"All in" sinking in

The vast majority of Christians (so-called) have bought into the idea that the Bible isn’t God’s word; it contains God’s word. A story like Noah is an allegory. It’s like Aesop’s Fables. You don’t believe a tortoise and a hare had a race and talked to each other, do you? Why, because it’s a story. It’s a myth or fable that has a meaning to it. And they say that’s what the Bible is.

Jordan warned a crowd in the so-called “Bible Belt” of this overwhelming reality even in the back hills of Tennessee: “Students of ancient literature will go back and say, ‘You know, that’s how you understand . . . Adam and Eve didn’t really have to exist. It’s the story involved in it.’ As soon as you do that, Jesus Christ didn’t really have to be raised from the dead. It’s the story; the symbolism. Now nothing you believe is real. Think about that. If Jesus Christ didn’t literally come up from the dead, you’re still in your sins. It is that important.”

He continued, “You know what Bill O’Reilly won’t say? He believes that Mary ascended into heaven-- was immaculately conceived without sin and ascended into heaven after Acts 1. He believes that because he’s a Jesuit-trained Roman Catholic. He doesn’t believe Adam and Eve or Noah are real, but he believes that hogwash about Mary. Write him and ask him. I did. I got an email back that said, ‘Bill is a believing Roman Catholic.’ That’s all they would say. That means he believes that and you know why? Because the pope tells him if he don’t he can’t be a Catholic. Pope doesn’t say you got to believe Adam and Eve are real but you go to believe that. That stuff’s nuts, folks!’

*****

“Jesus believed that God preserved His word intact in a form that was still His Word. It’s always been that way. If you look at I Timothy 5:18, it says, ‘For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.’ The first quote is from Deuteronomy 25:5 but notice the next quote, ‘And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.’ Where’s that a quote from? Luke 10:7.

“You see what Paul just did? He called the Book of Luke as much Scripture as the Book of Deuteronomy. That means Luke had already written the Book of Luke. It had been copied, circulated, and identified as Scripture by the time Paul wrote I Timothy 5 and everybody knew it was and he wrote it down; it was common knowledge.

“II Peter 3:15 says, ‘And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;, Peter says about Paul’s epistles.’ He considers Paul’s epistles Scripture. By the way, you think Peter and those other circumcision believers had the original copies of Paul’s epistles? How did they know they were Scripture?

“The books were collated in the order God wanted them to have, using His spiritual design of doctrine, reproof and correction. In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John He’s the king, He’s the servant, He’s man, He’s God. The Book of Acts is a transition. That didn’t just happen. Normally you’d put the books together in the chronological order they’re written. God the Holy Spirit wrote his word, worked through those prophets to have it collated and copied and then distributed all over--so much so that circumcision believers up in northern Turkey had it! I read that and I say, ‘Whoa!’

*****

Acts 1:9-11 reads, [9] And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
[10] And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
[11] Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

“Now where they are in Acts 1 is the Mount of Olives,” says Jordan. “So if you go to Zechariah 14, it says, [3] Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
[4] And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

“The day of battle is when He comes back to destroy His enemies and the exact place He left from, the same Jesus, in like manner (literally, visibly, personally) will return and eventually return to the exact spot.

“That event, when He comes back in flaming fire, actually takes Him about two-and-a-half days before He gets to the place where He gets off the vehicle He’s flying and puts His feet on the ground. That’s where He puts His feet on the ground!

“Verse 9 says, ‘And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.’ We’re talking about the time He comes to set up His kingdom on the earth and He receives the believers unto Himself, having destroyed the unbelievers. And He is now going to be king. He’s returned with His kingdom.

“These apostles, and the little flock they lead, are going to serve and reign with Him, and if you’ve been faithful back here, He’ll give them authority over cities over there. In John 14 He’s talking specifically to the apostles, taking them through the whole scope of what’s before them.

“Now watch Thomas not get it. The passage says, [5] Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
[7] If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
[8] Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
[9] Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
[10] Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
[11] Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

*****

“Did you ever have a really bad day where you look back at and you just wish you kept your mouth shut? Well, there’s two guys here fixing to do that. And I bet if Tom and Phil had the opportunity to go back and just zip it, right here would have been a time in their life they would have liked to!

“Now they had better days. Every day wasn’t a bad day for them, but this was not a good one. He’s been teaching them but it hadn’t sunk in very well. Thomas. do you know thy way? You see, he’s still thinking about geography. He’s missed the point all together. Jesus said unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No man come unto the Father but by me.’ Plain enough.

“We’re talking about a way that’s not a physical way; we’re talking about truth and life. We’re talking about something that’s in Him. We’re talking about getting to the Father.

“Phil says, ‘Wait a minute! I got a problem with this! Show us the Father and it sufficeth us. Oh, Lord, if you can show us the Father, ahh, that’s it!’

“Jesus said unto him, ‘Have I been so long with you and yet thou hast not known my Philip?’ Verse 6 is a great verse. I wonder when I read that what kind of inflection Jesus said that with. Did He say it like, ‘You guys are just wearing me out. Don’t you get anything?’ or did He say, ‘Wait a minute! I am the way! I am the truth! I am the life!’

“I’m not sure. I vacillate between the two and I’m almost overwhelmed with the desire to say He went, ‘Phil, Tom, you guys aren’t getting this. I’M the way, I’M the truth, I’M the life.’ More of an appeal. You can decide for yourself.

“It stands as one of those clear statements that emphatically indicate who the Lord Jesus Christ is. First there’s that definite article, but when He says, ‘I am,’ this is one of those I Am statements. You remember in chapter 5:58 he said, ‘I am THE bread of life’? ‘The only place you can get the substance of life is from me.’ ‘I’m the light of the world’ (John 8). THE light; there’s NO light, NO understanding, NO truth; there’s nothing outside of what you get from me. In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Paul says.

“Then He said, ‘I’m the door.’ It’s through me you get to God. Then He said, ‘I’m the good shepherd.’ (John 10). Then He said, ‘I’m the resurrection and the life.’ Then He said, ‘I’m the true vine.’ (John 15)

“Those Jehovah titles, seven of them in the Book of John, match the seven Jehovah titles that are connected with the seven Jehovah feasts of Israel back in Leviticus 23. Just as you have those seven compound names, they match. There’s no doubt about what He’s saying when He says this and He pulls out those three things: I’m the way, because I’m going away and I’m preparing a place for you.

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“That term The Way, by the way, became sort of the shorthand description of the followers of Christ. Acts 16:17 says, ‘The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.’ That little expression the way.

"In chapter 18 when Apollos shows up at Ephesus, verse 26 says, ‘And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.’

“That term way has picked up sort of a personification to it. Acts 24:14, when Paul is giving his defense before Felix, says, ‘But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets.’

“The way, the doctrine Paul followed, they called heresy. What Christ is talking about when He says, ‘I am the way,’ is, ‘I am the way to the Father. I’m the way to God.’ And that’s the whole issue about the way of God. The whole issue is how do you get to God? You get to Him through Jesus Christ, no other way.

“Hebrews 10:19-20 says, ‘Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
[20] By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.’

“He’s talking about the new covenant. The new and living way is in contrast to the old ministration of death in the Mosaic law. What the Messiah’s going to do is He’s really going to get them to God. He’s bringing the disciples to a place where He’s going to talk to them about the new covenant.

“He’s talking to them, ‘Here’s the whole scope of what ought to keep your heart from being troubled. That’s what we’re doing. I’m going to go away and I’m going to come back and you’re going to reap benefits over here because I am the way; I’m the one who’s going to provide this new and living way that’s going to accomplish that. I’m the truth. Thy word is truth. I’m the life.’

“By the way, without Him there is no life. He’s the Creator. Everything in life is about Him. He said, ‘The words I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life.’ The real issue in the life there is He’s the resurrection and the life. He’s already told them that in chapter 11. He’s the way because He’s the truth. He’s the truth because He’s the life.

"The great proof of the fact that He is the truth and the way is that He’s the life. It all hinges on His resurrection. His resurrection says sin has been put away by the sacrifice of Himself. And now He appears the second time without sin to accomplish His purpose.”