Easter Commentaries Luke 23:43

“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee. Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.” Comment: So where is paradise? The Greek word means Eden, the future place of happiness! The Hebrew equivalent means a forest or fruit orchard. So the word paradise describes the Garden of Eden! Remember when Adam and Eve sinned against God they were cast out of the Garden of Eden! Then an Angel with a flaming sword was placed at the east entrance not allowing any human to eat of the Tree of Life! We know that sin and Eternal Life cannot co-exist together! Everyone will chose one but without the other! Only Jesus could make this promise to the thief on the Cross because Jesus was the Tree of Life! He was hung on a Cross to provide you an entrance back into the Garden of Eden for an eternity! A garden with no sin because of His sacrifice for our sin on the Cross! The entrance fee has been paid with His own blood! Adam and Eve sacrificed animals in the Garden to try to cover their sin! But the blood of animals was not enough! The blood of God’s only Son was the only blood that would atone for our sin! The thief on the Cross might have been the first human to re-enter the Garden of Eden! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Cutting a Covenant! Isaiah 49:16

“Behold, I have cut, prescribed and decreed a permanent law giver and ruler upon the palms of your hands, thy walls are a perpetually an offering before me.” Comment: The Hebrew word for palms is the eleventh character of the Hebrew alphabet. The shape of the letter is as the form of open hands as expressed in prayer and praise as opposed to a clenched fist! The word also means a permanent binding! Remember what Jesus disciple Thomas said in John 20:25? “Except I see in his hands the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe.” Thomas was telling the other disciples that this would be the only way he would believe Jesus rose from the dead! The word “nails”, used in Greek has an interesting meaning! It actually means the outward manifestation of something much greater than the outward marks! So who was Isaiah talking about a permanent law giver, ruler who’s sign was cut or engraved into his hands? When Jesus returns for His Church what is one of the ways you could identify Jesus? The permanent engraving in his hands and side! Maybe like Thomas you would ask him to show you his hands and side? Did Thomas believe? Thomas went to India where he was martyred with a spear! Thomas also has a mark in his side! Thomas began a Christian community there which is thriving there today! What did Isaiah mean by thy walls are a perpetual offering before me? The walls of the Temple and the Church! Worship! The walls of the tomb! Sacrifice! Sacrifice and worship are eternally linked together! You cannot have one without the other! Keep that in mind on your journey to Heaven! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Truth & Christmas! John 14:6

But truth is greater and stronger than all these things. Everyone on earth honors truth; Heaven praises it: all creation trembles in awe before it. There is not the slightest injustice in truth. You will find injustice in wine, the emperor, women, all human beings, in all they do, and in everything else. There is no truth in them; they are unjust and will perish. But truth endures and is always strong; it will continue to live and rule forever. Truth shows no partiality or favoritism; it does what is right, rather than what is unjust or evil. Everyone approves what truth does; its decisions are always fair. Truth is strong, royal, powerful, and majestic forever. Let all things praise the God of truth! 1 Esdras 4:35-40 (Apocrypha) Comment: The apocrypha was never canonized in our Protestant Bibles but in the Catholic Bibles. There are some good things in the apocrypha for even Christopher Columbus discovered the New World because of it! So what do we mean by truth? According to the Hebrew Old Testament truth means someone trustworthy, faithful, certain and foundational for support. Like the foundation for a building. The foundation is there to build you up. According to the New Testament Greek truth is someone who is open not concealing anything. Someone transparent not hiding anything. Jesus said I am the truth! The way and the life! Truth is embodied in a person! The man/God Christ! There was no sin in Him so nothing concealed or hidden! The strength of sin is it’s secrecy! That is why we are to confess our sins and He is faithful and just to forgive our sin! Truth is not an immaterial quantity of something! It is a spirit embodied in a person by Jesus Christ! If Christ is not embodied in us then there is no truth in us! We must be born again as Jesus commanded us! The second birth! As you worship his first birth this Christmas ask Him for His second birth to be born in you this Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Philippians 4:8 Greek Translation

Finally brethren, whatsoever things represent the one true God and cannot lie, whatsoever things are respectful, reverent and worshipful, whatsoever things are respected to conform to the rules of God, whatsoever things are free of defilement, if there be anything superior and well pleasing to God and if there be any praise to God, think on these things.

Christian Responsibility! 1 Timothy 5:8 Greek Translation

“If any (Not) take thought and care beforehand for your immediate household and those belonging to the church which is the household of God then he is worse than one who does not believe in the Gospel of Christ.” Comment: The Greek word “Oikeis”, represents the phrase “those of his own household.” However this Greek word has a compound meaning! It includes those believers in the church or your congregation! The money received into any church organization is to be used to spread the Gospel and is also to be plowed back into helping the hurting within your own congregation! The money from organizations is not to be used to buy jet airplanes, big mansions, luxury cars and boats! It is to be used to help widows and orphans! The money should not be used to plaster your name on the front of a building! What has happened to the church since the 1930’s is the State has assumed the responsibilities of the church and we have ended up with a choking 20 Trillion dollar budget deficit! If we do the right thing with God’s resources then we will not be worse than the unbeliever! An unbeliever has an excuse in that he is ignorant of the scriptures! However if we who claim to be in Christ do the same things as the world we have no excuse! To know and not to do is worse than not to know and do! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Hebrews 11:1 Greek Translation

“To believe and act is the foundation for your expectation and desire that you have not seen yet.” Comment: We believe and act on what we trust! If we put our faith in the wrong things or people sin, guilt and fear will control us! A.B. Evans said this, “Faith is not a sense, nor sight, nor reason; but faith is taking God at His Word!” The words of people can be deceptive! Remember Satan told Eve surely God has not said this? Go ahead and eat this delicious looking fruit! There is only one of two voices we will hear and obey! Either God or Satan! All of us first listened to the voice of Satan! We were deceived like Adam and Eve! Sin, guilt and fear was the outcome! Sin was the outcome yet we still have an opportunity to listen and obey the voice of God! It is never too late! Remember the thief on the Cross? If you believe and act upon the Word of God through His Son Jesus Christ and confess your sin you will enter a new day being born again and experience God’s love! No longer in bondage to sin but free to serve God and love others! The choice is yours to make but it is a matter of life and death! Pastor Oscar Cope, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Fairburn, Georgia.

Subterranean Retreat!

It sounds like a termite colony? The word is describing a time share property that has a lot of rooms, accommodations and permanent guests! It is a place where people are in agreement with each other! No debates about good and evil! However there is a lot of buyers remorse there! It is also described as the place of the dead! It is the Hebrew word “Shehole” (hole) from where we get our English word ‘Hell.” There are 31 verses in the Old Testament and 22 verses in the New Testament on this word. Funny of the Hebrew description is a subterranean retreat! It is interesting in the Greek of the New Testament there are four different words used! Will discuss later. So why bring this up? Every Pastor that prepares any sermon must consider two things! What are we saved from and what are we saved for? Most of the early fire and brimstone sermons of early America are gone? Heaven is not talked about much so what is left? The here and now! However the here and now is temporal! Heaven does begin here on earth after we receive Jesus Christ as Savior! Jesus talked more about the Kingdom of God than any other topic! If the reality of Heaven and Hell are not taught from the pulpit then  people have a hard time understanding why they need to be saved? Saved from what and for what? James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Philippians 2:6 Greek Translation

He continued to be who He was before and after the flesh and His outward appearance, idea’s and reality was the true God! He did not value highly to be equivalent with God but continued to be who He was before the flesh! Comment: It is interesting that most human’s value the flesh more than the Spirit and the Soul? The flesh is not eternal and Jesus did not let the flesh distract Him from who He is! Neither should you! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Worship & Service! Luke 10:38-42

Jesus commended Mary for choosing the good part! Let us look at the Greek word good as used in this passage of scripture! It is Strongs #18. It means constitutionally good but not to benefit others! It means profitable! It means to derive an advantage from it. There is an opposite word used in the Greek for good! It is “Harmartano”, Strongs #264. It means to miss the mark or sin! Mary’s sister Martha was serving and wanted Mary to help! There is nothing wrong with serving because it benefits others! Remember Jesus said he who is greatest in the Kingdom of God is servant of all. However in this case we are talking about God being in your presence! Jesus was not putting Martha down but explained to her that Mary her sister recognized Jesus true value! Remember over in the Book of Luke Mary spent nearly a year’s wages on the perfume to anoint Jesus body for burial. Judas put her down for it! How we value people and things is very important! If we are not careful we can overvalue things and undervalue people! If we undervalue God then nothing else we ever value will help us! Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and He will add to us what is needed! Did you value your father and mother today? Did you value your Pastor today? Did you pray for him? I recently stayed in a wealthy man’s house. He is a good man but when I asked him the name of his Pastor he did not know? If we do not value what is most valuable then it becomes sin! Like Martha serve Him but more important like Mary  worship Him! Get in His presence! One second in Jesus presence will start a fire in your soul that will glow forever! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com