We Need Help

What this episode covers

The greatest curse of our time, my friend, is go it by yourself, do your own thing. It is not new. Men in other days tried that as well. Long before King David’s time the Bible reports every man did that which was right in his own eyes. That is what we see today on every hand. Independence then brought a harvest of anarchy and society went to pieces. We are living in days uncomfortably like those days long ago. WE NEED HELP to find the way in life. Our most important step in life is to admit our need. Why are we so slow to understand what our problem is? A conversation Jesus had with the people of His day will provide us with some very helpful suggestions. It is recorded in John 8:12-20. 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. 14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. 15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. 19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. From these words of Jesus I wish to point out to you the REASONS why we need help. The first Reason: The Prevailing Darkness of Self-will. Jesus plainly set us the contrast. He said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness.” Immediately by implication I understand that Jesus said anywhere else besides following Him is darkness. But there must be a yielding to follow Him. “If any man follow me, he shall not walk in the darkness.” Self-will is the path of darkness. You may think you have light when you don’t, because Jesus said if you follow Him you will walk in the light, you’ll not be walking in the darkness. So if you are not following Him, then you are walking in the darkness. King David once said, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” The prevailing darkness of self-will is one reason why we need help. The second Reason we need help: The Assailing Error of Human Judgment. They came back to Jesus like this: “You bare record of yourself. Your record is not true.” That had a very shallow basis; it had no footing. It was a response without depth. They had little time for reflection. It was a one-sided evidence for Jesus said, “You judge after the flesh.” There was not taken all matters into consideration. They had uncertainty because the flesh is shifting. It was unreal because it was partial. You can’t make a partial judgment and come anywhere near reality. We need help. Jesus said, “Your law says that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” I affirm, my friend, that God’s law will give us help. I affirm we need help because human judgment is not enough. There is error in human judgment. We need help because of the assailing error of human judgment. We also need help because: The Alienating Ignorance of the Rational Mind. We were made to...

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