Exploring God’s Word with Brad Thurston

Great, Greater, Greatest

Episode Summary

Old Weddings – the best man and the cultural differences… Then and now! How this fits into the supremacy of Jesus compared to all others!

Episode Notes

Great – Greater – Greatest      

John 3:22-36

Introduction

Old Weddings – the best man and the cultural differences… Then and now! Daniel and Mark as opposed to other traditions?

The Continuity of Baptism looking at inward and outward expressions of faith.

  1. Is baptism a ritual without reality? Or is it a death to self and a transformation into life eternal? Is life the same after baptism as before? Or does the Holy Spirit take control?
  2. Charles Swindoll said: ‘As theologians and teachers of the Word we study the Holy Spirit from a safe doctrinal distance; we are loath to enter into any of the realms of His supernatural workings or even to tolerate the possibility of such.  Explaining the Holy Spirit is one thing: experiencing Him another’”
  3. Competition in ministry is a good example of how we need to see the growth and constant development in character.  Here the question is who is greater, and the influence we thought we had, is waning. See 1 Corinthians 1:10-15:

“NowI exhort you,brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you allagree and that there be nodivisions among you, but that you bemade complete inthe same mind and in the same judgment.For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’speople, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, thateach one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I ofApollos,” and “I ofCephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were youbaptizedin the name of Paul?I thank God that Ibaptized none of you exceptCrispus andGaius, so that no one would say you were baptizedin my name.”

  1. Great to Greater

Psalm 96:4

Forgreat is theLordandgreatly to be praised;
He is to befearedabove all gods.

Matthew 11:11

Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisenanyonegreater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who isleast in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Who is the greatest? Luke 9:46;48

An argumentstarted among them as to which of them might be the greatest.

Jesus’ reply to such questions?

Then he said to them,“Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”

  1. John’s answer is thought provoking: Jesus is the greatest because:
  2. The Supremacy of Jesus focuses on his Origin
  3. The Testimony of Jesus focuses on his first-hand knowledge
  4. The Authority of Jesus focuses on the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit
  5. Our response to these things is important:  
  6. Pointing people to Jesus 
  7. Receiving the Holy Spirit