Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 5
Awake Us Now
Pastor begins with a brief overview of Solomon’s divided kingdom. Judah was in the south with two tribes ruled by a descendant of David, Reheboam. Israel in the north with ten tribes was ruled by Jeroboam (1 Kings 11-14) 931-910 BC. God had said that Jeroboam’s kingship would be blessed if he followed the Lord, but he chose the exact opposite path. In today’s class we will look closely at three incidents with Jeroboam. In 1 Kings 12:31-33 we read some of the first things he did that were against God, everything Jeroboam did was counterfeit, just like what the enemy always tries to...
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The Living One - Week 1: Did He Really Live?
Awake Us Now
This teaching compares non-Christian writings of Tacitus, Josephus, Suetonius and Pliny from the first and second centuries to the New Testament writings. The evidence is clear and calls us to recognize we are sinners in need of a Savior, The Living One!
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Big Questions - Power... When the Holy Spirit Comes
Awake Us Now
Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit to believers, is all about the power of God -- the power to live a new life, the power to give glory to the Living God, the power of faith that transforms us and that beckons to others to come to God as well!
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Big Questions - My Witnesses... To the Ends of the Earth
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It is easy to get distracted by other things — some of them perhaps important things — but Jesus makes it clear to His followers that our primary task is make disciples. To that end, we are to be His witnesses, "even to the ends of the earth."
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Dig Deeper - Week 2: The "Submission" Passage
Awake Us Now
Today’s class is a study of Ephesians 5:21-33. A group of verses that are controversial, often attacked and many times misunderstood. Ephesians 5:21-22 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, [submit] yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.” In the original Greek text the second [submit] word is not there. There is not a verb in this sentence and so in traditional Greek practice, you take the verb from the previous sentence and insert it into the next sentence. Please note that this is really important - because what this is saying is,...
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Big Questions - Obey... Everything I Have Commanded
Awake Us Now
Obedience is not optional - it is command from Jesus Himself. But we are not saved because we obey; rather, we obey the Lord because He has saved us!
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Big Questions - All Authority... in Heaven and on Earth
Awake Us Now
God has chosen you and me not simply to be religious, but to be disciples. We are to follow Jesus faithfully, grow in the knowledge and love of Him, and share with others the powerful things He has done so that they become disciples too!
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Questions - Week 13: Is Marriage Outdated?
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In this message we will look at what the Scriptures have to say about marriage, analyze concerns and questions raised in our day, overview the cultural changes that have led to many questioning the value and benefit of marriage, and do so from a Christian worldview. We will also take a look at some secular contemporary research and what it indicates. Common Reactions: 1. The culture has changed: - Married Couples comprised: 1950 — 78% of all US households 2020 — 47%...
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Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 4
Awake Us Now
Our study opens with a look at Civil War between Rehoboam and Judah vs. Jeroboam and Israel (931-910 BC). 1 Kings 12:1 We read that Rehoboam went to Shechem, “for all Israel had gone there to make him king.” Shechem was an historic site for the nation from about 500 years early when Levitical priests recited the blessings and the curses from Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Shechem is the city near these two mountains. In verses 3 and 4 we read that Jeroboam challenges Rehoboam. Reheboam goes to 2 advisory boards. One was the elders that had served under his father, Solomon. They...
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Big Questions - Lord and God! Jesus' Amazing Claims
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Lord and God? A great moral teacher? A very good man? What claims did Jesus actually make about His identity?
info_outlineLuke 1:1-25.
Today we begin a study of the Gospel of Luke with a look at Zechariah who was a devout man who thought he was prepared to meet the Living God - but reacted with fear and doubt when God showed up. God graciously gave him a second chance to respond with faith, and extends that same grace to us when we falter and fail. This story of Zechariah is a story that still speaks to us today.
There are lessons to learn from this story
- All scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness so that we can be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
- God wants us to KNOW HIM not just know about him.
- When we read the scriptures God desires that we not only look at it and say, “what happened?” He desires that we look at the story and say, “What does this say to me today?”
In examining what this story has to do with us today, we start by going through what we know about Zechariah:
1. He was a devout priest
2. He was praying
3. He knew this was from God
4. He knew the Scriptures
As Zechariah was met by the angel of the Lord as he did the priestly duties that day, when He actually had an encounter with the Angel of the Lord he had a difficult time accepting what he was told. At the root of his doubt was Zechariah’s desire to have God fit into his personal perception of who God was and how God should talk to him and what God should do. Basically, Zechariah wanted to make God conform to what he desired rather than allowing God to be who He is and to speak directly into his life.
What God desires to do is reveal Himself to us, rather than have us go along with our own personal perception of Him. We try to put God into a box, like Zechariah did, and to contain God, but God says, “NO!” And He reveals His true self to us. He reveals who He is.
God desires we come to Him in humility, repentant in spirit and willing to receive what He gives and that means that we accept one of the most important truths that anyone can know and act on and that is:
- God is god and we are not
- God is god and I am not
God is:
Supernatural
All powerful
Present everywhere
And when He speaks he means it!
His Word is true and it can be trusted!
We have been made in the image of a Holy God and we owe Him everything:
- My life
- My future
- My family
- My wealth
- My daily activities
We must not underestimate God. Zechariah heard great news that day from the angel and he just could not accept what God was saying. Zechariah made one of the biggest mistakes of his life and underestimated God. He said, “How can this be?” Because in his mind it just did not seem possible. BUT with God NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!
Divine Promises brought to Zechariah by the Angel of the Lord:
- Fear not!
- Answered prayers
- Good News of joy
- Holy Spirit outpouring
- Repentance and return
- Power
- Awakening
Zechariah thought he was too old to receive what the Lord was giving him, but we are NEVER too old for any of the good things of God!!!
God seeks to build a trusting faith in each of us that causes us to acknowledge, “I am the Lord’s servant and I will do what He says.”
Zechariah missed the boat that day, but God still came through and He took Zechariah’s doubts and reluctance and He brought it all about for His glory and Zechariah's good.
God is faithful. He keeps His Word!
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St. Luke’s Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. The Gospel of Luke takes a look at the life of Jesus, beginning with the well-known Christmas stories. Luke, a non-Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus’ life.
This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.