Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 218

August 6;       Luke 20:1;       64/260(III);       ‘The Gospel in Church’

Luke 20:1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him

The Lord Jesus is our Example of what to do.  Jesus was in the temple teaching and preaching the gospel, the Word of God.  The religious leaders, who taught their man made religious traditions confronted Him.  Religion is an incredible tool of the devil.  Religion is so dangerous because it does two things.  First it teaches people what is not true concerning the Lord.  Religion is always teaching what you have to do to please God and it is legalistic, demanding that we do what no one, including those who teach it can do.  Second, religion is looked upon by those who do not know the Lord, as what God demands.  Their idea of who the Lord is, is completely misunderstood.  They feel, rightfully so, that if this is what God is like, I do not want to have anything to do with Him.  The temple is a type of the church and this verse teaches that Jesus was in the temple teaching and preaching the Word, truth.  In order for someone to know the Lord properly, they must go to a church where the Word of God is taught.  Oftentimes, even when the Word is taught, it is not taught in its fullness.  A perfect example is healing.  People have a physical challenge and the church they attend does not believe that healing is for today.  That person is greatly hindered in their ability to receive healing if the church they attend does not believe in it.  Jesus wants the ‘full counsel’ of the Word taught in all of its power, in the church you attend.  The Word covers every need.