Lawrence DeMetrius

Lyrics

Letters of Apostle John – The Gospel
An Intimate Review
Pt 3
By Lawrence DeMetrius

Ministry to the Marginalized Community

MARGINALIZE
“To place in a position of marginal importance, influence, or power.”

In [Jn 4:1-30] Apostle John writes of Jesus Christ’s openness to communities that are considered less tolerable to associate with by the general and religious circles. It reviews the encounter Christ had with a Samaritan woman who was considered a marginalized person in her generation, because she was of mixed ethnicity and was a woman. Cultural-Milieu Analysis will provide more insight on such prejudices. Nonetheless, Christ found no problem in making His acquaintance with this Samaritan woman. Their dialogue reveals important ideas.

1. Jesus Christ does engage with people of MARGINALIZED communities regardless of cultural norms of the day. Although, He came chiefly to revive the Nation of Israel, He has no respect of persons, and offers LIVING WATER to anyone who desires and receives IT by faith. [Jn 4:1-15, 25, 26, 27]

2. THE DIVINE is fully cognizant of each individual and their life experience past, present, and future. There is nothing shocking, surprising, or frightening about them to THE DIVINE. There is nothing anyone can reveal about themselves THE DIVINE does not already know. [Jn 4:16-18]

3. No one can conclude that people of MARGINALIZED communities have no knowledge or reverent acknowledgment of THE DIVINE GODHEAD and messengers thereof. [Jn 4:19]

4. No one can judge what a person holds true in heart about THE HOLY GODHEAD and divinely inspired prophecies. This Samaritan woman clearly confessed her belief in the scriptures concerning Christ, and reverently acknowledged His Advent as the coming Messiah.

She believed the prophesied Messiah would come to teach a full truth that people needed to know and were not receiving. [Isa 7:14-16] Christ recognized her faith, although she was considered a member of a MARGINALIZED community due to her personal circumstances. [Jn 4:25, 26]

5. While there are geographical places widely recognized as primary landmarks of worship to Yahweh, the truest place of divine worship is the mortal mind and heart. In fact, from the most ancient of generations, THE LORD searches the earth for hearts that are or have the potential to be whole towards HIM. [II Chr 16:9] In fact, this is the only center where Yahweh desires to, can be and must be worshipped.

Moses writes,

Hear O, Israel: THE LORD our GOD is one LORD:
And thou shalt love THE LORD thy GOD with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
[Deut 6:4, 5]

Hanani the seer writes,

For the eyes of THE LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew HIMSELF strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward HIM.
[II Chr 16:9]

King Solomon he writes,

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear GOD, and keep HIS commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
For GOD shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
[Eccl 12:13, 14]




The Lord Jesus said to this Samaritan woman and to all living souls,

But the hour cometh, and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the FATHER in spirit and in truth: for the FATHER seeketh such to worship HIM.
GOD is a Spirit: and they that worship HIM must worship HIM in spirit and in truth.
[St Jn 4:23, 24]

*spirit Gk #4151 pneuma (pnyoo-mah) it is…
1. a current of air, breath, blast or a breeze [Gen 2:7]
2. an angelic being, Yahweh, the spirit of Christ and the Holy Ghost
3. vital principle and rational human soul [Acts 17:28]
4. one’s mental disposition

*truth Gk #225 aletheia (al-ay-thee-ah) it is truth and verity

1. truth is…
a. the true or actual state of a matter
b. conformity with fact and reality
c. a verified or indisputable fact, proposition or principle
d. the state or character of being true
e. actuality and actual existence
f. honesty, integrity and truthfulness

2. verity is…
a. the state or quality of being true
b. accordance with fact and reality
c. something that is true, as a principle, belief, idea, or statement
• true is…
1. being in accordance with the actual state or conditions
2. conforming to reality or fact and not false
3. not deceitful but real, genuine and authentic
4. being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
5. exact, precise, accurate and correct

All of the above describes the only space in which Yahweh, the true GOD can be worshipped. [Jn 4:23, 24-30, 39-42] Those who are predestined to worship Yahweh in this place become instruments that run and tell, as did this Samaritan woman, of Christ’s insights into their lives. They are compelled to tell everyone they know to come and see Him for themselves. No doubt from that day, the woman who met Christ at a well began to perceive Yahweh’s GREATNESS within herself and glorified HIM the more from her own heart. [Mt 5:14-16] Per Moses and Apostle Paul, every mortal birthed on earth has an extension of GOD within, as in HIM all live, move, and have their being. [Gen 2:7; Acts 17:28] This includes members of MARGINALIZED communities, who are often demeaned, depreciated, criticized, disparaged, diminished, belittled, deprecated, dismissed, abused, smeared, vilified, defamed and discounted among which are the best candidates to express Yahweh’s Glory. [I Cor 1:23-31]

Now is the Time for Divine Ministry

In [Jn 4:31-38] Apostle John notes TWO KEY IDEAS regarding administration of the divine Gospel, which per Apostle Paul is the Gospel of Yahweh concerning HIS Son Jesus Christ. [Rm 1:1-6, 9]

1. The present time and now season is filled with people who, like the Samaritan woman, believe what the ancient prophets wrote concerning Jesus the Christ. Regardless the ridicule they may encounter from non-believers, they are anticipating the manifestation of Christ into their life experience, to provide them with insight that will forever satisfy their spiritual thirst and hunger. [Jn 4:14; Mt 5:6] In fact, they are predestined from the foundation of the world to receive Christ and the substance He provides. Nothing and no one will prevent them from doing so. [Mt 16:18; Jn 6:37-40, 44, 45; 10:5, 14; Rm 1:16, 17; 8:1-4; 28-39; 10:8-17; I Jn 3:8; 5:4, 5, 9-13, 20]

2. The message and missions Christ and His forerunner John the Baptist were founded upon divinely inspired words of Yahweh’s ancient prophets, scribes, and teachers, from Enoch to Jesus Christ and His Original Apostles. Per Apostle Peter, none of their prophesies have no private interpretations. [Heb 1:1, 2; II Pet 1:20, 21]

Christ speaks of this in His dialogue with His disciples concerning their mission to reap where others have already sown. The great harvest of Yahweh was already prepared for Christ before His First Advent. For hundreds of years people anticipated the arrival of Christ and John the Baptist because they believed the prophecies of Yahweh’s ancient spokesman. Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and Christ’s Original Apostles never expected their audiences to blindly take them at their word. They were always careful to admonish diligent study of the ancient texts, which supported their teachings. From Enoch to Christ and His Original Apostles, Yahweh has provisioned the insight HE desires the children of earth to clearly know, understand, and obey. [Jn 8:31, 32, 36; II Tim 2:15; 3:15-17; Rev 3:7-10] Having these two ideas in mind, genuine witnesses of Jesus Christ are admonished to administer His Gospel in full confidence, and know without doubt that there is an audience in place that is anticipating their service. [Isa 50:4; I Cor 15:58] Because Christ has fulfilled His mission at Calvary, NOW Is Always the Time for Divine Ministry.

The Healing Power of Jesus Christ: Are you willing to be Made Whole?

In [Jn 4:43-54] Apostle John writes of the experience of a Nobleman that expressed his belief in Christ’s spoken word, and it yielded immediate results.
In [Jn 5:1-16, 25] Apostle John notes an angelic being who was able to grant miraculous healing to the physical body of the first person who entered the Pool of Bethesda when he troubled the water. This gives credence to the idea of angelic beings who have authority to perform certain miracles for mortals. Even better, the passage speaks of Christ’s ability to heal at His word and without restrictions. The greatest of all miraculous healing is healing from the power of sin. Anyone given the ability to hear and receive the healing word of Jesus Christ, can expect to live from that point on into eternity. This is so if they retain and nurture it within their hearts. [Jn 5:25, 26; II Tim 2:26; Rm 8:28-31; Jn 6:37-40, 44, 45, 65; 8:31, 32; Rm 10:8-13; 6] The man who received his healing at the Pool of Bethesda, did not immediately realize that it was Christ Who healed him. [Jn 5:13] When Christ introduced Himself to the man, He asked him if he was willing to be made whole. When the man said yes, Christ spoke a command, which the man obeyed. In so doing, he initiated the healing he desired of The Lord. This gives credence to the idea that faith filled obedience is required to receive healing from Jesus Christ.
Christ is willing and able to heal any disease, especially the power of sin. One must decide if they are willing to be healed from their disease. One’s genuine response will determine the manifestation of the healing they desire of The Lord. This passage also notes the possibility of one invoking a worse condition upon themselves, should they decide to become subject to the power of sin again after receiving divine healing. [Jn 5:14; Lk 11:24-26; Heb 6:6; 10:26, 27, 35-38; St Jn 3:19, 36]

The Problem with Jesus Christ is that He Calls Himself the Son of Yahweh

In [Jn 5:17, 18; 19-47; 10:29, 31-38; 13:16; 14:28; 15:24, 25; 19:7; 20:17; Heb 2:5-11] it is noted that Jesus Christ never proclaimed Himself to be Yahweh. In fact, throughout His earthly ministry He was diligent to help the Elect of GOD understand, that it was only by Yahweh’s will and power the He performed the works He did. His primary goal is to always direct their hearts to His FATHER. This passage discloses TWO REASONS why His haters seek to kill Him and discredit His Gospel in the hearts of those who embrace it.

1. Christ did not succumb to all fundamental principles of Judaism. He certainly did not adhere to the man-made traditions of the Hebrew Elders. In so doing, it was considered that He broke some highly regarded rules.

2. Christ publicly expressed familial relationship with Yahweh as HIS SON or TEKNON. In so doing, He was telling people the Yahweh was LITERALLY His FATHER, which per Hebrew perspective made Him EQUAL to Yahweh. This was an extreme offense in Judaism and completely unacceptable.

*father Gk #3962 pater (pat-ayr) it is a father literally or figuratively, near or more remote)

*equal Gk #2470 isos (ee-sos) it means similar to in amount and kind

In [Jn 5:17, 18] Christ’s claim of being the SON of GOD, was accompanied by the miracles He openly performed, and made Him a public influence to be greatly feared. In addition, there were the ancient prophecies that supported His Person and activity.
Also, prophecies of the person and mission of his cousin and forerunner, John the Baptist, further supported His claim. [Jn 5:32-36; 39, 45-47] In His Own defense, Christ, when He perceived opposition for declaring that Yahweh was His Father, literally decreed the following.

1. He distinguishes Yahweh as His FATHER and instructs His spiritual brethren to do the same when they pray to HIM. Not only is Yahweh their HEAVENLY FATHER but HE is their ABBA, FATHER as well. [Mt 6:9; Jn 20:17; Rm 8:14-16]
2. He distinguishes Himself as the literal SON of Yahweh. SON in this passage, in Greek is a TEKNON of Yahweh, as is Christ. Christ admonishes born-again believers to acknowledge themselves as such before THE LORD and all people. [Rm 8:14-16]
3. He clearly decrees that He can do nothing of Himself. If this is so for Him, certainly it is so for His Brethren. [Jn 5:19, 30-37; 8:13-29; I Jn 5:7] Christ said that He only does and says what Yahweh tells Him to, and empowers Him to. Yahweh never intends for His TEKNON to look like powerless fools. HE stands by and supports the authenticity of their familial relationship to HIM. [Jn 5:20-24; 21:25; I Cor 2:4; Mk 16:17-20; Acts 4:23-31] In the Book of Hebrews Christ is identified as THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF YAHWEH. [Heb 1:3] This is the case for each TEKNON of Yahweh. Others should be able to recognize Yahweh working in, though and even as them as HE did through Christ and prophets of previous generations. [II Cor 4:7; Mt 5:14-16; Jn 8:12; 14:12; I Jn 4:17b]
4. Jesus Christ is given authority to revive those who are both spiritually and physically dead, because He was willing to take on mortality and do what was necessary for TEKNONS or SONS of GOD. [Jn 5:26-29; Heb 1; 2:12-15; 10:1-10] Christ said that nonbelievers are so because they lack proper knowledge and understanding of the ancient scriptures that teach of Him. [Jn 5:38-47; 8:31, 32; Lk 24:44, 45; II Tim 2:15; 3:15-17; I Tim 4:15; Jos 1:8] Yahweh sent Christ to remedy this problem, by reiterating this to all mortals.
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