Rescued by Truth: Week 52
Awake Us Now
A difficult and challenging message, this week we address the reality of hell. Hell is not a topic of regular conversation, yet the reality of hell is true. Therefore, it is essential we understand the consequences of our beliefs, our actions, and our behaviors, and that we understand what the future holds. The Bible teaches we have only two destinies: With God (heaven) - or - Apart from Him (hell). Which destiny are we living for?
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Two Year Gospel Study Week 104
Awake Us Now
The Gospel of John Week 26 Scripture: John 20:19 - 21:25. Today’s study will conclude our two year study of the Gospels with a dramatic and amazing ending. We begin with John 20:19, it is the first day of the week (Sunday) and the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly Jesus was standing among them saying “Peace be with you.” This is a phrase in English that sounds so common, like “have a good day.” But in Hebrew it carries much more meaning. Shalom (peace) more than just an absence of conflict or warfare, it refers to all creation - it...
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Merry Christmas
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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Christmas Message
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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Christmas Eve Message
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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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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The Christmas Story 2
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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The Christmas Story
Awake Us Now
Merry Christmas!
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Questions - Week 11: What About the Virgin Birth?
Awake Us Now
The message starts with Matthew 1:18 “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.” Pastor explores today’s question: “What about the Virgin Birth?” by tackling these 5 questions: ⁃ Is the “Virgin Birth” really that important? ⁃ Why do only Matthew and Luke mention it? ⁃ Couldn’t this have been a later development? ⁃ ...
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Rescued by Truth: Week 51
Awake Us Now
Are we recognizing the “signs of the times,” which include things from past, present and future? Pastor Dodge explores three specific and important signs that are apparent, visible and happening today! They remind us that as believers, we need to recognize the “signs of the times” and to be awake (i.e. ready for Christ’s return)!
info_outlineUp To Jerusalem - Teaching 1
Scripture - Matthew 20:17-19, Mark 10:32-34, Luke 18:31-33, John 11:55-57
Jesus is the most courageous man who ever lived. He knew what lay ahead and yet He chose the road that led to the cross anyways! Clearly, we matter to God. God loves us each individually so much that He was willing to go Up to Jerusalem.
Up to Jerusalem
1. Biblical
2. Jewish
3. Chronological
4. Teleological (meaning it is by design - God’s deliberate plan)
In Matthew 20:17-19 we read “Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way He took the Twelve…. “ And He shares that the Son of Man (Himself) would be arrested, condemned to death, mocked, flogged, crucified and on the 3rd day He will be raised to life.
Jesus is up front with telling of His death and resurrection but the disciples did not understand what He was saying. In Mark 10:22 and 32 Mark reports that they were on their way up to Jerusalem and Jesus told them what was going to happen to Him. There is a sense of fear and uncertainty in the air…..
Luke 18:31-33 as well tells us that Jesus took them aside and said that they were going up to Jerusalem and He told them everything that is written by the prophets on the Son of Man would be fulfilled…. He would be arrested, mocked, flogged, killed, and on the 3rd day He will rise again.
John tells us in John 11:55-57 that Jesus was going up to Jerusalem but adds the piece that the chief priests and pharisees had plans to arrest Jesus.
Comparing all four sources, we can determine a specific time when this conversation happened. This is just days before the Passover festival (a festival commemorating the deliverance of the Israelites by God from bondage in Egypt, when they put the blood of a lamb on their door posts and the Lord passed over their homes - saving them from the 10th Plague and then God used Moses to lead them out of Egypt.)
From these four sets of verses we learn that:
God will carry out His purpose!
Jesus will do the Father’s will!
And God wins!
Everything in the Bible points to these final days of Jesus and everything that follows flows out of these days - because the Final Return of Jesus is coming!! He has already won the victory! And because of that victory, we are assured that God wins and so do we as His believers!
The story of Up to Jerusalem is truth that transforms- it is life-giving - it changes EVERYTHING! And so let’s head Up to Jerusalem!
Pastor digs deeper into who the chief priests were: their politics, their duties, their influence, their teachings, and their opposition to Jesus. They viewed Him as a threat to their power, influence, wealth and futures.
What we learn is that what God desires from us is not religion - He desires relationship with Him: to know Him, to listen to Him, to follow Him.
Pastor explores a few more verses in Matthew as they are on the road up to Jerusalem. Jesus teaches the disciples that life is not about achievements and being “top dog”. This life is about serving. Jesus says, “serving, even as I have served.” Jesus is a servant - and we are called to be like that. Jesus tells that serving Him and others is the way the Father would have us do things, not the way the world does - of looking out for only one’s self. Jesus teaches and shows us that with God it’s all about self sacrifice and service - being humble and obedient, it’s not about self-promotion and self-aggrandizement. Did you know the word leader is mentioned only 6 times in the King James Bible, but servant is mentioned 900 times! Kinda’ emphasizes the point!
Jesus says, “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
This is our model and we are called to be more and more like Him
Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com
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Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus' ministry concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries. Up to Jerusalem is part four of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father’s plan. As we study Jesus’ final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us.
This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.