John 15! One of my favorites. Ties in to Sunday’s message about closeness with the Spirit. Abiding! And then the greatest commandment- love! -M

Q: So, in exodus 31, verse 7, God mentions the sin of the fathers carry over to the next generations. And, I’m reading John 9 where the disciples asked Jesus who sinned. Was it the parents or the blind child. Jesus said neither. Is there some sort of spiritual evolution that occurred from Old Testament to New Testament? I’m guessing there is? Jesus had to change his disciples understanding towards the blind man and his “sin”. What are your thoughts on this? -MF

A: So, in exodus 31, verse 7, God mentions the sin of the fathers carry over to the next generations. And, I’m reading John 9 where the disciples asked Jesus who sinned. Was it the parents or the blind child. Jesus said neither. Is there some sort of spiritual evolution that occurred from Old Testament to New Testament? I’m guessing there is? Jesus had to change his disciples understanding towards the blind man and his “sin”. What are your thoughts on this?

I think you might be referencing Exodus 20:4-6, where it talks about children out to the third and fourth generation being impacted by the sins of their fathers. By observation, generational sins still seem to be going on.

In John 9::3, Jesus makes it clear that the reason the man had been born blind wasn’t because of sin – his or his parents. This leads to two conclusions. One, that sin can cause physical problems. Psalm 31:10, 38:3, and 41:3-4 all speak to a person’s sin causing bad health. Two, that the sin of someone else can cause sickness – or worse. Examples of this are when David and Bathsheba’s son was taken because of David’s sin (2 Sam. 12:13-15) and when the entire nation came under the judgment of God and many suffered deathly diseases because King Manasseh went after false gods (Jer. 15:4, 16:1-4).

Basically, sin rots – sometimes even rotting our bodies.

PK

Q: In Matthew 24:29-31 is Jesus talking about the second coming or the rapture? When he continues on in vs26-41, it seems like the rapture? Thank you! -NT

A: Jesus’ teaching on the end times in Matthew 24 allows for several interpretations. For example, is he talking about the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D.? Or is he talking about an event called the rapture that the Apostle Paul references in 1 Thess. 4:13-18? Or is he talking about both of those things in the same teaching time? Considering that Jesus didn’t come back in 70 A.D., we would do well to think that Jesus was referring to the rapture. And if that is the case, then we shouldn’t be staring into the sky awaiting his return, but rather be ready, faithful, and wise to be about the Lord’s business (Matt. 24:36-51). – PK

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 2 Pet. 3:14

Q: Hi! What's happening in Matthew 27:52-53? -CV

A: First, no, those who rose from their graves at the time of the resurrection of Jesus were not zombies! They are called saints, which describes the righteous ones who follow God.

It’s unclear whether these were Old or New Testament saints. The saints were and are those in whom God delights (Ps. 16:3) sing praises to (Ps. 30:4), loves (Ps 31:23), and fears the Lord (Ps.34:9). In describing the saints, the prophet Daniel used the phrase, “saints of the Most High” four times.

The remarkable thing here is that on or about the resurrection day of Jesus, many saints who had died and were buried rose from their graves…and then they walked into Jerusalem! That certainly had to cause a shock to those who had attended their funerals (very much like when Lazarus walked out of his tomb at the command of Jesus). They were alive, just as Jesus was alive. They were living proof that the power of God was and is more than enough to resurrect the dead – just as Jesus and his Apostles preached. And that is our hope today, the resurrection of the dead. – PK

And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33