Righteous Invasion of Truth

Dr. Abel Damina: Praise the Lord. Abel Damina is my name. I want to welcome you to this broadcast, a time of learning, a time of unlearning, and a time of relearning.

The essence of this broadcast is to bring to you the revelation of Jesus Christ. The mandate of God on our ministry is the revelation of Jesus, reintroducing Jesus to this generation, equipping the believer to know who you are in Christ, what you have in Christ, and what Christ can do through you.

So get ready, fasten your seatbelts. Today, we're going to adventure in the scriptures. The scriptures tell us in John 5:39, Jesus speaking to the Jews said, "You search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life, but they are they which testify of me." The Bible is Christocentric. It's a message centered on the person of Jesus Christ.

So get ready today as we traverse through the pages of the scriptures, unveiling Christ so we can reveal your true identity in Christ. Because once you know who you are in Christ, then you will know what you have in Christ and then you can be able to know what Christ can do through you. It gives you a life of fulfillment, a life that is purpose-driven so you can make the impact you were designed to make in this life through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Call a friend, call a loved one. Tell somebody to tell somebody to hook up right now as I take you into that service where the spirit of our God is already moving. Happy listening.

Guest (Female): Matthew the 28th chapter, the 18th verse to the 20th. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Next verse. "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Verse 20. "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

Dr. Abel Damina: Now we have established that the emphasis is on making disciples. The word mathēteuō, M-A-T-H-E-T-E-U-O, mathēteuō, to teach and to train people. Making disciples is to have a follower by knowledge. Matthew 11:28 and verse 29.

Guest (Female): "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Next verse. "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Dr. Abel Damina: That is to have a follower by knowledge, making disciples. And the yoke is referring to a learning, to learn of me. Look at verse 25 and 26 of Matthew 11.

Guest (Female): At that time, Jesus answered and said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes." Next verse. "Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight."

Dr. Abel Damina: All things are delivered unto me of my Father. No man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. So that is you follow and in the course of following, you learn the revelation of the Father. You learn of the Father. You learn of Christ.

That's the import of what he's talking about, and that's exactly what discipleship is. Discipleship is a learning process. Now we're looking at the word church service, and when you say we have a church service, you need to know what it means from the scriptural concept of church. Mark chapter 16, verse 15 to 20.

Guest (Female): And he said unto them, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Next verse. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Next verse. "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues." Next verse. "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

Next verse. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God. Next verse. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following.

Dr. Abel Damina: They went forth and preached the gospel everywhere. Now that word gospel there simply means the news of the kingdom. Gospel means the news of the kingdom or war exploits. That's the meaning of the word gospel: the news of the kingdom or war exploits. That's what the gospel implies.

We said it means that there is a war Jesus won, and we carry the news of this victory. We carry the news of this triumph, so we call the gospel kingdom news. Acts of the Apostles chapter 1, verse 2 to 3.

Guest (Female): Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen. Next verse. To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Dr. Abel Damina: And speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. And that is where Brother Luke is speaking about this news, the kingdom of God. That's the gospel. So the gospel is the story of the kingdom of God, or the gospel is the story of kingdom, or the gospel is the news of the kingdom.

Now let's go to the book of Luke chapter 24, 25 to 27 as we begin this.

Guest (Female): Then he said unto them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." Next verse. "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Dr. Abel Damina: So we said that Jesus's Bible was the Old Testament books as we call them now. The Bible that Jesus used was the Old Testament books. Or Jesus's Bible or his references were Genesis to Malachi. These were his basic references, Genesis to Malachi.

One of the rules to understand what someone is saying is to read where he is reading from, which means if Jesus is reading from the Old Testament and you are reading the words of Jesus, you must pay attention to the Old Testament. You need the Old Testament, as we call it, to read the New Testament books. The correct context of the New Testament books are the Old Testament books.

In Luke chapter 24, verse 44 to 45.

Guest (Female): And he said unto them, "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me." Next verse. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.

Dr. Abel Damina: So we said the word understand the scriptures there means to read everything together, suniemi, to read everything together. So critically speaking, the way to understand biblical concepts is to read everything together.

We cannot afford to ignore any part of the Bible. At the same time, you cannot say, "This is my favorite part of the Bible." You cannot afford to ignore any part; at the same time, no part should be your favorite. You should be able to read everything together. You have to read everything together.

Second Timothy 3:16 tells us all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. So all scripture, you must be able to read everything together, which means you have a duty to read all the scriptures together.

Having said that, in Luke chapter 24 where we read, 26 says, "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded. That word expounded there is the word diermēneuō, D-I-E-R-M-E-N-E-U-O, diermēneuō, which simply means to interpret. To interpret or to find the meaning.

Please don't miss this. I need your attention. To interpret or to find the meaning: the word diermēneuō. He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. So he interpreted or he found the meaning. Interpretation is very critical because the Bible is a book that interprets itself. Please don't miss that fact. The Bible is a book that interprets itself.

That means therefore, since it is a book that interprets another book, you have to find out what it is interpreting. So therefore, we came out with a few words on how to sieve Bible words. Among things that you have to pay attention to is the use of what we call codified language.

Codified language is a word that is very common with those who are into computers. I'm not good in them, but I know that computers have codes. Codified language means words that when you see that in the Bible, particularly in the epistles, words that when you see particularly in the epistles, number one, they take you to the Old Testament.

Words that when you see particularly in the epistles, they take you to the Old Testament to go and reread the Old Testament and find their meaning there. Codified language: words in the epistles that will take you particularly to the Old Testament to go and reread the Old Testament, and in rereading the Old Testament, you find their meanings there. That's codified language.

Now we're talking about the word church. The word church is primarily an Old Testament word. So we said most words that are found in the lips of Jesus and the apostles were primarily written in the Old Testament books. Most words that are found in the lips of Jesus and the twelve apostles were primarily found in the Old Testament books.

So a codified language is to go and find the meaning of that word, and usually when you find that word, you find it in a story. When you find that word, you will find it in a story. You find the story behind the word, you find the events, the characters, and the personalities. Then you find the chronology, that is the way the story emerged. Then one event, then the other event, then one event and another event.

For example, when we talk about forgiveness in today's grammar, we think of forgiveness in terms of pardon. That is today's understanding of the word forgiveness where you sinned and somebody forgives you by telling you, "Okay, don't worry, you are forgiven." But when you study the original context in which the word forgiveness originated from in the Old Testament, which is Genesis to Malachi, it carries a bigger picture than just telling somebody, "Go, you're forgiven."

So we should avoid reading the Bible in today's mindset, which means you have to go back to scripture. And like the old theologians would say, allow the scripture to interpret itself. Don't use today's language or today's understanding to interpret biblical words. Allow the scriptures to interpret themselves in their language, in their context, in their grammar.

So therefore, in Luke 24, Brother Luke gives us a background on how to read the Bible. You must interpret. Please don't miss that. Every time you read the Bible, you must interpret. There is no casual reading of the Bible. Every time you read the Bible, you must interpret. When you read the Bible either lazily or not, you are interpreting it. When you read the Bible either lazily, carelessly, casually, laid back, just anytime you take the Bible to read anyhow, you are already interpreting.

If you read and you say, "I don't think so," you are interpreting. That's your own interpretation of thoughts. Once you say, "I don't think so, I don't see it like that, no this is not the way I see it, the way I see it," you are interpreting. So at each point when you consider the words of scripture, even if you are an atheist, you are still interpreting the scriptures.

Anytime, even if you're an atheist, once you consider the words of scripture, you're interpreting the scriptures. But the point is to find out how Jesus interprets. The point is you must find out how Jesus interprets because the only correct, the surest, the most reliable way to interpret the scriptures is the way Jesus interpreted it. The most bona fide, the most concrete, the most reliable, the most assured way to interpret the scriptures is the way Jesus interpreted it.

And I submit to you that Jesus used a codified language in his interpretation. He used a codified language because when you are interpreting what has been written before, in speech for example, you can be very elaborate. That's why you find long sermons in the book of Acts which spanned for days. But when you are committing it to writing oftentimes, you use codified language.

Which means that since I am interpreting another book, when I make reference to something, I expect you to go where it was first mentioned and read the story. So I need the Old Testament all the time to read the New Testament. Watch this: the attempt to make us feel the Old Testament is not necessary is very dumb, very dumb, and it is a criminality done to the Bible. It's something that has caused us a lot of ignorance about Bible facts.

So we are talking about the codified language in Bible interpretation. John the 20th chapter, the 21st to the 23rd verse.

Guest (Female): Then said Jesus to them again, "Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." Next verse. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and saith unto them, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." Next verse. "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."

Dr. Abel Damina: Now imagine thinking that what Jesus did there was to practically put his nostrils on his audience. He breathed on them. But in today's language, that's what it means. He breathed on them. That means the word breath or breathe used by Jesus in that text of scripture, or used by John the writer in that verse of scripture, is a codified language.

Breathe on. You can't understand it if you do not read the whole book of John with the context of the Old Testament. You'll not be able to understand that breathe if you don't read the whole book of John with the context of the Old Testament. And so in John 20, John shows us something. Please pay attention.

All the synoptic writers were not just writing history; they were writing theology. Jesus ensured that the disciples didn't go out to talk about his miracles. He told them emphatically not to go and share his miracles. He told Jairus's parents, "Do not tell anybody." When he healed the blind eye, he said, "Don't tell anybody." When he opened the deaf ear, he said, "Don't tell anybody."

So if he told them, "Don't tell anybody," how come now we have been eventually told? Because he emphatically told them, "I have healed you, tell nobody about this." So since he did it quietly and he said, "Tell nobody," how is it that the writers eventually told us? By "Don't tell anybody," what he meant was "Don't tell anybody yet." Don't tell anybody yet.

And there's a reason for that, because they could easily, like we do today, misrepresent the reasons why he did the miracles. So when Jesus rose from the dead and took them through the scriptures, it's not as if they didn't see the miracles. They saw the miracles. They could describe the miracles. They could have said, "Blind eyes opened, deaf ears opened, the dumb spoke, the lame walked."

But they were not mere journalists. The disciples were not just mere journalists reporting things. They are supposed to be teachers of the scriptures. The disciples are not just mere journalists reporting things. They are supposed to be teachers of the scriptures, which means they should be able to see what Jesus has done according to the scriptures. They should be able to see what Jesus has done in those miracles according to the scriptures.

So when he rose from the dead, they now understood why he did all that he did. They now understood. Because if they handled it just like journalists, they could misrepresent the intent or the motive of Jesus. You can get the facts right and get the theology wrong. Don't forget, I've also told you that it was not just history that they gave us, but in that history, they also gave us theology. In that history, they also gave us theology.

It's like the concept of those who preach miracle money. You know, miracle money, miracle money all over the place. Now it has died down because we took time to confront that lie. They use where Jesus told Peter to go get a coin from the mouth of the fish. That's the only verse they use for that miracle money, nowhere else. That's the only verse they use as their basis for it.

In the first place, nothing like that happened in the Bible. That's the first thing: nothing like that happened in the Bible. Question: did Jesus ask him to go get money out of the fish? Yes, he did. Did he do it? No, he didn't. Go check your Bibles. Are there certain things like that that Jesus said, and we find the importance of what he said later on? Yes, there are things like that. For example, Mark 11:23.

Guest (Female): "For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, 'Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea'; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."

Dr. Abel Damina: So, whosoever shall say to this mountain, "Be thou removed." Do we have any record of where Jesus ever moved any mountain? Huh? No. No, he never moved any mountain at any time. What about John chapter 2, verse 16? Read for me John chapter 2, verse number 16.

Guest (Female): And said unto them that sold doves, "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." Next verse. And his disciples remembered that it was written, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." Next verse. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, "What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?" Next verse. Jesus answered and said unto them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

Dr. Abel Damina: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Was any temple physically destroyed? No. So many times we need to interpret the meaning of what Jesus said. We need to interpret: what's the meaning? He said it, but what is the meaning of what he's saying?

And people have built a lot on that today, and many times they say they found 2,000 naira miracle money. And you know, most times that miracle money is an amount that cannot be investigated. You never hear miracle money of a hundred million appear in an account, because we have to trace the root of this money. So most times it's 2,000, 1,500, 5,000 naira, 10,000, even 22,000. Most of the miracle money is around that amount. 25 dollars, 10 dollars, 15 pounds.

They can't even try it in London because by the time it starts reaching 100 pounds, police will start looking for you. 100 pounds, 150. In Nigeria, it's 2,000, 5,000, 10,000. You will see 15 people gathered, 15,000, 15,000. You won't hear of 100 million. The same power it takes to put 15,000 is the same power it would have taken to put 100 million. So why is it all 15, 22,000, 23,500 naira, 24,999 naira?

So you have such ridiculous things being said. Now I'm not saying you can't see any miracle. No, I'm not saying I don't believe in miracles. But I'm saying that that's not the scripture for miracles. That's not the scripture for it because there was a communication there. If you don't get the communication, you will arrive at a wrong destination.

So when he rose, when Jesus rose from the dead, they could interpret the things that he did. They now remembered. When he rose from the dead, they now remembered. They knew he was talking about his body. So just like that, many of Jesus's miracles were misinterpreted.

You know the synoptic writers, were they basically just writing eyewitness accounts? No, they were not. They were writing eyewitness accounts, no doubt, but they were writing eyewitness accounts as theology. They were writing eyewitness accounts as theology. They were historians of scripture being fulfilled. They were not just journalists. They were historians of scriptures that are being fulfilled. They were Bible historians, they were teachers of scriptures, only that they use the scriptures and the stories of Jesus.

In Matthew chapter 1, verse 1. Look at how Brother Matthew opens the book of Matthew. Matthew chapter 1, verse number 1.

Guest (Female): The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Dr. Abel Damina: Beautiful. The book of the generation. Now the word generation there is where you have genealogy, and genealogy is where you have Genesis. So Matthew begins the story of Jesus from Genesis. From Genesis. Matthew begins his account with the word Genesis.

Let me show you something, that they were not just writing eyewitness accounts, they were also writing theology. Look at Matthew chapter 1, verse 21.

Guest (Female): "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Dr. Abel Damina: Now this is what the angel said to Joseph, and Matthew gets the story directly from Joseph. Matthew chapter 1, 22 and 23.

Guest (Female): Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

Dr. Abel Damina: So you see Matthew took eyewitness account, then he interpreted it. "This is what I see, but that it might be fulfilled which was written. Which was written."

So the angel didn't make the statement in verse 22 and 23. This is Matthew interpreting what the angel said. Look at verse 21. That is what Joseph told Matthew.

Guest (Female): "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Dr. Abel Damina: Then look at Matthew's interpretation of this verse 21, verse 22 now.

Guest (Female): Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying.

Dr. Abel Damina: This is Matthew interpreting what the eyewitness report is from the scriptures, which is theology. Next verse.

Guest (Female): "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

Dr. Abel Damina: So this is Matthew interpreting what the angel said. So Matthew is writing eyewitness, but eyewitness with scripture. He is pointing out where scripture is fulfilled, which means he is writing eyewitness with theology.

In Matthew chapter 2, when they took Jesus and flew with him to Egypt and were there until the death of Herod that it may be fulfilled. Which means that this event took place for another event to take place. Don't miss that. This event took place for another event to take place.

So the angel appeared to Joseph because Jesus would be born. Now when the angel appeared to Joseph, Jesus was not born, but the angel appeared to Joseph so that it might be fulfilled so that Jesus would be born. The angel appeared to Joseph so that Jesus might be born, and in Jesus being born so that the scriptures might be fulfilled.

So "that it might be fulfilled" by Matthew, it shows you two connected events. Two connected events. Which means this event took place so that the other event can take place, so that it might be fulfilled. Which means one event connects the other. The angel appears to Joseph so that it might be fulfilled.

Now in Matthew chapter 2, when he was taken to Egypt, look at what Matthew says. Matthew 2:15 to 17.

Guest (Female): And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." Next verse. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Next verse. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying.

Dr. Abel Damina: Fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying. Now before we get to Jeremiah, Matthew 2:15 says, "was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 'Out of Egypt have I called my son,'" quoting from Hosea chapter 11, verse 1. Quoting from Hosea chapter 11, verse 1. That means Jesus came from Egypt back to Joseph.

Notice it says he went to Egypt that it might be fulfilled that he came out of Egypt. He went to Egypt that it might be fulfilled according to what Hosea said, that "out of Egypt have I called my son." So in order for that to be fulfilled was why he went to Egypt. In order for that prophecy to be fulfilled, circumstances had to be arranged that would warrant Jesus going to Egypt so that the prophecy of "out of Egypt have I called my son" will come to pass. So this is theology. This is theology taking place here.

So which means therefore that the interpretation of scripture is very critical. So when you read "that it might be fulfilled" in the book of Matthew, you're connecting how many events? Two events. This happened so that this can happen.

So the angel appeared to Joseph so that Jesus might be born. Jesus was taken to Egypt so that Jesus will come out of Egypt. Now look at Matthew the second chapter, the 16th verse. So which means Herod killed that it might be fulfilled by Jeremiah that in Ramah, Rachel was crying and could not be comforted. Two different events.

So that word "that it might be fulfilled" has two events. This is Matthew writing interpretation, the word diermēneuō. He's writing interpretation. He's reading the life of Jesus together with scriptures. He's reading the life of Jesus together with scriptures. Look at Matthew the second chapter, the 23rd verse.

Guest (Female): And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

Dr. Abel Damina: He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, "He shall be called a Nazarene." How many of you remember when I was giving a defense on the fact that a human being cannot be another Christ? I told you that there must be prophecy. Did I say that? Specific. See, that's how you demystify and render useless all these fakes. There must be prophecy. And the prophecy must point to specific things that will happen in the lifetime of that person in the presence of eyewitnesses.

You don't just stand up from one village and say, "I'm Christ," because you're doing magic. You are hypnotizing people and messing them around. No, no, no, no, no. It's beyond just power oh. It's beyond power. There is history that is enshrined in theology that backs up that entire event. Very critical. He had to go to Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, "He shall be a Nazarene."

So one event connects the other. Look at Matthew 8, and this is a portion people usually misquote. And they misquote it very easily because of the lack of understanding, the lack of understanding what we just said. Remember that "it might be fulfilled" connects one event to another. Look at Matthew chapter 8, verse number 16.

Guest (Female): When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick.

Dr. Abel Damina: That means Matthew saw Jesus heal. He saw it. He healed the blind, but that healing was not the fulfillment. So which means he healed the sick, he cast out devils, he healed the crippled because of an event. He healed the sick, he cast out devils, he opened blind eyes because of an event. So what is the event that he had to do this to connect to? Verse 17 of Matthew chapter 8.

Guest (Female): That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses."

Dr. Abel Damina: "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, himself took our infirmities and bore our diseases." Jesus did not carry our sickness on himself. Jesus didn't carry our diseases. He didn't have polio. He didn't have cancer. He never had ulcer. He was not a crippled. He was not blind. He didn't carry our diseases. He didn't carry our sicknesses.

He healed sickness by laying hands. He cast out demons by speaking words. So which means those healings were done as a proof that he will bear our sins. Those healings were done as a pointer that "this is the one that will bear our sins." Because Isaiah uses the word sickness and infirmity in the book of Isaiah to talk about sin.

Surely he was wounded for our transgression, that is sin. Bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace. Those are all words connected to sin, not physical problems. So when he says "by his stripes you were healed," it's not healing from physical sickness; it's healing from the disease of the spirit, which is separation from God. He used healing words to identify with salvation.

So the physical healing was done as a proof that Jesus will bear our sins. So Jesus's healing ministry is done as a proof of his sacrifice for our sins. Now let's go over it again. The angel appears to Joseph so that Jesus will be born, that it might be fulfilled. Jesus was taken to Egypt so that he will come out of Egypt, that it might be fulfilled, "out of Egypt have I called my son." He went to live in Nazareth that it might be fulfilled, "a Nazarene is he called." He also healed the sick so that it might be fulfilled that he will take our sins.

So Matthew goes back. Don't forget, Matthew didn't write these things as they were happening. Matthew did not record these events as they were happening. Upon the resurrection, he looks back. Now he has understanding of scriptures, then begins to interpret the life and the events around Jesus.

So which means the four gospels to us are not just eyewitness accounts. They are eyewitness accounts, but they are eyewitness accounts and theology and Bible explanations. They are eyewitness accounts and theology and Bible explanations. Brother Mark did the same work as well. Mark the first chapter, the first verse.

Guest (Female): The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Dr. Abel Damina: I love the way they all started it. "The beginning," that's the word Genesis. We read the same thing in Matthew chapter 1, Genesis. So Genesis again. So what Mark was saying is, in the Genesis of the gospel, the Greek word archē, A-R-C-H-E, archē in the Greek, which means in the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. In the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Give me verse 2 of Mark chapter 1, verse 2.

Guest (Female): As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."

Dr. Abel Damina: Again, what's going on? Mark is interpreting. Mark is interpreting. He's interpreting why Jesus came according to the scriptures. So they were not just merely writing eyewitness accounts. They were writing interpretation of scriptures. Again, listen: they were writing interpretation of scriptures fulfilled by eyewitness accounts. Interpretation of scriptures fulfilled by eyewitness accounts.

So we see Mark do the same. What about Brother Luke? Luke's own is very clear. Luke chapter 24, verse 25, "O fools, slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?" Next verse. "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."

Verse 44. "These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all these things must be fulfilled." All these things must be fulfilled, that it might be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the psalms, destination concerning me.

So which means, upon the resurrection, when Jesus opened their understanding to understand the scriptures, these eyewitness accounts now took the record of what they were seeing and now interpreted what they saw according to the scriptures.

So which means the life of Jesus and the story of Jesus in the four gospels is also God's word. It is God's word. That means the life of Jesus is Bible doctrine to us. The life of Jesus is Bible doctrine to us because it is according to the scriptures.

Look at John, John chapter 1, verse 1. The way John opens his own book.

Guest (Female): In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Dr. Abel Damina: In the beginning, he uses the word Logos. In the beginning was the Logos, L-O-G-O-S. The word Logos here is the Hebrew word dabar, Dabar, and we're going to get into dabar in a short while. D-A-B-B-A-R, dabar. Because John is reading the Old Testament into the life of Jesus. That's why he uses dabar. Of course, the Greek is Logos, but dabar is what he refers to.

But John did not write like others. He didn't write much of what the others wrote. Mark wrote a lot of miracles, Luke wrote a lot of miracles, Matthew wrote a lot of miracles, but John did not write a lot of miracles. John wrote just seven miracles in the entire book of John, seven miracles. Not that there were no other miracles, but remember what he said: that Jesus asked them to tell no man. When he did miracles, he told them, "Tell this to no man."

But when he rose from the dead, in Luke chapter 24, verse 48. Read for me Luke 24, verse 48.

Guest (Female): "And ye are witnesses of these things."

Dr. Abel Damina: When he rose from the dead, he now told them, "You are now witnesses of these things." Now, he didn't call them witnesses till he had taught them the scriptures for forty days. After expounding the scriptures to them for forty days, added to their eyewitness of the events, he now said, "Now you are witnesses of these things." Now they saw what he did in the light of the scriptures. Now they saw all that Jesus did in the light of the scriptures, which is Genesis to Malachi.

Now when they understood the scriptures, in Luke 24:45, then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures. Now that they have understood the scriptures plus they have witnessed the events, they could become witnesses of his miracles.

So which means it's not that they were the only people that saw the miracles. Others saw the miracles and saw what Jesus had done, but not everybody understood what was happening. So in the resurrection, he opened their understanding and they were like, "This is the reason, oh! Okay, so this is why he healed the lame. Wow! Okay, okay, that time he opened that blind eye and he told us not to tell anybody, so this is what opening the blind eye meant. Wow! Okay, so this is why he multiplied bread and fish. Wow!"

He was not just doing miracle for miracle's sake. Wow! You know, like I often say, those that ate the five loaves and fishes were hungry the next day. Were they not hungry the next day? He raised Lazarus from the dead after four days. Where is Lazarus today? He died again. I'm sure when he stopped the wind and the waves and rebuked them and there was peace, the next day another wind came. So it was not a permanent wind stoppage.

So which means we need to understand why he did what he did. It's not just the immediate thing that he did because what he did was not permanent, which means there was a message or a communication or an intent behind what he did. So John told us, John opened it up. John told us in John chapter 2. And this is important because we charismatic Pentecostals need to understand this very well so we don't misinterpret them. John chapter 20, verse 30 to 31.

Guest (Female): And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. Next verse. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Dr. Abel Damina: "But these are written." These are written, and this is why they are written: "that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name."

He put a caution. He says, "I'm not writing everything," that's what John is saying. "I'm not writing everything, but these ones I have written specific are written to the intent that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ."

So the book of John has one mission: to make you have faith in Christ, and by having faith in Christ, receive eternal life. That sets the tone as to how we read and understand the book of John. So why did he write the miracles? "That ye might believe and believing ye might have life."

Is it getting clear here? Because that's the whole intent for the book of John. So which means John decided to pick specific miracles. Is John just writing eyewitness account or eyewitness explaining theology? Eyewitness explaining theology. Theology simply means the knowledge of God from the scriptures. That's the meaning of theology: the knowledge of God from the scriptures.

The second miracle is in John chapter 4. So we have seen the first miracle; it's a pointer to the resurrection wine. It's a pointer to the resurrection wine. Second miracle John wrote is in John chapter 4, verse 48. Read for me.

Guest (Female): Then said Jesus unto him, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe."

Dr. Abel Damina: That is Old Testament phrase. Now look at verse 50.

Guest (Female): Jesus saith unto him, "Go thy way; thy son liveth." And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. Next verse. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, "Thy son liveth": and himself believed, and his whole house. Next verse. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Dr. Abel Damina: Second miracle. So John is numbering the miracles. He writes deliberately seven miracles. The second one is about resurrection, a pointer to what he will do in the resurrection.

Then the third miracle that he writes is in John chapter 5. Which means that every time Jesus does a miracle, he points at the scriptures. Every time he does a miracle, he points at the scriptures. Look at John chapter 5, verse 4.

Guest (Female): For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. Next verse. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."

Dr. Abel Damina: "Thou art made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." He's not saying a worse sickness; a worse thing. Not a worse sickness. Then how does he explain the worse thing? He talks about the life and the judgment given to the Son in that same chapter. Look at it, John 5:19 to 21.

Guest (Female): Then answered Jesus and said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." Next verse. "For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel." Next verse. "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will."

Dr. Abel Damina: "Even so the Son quickeneth whom he will." Now don't forget this guy went to the pool to be healed despite the fact that Jesus was around. He abandoned Jesus, ignored Jesus, and went to a pool. So already the man was in unbelief. So Jesus goes ahead, heals him and said, "Hey, sin no more," which means stop staying in unbelief. Stop staying in unbelief, lest a worse thing happen, not a worse sickness. Let's find out what the worse thing is. John 5:24.

Guest (Female): "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

Dr. Abel Damina: So the worse thing is to come into condemnation because he didn't believe. Look at verse 28 again, John 5:28.

Guest (Female): "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice."

Dr. Abel Damina: What is he talking about? Verse 39 and 40 of John 5.

Guest (Female): "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." Next verse. "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

Dr. Abel Damina: Does this include the guy that was healed? Yes, "ye will not come to me that ye might have life." Then he says in verse 45 and 46.

Guest (Female): "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust." Next verse. "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me."

Dr. Abel Damina: So Jesus healed the sick and points them to eternal life. Now that's the third miracle. Look at the fourth miracle, John chapter 6, which has been the scripture many pastors and fathers and popes keep falling on top anyhow. John chapter 6, this is when he multiplied five loaves and two fish. Then he told them in John 6:35.

Guest (Female): And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." Next verse. "I am that bread of life."

Dr. Abel Damina: He takes their attention from the miracle of bread and fish and points them to him as eternal life. So he moves them from the natural to the spiritual. Just like the miracle, just like the healing of that man, now look at it here: he takes them from the miracle of bread and fish to eternal realities. Then he began to talk to them about it in John 6:53.

Guest (Female): Then Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." Next verse. "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

Dr. Abel Damina: "This is written that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and believing you might have life." So now he's pointing them to life. No wonder he's talking about them. Look at verse 58.

Guest (Female): "This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever." Next verse. "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

Dr. Abel Damina: When I say "eat my flesh and drink my blood," this flesh profiteth nothing. What I'm talking about is that the words I'm speaking, if you believe them, they are spirit and they are life. He's not talking about eating something; he's using eating as an analogy to communicate what he is speaking that they have to receive. So receiving is a type of eating.

That is why, "as many as received him, to them he gave power to become," what? "the sons of God." So receiving is eating. Okay? So he does a miracle that points them to life.

John chapter 9 is miracle number five. Verse 2 to 4.

Guest (Female): And his disciples asked him, saying, "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" Next verse. Jesus answered, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." Next verse. "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

Dr. Abel Damina: How many of you observe Jesus left the sickness and began to talk about something else? Did you observe? He changed the narrative. Look at verse 5.

Guest (Female): "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

Dr. Abel Damina: Is he talking about the blindness or something spiritual? Something spiritual. Question: did he heal the man? Uh? Did he heal the man? Yes. But the healing of the man is a sign, not a conclusion. The healing of the man is a sign, not a conclusion. Just like when he turned water to wine. Turning of water to wine is a sign, not a conclusion. When he healed or raised the noble man's son in John chapter 4, the raising of the noble man's son is a sign, not a conclusion. When he healed the impotent man by the pool, it was a sign, not a conclusion. When he multiplied five loaves and two fishes, it was a sign, not a conclusion. Same here: when he healed the blind eye, it was a sign, not a conclusion.

Miracle number six is John chapter 11. Lazarus. Lazarus. Lazarus, come forth. John 11:25.

Guest (Female): Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."

Dr. Abel Damina: Can you see what Jesus is saying? The woman is complaining, "Oh master, if you were here my brother would not have died. Oh, oh, oh." "I am the resurrection and the life." She's crying all over. Jesus is not even talking about Lazarus. "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, he will live again."

Ah-ah, what has that got to do with the matter on ground? I love Jesus. Don't you love Jesus? Of course, he raised Lazarus from the dead, and Lazarus eventually died. Which means that even though he raised Lazarus from the dead, it was a sign pointing to something else. John 11:25 and 26.

Guest (Female): Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." Next verse. "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

Dr. Abel Damina: Her brother is still lying down. Jesus is telling her, "Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" I'm sure in her mind she would have said, "But my brother is in the grave." But Jesus is using that analogy to point to something that is eternal. Glory to God!

Now that's the sixth miracle. The seven miracle is Jesus himself raised from the dead. Jesus himself raised from the dead. So he writes seven miracles, and those seven miracles are meant to put your attention on eternal life. Because the only eternal miracle is the gift of eternal life.

So the miracles of Jesus were documented to point our attention. John chapter 17, verse 3. Read for me please.

Guest (Female): "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

Dr. Abel Damina: "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." What is eternal life? Eternal life is the knowledge of Christ, the knowledge of his sacrificial work. So you notice now these apostles were not just writing eyewitness accounts; they were writing theology. They were writing the knowledge of God using the events.

So when you read the miracles, read the miracles of what he has done so you can see eventually what he did. Glory to God! So just the same way you know we're looking at John 20, where we started, Jesus turned water to wine. And in turning water to wine, he was pointing to something that was going to signify his hour, and that hour was the resurrection. That in the resurrection, eternal life, the wine of his resurrection, the new wine, will be available to all.

And I have news for you: this is that! These are not drunk as you suppose, but this is that! This is the new wine. The new wine is not grape; the new wine is the Holy Ghost. Glory to God! I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see vision, your old men shall dream dreams. Glory to God! Turn to your neighbor and say to your neighbor, "This is that!"

Congregation: This is that!

Dr. Abel Damina: I've got that!

Congregation: I've got that!

Dr. Abel Damina: I've got this!

Congregation: I've got this!

Dr. Abel Damina: I've got this that was that on my inside!

Congregation: I've got this that was that on my inside!

Dr. Abel Damina: I'm filled with the Holy Ghost!

Congregation: I'm filled with the Holy Ghost!

Dr. Abel Damina: I speak in tongues!

Congregation: I speak in tongues!

Dr. Abel Damina: I have new wine!

Congregation: I have new wine!

Dr. Abel Damina: Glory!

Congregation: Glory!

Dr. Abel Damina: Thank you, Father. Father, I pray for everybody that the eyes of your people's understanding flooded with light. That our realities in Christ continually is being established in our understanding. We walk in this light, we walk in the spirit, we walk in these realities. In the name of Jesus!

And we thank you for the privilege we have not just to know you, but to be known by you. Not just to be known by you, but to be accepted by you. Not just to be accepted by you, but to be united with you. Oh, we give you praise!

And I decree that as we continue to walk in these realities, we rejoice for the victory that is already ours. In Jesus' name we pray! And every believer says that amen on an order of finality. Go ahead, give the Lord some praise in this building! Glory! Glory! Amen.

Oh my goodness, the word of God is life. The Bible tells us the entrance of God's word giveth light, and it giveth understanding to the simple. As you keep listening, the light of God's word rises out of the rightly divided word of truth, illuminates your mind, illuminates your heart, and brings you face to face with your realities in Christ Jesus.

In Ephesians chapter 3, verse 3, Brother Paul speaking about the mystery, the Old Testament, he said whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. So there is a knowledge in the mystery of Christ. The word mystery is the word mystērion in the Greek; it means that which is concealed. And then it says "how that by revelation"—the word revelation is the word apokalypsis; it means that which is revealed.

So the revelation of the scriptures unveils the mysteries. Revelation is the New Testament, mystery is the Old Testament. But it will take reading and learning to come to a place of full understanding, precise and accurate knowledge.

Brother Daniel would say, "I understood by books." So there's a place of books in equipping you soundly with the message of Christ. Brother Paul write to Timothy, he says to Timothy, "till I come, give attendance to reading." Jesus speaking to those Jews says, "you do err because you know not the scriptures, nor the power of God."

Oftentimes, Jesus would say to the Jews, "have you not read?" is the word anagignōskō in the Greek. It means, "are you reading and not paying attention?" I want to quickly recommend for you a plethora of books I have written. They are written with an intent to bring you doctrinal clarity, answer your questions doctrinally, and bring you to a place of accurate understanding, a precise knowledge of Christ and you in Christ.

I want you to order for those books today. The number and the list of books available will be read to you right now. And if you call today, we'll be glad to make sure you get a copy or more copies of the books so you can enrich your spiritual life and enrich your work with God and build a quality relationship with Jesus Christ, where you're also able to teach others the same truths you have learned to liberate them and bring them to the fullness of God. Glory to God.