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Pope Francis Declares In Mass On Tuesday That Worshipping Mary Is ‘Not Optional’ And That She ‘Provides All Blessings’ As The Mother Of God
Pope Francis tells his 1.4 billion followers that worshipping Mary is ‘not optional’ and that she alone is the way to God and that we must all follow her.
Jorge Bergoglio, also known as ‘Pope Francis’, led Roman Catholics on Tuesday in the observance of the feast day called “The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God,” during which he expressed the hope that Mary would “protect” the people for the new year, and claimed that in times of trouble, men should not only “lift their eyes to our lady” but to also let Mary gaze upon them, for she is “our life, our sweetness and our hope.”
Let me just start by saying that before I got saved, I was a Roman Catholic for 30 years of my life. I attended 12 years of Catholic School where I was taught by nuns and priests, was an altar boy for 3 of those years, and faithfully attended mass and worshipped Mary and Jesus, in that order, as I was instructed to do. Then I got saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, opened the Bible and the sickening feeling of realized I had been lied to all those years swept over me.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 (KJV)
Look at the photo of Pope Francis worshipping before the “mother and child” statue, take a good look at it. The Roman Catholic “jesus” is presented as a weak little baby who needs his mother to function. Mary is shown to us as the “mediatrix of all graces“, and nothing could be further from the truth. Not one, single person in the Bible ever prayed to Mary, ever asked for her help on anything, not one time. Furthermore, Mary was present in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost, but as a silent observer. She had no recorded input of any kind.
“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Revelation 17:4,5 (KJV)
The only place you will find the Mary that Pope Francis demands his 1.4 billion followers worship is in the writings of the Catholic Church. According to the Bible, Mary cannot hear you, cannot help you, and unless Jesus lied in John 14, she has zero power to save you. Worshipping Mary will lead you to one place and one place only – the fiery pits of Hell. As a former Roman Catholic, though I have nothing but disgust for the Roman Whore of Revelation 17 and 18, I have nothing but empathy and compassion for the 1.4 billion lost souls trapped in her vicious net.
“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4 (KJV)
To all the Roman Catholics who write in to tell me that “we don’t worship Mary, we venerate her”, you can stop saying that now. Pope Francis has already declared that to be not true, and has obviously reaffirmed that yesterday. First step in solving a problem is admitting that it exists. The pope is absolutely instructing his followers to worship Mary, and it’s time to stop doing that. The Bible only shows us one Saviour, Jesus, and He outside of the Father and the Holy Spirit, He needs no assistance of any kind.
‘Pope Francis’ Asserts During New Year’s ‘Mary, Mother of God’ Mass: She Is ‘Our Life, Our Sweetness and Our Hope’
FROM CHRISTIAN NEWS: “May Mary, Mother of God, protect and accompany us during this new year and bring the peace of her Son into our hearts and the world,” Bergoglio tweeted this morning, generating over 62K likes as of press time.
Bergoglio delivered further remarks during mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, where he provided a message for the feast day, which is observed every Jan. 1 as the octave of Christmas on the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar.
May Mary, Mother of God, protect and accompany us during this new year and bring the peace of her Son into our hearts and the world.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) January 1, 2019
“Especially in times of need, when we are entangled in life’s knots, we rightly lift our eyes to our lady,” he stated, according to the Catholic News Agency and a video posted to YouTube by Vatican News. “Yet first, we should let ourselves be gazed upon by our lady.”
“The eyes of our lady know how to bring light to every dark corner; everywhere they rekindle hope,” Bergoglio continued. “As she gazes upon us, she says, ‘Take heart, dear children; here I am, your mother!’”
He stated that the maternal gaze of Mary helps men to “grow in faith,” and keeps them “rooted in the Church, where unity counts more than diversity.”
“How much dispersion and solitude there is all around us. The world is completely connected, and yet seems completely disjointed. We need to entrust ourselves to our mother,” Bergoglio said. “Mary is a cure for solitude and dispersion. She the mother of consolation. She stands with those who are alone. She knows that words enough are not enough to console; presence is needed. And she is present as a mother.”
“Our lady is not optional; she has to be welcomed into our life,” Pope Francis said to those gathered. “She is the queen of peace, who triumphs over evil and leads us along paths of goodness.”
He pointed to the Salve Regina, also known as the “Hail, Holy Queen,” which refers to Mary as “our life.” He acknowledged that the words of the Marian tune might seem exaggerated because Christ is life, but said that Mary is “so closely united” to Christ and His people that “we can do no better than to put our hands in hers, and to acknowledge her as our life, our sweetness and our hope.”
“Hail, holy queen, mother of mercy/hail our life, our sweetness and our hope/to thee do we cry,” Catholics recite in the Salve Regina, which is also stated to be the last prayer in the rosary.
He then presented a prayer to Mary for his closing remarks.
“Take us by the hand, Mary. Clinging to you, we will pass safely through the straits of history,” Bergoglio prayed. “Lead us by the hand to rediscover the bonds that unite us. Gather us beneath your mantle in the tenderness of true love, where the human family is reborn. We fly to thy protection, holy mother of God.”
As previously reported, the feast of The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God was initially the feast of The Circumcision of Christ until being replaced in 1974 by Pope John VI.
“This celebration, assigned to January 1 in conformity with the ancient liturgy of the city of Rome, is meant to commemorate the part played by Mary in this mystery of salvation,” John XI wrote. “It is meant also to exalt the singular dignity which this mystery brings to the ‘holy mother … through whom we were found worthy … to receive the Author of life.’”
“It is likewise a fitting occasion for renewed adoration of the newborn Prince of Peace, for listening once more to the glad tidings of the angels, and for imploring from God, through the queen of peace, the supreme gift of peace,” he said.
The day is also known as the “World Day of Peace” for this reason.
Bergoglio tweeted on Sunday, “May Jesus, Mary and Joseph bless and protect all families around the world, so that love, joy and peace may reign within them.” The tweet generated 72K likes. READ MORE
Holy Mass for the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God 2019-01-01
None of what you will see here in this video, not one bit of it, if biblical in any way imaginable. This is nothing but pagan worship of dead people who cannot save you.
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Donald Trump
READ MY LIPS: NO NEW WARS! The Ghost Of President George H.W. Bush Returns To Haunt The Broken Promises Of The Trumpian Golden Age That Never Was
READ MY LIPS! George H.W. Bush Broke His No New Taxes Promise And Lost The White House, Now Donald Trump Faces His Own Broken Promises Reckoning On Midterm Election Day
There is an old saying that those who refuse to learn from history are condemned to repeat it, and on this November 3rd Midterm Election Day, the political ghost of George H.W. Bush is casting a long shadow over the presidency of Donald Trump. Back in 1988, Bush stood before the American people and made a promise that would define his political future: “Read my lips: no new taxes.” Two years later, Bush broke that promise, and the political rebellion that followed came from furious conservatives within his own Republican Party. Newt Gingrich revolted, Pat Buchanan challenged him in the primaries, and in November 1992, Bush was turned out of the White House after just one term. Now, nearly four decades later, another Republican president finds himself confronting the dangerous distance between campaign promises and presidential reality. Donald Trump promised no new wars, gasoline at $2.00 a gallon, and a glorious Golden Age of American prosperity. Instead, Americans are watching a grinding war with Iran, paying more than $4.00 per gallon for gasoline, and struggling with an affordability crisis that no amount of presidential boasting can make disappear.
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Proverbs 29:2 (KJB)
The great irony of the Trump presidency in 2026 is that the very foreign policy intervention he was elected by many Americans to avoid has become entangled with the economic problems he promised to solve. Talk about a Catch-22. The president who campaigned on keeping America out of another Middle Eastern war is now presiding over a conflict with Iran that has helped send energy costs soaring. The president who promised cheap gasoline now faces a national average of $4.15 on Election Day. And the president who announced that America’s Golden Age had arrived is confronting voters who are measuring that declaration against their grocery receipts, utility bills, mortgages, and the cost of filling their automobiles. This is the political danger of making sweeping promises: eventually, the slogans must confront the numbers. Bush discovered that Americans remembered those five little words about taxes long after his administration had explained the reasons for breaking them. Trump is discovering that the promises of peace, affordability, and prosperity are not forgotten simply because the White House has moved on to a different narrative. Life doesn’t work like that, and neither should it.
But perhaps the most revealing parallel is the growing dissent inside Trump’s own political coalition. In 1990, Bush learned that Republican voters were not necessarily willing to abandon their principles simply because a Republican occupied the Oval Office. In 2026, Trump’s America First movement is experiencing its own struggle over what those two words actually mean. Is America First compatible with another extended Middle Eastern conflict? How does a promise of domestic prosperity reconcile with rising fuel costs and the enormous expense of overseas military operations? Even prominent Republicans are warning that the Iran war has become a serious political burden. Not every Republican agrees, and many remain firmly behind the president, but the disagreement itself is significant. A political movement built around ending endless wars is now debating the consequences of fighting one. The question that confronted Bush’s supporters has returned in a new form: when loyalty to a president conflicts with loyalty to the promises that helped elect him, which one survives?
And that brings us to today, November 3, 2026, as Americans head to the polls in a Midterm Election that will determine who controls Congress for the remaining two years of Trump’s presidency. The president himself is not on the ballot, but his administration’s record certainly hangs over the election. Republicans are defending their congressional majorities while Democrats are seeking the power to investigate, challenge, and constrain the White House. The results are not yet written, and history does not guarantee that Trump will follow Bush’s political trajectory. Maybe the GOP will pull the rabbit out of the hat, maybe not. But the warning from 1992 is unmistakable. George H.W. Bush learned the hard way that a broken promise could decimate a political coalition from within. Donald Trump now faces his own moment of accountability, with the war in Iran still unresolved, Americans paying dearly at the pump, and the promise of a Golden Age being tested against the lives people are actually living. The great political question of this Midterm Election Day is whether voters still believe the promises—or whether they have begun to judge the president and his party by the results.
When you vote for president, you are voting for the individual you think will do the best job. Voting in the Midterm elections is a referendum on how well that individual and their administration did. We were promised no new wars, $2.00 gas and a Golden Age economy. Today, go out and vote on how well Donald Trump and his administration have kept those promises.
Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church
- HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page
When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.
But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)
“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB
Headline News
THE PROPHECY NEWS PODCAST: America Feels Like Babylon On The Eve Of Destruction As End Times Events Already Hot Now Begin To Reach A Fever Pitch
While America parties on the eve of destruction, world governments are telling their people to prepare for a catastrophic doomsday emergency like Zero Day or Leave The World Behind
In the book of Daniel, we see an amazing type picture of America, as Babylon, in the last days. Belshazzar the king, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, made a great feast in celebration of his own perceived might and power, completely oblivious to the fact that his cardboard kingdom was about to be permanently interrupted by the armies of the Medes and the Persians. In much the same way, Donald Trump’s kingdom is about undergoing a drastic revision, while a weakened America continues on its downward trajectory much like that Mar-a-Lago missile that landed in West Palm Beach yesterday.
“And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.” Daniel 5:25,26 (KJB)
The party can keep going right up until the lights go out. That is the chilling lesson of Belshazzar’s banquet, and it is the question hanging over America right now. While the entertainment continues, military planners are preparing installations to survive the failure of civilian infrastructure. European authorities are telling households to maintain emergency supplies. The United States Army is practising temporary battlefield interment for the casualties of high-intensity warfare, and the Department of War is launching FORTRESS America for an upcoming war on our own soil. Is anyone listening, is anyone paying attention to the prophets? You better be, their warnings are about to become tomorrow’s headlines.
THE END TIMES COUNTDOWN:
- Today is day 1,712 of the Russia-Ukraine War
- Today is day 2,422 of 15 Days To Flatten The Curve
- Today is day 247 of World War Trump in Iran
- Today is day 28,661 of The Regathering Of Israel
On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, today we help you to connect the end times dots in order to see clearly that the incredible events taking shape all around us are neither coincidential or arbitrary, and there is just too much of it to sweep it under the rug and pretend it’s not happening. We’re living in a dystopian end times movie, and today we roll the tape.
Study Helps And Links For Today’s Podcast
- Chaplain Anderson Writes ‘Our Maximum Security Hospital Was Filled With Peace’ As I Walked The Hallways Handing Out These Beautiful New Bibles
- Like ‘Leave The World Behind’ Before It, New Netflix Predictive Programming Series ‘Zero Day’ Shows Coming Attack On America
- Why Are So Many Things From The Barack Obama Netflix Civil War Movie ‘Leave The World Behind’ Suddenly Starting To Take Place? You Know Why.
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But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)
“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB
Headline News
THE BIBLE BELIEVERS SUNDAY SERVICE: Putting Jesus On Trial
They Condemned The Innocent And Released The Guilty: The Trial Of Jesus Christ Reveals The Wickedness Of Man And The Willing Sacrifice Of The Son Of God
The most important question you will ever answer is simply this – “who is Jesus Christ?” Your answer to that question will determine nothing less than your eternal destiny. If you were brought into a courtroom on the charge of being a Bible believing Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? You better think about that, because we will put you on trial today. Jesus was put on trial, brought into a courtroom, and charged with the crime of being the Son of God. This is how it went.
“And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” John 1:34 (KJB)
The chief priests sought testimony that would justify His death for “making himself equal with God”, but their false professors could not agree. Pilate examined Him and found no fault concerning their accusations, then reported that Herod had established nothing worthy of death either. Judas, the man who betrayed Him, confessed later that he had betrayed innocent blood. The Roman centurion standing at His crucifixion, who had personally overseen the nails being driven into Jesus body, declared Him to be righteous and he identified Him as the Son of God. Even Caiaphas, while plotting His destruction, wound up unintentionally prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation. What an astounding record we have before us! The betrayal, examinations, and execution produced testimony supporting the very One they sought to condemn. Their actions exposed how far men are willing to go when protecting their position becomes more important than receiving and acknowledging the truth. First, we put Jesus on trial and examine the evidence against HIm. Next, we put you on trial for the crime of being a Christian to see if the Bible says you’re guilty or innocent. That’s today’s Sunday Service message!
THE BIBLE BELIEVERS SUNDAY SERVICE: Putting Jesus On Trial
Putting Jesus On Trial
MAIN TEXT — A prosecution that could not establish its case
“And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.” Mark 14:55,56 (KJB)
The stated objective was to put Jesus to death. The witnesses were sought to accomplish that objective, but their testimony would not agree. They had determined the punishment before they had established the charge.
“Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.” Matthew 12:13,14 (KJB)
TRUTH — The innocent Saviour was condemned by guilty men
The question before our courtroom is twofold: What wrongdoing could these witnesses establish against Jesus, and what does their testimony reveal about who He is?
THE WITNESSES CALLED FOR THE PROSECUTION
I. Caiaphas — The high priest whose murderous counsel contained a prophecy
First, hear what the council acknowledged:
“Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.” John 11:47 (KJB)
Their deliberation proceeded from an acknowledgment of His miracles. They feared what would happen to their position and nation if everyone believed on Him.
Then Caiaphas spoke:
“Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” John 11:50 (KJB)
Scripture supplies the meaning that went beyond his political calculation:
“And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;” John 11:51 (KJB)
Caiaphas later accused Jesus of blasphemy when Jesus affirmed His identity before the council. We must retain that part of his testimony. The very same high priest who used his free will to seek Jesus death wound up prophesying as to its sacrificial and salvific purpose.
Finding: The council acknowledged His miracles, and Caiaphas’s counsel became a prophecy of His death for others. His hostility could not prevent God from declaring the purpose of the cross through his own mouth.
II. Pontius Pilate — The governor who examined Him and found no fault
“Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:” Luke 23:14 (KJB)
Pilate’s declaration followed an examination conducted before the accusers. He addressed the charges they had brought and reported that he had found no fault concerning those accusations.
Nevertheless, he eventually gave sentence according to their demand.
Finding: The governor authorized the crucifixion of a man whom he had publicly declared faultless concerning the charges before him. His sentence contradicted his own finding.
III. Herod — Glad To See Jesus, Then Willing To Mock Him
“And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.” Luke 23:8 (KJB)
Herod’s first response was excitement. He had heard much about Jesus, had wanted to see Him for some time, and hoped to witness a miracle. He began this encounter eager to see what Jesus would do.
But Jesus would not perform at his command:
“Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.” Luke 23:9 (KJB)
As the chief priests and scribes vehemently accused Jesus, Herod’s initial gladness gave way to contempt:
“And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.” Luke 23:11 (KJB)
Nevertheless, Pilate subsequently reported that Herod’s examination had established nothing worthy of death:
“No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.” Luke 23:15 (KJB)
Finding: Herod wanted to witness Jesus’ miraculous power, yet ultimately joined in mocking Him. His contempt supplied no evidence of a capital offense. He could ridicule the prisoner, but his examination established no grounds for putting Him to death.
IV. Judas Iscariot — The betrayer who confessed that the blood was innocent
“Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.” Matthew 27:4 (KJB)
Judas had accompanied Jesus as one of the twelve. After betraying Him, he returned to the chief priests and elders with a confession that placed the guilt upon himself.
The response of the religious leaders is equally revealing. His declaration of innocent blood did not move them to stop what they had begun.
Finding: The betrayer’s recorded confession identifies his own sin and Jesus’ innocence. The man who delivered Him into their hands testified against the righteousness of what they were doing.
V. The Roman centurion — The witness at the execution who declared His righteousness and Sonship
“Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.” Luke 23:47 (KJB)
Mark records this declaration:
“And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.” Mark 15:39 (KJB)
Here is testimony from the Roman officer standing at the crucifixion. The Gospel record gives us both his acknowledgment of Jesus’ righteousness and his declaration that Jesus was the Son of God.
Finding: A witness stationed at His execution supplied testimony supporting both His innocence and His identity.
THE WITNESSES CALLED FOR THE DEFENSE
VI. The thief on the cross — The guilty man who recognized the innocent King
How it started:
“The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.” Matthew 27:44 (KJB)
“Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.” Mark 15:31,32 (KJB)
How it ended:
“And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” Luke 23:41,42 (KJB)
The thief acknowledged that his own punishment was deserved. In the same breath, he distinguished Jesus from himself and the other criminal. Then he addressed the crucified Jesus as Lord and appealed to Him concerning His coming kingdom.
Finding: The thief confessed his own guilt, declared Jesus’ innocence, and placed his hope in Jesus’ kingly authority. He saw a King where others saw only a condemned man.
VII. John the Baptist — The forerunner who identified the Lamb and the Son
“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29 (KJB)
“And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” John 1:34 (KJB)
John’s testimony identifies both the person and the mission of Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God, and He is the Lamb of God who takes away sin.
Finding: Jesus came with a sacrificial mission. His innocence belongs at the center of that mission: the Lamb would bear the sins of others.
VIII. The apostle John — The witness who committed the evidence to writing
“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:30,31 (KJB)
John states why he recorded these signs. His testimony calls the reader to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and to receive life through His name.
Finding: The written record presents evidence with a declared purpose: faith in Jesus Christ and life through Him. The Bible will not allow you to remain neutral, the reader must now respond to the testimony.
IX. Saul, who becomes known as Paul — The persecutor who encountered the risen Christ
First, hear his testimony concerning his former opposition:
“I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” Acts 26:9 (KJB)
Then hear his account of the encounter that overturned his course:
“And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” Acts 26:15 (KJB)
Paul also records his place among the witnesses of the risen Christ:
“And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” 1 Corinthians 15:8 (KJB)
His subsequent testimony declares the saving purpose of the Lord he once opposed:
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15 (KJB)
Finding: A former persecutor became a witness of the risen Jesus and a preacher of His salvation. His testimony adds the resurrection to the evidence already heard concerning Christ’s innocence and identity.
APPLICATION — What the testimony establishes
The witnesses establish several distinct truths:
- The case against Jesus depended upon false testimony that would not agree.
- Pilate found no fault concerning the accusations and reported no capital finding from Herod.
- Judas confessed that he had betrayed innocent blood.
- The thief and the centurion declared Jesus’ innocence or righteousness.
- The centurion and John the Baptist identified Him as the Son of God.
- John recorded the signs so that others would believe, and Paul testified that he had seen Him risen.
The proceedings expose more than a failure of justice. They expose the human heart. Men could acknowledge miracles, hear declarations of innocence, and still press forward with His death.
CLOSING CHALLENGE — Why did the innocent One die?
Paul gives the answer:
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1 Corinthians 15:3,4 (KJB)
His death was for our sins. His resurrection is part of the gospel proclaimed by the very man who once persecuted His people.
The trial brings every hearer to a personal decision. Pilate acknowledged His innocence and still delivered Him up anyway. The thief acknowledged His innocence and called upon Him as Lord after spitting on him and mocking him. It is worth mentioning that no surviving first-century independent eyewitness accounts are known that demonstrate Jesus committed any crime or supplies a detailed rebuttal of any the Gospel proceedings. Not a single eyewitness refutes a single word of preserved scripture.
Having heard the testimony, what will you do with Jesus who is called Christ?
Christian, how do you plead to the following charges?
“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34 (KJB)
“And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Acts 11:26 (KJB)
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJB)
- Handing out gospel tracts, Guilty or not Guilty?
- Not laughing at crude and profane humor, Guilty or not Guilty?
- Witnessing for Jesus especially when it costs you something, Guilty or not Guilty?
- Doing daily Bible study and having a prayer time, Guilty or not Guilty?
- Living life sober, Guilty or not Guilty?
- Giving other people a copy of God’s preserved word, Guilty or not Guilty?
- Trusting the LORD with all your mind, body and soul, Guilty or not Guilty?
Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church
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“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)
“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB
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