maranatha - "our lord, come"

MARANATHA- " OUR LORD, COME"

KJV (1 Cor. 16:22) says- If any man love not the Lord Jesus, let him be ANATHEMA MARANATHA.

NSAB ( 1 Cor. 16:22) says- If any man does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. MARANATHA.

NIV ( 1 Cor. 16:22) says- If any man does not love the Lord- a cursed be on him, Come,O Lord !

ANATHEMA. The Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Herem, meaning "A thing devoted to destruction, the object of a curse" (cf. Romans 9:3; Galatian 1:8,9; 1Cor. 12:13). The word should be followed by a period on KJV. The following word, MARANATHA (A Greek translation of an Aramaic expression ) may mean "OUR LORD, COME" ,Or " OUR LORD IS COME" ( The incarnation in view), Or "OUR LORD, COME" (Second coming). The Context, with its note of warning, decides for the last translation (RSV, OUR LORD, COME ! ).

To make my presentation simple, I would like to introduce a very simple translation, just for this verse ( 1 Cor. 16:22) . I call it special translation for (1 Cor. 16:22). It says- " if any one does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, he is to be accursed. OUR LORD , COME ".

The Lord Jesus asked Simon Peter, " Do you love me? " ( See John 21:17). He did not ask Peter if he will deny Him again. He just asked "Do you love me ? ". That is the Acid Test today. Do you love me? Love for Jesus is the prerequisite for service.

Three times our Lord interrogate Simon Peter, and three times he responds . Then we find that three times the Lord Jesus gives His Commission.

Why three times? The reason lies in the fact that Simon Peter denied Christ three times, and now He makes him affirm his Devotion three times. No doubt that is part of the reason, but there is more.

It is quite interesting to note that Simon Peter , with the other disciples, had been called to the Ministry- Actually had been called into the apostleship ( See Mark 3:13-21) - After a miraculous catch of fish ( See Luke 5:1-6).

If you recall the account of this fishing experience back in the gospel of Mark and Luke you will refresh your mind in the fact that it was after our Lord took over the directing of their fishing that the nets broke because they enclosed a great quantity of fish - and after that He made them Apostles.

Then you will further recall that Simon Peter lost his Commission around a little fire of coals that had been built in the courtyard of the Palace of the High Priest the night Jesus was arrested. Simon Peter went blundering in there to warm his hands and made the fatal mistake in life. It was there he denied the Lord three times. He should not have gone there, but he did: and when he did, he committed this Base Denial. Read ( John 18:15-27) .

Is it not an interesting thing that now by the sea of Galilee, around coals of fire, after a miraculous catch of fish, the Lord Jesus restores His Commission to him? Here the Lord put Simon Peter into service . What a picture of spiritual beauty!

When our Lord asked Peter the Question three times it looks like a Repetition, but it is not. While there is a Similarity in the Questions no two are identical.

THE FIRST INTERROGATION: ( John 21:15) says - " So when they had finished Breakfast , Jesus said to Simon Peter, " SIMON, SON OF JOHN, DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE? He said to Him , "Yes, Lord: you know that I love you" He said to him, "TEND MY LAMBS ". Now notice that our Lord's first Question to Peter Is " DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE? What Jesus is saying is : " SIMON, DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE OTHER DISCIPLES LOVE ME? He said to Him, " Yes, Lord : You know that I love you". Then Jesus said to him, "TEND MY LAMBS ".

THE SECOND INTERROGATION: ( John 21:16) says- " He said to him again a second time , "Simon , Son of John , do you love me? . He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you" He said to him " SHERPERD MY SHEEP".

Notice what the Lord said to Simon in the first interrogation, He said " TEND MY LAMBS " and in the next interrogation He said " SHEPERD MY SHEEP".

We are to feed or tend the Lambs and discipline or shepherd the Older Sheep. Do you know why? It is because the little Lambs follow the Sheep, hence the Older Sheep must be disciplined.

THE THIRD INTERROGATION:(John 21:17)says- "He said to him the third time, " SIMON, SON OF JOHN, DO YOU LOVE ME? Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, " DO YOU LOVE ME? " And he said to Him, " Lord, you know all things ; you know that I love you". Jesus said to him " TEND MY SHEEP".

The Spiritual Lesson of this verse ( 1 Cor. 16:22) is that- If anyone does not love Jesus, he is to be accursed- but anyone who love Jesus, he will be blessed, because Jesus will come to him.

When we truly love Jesus, we will be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will empower us to walk according to Gods will that leads us to do good work which surpasses all understanding.

( Acts 1:8) says-"BUT YOU WILL RECIEVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU: AND YOU SHALL BE MY WITNESS BOTH IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND EVEN TO THE REMOTEST PART OF THE EARTH ". God wants people to be saved. This is a very Personal Command to each Believer to preach the Word of God. It is our Business to get the Word of God out to the World. This is our Commission. This is the Commission that -still holds for today.

In order to get this Gospel out, we need Power. That was the Promise: " YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER ". And we need the Leading of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although it Is our Business today to get out the Word of God, there is no Power in us, there is no Power in the Church, but there is Power in the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who moves through an individual or through the church. The question is whether we permit Him to do so.

Whenever we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are permitting Him to move through us. So the final solution is to learn how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If you want to know how- read my other message on the same website entitled- " HOW DO WE LEARN HOW TO BE FLLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Written by Osmundo S. Sabado

Edited by Orman L. Sabado