Blessed be the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Welcome as we come together to study the Bible, the true bread of life for our souls. The Scriptures teach clearly that we are saved by grace, not by works. Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” This passage tells us that salvation is entirely a gift from God — it cannot be earned by anything we do. No matter how righteous we may think we are, we still fall short because of our sinful nature. Like a dog who thinks its ways are right, but a human sees its many flaws, so God sees our flaws even when we consider ourselves pure. Therefore, we can never boast before God by our own deeds. Yet despite our many shortcomings, God extends to us the free gift of salvation. This unearned gift is what we call GRACE. But it is crucial to understand that this grace, while freely given, is not cheap or without purpose. It comes with a responsibility and an expectation. Grace teaches us and requires a response from us. If we refuse this response, we effectively reject the grace itself. What exactly does grace require? Consider this passage: Titus 2:11-13 (ESV) “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Notice verse 12: God’s grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires. This is the key demand grace places on us. It calls us to reject the sinful patterns of the world and to live lives marked by self-control, righteousness, and godliness. If we embrace this teaching and live accordingly, God’s grace will remain with us and cover over our smaller faults. Just as a dog who accepts his master’s training is loved and his minor faults overlooked, so too God’s grace overlooks small imperfections when we submit to His discipline. But those who reject this teaching and continue to live as they please—wandering freely in sin—will not experience the favor of God’s grace. Many today misunderstand grace to mean license to live however they want. They say, “We are saved by grace, not works,” without understanding that grace itself calls for a transformed life—a life that denies the world. If you desire God’s grace to abide in you, you must deny the fashions and pleasures of the world. You must reject worldly indulgences such as immodest clothing, tattoos, jewelry, drunkenness, sinful entertainment, sexual immorality, dishonesty, and all other forms of worldly sin. Do not be deceived—God’s grace and worldly living are fundamentally incompatible. Have you truly denied sin? Have you rejected the world? If not, then today is the day to repent, to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and to be baptized in water in His name. The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth and help you obey the commands of God’s grace. Maranatha!
In Revelation 2:9 and 3:9, Jesus refers to a group of individuals who “say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” This raises an important question: Who are these people? Are they ethnic Jews by birth, or are they those who claim a spiritual identity as Jews—those who believe in Christ and are considered Jews inwardly? Let’s first read the relevant passages: Revelation 2:9–10 (ESV):“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Here, Christ is speaking to the church in Smyrna, a persecuted and suffering community. He acknowledges their afflictions and then denounces a group who claim to be Jews but, in truth, are not—rather, they are serving the agenda of Satan himself. Who Were These “Jews”? Historically, these individuals were ethnic Jews by birth, descendants of Abraham, who considered themselves the true people of God. However, in God’s eyes, they had rejected the very Messiah prophesied in their own Scriptures—Jesus Christ—and were therefore disqualified from being considered true Jews in the spiritual sense. Jesus rebukes them because, while they claimed the identity of God’s chosen people, they actively opposed the gospel of Christ. They slandered and persecuted Christians, especially Gentile believers who had turned to the God of Israel through faith in Jesus. This opposition aligned them not with God, but with Satan—the adversary. Consider Jesus’ confrontation with the Jewish leaders in the Gospels: John 5:39–40 (ESV):“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” Acts 3:22–23 (ESV):“Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’” These Scriptures point to Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. But many of the Jewish religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees and Sadducees, refused to believe in Him. They not only rejected the gospel but also fought against it, persecuting Christ’s followers. Persecution by Unbelieving Jews In the early church, the primary opponents of the gospel were often unbelieving Jews. Wherever the apostles preached, Jewish opponents stirred up trouble, especially when they saw Gentiles embracing salvation through Jesus. Acts 14:1–2 (ESV):“Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.” It wasn’t merely that these Jews didn’t believe; they were hostile toward the message of Christ. The apostles, particularly Paul, repeatedly warned Gentile believers to beware of these Judaizers—Jews who insisted that Gentile Christians must observe the Mosaic Law in order to be truly saved. This is the backdrop of the entire letter to the Galatians, where Paul expresses deep concern over how quickly the believers were being swayed by this false teaching: Galatians 1:6–7 (ESV):“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” Thus, when Jesus refers to “those who say they are Jews and are not,” He is addressing ethnic Jews who had rejected Him and were persecuting His church. Though they claimed the heritage of Abraham, they had cut themselves off from the true vine (John 15:1–6) by rejecting the Messiah. True Jews: Spiritual Identity in Christ The New Testament makes it clear that a true Jew is not one outwardly, but inwardly—one who has faith in Christ and whose heart has been transformed by the Holy Spirit. Romans 2:28–29 (ESV):“For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.” Therefore, true Jewish identity in the eyes of God is spiritual, not merely ethnic. Believers in Jesus—whether Jew or Gentile—are the true people of God. Application for the Church Today While Revelation 2 and 3 refer specifically to Jewish opposition in the early church, this spiritual principle continues today. Satan no longer relies solely on external enemies; he often works through those who claim to be Christians but oppose the truth of the gospel. Today, if you preach the full gospel, live a holy life, or call for biblical repentance, often your fiercest opposition will come not from atheists or outsiders—but from those within the church, people who claim the name of Christ but deny His power. 2 Timothy 3:5 (ESV):“…having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” This is why we must remain spiritually vigilant. Now more than ever, we must be grounded in Scripture to discern truth from error, and walk faithfully with Christ despite opposition—even if it comes from those who bear His name falsely. Matthew 7:21 (ESV):“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)
ANSWER: To fully grasp what Jesus meant by this statement, we need to consider the context in which He spoke. In Luke 6:39–40 (ESV), Jesus says: “He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.'” Jesus uses a vivid parable to illustrate a profound truth about leadership and discipleship. He begins with a rhetorical question: Can a blind person guide another blind person? Clearly, the answer is no. Both will fall into the same pit. The principle He introduces next builds on that image: “A disciple is not above his teacher.” In other words, no student surpasses the level of his instructor. A disciple will only become like the one he follows—not greater. If the teacher is ignorant, unwise, or spiritually blind, the student will inherit those same deficiencies. Conversely, if the teacher is wise and spiritually mature, the student has the potential to attain that same level of maturity—but not more. As Jesus says, “everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” This teaching has significant implications for the Church today. If a pastor or spiritual leader teaches false doctrines or lives in ungodliness, those under his guidance are unlikely to walk in truth or holiness. The spiritual condition of a congregation will almost always mirror the condition of its leadership. Therefore, Jesus’ statement is a warning: Be careful whom you choose to follow. Your spiritual health is tied to the example and teaching of those you allow to lead you. If our leaders do not teach repentance, holiness, and obedience to God, then we, too, will likely live compromised lives. If they are worldly, so will we be. And if they are leading people away from the truth, we risk falling into the same eternal ruin. As Jesus puts it: “Will they not both fall into a pit?” (Luke 6:39) Jesus reinforces this idea elsewhere. In Matthew 10:24–25 (ESV), He says: “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.” Here, Jesus is preparing His disciples for the cost of following Him. If the world insulted and persecuted Christ—calling Him demonic—then His disciples should expect no better treatment. If we claim to be His followers but are constantly praised by the world, we must examine whether we are truly walking in His footsteps. Elsewhere, Jesus offers another powerful example of what it means to follow Him. In John 13:14–17 (ESV), after washing the feet of His disciples, He says: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” This passage shows us that discipleship is not about gaining power or prominence—it’s about humility, servanthood, and imitating the character of Christ. The true path of a disciple is to walk as Christ walked. Where He was honored, we may be honored. Where He was hated, we too may be hated. Where He humbled Himself, we must do the same. Reflection Question: Who is leading you? Who is your teacher or spiritual guide? Are they pointing you to Christ, to holiness, to truth—or to the world, compromise, and error? Let us be wise in choosing whom to follow, because we will become like them. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV): “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Final Thought: If we are truly disciples of Jesus Christ, our lives will increasingly resemble His. We will be conformed to His image—not above Him, but like Him in love, humility, obedience, and even suffering. May we choose leaders and examples who lead us toward Christ, not away from Him. The Lord bless you.