John 8:12-20 KJV 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. 14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. 15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. 19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

The idea of someone being a good teacher is not hard to grasp. Most people that actually study scripture could or may declare Jesus at the minimum a good teacher. Meaning what He taught had practical everyday use. Some consider Jesus more then just a good teacher but at the second minimum at least a prophet. However I beg to question that those that consider Jesus a prophet can they receive what the entire passage of John 8 or entire Book of John, beyond doubt of who Jesus claimed to be in scripture. The question is then who do you claim Jesus to be? In Deutronomy 18 the continual scripture study for today tells who the Lord claims a prophet to be. Jesus claims in the portion of scripture of John 8 to be more then a prophet. I will provide the information in a moment as far as informational proof from the above passage, but first let ask a few question. Is a prophet equal to God the Father? Is a prophet able to speak the words that God did not instruct him to speak? If Jesus is speaking the words of His Father has he claims is anything he said in contradiction to what His Father God in heaven instructed. If you accept Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Ezra, Ezekial, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Zephaniah, Zaccariah, Haggai, Hosea, Nahum, Habbakukkah, Daniel, and Malachi as being prophets why so? What made these prophets like Jesus. Of course there are more prophets then these, lets not leave out Elijah, Elisha, and Samuel. Yet the first set of prophets are also names of books of the Bible. The question is not whether the books are true, or even if what the prophets would prophesize is true, for them to be in the Bible they had to be proven to be accurate or at least historically acceptable. We can not leave out false prophets like Witch of endore or Balaam, who spoke truth but were also consider false prophets. Jesus claimed to be the light of the world. In Sunday school and Vacation Bible School one might sing, This Little Light Of Mine as a child. The light we are to shine is the light of Jesus. Jesus light he would be shining would be the light of Father as a prophet, be also shone his own light that was of his Father. No scripture did declare it quite like that. Every prophet that is of God shines the light of God the Father. Those that believe Jesus is a prophet, recognize he shows the light of His Heavenly Father. Jesus claimed to shine his own light to the world. Once more putting himself equal to God the Father. Declaring himself more then a prophet. Now hold on, Jesus declares in scripture He is more then a prophet and good teacher. Yes he does. Most that do not see Jesus beyond a prophet can not accept the teaching of John 8:20-end of chapter. I will be going over the other section of John 8 this week. I know going into another month, so this particular lesson will be included with next month as well as this month. In truth it is running together with other passage I have done lately. Some groups will deny that all of the Bible is true, and others will only except certain portions of scripture. Even Balaam spoke God's word. No I am not compare Jesus as being Balaam, but I am asking if you believe Jesus to be the Son/God, then are you declaring Jesus equality with God being far superior then any prophet, on only equal to the prophets of old? Despite evidence of Jesus declaring his oneness with God the Father, one can not argue the point that scripture does declare it. Is Jesus in anyway less then His Father God Jehovah. Are they one and the same or are they two separate beings? The question can go in circles because of how scripture declares Jesus as Son of God. If a Son then is he equal in person to God before human birth? Yet Revelations declares Jesus as being the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. If Jesus is the light of the world how so. Jesus taught things that are beneficial not only spiritually but also things good for social law. Jesus is the light of the world because the things he taught were good. Jesus is the light of the world because He brought hope of eternal life. Jesus is the light of the world because He judge not but stated his judgment would be true if he did. He came to love the world to teach them how to live. Is society in general good without knowledge of God, perhaps in someways, yet it is education without hope. Hope beyond tomorrow is what Jesus promises, hope beyond life in this world Hope that when you die, your not just dead, or ceasing to exist. That some how despite our life here on earth there is hope beyond this world we are in. Jesus declares his testimony to be true. Now the testimony of one man in any court of law is only believable in small claims court with proof or evidence of facts presented. Yet the testimony of more then one person is need to try a case. The argument by the people is that Jesus had no witness. Jesus declares his Heavenly Father is his witness, declaring there is someone besides himself. Yet if we declare Jesus is one with the Father or the same as the Father, it denies the witness of two and makes Jesus statement false in regards to two witnesses. Does this give you a headache. Probably so, but the oneness of God and Christ makes one Lord, because of the uniqueness of God the Father being equal to His Son in all judgment and truth. They are so unified that it is if only one person is speaking and not two. Yet God is seen in three person, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, if nothing more for our benefit of unity of recognizing who God is and that is consistently the same. If we witness someone claiming to be God are they consistent with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and if not then they are a false prophet. Now the question then is asked does Jesus teach what God the Father taught and did early church leaders follow Christ instruction in Matthew 28 of teaching the things that Jesus taught. If Jesus being the light of the world because of his oneness with God the Father, should his disciples be equal to God the Father also, the answer is no. What makes us unequal to God is our humanity. Jesus came as a man in the flesh from above/heaven as a babe by conception by God's word, we are not from above but from the earth. However the prophetic call should still apply from Old Testament on what makes a prophet versa what does not, and can be applied to New Testament prophets til even the future of defining who is called to be a prophet. Jesus prophesize to our hearts whether something is true by the Holy Spirit. There is only one Spirit of God, not two. There is Christ and his Father is one by the Spirit. Jesus therefore more then man in the flesh, but equal to God the Father. Those knowing their scripture is chasing scripture perhaps in their mind as they read this and that is good. For you that know not scripture hold this devotion for awhile as you seek through scripture to find out for yourself if what said here is true. I know for myself I teach because I teach myself many things, some call it learning on your own. Yet spiritual things must be taught by God to the believer. I am not God, but the Holy Spirit intercedes to the believer if what I say is true. And if you read scripture on your own then you know that Jesus is true in what He says and does. I am only human, but if what I convey speaks to your heart, then you know Jesus is speaking to your heart and mind because of His Spirit speaking to you about what I say. If it does not speak to you, then perhaps your not in your journey with God where I am, or have been. In truth that okay, you will either go through scripture and learn at some point the spiritual truth of Jesus being the LIght of the world beyond salvation and with salvation. Light of God was not just for salvation, but to help us live in this world as brothers and sisters of both faith and non faith. There are non believers that learn scripture because of the teaching of Christ. Prophets and the Apostles/Disciples spread the light of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Dear Heavenly Father, help us in our journey this morning of recognizing Jesus' Lordship and equality with the Father so we too with share the light of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In Jesus precious name, Amen. Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: Deutronomy 18:18-22 KJV 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. 21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. http://www.turtle30cshell.com