Hello friend, 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 major languages. Tens of thousands tune in each week for spiritual nourishment and blessing. Thousands are tuning in each week to receive spiritual nourishment and blessing. We receive many exciting testimonies of people who have come to faith in Jesus by listening to the programs.
If you’re tuning in for the first time today, we are currently being led through the Gospel of John by the teaching of our Radio Pastor, J. Mark Horst. In a few moments, he’ll be here to teach us, but before he does that, let’s pray.
Gracious God our Heavenly Father, we come to you in the precious name of Jesus. It is alone through Him that we have access into your holy presence. His blood, shed on the cross at Calvary, is the only sacrifice that is acceptable to you to wash away our sin.
And now, Father, as Pastor J. Mark comes to teach us from the Word, open our hearts to receive your truth. This I ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.
A certain captain in the Roman Army once had a dear servant who was sick. When the captain heard that Jesus was coming to his town, he sent some of the Jewish leaders to ask Jesus to heal the sick servant. As the Lord came near the house the captain sent friends to tell Jesus how he felt completely unworthy that Jesus should come to his house. He said, “For I am also a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it” Luke 7:8.
Jesus was surprised at the captain’s words, and He said, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” You see, the captain knew what it meant to be sent. He also knew what it meant to issue orders to his men. He expected each one to obey and do what he was told. Anyone who has been sent should do what he has been sent to do.
In the highest order of authority, we see JESUS – THE SENT ONE. His birth was not an accident of history. He was the Sent One. He knew He came for a reason. He spoke different times of His hour not being as yet. Then He spoke on other occasions that the hour had come. He spoke of being sent by the Father. From the Biblical record in the Gospels, we must conclude His life was under divine direction. God was directing His life. This becomes evident in the text of this message in the Gospel of John 12:44-50.
44. Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
45. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
47. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
49. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
From these words of Jesus, I set forth several basic STATEMENTS
