Hope for Today

Hello, and thank you for joining us. This program is produced by Heralds of Hope, and we are honored to share this teaching with you. We believe the Word of God and are committed to teaching from it. The reason for this is because our experience has shown the Bible has the best answers to our big questions, and we have experienced its life-giving and life-changing truth. This is also why we count it a privilege each time we open the Bible and teach from it.

Today is no exception, and we will continue our study in the book of John. We just finished John 18, and now we will go with Jesus to His trial before Pilate in John 19. Today’s lesson is titled, Who is Guilty?

In every land, the government has some process by which to administer justice. There is surely in all countries a system of courts. They are not all the same, but there are processes to deal with lawbreakers. The tragedy is when innocent people are assumed to be guilty before evidence of guilt has been established.

In the trial of Jesus, we must raise the question, WHO IS GUILTY? His life was full of loving acts of kindness, healing the sick, and teaching the people. Yet, because He was misunderstood, He had to stand trial before the Roman court.

As John reports what happened during Jesus’ trial before the Roman ruler, we wonder really who was on trial. We will consider John 19:1-7 in this meditation.

1. Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him.

2. And the soldiers braided a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,

3. And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they struck him with their hands.

4. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that you may know that I find no fault in him.

5. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

6. When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

7. The Jews answered him, we have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

Heavenly Father, these words of Scripture fill our hearts with a mixture of sorrow and joy. Sorrow to see how unjustly Jesus was treated; joy because of His willingness to secure our eternal salvation. These words remind us again of a very important truth. God uses the free choices of men to accomplish His purposes but holds men accountable for their choices. History has judged Pilate harshly. If there is no repentance, eternity will judge him even more harshly.

And so, as my friend and I examine this portion of Scripture, help us to consider our choices as they relate to Jesus the Christ. I ask this in His name, Amen.

Who is guilty? To answer this question, we must carefully weigh several OBSERVATIONS.

We turn our faces away as we observe He was Scourged by the Soldiers.

Yes, He was beaten. Perhaps they beat Him to force a confession of wrong. That is a method often used to bring a forced confession: whip him, torment him, hurt him and perhaps he will say something that will give an occasion to pass sentence against him. It may well be that Pilate planned that kind of an approach. He was scourged, brutally beaten, by the soldiers.

It may also be that it was simply to humiliate the prisoner. We are told that in the time the Romans ruled, the soldiers had a game they played with the prisoner. They called it “the game of the king”. Even today in the city of Jerusalem under the Church of the Ecce Homo there’s the Pavement, the courtyard of Antonia, the Roman fortress paved with huge stones. The game is laid out on the pavement, cut in the stones, exactly where and what these soldiers did. It was “the game of the king”. They plaited a crown of thorns and put it on His head. They took off His own garment and put on Him a purple robe, to mock Him, to humiliate Him. With open hand they smote Tim. Others of the Gospels report that they spit upon Him.

I raise the question, “who is guilty”? This whipping, scourging by the soldiers, the mocking and humiliation, does this indicate who is guilty?

When we turn our eyes upon Jesus, we observe, He was Faultless before Pilate.

After the soldiers had done their awful work of beating Jesus, Pilate brought Him forth to the people. But Pilate had violated due process of the law, because he had punished a man before his guilt had been established. He had him beaten before there was any evi­dence of guilt. Every civil court should protect the innocent, instead of bringing punishment upon him. Pilate, I tell you, violated the due process of Roman law.

It may be that Pilate needed to satisfy the accusers of Jesus. By having Jesus beaten, he could bring Him out and show them that he had taken stern measures against Him. This might satisfy them. The evidence of His humiliation might satisfy the accusers.

I can almost see Jesus right now standing there beside the Roman governor: Jesus with His crown of thorns and purple robe. Pilate declared, “I find no fault in him.” He called their attention to Him standing there with the crown of thorns and purple robe by announcing, “Behold the man!” Did this answer the question, who is guilty? Pilate concluded, “I find no fault in him.” Who, then, is guilty? That is my question.

I’m making some observations, some searching obser­vations from this account: He was scourged by the soldiers; He was faultless before Pilate.

Then the only other way to look is to the mob, and we observe He was Condemned by the Crowd.

When they saw Him crowned with thorns and decked with a purple robe, they cried out, saying, “Crucify him, crucify him.” A mob spirit prevailed. Justice could not be carried out, and seldom is when a mob spirit prevails.

Pilate responded by a most carefully stated proposition, “You take him and crucify him, because I find no fault in him.” I would think, and so would you, that an innocent person should not be punished. Twice we have heard Pilate declare he had found nothing in Jesus worthy of death: “I find no fault in him.”

They then responded by referring to one of their laws. Here before the civil court, these people bring up a religious law. They say, “Our law calls for his death because he made himself the Son of God.”

Yes, they were right. Anyone who blasphemed the Name of God, according to their law, was to be executed. But just suppose that this One who is on trial is, indeed, the Son of God.

Now our question of who is guilty begins to focus. Suppose they are wrong, that He is really the Son of God. How shall we answer the question, who is guilty?

I have answers. The soldiers are guilty for tor­menting and beating an innocent person. Pilate is guilty of punishing before guilt was established; he did not live up to his oath of office as a Roman governor. The people are guilty of condemning when there was no conclusive evidence. Just suppose He is the Son of God. Then all the world is guilty. That means you and I are guilty, too.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from God’s Word. He has answered the question loud and clear, who is guilty? All of us are. This understanding is foundational to Christianity. We must understand and realize we are guilty before God. When our guilt is understood, it leads us to God’s solution for guilt, Jesus Christ. However, if we don’t see ourselves as guilty, there will be no need for Christ’s sacrifice.

Romans teaches us the law was given so that we become conscious of sin. In chapter 3, Paul quotes about seven Old Testament passages. His summary is in verse 19, and he says, “ Now we know that whatsoever things the law saith, it saith to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.”  This describes all of us. We are guilty before God, just like the soldiers, Pilate, and the crowd who screamed for the crucifixion of Christ. If this were the end, it would be very disappointing, and we would all be doomed, hopelessly stuck in guilt.

Imagine Paul writing these words with tears in His eyes and a heavy heart. Guilty, all of us are guilty. It is important for every person to understand this truth. Many people tell themselves; I am not that bad; I am a good person. After all, God wouldn’t condemn me; He is a loving God.

Let’s think about these things; it’s true; if you compare yourself to others, you can always find someone who is more sinful than you. You shouldn’t feel safe because of this; it just means both of you are guilty. And it is true God is a loving God, however, don’t think in His love he will ignore your sin. Imagine you are on trial for bank robbery. Do you think you could convince the judge to let you go because you Read your Bible, go to church, and are a good person? No matter how many good deeds you do, it doesn’t cancel the fact that you are guilty, you robbed a bank, and justice will be served. So yes, God does love us, but we are still guilty; our sin needs to be dealt with.

Paul clearly explains and proves all humans are guilty. In today’s teaching, we heard again that we are guilty. Praise God, the story doesn’t end here, but our journey with Christ must start at this point. We must recognize our guilt before Him; then, we will be ready to accept His solution for being made right. This is what Paul switches to in the very next verses. Listen to Romans 3:21-22, but try to imagine the change in Paul, his demeanor changes and he becomes happier; he wipes away His tears and begins to smile as he writes verse 21. But now, God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses[a] and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

That’s incredible; that’s exactly what we are looking for to take care of our guilt problem. It is exciting to hear this wonderful news after we spent so much time thinking about guilt. We can be made right with God: no need to stay guilty. This is what we need; this is what the world needs. I don’t know about you, but this brief study on guilt has challenged me and renewed my appreciation for Jesus Christ.

Thank you for joining us. It is a privilege for us to study God’s word and learn from it. Now take what you heard and put it into practice. The teaching and instruction in the Bible are for us and are meant to be lived.

Don’t be like the man in James chapter one who sees himself in a mirror then goes away and forgets what he looks like. Instead, be like the man in verse twenty-five, who looks intently into the word and is a doer of the work. God says, “that man will be Blessed in what he does.”

And we want to bless you as you follow Jesus and share Him with those around you. If you have any questions or if you would like today’s teaching, just contact us and ask for it by title or tell us the passage. We also have a study guide available designed to help you learn more from each lesson; it is called the Hope Herald. Please let us know if you are interested, and we would be happy to give you one. 

Here are several ways you can reach us. The quickest and easiest way is through email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, you could send us a letter, send it to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. And the 3rd way you can contact us is through our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. Please look on our website for this teaching and other similar teachings. There you will also find other resources available from Heralds of Hope. Again the website is heraldsofhope.org

We thank you again for joining us for today’s program. I encourage you to join us again next week as Pastor J. Mark continues teaching from the Gospel of John. We look forward to being with you then and will leave you with this blessing from Number 6. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

This episode is an exposition of John 19:1-7 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with a new opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Blessings of Grace and Peace from the Lord Jesus Christ, He is our risen Savior, and it’s Him we magnify and glorify with our lives. We are glad to be with you again this week; thank you for joining us. We are Heralds of Hope, and every week our Bible teaching is broadcast around the world via radio. This is one way we are achieving our vision of using media to make disciples of Jesus Christ, and we believe Christians working together can accomplish the Great Commission in our lifetime. 

Another way Heralds of Hope is accomplishing our vision of making disciples is through Bible and literature distribution. Working with partners throughout the world, we distribute the Bibles in areas where the Bible is not easily accessible.

Our lesson today is from John 18, and the title is “The High Priest.” This is the story of Jesus before Annas; then Annas sends Jesus to Caiaphas. We have the High Priest of the new covenant standing before the High Priest of the Old Covenant. The Priests and many of the OT Jews did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. They were waiting and looking for the Messiah, yet when he was right in front of them, they missed him. How did this happen? How could they have been so blind?

There are two verses in Thessalonians which help us understand this kind of blindness. The verses are II Thessalonians 2:10-11, and I would summarize them by saying, they perished because they refused to love the truth and be saved. To guard against this kind of blindness and to protect ourselves from deception, we must love the truth. The priests who missed Jesus loved power and influence more than they loved the truth. When the truth was right in front of them, they missed it. This is very sad, but we must recognize that we have similar tendencies. We won’t be deceived if we continue to love the truth and walk with Him. 

Again, we are so glad you joined us, and we pray you will be encouraged in your walk with the truth today!

In examining the circumstances of Jesus’ death, I take the records in the Bible as reliable. I believe those records are a true report of what happened. He was arrested by the security guard and first brought before the religious court headed by the high priest.

Some of Jesus’ teachings clashed with the interpreta­tion of the religious leadership. He had encountered them on different occasions. It is not surprising, then, that after His arrest, He would be brought first before the religious court. The recorder was careful to give the essential details in each of the events which led up to Jesus’ death. The death of Jesus is the most important event of history.

In John 18, the role of THE HIGH PRIEST in the trial of Jesus comes plainly into view.

12. Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

13. And led him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

14. Now Caiaphas was he, which gave coun­sel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

15. The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.

16. Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

17. Why do you ask me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

18. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Do you answer the high priest so?

19. Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why do you strike me?

20. Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

From this record, we underscore the several PRO­CEDURES that were undertaken in this religious court headed by the high priest.

We will first scan the historical background as The Court Is Examined.

Going back into the history of the high priesthood, I find that the first high priest in the days of Moses was his brother, Aaron. God had established this priestly line by selecting the tribe of Levi to be the priestly tribe. Both Moses and Aaron were of that priestly tribe, Levi. God had said to Moses that the sons of Aaron should follow him in the office of high priest.

Some years before the Christian era, however, the appointment of the high priest was made by the Roman government, instead of being selected and anointed by the religious leaders in Israel. This man, Annas, was appointed in his thirty-seventh year to be high priest by the Roman government.

Caiaphas, his son-in-law, however, was the functional high priest. From other records, we learn that his name was Joseph Caiaphas. He was the one who had spoken like this: “It is expedient that one man dies for the people and that the whole nation perish not.” He had said this after Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. He said it because he feared the revenge of Rome, as he saw how everybody was following after Jesus. He was really afraid that Rome would come and destroy the nation. But he said more than he knew when he said, “It is expedient that one man dies for the people”. The court then was a religious court with the high priest in charge.

They gathered to investigate the problem of Jesus. So, The Problem Is Explained.

First of all, the problem needed to be stated. The high priest asked Jesus of His disciples and of His doctrine. Reading through the Gospel of John, we have learned that Jesus had many disciples. They came to Him from many different areas. People enjoyed His teaching. We are told on one occasion that even the officers of the temple had said, “No one ever spoke like this man.” Others had said about Him that He taught with authority. So, this high priest’s court wanted to know about Jesus’ disciples.

They also wanted to know about His doctrine. You recall some of Jesus’ teachings were opposite to the interpretation of the religious leaders of His day. Jesus simply reminded them that He had never taught in secret; His teaching had always been in the open. He had taught in the synagogues and the temple where the Jews always gathered. If they wanted to know what He had taught, the most practical thing to do would be to call in those who had heard Him. He assured them, “They know what I said.”

Here is a very important consideration: the result of the teaching. I have observed even today that what happens to people who accept the teaching of Jesus is something to observe, to watch, to analyze. Jesus faced the problem very well, “Ask those who heard me; they can tell you what I taught.” So the problem is explained.

The third procedure in this trial shows up the weakness of man: The Criticism Is Exposed.

That officer standing by drew a conclusion which was not valid. Instead of listening, he quickly struck Jesus because he interpreted what Jesus said to be an insult to the high priest. But he violated the very law he wanted to defend, for Moses’ law declared a man innocent until convicted. The trial was not over. He took justice in his own hands, and it didn’t turn out so well.

Jesus exposed him very quickly, saying, “If I have spoken evil, then bear witness of the evil.” In other words, tell me where I was wrong. If I answered incor­rectly, I will accept the justice, but if I have answered well, you have struck me illegally. Justice was the purpose of the trial, and Jesus exposed this officer’s violation. It is important that we catch that truth.

The religious court had its hearing. I would say, it was proper that they did. One fault comes to the sur­face, though: the sentence was implied before the trial was completed. We now know that Jesus was destined to die. Yet, it must be clear: justice was not carried out with respect to Him in this trial. Why? Because, to bring about peace with God for us, for you and me, the death of Jesus was the only way.

Men still bring Jesus to their court of judgment to be examined; they still have a problem explaining Jesus; and He can expose unjust criticism today as He did then, by His Word. Remember, He came to die and accept His gift of eternal life.

Gracious God, our Heavenly Father, how grateful we are for the opportunity you gave us today to look into your word together. We know that Jesus was unjustly tried and condemned; He was totally innocent of any wrongdoing. And yet, He came to earth with a mission to fulfill, and that mission was to die for the sins of humanity. And just like back then, many today still reject Him. Oh Father, have mercy upon them!

I pray for each person listening to this teaching today, that you will help them to understand that, just like the High Priest in our text, they will need to give an answer to you for what they do with Jesus. Help them, in that day, to be able to answer you with joy; “I am your child by faith in Jesus.” I pray in His name, Amen.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from God’s Word, and thank you for joining us. It is a privilege for us to study God’s word and learn from it. Now take what you heard and put it into practice. The teaching and instruction in the Bible are for us, and they are meant to be lived.

Don’t be like the man in James 1 who sees himself in a mirror then goes away and forgets what he looks like, instead, be like the man in v.25 who looks intently into the word and is a doer of the work. God says, “that man will be Blessed in what he does.”

And we want to bless you as you follow Jesus and share Him with those around you. If you have any questions or if you would like today’s teaching just contact us and ask for it by title or tell us the passage. We also have a study guide available designed to help you learn more from each lesson; it is called the Hope Herald. Please let us know if you are interested, and we would be happy to give you one. 

Here are several ways you can reach us. The quickest and easiest way is through email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, you could send us a letter, send it to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Another way you can contact us is through our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. Please look on our website for this teaching and other similar teachings. There you will also find other resources available from Heralds of Hope. Again, the website is heraldsofhope.org

We thank you again for joining us for today’s program. I encourage you to join us again next week as Pastor J. Mark continues teaching from the Gospel of John. We look forward to being with you then and will leave you with this blessing from Number 6. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

This episode is an exposition of John 18:12-24 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with a new opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

We greet you with Grace and Peace from Jesus Christ. We are honored to be teaching His word via radio, and we are very thankful you have joined us. This is Hope for Today, and this program is produced by Heralds of Hope. Heralds of Hope began back in 1967 with the goal of broadcasting expository Bible teaching on American radio stations. Five years later, the international broadcast was started, and to this day, we continue to broadcast expository Bible teaching. By God’s grace, the ministry has grown since then, and we are currently broadcasting in about 20 different languages. We continue to seek God for direction and pray that He will use us to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

As you remember, we are studying through the Gospel of John, and today we will finish up the high priestly prayer from John 17. This last section is titled the High Calling, and Jesus makes some very amazing statements in this passage. Before we begin today’s teaching, I’d like for us to think some more about a phrase from verse 21. 

In this verse, Jesus says, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee…” In this verse, Jesus declares His oneness with the Father. This is a big deal because when He said He is one with God, He means He is God.

How can this be? There are so many questions that pop into our minds when we try to grasp the idea that Jesus was God. Questions like, why would God limit Himself to a body? How could Jesus have been both God and human? Or if He was human, could He have sinned? But He was God, and God cannot sin., How can we explain that? We won’t be able to answer all the questions, but we know enough to have faith and trust Him and believe He is God.

For me, it is helpful to think about some other possibilities. So, Jesus declared His oneness with the Father. If I would hear someone say this today, I would be very skeptical and think it’s a lie. Could Jesus have been lying about this? If Jesus said this, and it is not true, then it disqualifies the rest of what he said. If you have ever been lied to, you know how that person’s credibility is totally ruined with you, and rightly so. If they lie once, you can’t be sure when or if they are telling the truth. “When I look at the record of Jesus’ life and see its effect on the world in the last 2000 years, I can’t convince myself that all His teaching was good,” but this statement was a lie. The possibility that Jesus was lying does not line up with reality.

You may think Jesus was crazy; only crazy people think they are God. Again, I would say look at the rest of what we know about Him. The world He came to was crazy, and the way He was treated was crazy. But this word does not describe Him; in fact, His teachings were very accurate and full of truth. It does not line up to say, some of His teaching is good; some of it is crazy. Possibly one or the other, but not both. So, Jesus was not lying, and He sure is not crazy.

Let’s imagine that He was telling the truth, and He actually is God. Then His life should have been incredible; history should revolve around Him. If He were God, I’d expect Him to be alive and stronger than death. If Jesus were God, surely there would be lots of people today who know Him. I am sure you realize Jesus has done each of these. His life has changed the world like no other, and there are millions who love Him and would give their life for Him, and I have found Him to be very alive.

I don’t think we will ever be able to answer all the questions or totally explain how God came in the flesh. If we could completely understand it, that means He would have to be small and finite, because that’s what we are. I am thankful God is bigger than our comprehension, and we won’t ever figure it all out. We know enough to live by faith and trust him knowing He is God.

For the rest of today’s teaching, let’s give our attention to J Mark Horst, as He explains the rest of the statements from John 17 that call us to a higher way of living.

Very few, if any, people live up to their full poten­tial. We are doing less than we are capable of doing. That’s true in many respects. Our minds are capable of much more than we engage them with. Bodily, physically we probably could do much more than we are doing if we were, in fact, doing all we could. The real sin is when we are satisfied with less than the possible. To be the best we can be, we should reach for more every day. We need to know then what is expected of us.

In the two preceding messages, we meditated together in the prayer of Jesus just before He was arrested and crucified. Jesus prayed other prayers, but the ones that were recorded in the Gospels are mostly short prayers. We do know, though, from the Gospel records that Jesus spent whole nights in prayer at times, and on one occasion, He fasted for forty days. Jesus was a person of prayer. But not many of His prayers are recorded. This one in John 17 is what some people call the high priestly prayer.

Let us think about THE HIGH CALLING OF BEING A DISCIPLE from the prayer of Jesus in John 17:18-26.

17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19. And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22. And the glory which thou gayest me I7 have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one

23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where 17 am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

25. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but 17 have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26. And I have declare4 unto them thy name and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

In this final part of Jesus’ prayer, He set forth the distinctive RIGHTS His disciples are to enjoy.

The disciples facing their high calling were To be Sent Like Jesus.

He prayed, “As thou hast sent me, even so I have sent them.” That is a distinct mission. What a calling we have to be in the world like Jesus was in the world. This is a right which many disciples have missed, I fear. The pur­pose is so that others will believe. That is what we are existing for as disciples, to tell others so that there will be more disciples, that the world may know. Jesus’ prayer, “That the world may know thou hast sent me,’ that the Father sent the Son.

Yes, this is a very high calling, a right that too few disciples even care to think about. The world will know who Jesus is when we disciples take our places, understanding that we have been sent into the world like Jesus was sent into the world. Nothing turned Him aside.

My friend, let me challenge you with this. If you are a believer, then understand that Jesus said that we are in this world like He was in this world. May the Lord help us to understand this.

The disciples following Jesus in their high calling can expect To be Glorified with Jesus.

I rejoice in this! Jesus prayed that He had taken the glory which God had given Him and had showed it unto them or given it unto them. He had expressed His desire to have His disciples enjoy the kind of oneness that He and the Father experienced. Several times in this prayer He said, “That they may be one as we are one.” That is a beautiful idea, and one that we certainly should rise to. It is a right, a high calling of our discipleship.

But it is to me, I would say, even more wonderful, to share Jesus’ glory. He said He wants them whom the Father has given to Him to share His glory, “I want them to be with me where I am that they may behold my glory.”

Right now, our eyes are not equipped to see glory. Some day when we have our new bodies, our resurrected bodies, we are going to be able to see glory. At that fulfilling time we are going to have the wonderful experience of sharing the glory of Jesus. That is our high calling, that is our right, to be glorified with Jesus. Praise the Lord!

Uniquely related to the rights of calling and glory is the right To be Taught by Jesus.

He prayed, “I have declared Thy name to them and will declare it.” Jesus was a wonderful teacher, the best teacher. Many people look at the teachings of Jesus and say, this is outstanding, this is better than any teaching we have seen anywhere. The disciples knew that God had sent Jesus. They could understand from His teachings that He was more than an ordinary teacher. He is, and He always has been. Jesus taught them about God. He could pray, “I have told them, so that the love which thou hast loved me with, may be in them, and I in them.” There is a kind of personal instruction here. Yes, Jesus taught them, and to be taught by Jesus is a right, a distinct right of disciples.

I’m glad to testify to the fact that Jesus does teach the believer, the disciple who is willing to be really a disciple. Many believers do not live up to their rights. What a high calling we have, to be sent like Jesus into the world, to be glorified with Jesus in the future, and now to be taught by Jesus.

I appeal to you if you are a believer attain to your rights.

Was this teaching helpful? If you’d like a copy, either in print or on an audio CD, just contact us and ask for it by the title. Or log onto our website heraldsofhope.org

The quickest way for you to connect with us is to send an email to [email protected]. That email address is [email protected]. Or write to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Remember, you can request a printed manuscript or a digital audio file of this teaching. We’d be happy to send one to you.

And when you contact us, you can request our Bible Study Guide, Hope Herald. It follows these radio programs and will help you learn more about what we’re studying from John’s Gospel. So, ask for your free copy of Hope Herald today.

Here’s the contact information again. Our email address is [email protected]. Or write to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Remember; you can request a free copy of this teaching. It’s available in print or on a digital audio file. And you can also request a free copy of our newest publication, Hope Herald. It will help you gain more value from our study in John.

And don’t forget our Bible teaching programs are available to you all the time and any time at the website, heraldsofhope.org.

Now, I urge you to tune in next week as Pastor J. Mark continues our study from John’s Gospel. You won’t want to miss it. And until then, keep looking to Jesus; He’ll give you hope for today!

This episode is an exposition of John 17:18-26 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with a new opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Hello and welcome to Hope for Today. The program you’re listening to is produced by Heralds of Hope. We’re an international Gospel media ministry. Each week our Bible teaching broadcasts circle the globe in English and 22 other languages. We are honored the be here with you today, and thanks for joining us. We will continue our study from the book of John in just a bit; before we do that, I’d like to share a few things with you.

You know as well as I do that we can’t rely on the words of men because men change. Think of all the unkept promises people make, maybe even specific promises to you personally. But God is unchanging; He keeps His promises. The Psalmist, David, said in Psalm 119:89, “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven.” You and I can depend on God’s Word.

Because God’s Word is unchanging and reliable, we share His teaching with as many people as possible. Our ministry focuses on radio teaching and Bible distribution, and we love hearing testimonies of lives that have been touched by the Gospel.

For example, Isaac from Ghana writes, “I don’t know how to thank you for your inspirational messages, you have really helped me spiritually, and I will continue to listen for spiritual growth.” If you are touched by this program, we’d love to hear from you. Stay tuned, and I’ll give you our contact information at the end of the program.

During today’s teaching, we will be finishing John 16, and we will look closely at three statements Jesus made. These statements a very clear and understandable. Now, let’s hear from Bible Teacher J Mark as he tells us about Plain Speech.

For the disciples, Jesus’ words were often above their understanding. They puzzled over them. There are people today who still puzzle over the words of Jesus. They are unsure as to what they mean.

Well, we all want PLAIN SPEECH. We say, make it simple; take it out of the complex and make it simple. That’s what I try to do when I come to you each week; I try to make it simple. It is more important to be understood by people than to baffle them.

We learn from the Gospel records that the common people in Jesus’ day heard Him gladly, and it is amazing how simple many of His teachings were. Let’s see once what happens in John 16:28-33, where we have the disciples saying, “He now speaks plainly.”

28. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

31. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

32. Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Fat her is with me.

33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

In this talk, Jesus made several STATEMENTS which the disciples could understand. Let’s talk about this plain speech.

His first statement: “I Leave the World.”

I have often been impressed how Jesus lived with a sense of purpose. He lived with the end in view. He knew why He was here. He knew where He was going. So, He could say to the disciples, “I came from the Father, and now I go to the Father; I leave the world.”

His disciples then seemed to understand, and they confessed their faith in Jesus. They said, “Now we know, now we know, now we believe.”

The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world and went back to heaven. He said here to the disciples, “I leave the world, and I go back to the Father.” There is some mystery about this. In some respects, it is difficult, but still, when Jesus made that statement, the disciples said, “Now we understand clearly, and we believe that thou art from God.”

I would like to tell you that this is a very important position to come to: to understand what Jesus meant when He said, “I leave the world, and go to the Father,” because going back to the Father meant that His work was being finished.

His second statement: “I Am Not Alone.”

He said, “You are going to leave me, you are going to run away, you are going to be scattered, you are going to your own homes, but I will not be alone, I am not alone.” In distress, many often desert. The records of history show many people who have turned traitor at the most difficult moment. Jesus predicted that the disciples would run away and leave Him. And they did. Yes, they did. But He said God would not leave Him. He said, “I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”

God never forsakes the trusting soul. Jesus expressed His assurance that God would not leave Him, even though everybody else would leave Him. That comes to me as a great comfort. I hope it comes to you as a great comfort. This is what I call plain talking. Jesus said, “I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”

You and I can have a similar experience with Jesus. God will not forsake the trusting soul. This can come to us as a great comfort. I hope you understand this plain speech.

The third statement: “I Have Overcome the World.”

That’s the last sentence in the text which I read. The world is not friendly toward people who believe in God. We all have our oppositions. It seems that there’s always somebody to stand in our way, to make it hard for us.

Jesus said to His disciples, “I am going to give you peace. I have spoken these things to you so that you might have peace in me.” Then He added, “I have overcome the world.” I want to make sure you understand that peace in your heart is a gift from Jesus. He said it is a gift, “I give you peace.”

His victory assures us of victory. He said, “I have overcome the world.” So, we can be of good cheer. The opposition has been put down. We no longer have the force of the opposition because Jesus has overcome the world. We can find great hope in His victory. My friend, I want to make sure that you understand the plain speech of Jesus when He said, “I have overcome the world.”

These statements arrest our attention because they tell us Jesus must be more than an ordinary man: He said, “I have overcome the world;” “I am not alone;” and “I leave the world.” These statements tell us of His purpose, His assurance, and His victory. He can encourage you, but He cannot help you until you believe on Him.

Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from God’s word. It’s true these statements of Jesus are very clear, and J Mark ended with a statement that is also very clear. Here it is again, “Jesus cannot help you until you believe on Him.” This is worth thinking about, especially the word, believe. Our understanding of this word is crucial, and what we think it means will affect how we act.  

We use the word believe in several ways; for example, we might say, “I believe I’ll be done around 3 pm.” Here I mean I might, or I think maybe. We also use “believe” like this, “I have known my neighbor for years, and you can believe him.” Here I am saying my neighbor has good character and what he says is acceptable and true. Neither of these is the “believe” J Mark meant when he said, “we need to believe on Jesus.”

“Believe,” as he used it, requires action; this is not passive knowledge. Here is the crucial part, just because you heard the story of Jesus, and you agree with it and think it’s true does not mean you “believe.” Believing Jesus and knowing about Jesus are not the same thing. Believing on Jesus requires a response on our part. If you believe on Jesus, then you will repent of your sin, trust Him for salvation, and live for Him and with Him.

Believing is not a once-and-done event; it’s continuing action; we are believing on Jesus. If you are not believing on Him, we encourage you, believe, trust Him for your salvation; He alone can save you from Hell.

What do you think? Was today’s teaching helpful? Feel free to share your thoughts with us from today’s program. Or if you’d like to hear it again, just let us know. Here are several ways to contact us.

The quickest way for you to connect with us is to send an email to [email protected]. Or you could write to us our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. If you would like today’s teaching, just ask for it by title or by the passage. We would be happy to give you a printed copy or a digital copy; just tell us your preference.

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Here’s the contact information again. Our email address is [email protected]. Or write to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Or, if you forget this, just go to our website, heraldsofhope.org. There you will find all our information, and our Bible teaching programs are available. Of course, you can access the website whenever and wherever you have internet; again, our website is heraldsofhope.org. 

We thank you again for joining us for today’s program. I encourage you to join us again next week as Pastor J. Mark continues teaching from the Gospel of John. We look forward to being with you then and will leave you with these verses from Jude, “now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion, and power, both now and ever. Amen.”