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!
info_outline
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.
info_outline
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.
info_outline
Ten Words - Week 2: God Alone!
Awake Us Now
Scripture: Exodus 20:1-3, Psalm 19:1, Psalm 14:1, Psalm 33:8, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Matthew 22:36-38, Proverbs 3:5-6. It’s God alone that we are to worship, honor and follow. Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.” The 10 Commandments have shaped so much of Western civilization and culture. Yet these ten words/commandments are often ignored - And what we see as people’s god is the god of chance. Our culture, and much of the time our educational system, teach us that all that exists is the result of a gigantic cosmic accident. That chance is the author of...
info_outline
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.
info_outline
Two Year Gospel Study Week 54
Awake Us Now
Scripture - Luke 18:1-8; “The Widow’s Plea” The Parable: “The Widow’s Plea” is an earthly narrative with a heavenly meaning - We should always pray and not give up! This is a story that lets us know that there will be challenges and difficulties that we all will face. But in this parable Jesus is teaching us to endure - to not give up and to do so through prayer - leaning into Him and trusting Him. The parable begins be telling of a judge that didn’t know God and didn’t care at all about people - and there’s a widow that continues to go to the judge for justice against...
info_outline
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_outline
The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 2
Awake Us Now
This week our study of Matthew takes us into chapter 2 and the story of Jesus’ birth focusing on the Magi, their interaction with Herod, and their interesting gifts to Jesus.
info_outline
The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 1
Awake Us Now
The Gospel of Matthew emphasizes Jesus as Israel’s long awaited Messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophetic promises in God’s Word, the Deliverer, Savior and King. Matthew zeroes in on Jesus’ call to discipleship. Will we heed this call today and commit fully to the King of Kings, the promised Savior of the world? Matthew chose to follow Jesus and Jesus changed Matthew’s life. If we choose to follow Jesus, He will change our lives, too. Why is the Gospel of Matthew Pastor Dodge's favorite? Why is this Gospel the first book of the New Testament? Jesus changed Matthew's life when...
info_outline
Ten Words - And God Spoke
Awake Us Now
Scripture: Exodus 20:1-2 What are the Ten Words? We read in Exodus 20:1, “And God spoke all these words.” “Words is referring to the Ten Commandments God spoke on Mount Sinai to Moses. God’s Ten Commandments are found in the rest of Exodus 20 and also in Deuteronomy 5. Because these commandments are unnumbered in the Bible, there have been several ways these 10 Words have been numbered, but it doesn’t matter how you number them - what matters is whether you listen to them or not. Exodus 20:2 God continues, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of...
info_outlineLuke 2:22-40; “Simeon and Anna”
What is the meaning of the name, Jesus? Do we fully comprehend what this name means? In Hebrew it is Yeshua. It literally means Yehovah, Jehovah, Yahweh saves. “God Saves.” This is the name given to Jesus. A precious name. “God Saves” is a powerful name, a mighty name and a remarkable name, a name that blesses all who call upon Him, a name that declares God is the One who saves us.
Every time we speak His name we are reminded of the truth that God has broken into our world and stepped in to save us. We need this divine intervention. It is God who saves us and not we ourselves.
In today’s story we see Jesus, Mary and Joseph at the temple and are introduced to Simeon. The Holy Spirit told him he would not die before seeing the Messiah. Simeon was in the temple as Mary, Joseph and Jesus entered and Simeon was prompted by the Holy Spirit to know this baby was the promised Savior. Simeon takes Jesus in his arms and speaks, “Sovereign Lord, now dismiss your servant in peace, for my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all nations, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”
Simeon was thrilled to be holding God’s promised Savior in his arms and to know God’s promise was right before his very eyes.
Then Simeon blessed them and to Mary he added, “This child is destined to cause the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against so that the thoughts of hearts will be revealed.”
The good news: God is fulfilling all He promised, but there’s also a warning that the fulfillment of the promise of a Savior comes at a great cost - that many will not receive what God so graciously offers. This is a prophetic word about the later years of Jesus’ ministry.
Jesus will grow in favor with God and men, but when He begins His ministry there will be a division that will occur because many will not receive what Jesus has to offer. This is still true today. Many will not admit their need for a Savior.
God loves humble people. He opposes the proud and pride will get in the way of many from believing.
Simeon also prophecies to Mary, “And a sword will pierce your own soul.” Words that were fulfilled for Mary - a mother that experienced unbelievable sorrow and incredible grief. She would watch her son die on the cross, see Him rejected by many and Simeon gives her a heads up on what’s to come.
In verse 36 - We are introduced to Anna. Anna was a prophet who also recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah and comes up to the group. She gives thanks to God and spoke about Jesus to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Israel. What a day of joy this was as the realization of God’s promises are being fulfilled in Jesus.
This is also for us today, an indication of what is to come. Just as they yearned for Jesus to come, we too yearn for His return. Through the fulfillment of the promise of a Savior - We too can trust the promised fulfillment of His return.
This day IS coming! There will be a day for us like there was for Simeon and Anna when we behold the One whom the Father promised. And like Anna and Simeon we too will rejoice!
This story reminds us that God keeps His word! Just as they saw baby Jesus face to face, we too on His return will see Him face to face in His full glory! And there will be endless rejoicing!
Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com
Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper
Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01
St. Luke’s Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. This book written by 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 study.