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.
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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!
info_outline
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_outlineToday’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 Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
What is that sin? Let’s start by looking at the context …
⁃ Jesus was preaching and healing. Religious authorities saw Jesus as a threat. Jesus heals a paralyzed man and the religious leaders say Jesus is blaspheming because He told the man your sins are forgiven, take up your mat and walk. And the religious leadership are angry and they continue to get angrier. Matthew 9:3
⁃ Matthew, one of Jesus’ disciples, hosts a dinner, invites his tax collector friends and Jesus attends too. The religious leaders accuse Jesus of “eating with tax collectors and sinners.” Matthew 9:11
⁃ Jesus heals a demon possessed man and the religious leaders say Jesus was able to heal the man through demonic powers. Matthew 9:34
⁃ Jesus and disciples are walking in the grain fields on the Sabbath Day, picking and eating grain and the religious leaders say they are working on the day of rest, which is unlawful. Matthew 12:2
⁃ Jesus heals a demon possessed man and now the religious leaders plot to kill Jesus. Matthew 12:14
⁃ Jesus heals a man and they say that Jesus healed by the power of Beelzebul (the devil) Matthew 12:24
It is at this point that we continue with the verses just before our text for the day on the unforgivable sin. We read in Matthew 12:25-28 “Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? (Meaning how can I be healing from demons by using demons?) And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
What Jesus is saying is look at what you see. Stop judging on the basis of your own anger and bitterness and look at what the Bible has said along. God’s healing is being brought to people. The Holy Spirit is testifying that the Messiah has arrived!
Then Jesus speaks the words we started with this morning. Note that the first words are “EVERY KIND OF SIN AND SLANDER CAN BE FORGIVEN.”
Jesus goes on and what He’s saying is if we continually refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit and actually go so far as to call what the Spirit does as demonic then we are setting ourselves up for the unforgivable sin. (Note: Jesus is not saying they have done this, but He is calling them to search the scriptures, to search their hearts.)
The Holy Spirit always testifies to Jesus. Jesus is saying do not sin against the Spirit because if you persist in that you are cutting yourself off from the only One who can save. The Holy Spirit leads us to faith and to Jesus, who opens our eyes to see the goodness and grace of God.
What is the sin against the Holy Spirit?
IT IS THE CONSCIOUS, DELIBERATE AND PERSISTENT REJECTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’S TESTIMONY TO THE IDENTITY AND SAVING POWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Jesus speaks these words of warning to them to lead them to repentance and faith. God is merciful. His desire is for ALL.
Classic example:
⁃ Saul of Tarsus - the persecutor of believers who becomes a transformed man - Apostle Paul. Pastor shares Saul’s story of transformation. Paul understood the sin of the Holy Spirit because that was the path he had been on in his life. But then Saul has an encounter with God that changes him and he understands the immense patience of God and His amazing grace.
Pastor closes with Romans 10:9-10 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
God is good! So let us listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice who leads us to Jesus our only Hope.
Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.
Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer
Join us Sundays
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service