DESTINY’S BIBLE STUDY NOTES AND QUOTES

(The LIFE and MINISTRY of JESUS #36)

The Last Journey From Galilee (See Luke 9:51-56, 10:1-24)

Jesus had left Jerusalem for a season because of the malice of the priests and rabbis. But He now set out to return, traveling in the most public manner, by a circuitous route, and preceded by such an announcement of His coming as He had ever made before. He was going forward to the scene of His great sacrifice, and to this the attention of the people must be directed.

All eyes must be drawn to Christ, the sacrifice that brought salvation to the lost world.

To the heart of Christ it was a bitter task to press His way against the fears, disappointment, and unbelief of His beloved disciples. It was hard to lead them forward to the anguish and despair that awaited them at Jerusalem. Satan was at hand to press his temptations upon the Son of man. Why should He now go to Jerusalem, to certain death? All around Him were souls hungering for the bread of life.

Had Jesus yielded for a moment, had He changed His course in the least particular to save Himself, Satan’s agencies would have triumphed, and the world would have been lost.

It is no part of Christ’s mission to compel men to receive Him. It is Satan, and men actuated by his spirit, that seek to compel the conscience.

Under a pretense of zeal for righteousness, men who are confederates with evil angels bring suffering upon their fellow men, in order to convert them to their ideas of religion. But Christ is ever showing mercy, ever seeking to win by the revealing of His love. He can admit no rival in the soul, nor accept a partial service. He desires only voluntary service, the willing surrender of the heart under the constraint of love.

With a great show of prudence the rabbis had warned the people against receiving the new doctrines taught by this new teacher, for His theories and practices were contrary to the teachings of the fathers. The people gave credence to what the priests and Pharisees taught, in place of seeking to understand the word of God for themselves.

The True Witness says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” (Revelation 3:20)

With every knock unheeded, the disposition to open becomes weaker. The impressions of the Holy Spirit if disregarded today, will not be as strong tomorrow. The heart becomes less impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the shortness of life, and of the great eternity beyond. Our condemnation in the judgment will not result from the fact that we have been in error, but from the fact that we have neglected heaven sent opportunities for learning what is truth.

Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”

The scenes of the past and future were presented to the mind of Jesus. He beheld Lucifer as he was first cast out from heaven. He looked forward to the scenes of His own agony, when before all the worlds the character of the deceiver should be unveiled. He heard the cry “It is finished” (John 19:30), announcing that the redemption of the lost race was forever made certain, that heaven was made eternally secure against the accusations, the deceptions, the pretensions, that Satan would instigate.

Beyond the cross of Calvary, with its agony and shame, Jesus looked forward to the great final day, when the prince of the power of the air will meet his destruction in the earth so long marred by his rebellion. Jesus beheld the work of evil forever ended, and the peace of God filling heaven and earth.

The omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit is the defense of every contrite soul. Not one that in penitence and faith has claimed His protection will Christ permit to pass under the enemy’s power.

The Savior is by the side of His tempted and tried ones. We can do all things through Him who strengthens us.

John 3:16 testifies to the universe that God will never forsake His people in their struggle with evil. It is an assurance to us of strength and protection.

While you look higher than yourself, you will have a continual sense of the weakness of humanity. The less you cherish self, the more distinct and full will be your comprehension of the excellence of your Savior.

The honored men of the world, the so called great and wise men, with all their boasted wisdom, could not comprehend the character of Christ.

The only way in which we can gain a more perfect apprehension of truth is by keeping the heart tender and subdued by the Spirit of Christ. The soul must be cleansed from vanity and pride, and vacated of all that has held it in possession, and Christ must be enthroned within.

Human science is too limited to comprehend the atonement. (The at one ment) The plan of redemption is so far reaching that philosophy cannot explain it. It will ever remain a mystery that the most profound reasoning cannot fathom. The science of salvation cannot be explained, but it can be known by experience. Only they who see their own sinfulness can discern the preciousness of the Savior.

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:34)

The Good Samarian (See Luke 10:25-37)

In the story of the good Samaritan, Christ illustrates the nature of true religion. He shows that it consists not in systems, creeds, or rites, but in the performance of loving deeds, in bringing the greatest good to others.

Whom should the priest, the rabbi, the elder, regard as neighbor? They spent their lives in a round of ceremonies in an effort to make themselves pure. Yet they taught that contact with the ignorant, careless multitude would cause defilement.

Trained in the school of bigotry, they had become selfish, narrow, and exclusive.

The way to dispel darkness is to admit light. The best way to deal with error is to present truth. It is the revelation of God’s love that makes manifest the deformity of the heart centered in self.

The angels of heaven look upon the distress of God’s family upon earth, and they are prepared to co-operate with humanity in relieving oppression and suffering.

In the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus gave a picture of Himself and His mission.

Our neighbor is every person who needs our help. Our neighbor is every soul who is wounded and bruised by the adversary.

Jesus left His glory, to come to our rescue. He found us ready to die, and He undertook our case. He healed our wounds. He covered us with His robe of righteousness. He died to redeem us!

Pointing to His own example, Jesus says to His followers. “These things I command you, that you love one another.” “As I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 15:17, and 13:34)

Doing, and not merely saying, is expected of the children of God. “He that says he abides in Him, ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.” (1 John 2:6)

Many have failed and become discouraged in the great struggle of life, when one word of kindly cheer would have strengthened them to overcome.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” (Psalm 19:7)

The spirit we manifest toward our brethren declares what is our spirit toward God.

“If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar.” “If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:20, 12)