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 ⁃...
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Growing Gracefully: Obedience
Awake Us Now
Growing gracefully in obedience is a response to the salvation God has worked in our lives through Christ Jesus. We are called to walk in obedience as a response to our faith in Jesus. Obedience is not necessary for salvation, but obedience is necessary! Join us as we explore Growing Gracefully in our relationship with Jesus Christ through obedience to Him and His Word. Obedience does not save, but neither is it optional. God desires not simply outward actions, but inner obedience to His Word. Pastor focuses on two important Biblical truths: 1. Obedience does not save - Jesus saves --Grace of...
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.