Saturday, May 31, 2014
The apostle Paul said this about going to Jerusalem:
Acts 20:22-24
I'm completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. 23 I do know that it won't be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead. 24 But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.
Acts 19:13-16
13 Some itinerant Jewish exorcists who happened to be in town at the time tried their hand at what they assumed to be Paul's "game." They pronounced the name of the Master Jesus over victims of evil spirits, saying, "I command you by the Jesus preached by Paul!" 14 The seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were trying to do this on a man 15 when the evil spirit talked back: "I know Jesus and I've heard of Paul, but who are you?" 16 Then the possessed man went berserk — jumped the exorcists, beat them up, and tore off their clothes. Naked and bloody, they got away as best they could.
It was God’s will not Paul’s game!
Acts 19:3-4
3 "How were you baptized, then?" asked Paul.
"In John's baptism."
4 "That explains it," said Paul. "John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you've been baptized in John's baptism, you're ready now for the real thing, for Jesus."
You can commit to many things but ultimately your sole commitment must be with Jesus
Acts 17:30-31
"God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better — but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. 31 He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead."
Acts 17:24-28
The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines 25 or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. 26 Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living 27 so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. 28 We live and move in him, can't get away from him!
We live and move in him, can't get away from him
Acts 17:24-28
The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines 25 or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. 26 Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living 27 so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. 28 We live and move in him, can't get away from him!
Friday, May 30, 2014
Acts 13:14-41
On the Sabbath they went to the meeting place and took their places. 15 After the reading of the Scriptures — God's Law and the Prophets — the president of the meeting asked them, "Friends, do you have anything you want to say? A word of encouragement, perhaps?"
16 Paul stood up, paused and took a deep breath, then said, "Fellow Israelites and friends of God, listen. 17 God took a special interest in our ancestors, pulled our people who were beaten down in Egyptian exile to their feet, and led them out of there in grand style. 18 He took good care of them for nearly forty years in that godforsaken wilderness 19 and then, having wiped out seven enemies who stood in the way, gave them the land of Canaan for their very own — 20 a span in all of about four hundred fifty years.
"Up to the time of Samuel the prophet, God provided judges to lead them. 21 But then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, out of the tribe of Benjamin. After Saul had ruled forty years, 22 God removed him from office and put King David in his place, with this commendation: 'I've searched the land and found this David, son of Jesse. He's a man whose heart beats to my heart, a man who will do what I tell him.'
23 "From out of David's descendants God produced a Savior for Israel, Jesus, exactly as he promised — 24 but only after John had thoroughly alerted the people to his arrival by preparing them for a total life-change. 25 As John was finishing up his work, he said, 'Did you think I was the One? No, I'm not the One. But the One you've been waiting for all these years is just around the corner, about to appear. And I'm about to disappear.'
26 "Dear brothers and sisters, children of Abraham, and friends of God, this message of salvation has been precisely targeted to you. 27 The citizens and rulers in Jerusalem didn't recognize who he was and condemned him to death. 28 They couldn't find a good reason, but demanded that Pilate execute him anyway. 29 They did just what the prophets said they would do, but had no idea they were following to the letter the script of the prophets, even though those same prophets are read every Sabbath in their meeting places.
"After they had done everything the prophets said they would do, they took him down from the cross and buried him. 30 And then God raised him from death. 31 There is no disputing that — he appeared over and over again many times and places to those who had known him well in the Galilean years, and these same people continue to give witness that he is alive.
32 "And we're here today bringing you good news: the Message that what God promised the fathers 33 has come true for the children — for us! He raised Jesus, exactly as described in the second Psalm:
My Son! My very own Son!Today I celebrate you!
34 "When he raised him from the dead, he did it for good — no going back to that rot and decay for him. That's why Isaiah said, 'I'll give to all of you David's guaranteed blessings.' 35 So also the psalmist's prayer: 'You'll never let your Holy One see death's rot and decay.'
36 "David, of course, having completed the work God set out for him, has been in the grave, dust and ashes, a long time now. 37 But the One God raised up — no dust and ashes for him! 38 I want you to know, my very dear friends, that it is on account of this resurrected Jesus that the forgiveness of your sins can be promised. 39 He accomplishes, in those who believe, everything that the Law of Moses could never make good on. But everyone who believes in this raised-up Jesus is declared good and right and whole before God.
40 "Don't take this lightly. You don't want the prophet's sermon to describe you:
41 Watch out, cynics;Look hard — watch your world fall to pieces.I'm doing something right before your eyes That you won't believe, though it's staring you in the face."
Acts 13:7-12
The governor invited Barnabas and Saul in, wanting to hear God's Word firsthand from them. 8 But Dr. Know-It-All (that's the wizard's name in plain English) stirred up a ruckus, trying to divert the governor from becoming a believer. 9 But Saul (or Paul), full of the Holy Spirit and looking him straight in the eye, said, 10 "You bag of wind, you parody of a devil — why, you stay up nights inventing schemes to cheat people out of God. 11 But now you've come up against God himself, and your game is up. You're about to go blind — no sunlight for you for a good long stretch." He was plunged immediately into a shadowy mist and stumbled around, begging people to take his hand and show him the way.
12 When the governor saw what happened, he became a believer in God!
Acts 12:5-19
5 All the time that Peter was under heavy guard in the jailhouse, the church prayed for him most strenuously.
6 Then the time came for Herod to bring him out for the kill. That night, even though shackled to two soldiers, one on either side, Peter slept like a baby. And there were guards at the door keeping their eyes on the place. Herod was taking no chances!
7 Suddenly there was an angel at his side and light flooding the room. The angel shook Peter and got him up: "Hurry!" The handcuffs fell off his wrists. 8 The angel said, "Get dressed. Put on your shoes." Peter did it. Then, "Grab your coat and let's get out of here." 9 Peter followed him, but didn't believe it was really an angel — he thought he was dreaming.
10 Past the first guard and then the second, they came to the iron gate that led into the city. It swung open before them on its own, and they were out on the street, free as the breeze. At the first intersection the angel left him, going his own way. 11 That's when Peter realized it was no dream. "I can't believe it — this really happened! The Master sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's vicious little production and the spectacle the Jewish mob was looking forward to."
12 Still shaking his head, amazed, he went to Mary's house, the Mary who was John Mark's mother. The house was packed with praying friends. 13 When he knocked on the door to the courtyard, a young woman named Rhoda came to see who it was. 14 But when she recognized his voice — Peter's voice! — she was so excited and eager to tell everyone Peter was there that she forgot to open the door and left him standing in the street.
15 But they wouldn't believe her, dismissing her, dismissing her report. "You're crazy," they said. She stuck by her story, insisting. They still wouldn't believe her and said, "It must be his angel." 16 All this time poor Peter was standing out in the street, knocking away.
Finally they opened up and saw him — and went wild! 17 Peter put his hands up and calmed them down. He described how the Master had gotten him out of jail, then said, "Tell James and the brothers what's happened." He left them and went off to another place.
18 At daybreak the jail was in an uproar. "Where is Peter? What's happened to Peter?" 19 When Herod sent for him and they could neither produce him nor explain why not, he ordered their execution: "Off with their heads!"
Acts 7:2-53
the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was still in Mesopotamia, before the move to Haran, 3 and told him, 'Leave your country and family and go to the land I'll show you.'
4 "So he left the country of the Chaldees and moved to Haran. After the death of his father, he immigrated to this country where you now live, 5 but God gave him nothing, not so much as a foothold. He did promise to give the country to him and his son later on, even though Abraham had no son at the time. 6 God let him know that his offspring would move to an alien country where they would be enslaved and brutalized for four hundred years.
7'But,' God said, 'I will step in and take care of those slaveholders and bring my people out so they can worship me in this place.'
8 "Then he made a covenant with him and signed it in Abraham's flesh by circumcision. When Abraham had his son Isaac, within eight days he reproduced the sign of circumcision in him. Isaac became father of Jacob, and Jacob father of twelve 'fathers,' each faithfully passing on the covenant sign.
9 "But then those 'fathers,' burning up with jealousy, sent Joseph off to Egypt as a slave. God was right there with him, though — 10 he not only rescued him from all his troubles but brought him to the attention of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He was so impressed with Joseph that he put him in charge of the whole country, including his own personal affairs.
11 "Later a famine descended on that entire region, stretching from Egypt to Canaan, bringing terrific hardship. Our hungry fathers looked high and low for food, but the cupboard was bare. 12 Jacob heard there was food in Egypt and sent our fathers to scout it out. 13 Having confirmed the report, they went back to Egypt a second time to get food. On that visit, Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers and introduced the Jacob family to Pharaoh. 14 Then Joseph sent for his father, Jacob, and everyone else in the family, seventy-five in all. 15 That's how the Jacob family got to Egypt.
"Jacob died, and our fathers after him. 16 They were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb for which Abraham paid a good price to the sons of Hamor.
17 "When the four hundred years were nearly up, the time God promised Abraham for deliverance, the population of our people in Egypt had become very large. 18 And there was now a king over Egypt who had never heard of Joseph. 19 He exploited our race mercilessly. He went so far as forcing us to abandon our newborn infants, exposing them to the elements to die a cruel death.
20 "In just such a time Moses was born, a most beautiful baby. He was hidden at home for three months. 21 When he could be hidden no longer, he was put outside — and immediately rescued by Pharaoh's daughter, who mothered him as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in the best schools in Egypt. He was equally impressive as a thinker and an athlete.
23 "When he was forty years old, he wondered how everything was going with his Hebrew kin and went out to look things over. 24 He saw an Egyptian abusing one of them and stepped in, avenging his underdog brother by knocking the Egyptian flat. 25 He thought his brothers would be glad that he was on their side, and even see him as an instrument of God to deliver them. But they didn't see it that way. 26 The next day two of them were fighting and he tried to break it up, told them to shake hands and get along with each other: 'Friends, you are brothers, why are you beating up on each other?'
27 "The one who had started the fight said, 'Who put you in charge of us? 28 Are you going to kill me like you killed that Egyptian yesterday?' 29 When Moses heard that, realizing that the word was out, he ran for his life and lived in exile over in Midian. During the years of exile, two sons were born to him.
30 "Forty years later, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to him in the guise of flames of a burning bush. 31 Moses, not believing his eyes, went up to take a closer look. He heard God's voice: 32'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Frightened nearly out of his skin, Moses shut his eyes and turned away.
33 "God said, 'Kneel and pray. You are in a holy place, on holy ground. 34 I've seen the agony of my people in Egypt. I've heard their groans. I've come to help them. So get yourself ready; I'm sending you back to Egypt.'
35 "This is the same Moses whom they earlier rejected, saying, 'Who put you in charge of us?' This is the Moses that God, using the angel flaming in the burning bush, sent back as ruler and redeemer. 36 He led them out of their slavery. He did wonderful things, setting up God-signs all through Egypt, down at the Red Sea, and out in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to his congregation, 'God will raise up a prophet just like me from your descendants.' 38 This is the Moses who stood between the angel speaking at Sinai and your fathers assembled in the wilderness and took the life-giving words given to him and handed them over to us, 39 words our fathers would have nothing to do with.
"They craved the old Egyptian ways, 40 whining to Aaron, 'Make us gods we can see and follow. This Moses who got us out here miles from nowhere — who knows what's happened to him!' 41 That was the time when they made a calf-idol, brought sacrifices to it, and congratulated each other on the wonderful religious program they had put together.
42 "God wasn't at all pleased; but he let them do it their way, worship every new god that came down the pike — and live with the consequences, consequences described by the prophet Amos:
Did you bring me offerings of animals and grains those forty wilderness years, O Israel? 43 Hardly. You were too busy building shrines to war gods, to sex goddesses,Worshiping them with all your might.That's why I put you in exile in Babylon.
44 "And all this time our ancestors had a tent shrine for true worship, made to the exact specifications God provided Moses. 45 They had it with them as they followed Joshua, when God cleared the land of pagans, and still had it right down to the time of David. 46 David asked God for a permanent place for worship. 47 But Solomon built it.
48 "Yet that doesn't mean that Most High God lives in a building made by carpenters and masons. The prophet Isaiah put it well when he wrote,
49 "Heaven is my throne room;I rest my feet on earth.So what kind of house will you build me?" says God."Where I can get away and relax? 50 It's already built, and I built it."
51 "And you continue, so bullheaded! Calluses on your hearts, flaps on your ears! Deliberately ignoring the Holy Spirit, you're just like your ancestors. 52 Was there ever a prophet who didn't get the same treatment? Your ancestors killed anyone who dared talk about the coming of the Just One. And you've kept up the family tradition — traitors and murderers, all of you. 53 You had God's Law handed to you by angels — gift-wrapped! — and you squandered it!"
Acts 5:25-26
25 Just then someone showed up and said, "Did you know that the men you put in jail are back in the Temple teaching the people?" 26 The chief and his police went and got them, but they handled them gently, fearful that the people would riot and turn on them
What the people thought was more important than what God thought!
Acts 3:12-16
Oh, why does this take you by such complete surprise, and why stare at us as if our power or piety made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his Son Jesus. The very One that Pilate called innocent, you repudiated. 14 You repudiated the Holy One, the Just One, and asked for a murderer in his place. 15 You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead — and we're the witnesses. 16 Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet — yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes
And nothing but faith will get you into God’s kingdom in eternity!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
John 21:15-17
After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"
"Yes, Master, you know I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16 He then asked a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
"Yes, Master, you know I love you."
Jesus said, "Shepherd my sheep."
17 Then he said it a third time: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, "Do you love me?" so he answered, "Master, you know everything there is to know. You've got to know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep
All three times Jesus mentioned the sheep
Jesus said:
John 15:19
19 If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms
There are two sets of terms by which you can choose to live: the world’s OR God’s-it’s your life so it’s your choice
Jesus said:
John 15:4-8
In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
5 "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. 6 Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. 7 But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. 8 This is how my Father shows who he is — when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples
Separated from me you can't produce a thing…
Jesus said:
John 12:24-27
Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. 25 In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.
26 "If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you'll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment's notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.
27 "Right now I am storm-tossed. And what am I going to say? 'Father, get me out of this'? No, this is why I came in the first place
NO ONE TEACHES THAT THIS IS WHY HE CAME
John 11:23-26
Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up."
24 Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."
25 "You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. 26 And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
John 4:9-10
9 The Samaritan woman, taken aback, asked, "How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" (Jews in those days wouldn't be caught dead talking to Samaritans.)
10 Jesus answered, "If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water."
It is possible that some people will not know who Jesus is
John 4:1-3
Jesus realized that the Pharisees were keeping count of the baptisms that he and John performed 2(although his disciples, not Jesus, did the actual baptizing). They had posted the score that Jesus was ahead, turning him and John into rivals in the eyes of the people. 3 So Jesus left the Judean countryside
Jesus didn’t like competition!
John 3:16-22
16 "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. 17 God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. 18 Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
19 "This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. 20 Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. 21 But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."
John 3:5-6
5 Jesus said, "Unless a person submits to this original creation — the 'wind hovering over the water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life — it's not possible to enter God's kingdom. 6 When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch — the Spirit — and becomes a living spirit
John 2:23-25
23 During the time he was in Jerusalem, those days of the Passover Feast, many people noticed the signs he was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to him. 24 But Jesus didn't entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. 25 He didn't need any help in seeing right through them.
What does He see in you?
John 1:9-14
9 The Life-Light was the real thing:
Every person entering Life
he brings into Light.
10 He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn't even notice.
11 He came to his own people,
but they didn't want him.
12 But whoever did want him,
who believed he was who he claimed
and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
their child-of-God selves.
13 These are the God-begotten,
not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten,
not sex-begotten.
14 The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish
John 1:1-5
The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
2 in readiness for God from day one.
3 Everything was created through him;
nothing — not one thing! —
came into being without him.
4 What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
5 The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn't put it out.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Jesus said:
Luke 22:27-30
27 Who would you rather be: the one who eats the dinner or the one who serves the dinner? You'd rather eat and be served, right? But I've taken my place among you as the one who serves. 28 And you've stuck with me through thick and thin. 29 Now I confer on you the royal authority my Father conferred on me 30 so you can eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and be strengthened as you take up responsibilities among the congregations of God's people.
Luke 21:1-4
21:1 Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. 2 Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. 3 He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. 4 All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford — she gave her all!"
Luke 20:34-36
34 Jesus said, "Marriage is a major preoccupation here on this Earth, 35 but not in Eternity. Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage 36 nor, of course, with death. They will have better things to think about, if you can believe it. All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God
Luke 20:9-18
Jesus told another story to the people: "A man planted a vineyard. He handed it over to farmhands and went off on a trip. He was gone a long time. 10 In time he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect the profits, but they beat him up and sent him off empty-handed. 11 He decided to try again and sent another servant. That one they beat black and blue, and sent him off empty-handed. 12 He tried a third time. They worked that servant over from head to foot and dumped him in the street.
13 "Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'I know what I'll do: I'll send my beloved son. They're bound to respect my son.'
14 "But when the farmhands saw him coming, they quickly put their heads together. 'This is our chance — this is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all to ourselves.' 15 They killed him and threw him over the fence.
"What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? 16 Right. He'll come and clean house. Then he'll assign the care of the vineyard to others."
Those who were listening said, "Oh, no! He'd never do that!"
17 But Jesus didn't back down. "Why, then, do you think this was written:
That stone the masons threw out —
It's now the cornerstone!?
18 "Anyone falling over that stone will break every bone in his body; if the stone falls on anyone, it will be a total smashup."
God created the Earth
Luke 19:12-27
There was once a man descended from a royal house who needed to make a long trip back to headquarters to get authorization for his rule and then return. 13 But first he called ten servants together, gave them each a sum of money, and instructed them, 'Operate with this until I return.'
14 "But the citizens there hated him. So they sent a commission with a signed petition to oppose his rule: 'We don't want this man to rule us.'
15 "When he came back bringing the authorization of his rule, he called those ten servants to whom he had given the money to find out how they had done.
16 "The first said, 'Master, I doubled your money.'
17 "He said, 'Good servant! Great work! Because you've been trustworthy in this small job, I'm making you governor of ten towns.'
18 "The second said, 'Master, I made a fifty percent profit on your money.'
19 "He said, 'I'm putting you in charge of five towns.'
20 "The next servant said, 'Master, here's your money safe and sound. I kept it hidden in the cellar. 21 To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid. I know you have high standards and hate sloppiness, and don't suffer fools gladly.'
22 "He said, 'You're right that I don't suffer fools gladly — and you've acted the fool! 23 Why didn't you at least invest the money in securities so I would have gotten a little interest on it?'
24 "Then he said to those standing there, 'Take the money from him and give it to the servant who doubled my stake.'
25 "They said, 'But Master, he already has double . . .'
26 "He said, 'That's what I mean: Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag.
27 "'As for these enemies of mine who petitioned against my rule, clear them out of here. I don't want to see their faces around here again
Luke 18:35-43
A blind man was sitting beside the road asking for handouts. 36 When he heard the rustle of the crowd, he asked what was going on. 37 They told him, "Jesus the Nazarene is going by."
38 He yelled, "Jesus! Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!"
39 Those ahead of Jesus told the man to shut up, but he only yelled all the louder, "Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!"
40 Jesus stopped and ordered him to be brought over. When he had come near, Jesus asked, 41 "What do you want from me?"
He said, "Master, I want to see again."
42 Jesus said, "Go ahead — see again! Your faith has saved and healed you!" 43 The healing was instant: He looked up, seeing — and then followed Jesus, glorifying God. Everyone in the street joined in, shouting praise to God
I was blind but now I see…
Luke 18:18-30
One day one of the local officials asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to deserve eternal life?"
19 Jesus said, "Why are you calling me good? No one is good — only God. 20 You know the commandments, don't you? No illicit sex, no killing, no stealing, no lying, honor your father and mother."
21 He said, "I've kept them all for as long as I can remember."
22 When Jesus heard that, he said, "Then there's only one thing left to do: Sell everything you own and give it away to the poor. You will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me."
23 This was the last thing the official expected to hear. He was very rich and became terribly sad. He was holding on tight to a lot of things and not about to let them go.
24 Seeing his reaction, Jesus said, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who have it all to enter God's kingdom? 25 I'd say it's easier to thread a camel through a needle's eye than get a rich person into God's kingdom."
26 "Then who has any chance at all?" the others asked.
27 "No chance at all," Jesus said, "if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."
28 Peter tried to regain some initiative: "We left everything we owned and followed you, didn't we?"
29 "Yes," said Jesus, "and you won't regret it. No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children — whatever — 30 will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!"
Luke 18:15-17
15 People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. 16 Jesus called them back. "Let these children alone. Don't get between them and me. These children are the kingdom's pride and joy. 17 Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in."
Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in
Do you graduate from school in the simplicity of a child?
Luke 18:9-14
Jesus told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: 10 "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. 11 The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people — robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. 12 I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
13 "Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"
14 Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
Luke 18:1-8
Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. 2 He said, "There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. 3 A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are being violated. Protect me!'
4 "He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. 5 But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice — otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black and blue by her pounding.'"
6 Then the Master said, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? 7 So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? 8 I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?"
Luke 17:26-33
The time of the Son of Man will be just like the time of Noah — 27 everyone carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ship. They suspected nothing until the flood hit and swept everything away.
28 "It was the same in the time of Lot — the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual 29 right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp. 30 That's how it will be — sudden, total — when the Son of Man is revealed.
31 "When the Day arrives and you're out working in the yard, don't run into the house to get anything. And if you're out in the field, don't go back and get your coat. 32 Remember what happened to Lot's wife! 33 If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you'll lose it, but if you let that life go, you'll get life on God's terms
Luke 17:12-19
As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance 13 but raised their voices, calling out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
14 Taking a good look at them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."
They went, and while still on their way, became clean. 15 One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. 16 He kneeled at Jesus' feet, so grateful. He couldn't thank him enough — and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus said, "Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? 18 Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?" 19 Then he said to him, "Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you."
Luke 16:19-31
"There once was a rich man, expensively dressed in the latest fashions, wasting his days in conspicuous consumption. 20 A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. 21 All he lived for was to get a meal from scraps off the rich man's table. His best friends were the dogs who came and licked his sores.
22 "Then he died, this poor man, and was taken up by the angels to the lap of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell and in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus in his lap. 24 He called out, 'Father Abraham, mercy! Have mercy! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool my tongue. I'm in agony in this fire.'
25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that in your lifetime you got the good things and Lazarus the bad things. It's not like that here. Here he's consoled and you're tormented. 26 Besides, in all these matters there is a huge chasm set between us so that no one can go from us to you even if he wanted to, nor can anyone cross over from you to us.'
27 "The rich man said, 'Then let me ask you, Father: Send him to the house of my father 28 where I have five brothers, so he can tell them the score and warn them so they won't end up here in this place of torment.'
29 "Abraham answered, 'They have Moses and the Prophets to tell them the score. Let them listen to them.'
30 "'I know, Father Abraham,' he said, 'but they're not listening. If someone came back to them from the dead, they would change their ways.'
31 "Abraham replied, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the Prophets, they're not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.'"
Luke 16:1-13
Jesus said to his disciples, "There was once a rich man who had a manager. He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses. 2 So he called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about you? You're fired. And I want a complete audit of your books.'
3 "The manager said to himself, 'What am I going to do? I've lost my job as manager. I'm not strong enough for a laboring job, and I'm too proud to beg. . . . 4 Ah, I've got a plan. Here's what I'll do . . . then when I'm turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.'
5 "Then he went at it. One after another, he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'
6 "He replied, 'A hundred jugs of olive oil.'
"The manager said, 'Here, take your bill, sit down here — quick now — write fifty.'
7 "To the next he said, 'And you, what do you owe?'
"He answered, 'A hundred sacks of wheat.'
"He said, 'Take your bill, write in eighty.'
8 "Now here's a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. 9 I want you to be smart in the same way — but for what is right — using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior."
10 God Sees Behind Appearances
Jesus went on to make these comments: If you're honest in small things,you'll be honest in big things; 11 If you're a crook in small things,you'll be a crook in big things. 12 If you're not honest in small jobs,who will put you in charge of the store? 13 No worker can serve two bosses:He'll either hate the first and love the second Or adore the first and despise the second.You can't serve both God and the Bank.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Luke 15:1-32
By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. 2 The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." 3 Their grumbling triggered this story.
4 "Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? 5 When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, 6 and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' 7 Count on it — there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
8 "Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' 10 Count on it — that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."
11 Then he said, "There was once a man who had two sons. 12 The younger said to his father, 'Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'
"So the father divided the property between them. 13 It wasn't long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. 14 After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. 15 He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. 16 He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
17 "That brought him to his senses. He said, 'All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. 18 I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; 19 I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.' 20 He got right up and went home to his father.
"When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.'
22 "But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! 24 My son is here — given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time.
25 "All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. 26 Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. 27 He told him, 'Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast — barbecued beef! — because he has him home safe and sound.'
28 "The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. 29 The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? 30 Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!'
31 "His father said, 'Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours — 32 but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'"
Luke 15:1-7
By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. 2 The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." 3 Their grumbling triggered this story.
4 "Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? 5 When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, 6 and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' 7 Count on it — there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
Luke 14:25-27
Jesus turned and told them, 26 "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters — yes, even one's own self! — can't be my disciple. 27 Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple
To “shoulder your own cross” means that you sacrifice yourself whatever that means just as Jesus did…remember you are His body!
Luke 14:16-24
there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. 17 When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, 'Come on in; the food's on the table.'
18 "Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, 'I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.'
19 "Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.'
20 "And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife.'
21 "The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, 'Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.'
22 "The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded — and there's still room.'
23 "The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! 24 Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.'"
...other people's priorities didn't cut it with him!
Luke 14:8-14
8 "When someone invites you to dinner, don't take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. 9 Then he'll come and call out in front of everybody, 'You're in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.' Red-faced, you'll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.
10 "When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, 'Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! 11 What I'm saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
12 Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. 13 Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. 14 You'll be — and experience — a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned — oh, how it will be returned! — at the resurrection of God's people."
Luke 13:23-29
"Master, will only a few be saved?"
He said, 24 "Whether few or many is none of your business. Put your mind on your life with God. The way to life — to God! — is vigorous and requires your total attention. A lot of you are going to assume that you'll sit down to God's salvation banquet just because you've been hanging around the neighborhood all your lives. 25 Well, one day you're going to be banging on the door, wanting to get in, but you'll find the door locked and the Master saying, 'Sorry, you're not on my guest list.'
26 "You'll protest, 'But we've known you all our lives!' 27 only to be interrupted with his abrupt, 'Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing. You don't know the first thing about me.'
28 "That's when you'll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You'll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God's kingdom. 29 You'll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God's kingdom. And all the time you'll be outside looking in — and wondering what happened
Luke 13:23-29
"Master, will only a few be saved?"
He said, 24 "Whether few or many is none of your business. Put your mind on your life with God. The way to life — to God! — is vigorous and requires your total attention. A lot of you are going to assume that you'll sit down to God's salvation banquet just because you've been hanging around the neighborhood all your lives. 25 Well, one day you're going to be banging on the door, wanting to get in, but you'll find the door locked and the Master saying, 'Sorry, you're not on my guest list.'
26 "You'll protest, 'But we've known you all our lives!' 27 only to be interrupted with his abrupt, 'Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing. You don't know the first thing about me.'
28 "That's when you'll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You'll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God's kingdom. 29 You'll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God's kingdom. And all the time you'll be outside looking in — and wondering what happened
Luke 13:18-21
Jesus said, "How can I picture God's kingdom for you? What kind of story can I use? 19 It's like a pine nut that a man plants in his front yard. It grows into a huge pine tree with thick branches, and eagles build nests in it."
20 He tried again. "How can I picture God's kingdom? 21 It's like yeast that a woman works into enough dough for three loaves of bread — and waits while the dough rises."
Luke 13:11-17
11 There was a woman present, so twisted and bent over with arthritis that she couldn't even look up. She had been afflicted with this for eighteen years. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over. "Woman, you're free!" 13 He laid hands on her and suddenly she was standing straight and tall, giving glory to God.
14 The meeting-place president, furious because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the congregation, "Six days have been defined as work days. Come on one of the six if you want to be healed, but not on the seventh, the Sabbath."
15 But Jesus shot back, "You frauds! Each Sabbath every one of you regularly unties your cow or donkey from its stall, leads it out for water, and thinks nothing of it. 16 So why isn't it all right for me to untie this daughter of Abraham and lead her from the stall where Satan has had her tied these eighteen years?"
17 When he put it that way, his critics were left looking quite silly and red-faced
Luke 13:6-9
A man had an apple tree planted in his front yard. He came to it expecting to find apples, but there weren't any. 7 He said to his gardener, 'What's going on here? For three years now I've come to this tree expecting apples and not one apple have I found. Chop it down! Why waste good ground with it any longer?'
8 "The gardener said, 'Let's give it another year. I'll dig around it and fertilize, 9 and maybe it will produce next year; if it doesn't, then chop it down.'"
So clearly if you don’t produce then you will be chopped down!
Jesus said:
Luke 12:49-51
I've come to start a fire on this earth — how I wish it were blazing right now! 50 I've come to change everything, turn everything rightside up — how I long for it to be finished! 51 Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I've come to disrupt and confront!
Churches don’t teach this but it’s in God’s word!
Luke 12:16-21
The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. 17 He talked to himself: 'What can I do? My barn isn't big enough for this harvest.' 18 Then he said, 'Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, 19 and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!'
20 "Just then God showed up and said, 'Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods — who gets it?'
21 "That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."
What’s your barn full of?
Luke 10:29-37
he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?"
30 Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. 31 Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. 32 Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
33 "A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. 34 He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. 35 In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill — I'll pay you on my way back.'
36 "What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"
37 "The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.
Jesus said, "Go and do the same."
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Luke 9:23-26
Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat — I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. 24 Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. 25 What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? 26 If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I'm leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels
Luke 9:1-5
Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. 2 He commissioned them to preach the news of God's kingdom and heal the sick. 3 He said, "Don't load yourselves up with equipment. 4 Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns — get a modest place and be content there until you leave. 5 If you're not welcomed, leave town. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on."
you are the equipment!
Luke 8:11-15
The seed is the Word of God. 12 The seeds on the road are those who hear the Word, but no sooner do they hear it than the Devil snatches it from them so they won't believe and be saved.
13 "The seeds in the gravel are those who hear with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm doesn't go very deep. It's only another fad, and the moment there's trouble it's gone.
14 "And the seed that fell in the weeds — well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and having fun.
15 "But the seed in the good earth — these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there's a harvest
Luke 7:41-43
41 "Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. 42 Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?"
43 Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most."
"That's right," said Jesus
Luke 6:20-23
You're blessed when you've lost it all.
God's kingdom is there for the finding.
21 You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry.
Then you're ready for the Messianic meal.
You're blessed when the tears flow freely.
Joy comes with the morning.
22 "Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable. 23 You can be glad when that happens — skip like a lamb, if you like! — for even though they don't like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this.
Luke 4:25-27
25 Isn't it a fact that there were many widows in Israel at the time of Elijah during that three and a half years of drought when famine devastated the land, 26 but the only widow to whom Elijah was sent was in Sarepta in Sidon? 27 And there were many lepers in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha but the only one cleansed was Naaman the Syrian
Few are chosen!
Luke 4:25-27
25 Isn't it a fact that there were many widows in Israel at the time of Elijah during that three and a half years of drought when famine devastated the land, 26 but the only widow to whom Elijah was sent was in Sarepta in Sidon? 27 And there were many lepers in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha but the only one cleansed was Naaman the Syrian
Luke 3:16-17
John intervened: "I'm baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. 17 He's going to clean house — make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned."
Luke 3:7-8
Do you think a little water on your skin is going to deflect God's judgment? 8 It's your life that must change, not your skin
Forgiveness of sin has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not you get wet! As baptism comes by water OR the Holy Spirit-salvation also comes on Earth OR in eternity! Salvation is salvation
Luke 2:8-14
There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. 9 Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. 10 The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: 11 A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. 12 This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."
13 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:
14 Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
not just for all people but Peace to all men and women on earth who please him
Luke 1:26-37
God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth 27 to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin's name, Mary. 28 Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:
Good morning!
You're beautiful with God's beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.
29 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. 30 But the angel assured her, "Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: 31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.
32 He will be great,
be called 'Son of the Highest.'
The Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David;
33 He will rule Jacob's house forever —
no end, ever, to his kingdom."
34 Mary said to the angel, "But how? I've never slept with a man."
35 The angel answered,
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth
will be called Holy, Son of God.
36 "And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months' pregnant! 37 Nothing, you see, is impossible with God."
Nothing, you see, is impossible with God
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Mark 15:37-38
Jesus, with a loud cry, gave his last breath. 38 At that moment the Temple curtain ripped right down the middle
The temple curtain separated the Holy of Holies from everything else under the Old Testament but Jesus death started the New Testament and His dead body took away that curtain!
Mark 14:37-38
"Simon, you went to sleep on me? Can't you stick it out with me a single hour? 38 Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don't enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don't be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."
Be careful that this isn’t you because it is possible to be ready AND asleep!
Mark 12:42-13:1
42 One poor widow came up and put in two small coins — a measly two cents. 43 Jesus called his disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. 44 All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford — she gave her all."
It isn’t about the amount it’s about the intent!
Mark 12:29-31
29 Jesus said, "The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; 30 so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.' 31 And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these."
Mark 12:18-27
Some Sadducees, the party that denies any possibility of resurrection, came up and asked, 19 "Teacher, Moses wrote that if a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother is obligated to marry the widow and have children. 20 Well, there once were seven brothers. The first took a wife. He died childless. 21 The second married her. He died, and still no child. The same with the third. 22 All seven took their turn, but no child. Finally the wife died. 23 When they are raised at the resurrection, whose wife is she? All seven were her husband."
24 Jesus said, "You're way off base, and here's why: One, you don't know your Bibles; two, you don't know how God works. 25 After the dead are raised up, we're past the marriage business. As it is with angels now, all our ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. 26 And regarding the dead, whether or not they are raised, don't you ever read the Bible? How God at the bush said to Moses, 'I am — not was — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 27 The living God is God of the living, not the dead. You're way, way off base."
Mark 12:18-25
Some Sadducees, the party that denies any possibility of resurrection, came up and asked, 19 "Teacher, Moses wrote that if a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother is obligated to marry the widow and have children. 20 Well, there once were seven brothers. The first took a wife. He died childless. 21 The second married her. He died, and still no child. The same with the third. 22 All seven took their turn, but no child. Finally the wife died. 23 When they are raised at the resurrection, whose wife is she? All seven were her husband."
24 Jesus said, "You're way off base, and here's why: One, you don't know your Bibles; two, you don't know how God works. 25 After the dead are raised up, we're past the marriage business. As it is with angels now, all our ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God
Mark 12:1-9
A man planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, erected a watchtower, turned it over to the farmhands, and went off on a trip. 2 At the time for harvest, he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect his profits.
3 "They grabbed him, beat him up, and sent him off empty-handed. 4 So he sent another servant. That one they tarred and feathered. 5 He sent another and that one they killed. And on and on, many others. Some they beat up, some they killed.
6 "Finally there was only one left: a beloved son. In a last-ditch effort, he sent him, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.'
7 "But those farmhands saw their chance. They rubbed their hands together in greed and said, 'This is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all for ourselves.' 8 They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him over the fence.
9 "What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He'll come and clean house. Then he'll assign the care of the vineyard to others
Others…not those who THOUGHT that they were entitled to it because of their position!
God made the Earth and His profits are servants of Him. So it’s what He thinks ONLY-not you!
Mark 12:1-9
A man planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, erected a watchtower, turned it over to the farmhands, and went off on a trip. 2 At the time for harvest, he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect his profits.
3 "They grabbed him, beat him up, and sent him off empty-handed. 4 So he sent another servant. That one they tarred and feathered. 5 He sent another and that one they killed. And on and on, many others. Some they beat up, some they killed.
6 "Finally there was only one left: a beloved son. In a last-ditch effort, he sent him, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.'
7 "But those farmhands saw their chance. They rubbed their hands together in greed and said, 'This is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all for ourselves.' 8 They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him over the fence.
9 "What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He'll come and clean house. Then he'll assign the care of the vineyard to others
Others…not
God made the Earth and His profits are servants of Him
Mark 11:15
Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants
These people were focused on making money INSTEAD of spreading God’s word and producing fruit for Him!
Mark 11:12-14
Jesus was hungry. 13 Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn't yet the season for figs.) 14 He addressed the tree: "No one is going to eat fruit from you again — ever!"
This is in the Bible to show us that producing fruit is very important to God! That’s why we’re here!
Mark 11:12-14
Jesus was hungry. 13 Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn't yet the season for figs.) 14 He addressed the tree: "No one is going to eat fruit from you again — ever!"
This is in the Bible to show us that producing fruit is very important to God!
Mark 10:42-45
42 Jesus got them together to settle things down. "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around," he said, "and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. 43 It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. 44 Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. 45 That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served — and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage."
Churches don’t teach this but God said it so Churches aren’t teaching God’s word!
Mark 10:42-45
42 Jesus got them together to settle things down. "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around," he said, "and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. 43 It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. 44 Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. 45 That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served — and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage."
Churches don't teach this!
Mark 10:28-30
28 Peter tried another angle: "We left everything and followed you."
29 Jesus said, "Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land — whatever — because of me and the Message 30 will lose out. They'll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land — but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life!
Mark 10:23-27
Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who 'have it all' to enter God's kingdom?" 24 The disciples couldn't believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: "You can't imagine how difficult. 25 I'd say it's easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for the rich to get into God's kingdom."
26 That set the disciples back on their heels. "Then who has any chance at all?" they asked.
27 Jesus was blunt: "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it."
No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.
The same way it is with ANY GIFT. If you don’t qualify for it then you don’t get it-it’s that simple!
Mark 10:23-27
Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who 'have it all' to enter God's kingdom?" 24 The disciples couldn't believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: "You can't imagine how difficult. 25 I'd say it's easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for the rich to get into God's kingdom."
26 That set the disciples back on their heels. "Then who has any chance at all?" they asked.
27 Jesus was blunt: "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it."
See?
Mark 10:23-24
23 Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who 'have it all' to enter God's kingdom?" 24 The disciples couldn't believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: "You can't imagine how difficult it is!”
this is for an ETERNITY so yes it's a gift but you have to qualify for it which is the same with any gift that YOU give! Unless it's someone's birthday or Christmas you won't give them a gift-they have to earn it!
Mark 10:13-15
13 The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. 14 The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. 15 Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in."
The great reversal...
Friday, May 23, 2014
Mark 9:5-6
Peter interrupted, "Rabbi, this is a great moment! Let's build three memorials — one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah." 6 He blurted this out without thinking, stunned as they all were by what they were seeing
Rather than being stunned that Moses and Elijah were there AND the changes to Jesus Peter was only stunned by what he could actually see
Mark 8:34-9:1
34 Calling the crowd to join his disciples, Jesus said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. 35 Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. 36 What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? 37 What could you ever trade your soul for?
38 "If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I'm leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you'll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels."
You’re in the driver’s seat ONLY in your own car that takes you where you want to go. With Jesus being in the driver’s seat you go where He want’s for you to go so He makes all of the decisions and people sometimes have a hard time with that
Mark 8:34-9:1
34 Calling the crowd to join his disciples, Jesus said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. 35 Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. 36 What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? 37 What could you ever trade your soul for?
38 "If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I'm leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you'll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels."
Mark 8:22-25
They arrived at Bethsaida. Some people brought a sightless man and begged Jesus to give him a healing touch. 23 Taking him by the hand, he led him out of the village. He put spit in the man's eyes, laid hands on him, and asked, "Do you see anything?"
24 He looked up. "I see men. They look like walking trees." 25 So Jesus laid hands on his eyes again. The man looked hard and realized that he had recovered perfect sight, saw everything in bright, twenty-twenty focus
Even Jesus had to try something twice!
Mark 7:5-8
5 The Pharisees and religion scholars asked, "Why do your disciples flout the rules, showing up at meals without washing their hands?"
6 Jesus answered, "Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull's-eye in fact:
These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
but their heart isn't in it.
7 They act like they are worshiping me,
but they don't mean it.
They just use me as a cover
for teaching whatever suits their fancy,
8 Ditching God's command
and taking up the latest fads."
Mark 7:1-4
The Pharisees, along with some religion scholars who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around him. 2 They noticed that some of his disciples weren't being careful with ritual washings before meals. 3 The Pharisees — Jews in general, in fact — would never eat a meal without going through the motions of a ritual hand-washing, 4 with an especially vigorous scrubbing if they had just come from the market (to say nothing of the scourings they'd give jugs and pots and pans)
Be VERY CAREFUL about taking care of what can be seen by others because God can’t be seen by anyone but He is very real which redefines reality!
Mark 6:7-12
Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. 8 He sent them off with these instructions:
"Don't think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple.
10 "And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content there until you leave.
11 "If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."
12 Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different
Mark 4:26-32
Jesus said, "God's kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man 27 who then goes to bed and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows — he has no idea how it happens. 28 The earth does it all without his help: first a green stem of grass, then a bud, then the ripened grain. 29 When the grain is fully formed, he reaps — harvest time!
30 "How can we picture God's kingdom? What kind of story can we use? 31 It's like a pine nut. When it lands on the ground it is quite small as seeds go, 32 yet once it is planted it grows into a huge pine tree with thick branches. Eagles nest in it."
Mark 4:3-20
A farmer planted seed. 4 As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it. 5 Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, 6 so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. 7 Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled among the weeds and nothing came of it. 8 Some fell on good earth and came up with a flourish, producing a harvest exceeding his wildest dreams.
9 "Are you listening to this? Really listening?"
10 When they were off by themselves, those who were close to him, along with the Twelve, asked about the stories. 11 He told them, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom — you know how it works. But to those who can't see it yet, everything comes in stories, creating readiness, nudging them toward receptive insight. 12 These are people —
Whose eyes are open but don't see a thing,
Whose ears are open but don't understand a word,
Who avoid making an about-face and getting forgiven."
13 He continued, "Do you see how this story works? All my stories work this way.
14 "The farmer plants the Word. 15 Some people are like the seed that falls on the hardened soil of the road. No sooner do they hear the Word than Satan snatches away what has been planted in them.
16 "And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm. 17 But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.
18 "The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news 19 but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it.
20 "But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams."
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