Transcription
Is Antichrist individual or people? Well, it's individual, but it's more than one individual; many antichrists, right, have gone into the world, culminating in a final one. 1 John 2:18; 1 John 2:18. Young children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared, from which fact we know that it is the last hour. So many Antichrist. So Antichrist is not simply a community or a government system; it's an individual, many of whom have already come into the world because an antichrist is someone who denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:22-23.
Agent of Providence? Depends how you define similar, because there's nothing identical to God in the way he exists. There may be similarities, but there are profound differences, as God is infinitely more complex than his creation. But in 1 John 2:22-23, let's read this: Everyone who denies his Son does not have the Father either; but whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. I skip 22. 1 John 2:22-23. Because the texts are too fast. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, the one who denies the Father and Son. Notice who's an antichrist: someone who says God is not the Father, Jesus is not the Son; that's an antichrist. And in 1 John 2:18, he already told us that many antichrists have already come. So Antichrist is an individual who denies the core doctrines of the faith, particularly denying the Father and the Son. So that's an antichrist, someone who says the Father, God is not the Father, Jesus is not the Son. And by the way, do you see that the fatherhood of God is tied in directly with the sonship of Christ? God is who he is because of who Jesus is. In other words, you cannot have God the Father apart from the Son. Let's go to 1 John 2:23. Look at it. 1 John 2:23. One more time, let's look at it. Watch here. The fatherhood of God is tightened with the sonship of Christ. God cannot be who he is apart from the Son. You cannot have the Father without the Son. The Father is the Father because of who the Son is. 1 John 2:23. Let's read it again: Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either; but whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Did you see it? The sonship of Christ is tied in with the fatherhood of God. You can't have one without the other. So God can't be the Father apart from the Son. He is not the Father apart from the Son. He is what he is because of the Son. So do you see the interdependence of the members of the Godhead? Just as the Son needs the Father, the Father needs the Son, and just as the Spirit needs the Father and Son, the Father and Son need the Spirit, because all three are inseparable. They don't need anything outside of their own being; they don't need any creature for who they are, but they cannot be who they are apart from the other. I can, I can answer Mark 13:32 if you want; that's a good question.
So you understand what I just said: The Father cannot be who he is apart from the Son and the Spirit; the Son cannot be who he is apart from the Father and the Spirit; the Spirit cannot be who he is apart from the Father and the Son, because they are interdependent; they are inseparable; one can't exist apart from the other. What can't be who he is apart from the others, right? No, I can't talk about secret societies, collisions, because I don't buy into too much of it. I know you want to talk about the Illuminati, Bilderbergers, you know, you know Burger King and Illuminati Pizza. Who cares, man? What are you guys so worried about these conspiracy theories and these One World governments? If you believe scripture is going to be fulfilled the way God has decreed, that means this is right. So what are you going to do to stop Prophecy from being fulfilled? If you believe in a one world government, one world religion, what does it matter that you know about these societies? What can you do to stop them? They're going to do what they're going to do, right, because it's decreed, it's prophesied. So let them do what they're doing. You focus on Jesus, glorify Jesus, magnify Jesus, preach Jesus, love Jesus, live for Jesus, die for Jesus. People get so much into the conspiracy theory, they lose their peace and joy; they become paranoid, and all they live for and talk about is, "Oh, the Bilderbergers, oh, the Illuminati, oh, the Masons," oh, and they forget Jesus. What's wrong with you, man? And it's ironic because these Christians believe that these societies are fulfilling prophecy. Well, if it's prophesied, they have no choice, right, but to fulfill it. So why are you so stressed about it, man, dude? Who cares? Let's talk about Jesus. Jesus didn't spend hours watching films on conspiracy. Oh, yeah, yeah, every president has to go to a secret place and he has to take this oath, and oh, yeah, behind every president there's a Jesuit. Come on, man.
In Mark 10:17-18, the Rich Young Ruler comes up to Jesus Christ and says, "Good Master, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Our Lord says, "Why do you call me good? For there's none good but God alone." Now, already, was our Lord Jesus Christ denying his essential goodness? Was our Lord Jesus Christ denying his essential goodness when he said, "Why do you call me good? Right, there's none good but God alone?" Well, if you continue reading, let's see in Mark 10:9 all the way to 20, what does our Lord say to the rich man? Let's read. You know the Commandments: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud on your father and your mother. The man said to him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth on." Now notice, Jesus says, "You want to obtain eternal life, you know the commands," and he mentions the last six of the Ten Commandments, how to love your neighbor, right, how to treat your neighbor right, the last six of the Ten Commandments, right? Okay. Now the rich man said, "I've been keeping these commands since I was a youth." Now notice 21. What does our Lord say in 21, Mark 10:21? Let's see. Well, we have to prove that assertion, Mark Cleveland. We have to prove that he wasn't denying that he's good. And Mark 10:21, notice what our Lord says. Watch what he says here. Okay. Jesus looked at him and felt love for him and said, "One thing is missing about you: Go sell what things you have and give to the poor, and you'll have treasure in heaven and come be my follower." Now are you forgetting the Neal translation, quote the King James? Do you see what he said? "You lack one thing: Sell your, sell everything you have, give your riches to the poor; you have treasures in Heaven and follow me." So what is Jesus saying? If you want to obtain eternal life, you have to give up everything for me; you have to love me more than anything, more than your wealth. Notice what he said: "Give it all up, your riches, give it to the poor, follow me, follow me." Now the rich man walked away with great sadness in his heart because, because he loved his riches more than he loved Jesus. So what Jesus is basically showing is you don't believe what you're saying about me. If you believe I'm good and Only God is good, then you should be willing to give up everything for me as you would for God. Why? Because he is God. Let me repeat again: If you believe I'm good and Only God is good, then you should be willing to give up everything for my sake just like you would do it for God, why? Because he is God. But Jesus exposed his hypocrisy because he loved his money more than Jesus. Mean what he said. You with me? Is that clear? I want to prove that assertion. You with me there? Did everyone understand that point before I move on? You see what he's saying? He's saying, "If only God is good, then are you willing to give up everything for me?" If you think I'm good, because if I'm good and Only God is good, then you should be willing to give up everything for me like you would do for God because I'm God. That this is Jesus's point. Let me prove it. Jesus wasn't saying, "I'm not good." We're going to read Mark 10; we're going to read 22-27, Mark 10:22-27. Watch here, and I'm going to prove what I just said because the anti-trinitarian saying, "Oh, you're spitting it; you're twisting it." No, I'm not; I'm being faithful to the context. Mark 10:22-27. Let me show you. I'm going to prove what I just said from the context. Okay, watch here. I'm just going to use the chapter, Mark 10:22-27. And he was sad at that saying and went away grieved, for he had great possessions. Guys, pay attention. He walked away because he loved his money more than Jesus. Jesus said, "Give it up for me." He said, "No, I can't; I don't love you that much," hypocrite. Now notice what Jesus says: And Jesus looked around about and saith unto his disciples, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter the kingdom of God." Right? And the disciples were astonished at his words, but Jesus answered again and saith unto them, "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God." Now watch, watch what he's going to say in 25-27. Watch here: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." That's how hard it is. A camel will enter the eye of a needle before a rich man enters Heaven because he loves his riches too much. Then notice what the disciples are saying. Folks, pay attention to Jesus's response. Okay. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" And Jesus looked upon them and saith, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." Wow, Jesus, guys, pay attention. Jesus clearly said it is humanly impossible for a person to be saved. In other words, humans cannot save themselves; it's impossible. Only God can do that work because only God can do what is impossible. Did you catch it? A human being cannot save himself, let alone someone else; it's impossible. That's why God has to do it because only God can do it, right? Only God can do the impossible of saving human beings, right? Do you catch it, right? Everyone caught it? 27: Humanly impossible, men cannot save themselves, impossible. Only God can do it. Now let's read 28 to 30. Watch. Look what I'm going to do from the context. I'm going to prove from the context Jesus was not saying he's not good. Mark 10:28 to 30. Then Peter began to say unto him, notice what Peter says, "Lo, we have left all and have followed thee." Notice what Jesus had asked the rich man: "Give up your riches and follow me." Peter said, "We did that; we have left everything to follow you." All right. So now what are we going to get now? Notice what Jesus says: "And Jesus answered and said, 'Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or land for my sake.'" Notice he didn't say God. "There isn't someone who, who's given everything up for my sake, for me and the Gospels, right, but he shall receive an hundredfold in this present time, houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." Did you guys catch it? Jesus says, "If you want eternal life, give it all up for me. If you have to give it all up, even your own life, love me more than your life and anything in this world and be willing to give it all up if necessary for me, for me." Now I'm really confused. Why is Jesus saying to the disciples, "Give up everything, even your own life, and love me more than anything, even your own life, if you want eternal life"? If Jesus is just a man and such devotion can only be given to God, does this sound like someone who thinks he's less than absolutely good? Demanding that everyone give up everything, their families, their wealth, their own souls to love him more than anything. Is that, that what it sounds like? Or is Jesus going out of his way to affirm, "If I'm good and Only God is good, then I'm God, then you better love me the way you love God, and you have to love me more than anything and give up everything for me"? So why would someone read Mark 10:17-18 and ignore the verses that come right afterwards? Why would you take two verses out of context to try to prove that Jesus is denying his essential deity? It gets better. Mark 10:27 and Mark 10:45 back to back. Watch here. Mark 10:27, Mark 10:45 back to back. You better believe it. Agent of Providence, it's biblical. Theosis is a biblical teaching, and that Christ will transform us to be like him. We will be morally incorruptible and physically immortal; that we will never be able to sin again and live immortally, sharing in the life of God. That's what theosis means. Now Mark 10:27 and 45. Now watch here's proof that Jesus saying, "I am absolutely God; therefore, I am absolutely, I'm, I'm sorry, I am absolutely good; therefore, I am absolutely God. Then give up everything for me." Here's, here's the proof. Notice 27 and Jesus looking upon them saith, "With men it is impossible; it is impossible for let alone someone else, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." That's why God has to say, but now watch 45, guys. Now Mark 10:45. Let's read it: "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many." Did you guys catch it? Jesus just said, "Man cannot save himself; that's impossible; only God can do that." But then he goes to say in that same chapter, "I, the Son of man, will offer my soul to ransom and save many souls, many souls." I'm confused, folks. If Only God can save human beings because no human being can save himself, that's impossible for man to do, then how can Jesus, the Son of man, say in that same chapter, "I, the Son of man, will offer my soul, my life to ransom many lives, many souls"? Only God can save any human being; yet Jesus, the Son of man, says, "I will offer my life to save many lives." Does that sound like Jesus is denying his essential goodness? Do you guys see it before I move on? Mark 10:27: Who can be saved? With men it's impossible, not with God; all things are possible with God. I, the Son of man, will offer my soul, my life as a ransom to save many lives. Okay, did you guys catch it? Then if Jesus says he can do the impossible, he can save many lives, many souls by offering his soul as a sacrifice, and then he demands you give up everything and love him more than anything, more than your children, your family, your spouses, your own soul and be willing to give it all up for his sake to receive eternal life, does that sound like Jesus Christ is denying his essential goodness? Is that what it sounds like before I move on? Help me out; help me understand because I want to make sure you're getting it. I do repeat myself more than once because we're creatures of repetition; we have to hear something more than once for it to sink in by the grace of God's spirit. Now remember, Mark 10 is not the beginning of the Gospel of Mark. Mark 10, right, is not Mark chapter 1. If you want to know what Jesus means and doesn't mean, you have to read the first nine chapters before you go to Mark 10. Now let me end it by going to Mark 1 and breaking down Mark 1 to show you how good Jesus is. Are you ready? Okay. Now let me end it by showing you how Mark begins the gospel. Okay. Let's look at the first three verses, Mark 1, verses 1 and 3. Almost done; bear with me. Are you guys tired? We still got 100 of you here, or did I lose some of you? Mark 1, verses 1-3: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God." Notice he starts the gospel by announcing this is the proclamation, the start of the Proclamation, the good news of Jesus Christ, Son of God. Pay attention to two and three: "As it is written in the prophets, 'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.'" Right? And then verse three: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his path straight.'" Now let me break this down, guys. Please, I need your undivided attention so you can get this. Mark has already begun his gospel by announcing that this good news that I'm writing about is all about Jesus Christ, God's son, but then he tells you this good news was proclaimed in the Old Testament, and he quotes two Old Testament passages. He says this gospel about Jesus Christ was already prophesied in the prophets, meaning Old Testament. In Mark 1:2, he quotes Malachi 3:1, Malachi 3:1, and in Mark 1:3, he quotes Isaiah 40:3. Let's look at Mark 2, and then do me a favor, first and last as you post Mark 2, post Malachi 3:1. Okay. Now read with me: "As it is written in the prophets, 'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.'" See, Mark says this Gospel of Jesus Christ is prophesied in Malachi 3:1. Now let's read Malachi 3:1 together. Pay attention: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me." Sound familiar? Okay. And the Lord, pay attention, "The Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to his Temple." Notice the Lord is coming to his Temple, right? "Even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye Delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts." Did you catch it? Mark 2 quotes Malachi 3:1. Malachi 3:1 says God is going to send a messenger to prepare for the coming of the Lord to his Temple. The words, the Lord, Adon, if you go back to my previous session this week, the words ha Adon there in Hebrew, it's the Lord, Adon, is always used of Jehovah alone. Jehovah alone; only Jehovah is called ha Adon. Ha Adon is coming to his Temple. Further proof that the Lord is Jehovah because it says he's coming to his Temple. The temple in Jerusalem, according to 1 Chronicles 29:1, the temple in Jerusalem was not built for man but for God. Pay attention. The Lord is coming to his Temple. 1 Chronicles 29:1 says the temple was built for Jehovah, not for man. And the phrase the Lord, Adon, is always used of Jehovah every time it appears in the Old Testament, like in Isaiah 1:24. So now let's take those two points together. If the words ha Adon are only used of Jehovah, and that Lord, ha Adon, is coming to his Temple, and the temple is built for Jehovah, not for man, that means Malachi 3:1 is prophesying the coming of Jehovah God to Jerusalem to his Temple. Did you guys catch it? I just said it. Mark, I said it several times; that's why I need you guys to give me your undivided attention. Ha Adon are the Hebrew words translated the Lord in Malachi 3:1, which you just read. Ha, the Adon, Adon, Lord, that's only used of Jehovah in the Old Testament. So did you see Mark in Malachi 3:1, the Lord, Adon, is coming to his Temple, and he just posted 1 Chronicles 29:1, that says the temple, the palace, is built not for man but for God. So could Malachi 3:1 be clearer that the Lord who's coming to his Temple is Jehovah? So you guys get it? The Lord who's coming to his temple in Jerusalem is Jehovah God. Did you guys catch it? So according to Malachi 3:1, Malachi prophesied the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Malachi prophesied God would send the messenger to prepare for the coming of the Lord to his Temple. But now let's look at Malachi, I'm sorry, let's look at Mark 1:3 with Isaiah 40:3 and 5. Mark 1, verse 3, with Isaiah chapter 40, verses 3 and 5. Guys, now read this. Mark 1:3 with Isaiah 40:3 and 5. Notice Mark 1:3 says that this gospel also prophesied in Isaiah because notice what he quotes in verse three: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness." Notice someone's going to be crying in the wilderness, in the wilderness. Pay attention to that. "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." So this voice is going to tell the people, "Get ready for Jehovah; prepare your ways for Jehovah; he's coming." "Make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Right? "Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his path straight." So notice a voice will be crying in the wilderness telling the people...
In the wilderness, get ready; prepare for the coming of Jehovah. Make a highway for our God. Do you see it? Then verse 5 says this: Notice what verse 5 says, Isaiah 40:5, “And the glory of Jehovah, the Lord Yahovah, shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.” So you guys catch it: A Messenger will be sent, who’s a voice crying in the wilderness. That messenger who cries in the wilderness is preparing people for Jehovah; prepare the way for Jehovah; make a highway for our God. So Jehovah, our God, is coming to his temple in Jerusalem.
So, according to Mark, Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3 prophesied a human messenger sent to the wilderness, the desert, to cry out and prepare people for the coming of the Lord Jehovah, our God, to his temple in Jerusalem. Did you guys catch it? A messenger who’s a voice in the wilderness. Now let’s look at Mark 1:3 and 4 together. Mark 1:3 and 4. Here’s where you’re going to get blown away; the first chapter of Mark. Watch here: Mark 1:3 and 4; that’s in Malachi 3:1. Jesus overcomes. Go back; that’s why I say you got to pay attention. The Lord is coming to his Temple; that’s what the prophecy said. Mark 1:3 and 4. Now let’s tie it in: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Now notice how verse four begins: “John did baptize in the wilderness.” You guys may catch it now. John the Baptist comes in the wilderness; why? Because the prophecy in Isaiah said the voice will be heard in the wilderness. So are you seeing what John is fulfilling? You see what Mark is trying to show you? John the Baptist, by coming into the wilderness, is fulfilling Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1. John the Baptist is the Voice that Isaiah said would shout in the wilderness: Prepare for Jehovah, our God. John the Baptist is the messenger of Malachi 3:1, sent to prepare people for the coming of the Lord to his temple in Jerusalem. You guys see it? John the Baptist is that messenger, that voice that these prophets said would come to prepare people for the coming of Jehovah, the Lord Yahovah, to his temple in Jerusalem. You got it.
So, according to the prophets, John the Baptist is not preparing for a human creature or an angelic creature; he’s preparing for the coming of Jehovah, God Almighty, to his Temple. That’s who’s going to show up after John the Baptist. But folks, according to Mark, who is the person—according to Mark, who is the person that John the Baptist prepares for? Who comes after John? Who is John sent to prepare for, according to Mark 1? Jesus Christ. So Mark has already begun the chapter by telling you Jesus Christ is the Lord Yahovah of Malachi 3:1, and the temple in Jerusalem belongs to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is Jehovah, our God, that Isaiah 40 said would appear after John shows up to prepare for his coming. So if Mark 1 has already begun the gospel by identifying Jesus as Jehovah, God of Isaiah 40, the Lord of Malachi 3:1, who comes to his Temple, how dare you go to Mark 10 to try to prove that Jesus isn’t God because Jesus claimed not to be good? Really? That’s what you’re trying to prove when Mark 1 has already begun by telling us who Jesus is: the God of the Old Testament, Jehovah, our God Yahovah, the Lord coming to his Temple. You see how important it is to know your Bible? Stop wasting your time on conspiracy theories and politics. I’m not saying we don’t have a role to play as Christians politically, economically, socially; we do what we can to impact and affect politics, economic society for the glory of Jesus, because Jesus is King of Everything. But we cannot get consumed by these issues and ignore that we need to know our scriptures and apply them for the glory of Christ. Right? Clear as day, right? So you’ve already been introduced to Jesus as the Lord of Malachi 3:1, who comes to his Temple in Jerusalem as Jehovah, our God of Isaiah 40. So Mark has already begun the gospel by telling us Jesus is God in the Flesh. If Jesus is God in the Flesh, then he’s absolutely good, right? But wait, I’m almost done; almost done. Let’s read 7 and 8; 7 and 8 exactly. Mark. May the Holy Spirit transform us for the glory of Jesus Christ. You’re a Christian because the Holy Spirit used me in your life, not because of me. I’m a maggot; I’m a dirt bag who needs the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to preserve me. So the Holy Spirit made you a Christian by using me for the glory of Christ. Praise the Lord, my brother. All right, Mark 1:7-8. We’re almost done. No, in Isaiah 40, it’s not Elijah; so let’s not get off topic. Just focus on what Mark did. Quote Mark 1:7-8. Notice what John the Baptist says about Jesus: “And John preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. Indeed I have baptized you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” Now notice how great Jesus is. John the Baptist says, “This one who comes after me, he’s much mightier than me; in fact, he’s Almighty. He is so great.” Notice what John just said: “I’m not worthy to stoop down and loosen his sandals.” In the first century, it was the job of servants to loosen the sandals of their master or guests and provide water for their feet to be washed, because remember that they used to walk in, you know, in dust and sand and so forth, so their feet would get dusty. So when they come in the house, the servant would come, loosen their sandals, and give them water for their feet to be washed. John is saying, “This one who comes after me is so great, I’m not even good enough to be his slave.” That’s how great he is. And let me tell you how great he is: “I can only baptize you in water; this one will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Here is a fact: There’s not a single verse in the entire Old Testament that says someone other than God will baptize people or give the Holy Spirit to people. Did you know that? Every passage in the Old Testament says, “God will pour out his Spirit,” “God sends his Spirit,” “God gives his Spirit to his people.” And yet here John the Baptist says, “The one who’s coming after me, I’m not good enough to be his slave, and he’s so great he’ll baptize you in the Holy Spirit,” something that the Old Testament says only God can do. Now, for the life of me, Mark 1, the first eight verses, Mark begins by telling us Jesus is Jehovah, our God, God of Isaiah 40, the Lord who comes to his Temple of Malachi 3:1, and that he is so great that John is not worthy to be his slave; he’s not good enough to be a slave, and he’d something the Old Testament says only God can do, and you’re trying to convince me that in Mark 10 Jesus is denying he’s God because he denied he’s good? Seriously? Yeah, what does it mean to be baptized with the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit means to be immersed in the Holy Spirit, God’s spirit filling you; you’re immersed in the Spirit’s presence; that’s all it means. Now when you say verse, please, I’m going to give you verses, but again, it’s hurting me. See why we Christians need to know our Bible? You mean you cannot show me verses in the Old Testament where it says that God has promised to pour out his Spirit upon his people? I have to show you that? But let me give you some: Joel chapter 2, verse 28-29; Joel 2:28-29; Ezekiel 36:27; specifically Ezekiel 36:25-27; just two of the many passages where God promises to send his Spirit, pour out his spirit, and fill his people with his Spirit. Ezekiel 36:27; 25-27, right? Ezekiel 39:29; 39:29; and Joel 2:28-29. And you’ll never find a single passage in the Old Testament where someone other than Jehovah God gives his Spirit to his people. And yet Jesus is—is the one who gives the spirit to his people. So in the first eight verses of Mark 1, Jesus is identified as Jehovah, God Almighty, our God, the Lord who comes to his temple in Jerusalem, the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, who’s so great that John can’t even be his slave; he’s not worthy to be a slave. The first eight verses, man. But wait, let’s end it with Mark 1:11 and 23-24. Mark 1:11 and 23-24. Yep, Mark 1:11. What does the Father say about Jesus? Mark 1:11. Watch here: “And there came a voice from Heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Does that sound like someone who’s less than absolutely good? God Almighty honors Jesus and glorifies Jesus by making his voice heard audibly to John and others and bearing witness from Heaven. That’s how great Jesus is, and saying, “This is my son whom I love, love and adore this one, and I’m well pleased with him.” And you’re telling me that Jesus is less than absolutely good? The Father himself speaks audibly from heaven, where John hears that voice; that’s the glory that Jesus receives from the Father himself, saying, “He’s my son whom I love and adore, and I’m well pleased with him.” And you’re trying to convince me Jesus is less than absolutely good? Are you kidding me? Now let’s end with Mark 1:12, 23-24. No, I didn’t say water regenerates you; I said the Holy Spirit does. Did you hear what I said? John the Baptist said all he could do is baptize with water; Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, something that John could not do, because that’s something only God does. Mark 1:12, 23-24. “And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” Bam! Even evil spirits know that Jesus is the holy, pure One of God who can destroy them at ease, so that in his presence they are left trembling with fear. Did you catch it? Let me ask you a question: These evil spirits were seeing Jesus for the first time on Earth; this is their first earthly encounter with Jesus on Earth. Can I ask you a question? How did this evil spirit—evil spirits know who Jesus was when this was the first time they were seeing him on Earth? They said, “We know who you are; you are the Holy One of God, and we know you can destroy us.” How do they know that? This was their first encounter with Jesus on Earth. How do they know this is—is the Holy One of God who can destroy us, and they were stricken with fear and terror? How did they know that? What does this imply? Think about it. How do they know this one is the Holy One of God who can destroy us, and they were stricken with fear and terror? Can someone tell me? You can’t ask me any questions; there are already two hours. You’re going to have to wait till Saturday. Be patient, brother. No, it’s not; they recognize the spirit of God. See? Now notice what you’re doing; you’re telling me they recognize the spirit of God. The spirit of God is not Jesus; that’s Holy Spirit. No, they recognize Jesus, guys. Come on, read it. We know who you are; we’re not—they didn’t say, “We know who’s on you or in you; we know the Holy Spirit is in you.” No, we know who you are; you are the Holy One of God. JS answered it because they remember him from the Heavenly Realm. They knew who he was because, although this is their first time seeing him on Earth, they remember him from Heaven. You’re the Holy One of God who can destroy us, because they could go beyond the physical appearance and see the inner person. No, not—they heard the declaration from the Father; they knew who he was from the Heavenly realm, because these evil spirits were the ones who fell and were condemned by the Son of God, so they knew Jesus from the—the Heavenly realm, and recognize—and they’re wondering, “Why are you here to destroy us? We know you are—you’re the Holy One of God who can destroy us; why are you showing—are you—?” You see the point? Good. Newly Greek. Praise God. I couldn’t see your text, but praise God you saw it. Is it ironic the evil spirits react to Jesus the same way demons do in James 2:19? Let’s see James 2:19. Let’s end it. Yep, he did; he was in the garden. Genesis 3:8. James 2:19. The demons were defiantly afraid when they saw Jesus on Earth; they were stricken with fear because they knew he had the power to destroy them. Their reaction to Jesus is the same as James 2:19. Watch this; let’s read James 2:19: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” Isn’t it ironic? That’s the exact reaction of these devils when they see Jesus; they tremble in fear and horror and terror. Do you catch it? They’re reacting to Jesus the way they react in the presence of God, because Jesus is God, the Son, the Divine Son who’s equal to the Father, the one who’s all-powerful to destroy and save, right? Is that clear? So I hope I answered the question.