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Questions - Week 13: Is Marriage Outdated?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!
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Dig Deeper - Week 1: In the Beginning
Awake Us Now
Genesis 1:1 - “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Let’s look at the words “God” and “created.” in this verse in Hebrew the word used for God is a plural noun and created is a singular verb. What day did God create the world? It says God created everything in 6 days and He rested on the 7th day, the Sabbath, and that is Saturday. Which means the first day of creation was on Sunday. What was the day of the week that God began a new creation? That was on the day Jesus arose from the grave. The Bible tells us this was on the first day of the week, on a...
info_outlineUp To Jerusalem - Teaching 9
Scripture - Matthew 25-26, Luke 22
We continue with Jesus’ Mt. Olivet Discourse where He is talking about the future end of Jerusalem that did happen in 70AD several decades after His ascension and as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophets. Jesus is also talking of the preparation for His second coming and the importance of being awake.
Pastor reviews the conclusion of the Parable of the Ten Virgins with Jesus’ words,”Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour.” We want to be awakened
⁃ Awake to the things of God
⁃ Awake to what He desires of us
⁃ Awake to our mission to lead others to a knowledge of the Savior and to usher in the Kingdom of God
Additional parables covered
⁃ The Parable of the Talents - It is possible to know about the Master without truly knowing Him and living in relationship with Him. We are to use all He has given us to His glory so that others know and learn the Good News of our Savior. We are called to serve, love and honor God.
⁃ The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats - Pastor helps us understand this parable in a first century Jewish context. This story is incredibly profound and Pastor shares a personal testimony around the subject of sheep and goats and the question: “Do goats hear the shepherd’s voice?” Pastor shares the differences between sheep and goats. In Jerusalem these two animals are in the same flock but they are very different.
⁃ Identity: 54 chromosomes vs. 60 chromosomes
⁃ Diet: tender grass vs. garbage
⁃ Intelligence: great ability to learn and understand and created to thrive under a shepherd vs. independent
⁃ Offspring: keep lambs near by vs. send their offspring out on their own
⁃ Social structures: no competition, need a shepherd to lead them vs. butt heads, desire to dominate
⁃ Shepherd: only thrive under a good shepherd vs. fiercely independent
This parable shows us that it is possible to be a member of the flock but not be one of The Shepherd’s sheep. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and it’s important to follow Him.
This parable goes on to talk about when “The King” comes and how He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Sheep on His right to eternal life and goats on the left to eternal punishment.
This parable is about being a new creation in Christ, a follower, one of His sheep that hears His voice. Goats have not become new in Christ and want be in control. We are NOT saved by works - we are saved by the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep.
As we continue, we move into Matthew 26 where Jesus tells His disciples, again, of His impending crucifixion. We see Judas going to the chief priests as he prepares to betray Jesus as told in both Matthew 26 and Luke 22.
From there we see Jesus send two of His disciples (Peter and John) to begin preparations for the Passover meal which includes finding a place for their meal together and also going to the temple for the lamb for the meal.
Pastor points out several examples of Jesus being in control of the details leading up to His arrest and that it is not the enemy who is control. Jesus is in charge! He is the Lord! And this is something we each need to realize - we are not in charge of our destinies, we do not make the rules, when we try - then we are like goats. But when we listen to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, we are His precious sheep and He desires to be both Lord and Savior in our lives.
Even through Judas is “making plans” Jesus is still in control and He will not allow the enemy to divert Him from the Father’s purpose.
Pastor goes on to share unique details about the Passover lambs at the temple and our Passover Lamb, Jesus.
Join us again next week as we continue Up to Jerusalem - the road that takes Jesus to the cross but that ends with His victory!
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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.