Daniel: When Kingdoms Collide (15) - Awakening!
Awake Us Now
Daniel 12 speaks of the last "Great Awakening" at the end of days, when those whose names are written in the Book [of Life] will be delivered, and all who have died will rise to stand before the throne of God for final judgment.
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The Answer - 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...
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The Answer - 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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The Answer - Week 22: What Did Jesus Tell Them?
Awake Us Now
Pastor gives us a look at the story, “On the Road to Emmaus,” found in Luke 24:13-27. We don’t know the actual location of Emmaus, nor do we know the names of those walking with Jesus in this story. The story takes place later in the day on the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Those Jesus walks with do not recognize Him. They are trying to figure out everything that had happened with Jesus and thinking about what the women had said about Jesus being alive and about the disciples having gone to the tomb and found it empty. Then Jesus begins to explain the scriptures to them concerning...
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Dig Deeper - Acts Chapter 8: Simon the Sorcerer
Awake Us Now
We delve into Acts 8:9-12 about a man named Simon who boasted that he was someone great and so people paid attention to him thinking he had the power of God because he amazed people with his sorcery. However.... When people believed what Philip was saying as he proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, people were baptized. THEN… Acts 8:13 tells us that Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip everywhere astonished by the miracles he saw. But then the arrival of Peter and John… Acts 8:14-17...
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The Answer - Week 21: Why Do You Believe He Is Risen?
Awake Us Now
Happy Resurrection Sunday - Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Today’s question is “Why do you believe He is risen?” Pastor starts today’s class with a personal testimony in which the Bible changed the direction of his life at the age of 15. Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:14 “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” Pastor shares the Evidence Trail of Jesus’ Resurrection on the bases of writings from believers, unbelievers, recorded data, and old and new studies. The Evidence Trail...
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The Answer - Week 19: Are the Gospels Believable?
Awake Us Now
Today’s question is one that Pastor has heard most often from young people. The questioning of the Gospels seems to center around miracles, especially the resurrection. Atheistic Materialism Worldview ⁃ No God - universe is by chance ⁃ Matter only - Life came from non-life ⁃ No Miracles - Life is meaningless Bible’s Worldview ⁃ There is a Creator ⁃ He created life ⁃ Life has a purpose These two worldviews...
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GOD ACTS! (Chapter 8) - A Great Persecution Broke Out
Awake Us Now
Acts 8 begins with the day of Stephen’s death: Then + Now - What we learn All things - work together for good (God used the persecution for His purpose in spreading the Gospel) We read in Acts 8:1 that starting that day (of Stephen’s death) a massive persecution broke out against the believers in Jerusalem and especially against those like Stephen, Greek speakers, who were not native to Jerusalem. And the believers (except the apostles) fled throughout Judea and Samaria and still they talked about Jesus everywhere they went. Gospel Peace - that the message of...
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Daniel: When Kingdoms Collide (14) - Supernatural!
Awake Us Now
In our world today, as in Daniel's day, there is a cultural divide between two world views: the Natural and the Supernatural. One says that what we can see is all there is, and that life is ultimately meaningless. The other says there is a reality far beyond what is visible, and that there is a Creator who moves in mighty and purposeful ways!
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The Answer - Week 18: What is the Unforgiveable Sin?
Awake Us Now
Today’s question is one that Pastor says has been the question asked with the most fear. Other ways this question is asked: ⁃ What is the unforgivable sin? ⁃ What is the sin against the Holy Spirit? ⁃ How can I be sure I haven’t done this? ⁃ If I have done this is there any hope? ⁃ How do I avoid the unforgivable sin? Matthew 12:31-32 Jesus says, “And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the...
info_outlineIn Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus states that He has been given "all authority on Heaven and on Earth," and with that authority gives us our marching orders - make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy spirit, and teach them to obey everything He has commanded. But this isn’t just about His command, this is about God’s faithfulness and His desire for us to experience that faithfulness.
Let’s begin by contrasting genuine faith with mere religion:
⁃ Relationship vs. Religion
⁃ Knowledge of God/Knowing God vs. Information/Knowing ABOUT God
⁃ Trusting in God vs. Believing only certain things
⁃ Obedience because we trust God vs. Acceptance of only certain things
We are to keep on growing in faith - to know and experience Him - to follow and obey Him. In our verses today, His desire is that we not only obey, but that we teach others to obey Him. He gives us the command to “Make disciples,” and to encourage us He gives us the promise of His faithfulness “to the end of the age.”
Jesus opens today’s teaching with “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
- Authority of Jesus: Why? because of His death and resurrection, His sacrifice on the cross and His glorious triumph AND His obedience to the Father. Thus we live in His authority, living by faith in the power and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus continues, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”
⁃ Priority of Discipleship: Note that He didn’t say make church members. He didn’t say make Christians. He didn’t say make converts. He said make disciples (followers of Jesus) - build up each other in the faith.
Jesus goes on with, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
⁃ Unity of God: three, yet One.
And then He says, “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
⁃ Necessity of obedience: we are not saved by obedience, but when we know Him and are empowered but the Holy Spirit, our desire is to obey Him.
Then Jesus closes with, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
⁃ This is His assurance! His promise! And this gives us strength, hope, power, encouragement and peace, because God is faithful. God is good but above al else He is faithful and God can be trusted no matter what is happening in our lives.
Pastor goes on to share a very powerful and very personal story centered on his grandfather. It is an amazing story of God’s faithfulness. (Grab a tissue…)
Our good God is calling us to walk with him, to know him more and more, to experience the fullness of His presence, His Holy Spirit and His astonishing love in Jesus ,our risen and returning Savior, the One to whom all authority has been given, the One who tells us, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..” And we can do this because He ends this Great Commission with this great promise, “ And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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