The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Hebrews 5-6
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”[a] 6 So we may boldly say:
“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Having taken the promise that God will never leave us or forsake us, then we have to respond according to our belief in that promise. We know God is true in His Word, and if we truly believe in God, then this promise should motivate us into boldness. Peter and the other apostles were bold after Pentecost, in preaching about the Kingdom of God. With the Holy Spirit in us, we too can act with this boldness. Fear will put thoughts into us, but it can be overcome by remembering this promise and that the Lord is my Helper.

Note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them

A certain believer called Phoebe was highly commended by Paul in his letter and he asked people to support her. Priscilla and Aquila were mentioned and they took risks to save Paul. Many other men and women believers were mentioned by Paul as he remembered them for their hard work in establishing the new church.

After that Paul warns against people who causes division and offences in church. Clearly these conflicts already existed since the first churches gathered together. Finally Paul gave the benediction and note that the things which were cryptic and secret in the Scriptures have know been revealed by the gospel through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence the common phrase "God works in mysterious ways" has no credence anymore.



Romans 16
Sister Phoebe Commended

1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

Greeting Roman Saints

3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.

Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia[a] to Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my countryman.[b] Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The[c] churches of Christ greet you.

Avoid Divisive Persons

17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus[d] Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Greetings from Paul’s Friends

21 Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you.

22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.[e]

Benediction

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.[f]

For all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you

Jesus uses the analogy of the vine to explain the relationship between God the Father, Jesus Himself and His people. Jesus is the vine and His people are the branches. Those who bear fruit will be pruned and produce more fruit. Those who are unfruitful will be cast out, thrown away and burned. This is again the principle of increasing those who are faithful and removing those who are not. The goal at the end of this is that the Father is glorified.

Jesus continues to teach His disciples various important things regarding His relationship with them. They include:
- Loving Him mean obeying His commandments.
- Although commandment also include the Old Testament commandments, but the context is the commandment of love which all others hang on, together with the commandment to love God.
- Jesus describes the ultimate sign of love is to sacrifice ourselves for one another.
- Jesus does not regard us and Him as servant - master relationship. Indeed Jesus the Lord says He regards us as His friends. Some people emphasise the reverence and fear of God and disregard those who call Jesus as a friend. In this Scripture we see Jesus Himself clearly says if we obey Him, He regards us as friends.
- A significant result of such friendship between Jesus and us is that He would reveal many things to us, and we can no longer say those phrases like "God is a mysterious God", since Jesus says "for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."

Jesus explains that the world, meaning the unbelievers, will hate his followers. This is not because of the followers but because they are actually hating Jesus and so His followers will experience their hatred too. They will not hate their fellow unbelievers. Jesus also explained their source of hatred is fulfilling prophecy that they hated Him without a cause. Finally Jesus promises the Holy Spirit who will be send by the Father, who will witness Jesus to us.









John 15
The True Vine

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;[a] and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will[b] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Love and Joy Perfected

9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

The World’s Hatred

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’[c]

The Coming Rejection

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me

Jesus revealed more about Himself, in particular about the future. He describes and promises our future in heaven, that He is preparing the way and that there is plenty of room in Heaven. Thomas wanted to know exactly the details of going to heaven like many of us, but Jesus revealed that the key is to trust and know that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that is enough. Phillip still asked Jesus to show them God the Father so that would satisfy them. Then Jesus rebuked them for being with Him so long yet do not understand that He and His Father is One. They, like us, need to believe that when they see Jesus, they have seen the Father.

Jesus explains that when He goes, His believers would be able to do greater things than Him, so that the Father is glorified. He also teaches us to do things in His name. He also promises His followers, those who love Him and follow His commandments that the Holy Spirit will be given to them. It will be through the Holy Spirit, that we can remain in Jesus and He in us. Finally He told His disciples that the Holy Spirit will give them peace and that He told them this so that they will understand when it comes in the future.





John 14
The Way, the Truth, and the Life

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions;[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The Father Revealed

7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

The Answered Prayer

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask[c] anything in My name, I will do it.

Jesus Promises Another Helper

15 “If you love Me, keep[d] My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Indwelling of the Father and the Son

19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

The Gift of His Peace

25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said,[e] ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.