Big Questions - Power... When the Holy Spirit Comes
Awake Us Now
Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit to believers, is all about the power of God -- the power to live a new life, the power to give glory to the Living God, the power of faith that transforms us and that beckons to others to come to God as well!
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Big Questions - My Witnesses... To the Ends of the Earth
Awake Us Now
It is easy to get distracted by other things — some of them perhaps important things — but Jesus makes it clear to His followers that our primary task is make disciples. To that end, we are to be His witnesses, "even to the ends of the earth."
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Dig Deeper - Week 2: The "Submission" Passage
Awake Us Now
Today’s class is a study of Ephesians 5:21-33. A group of verses that are controversial, often attacked and many times misunderstood. Ephesians 5:21-22 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, [submit] yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.” In the original Greek text the second [submit] word is not there. There is not a verb in this sentence and so in traditional Greek practice, you take the verb from the previous sentence and insert it into the next sentence. Please note that this is really important - because what this is saying is,...
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Big Questions - Obey... Everything I Have Commanded
Awake Us Now
Obedience is not optional - it is command from Jesus Himself. But we are not saved because we obey; rather, we obey the Lord because He has saved us!
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Big Questions - All Authority... in Heaven and on Earth
Awake Us Now
God has chosen you and me not simply to be religious, but to be disciples. We are to follow Jesus faithfully, grow in the knowledge and love of Him, and share with others the powerful things He has done so that they become disciples too!
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Questions - Week 13: Is Marriage Outdated?
Awake Us Now
In this message we will look at what the Scriptures have to say about marriage, analyze concerns and questions raised in our day, overview the cultural changes that have led to many questioning the value and benefit of marriage, and do so from a Christian worldview. We will also take a look at some secular contemporary research and what it indicates. Common Reactions: 1. The culture has changed: - Married Couples comprised: 1950 — 78% of all US households 2020 — 47%...
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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...
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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?
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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!
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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_outlineLuke 1:26-38; “Mary’s Story”
The Christmas story is familiar to most of us, but Pastor Dodge gives us a fresh view of this well know story over the next few weeks beginning today with the story of Mary, Jesus’ mother.
Mary’s name means bitter. She was born in an obscure village, raised in a difficult time when the children of Israel were in bondage to Roman master. BUT her Son would not only redeem Israel - He would redeem the world.
Very little is know about Mary. What we know is that she was a virgin born in the town of Nazareth, a town not even mentioned in the Old Testament. However, God chose an obscure little town and an unknown young woman to be the carriers of His promised Savior. Though Mary’s name means bitter, God changes things! He turns bitterness into joy! A unique birth, a unique mother and a unique child!
Today, Christmas is under attack. Yet perhaps it’s more than that. The battle is larger than the attack on Christmas, it’s a battle that goes back to the garden of Eden. It’s not a war on Christmas, it’s a war on God.
The human race, since our fall, has been hostile to the things of God. But! The magnitude of God’s love is that He breaks into our world even when we are His enemies.
Let us pray that God would move in the lives of people to reveal His incredible goodness.
This well-known story shows us many things:
⁃ God breaks into the life of Mary and He still breaks into our lives today.
⁃ Mary willingly listened to God’s message to her through the angel Gabriel and His Word is still active and alive today!
⁃ Gabriel tells her what to name her son. She is to name Him Jesus, meaning “God saves” and God continues to save His people today through faith in Christ Jesus.
⁃ Mary asked “I am a virgin, how will this be?” Gabriel responded through the Holy Spirit and the angel goes on to say in Luke 1:37 “For no word from God will ever fail.” God’s promises are assured. He does the impossible! He does what no human being can accomplish - our redemption! Jesus alone redeems and saves. Through the power of the Holy Spirit using the Virgin Mary to conceive and bear a Son - God’s one and only Son - Jesus breaks into our world with His saving grace!
Today’s reading ends with Mary saying, “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled” and then the angel left her. Such a powerful example of trust - she hears the word of God, receives it, believes it and rejoices in it.
So much to learn from Mary. She’s not just our Savior’s mother, she is an amazing role model for any who desire to be servants of the Lord. Things that stand out about Mary that we can apply in our own lives as well:
1. Devout Faith - trusted God even when what Gabriel told her seemed impossible. We too are called to devout faith in God today.
2. Humility - humble individual who knew it wasn’t about her, but about God. A truth for us to internalize too.
3. Obedience - she listened, obeyed and followed God. Faith saves and when we have faith we will obey! Faith shows itself in obedience.
4. Worship - sing praises- thank God for what He has done.
As we celebrate Christmas we’re not simply looking back to what happened long ago at Jesus’ first coming. We’re also looking forward to His final coming when He returns - when He reigns and rules forevermore!
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Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper
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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.