Growing Gracefully: Persecution
Awake Us Now
Jesus makes it clear to His followers - if we follow Him, we WILL be persecuted, just as He was persecuted. When that happens, we are not to despair, but to rejoice - "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:10) Persecution is a confirmation that we truly are following the Living God!
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Questions - Week 22: What Did Jesus Tell Them?
Awake Us Now
Pastor gives us a look at the story, “On the Road to Emmaus,” found in Luke 24:13-27. We don’t know the actual location of Emmaus, nor do we know the names of those walking with Jesus in this story. The story takes place later in the day on the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Those Jesus walks with do not recognize Him. They are trying to figure out everything that had happened with Jesus and thinking about what the women had said about Jesus being alive and about the disciples having gone to the tomb and found it empty. Then Jesus begins to explain the scriptures to them concerning...
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Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 15
Awake Us Now
This is the final week in our study of 400 years of Kings and Prophets from Solomon to Jeremiah. King Josiah • Young King seeks God • Spiritual cleansing of Jerusalem • Book of the Law discovered • Reform beyond Judah • Passover observance - King Josiah gives an order to all people to observe God's Passover. This had not been celebrated according to what was written, not even in the days of the judges, nor in the days of any of the kings of...
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Growing Gracefully: Sing!
Awake Us Now
We see singing and songs throughout the Scriptures. Singing connects us with the heart, with one another, and with God!
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Growing Gracefully: Infilling
Awake Us Now
Everyone who is a true disciple of the Lord Jesus has the Holy Spirit. But does the Holy Spirit have us? It is one thing to know the Living God and to know Jesus as Savior, but it is another thing to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit on a regular, daily basis!
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Growing Gracefully: Awake
Awake Us Now
God charges His disciples to "be awake" in all times and all situations. We are especially charged to be awake to God's Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), the reality of spiritual warfare, and the signs of the times.
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Growing Gracefully: Prepared
Awake Us Now
Almost two thousand years ago, John the Baptist called people to repent and prepare for the coming Lord. Today, we are still called to have repentant hearts that receive and extend the forgiveness of the Living God, and to prepare fruit for Him in our lives!
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Growing Gracefully: Holiness
Awake Us Now
Holiness is a gift, offered to us in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But once God has made us holy, we are then called to pursue holiness in our lives!
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Questions - Week 21: Why Do You Believe He Is Risen?
Awake Us Now
Happy Resurrection Sunday - Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Today’s question is “Why do you believe He is risen?” Pastor starts today’s class with a personal testimony in which the Bible changed the direction of his life at the age of 15. Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:14 “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” Pastor shares the Evidence Trail of Jesus’ Resurrection on the bases of writings from believers, unbelievers, recorded data, and old and new studies. The Evidence Trail...
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Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 14
Awake Us Now
Last week we ended our study time looking at a great king of Judah, Hezekiah. Today we start with one of the worst kings of Judah, Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son. Manasseh reigned from 697-642 B.C. His story is found in 2 Kings 21:1-18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1-20. Manasseh reigned 55 years. He reigned longer than any other king and did more damage than any other king. He did evil in God’s eyes. It is a disgusting and tragic story. He destroys everything good his father had done. King Manasseh ⁃ Apostasy and Idolatry - 2 Chronicles 33:33 ⁃...
info_outlineMatthew 20:17-34, Matthew 21:1-11, Exodus 12:3, Isaiah 62:11, Zechariah 9:9, and Psalm 118:25-26.
Jesus lets us know that He is the fulfillment of all the Hebrew Scripture had predicted and all that the Father had dictated.
Until we receive Jesus as Lord, this is only head knowledge. The disciples had heard Him speak what was coming multiple times, but they just did not grasp what Jesus was saying about Him being the long awaited Savior. They didn’t understand what was ahead for Jesus in the next weeks. Jesus shares the sacrifice He’s going to make explaining what is coming: suffering, death and rising on the 3rd day.
It’s at this point in the Matthew narrative that there is a story of Jesus’ Aunt wanting her sons to be on each side of Jesus in heaven.
But Jesus uses her request to teach us we are to be individuals that reflect the heart of our heavenly Father who reflect the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, and reflect His example and sacrifice.
We are to put aside the things that the world so greatly treasures and instead embrace the values of God and the Holy Scriptures. We are to serve not be served.
It’s important that we today grasp the truth of who Jesus is as heart knowledge, not just head knowledge.
The next vignette Matthew shares is the story of two blind men who Jesus had compassion on and he heals their sight. This story contrasts how the blind man knew Jesus was Lord and asked for his mercy as opposed to the religious people who could not see Him for who He truly is.
As we head into chapter 21 is the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the 10th Day of Nissan, the exact day of that thousands of year old male lambs were being brought into the city and that will be set aside until the day of the Passover sacrifice on the 14th of Nissan.
Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey as a set apart sacrificial lamb who will die on the cross during Passover on the 14th day of Nissan….
…This is not coincidental… As thousands of lambs come into the city for preparations of Passover in rides the Lamb of God.
Jesus fulfilled what was prophesied in Isaiah and Zechariah when He rode into Jerusalem on the donkey, “See your Savior comes, lowly and riding on the foal of a donkey.” (Paraphrased)
If a king rode into a city on a donkey it was a sign He was coming peace, but if a king rose into a city on a horse he was coming for war. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. He came as the Prince of Peace, the One who will suffer for the sins of the world and lay down His life for us all. He came in peace knowing full well what was ahead of Him.
Jesus is accepted and cheered for as the Savior as He enters Jerusalem to the cheers of “Hosanna to the Son of Dave. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” But in just a few days another crowd will be cheering, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
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