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...
info_outline
Big Questions - Lord and God! Jesus' Amazing Claims
Awake Us Now
Lord and God? A great moral teacher? A very good man? What claims did Jesus actually make about His identity?
info_outline
Big Questions - Stop Doubting and... Believe!
Awake Us Now
Faith is essential ... but in what do place our faith? The scriptures make it clear that we are to place our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Savior of all the nations, and the Hope of all the earth!
info_outline
Big Questions - Receive... the Holy Spirit!
Awake Us Now
When Jesus says to His disciples, "Receive the Holy Spirit," it is not a "one-and-done" activity. He desires us all to live continually in the Spirit!
info_outline
Dig Deeper - Week 1: In the Beginning
Awake Us Now
Genesis 1:1 - “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Let’s look at the words “God” and “created.” in this verse in Hebrew the word used for God is a plural noun and created is a singular verb. What day did God create the world? It says God created everything in 6 days and He rested on the 7th day, the Sabbath, and that is Saturday. Which means the first day of creation was on Sunday. What was the day of the week that God began a new creation? That was on the day Jesus arose from the grave. The Bible tells us this was on the first day of the week, on a...
info_outline
Big Questions - All Nations: How Close Are We?
Awake Us Now
From Genesis to Revelation, God's plan remains the same - to reach all nations and bring people back to Him. How close are we to seeing that happen? Why is belief in Jesus growing at such an astounding pace in much of the world, but not in Europe and North America?
info_outline
Big Questions - Israel Reborn: How Significant is it?
Awake Us Now
The nation of Israel was reborn suddenly in 1948, and the Jewish people have returned to the Promised Land in great numbers after 1900 years of exile. What does show about God's faithfulness and promises? What does it mean to believers in the Messiah?
info_outline
Questions - Week 12: Does God Exist?
Awake Us Now
Does God exist? The Bible has described this as a reality for thousands of years. Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” ⁃ There was a beginning ⁃ There is a God ⁃ God created everything This is looked at as a religious belief, but it is increasingly a scientific fact as the scientific world sees that the creation had a beginning. ⁃ Natural knowledge of God ⁃ Nature - Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of...
info_outline
Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 3
Awake Us Now
Solomon: Builder ⁃ Temple construction - 1 Kings 6 (took 7 years to build) ⁃ Temple dedication - 1 Kings 8 ⁃ God appears to Solomon - 1 Kings 9 ⁃ Solomon’s palace - 1 Kings 7 (took 13 years to build) Pastor shares archeological discoveries around Solomon in recent years including a massive stone wall and gate and more. Solomon: Reputation ⁃ Fleet at Ezion Geber - 1 Kings (for the first time Israel had its own navy - 1 Kings 9:26-28 - we read that...
info_outline
Big Questions - Birth Pains?
Awake Us Now
Wars, violence, persecution - Jesus warned these things would mark the time before His return. These things, He said, were like birth pains - increasing trial and suffering that herald a joyful ending. "When these things begin to take place," He said, "... lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28)
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!”
Visit our website here
https://www.awakeusnow.com
Watch the video from our website
https://www.awakeusnow.com/matthew-discipling
Watch the video from Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOxHZDaamNk9DaM7h7LejJj7
Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.
We invite you to join us for our Sunday service every Sunday at 9:30am CT (live or on demand) here: https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service