Bible Class Lecture By Leader Olumba Olumba Obu
TEXT: John 8: 1-End.
"Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgement is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father; if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins; whither I go ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above; ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Then they said unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus said unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my words, then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. And they answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham's seed, but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If I may keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater that our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." (John 8:1-End)
Since it is impossible to recollect the words of the Father verbatim, I enjoin you to document all Bible Class lectures for posterity. What the disciples said were actually, true testimonies of Jesus the Christ. The situation repeats itself today as many people are interested to know what the Father has said.
Our main thrust is in verses 56-58 of the text:-
"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS, I AM." (John 8:56-58)
What do you understand by that statement by our Lord Jesus Christ that before Abraham He was? Your answer should be guided by the fact that He (Christ) was an offspring of Abraham.
Why then did He make the statement, that He was before him? Can any person explain this? You continue to celebrate Christ's birthday as if you know when He was born. It is irrational for you to fix the birthday of someone you do not know. The preoccupation of this sermon is to unravel this puzzle.
We shall start this by asking a simple question: who is Jesus who claims to have lived before Abraham? Who can trace His genealogy? Why did He have such audacity to make such a statement? Such a statement should prompt you find out who He really is. And this is how you discover the truth; because He had said that: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)
People of the world are blind because they do not know who our Lord Jesus Christ is. Yet they call Him many names. Some say He is the son of Joseph, the Carpenter. Others say He is the son of David. Some say he is a Jew; while others call Him different names ranging from the son of God. Some say He is a prophet. But none of these people know a particular name to call Him in order to trace His origin. Read verse twelve of our text. You would wonder the more.
"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)
WHO IS THE SON OF MAN?
Can the son of a human being or an ordinary human being make such a statement? Reading through the text you will know that these are not the words which a human being can make. Many people claim that our Lord Jesus Christ had died. As such, mere human beings like him will die accordingly. But the statement in verse fifty-eight does not portray Christ as someone who is a mortal, and had died. He neither spoke like a human being, the son of man, the son of God nor like God. So I want us to trace His origin now.
As a Christian who do you think Jesus the Christ is? As a member of Brotherhood, where our Lord Jesus Christ is preached about everyday, who and what do you think He is? It is written: "When the son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory." (Matthew 25:31) The question is, who is this son of man written about? See reference below:- "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the son of man am?
And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ." (Matthew 16:13-20) Is this portion not yet another statement? It has revealed another thing. It is written: "Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:23)
Also see what is written in the book of Isaiah: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14) According to this Biblical excerpt which name were people directed to call Him, and what did they call Him? Read another authority concerning His name: "And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." (Luke 1:31)
What is the connection between Immanuel and Jesus? What is the son of man, son of God, Immanuel; and what is Jesus? If you would be truthful to yourself, you would confirm the fact that the entire world has a problem of identifying the Saviour and King of kings. Everyone calls Him what he feels is correct.
This is the failure of all churches in the world. Has he told the world what he has come to do? Nobody knows Him; and they cannot reveal Him either. And this is what I have come to do. I want to tell you who Jesus the Christ is.
A SPIRITUAL SONG
Brothers if you know the truth, the truth shall set you free.
Sisters if you know the truth, the truth shall set you free.
Brethren if you know the truth, the truth shall set you free.
Read also this passage: Hebrews 7:1-3)
"For this Melchizedek, the king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him. To whom also Abraham gave the tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without Father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." (Hebrews 7:1-3)
What is written in the above excerpt reveals yet another thing about the word of God. Do you know the father and mother of Melchizedek? Do you know his birth place?
I have specially prepared this sermon about him because it is cloaked in mystery. You believe in trees, water, animals, earth and other creatures. The different religions have their different dogmas. And they have dogmatic approaches to God. So also are their different beliefs about Christ. That is why the world calls Him variously, as God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, and God of this and God of that. Some say He is God of Moslems, God of Christians, God of Hindus, God of the whites and God of the blacks. You should know that:" God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth." (John 4:24)
Know also what the scripture says: "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty." (2 Corinthians 3:17)
There was this promise that: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)
ALL THESE BIBLICAL EXCERPTS POINT TO ONE BEING.
See citation below:
"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit And there are differences of administration, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles, to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
Who is God? Who is the King, Lord or the Father? Who is the Holy Spirit? And who is the Supernatural Teacher?
See citation (Matthew 23:8-10) below:
"But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ."
Who then is the Teacher and Master? Who is Rabbi and who are the brethren? Who are these children of God?
See the reference below for further detail: (John 10:28-30).
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."
How many people are involved in this matter?
This is where the confusion comes from. In a particular place He refers to the Father. At another place He talks of the son; and at another place He says Jehovah God. So people get confused when they read what seem confusing reports about God like this; and as such they brood over it.
Read this portion and see what you can make of it: (John 14:12-13):
"Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." Remember that when He said, "I and my Father are one," the Jews picked up stones to stone Him. If you think that God cannot be seen physically, does it mean that Christ was not beheld? Now that you have seen Jesus Christ, the son of man, the son of God, God and man, God and the Holy Spirit, do you believe in Him? You call on your Father who is in heaven and the other on earth. You cause commotion because of your doctrines and beliefs. You have now seen God. Do you believe? Have you not seen the Holy Spirit, the son of man, the son of God and the children of God? Despite this you are yet to believe.
Who is the Father. Who is the Son, and who is the Holy Spirit?
See the citation below:(1 John 5:7):-
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."
I wonder how you can be with me yet you cannot learn anything. I give you my teachings free. I want you to understand these teachings, so that you may impart them to others.
You think that you are a human being; and as such, you are like the Father. Are you sure? Do you know that we are one? If you are a human being, what is the Father? Is He a stone? If He is a stone, what then is stone? Is stone tree, man not God?
This is why He has given everything their due glory. Know that once you call on the name of Jesus Christ, you are calling on God at the same time. And if you call on the son of man, you are calling on God. If you call the son of man, you are calling Jesus still. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the son of God as well as the son of man. He is the begotten son.
Jesus the Christ is also God. You can draw your own conclusion that He is God. He is the Spirit as well as God. When He said that He is one with the Father, He was referring to the Holy Spirit. And it is the very Spirit that is ruling now. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit as written in first John chapter five, verse seven. He takes any of these names anytime He likes.
WHAT IS BROTHERHOOD?
See the citation below: (1 Peter 2:17):-
"Honour all men, love the Brotherhood, fear God, honour the king."
What do you understand by, "all men" referred to in the excerpt? What then is the "brotherhood"? Then who is God, and who is the king? The same spirit is everything. He is all men, brotherhood, spirit and God. He transforms Himself in different ways. He can become anything at any time.
See the citation below: (Hebrews 12:25-29):-
"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire."
What is fire? Is it not the same God? God is a consuming fire. He is the rain and wind. You can see that I am taking you round the boundary of the farm, i.e. a survey of the whole thing.
See the citation below: (1 Corinthians 10:1-6):-
"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted."
Did you know that a rock could be Christ? If someone tells you that that rock is Christ, would you believe? What of the water that came out of the rock? It was Christ.
SPIRITUAL CHORUS:
He has come in a hidden way but the world is still seeking for him.
God Himself has said that what He likes is what people despise. If you are looking for something as huge as a mountain before you called it God, know that He can be as small as a mustard seed. At the same time He is greater than any mountain; and all the mountains put together is not as huge as God. This fact is underscored by the parables below.
See our reference below: (Matthew 13;30-33):-
"Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."
"Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof."
"Another parable spake He unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."
THE TRIUNE GOD
The above excerpt is fulfilled in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. As a member of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, you may go to a place to set up a bethel. Many people will take your action as a child's play because they do not see you with mighty things. But with your flower on the table it is enough to work miracles. Before the people know it, many people are healed of their various sicknesses. And in no time, people will come in their numbers to baptize into the fold because of the truth they behold. Other churches may be annoyed at the rate they lose their members to the kingdom. But it will be too late for them to do anything because the people have seen the truth and are liberated. Initially you went there as insignificant as a mustard seed only to germinate and grow into a huge tree in the course of time. That is the way the Father wants; and it is the very way He came into the world.
See the reference below: (Revelation 22:1-3):-
"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bear twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him."
This is the Holy Spirit. He is God and He is the Word. He is the very Word in our midst. What is that tree? Is that "tree" not God as well as Christ? He is also the Holy Spirit who is responsible for all the great works on earth. He is everything we see. Do you know that all these stones, trees, and other creatures you see are Christ, as well as God and Spirit?
Do you know that a person who falls on his face to worship trees or stones is worshiping these objects per se? No. The person is worshipping God, the Holy Spirit and God. Leaves are God. Roots of trees are spirit which is Christ and God.
The fact that these objects are both Christ and God explains why he glorifies himself in these things. He is also a man and angel because we are one. He is the spirit that operates in the stone, tree, human being and all other creatures. That is why when you pray for anything it comes to you. If you pray for water, a stream appears before you.
The same is true of rain, sunshine, rocks and other creatures. Even the food you eat daily is God. When you go to a stream, river, or any body of water, for that matter, you are washing in the blood of the Lamb. The water is God and Christ, as well as the Holy Spirit. Get it right that there is no other thing existing on earth other than God who is the Holy Spirit as well as Christ.
See the citation below: (John 15:5):- "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing."
At this stage of the discourse, do you then believe that Christ, i.e. God, is a tree? Have you seen also that the branches are the children of God? Are you not the leaves and fruits? So there is no mistake in calling you gods. Are the tree, branches, leaves and fruits not part of this kingdom of God? The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are present in all things. If one calls a tree God, he is calling the true God, which manifests in the object.
Now let me go back and begin from the beginning.
See our reference below:(Genesis 1:29):- "And God said, Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."
At this time, the Spirit of God was moving upon the face of the waters. Was there any other thing? Was that Spirit not God? Were the waters, darkness, and light not the same thing? From the beginning, nothing existed apart from the Holy Spirit, which is God as well as Christ."
Let my peace and blessing be to the entire world, now and forever more. A-men.
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