Dig Deeper - Week 12: What Did They See?
Awake Us Now
Dig Deeper - Week 12 - What did they see? Today we take a look at what John and Peter saw when the got to Jesus’ grave. John 20:3-7 ESV tells us, “So Peter went out with the other disciples, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen...
info_outline
The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 11
Awake Us Now
Matthew’s writings continue to show and tell us who Jesus. This week we see Jesus as the Rock, the firm foundation. We finish exploring the Sermon on the Mount and begin working through Chapter 8, where we see Jesus has authority!
info_outline
The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 10
Awake Us Now
In this section of Scripture, Jesus addresses common issues that all of us deal with.
info_outline
Questions - Week 24: Is the Shroud of Turin Genuine?
Awake Us Now
The Shroud of Turin is a relic housed in the cathedral in Turin Italy and claimed to be the burial cloth of Christ. The Gospels give us some details: Matthew 27:59-60 ESV “And Joseph (of Arimathea) took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.” Mark 15:46 ESV “And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking Him (Jesus) down, wrapped Him in the linen shroud and laid Him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone...
info_outline
Daniel: When Kingdoms Collide (2) - Mixed, Not Melted
Awake Us Now
God calls His people not to blend in to society, but to stand out, to reflect the mercy and goodness of God, so that He may be exalted through all the nations!
info_outline
The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 9
Awake Us Now
Prayer is an amazing gift from God! We have His plea to talk with Him. Genuine prayer; not showy prayer, but rather simply experiencing the presence of our Living God, the Father. Other topics covered are Jesus’ teaching on fasting and possessions. Based on Matthew 6:5-24.
info_outline
The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 8
Awake Us Now
Pastor points out the Old Testament’s words, “Thus says the LORD,” and compares them to the words of Jesus in the New Testament that say, “But I tell you.” What does this tell us about who Jesus is? Pastor explores the “But I tell yous” as found in Matthew chapter 5 and we learn what Jesus calls us to. That call is to a changed heart, which can only happen when we come to faith in Jesus. God’s call is personal! He wants to change each one of us by the shed blood of Jesus, the Son of God.
info_outline
The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 7
Awake Us Now
In Week 7, we hear more of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jesus calls us salt and light. What does He mean when He uses these words to describe how we are to be? As historians have looked at world history, more and more of them are coming to the realization Christianity changed everything. Jesus has had a greater impact on the human condition than anyone in all of history. What Jesus produces in people, changes them!
info_outline
Dig Deeper - Week 11: Two Pictures of the Messiah
Awake Us Now
We will look at the two pictures of the Messiah found in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). 2 Pictures of Messiah Reigning King Humble Substitute This double picture is what led some of the great Hebrew rabbis to suggest there might be two Messiahs that would come at different times and in different manners. And that then became the dominant tradition: Messiah will raise the dead Messiah will be victorious Messiah will reign in Jerusalem Messiah will bring peace If we look at the New Testament the early followers of Jesus believed this same thing about the Messiah....
info_outline
The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 6
Awake Us Now
We finish Matthew 4 on following Jesus, and begin the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 that opens with the Beatitudes.
info_outlineLuke 13:10-17; “Real Meets Ritual”
Jesus is the Real Deal! He is the Messiah. He really desires that we know Him more and more and spend eternity with Him. So what does the Real Jesus have to say to us today?
Today’s story in Luke tells how Jesus was in a synagogue teaching and there was a woman in attendance that had been crippled by a spirit for 18 years and was bent over and could not straighten up. (Note not possessed by a spirit but crippled by a spirit.) Luke recognizes that there is a spiritual dimension to our world. This was not just a physical illness.
Jesus does something surprising. He calls the woman to come up to Him. He understands her plight, says, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” The Word of Jesus is a word of power! When He speaks, even the demonic spirits listen!
He laid His hands on her. Don’t you wonder what that was like to experience the loving hands of Jesus on her? Then she immediately straightened up and praised God because she was healed but also because she understood the Living God, come to earth, spoke a word of power that defeated the 18 years demonic hold.
How does this story call us today to re-evaluate our worldview and what is real?
Challenge #1
-
Will we accept a Biblical or Western worldview?
Today the Western worldview dominates even within Christian circles. The Bible tells us there is an ongoing spiritual war. There are demons, though not responsible for every difficulty or trial, we are to be discerning, to seek God first, trusting that he is real and can be relied upon.
We are called to adopt a Biblical worldview and allow the scriptures to guide and direct our thinking, to allow God’s Word to speak into our lives.
Our God is real and desires to move in real ways in our lives. He is challenging us in the Western world to set aside a ritual understanding of the Christian faith and to adopt a Biblical worldview, to take him seriously.
Continuing with today’s story - after seeing the miraculous healing (done by Jesus on the Sabbath) the synagogue leaders are angry - Basically, after seeing divine power manifested before them, the leaders’ reaction is that this is not what we do
in our worship time! The leaders say there are 6 other days in the week for healing, so he told the people to come then, we are not to work (heal) on the Sabbath. Thereby accusing Jesus of sinning by doing the healing on the Sabbath.
However, Jesus does not let this stand and He says, “You hypocrites! Don’t you each on the Sabbath untie (unbind) your ox and donkey from the stall and walk them to water.” (This was considered work on the Sabbath). Jesus continues, “Then shouldn’t this woman bound 18 years be set free on the Sabbath?” Meaning, they will loosen the bonds on their animals on the Sabbath but then turn around and say it’s wrong to loosen the bonds of this woman on the Sabbath.
It’s not about the rituals, it’s about encountering the Living God, the Real God who:
Transforms
Heals
Forgives
Is gracious and merciful
And who calls His children to Real Life
Challenge #2
-
Will we receive and believe the Real Jesus or will we simply go along with the church culture?
Church culture today says come to church and then go back to life as usual. It says accept yourself the way you are and don’t judge anything or anyone. It says it doesn’t matter what you do - just be happy. Basically it says, give God lip service and then go back to your life.
This is not what God calls us to - His message is a message of truth and it is life changing! When we receive Him as Savior our lives are forever changed. We too are delivered like the woman bound by the demonic spirit we are delivered from demonic spirits, demonic teachings and demonic beliefs.
Jesus is asking us to move beyond a mere church culture and recognize Him for who he is, our Savior, Healer, Deliverer, our Lord, the One who frees us from the bonds of sin, death and the devil and gives instead Life and Hope!
Today our culture calls truth evil and lies good. Jesus is asking us to turn our back on that kind of culture and instead to hear His voice calling us to Himself.
He calls us from ritual to relationship!
He does the miraculous:
Redeems
Restores
Renews
And He offers Real Life!
Check out our website – everything we offer is FREE!! https://www.awakeusnow.com
Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of the-gospels-upper
Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01
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.