Greater Love has no one than this, that one lay Down his Life for his Friends

 

The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven

 Jesus upbraided the lawyers for taking away the key of knowledge and hindering those who were entering.

Woe to you lawyers; for you have taken away the key of knowledge! You did not enter in yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”
Luke 11:52

Conversely, throughout the gospel Jesus provides the key to the Kingdom of Heaven. As you know, a key is a device that if it is turned one way it opens a door and if it is turned the other way it locks the door shut. Similarly, the parables listed below give the key to opening the door to the Kingdom of Heaven or locking it shut – just like a key in a door.

I hope you always turn the key wisely and open the door to the Kingdom of Heaven!

Dr. J. Clontz – Editor, The Comprehensive New Testament

Narrow gate leads to life/wide gate leads to destruction
Matthew 7:13-14

Tree bearing good fruit/tree bearing bad fruit thrown into the fire
Matthew 7:15-20

Wise man builds house on rock that stands/foolish man builds house on sand that falls
Matthew 7:24-27

Wheat gathered into barn/weeds bundled and burned in fire
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Good fish into vessels/bad fish thrown away
Matthew 13:47-48

Righteous/Wicked thrown into the furnace of fire
Matthew 13:49-50

Son who repents into the kingdom of heaven/Son who doesn’t repent outside the kingdom of heaven
Matthew 21:28-32

Five wise virgins through the door/five foolish virgins shut outside the door
Matthew 25:1-13

Good and faithful servants enter the joy of their master/wicked and lazy servant cast into the outer darkness
Matthew 25:14-30

Sheep inherit the kingdom/goats go away into eternal punishment
Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus is Always with us

Before he was born, the angel told Joseph that Mary’s child would fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 that God would always be with us.

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,” which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:22-23

Jesus told the apostles at the last supper that he would not leave them as orphans.

"I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. A little while longer, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." John 14:18-20

When he came back, Jesus told them that he would always be with them even to the end of the age.

“…And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Jesus is always with us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

Even death can’t sever the bond between us and our Savior – he’ll always be there for us. You can trust him. He even came back from the dead so that we would know that he’ll always be there for us!

Dr. J. Clontz, Editor - The Comprehensive New Testament

Jesus as Our Teacher and Our Example

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. “Pray, then, in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” - Matthew 6:9-10

In the Garden of Gethsemane when a lynch mob showed up to take him to be executed, Jesus showed the disciples how to pray: “Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, saying, “O my Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, your will be done.” - Matthew 26:42

Notice that he practiced what he preached. In both cases, he said of the Father - "your will be done."

It is comforting to know that Jesus is our teacher, example, and our advocate with the Father. Who better to represent us than the one who knows what we feel, knows what we face, and knows what we fear. He loves us. He created us. He befriended us. He knows how to save us. He didn’t run when they came for him. Instead, he healed his wounded captor, forgave his executioners, and rose from the dead. Imagine that if he healed the man sent to take him to his execution how much more he offers us!

I hope to see you rise from the grave immortal – like our teacher did!

J. Clontz, Editor - The Comprehensive New Testament

 

Proof that Jesus is the Messiah

There is only one person in the Bible whose garments were parted among those who cast lots for them. In fact, there is only one person in the three-thousand-year history of the nation of Israel whose garments were parted among those who cast lots for them. Think about that. Only one person out of hundreds of millions over thousands of years. Just one person and only one person. The prophecy concerning this event is in Psalm 22. The fulfillment of the prophecy is recorded in Matthew 27:35. You are more likely to get hit by lightning ten times during your lifetime than this prophecy being fulfilled. While he was on the cross, Jesus told those at his crucifixion that a prophecy was about to be fulfilled. Not only did Jesus know the future, he also knew the prophecies concerning the Messiah and left a message for all of humanity. Jesus is definitely the Messiah.

Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Matthew 27:35 … they divided his garments among them by casting lots.

I hope that you live forever with Jesus, the Messiah!

Dr. J. Clontz

Biblical text is from “Finding Jesus in the Old Testament.”

Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you [Nathaniel] that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” - John 1:50

Not only did Jesus demonstrate that he saw Nathaniel before they met – He also assures Nathaniel who is now a believer that he will see even greater things.  There is a difference between believers and non-believers. Have you ever noticed how believers have a long list of things that have assured them of their belief and non-believers don’t have anything similar in their experience? This is not limited to Christianity but to all human endeavors.

People who don’t believe in something don’t apply any of the principles that are required for success. If you don’t believe that you can succeed as an athlete, then you won’t try. If you don’t believe that you can be a musician, then you won’t try. If you don’t believe that you can learn something, then you won’t try. You guarantee failure. The converse is not necessarily true. Just because you believe you can do something doesn’t mean you will succeed, but if you don’t give something an honest try you’ll never succeed.

When I was growing up swimming pools had low and high diving boards. My dad showed me how to dive off the high dive. He went first. He showed me there was nothing to be afraid of on the high dive. Subsequently, I became fearless off the high dive even doing all sorts of crazy dives including my personal favorite – the flying peanut! In high school a very good friend of mine who was a gifted athlete saw me dive off the high dive and wanted to do the same thing. He admitted he was afraid but asked me to show him how. I showed him how and talked him through the process and even though he was shaking the whole way up the ladder he made it. Afterwards, he became fearless. The same thing happened when I was in college. My best friend in college who seemed fearless of almost anything was terrified of the high dive. I talked him through it and he also became fearless. My friends didn’t believe in themselves, but they saw me diving off the high dive and they believed I could show them the way even though they were initially terrified.

Jesus is the best friend of all humanity. He went to the cross and then rose from the dead just to show you that physical death is nothing to fear. That’s why he went first. You may be terrified, but he’ll show you the way to rise from the dead. However beforehand, he’ll talk you through everything that is necessary which is why we read his message in the Bible and fellowship with the friends of Jesus in the church. However, believers also experience spiritual confirmation of the future through their friendship with Jesus. You’ll hear their stories during fellowship. Everyone’s story is unique since Jesus reaches out to everyone to meet their unique circumstances. Always remember that Jesus used a fig tree to help Nathaniel become a believer that wasn’t afraid of physical death. A fig tree probably won’t convince you, but Jesus knew it would convince Nathaniel.

I hope that Jesus shows you how to do what he did by helping you conquer death and rise from the dead!

Dr. J. Clontz

Biblical text is from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”

 

Rejoice, for every friend of Jesus is your friend also!

 Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you [Nathaniel].”– John 1:48

Nathaniel asked Jesus how he knew him. Jesus’ reply indicates that he saw Nathaniel before they met. Like the case of Nathaniel, Jesus knows us all before we receive the call to meet him. Nathaniel received the call to meet Jesus through his friend Philip. Think about it. Nathaniel became one of the apostles, but he received his initial invitation to meet Jesus through a friend. Some people are waiting for a call directly from God. Even though God knows you, he may also know that you will listen to a mutual friend that is acting on his behalf.

Rejoice, for every friend of Jesus is your friend also!

Dr. J. Clontz

Biblical text is from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”

Anyone who represents themself when they face their accuser has a fool for a client

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” – John 1:47

Jesus and Nathaniel had never physically encountered one another. Yet, Jesus knew that Nathaniel had no deceit in him. Jesus is the Son of God. He knows everything about every person that has existed, currently exists, and will exist. When you meet Jesus he already knows you. Jesus chose to concentrate on Nathaniel’s past virtues without mentioning any of his shortcomings. Let that sink in. Jesus knows the best and worst in everyone. He chose to focus on the best in Nathaniel. An advocate focuses on the best on those he helps.

Conversely, our adversary, Satan, focuses on the worst in everyone.

I hope you chose to have our advocate, Jesus, represent your best before God. It would be a shame to face eternity without someone to represent you. Ask any lawyer, anyone who represents themself when they face their accuser has a fool for a client.

Dr. J. Clontz

Biblical text is from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”

 

Definitely Somebody!

The next day he wanted to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” – John 1:43

Jesus found Philip. There was no introduction. Simply the request for Philip to follow him. For the rest of his life, Philip was one of Jesus’ followers. If you’re found, there is an implication that you were lost. We don’t know what Philip was doing before he was found. Possibly, he was a nobody going nowhere doing nothing. After Jesus found him, he became one of the most important people in the destiny of the human race.

When Jesus found you, maybe like Philip you were a nobody. But you won’t stay that way. For two thousand years, the Son of God and his followers have been changing the world by bringing food to the hungry, clothes to the naked, and care to the sick. Anyone who brings hope to the hopeless is definitely somebody!

Dr. J. Clontz

Biblical text is from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”

 

Everyone is Changed

After Andrew met Jesus, he went and found his brother Simon. Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Now Jesus made a statement that also turned out to be a prophecy.

He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). – John 1:42

When Jesus said that Simon would be called Cephas (which means Peter) that was the name that Simon would be known by around the world. For thousands of years, billions of people have called Simon by the name Peter. Think about it. Within seconds of meeting Jesus, Simon’s name and his future were changed - and all of human history pivoted on that name from that moment forward.

Within seconds of meeting Jesus, everyone is changed. I hope you will be changed like Simon called Peter and the Lord will call you by a name you will have for eternity!

Dr. J. Clontz

Biblical text is from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”

 

Come and you will see

After Jesus asked his first two followers what they were seeking, they said that they wanted to see where he was staying.  

He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying. And they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour. – John 1:39

The Gospel of John identifies Andrew as one of the two men and by inference the second follower is the man who would be known as the apostle John. These two men would be with Jesus from that time forward. John saw much more than where Jesus was staying. He would eventually "see" thousands of years into the future in a vision that is recorded in the Book of Revelation.

I hope like John and Andrew you will always be with the Lord!

Dr. J. Clontz

 

Biblical text is from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”

 

What do you seek?

After Jesus returned from the wilderness, two men started following Jesus when John the Baptist indicated that Jesus was the Lamb of God.  

But Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” – John 1:38

Notice that before Jesus asked them, “What do you seek?” – He saw them following him. Jesus helps those who are following him find what they are seeking.

I hope that Jesus will also help you find what you are seeking!

Dr. J. Clontz

Biblical text is from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”

Away, Satan!

After Jesus was baptized, he was tempted by Satan. Jesus’ response after the last temptation parallels the baptism ceremony that early Christians used and is still used in many Christian churches today.

 

Then Jesus said to him, “Away, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” – Matthew 4:10

 

Nevertheless you are bidden to say, with arm outstretched towards him as though he were present, I renounce you, Satan. I wish also to say wherefore you stand facing to the West; for it is necessary. Since the West is the region of sensible darkness, and he being darkness has his dominion also in darkness, therefore, looking with a symbolic meaning towards the West, you renounce that dark and gloomy potentate. What then did each of you stand up and say? I renounce you, Satan,— you wicked and most cruel tyrant! Meaning, I fear your might no longer; for that Christ has overthrown, having partaken with me of flesh and blood, that through these He might by death destroy death (Hebrews 2:14-15), that I might not be made subject to bondage forever.

Cyril of Jerusalem [Catechetical Lecture 19.4]

 

I hope that Satan stays away from you forever!

 

Dr. J. Clontz

 

Biblical text from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”