"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

Adam, the typical man of us, lost the way, truth and life in God when he sinned. The way to the tree of life was barred by the cherubims and the flaming sword. The truth of God was lost when he believed in the serpent's lie. He died and lost his life in God when he took the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Christ is the only means for lost sinners to come back to God.
He is the Way so that we can have reconciliation with God.
He is the Truth so that we can have revelation of God.
He is the Life so that we can have regeneration in God.

Characteristics of the Gospels Part 3

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Read Part 1, Part 2

"God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will?" Hebrews 2:4

wonders - Matthew's Gospel (marvel)
miracles - Mark's Gospel (might)
gifts - Luke's Gospel (manifestation)
signs - John's Gospel (message)

The Radiant Son in John's Gospel

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In John Chapter 1, the Lord is the Radiant Son.
He is better than Jewish
- Ritual in Chapter 2 (six waterpots of stone)
- Rabbi in Chapter 3 (Nicodemus)
- Roots in Chapter 4 (Jacob, Joseph, well)
- Religion in Chapter 5 (pool, angel)
- Resources in Chapter 6 (Manna)
- Rest in Chapter 7 (Sabbath)
- Rank in Chapter 8 (Abraham)
- Rulers in Chapter 9 (Pharisees)
He is like the Residence of God in Chapter 10 - 17, confer the Tabernacle


Jesus Wept

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Tears of
- Sympathy for human sorrow. (John 11:35)
- Sorrow for human stubborness. (Luke 19:41)
- Suffering for human sins. (Hebrews 5:7)

Resurrection of Christ in the Gospels Part 2

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Read Part 1

After the resurrection:
Believers' Worship - "When they saw Him, they worshipped Him" (Matt 28:17)
Believers' Work - "The Lord working with them" (Mark 16:20)
Believers' Witness - "Ye are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:48)
Believers' Wait - "If I will that he tarry till I come" (John 21:22)

The Women in Matthew's Genealogy of Christ Part 2

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"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:30-31

Matthew 1:3 Thamar - righteousness (Genesis 38:26)
Matthew 1:5 Rachab - sanctification (Joshua 6:17, 19, 24-25)
Matthew 1:5 Ruth - redemption (Ruth 4:9-10)
Matthew 1:6 of her (Bathsheba) - wisdom (1Kings 4:29-34)

Read Part 1.

Via Veritas Vita Part 1

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"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

J. C. Ryle said, "The fulness of these precious words can probably never be taken in by man. He that attempts to unfold them does little more than scratch the surface of a rich soil."

Thomas A’Kempis, the author of the book Imitation of Christ wrote, "Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou ought to follow, the truth which thou ought to trust, the life which thou ought to live."

I personally believe that this is the most profound verse regarding the Lord Jesus Christ and said by Himself. I will be posting a series of outlines on this verse.

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13.