Parresia · Beholding Jesus in His Amazing Grace, Session 10, “Jesus, Our Eye Opener”

Introduction

Welcome to session 10 of Beholding Jesus in His Amazing Grace. This session is entitled, “Jesus, Our Eye Opener.”

John 9:25, NIV – “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” [- not because of anything I did, but because of His grace.]

Last week, after I had shared all these wonderful Old Testament pictures of Jesus in the Peace Offering, the Feast of First Fruits, and Noah’s Ark, we had a discussion about how is it possible that the people in Jesus’s time couldn’t see  that Jesus was the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies and types and shadows? How could they not see that He was the Messiah and King they had been waiting for?”

I believe it’s because they weren’t looking for Him. They were looking for something else: an earthly king. They were looking for an earthly solution to their problems and to the cultural and governmental issues of their time. Even in their religion, they were looking for something natural.

Isn’t that what happens to all of us when we are blind to spiritual truth? We’re looking for a natural solution – even in our so-called spiritual activities.

So I ask myself – for all those years, why couldn’t I see?  In those miserable years, I kept saying, “There must be a missing link!” I did everything thing I could to fix myself from burnout and misery and unforgiveness and feelings of unworthiness, and that was all while overseeing a ministry that literally affected thousands of people!

I prayed, I fasted. I served. I wrote Bible studies, I was very committed! But I couldn’t see pure grace, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I thought my doctrine was fine. And even though I still believe most of what I believed then, I couldn’t see Jesus for who He really was, I couldn’t see the finished work, I couldn’t see from a New Covenant perspective, I certainly couldn’t see what He sees when He looks at me. 

When I was at the end of myself [which is basically the place we must come] in one encounter with Jesus, He opened my eyes to all of it. And what I see I can never unsee. But it came out of left field! It wasn’t at all what I thought I was missing. It wasn’t what I was looking for.

I thought I needed more prayer, more worship, more instruction, more strategies, more love, more power, more SOMETHING! What I didn’t realize is that I already had it!!! I already had everything in Jesus.

The point is this: the reason that any of us didn’t see it before we saw it is because we weren’t looking for it – we were looking for something else in all the wrong places, and Jesus had to open our eyes to it. 

Of course, what is this “it” I am referring to? It’s simply Jesus Himself. I couldn’t see Jesus, and you know why? I was looking for myself. For example, I would read the Old Testament, and instead of seeing Jesus and in the types and shadows, I would see myself, and instructions for how to be a better person, how to be a better minister, and all it did was wear me out and discourage me because I never measured up.

Recently, Mark and I went to a new Mexican restaurant nearby. At the table next to us was a group of good looking, young college-age guys. I mean they were cool, muscular, perfect specimens – every one of them! Not a messy one in the bunch. 

And there was also one really spiffy older guy about our age. He had a big huge Bible on the table, and he was going on and on about Moses and Joshua and giving your all for God and being passionate and laying down your life for God. He was quite loud. But I never heard a word about Jesus.

I got tired just listening to him. What he was doing – with the best of intentions, I’m sure, was trying to tap into the passion and emotion that all young people have. I told Mark, “I feel so sorry for those kids. He’s getting them so hyped up to try reach an impossible standard, and they’re going to burn and crash if they don’t understand the love of Jesus for them!”

I told Mark I wish I had 10 minutes with them. I would tell them all about how God isn’t counting their sins against them because all of their sins were counted against Jesus at the cross. I would do my best to overwhelm them with the love of God. Then maybe they would bawl like a baby – like I have been doing for so many years.

And then no one would have to tell them to go share the gospel. They would be compelled. They would soar like eagles. 

At the end of their meal, the older guy left them at the table. The very next thing that the young leader of the bunch did was to start talking about confession of sins and accountability. I thought, “Here we go again!” Nothing about Jesus.

When it comes down to it, when we can’t see Jesus, it’s because we have made ourselves central and not Him.

John 5:39-40, The Message – [In the Message paraphrase, Jesus said to the Pharisees-] “You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want.” [You’d rather earn it yourself]

In Matthew 11, after lamenting about the blindness of that generation, Jesus prayed – 

Mathew 11:25-30, NIV – “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” [And them Jesus turned and, He said this to the people -] 27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. [Who are those to whom Jesus reveals the Father and His true nature, His love, His goodness, and His grace? Well, He invites them in the next verse-] 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

Just as Jesus was the answer for that generation, He is answer for the world today. Those who are weary and burdened and ready to wave the white flag of surrender from self-sufficiency and self-reliance, can find their rest in Jesus. 

The rest of John 20:

Ok – I’d like to go back to John 20 and pick up where we left off last week. I will warn you, this message is going to be more of a yarn than an organized teaching. It’s a beautiful story of Jesus revealing Himself after His resurrection.

In John 20, Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection. He instructed her –

John 20:17-22 – “Go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father, and to My God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. [You remember – He had said her name – that’s how she knew it was Him – so personal] 19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, [they were afraid of persecution, but Jesus is going to take care of that at Pentecost. And -] Jesus came and stood in the midst,  [He came right through the walls] and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. [Why did He show them his wounds? Because His scars were the RECEIPT of the payment for their peace. He was saying, “Receive your reconciliation; it’s paid for.”] Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. [We’ll see in Luke account that they were at first terrified and then bewildered beyond belief] 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” [He is sending them to do His ministry – to be heaven’s agents on earth. But this time, they would be going out without His bodily presence. But NOW the Spirit, the Advocate and Helper, who had been WITH them, would now dwell IN them – ] 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” [Jesus, as the head and first fruit of the new creation, breathed new life in them and they spiritually alive and forever new]

The phrase “breathed on” is the Greek word “emphysaō.” [em-foo-sah’-o] This word is not used anywhere else in the New Testament, but it is the very word used in the Septuagint – the Greek translation of the Old Testament – for when God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life in Genesis 2:7. 

Genesis 2:7 – And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

So just as God completed the old creation by breathing life into the first   Adam;  Jesus, the Last Adam, began the new creation by breathing His Spirit into man on the day of His resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:45, 48 – And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.… 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.

And this new creation, born of God, were now citizens of heaven with a heavenly mandate and commission: to be ambassadors for Christ and ministers of reconciliation.  This commission is what Jesus was referring to in the next verse in John 20 – 

John 20:23 – If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 

So what is Jesus saying here? Is he granting them absolution? Is He saying they have the authority to absolutely pardon or not pardon anyone’s sin? No.

He was sending them – as He also sends us – to share the means by which people can be saved. John 20:23 can be directly cross-referenced with Luke’s account [vs 24:47] in which Jesus tells them that “repentance and remission of sins [forgiveness of sins] should be preached in His name to all nations.”

The very core of the gospel message is the truth that we receive the forgiveness of our sins by faith in Jesus Christ – as Paul said, for the Jew first, and then for the Gentile.

Acts 13:38-39 – [At Antioch Paul preached to his own people, the Jews, saying] “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man [Jesus Christ] is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” [the law of Moses didn’t make anyone right with God]

Acts 26:17-18, NLT – [After Paul had encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, Jesus commission him saying – ] “I am sending you to the Gentiles 18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.”

As I said, Jesus was sending His disciples into the same ministry that was given to Him by the Father. Why? because He would be leaving soon to return to heaven. 

So with the breath of God, they have become living spirits – a new creation – children of God, blameless and holy – “if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is holy.” And then before His ascension back to heaven, in Acts 1 –

Acts 1:4-5 – He [Jesus] commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; [which you’ve heard me talk about] 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” … 8 you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Then in Acts 2, we see the birth of the church and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, filling them with the power to spread the gospel with boldness and to serve as heaven’s representatives of God’s mercy and grace and peace in the earth.

And not coincidentally, on the day of Pentecost, Peter preached and 3000 people were saved. The one who at one time had cowered to a slave girl and denied Jesus was the first to preach the gospel of grace to the masses. He was truly a new creation filled with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus reveals Himself to the disciples

John 20:24-25 – Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, [Thomas] “We have seen the Lord.” So he [Thomas] said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

Now I want to stop here and contrast Thomas, who needed to see Jesus in the flesh, with the two on the road to Emmaus – Cleopas and his companion, possibly his wife – to whom Jesus had appeared earlier on resurrection day. Which by the way, according to Luke’s gospel, these two people were actually there with the disciples when Jesus appeared through the walls.

As you recall, when Jesus appeared to the two on the Road to Emmaus, He restrained their eyes from recognizing Him, and then He unraveled the Scarlet Thread throughout the whole Old Testament for them.

Luke 24:27 – …beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. 

The whole time their eyes were restrained from knowing who He was because It was more important that they see Him in the word than it was that they see Him in the flesh.

So as they neared Emmaus, they asked Him to come into the house. And as you recall, when Jesus broke the bread, their eyes were opened, and they had full understanding of who He was, and they believed, and then He vanished, and their heart burned within them.

Luke 24:33-49 – [So now we’ll look at Luke’s account of that same event on resurrection day where Jesus appeared to His disciples] So they [the two from Emmaus] rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, [7 miles back!] and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, [so Cleopas and his companion find the 11 disciples and some other people who are gathered together in this room. So the two were -] 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” [Ok. Pease file that statement because we will get back to it in my next message in John 21.] 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He [Jesus] was known to them in the breaking of bread.” [This was an expression that by this point had a definite meaning for them – the Last Supper being just days before – He has said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Jesus is known – even today – in the breaking of the bread of the Lord’s Supper – His body broken for us is to give us life.] 36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. [They didn’t believe they were seeing a real body! They couldn’t believe what their own eyes were telling them. They truly wanted to believe, but can you imagine all the emotions of seeing Jesus resurrected? It seemed to be too good to be true. That’s the way I felt when encountered Jesus, and He showed me grace. I thought, “This can’t be true!”] 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” 40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. [Do you understand how critical it is that we believe in Jesus’s bodily resurrection? Remember last week – 1 Corinthians 15:17 – “if Christ is NOT risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” Remember Hebrews 10:5 – A body was prepared for Jesus so that He might be our Lamb of God, die for us with our sin, and then rise again without it.] 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” [We’ll see that this is the same question He asked in John 21:5 when Jesus is on the shore and calls to them in the sea. The resurrected Jesus ate real food in a real body.] 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence. 44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” [I’ve told you all this before, but you just didn’t understand] 45 And [just like the two on the Road to Emmaus- ] He opened their understanding, [by showing them that scarlet thread] that they might comprehend the Scriptures. [How did they comprehend the scriptures? Jesus Himself “opened their understanding.” How to WE comprehend the scriptures? The Spirit of Jesus, who is the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, who is the Spirit of Truth, opens the eyes our understanding and TEACHES us all things concerning Jesus, as Jesus said in John 14:26, and He GUIDES us into all truth as Jesus said in John 16:13.] 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission [forgiveness] of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” [And you know the story – there were 120 in the upper room waiting and on Pentecost the Holy Spirit blew in as a mighty rushing wind and fell as tongues of fire on all of them]

Jesus reveals Himself to Thomas

Back to Thomas – he demanded to see Jesus in the flesh. The two on the road to Emmaus were with Jesus in the flesh, but didn’t recognize Him  – instead, they saw Him in the Word.

So which is right? Must we first see Him in the Word? Is that the only way? Although He’s not here in the flesh, is it possible that we might see Him in a vision or a dream or have an encounter like Saul on the Road to Damascus? Of course! Maybe Jesus just meets us where we are.

Ok, back to John – chapter 20, verse 26, and to the next time that Jesus appeared to His disciples – this time Thomas was with them.

John 20:26-31 – And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” [2nd time He walks through the walls] 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. [Jesus is explicitly answering Thomas’s demands] Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” [Jesus met Thomas where he was. Jesus helped him to believe by giving him what he asked for. So I won’t be critical of those who ask God to give them some proof that He is real. God has answered that sincere request many, many times. I remember a friend of mine telling the story of his conversion and how when he had a gun to his head to end his life because of depression, his dying request was “God if You are real, show me!” And the man was with his dog when he cried out to God. And all of a sudden his eyes met his dog’s eyes, and the love he had for his dog kept him from killing himself. God used the dog to save the man, and that man went on to be a mighty preacher of the gospel.] 29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Did you know that Jesus prayed for all of us who live today and weren’t there on resurrection day and the following week in that room to put our fingers on the scars of His hands or put our hands into His side –

John 17:20 – [Before Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed] “I do not pray for these alone [these disciples who were with Him], but also for those who will believe in Me through their word…[And remember Jesus always gets what He prays for!]  

Today we have these wonderful Holy Spirit inspired letters and gospels and books and Psalms that we call the Bible. And we preach the same message that they preached so long ago. And it still pleases “God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” . (1 Corinthians 1:21) 

And People are still convinced to this day by power of miracles. Paul wrote to the Romans – 

Romans 15:18-19, NLT – Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by [two things – #1 – ] my message [which is the gospel of grace] and [#2-] by the way I worked among them. 19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News.

Back to John 20 – 

John 20:30-31 – And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written [why?] that you may believe that [#1] Jesus is the Christ [That is His role, His position, His title, “Christ” is the Greek word Christos which means “anointed” – He is our anointed Messiah, who is the King of Kings, Our Savior. And these things are written – so that people would believe that He is – #2 ], the Son of God, [That is His identity.] and that believing you may have life [Zoe- abundant God-life] in His name.

Conclusion 

Can you see that the opening of our spiritual eyes is so personal? Can you see that Jesus knows exactly what each of us needs to wake us up to truth and convince us of His grace? Every one of us has a unique story. But there is something that we all have in common, no matter how we came to understand the truth, it was a gift from Jesus.

Proverbs 20:12, NLT – Ears to hear and eyes to see—both are gifts from the Lord.

The other day we were driving in Chattanooga, and I saw big huge eyes on a billboard. Then I looked over at little Maggie in her carseat beside me, and I blurted out to Frances, “How can anyone say there isn’t a God when they look at eyeballs? I mean really! We can see! It’s just crazy!” 

God gave us eyes so we can see! He wants us to see. He wants us to see Jesus. He wants us to find the answers to our questions about Him. He wants us to know the hidden secrets of heaven.

Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. 

We are kings. It’s part of our role in God’s kingdom – that kingdom in which we are seated in heavenly places in Christ. He will give us His perspective on all earthly matters if we are willing to look away from the world and look to Jesus.

Hebrews 12:2 – …looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith… [Looking is the Greek word aphoraō – and it means to look away from other things and look to Jesus. We have to change our focus.]

Colossians 3:2-3 – Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

1 Corinthians 2:12 – Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. [We’ve been given the wisdom of God, the grace of God, the righteousness of God, the life of God. All in Christ Jesus. We have health and peace and faith. And we have been given eyes to see.]

And this gift of eyesight is for anyone who has come to the end of their flesh, and is ready to come to Jesus.

When Jesus began His ministry, He went into the temple and opened the book of Isaiah and read Isaiah 61. He said the Father  

Luke 4:18-19 – “He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed…” 

If we look up that passage in Isaiah, there will be one difference: instead of “recovery of sight,” in Isaiah it says “the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

Isaiah 61:1 – …the opening of the prison to those who are bound…

The Hebrew phrase “opening of the prison” literally means “the opening of eyes (wide).” The worst prison is a prison of spiritual blindness.

But Jesus is the opener of our eyes. He said, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” By His very life He has revealed who God truly is: a God of grace and mercy and unconditional love. And the truth has set us free.

Psalm 146:7-8, NLT – The Lord [Himself] frees the prisoners. 8 The Lord [Himself] opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord [Himself] lifts up those who are weighed down.

What we need most in this dark time in history is the light of the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 42:6-7, 16 – [In Isaiah 42, God Himself said of His Son -] “I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, [why?] 7 to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.… 16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.”

So let’s  pray for revival – a great awakening for the lost who have never known Jesus and for the prodigals who once walked with the Him. Pray for that kairos window of opportunity to open, and for the mercy of God to reach those who are weary, hungry, and thirsty.  

But let’s don’t stop there. Let’s pray for the all those in authority over us – even those who are corrupt and wicked. No one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy and grace. Where would any of us be without Jesus?

The wrath of God was poured out on Jesus for all our sins.  So let’s don’t buy into all the loud voices saying that we are doomed as a nation and that God is pouring out wrath on our nation. 

I will never forget teaching to a group years ago on 2 Corinthians 5 and how God wasn’t counting our sins against us because Jesus bore the wrath that we deserved. So – 

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 – Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: “we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. [in other words, believe and receive the forgiveness of your sins – ] 21 For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

I said to the people, Jesus didn’t die for the “sweet Christians.” Why? Because there aren’t any! He died for sinners so He could make them sons. After I taught, this older lady said, “I have never heard that before. I never thought about how Jesus died even for Hitler.” 

Yes, He died for the ungodly. So let’s pray for everyone!

1 Timothy 2:4 – [God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. [And because of this desire, God is patient.]

Do you ever wish that Jesus would just come on back in our lifetime? Does it seem like it’s taking a long time? Well, His perspective on time is different than ours, and there’s a reason that He hasn’t returned yet.

2 Peter 3:8-9, TLB – But don’t forget this, dear friends, that a day or a thousand years from now is like tomorrow to the Lord. 9 He isn’t really being slow about his promised return, even though it sometimes seems that way. But he is waiting, for the good reason that he is not willing that any should perish, and he is giving more time for sinners to repent.

He waits – not because He is slow. He is never slow, and He is never late. He’s always on time – heaven’s time. And heaven’s time is not based on the human calendar. Heaven’s time is measured by love and mercy. 

But we have a part in His plan – we have a job to do. Paul instructed Timothy – 

2 Timothy 2:23-26, NLT – Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses [ananēphō – to return to soberness] and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

There’s no better prayer for the lost, blind, and deceived than to pray that God will change their hearts and they will learn the truth. Pray that they come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil so that they are no longer held captive by him to do his will. Pray that they will instead turn to the Lord – this is the will of God for them.

The beautiful, but painful Messianic Psalm 22, which foretells Jesus’s suffering, gives us God’s glorious intended result: 

Psalm 22:27-31, the Message – From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him. God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word. [Jesus Himself is His final word! It is finished! And if you don’t believe in God’s mercy – listen to this -] 29 All the power-mongers are before him—worshiping! All the poor and powerless, too—worshiping! Along with those who never got it together—worshiping! 30-31 Our children and their children will get in on this as the word is passed along from parent to child. Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news—that God does what he says.

Amen?!

Copyright info: All scriptures in the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

• (NKJV) New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
• (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
• (TLB) The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
• The Message, Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson