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.
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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.
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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!
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Dig Deeper - Week 11: Two Pictures of the Messiah
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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....
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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.
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 5
Awake Us Now
Week 5 of our Matthew study digs into chapter 4 on the Temptation of Jesus, His three temptations and the reality of an unseen spiritual world.
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Questions - Week 23: How Are Minds Opened Today?
Awake Us Now
This message focuses on the question: “How are minds opened today?”, which is part of our ongoing series: “What’s the answer?” Pastor explores how people’s lives are changed and what changes their attitudes about God, about Jesus, the resurrection, and about the power of God’s Word. Pastor takes us through Luke 24:36-47, an encounter with Jesus that His disciples have with Him after His resurrection. Jesus tells them: “This is what I told you while I was still with you; Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets...
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Daniel: When Kingdoms Collide (1) - Daniel's God
Awake Us Now
The Book of Daniel is the story of the collision of two kingdoms, a spiritual war that is still being fought in the heavens and on the earth. In the end, the Kingdom of God wins!
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 4
Awake Us Now
Week 4 of our Matthew study is all about John the Baptist and his message of repentance, a message that can be difficult for the religious to accept.
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The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 3
Awake Us Now
In our study of Matthew this week we look at chapters 2 and 3, with an emphasis on deliverance through Jesus the Messiah and the fulfillment of the New Covenant through Him as well.
info_outlineThis teaching is from Matthew 25:31-46 with a review of Matthew 24:3, 30-31 with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
Pastor Dodge opens on the topic of the “Rapture?” Yes, he adds the “?” as his purpose is to plant in our minds' questions that need to be addressed around the topic of the rapture.
The word rapture is not used in the New Testament, but Pastor takes a look at the teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 in the light of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24:3, 30-31.
Many believers hold to a quiet, unannounced, silent rapture that’s only noticed after people have disappeared and that happens before the tribulation.
The Rapture is a young teaching going back to the 1830s by John Darby who brought forth the teaching of the a Pre-Tribulational Rapture.
Pastor believes in a rapture - but does not believe it will be silent or unseen, nor does he believe it will take place before Jesus’ final appearing. Why? He bases his view on scripture and draws a comparison between the two sets of verses using some of the original Greek words to impart additional insight that shows both are talking about the same day - the final coming of Christ. - Not a quiet or unobserved coming but rather something all will see and hear. (Take a listen to the teaching for further insight by going to the link below.)
Pastor then moves on with our progression through the book of Matthew by exploring Matthew 25:31-46 - the Parable of the Sheep and Goats.
Pastor shares a personal story that taught him the difference between sheep and goats. There are physical differences like sheep graze, eating grass and goats are browsers, eating anything and everything. Sheep tails go down, goat tails go up. But there are other significant differences: Goats butt heads to gain control, they go off on their own and are fiercely independent. Sheep view the shepherd as in control, follow him and thrive under his care and put themselves under the authority of the shepherd. As we dig deep into the differences between sheep and goats it becomes very apparent why Jesus chose the illustration of sheep and goats for this parable on His Return.
Now let’s examine the story. The parable tells how when Jesus returns He will separate the goats from the sheep. Goats to His left and sheep to His right. He separates them not by what they have done but ON WHO THEY ARE and whose they are. The sheep belong to Him, the goats do not.
After the separation, He talks about what each did or did not do showing the difference between those who have received Him as Savor and Lord (sheep) and those who have not (goats).
Followers of the Lamb
vs
Those who are followers of the devil
To those on the right (where the sheep are - the ones who have put themselves under the authority of the Good Shepherd.) Jesus gives them an inheritance, eternal life forever with Him.
To the goats on the left (those who did not hear or heed the Shepherd’s voice) He commands them to depart from Him to eternal punishment.
Noteworthy: Jesus does NOT say, “I know my goats and my goats know me.” He does Not say, “I lay down my life for my goats.” And He does NOT say, “I am the good goatherd.”
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and who laid down His life for His sheep and we, as His sheep, will follow Him.
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