Ep 89 – Colossians Pt 1

tom Harris with It’s all greek to me and my wife, Vicki and I are gonna go into a discussion on the word, Amen the most simple little word that we use at the end of uh you know, many times somebody says something while they’re preaching, amen. Even if, you know, secular p people, people that are not even in church, unchurched, people will say amen, you know, and which means, I agree with that. That’s right. It’s the truth. There’s so many things that we can say about it, but Vicki and I are gonna break it down for you and look at this word. And more importantly, we’re gonna look at how jesus used Amen amen or Amine Amine in the original greek 25 times the double A mean, in john’s Gospel. Now, Matthew, Mark and luke do not have this. Only john’s Gospel used the double, I mean, I mean, the others have the, I mean, but not the double one. Uh so we’re gonna look into that and the importance and significance of what jesus meant when he used this word. Hi, it’s tom and Vicky maris with it’s all greek to me. And today we’re just gonna go as simple as we can one word and in english, it’s a men in greek, it’s a mean and in Hebrew, it’s a mean, So we’re gonna look at these, this word. But it’s interesting that in the gospel of john only in the Gospel of john you have, you have a mean a mean, two times repeated right after one another 25 times used in the Gospel of john you don’t have it in Matthew or mark or luke but you have it in john and we’re gonna find out what the meaning of it is and how it’s pretty relevant to those of us that study the bible and want to know what’s going on behind the uh, the english and go back into the greek or into the hebrew. So I use this picture uh thank God for my graphic designer fred who does a super job fred tan and uh from eternity to eternity. How do you show eternity? I don’t, but it’s just vast and from the mountains that are so secure and solid, The oceans, the mountains, the skies, that’s what basically Amen is a secure word. And so we want to be able to define it a mean Adverb from Amman support confirmed, a mean in uh, in uh a mon, in hebrew again, this is the adverb beall meme again. These are where words come from, how Entomology and how word developed the locale form and meaning to support or to confirm what is true and reliable. And when you look at the first verse, Isaiah 65 16, it’s talking about truth. So I’m gonna have Vicki to just read it. We got a few verses, we wanna read honey and we’ll go through them what this word and it’s translated uh truth in our english bible. But the word in hebrew is a mean, go ahead because he who is blessed in the earth shall be blessed by the God of truth. And he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth a mean because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hidden from my sight. So this word truth is this word a mean. And then we go to another verse first. Corinthians Chronicles 16 36 shares the intern al Itty of God, blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from everlasting even to everlasting. Then all the people said a mean a mean and praise the Lord. So this word was confirming his eternal itty. And then uh near my 5 13 confirmation uh in saying yes, I also shook out the front of my garments and said. Thus make God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied and all the assembly said a mean, Amen. And they praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise. In other words, they were confirming what God had said and again means Yes, yes, yes, in agreement Ezra blessed the Lord the great God And all the people answered a mean a mean while lifting up their hands again, the confirmation of a yes, blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. These are some of the verses that I want to start with psalm 72-19 praise and worship blessed be his glorious name forever and may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen which is and Amen and again we are, we are lifting God up in this word means yes, yes, let it be, let it be secure. Read a few more verses Vicki Before we explain, blessed be the Lord forever. Amen and Amen someone. Oh 6 48. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from everlasting even to everlasting and let all the people say a men. I mean sorry Jeremiah 11 5. In order to confirm the oath which I swore to your forefathers to give them a land flowing with milk and honey as it is this day. Then I answered and said a mean oh Lord. Uh and it goes on like this. But now how is a mean used in the old testament? So there are seven different ways six and then one in the new testament. It says Amen is a title for God in the hebrew old testament. Indeed, he is the god of a mean or truth. He is the God of truth. It’s also and we already saw this verse. It’s also used in the old testament as a verification or affirmation of a curse or an oath. We saw that as well in the verses we looked at and number three. Amen is used to confirm a royal decree first kings won 36. Please read that Vicky and benigna, the son of Jehuda answered the King and said Amen. Thus may the Lord the God of my Lord the King say decreeing a royal decree and confirming rather a royal decree. Deuteronomy 27 15 the same thing and then number four to express a fulfillment of a prophecy. The certainty of a prediction uh is also this word uh a mean Jeremiah 28 6. The prophet Jeremiah said A mean, may the Lord do so. May the Lord confirm your words which you have prophecy to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house and all the exiles from babylonia to this place. Uh and then number five Vicky you take that one. And the uses of a mean refer to people expressing their approval of a prayer or a statement of praise. So all of these different ways that one word is being utilized in the old testament uh in the um I ate six Ezra blessed the Lord the great God and all the people answered a mean, a mean while lifting up their hands when they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. And then the six point is that the response of the people to a toxicology to see the first, you see the first four books of psalms and you clearly see that as a toxicology, blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from Everlasting to everlasting a mean and a mean psalm 41 13. Let me let me now just go to and then of course the last one uh in number seven is that it is a title for the Lord jesus christ. I love this one because Revelation 3 14 says to the angel of the church and to see a right the Amen the faithful and the true witness, the beginning of the creation of God says this. Now you see these four titles that are given to our Lord jesus christ. The first one being uh a mean in the greek now we’re gonna look now and see how what this word actually means. Vicky. So just kind of bring out some of the points here in the introduction of the definition. A main introduces what is to be fully relied upon because it’s completely steadfast and guaranteed it carries a strong affirmation meaning this is true. So believe it and act upon it. It is a sign of a certainty and surety and translates the old testament a mean derived from the hebrew root, A mon. To be firm secure certain It’s used in the step two agent that hebrew term, a mean, which occurs 30 times, is translated eight times by the word to 81, a mean The other 22 Winston is a mean are translated your gale, let it be. That’s right. So now the second thing it says here is Jesus often used and we say Amen, okay, we’ll just use the english, Amen to introduce key statements meaning do not overlook this or you will miss this point. This is very important. He uses this in Matthew mark and luke but in john he uses a double Amen, Amen the only gospel that does that and I really believe that the apostle john did this to actually underscore, you know how you highlight in your bible or you take you, you memorize certain verses, you write them on cards, you put the next next to them, you make it in yellow or in red or whatever. So you would really remember because it’s so important to you, that’s what he’s doing in the gospel of john let me just let me just go forward so you can see that, did you want to say something? Okay, uh let me let me just move on to the gospel of john and see how it’s used. It declares his messiah ship. There are a couple of things that I wanted to go back. Most of jesus sayings prefaced by amy men are about declaring his messiah ship or demanding others receive him as God the son when he, when he did miracles or he, you know, he prayed sometimes jesus used the double Amen verily verily or Amen Amen it’s of a truth to truly, truly to two, super emphasized the key importance or the role of the statement and like I said is used 25 times in john’s gospel. So Vicky, you start with the first one and he said to him truly, truly, I mean, I mean I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the son of man. He declares his messiah ship. Yeah, that’s the son of man. He himself declared that uh number two and we’ll kind of go back and forth. There is an earthly physical birth and there is a spiritual, heavenly birth john 33, This is so important. He underscores it by saying, Amen amen to get this in the beginning of the sentence and he says this, jesus incident said to him, Amen amen I say to you unless one is born you now again or on nothing from above. He cannot see Orao spiritually see the kingdom of God. Now that’s very important. That that’s the truth that you cannot miss. And he re emphasizes this truth. I explained how the word again, or above is used, it’s used five times as above again, twice, all over once, beginning once in a long time once, but in john three uh and and he also uses it in in the fifth verse here. I didn’t have it. I think there it is, jesus answered truly truly or I mean, I mean I say to you unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God because it’s talking about this spiritual birth, jesus repeats the principal and identifies the water birth, the physical and the spirit birth the spiritual to enter into the kingdom of God. This is so important. You cannot see, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God without being born from above. And jesus christ in both cases, in verse three and five underscores it. I mean, I mean, you better get this, this is really important. And so we go to the fourth one. Now he is the messiah and the trinity speaks through him, Vicki pick it up truly truly a means, a mean, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen and you do not accept our testimony. So he is the messiah and the trinity is speaking through him. Take the next one, John 5 19. Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them truly, truly, I mean, they mean, I say to you, the son can do nothing of himself unless it is something he sees the father doing for whatever the father does these things. The son also does in like manner. So jesus, the son of God does only what God the father does. Again, these are really big statements that identify his messiah ship and the fact that he’s God in the flesh and the son of God faith in jesus words is synonymous with the father’s words and gives us eternal life, john 5 24 I mean, I mean, I say to you, he who believes my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment but has passed out of death into life. Every one of these double means are given again to emphasize, _, put in yellow, put in red that these are the truth. These 25 incredible truths in the gospel of John that we cannot miss their like buoys on, on going out of the harbor so that you don’t get messed up and the boat doesn’t go on the reefs and the rocks that are all over the place, stay in that road, stay in that channel to protect yourself. And jesus christ made it clear by using this word, I mean next Vicki by the power of jesus word, he will resurrect the dead to life. John 5 25 truly, truly. And I mean, I mean I say to you and hours coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the son of God and those who hear will live and he’s again declaring himself to be the son of God, that he’s going to raise the dead. Uh jesus probes into the motives of our hearts in seeking him is my interest temporal or is eternal john 6 26 jesus answered them and said, I mean, I mean I say to you, you seek me not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. I mean really? Why do you, what do you need, Number one, is it, is it physical things? Uh you know you can get the physical, you get some food, you get some water, you take care of your flesh. But what happens when you die, what does it profit? A man like Jesus said to gain all this in life and lose your soul, you must be concerned about your soul. Number nine it is not moses, but jesus and his father who give the true bread and jesus is the son of God, john 6 32 jesus then said to them. I mean, I mean I say to you it is not moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is my father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. Beautiful words number 10, Jesus assures us that we have eternal life if we believe in him and he is the bread of life spiritual food, this is found in john 6 47 to 48. I mean, I mean, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life, I am the bread of life, Jesus said number 11, Jesus is speaking about his death, burial and resurrection and our belief and unity in him. He is our source of eternal life john 6 53. So jesus said to them truly truly, I say to you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood. You have no life in yourselves. I mean, these are huge statements. Here’s the 12th one. We sin because we are slaves of sin, Jesus again is laying down a principal john 8 34 jesus answered them. I mean, I mean, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. You say well, I can stop. You haven’t been able to so far. Only through jesus christ. Can you break that pattern and the power by the blood of christ? For whosoever shall call upon, the name of the Lord shall be saved. Number 13, we must listen and pay attention to jesus word. It will protect us from eternal death. John 8 51 truly, truly, I mean, I mean, I say to you, if anyone keeps theriot from eros eros a guard, my word, he will never see death wow great principles. Number 14 Jesus said that he is Yahweh. Elohim The strong one translated God. Uh 2325 Times out of roughly 2570 occurrences. Yahweh is chief title. This is God’s name. And it says in Jian Jesus said that he is, Yahweh, Elohim rules and Adonai overrules as yahweh is known and glorified. Yahweh, The old testament from the Tetra graham, uh y H W H like the greek king videos. This is really important. And what did he say, john 8 58 jesus said to them. I mean, I mean I say to you before Abraham was born, I am huh? Exodus three and four. Talk about this. Exodus 3 14, God Elohim the strong one said to moses. I am Yahweh. Yeah, well who, who I am and he said thus, you shall say to the sons of Israel, I am. Yahweh has sent me to you. This is what Jesus claimed and that’s why he prefaced it by saying, I mean, I mean such a huge truth that they literally took stones to kill him because they got the message that he claimed to be, Yahweh. He claimed to be God number 15. Jesus said that there is no other way to enter into the fold of the sheep except through the door john 10 1, I mean, I mean I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep but climbs up some other way is a thief and a robber. Fantastic! What a beautiful verse jesus is the door of the sheep. So jesus said to them again, I mean, I mean I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. I mean there’s only one door. He his name is jesus and he’s the way to get into the fold, 17 Vicky death to self is the road to decide discipleship and fruitfulness, John 1224. Amen. Amen. I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the Earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. This is the same principle found in Luke 1733. When he said, he who seeks to find or keep his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will find it. Same truth that death to self is the road to discipleship. Fruitfulness found here and again, he preface, is it by saying, I mean, I mean, these are these are colossal truths. John’s gospel is the only one that uses this double. I mean, Jesus made himself a slave and a servant leader, john 3 13 16, I mean, I mean, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. See Philippians 27, But he emptied himself, taking on the form of a bond servant and being made in the likeness of men. He humbled himself and became obedient love him. We love him. What what a phenomenal servant leader. The 19th place, you find this in John 1320, Jesus teaches that the importance of representation. He says, I mean, I mean, I say to you, he who receives whoever I send, receives me And he who receives me receives him? Who sent me what faith, what confidence the Lord Jesus has in his disciples and what the father has in our Lord Jesus Christ. This is John 1338, Jesus prophesies his betrayal by Judas, Jesus knew the future. John 1321, when Jesus had said this, he became troubled in spirit and testified and said truly, truly, I say to you that one of you will betray me. So number 21 jesus prophesy, Peter’s denial. You know, only the son of God could tell who’s going to betray him and for how much and what he’s gonna do and and peter and how he’s gonna deny him and what’s gonna happen that second that he denies him, john 13 38 jesus answered, will you lay down your life for me truly, truly, I mean, I mean, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny me three times. I mean, the Lord Jesus christ knows the exact second, that’s why we believe he is God in the flesh, that he is the son of God, God in the flesh and is the messiah, the king of Kings and the Lord of Lords, number 22 Jesus is the son of God. John 14 12. I mean, I mean, I say to you, he who believes in me and the works that I do, he will do also and greater works than these, he will do because I go to the father. So he is Jesus is the son of God 23, Jesus prophesized his disciples response truly, truly, I mean, I mean, in john 16 20 I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice, you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. And then Jesus is the son of God Vicki, john 16 23 in that day, you will not question me about anything. I mean, I mean, I say to you, if you ask the father for anything in my name, he will give it to you. What a fantastic, what a fantastic promise that he gives us. When we pray, when we come to him that we can lay down our desires, our wants. Uh some people I’ve heard say he gives you what you need, not what you want. He’s been done more than that for me. He’s given me the fulfillment, the aroma of my own heart. The fullness of my heart is found in jesus christ and he says, if you ask the father for anything in my name, he will give it to you. That doesn’t mean you go around asking for BMWs and Mercedes Benz and Rolls Royces and stuff. That that’s ridiculous. The things that you and I are looking for. Even the fun stuff that we want. The Lord wants us to cry out and it’s a statement that he made, Jesus is the son of God, Who else But God, the son could make a statement like this and then the last one here is in john 21 18 that jesus, the messiah prophecy, peter’s future death. I mean, I mean, I say to you when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wish. But when you grow old you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you and bring you where you do not wish to go talking about his death now. So let me, let me say this to you that if he knew that as a man while he was with his disciples, does he not know exactly the moment that you and I are gonna slip out into his presence? Are you ready for that? Do you know him? Do you know this one who repeated these uh two words, I mean, I mean and gave these 25 principles in the gospel of john concerning our whole life, how we are saved, how we grow, how we think, what we’re supposed to do when we’re gonna die. This is just so fantastic to have the Lord jesus christ identify the 25 greatest teachings and principles that we need to know concerning our life. I hope that you act upon it. God bless you until we see one another again the next time with it’s all greek to me, tom and Vicky friends, I believe the most important place where jesus said, I mean, I mean, which they’re all important, I mean incredibly important, but this one applies to you and to me with incredible importance for us because notice what jesus said in john chapter three and verse three to Nicodemus he said, He answered and said to him truly, truly. Or I mean I mean the word truly is, I mean, I mean the truth, this is the truth. This is the truth is what he’s saying here in greek I say to you unless one is born you now again it says in the in the text, but in the greek it says I’m nothin which is from above. Born from above as you were born from below to your mom and dad. Uh in this earthly birth, you must be born from above. In the heavenly birth, the father God has got to become your father. You cannot see a row, this is the spiritual see not just Aleppo three or ISO other words for C. But or how you cannot see the kingdom of God. So this is so important that he repeats it now. In verse three, he repeats verse five here, Jesus answered, truly, truly. Or I mean, I mean to the same guy Nicodemus, I say to you unless one is born of water, that is the physical birth again and the spirit that is the spiritual birth. You cannot enter into the kingdom of God. You so do you understand what is going on here, Jesus confirms this is the truth. This is the truth. You must be born again. You must be born from above. You must be born of a spiritual birth, not just a physical birth, not just a water birth. How do you do that? You deal with your sin. The four pictures he gave, he gave, the baby born, the wind blowing, the snake biting the light burning. And he, you have to deal with your sin, john Chapter 14 and 15 and 16, he said As moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. Even so must the son of man be lifted up. That whoever believes in him may have eternal life for God, so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life. It’s up to you believe the words of jesus. Truly, truly. I mean, I mean, this is so important. You must be born into God’s family spiritually from above. In order to become a child of God. Just ask him and say, Father. God, please forgive me, Jesus come into my life and forgive me and save me. I believe you died for me. I believe you rose from the dead in jesus name. God bless you until next time with tom and Vicky. And it’s all greek to me