The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 18
Awake Us Now
This week’s text is Matthew 12:32 - 13:11. Pastor talks about the “unforgivable sin,” Jesus’ “three days” in the grave, and also takes us into chapter 13 where Matthew begins to focus on the parables of Jesus.
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 17
Awake Us Now
This week’s text is Matthew 12:3-37. Jesus continues to be challenged by the Pharisees' anger, bitterness and scheming as Jesus continues to show who He is. He shows us how a heart-change is needed!
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Dig Deeper - Week 13: Of First Importance...
Awake Us Now
Pastor takes us through an exploration of one of the earliest Christian statements of faith. 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 Paul said, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.” Of FIRST Importance is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Jesus is the sacrificial victim who pays for the sins of the world. Only an innocent victim can pay for...
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 16
Awake Us Now
This week’s text is Matthew 11:13-12:4, with a continued study of John the Baptist as fulfilling the prophecy of “Elijah who was to come” as he points to Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophesied Savior. The class continues exploring Jesus’ identity through the teachings on repentance and forgiveness found in Jesus, as we learn that it is through Him alone that we can come to know the Father.
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 15
Awake Us Now
In Matthew 10:29 - 11:15 we learn we are ambassadors for Christ with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The Holy Spirit enables us to be effective witnesses wherever we go. We are called to live for Christ, and that has phenomenal consequences both for us and for others. In chapter 11, Matthew shows us Jesus’ identity.
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Questions - Week 25: What if the Shroud is Genuine?
Awake Us Now
This is a controversial topic. The Shroud of Turin is the most studied, most scientifically tested artifact in history. It has been subjected to literally hundreds of thousands of hours of intensive study by people of multiple disciplines. What do we know for certain…. The Foundation: 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.For what I...
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Daniel: When Kingdoms Collide (3) - God Reveals
Awake Us Now
Jesus never promised His followers an easy journey. What He does promise is a great destination, and He assures us of the presence of His Holy Spirit to uphold, to guide, and to reveal, so that His people may be equipped to lead the nations back to Him!
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 14
Awake Us Now
Pastor continues his verse by verse study of the book of Matthew. Today’s teaching is on Matthew 10:7-31. This section of Scripture is filled with some challenging instruction from Jesus that is filled with Divine Wisdom.
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 13
Awake Us Now
Pastor continues his verse by verse study of the book of Matthew. Today’s teaching is on Matthew 9:18 - 10:10. This week’s study shows us Jesus as the Son of David, the Messiah. We also explore Jesus’ encouragement to spread the Gospel message to all, both Jew and Gentile.
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 12
Awake Us Now
This week Matthew’s writings reveal the authority of Jesus; even the winds and the waves obey Him! This authority, His authority, identifies Him as the Living God.
info_outlineLuke 9:51-56; “Fire From Heaven”
Our study today starts with a verse stating that Jesus “resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” Jesus was, without any hesitation, heading to Jerusalem, into the very city in which He knew He would suffer, be crucified and die. Knowing full well what was ahead - He resolutely - without hesitation - headed to Jerusalem. No shrinking back! Jesus was relentless in accomplishing what the Father desires.
What does the Father desire? He desires that ALL come to know Him, His love, mercy, forgiveness and life transforming power. God’s desire is that ALL people repent and come to a knowledge of Jesus our Savior.
And so to follow through on God’s heart, Jesus is relentless in pursuing the Father’s will and relentless in His pursuit of each one of us.
As we explore the next verses we read that the people in Samaria did not welcome Jesus because He was headed for Jerusalem, and they didn’t like where He was going nor did they like the people in that city. Doesn’t this make you wonder how many people have missed out on all Jesus has to offer because they are offended at something He has said, or done or something that the Bible declares.
REJECTION: Jesus was rejected over and over again, by:
1. Israel’s leaders
2. His own family
3. Samaritans
How do we feel when we are rejected? Bitter? Angry? A desire to get even? Retaliate? The Samaritan’s rejection of Jesus elicited this response from Jesus’ disciples, James and John: “Lord, do You want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”
This is not what Jesus wanted and He rebuked them but there would be a day God would send fire from heaven and that was at Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ ascension, when the Holy Spirit was poured out. On that day people in Samaria were filled with the Holy Spirit and drawn to the knowledge of Jesus the Messiah. Transformed. Changed forever! Gaining life, forgiveness, hope, peace, and joy. That is precisely what Jesus is still doing and desires to do today, to draw us to Himself, transform us from within and to give us joy and hope because He set His face toward Jerusalem and He went there for each one of US!
Jesus rebuked James and John that day, but in the days to come He would also transform them. This is all taking place about 6 months before Jesus’ death and resurrection and about 8 months before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is determined to accomplish all the Father desires and He is still determined to do that today in each of our lives. His desire is to fill us with His Holy Spirit, to know Him and to show His incredible love in the way we treat others.
Jesus is working to change the world one person at a time, beginning with you and me!
There also is a lesson in not growing weary - maybe we are looking around and wondering how much longer the Lord will put up with all the garbage going on in the world.
But then we see the testimony of Jesus’ life and how much our Savior gave of himself to accomplish our salvation. When we see this we too are changed. We realize our attitudes change as well.
What God calls us to do through the life and ministry and resurrection of Jesus, is to pray for a different kind of Fire. Holy Fire. The fire of the Holy Spirit!
To forgive as we are forgiven in Christ.
To love as we are loved in Christ.
To serve as Christ has served us.
God’s heart is that people return to Him.
God’s heart is for Revival!
Awakening!
What we see in Jesus is the Father heart!
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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.