Dig Deeper - Week 11: Two Pictures of the Messiah
Awake Us Now
We will look at the two pictures of the Messiah found in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). 2 Pictures of Messiah Reigning King Humble Substitute This double picture is what led some of the great Hebrew rabbis to suggest there might be two Messiahs that would come at different times and in different manners. And that then became the dominant tradition: Messiah will raise the dead Messiah will be victorious Messiah will reign in Jerusalem Messiah will bring peace If we look at the New Testament the early followers of Jesus believed this same thing about the Messiah....
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 6
Awake Us Now
We finish Matthew 4 on following Jesus, and begin the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 that opens with the Beatitudes.
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 5
Awake Us Now
Week 5 of our Matthew study digs into chapter 4 on the Temptation of Jesus, His three temptations and the reality of an unseen spiritual world.
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Questions - Week 23: How Are Minds Opened Today?
Awake Us Now
This message focuses on the question: “How are minds opened today?”, which is part of our ongoing series: “What’s the answer?” Pastor explores how people’s lives are changed and what changes their attitudes about God, about Jesus, the resurrection, and about the power of God’s Word. Pastor takes us through Luke 24:36-47, an encounter with Jesus that His disciples have with Him after His resurrection. Jesus tells them: “This is what I told you while I was still with you; Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets...
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Daniel: When Kingdoms Collide (1) - Daniel's God
Awake Us Now
The Book of Daniel is the story of the collision of two kingdoms, a spiritual war that is still being fought in the heavens and on the earth. In the end, the Kingdom of God wins!
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 4
Awake Us Now
Week 4 of our Matthew study is all about John the Baptist and his message of repentance, a message that can be difficult for the religious to accept.
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 3
Awake Us Now
In our study of Matthew this week we look at chapters 2 and 3, with an emphasis on deliverance through Jesus the Messiah and the fulfillment of the New Covenant through Him as well.
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 2
Awake Us Now
This week our study of Matthew takes us into chapter 2 and the story of Jesus’ birth focusing on the Magi, their interaction with Herod, and their interesting gifts to Jesus.
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Dig Deeper - Week 10: The Two Emmaus Disciples
Awake Us Now
Join us as we dig deeper into the teaching on “What’s the answer: What did Jesus tell them?”, found in Luke 24:13-27 - the story of 2 men “On the Road to Emmaus.” Two men are on their way, walking to the town of Emmaus are joined by Jesus. Let’s focus in on who these men were. For one of them we are given his name. Luke 24:18 “ One of them, named Cleopas, asked Jesus, …” Cleopas is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible, but there is another name very similar - Clopas - and this name is mentioned other places in the Bible. Over the centuries, many believers, scholars...
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 1
Awake Us Now
The Gospel of Matthew emphasizes Jesus as Israel’s long awaited Messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophetic promises in God’s Word, the Deliverer, Savior and King. Matthew zeroes in on Jesus’ call to discipleship. Will we heed this call today and commit fully to the King of Kings, the promised Savior of the world? Matthew chose to follow Jesus and Jesus changed Matthew’s life. If we choose to follow Jesus, He will change our lives, too. Why is the Gospel of Matthew Pastor Dodge's favorite? Why is this Gospel the first book of the New Testament? Jesus changed Matthew's life when...
info_outlineScripture - Luke 16:19-31, Luke 16:14.
“The Rich Man and Lazarus” is a parable in which Jesus portrays two ways of living — and two destinies after death. What will your destiny be?
This is many times a misunderstood parable. Jesus told this parable in response to the laughter and scorn of the pharisees. Pastor sets the stage for this parable sharing that no one is saved by:
1. Right Doctrines - We are not saved by knowing the doctrines of the faith because it is not what you know, it’s WHO you know. You can have the right doctrine, but be absolutely messed up in your relationship with the Lord.
2. Right Actions - We are not saved by how good we are. All have sinned and none of us can stand before a holy God. We are saved only be the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
In this parable, Jesus paints the picture of a very wealthy man living with his focus on possessions. Outside the gates lived a man with nothing, a poor man longing for scraps from the Rich Man’s table.
Both men die. Lazarus, the beggar, who trusted in the Living God goes to heaven and the Rich Man who trusted in his wealth and possessions, to Hades. The point Jesus makes with this teaching is that ultimately, every human being will face one of two destinies and the destinies can be summed up simply as reward (heaven) and punishment (Hades).
Jesus’ intent is to emphasize these two destinations. The most foolish thing we can do is to ignore the goodness, mercy and grace of God in Jesus Christ. Without Him we are lost and hell is our destination. Life with God is forever = heavenly reward. Life without God is forever = punishment and separation from Him and there’s no second chance. It’s just that simple. Jesus is saying this is serious stuff and our destiny is not to be taken lightly.
God’s word is available. Listen to what He says and we will know the truth. We are to follow Him, trust Him and in Him there is forgiveness and Life forever with Him. Reject Him and there is eternal judgement and punishment.
We must not ignore the voice of God. In this parable Jesus is trying to wake people up. He’s trying to show us just how important it is that we know Him. We can accumulate wealth, awards, position, title, honors, possessions but if we don’t know Jesus, we have nothing that endures.
Our Savior loves us enough that He was willing to die for us. When someone loves you that much you know that you can trust your life to Him. He loved us enough that He was willing to die for each one of us and he has triumphed over death for us too.
God is calling us to what really matters and what really matters is knowing Him, His love, His mercy, His forgiveness, His resurrection power and His promised return.
Our destiny is one or the other:
Life with God
Or
Life without God
Choose Life with God - it is in Him that Life forever - our reward - is found.
Recognize the reality of heaven and hell and choose life with Him, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT!
The Parables of Jesus is part two of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Jesus is known for telling some of the greatest stories ever told. In telling these stories He uses the form of a parable which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus’ parables resonate in every culture and in every generation around the world.
This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.