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John 2:18-21

John 2:18-21

“The Jews then said to Him, ‘What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this sanctuary, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body.”

– John 2:18-21

Main Thought: This conversation with the Jews followed immediately after Jesus had turned over the tables of the money changers and driven them out of the temple area. They questioned His authority, asking for a sign that would validate His authority in performing this cleansing of the temple. He informed them that if they destroyed this sanctuary, He would raise it in three days. It must have seemed to them that He was a madman since it took forty-six years to build Herod’s temple. However, the Jews and the disciples both missed His meaning, for He was not speaking of the physical temple in Jerusalem, but He was speaking of the temple or sanctuary of His body. He was speaking prophetically of when he would raise up his body once again to life. The importance of the resurrection of Christ from the dead cannot be overstated, for as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:17, if Christ was not raised from the dead, then our faith is in vain. However, the multiple appearances of Christ to His apostles, and eventually to over 500 of His followers, is overwhelming eyewitness historical evidence that Christ did rise from the dead and that we have a living hope of eternal life. Besides that, the new life we possess as believers in Jesus Christ is evidence of the resurrection and the fact that He overcame the grave and is at the Father’s right hand even now. Paul states in Ephesians 1:19-20 that the power, or might, by which we have been saved is no less than the power by which Christ himself was raised from the dead. Our faith is not just in a crucified Christ, but a crucified, risen, and living Christ who paid our sin debt and is reigning now in Heaven. While the scoffers and the unbelievers may reject the idea of a substitutionary atonement and a resurrected Lord, we know by faith as His people that He has fully paid our sin debt and will return again for us one day. May we give our thanks daily for our resurrected and living Savior.
David Webber

David Webber

David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.

Faith Baptist Church: Longview, Texas
More from David Webber
Romans 4:2-3
Romans 4:2-3

“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about–but not before God! For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” – Romans 4:2-3

John 11:25-27
John 11:25-27

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die–ever. Do you believe this?’ She (Martha) said to Him, ‘Yes Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One who comes into the world.” – John 11:25-27

John 8:23-24
John 8:23-24

“And He was saying to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am His, you will die in your sins.” – John 8:23-24

John 6:39-40
John 6:39-40

“Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” – John 6:39-40

John 2:18-21
John 2:18-21

“The Jews then said to Him, ‘What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this sanctuary, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body.” – John 2:18-21

John 1:14
John 1:14

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

Psalm 85:6
Psalm 85:6

“Will You not Yourself return to revive us, that your people may be glad in You?” – Psalm 85:6

Psalm 86:1 and 86:5
Psalm 86:1 and 86:5

“Incline your ear, O Yahweh, and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy…For You, Lord, are good, and by nature forgiving, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.” – Psalm 86:1 and 86:5

John 14:19
John 14:19

“After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me, because I live, you will live also.” – John 14:19

John 2:18-21

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill all your good pleasure for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

– 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Main Thought: As in many of his epistles, the apostle in this second letter to the Thessalonian church opens by praying for them. By this, he indicates that he was not simply a man of preaching and teaching doctrine, but a man of prayer, deeply concerned for the spiritual growth and well-being of those he knew and loved. He indicates that this concern is “for you always,” letting them know that they were never out of his mind and heart. What did he indicate he was praying for? First, so God would count or make them worthy of the calling of Christ. We need to be reminded that we were called by God, through the effectual working of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel, out of our sin and darkness into salvation and standing as the sons of God. As such, God has empowered us to live a life that honors Christ and bears spiritual fruit that gives evidence of the work of salvation in us. Secondly, he is asking for them that every holy and righteous resolve or desire that we have, every work of faith that we are motivated to perform, would be enabled and strengthened with power. This power is the same power that is spoken of in Romans 1:16 where Paul writes of the Gospel “being the power of God to salvation.” Our faith begins with the power of God, and the walk of faith and the works of faith continue to be empowered by God himself. We are humbled to remember that whatever we accomplish for Christ in this life is by His power. Then Paul reveals the purpose of this prayer: “That the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him.” As the apostle Paul recognized, all of us are children of God by His grace and that all we are is because of the grace of God. The purpose of our lives as His children, from the very beginning of our salvation, until we are called home to Him, is that He would be glorified in us. What a wonderful reminder of the love Paul had for those he ministered to, and a reminder to us that our purpose with every breath we take is to glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
David Webber

David Webber

David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.

Faith Baptist Church: Longview, Texas
More from David Webber
Romans 4:2-3
Romans 4:2-3

“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about–but not before God! For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” – Romans 4:2-3

John 11:25-27
John 11:25-27

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die–ever. Do you believe this?’ She (Martha) said to Him, ‘Yes Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One who comes into the world.” – John 11:25-27

John 8:23-24
John 8:23-24

“And He was saying to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am His, you will die in your sins.” – John 8:23-24

John 6:39-40
John 6:39-40

“Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” – John 6:39-40

John 2:18-21
John 2:18-21

“The Jews then said to Him, ‘What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this sanctuary, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body.” – John 2:18-21

John 1:14
John 1:14

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

Psalm 85:6
Psalm 85:6

“Will You not Yourself return to revive us, that your people may be glad in You?” – Psalm 85:6

Psalm 86:1 and 86:5
Psalm 86:1 and 86:5

“Incline your ear, O Yahweh, and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy…For You, Lord, are good, and by nature forgiving, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.” – Psalm 86:1 and 86:5

John 14:19
John 14:19

“After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me, because I live, you will live also.” – John 14:19

John 2:18-21

Psalm 86:9

“All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.”

Psalm 86:9

Main Thought: In this verse of Psalm 86, David is reminding us and all who will ever read this, that it is not men or governments that make nations and determine their power or success, but it is the Lord who has made them. They did not come into existence of their own will and power, but God brings nations into existence and places of prominence. At the same time, God brings those same nations back down, usually because they have lifted themselves up in pride and have forsaken and forgotten the Lord who created them. In Daniel 4, we have recounted the story of how King Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up in pride and declared how he had made Babylon great by his own power (Daniel 4:30). In a moment, God took his reason and his kingdom from him, and made him like a beast of the field for a time. When God brought him out of this time of madness, he lifted his eyes to the heavens and praised God “who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation….and he does according to his will among the host of heaven…and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?'” (Daniel 4:34-36). Nations and leaders may deny and not worship the God who created them now, but David makes it plain that one day all the nations and their rulers will come and bow their knees and worship the Lord and glorify His name. Our call as believers in Christ is to call all men and nations to acknowledge Him, worship, and glorify Him now in humble adoration as long as we have breath. In Psalm 2:12, David reminds us to “kiss the Son, lest he be angry…Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.” Oh, what a wonderful thought it is for the believer in Christ, the ones who have kissed the Son, that this One who saved us and now rules our hearts and lives and we worship and glorify, will be the object of our eternal worship because our refuge is in Him. Lift high His holy and glorious name for now and forevermore and worship Him!

David Webber

David Webber

David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.

Faith Baptist Church: Longview, Texas
More from David Webber
Romans 4:2-3
Romans 4:2-3

“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about–but not before God! For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” – Romans 4:2-3

John 11:25-27
John 11:25-27

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die–ever. Do you believe this?’ She (Martha) said to Him, ‘Yes Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One who comes into the world.” – John 11:25-27

John 8:23-24
John 8:23-24

“And He was saying to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am His, you will die in your sins.” – John 8:23-24

John 6:39-40
John 6:39-40

“Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” – John 6:39-40

John 2:18-21
John 2:18-21

“The Jews then said to Him, ‘What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this sanctuary, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body.” – John 2:18-21

John 1:14
John 1:14

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

Psalm 85:6
Psalm 85:6

“Will You not Yourself return to revive us, that your people may be glad in You?” – Psalm 85:6

Psalm 86:1 and 86:5
Psalm 86:1 and 86:5

“Incline your ear, O Yahweh, and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy…For You, Lord, are good, and by nature forgiving, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.” – Psalm 86:1 and 86:5

John 14:19
John 14:19

“After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me, because I live, you will live also.” – John 14:19