Appointed Time

Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life

2010-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

The purpose of these short teaching lessons are to help you answer the questions Why? and What is the Purpose? in your life.

Therefore, today, and for the next several months I want to help you find answers to these two questions, because I believe that the answers to these two questions will turn your own world upside down.

Follow Me: A Journey with Jesus
The Discipleship Making Process
Acknowledgement

Forward   Intro 1   Intro 2   Intro 3   Lesson 1   Lesson 2
Lesson 3   Lesson 4   Lesson 5   Lesson 5.1   Lesson 6
Lesson 6.1   Lesson 7   Lesson 8   Lesson 9   Lesson 10
Lesson 11   Lesson 12   Lesson 13   Lesson 14   Lesson 14.1
Lesson 15   Lesson 15.1   Lesson 16   Lesson 17   Lesson 17.1   
Lesson 18   Lesson 18.1   Lesson 19   Lesson 20   Lesson 20.1
Lesson 21   Lesson 22   Lesson 23   Lesson 24   Lesson 25
Lesson 25.1   Lesson 26   Lesson 27   Lesson 28   Lesson 29
Lesson 29.1   Lesson 30   Lesson 30.1   Lesson 31   Lesson 32   
Lesson 32.1   Lesson 33   Lesson 33.1   Lesson 34   
Lesson 34.1    Lesson 35   Lesson 35.1   Lesson 36   
Lesson 36.1   Lesson 37   Lesson 38   Lesson 39   Lesson  40   
Lesson 41   Lesson 42   Lesson 43   Lesson 44   Lesson 44.1   
Lesson 45   Lesson 45.1   Lesson 46   Lesson 46.1   
Lesson 46.2   Lesson 46.3   Lesson 47   Lesson 47.1   
Lesson 48   Lesson 48.1   Lesson 48.2   Lesson 49   
Lesson 49.1   Lesson 50   Lesson 51   Lesson 51.1  Lesson 51.2   
Lesson 52   Lesson 53   Lesson 53.1   Lesson 54   Lesson 55   
Lesson 56   Lesson 57   Lesson 58

The 226 Commands of Jesus * Lessons By Verse

Devotional Version * Teaching Version * SERIES Companion Book

“THE CHURCH” dba SPIRIT & TRUTH

2010-05-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

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PURPOSE
The Purpose of “The Church” is to make disciples of Jesus the Nazarene, who God has made both Lord and Christ.

These disciples, who are being changed into the likeness of their Lord, should be accomplishing the following:

Worshipping the Father in spirit and truth.
Building up the Church in love and equipping it to do the work of the ministry, which is;
Reconciling men to God through their testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.

STATEMENT OF FAITH
WE BELIEVE the Bible is Scripture and is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every day work.

WE BELIEVE there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all and governs all.

WE BELIEVE in God the Father, an infinite personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love; that He concerns himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from sin and death all who come to him through his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord.

WE BELIEVE in our Lord Jesus Christ that He is the only begotten Son of God, has come in the flesh, being born of a virgin; that He lived a sinless life, was attested to by God with miracles, wonders and signs which God performed through Him; suffered, was crucified, died for our sins, and was buried; that God raised Him from the dead on the third day, that He ascended into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of the Father, where He makes intersession from His people; that He will judge the living and the dead, make a personal, visible return to earth, and deliver up the kingdom to His Father after He has abolished all rule, authority and power.

WE BELIEVE in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower for ministry all who have faith in Christ; that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is their abiding helper, teacher and guide, and He gives them spiritual gifts.

WE BELIEVE all people are sinners by nature and by choice and therefore are under condemnation; that God regenerates by the Holy Spirit, those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord; that Jesus Christ baptizes the seeking believer with the Holy Spirit and power for service.

WE BELIEVE the Church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Holy Spirit, a living, spiritual body; that all regenerated persons are its members and are to be submitted to the will and authority of their head the Lord Jesus Christ, to hear and obey his voice.

WE BELIEVE that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the Church:

WATER BAPTISM by immersion if possible is extended to all who repent and believe that Jesus is their Lord and Christ. In so doing they declare to the world that they have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.
HOLY COMMUNION is extended to all believers who have first examined themselves. In eating the bread and drinking the cup they proclaim His death until HE comes.

OFFICERS & RULING ELDERS

Mike Gibson – President/Ruling Elder
Jan Gibson – Secretary
Carl Archuleta - Ruling Elder
Ryan Roberts - Ordained Minister/Ruling Elder

(CLICK to Download "The Church" ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION)

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“FOLLOW ME” - A Journey with Jesus

2010-05-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

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Ever Want to Read the Bible . . . but didn’t know where to start?

Take a penetrating look into the life of Jesus, whom God has made both Messiah and Lord of the whole earth!

“Follow Me – A Journey With Jesus”

presents the four Gospels in a combined, chronological account of His life.

What is God’s Will . . . for your life?

Discover the 226 commands that Jesus instructed his disciples to pass on to every believer.

Come and Journey with Jesus as one of His students and hear what He is speaking to you today!

Click Here To Get A Copy

Brief Overview
The Story
The most incredible story in the universe is God’s dealing with men . . . the Gospels form the central and pivotal part of the story, which concerns the Messiah and the purposes for which He was sent to earth. The Gospel’s primary function is to blend both the Old and New Testaments into one account through the Messiah, Jesus the Christ the Son of God . . .

. . . The focus of this book is the central part of that story, the Gospels. This portion of the story is told by four men, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who each wrote an account of Messiah. It is through their eyes, ears, and hearts that each one of us is able to see the works that God performed through Messiah, to hear the “good news” that He is proclaiming, and to understand the depth of His love for mankind.

The Purpose
The purpose of writing this book is to forge the four accounts into one story so that the reader may more fully understand the events that surround the Messiah and His coming to earth. It is my intent to make you feel like you are walking with Jesus and being taught by Him on His journey through life. To illustrate the point, imagine four people making a journey across the United States in an automobile from Portland, Maine to Los Angeles, California. When they arrive into Los Angeles you go up to one of the people and ask them, “Tell me about the journey you just finished.” Then you will move on to the others in turn asking them to relate their account. Each of the accounts will vary somewhat as each person can relate only what he has perceived about the journey. From these four accounts you could derive one story which in turn will give others a better view of their journey. You might say, “That it would be like recording their journey on your camcorder from inside a convertible automobile with its top down.”

Features
Besides combining the four gospels into one story other significant features have been included to increase the reader’s awareness and understanding.

Chronology. Events in the text are in the order in which they occurred.

Dates. The time frame in which the events occurred.

Division of the book into parts. Seeing the “big picture” of Jesus’ life and mission.

Division of the book into headings. Specific events occurring within the life of Jesus.

Footnotes. Comments concerning a word or phrase whining the text.

Footnotes (Italicized). References to passages of Scriptures which are being quoted within the text.

Glossary. Comments on or definitions of commonly used words or terms used throughout the text.

Heading references (in parenthesis). The actual Scriptural passages used in the text.

Scripture. The text is taken directly from the New American Standard Bible.

A Unique Feature
Just prior to His being raised up into heaven Jesus gave his followers a commission to accomplish before He returned again. That commission is “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” In response to this commission, all the instructions that Jesus gave His group of disciples are highlighted and underlined in the text.

To The Reader
Not everyone will agree with every position taken in this work, however, many knowledgeable sources were consulted in its preparation. This book is not meant to replace the individual accounts of the gospel writers, but merely to serve as a supplement to them. Date setting of various events is based on historical documents, astronomical evidence, the Jewish calendar with its 19 year repeating cycles, The Feasts of the Lord and the customs of the Jewish people. To those who have labored long in the study of God’s Word and prepared helps for each of us to learn by, I extend thanksgiving and gratitude for their labor of love in Christ.

My Hope
My heart’s desire is that my Father in heaven be glorified by the exaltation of His Son in this book and that each of you, the readers, be transformed into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Sample Excerpt from “Follow Me: A Journey with Jesus”)
Part 3
FOLLOWERS
“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. This is according to all that you asked of the LORD your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And it shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.’” – Deuteronomy 18:15-19

“Follow Me”
(Mt 4:18-22, Mk 1:16-20 and Lk 5:1-11)
And walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Now it came about that while the multitude were pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; and He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the multitudes from the boat. And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at Your bidding I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish; and their nets began to brea; and they signaled to their partners in the other boat, for them to come and help them. And they came, and filled both of the boats so that they began to sin. But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And going on a little farther, He was James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. And immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him.Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life
SERIES Companion Book: “FOLLOW ME” - A Journey with Jesus

Devotional Version * Teaching Version

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Devotional Version - Available

2010-05-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

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Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIESFollow Me: A Journey with JesusThe Discipleship Making Process – Part 1 of 2
Ryan K. Roberts

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When you think of the ramification of Jesus being God, and then Him coming to earth and not only fulfilling His words in the Law and Prophets, but personally selecting 12 men to entrust His spirit and life giving words to all man-kind through the model of discipleship (defined as turning a learner into a teacher), then instructing them to go and do the same, as He modeled it, reassuring them that He would be with them always, the implications were and are world changing.

God, not man, giving us the words, the model, and the methods of ministry, not just in theory but in day-to-day practice (relationship), is more than words can express. Why then do we substitute God’s way with other ministry models, teachings, and methods when we were given the ultimate example, God Himself?

For me, these truths and reality have been life changing. And what better way to have learned them than through the life of one of Jesus’ own disciples, my step-father. It was in the late-80s and early-90s that he began to uncover these life changing words of Jesus, taking His words as the ultimate truth:

“‘Go and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’” Matthew 28:18-20
“‘The words I have spoke to you are spirit and they are life,’” John 6:62
“‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6
“‘I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.’” John 5:24
“‘If you love me, you will obey what I command.’” John 14:15
“Jesus replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’” Luke 11:28
“‘God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit (faith) and in truth (action).’” John 4:24
“While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” Matthew 17:5

It is through this discipleship program, "‘Follow Me’: A Journey With Jesus", that we unpack each one of Jesus' commands into short teaching lessons, which were compiled from the complete discipleship program (which is available in small group format), to reunite you with the Master Teacher, God Himself, understanding that, “no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 3:10.

In like manner, as Paul was to Timothy, I have taken the teachings of God Himself, Jesus, imparted to me through my step-father, and now challenge you, with the mantra of Paul:

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”1 Corinthians 11:1

Welcome to: “A Journey With Jesus”, and know that the words you read going forward are spirit and they are life, and now in the words of Jesus Himself: “‘Come, follow me.’” Matthew 4:19

- Ryan K. Roberts

Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES - Part 1 of 2

Teaching Version * SERIES Companion Book

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Teaching Version - Available

2010-05-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

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A Walk With JesusFollow Me: A Journey with JesusThe Discipleship Making Process – Teaching Version
Mike Gibson

For More Info or To Get A Copy, E-mail Me: rrobertslkr@yahoo.com

My purpose in writing this book is to help you become a more effective disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that by continually pointing the reader to Jesus and being careful to listen to what He says can accomplish this.

The goal of my writing is to let the Scriptures speak for themselves while providing the reader with a 1st century Christian mindset. Drawing upon the Old Testament themes, traditions, rituals, concepts and insights that Jesus’ original disciples would have understood develops this mindset.

At times my writing might appear as if I were indicating a return to Mosaic Law. Let me assure you, that is not the case! I believe that Christians are saved by the grace of God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, not by obeying the Law of Moses. However, I am also keenly aware that to many people the term, “saved by grace” has come to mean that they can live their lives in a manner they choose. This also is not the case! Christians are called to be a holy people, not to live lawless lives, this perverting the grace of God. Instead they are to live by the Law of the Spirit, which is to love God and man. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

The format of the book is designed for either personal use or within small groups. The book is not a scholarly work or a commentary on Scripture, but rather meant to be thought provoking and life changing. It was written for the joy and benefit of the average Christian, who trusts the Holy Spirit to lead and guide him into all truth.

My prayer is that this book will be a useful tool in helping you live a fruitful life in Christ.

- Mike Gibson

Click Here to Download Sample Lesson

Devotional Version * SERIES Companion Book

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What Kind of Seed are You Planting?

2010-05-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

The Seed

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. “I have decided to choose one of you.” The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.”

“I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began
to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!”

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!”

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!” Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.

“How could he be the new CEO?” the others said.

Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!”

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.

In likeness, our Heavenly Father has given each one of His disciples (followers of Jesus) a seed (teaching – Matthew 28:18-20) to plant, water, and nurture, as demonstrated through Jesus’ own life, but like many of the young executives in the story above, they have replaced their seeds (Jesus’ teachings - Matthew 13:24-30, 1 Corinthians 3:5-9) with what they have deemed as more productive and fruitful seed (teachings), planting, watering, and nurturing their own seed (teachings - Galatians 6:7-9), claiming it to be from God, but in the end, discarding the very seed (teaching – Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23) that was given to them from the beginning, and replacing it with a false/imitation seed (teaching – Matthew 24:3-5, 10-12, 24-25, 26-27, 30-31) whereby the outcome/results have already been determined according to mans success, and no longer dependant on God’s promised results (Matthew 28:20, Acts 1:8, 2:42-47, 2 Corinthians 9:10).

Therefore, when the question is asked, “How does one disciple or What does discipleship look like?”, is the answer, baptizing and teaching everything Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:18-20), or something that looks like what Jesus modeled and commanded (Galatians 1:6-8, 1 Corinthians 15:2), but in the end the fruit is determined by mans own mission and results and not God’s. God desires our simple obedience and not our many sacrifices (Psalm 40:6-8, Hebrews 10:1-18).

(Must Read: James 4:7, Hebrews 12:9, Romans 12:1, John 13:34, John 14:15, 1 John 14:21, John 14:31, John 15:10, John 15:12, 1 John 2:3, 1 John 3:24, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6, 1 John 2:4, Romans 6:16, Hebrews 13:15-16, Hebrews 11:6, Colossians 1:10, Titus 1:9, Titus 2:1, 2 Timothy 4:3)

What God Can Do!

2010-05-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

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John Chen grew up to be a pastor like his father. And, like his father, John planted a new church and led 50 to 60 people to Christ every year. In 2000, after two decades of pastoring and church planting in Taiwan, John and his wife, Hope, answered God's call to become strategy coordinators in an urban center on the mainland. The district we‘ll call Nandong was a greater challenge than the Chens ever imagined. The city teamed with millions of men, women and children. Factories without number were choked with workers; every day thousands more poured in looking for jobs. Overwhelmed, John and Hope entered strategy coordinator training. There, they learned three principles that changed their lives, their ministry—and the country where they moved. First, they realized that they could not do the job alone. Second, they learned that training others to plant churches was better than planting a church. Third, they learned that it is better still to train trainers to train church planters to plant even more churches. John knew that not everyone is suited to be a church planter. At the same time, he knew that God could use anyone. But how could John tell who would or would not make an effective church planter? Simple. Train everybody. Those who do, are. Those who do not, are not. At first, John found only three towns in Nandong with any churches. And these churches had a total membership of 250 people.

John set an ambitious goal of planting a church in every town in the district 200 new churches!

Not surprisingly, when John shared his goal with a local pastor, the man shook his head and suggested that John go back home. But John persisted, and the pastor allowed him to teach a church-planting class to anyone in his congregation that was interested. Most were farmers, so classes were held at night. Thirty showed up the first week. John quickly discovered two obstacles that prevented these men from being effective evangelists. They didn‘t know what to say or who to tell.

So John had them make a list of all the lost people they knew and pick the five that God wanted them to share with first. Then he taught that each of them had a unique, three-part story to tell: 1) What they were like before Jesus, 2) How they met Jesus, and 3) What their life has been like since meeting Jesus. We don‘t even call it a testimony, John explained, A testimony is for Christians. Non-Christians don‘t know what a testimony is, so we call it our story. And he had each trainee write his story on a single sheet of paper. They were a little nervous at first, so John had them read it out loud five times, then share with one another. And soon the trainees were excited and confident.

In the weeks that followed, John taught them how to establish new converts in the fundamentals of the faith. Then it was time to send them out. Go this week and share your story with the five people at the top of your list. If you can‘t, go to the next five! When you return next week, we‘ll see what God has done. Only 17 did the assignment. But one farmer had shared with 11 people. As each trainee told the group about their experiences, they drew insights and encouragement from one another. After class, John said, If you choose not to share with anyone this week, you should not come to the class next week. This added accountability and focused the trainees on doing and not just hearing. The results surprised even the Chens.

After just two months, they had started 20 small groups that were becoming churches. Seven months later, there were 327 small groups, 4,000 newly-baptized believers, and churches in 17 towns. The first year ended with 908 house churches and more than 12,000 new Christians. Like Jesus‘ disciples, the trainees found that in every village God had prepared a person of peace. One was an old farmer who had never before planted a church. Within two months, he started a dozen house churches—110 in a year. His lifestyle was the key to his effectiveness. Every morning from 5 to 7, he prayed and read his Bible. Then he worked in the fields until 5 p.m., when he went home for dinner and family time. At 7 p.m., he went back out and worked in God‘s fields until midnight. That lifestyle is common in what has become the largest church planting movement in history.

In another town, one year after a 67-year-old woman became a Christian, she had led more than 60 families to Christ. I asked her to take me out and show me how she does it, John said. She tells people that she was weak and then Jesus saved her. Then she invites them to a Bible study at her house.

―We teach all the new believers how to have a Bible study and a daily quiet time, he explained, so they can do this forever. Then we teach them what a church is about and how to organize into a church so that they can grow together in Christ.

―Once, we lost track of a Christian factory worker we had trained. After six months, we found that he had been transferred to another large factory with 10,000 workers. During that time, he had started 70 small groups and had seen 10 generations of reproduction (churches planting churches).

If you ask John the secret of this powerful movement, he will pull up his pant legs and show you the calluses on his knees. He teaches trainees to pray for the Holy Spirit‘s anointing, to pray for the lost all around them, to pray as they go into each witnessing situation, and to pray for the blood of Jesus to protect them from everything Satan will throw against them.

Every morning after two hours of prayer, John goes into the harvest fields. Everyday he tells his simple story, looks for those God has called out, and trains others to do the same. You never know who God is going to use, he says with a smile, so we keep training everybody! Today, the movement is spreading across several districts and shows no sign of slowing.

After 2 months: 20 small groups were started

After 6 months: 327 house churches, with 4,000 baptized

After one year: 908 house churches, with 12,000 baptized

The following year: 3,535 new churches, with more than 53,430 baptisms

First six months of the third year: 9,320 new churches and 104,542 baptisms

End of 3rd year: 15,000 new churches and more than 160,000 baptized believers

The secret is not found in techniques or a new curriculum. It is hidden in the vision, training, passion, co-laborers and accountability. Vision prevents confusion. Training yields confidence. Passion drives momentum. A steady supply of trained co-laborers enables your team to freely embrace every new opportunity. And accountability produces consistent results.

This true story is adapted from David Garrison‘s book Church Planting Movements. You can buy a copy of this book online at www.churchplantingmovements.com.

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Hearing God’s Voice

2010-05-01T06:01:00.000-07:00

A true story was told to me from the man himself, about a young Bucking horse he had bought, with aspirations to take her out of the harsh sport of Bucking, and turn her into a gentle and compatible riding horse. From the beginning he was told that one could never take the bucking out of a Bucking horse, which over the course of a year he learned the hard way.

It was this final bucking off experience with his young horse that the man cried out to God, saying:

“God, I thought you were in my decision to take this horse out of the sport of Bucking, but it appears that I was wrong. Though Lord, before I make the decision to sell this horse, I want to hear your voice if that is the right decision or not. Now Lord, you know I am a simple man who needs to hear your voice plainly, clearly, and without confusion, so I ask that you would do that for me today. Please Father; give me the wisdom to know what I should do.”

It was later that morning that the man headed to church, where he experienced one of the longest and worst sermons ever preached. In fact, so bad that even the pastor apologized for it. But it was not what was said during the sermon that affected that man that day, but rather the words that followed, when his pastor told the congregation that, “if you guys hear nothing else today, I want you to hear this one word, but first, if you have a pen and a piece of paper, I want for you to write this down: Never Get Rid Of Hope.”

Upon hearing this spontaneous word, the man stood up and asked the pastor to say those words again, which in response the pastor replied, “Never Get Rid of Hope!” The man was so overjoyed with those words that he began to run around the sanctuary crying out, “Say that again Pastor!”

The pastor was so moved by the response of this man that after the service he and his wife went up to the man to find out what made him respond so charismatically. The man replied:
“Pastor, my horse’s name is Hope!”
It was from that day forward that the man never again was bucked from his horse Hope, receiving ultimately his heart’s desire, a gentle and compatible riding horse.

James 1:5 – Matthew 7:7-8 – Proverbs 13:12

True Story – 7/2009

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“The Story of the Israelites Who Came Out of Egypt”

2010-05-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lets be reminded of the parallels:

The Israelites were in bondage while living in Egypt.
- Christians were in bondage to sin while living in the world.
On the night of their deliverance the Israelites applied the blood of an unblemished lamb to the lintel and doorposts of their homes. Then they entered through the door and were spared by the death angel when he recognized the blood on their doorways (Exodus 12).
- Jesus Christ is the unblemished Lamb of God. His blood was smeared on the cross of Calvary in the same pattern as the Israelites applied it. The lintel is where the crown of thorns caused the blood to flow from His head and doorposts are where the nails pierced His hands (John 10:9).
The Israelites were all under the cloud (the specific cloud that is being talked about is called the Sh’khinah: the cloud of glory) and all passed through The Red Sea. And all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Corinthians 10:1-2).
- Christians are all baptized into Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit and in water (1 John 5:7-8).
The Israelites received the Law of Moses written on tablets of stone at Mt Sinai.
- Christians received the Law of Christ written on their hearts at Mt Zion (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 8:1-13).
The Israelites all ate the same spiritual food … manna, the bread from heaven.
- Christians all eat the same spiritual food … communion bread, which is the body of Christ.
The Israelites all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from the spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.
- Christians all drink the same spiritual drink … communion wine, which is the blood of Christ.
God was not pleased with most of the Israelites and they died in the wilderness. These people 1) craved evil things, 2) were idolaters, 3) acted immorally, 4) tried the Lord, and 5) grumbled against Him. They did not enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief (lack of faith).
- Christians are cautioned against doing these things.
The Israelites never lacked for food, clothing or shelter on their journey.
- Christians will not lack for food, clothing or shelter in their life.
When the Israelites engaged in battle they always won.
- When Christians engage in spiritual warfare they always win.
The Israelites had their sins forgiven when they confessed them while laying their hands upon the head of a lamb.
- Christians have their sins forgiven when they confess them to Jesus, the Lamb of God.
The Israelites were healed of their afflictions when by faith they looked to the bronze serpent on the staff.
- Christians are healed when they look to Jesus Christ who was crucified on the cross.
The Israelites entered the Promised Land following Joshua.
- Christians will enter the Promised Land (Heaven) following Joshua.
  The reason I used the name Joshua here is to make the point that Jesus’ name in Hebrew is Yawshua (Joshua), which means, “I AM SALVATION”. You should be reminded that Moses could not take the Israelites into the Promised Land because of his disobedience. This occurred when he struck the Rock, which was Christ, a second time to bring forth water. God had told Moses to speak to the Rock and it would bring forth water. The effect of this was that Moses gave a false prophetic sign: saying the Christ would be struck twice. However God only permitted His Son, Jesus, the Christ to be struck once: on the Lord’s Passover . . . at His trials, beatings and crucifixion. Moses also told the Israelites, “God shall raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren.” The book of Numbers 27:12-23, indicates that it was Joshua whom God chose and it was he who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. Jewish people today have never made this connection concerning Jesus (Yawshua or Joshua) Christ as the one prophet who will lead the people to the Promised Land (Heaven).

Jesus’ Final Week

2010-05-01T04:45:00.000-07:00

Biblical Prophecy Fulfilled

Timeline of Events

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THE KING IS COMING

1 Chronicles 17:11-14

31 AD, April 17, Thursday, Abib 8 daytime - (5th day of the week)

Jesus tells His disciples they are going to Jerusalem.
James and John ask to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in the kingdom.
Jesus heals a blind man on the way to Jericho.

Thursday, Abib 9 nighttime - (6th day of the week)

Jesus spends the night at Zaccheus’ house.

Friday, Abib 9 daytime - (6th day of the week)

Jesus leaves Zaccheus’ house in Jericho, after spending the night.
Jesus heals blind Bartamaeus on His way out of Jericho.
Jesus walks approximately 20 miles from Jericho to Bethany.
- Jesus went up to Jerusalem with a large group of people who were also making the pilgrimage to the Feast of Unleavened Bread. They walked uphill from the Jordan River valley to the heights of Jerusalem and sang the “Songs of Assent (Psalms 120–134) as they went.
Jesus arrives at the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha in Bethany before sundown.
- According to John 12:1, Jesus arrived six days before the Passover of the Jews, which began on Abib 15.

Friday, Abib 10 nighttime - (7th day of the week)

The weekly Sabbath (Rest) begins.
Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with perfume.
- Anointing someone indicated that they were being dedicated to God and being set apart for a special work. By pouring perfume upon His feet Mary was behaving prophetically when we consider the passage in Isaiah 52.
Jesus spends the night at Lazarus’s house.

Saturday, Abib 10 daytime - (7th day of the week)

Shabbat Hagadol
- Shabbat Hagadol means “the great Sabbath” or “Sabbath of greatness”. It is the Sabbath, which immediately precedes Passover and is so named because it was historically the day when the King of Israel entered Jerusalem for the Feast. The last king of Israel, Zedekiah had died more than 600 years before.
Jesus leaves Bethany, which is about 2 miles from Jerusalem.
- A Sabbath’s days journey was considered to be about one mile however the Rabbinic ruling states that Bethany is within the environs of Jerusalem, therefore it was permissible for someone to travel from Bethany to Jerusalem for the purpose of going to Temple and not break the prohibition against traveling on the Sabbath.
At Bethphage (House of Figs) Jesus mounts a donkey and rides the rest of the way into Jerusalem.
- Even though by rabbinic ruling Jesus was permitted to walk to Jerusalem, as if to fulfill the Law of Moses completely, He walked only one mile to Bethphage where He mounted a donkey and rode the rest of the way: Zechariah 9:9
The triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
- If Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem were on Palm Sunday according to “Christian” tradition, it would mean that He made His journey from Jericho to Bethany (20 miles) on the Sabbath (Rest), definitely a violation of Mosaic Law. Jesus did not break the Law but fulfilled it completely.
Each family chooses a Passover lamb.
- According to Exodus 12:3, each family was to select its Passover lamb on the 10th of Abib, then it was subjected to inspection for blemishes by the priests for four days. If the lamb were without defect it would be killed on the 14th of Abib, the Lord’s Passover. Jesus, the true Lamb of God was continuously examined by different groups of people from the time of His entry into Jerusalem on the 10th of Abib until His crucifixion four days later on the 14th of Abib, the Lord’s Passover. These groups included priests, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, Sanhedrim, the current and previous High Priests, the Jewish governor, the Roman governor and the multitudes themselves.
Palm branches.
- Palm branches were a symbol of triumph and victory in pre-Christian days. For Jewish people they are connected to the concept of salvation and represent peace and plenty. Compare this to Revelation 7:9-10.
Hosannas.
- The word Hosanna means, “Save, please” or “Please, deliver us”.
Stones crying out.
- As Jesus began His descent of the Mount of Olives some Pharisees approached Him demanding that He silence the multitudes that were praising Him. Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out,” Luke 19:40. Jesus was not talking about the rocks lying on the ground being able to speak but something entirely different. The more than a mile-long Mount of Olives is covered with the tombstones of Israelites who believed that when the Messiah came He would descend on the Mount of Olives and they would be the first to be resurrected from the dead. In essence Jesus was telling the Pharisees that if His disciples didn’t praise Him that those who were buried on the Mount of Olives would rise up out of their graves and give Him praise.
Jesus spends the entire day in Jerusalem.

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SPOTLESS LAMB OF GOD

They shall be without defect – Numbers 28:31

Saturday, Abib 11 nighttime - (1st day of the week)

Jesus returns to Bethany for the night.

Sunday, Abib 11 daytime - (1st day of the week)

Jesus returns to Jerusalem the second time and curses the fig tree.
- The season for figs is the beginning of summer yet springtime had just arrived. Jesus used the illustration of the fig tree in His Olivet discourse on the following day concerning the future. Therefore, He cursed the fig tree because it was giving a false and misleading sign. It was prematurely putting forth leaves, which would indicate that it was about to bear fruit. This issue will be covered in a future lesson.
He drives the moneychangers out of the Temple for the second time.

Sunday, Abib 12 nighttime - (2nd day of the week)

Jesus spends the night in Bethany.

Monday, Abib 12 daytime - (2nd day of the week)

Jesus returns to Jerusalem the third time.
The fig tree has withered.
The Pharisees examine Jesus.
The widow’s mites.
Jesus answers two of the disciple’s questions about the future as they leave the Temple Mount area.
Jesus answers three more of the disciple’s questions about the future while seated on the Mount of Olives (Olivet Discourse - Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21).
The high priest, Caiaphas and the leaders plot together to seize Jesus before the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which began at evening on the 15th of Abib.

Monday, Abib 13 nighttime - (3rd day of the week)

Jesus returns to Bethany and spends the night at Simon, the Leper’s home.
A woman anoints Jesus’ head with perfume and Judas become indignant.

Tuesday, Abib 13 daytime - (3rd day of the week)

Judas consorts with the Jewish leaders and is paid thirty pieces of silver.
- Thirty shekels. This amount is equivalent to 120 day’s wages. The prophecy concerning this payment and its use is found at Zechariah 11:12-13.
Jesus spends the day with His disciples but does not return to Jerusalem.

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OUR PASSOVER LAMB

Exodus 12:21-22

Tuesday, Abib 14 nighttime - (4th day of the week) - The Lord's Passover

According to Leviticus 23:5 the 14th day of Abib is the Lord’s Passover (Peh-sakh). It should not be confused with the Passover of the Jews, which commences immediately following the Lord’s Passover.
The Lord’s Passover is also known as the Day of Preparation for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which begins the following evening. At the start of 14th (6:00 pm) Jewish people remove all the leaven from their homes. A search is conducted with a candle to check all the nooks and crannies where leaven might exist so that it can be removed. The day concludes the following afternoon when the Passover lambs are slain. The people then commence the celebration of the Feast by eating their Passover lamb and unleavened bread after sundown (6:00 pm) at the start of Abib 15.
- The Feast (“appointed time”) of Unleavened Bread (Mats-tsaw Lekn-em) commences on Abib 15 and lasts for seven days during which time Jewish people eat nothing that contains leaven. The first and seventh days of the feast are Sabbath days. The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is called Passover.
- The use of the term Passover confuses many Christians since there are two Passovers, so I’ll try to explain it here:
  1. The Lord’s Passover is on the 14th of Abib. It is also called the “day of preparation” as Jewish people remove all leaven from their houses (hence the term “the first day of unleavened bread”) and it is the day on which Passover lambs are slain (Exodus 12:3-11). It is not a Sabbath day.
  
  2. The 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasts for seven days, is on the 15th day of Abib. It is referred to as Passover or the Passover of the Jews. On this day Jewish people eat the Passover lamb and unleavened bread in commemoration of the death angel passing over their houses and their deliverance from Egypt. It is a Sabbath day.
Go and prepare the Passover. Peter and John did not go and prepare the Passover meal as many think, as the Passover lambs had not yet been slain. Instead, they went to make arrangements to secure the place where the Passover meal would be eaten. They made sure that all the leaven was removed from the house and brought in a provision of unleavened bread for the meal.
The Last supper.
- Jesus eats the Lord’s Passover with His disciples. The events surrounding the meal indicate that it follows the pattern of a typical Passover Seder, although it needn’t have. The implications of the events concerning this meal will be discussed in future lessons.
In the Garden of Gethsemane.
- Gethsemane means, “Oil press”. The garden itself lies at the foot of the Mount of Olives directly across the Kidron Valley from the Eastern (Golden) Gate of the Temple.
Judas betrays Jesus.
Jesus tried before Annas.
Peter begins his denials of Christ.
The cock crows the first time.
- The third of the Roman night watches known as “cockcrowing” ended at 3:00 am.
Jesus is tried before Caiaphas.
Peter denies the Lord the third time.
The cock crows the second time.
- This was generally reckoned to be around 4:30 am.
Jesus is tried before the Sanhedrin.

Wednesday, Abib 14 daytime - (4th day of the week)

Judas hangs himself.
Jesus is tried before Pilate.
Jesus is tried before Herod Antipas.
Pilate sentences Jesus.
Jesus is crucified at 9:00 am.
- The image of Jesus hanging on the cross should evoke memories of the first Passover. God through Moses commanded the Israelites to smear the blood of the Passover lamb on the lintel and doorposts of their homes. After this the Israelites were to enter through that doorway into their homes were they would be spared by the death angel that went through the land of Egypt that night killing all the first-born. As Christ hung on the cross we can clearly see the blood caused from the crown of thorns as the blood on the lintel. The blood flowing from his outstretched nail –pierced hands would have marked the doorposts. Jesus referred to this image in John 10:9.
Darkness comes over the land at noon.
Being the true Lamb of God, Jesus dies at 3:00 pm on Golgotha just as the Passover lambs are being slain.
- The term Golgotha means the “Place of the Skull”. The place is also called Calvary from the Latin word “calvaria” which also means “bare skull”. It was so named for the shape of the hill, which resembles a skull.
Women prepare the spices before the Sabbath (Luke 23:50-56).

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HE IS ALIVE

Leviticus 23:10-11

Wednesday, Abib 15 nighttime - (5th day of the week)

The first day of Feast of Unleavened Bread begins (Passover of the Jews).
The Passover lambs are eaten.
The Sabbath day begins.
Jesus spends His first night in the grave.

Thursday, Abib 15 daytime - (5th day of the week)

The first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread continues.
It is still the Sabbath day.
Jesus spends His first day in the grave.

Thursday, Abib 16 nighttime - (6th day of the week)

Jesus spends His second night in the grave.

Friday, Abib 16 daytime - (6th day of the week)

The women prepare the spices after the Sabbath (Mark 16:1).
Jesus spends His second day in the grave.

Friday, Abib 17 nighttime - (7th day of the week)

The weekly Sabbath begins.
Jesus spends His third night in the grave.

Saturday, Abib 17 daytime - (7th day of the week)

The weekly Sabbath continues.
Jesus spends His third day in the grave.
- This is to fulfill Jesus prophecies: Matthew 12:40 - Matthew 27:63. If Jesus had been crucified on Friday as tradition holds He could not have fulfilled the prophecies accurately.

Saturday, Abib 18 nighttime - (1st day of the week)

The first day of the week begins.
The Feast of First Fruits begins.
- It is the Feast of First Fruits, the day on which Christ was raised from the dead that Christians celebrate and call Easter Sunday. According to Leviticus 23:11 this feast day always fell on the first day of the week following Passover.
The priests cut down the first sheaves of grain harvested from the fields and make a wave offering of it before God.
During the night the sheaves of the grain offering are ground into fine flour for the wave offering of “the Omer” the next morning.
An earthquake occurs during the night, when the angel rolls away the stone from Jesus’ tomb (Matthew 28:2-4). Jesus rises from the dead.

Saturday, Abib 18 daytime - (1st day of the week)

The women arrive at the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body with the spices they had purchased after the Sabbath but He is not there . . . the tomb is empty.
Peter and John go to the empty tomb.
Mary encounters Jesus at the tomb but thinks he is the gardener until He speaks to her.
At about 9:00 am in the Temple the priests are making the wave offering of “the Omer” of flour to God. This is the offering of the First Fruits. Up to this point in time no one in Israel is allowed to eat anything made out of grains.
Wave offering of the unleavened bread.
That afternoon Jesus walks with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. One of them is Jesus’ uncle Clopas, the brother of Joseph. Neither of the disciples recognizes Jesus until He breaks bread with them.

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MYSTERY OF THE THREE IN ONE

One of the great mysteries of Christianity is the concept of the Trinity. In other words, how can God who is one, also be distinguishable as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Yet this mystery is unveiled in the Feast of First Fruits and Jesus demonstrated it perfectly.

During the Feast of First Fruits, the priests made three separate wave offerings to God:

During the early evening hours of First Fruits, the Sanhedrim went out to a pre-selected barley field and cut down the sheaves of barley within three pre-selected areas of that field. Then they took the sheaves of barley back to the Temple where the priests made a wave offering of them to God.
Next, the heads of the barley sheaves were beaten with canes to remove the grain, which was then roasted with fire and ground into extremely fine flour. From the flour that was produced, one omer (equivalent to about five pints) was set aside in a container as an offering to God. At the morning service (The morning Temple service was conducted at the third hour or about 9:00 am) of First Fruits, the priests made a wave offering to God of the flour in its container. No Israelite could partake of any food made from grains before the wave offering of the omer was completed.
Later that day, the priests would make a wave offering of unleavened bread made from the flour.

From the wave offerings of the: 1) sheaves, 2) flour, and 3) unleavened bread we see can see the concept of the trinity portrayed. All of them were of one substance (barley) but appear in different forms.

Jesus Christ, the first fruits (1 Corinthians 15:20, Romans 11:16) also appeared in three different forms. 1) Before He died (was cut down) Jesus had one appearance (the sheaf). 2) After He had been raised from the dead he had another appearance. Mary Magdalene who knew Him well did not recognize Him at the garden tomb, thinking He was the gardener. She did not recognize Him until He spoke with her. He had appeared to her as the offering of the omer of flour. This is evidenced by the fact that Jesus told her not to cling to Him, as he had not yet ascended to the Father (The women had come to the tomb early in the day and the wave offering of the omer of flour had not taken place in the Temple yet). No one was permitted to partake of anything made of grain until the omer was offered. 3) Jesus appeared differently, this time as the offering of the unleavened bread, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. One of those disciples was even Jesus’ Uncle Clopas who did not recognize Him until He broke bread with them.

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Overview of Jesus’ Relationship to His Disciples

2010-05-01T04:40:00.000-07:00

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James* (“Jacob”): brother of Jesus. Authored the New Testament epistle: “James”. (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3)
Judas* (“Jude”): brother of Jesus. Authored the New Testament epistle: “Jude”. (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3)
James, son of Zebedee* (“Jacob”): cousin of Jesus, son of The Virgin Mary’s sister, Salome (Mark 15:40, 16:1). Also known as “Boanerges” or one of the “sons of thunder”. (Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:14-20; Luke 5:1-11, Mark 3:17)
John* (“Jehohanan”): cousin of Jesus, son of The Virgin Mary’s sister, Salome (Mark 15:40, 16:1). Also known as “Boanerges”, one of the “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17), “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23, 19:26, 21:7, 21:20), and former disciple of John the Baptist. Authored the New Testament “Gospel of John”, “1 John”, “2 John”, “3 John”, and “Revelation”. (Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:14-20; Luke 5:1-11, Mark 3:17)
James, son of Alphaeus* (“Jacob”): cousin of Jesus, son of Joseph’s brother, Cleopas (Luke 24:13-35). (Cleopas’ wife was Mary (“Mariam”). She is also known as “the other Mary” at Jesus crucifixion and at the open tomb. – Matthew 27:61, 28:1, Luke 24:9-10). Also known as James the less or James son of Alphaeus (“Cleopas”). (Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:14-20; Luke 5:1-11)
Thaddeus*: cousin of Jesus, son of Joseph’s brother, Cleopas (Luke 24:13-35). (Cleopas’ wife was Mary (“Mariam”). She is also known as “the other Mary” at Jesus crucifixion and at the open tomb. – Matthew 27:61, 28:1, Luke 24:9-10). Also known as Judas the son of James or Judas not Iscariot.
Simon*: cousin of Jesus, son of Joseph’s brother, Cleopas (Luke 24:13-35). (Cleopas’ wife was Mary (“Mariam”). She is also known as “the other Mary” at Jesus crucifixion and at the open tomb. – Matthew 27:61, 28:1, Luke 24:9-10). Also known as the Zealot.
Simon* (renamed by Jesus to “Peter”/“Petros”/“Rock”): partners in a fishing business with Jesus’ two cousins James and John, sons of The Virgin Mary’s sister Salome, and brother to Andrew. Also known as Simon bar Jonah (Matthew 6:17). Authored the New Testament epistles: “1 Peter” and “2 Peter”. (Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:14-20; Luke 5:1-11)
Andrew*: partners in a fishing business with Jesus’ two cousins James and John, sons of The Virgin Mary’s sister Salome, brother to Simon (“Peter”), and former disciple of John the Baptist. (Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:14-20; Luke 5:1-11)
Matthew*: was the chief tax collector in Capernaum. He undoubtedly collected the taxes from the fishermen, including James, John, Peter and Andrew, when they brought in their catches to be sold at market. He may also have been the royal official from Capernaum, whose son Jesus healed. Also known as “Levi”. Authored the New Testament “Gospel of Matthew”. (Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32)

The remaining Disciples have no immediate recorded relationship to Jesus: Philip*, Bartholomew, son of Talemai*, Thomas*, and Judas Iscariot*.

* Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16

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End-Time Events in the Words of God Himself

2010-05-01T04:35:00.000-07:00

Follow Me: A Journey with Jesuspresents the four Gospels in a combined, chronological account of His life.Michael Gibson

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Part 14
Things to ComeJoel 2:30-32
The Temple in Jerusalem Will Be Torn DownMatthew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2, Luke 21:5-7
31 AD, April 21, Monday Afternoon (Nisan 12)
And as He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another which will not be torn down.” And they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”

The Beginning of Birth PangsMatthew 24:4-8, Mark 13:5-8, Luke 21:8-11
And He said, “See to it that you be not mislead; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is at hand’; do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.” Then He continued by saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

But Before All These ThingsMark 13:9-13, Luke 21:12-19
“But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. And when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. But you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all on account of My name. “Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurances you will gain your lives.”

The Times of the GentilesLuke 21:20-24
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the midst of the city depart, and let not those who are in the country enter the city; because these are days of vengeance, in order that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people, and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”

TribulationMatthew 24:9-14
“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name. And at that time many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many. And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.”

The Abomination of DesolationMatthew 24:3, 15-22, Mark 13:3-4, 14-20
And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” “Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11) which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house; and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak. But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days! But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath, for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.”

False Christs and False ProphetsMatthew 24:23-28, Mark 13:21-23
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. If therefore they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go forth, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. For just as the lightening comes from the east, and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

The Son of Man is ComingMatthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-28
“But immediately after the tribulation of those days there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light (Isaiah 13:10, Joel 2:30-31). And the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky (Daniel 7:13) with power and great glory. And He will send fourth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other (Isaiah 27:12-13). But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The Parable of the Fig TreeMatthew 24:32-44, Mark 13:28-33, Luke 21:29-32
“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near, even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”

A Thief in the NightMatthew 24:37-44
“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until they day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and look them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there shall be two men in the field, one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

Be AlertMark 13:33-37
“Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is. It is like a man, away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. Therefore, be on the alert – for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, weather in the evening, at midnight, at cockcrowing, or in the morning – lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”

Be A Faithful ServantMatthew 24:45-51
“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and shall begin to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and shall cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; weeping shall be there and the gnashing of teeth.”

Stand Before the Son of ManLuke 21:34-36
“Be on guard, that your hearts may not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day come on you suddenly life a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Parable of the Ten VirginsMatthew 25:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, saying, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and by some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. And later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

Use Your TalentsMatthew 25:14-30
“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves, and entrusted his possessions to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability, and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the ground, and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. And the one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.’ The one also who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted to me two talents; see, I have gained two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. ‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground; see, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I scattered no seed. ‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ For to everyone who has shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. And cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

The JudgmentMatthew 25:31-46
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in, naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The Truth Behind the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Position | Return to Home Page | Top

Is “Hell” In The Bible? &

2010-05-01T04:30:00.000-07:00

What Will Life After Death Look Like?
Definition

The word resurrection is translated from the Greek word “anastasis” which means to “stand up” or to “arise”. It speaks of those who have died being made alive again.

Clarification

Before we begin our studies on the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment we will attempt to clarify the usage of certain words used in Scripture that are associated with hell or the dwelling places of the dead. The Bible uses six different words that tend to be confused with one another, they are:

Sheol
Hades
Tartaros
Abyss
Gehenna
Lake of fire

Nowhere in the Scripture is the word “hell” used. The word “hell” is the English translation of the concept “to conceal”. It has come to be known as the dwelling place of the wicked dead as well as the dwelling place of Satan and his demons. Depending on the Bible translation being used the term hell might be used for any of the words listed above.

Sheol

Sheol is a Hebrew word and is used exclusively throughout the Old Testament to define the dwelling place of the dead. It appears from the text that both the wicked and the righteous went there upon their death. This should not be confused with the word grave, which is the place of interment for the body. This appears to be the temporary abode of souls prior to the resurrection from the dead.

Hades

Hades is a Greek word, which means “unseen” and is used to describe the dwelling place of the dead. It is closely associated with the Hebrew word Sheol. However, according to Jesus’ use of the term there is a division of the righteous souls from the unrighteous. The dwelling place of the unrighteous is Hades. The dwelling place of the righteous is referred to as Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22-26) or paradise (Luke 23:43). Hades and Abraham’s bosom or paradise appears to be the temporary abodes of souls prior to the resurrection from the dead. After the final judgment and the creation of a new heaven and earth, the eternal destination of the righteous is New Jerusalem.

(Matthew 11:23, Matthew 16:18, Luke 10:15, Luke 16:23, Acts 2:25, Revelation 1:17,Revelation 6:8, Revelation 20:13)

Tartaros

Tartaros is a Greek word that denotes the temporary dwelling place of fallen angels (2 Peter 2:4).

Abyss

The abyss is a Greek word, which means “the deep” and contains the idea of unfathomable or bottomless. The word abyss appears to be the description of the place where the fallen angels are temporarily incarcerated, whereas Tartaros is the proper name of the place.

(Luke 8:31, Romans 10:7, Revelation 9:11, Revelation 11:7, Revelation 17:8, Revelation 20:1)

Gehenna

Gehenna is used throughout the New Testament as a description of a place of extreme torment. The word is derived from the use of two Hebrew words “ge” “hinnom” and is used to describe the Valley of Hinnom. The valley itself lies on the south and west sides of Jerusalem and separates Mount Zion from the Hill of Evil Counsel. The valley was the site of a Jewish apostasy, where the rites of passing children through the fires of Molech were practiced. (1 Kings 11:7) King Josiah converted it into a place of abomination, where dead bodies were thrown and burned. (2 Kings 23:13-14) This appears to be the eternal destination of wicked souls after the resurrection from the dead and final judgment. This word is closely associated with our English word, “Hell”.

(Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:29, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 18:9, Mathew 23:15, Matthew 23:33, James 3:6)

Lake of Fire

The lake of fire is the eternal destination, after the final judgment, of Satan, demons, fallen angels, Antichrist, false prophet, death, Hades and those individuals whose names are not written in the Book of Life. This term is closely associated with our concept of the English word, “Hell”. The term lake of fire appears to be the description of the place of eternal torment whereas Gehenna is the proper name of the place.

(Revelation 19:20, Revelation 20:10, Revelation 20:14, Revelation 21:8)

History

Throughout Old Testament times, a bodily resurrection was believed in by many Israelites. In fact the only major sect of Judaism existing at the time of Jesus who did not believe in a bodily resurrection from the dead were the Sadducees. (Matthew 22:23) One evidence of this wide spread belief is the gigantic graveyard that encompasses much of the Mount of Olives just to the east of Jerusalem. Many pious Jews have been buried here throughout the years because they believed that when Messiah came he would come to the Mount of Olives first and they would be the first to arise from the dead.

The Resurrection of the Messiah

The Apostle Paul stated that the Scriptures bore witness to the fact that the Messiah would be raised from the dead on the third day. (1 Corinthians 15:4) The primary text that he refers to is Psalms 16:8-11. It is also the same passage that the apostle Peter quoted on the day of Pentecost to the Jewish people in his presentation of the gospel to them (Psalm 16:8, Psalm 71:20-21).

There are many allusions to the third day as being the day of resurrection beginning with Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac and God providing a ram in his place. (Genesis 22:4)

After the Israelites left Egypt, God came down on Mt. Sinai to meet with them on the third day and Moses went up to Him in a cloud. (Exodus 19:11)

Esther appealed for the salvation of her people before the king on the third day of a fast. (Esther 5:1)

The Prophet Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for three days and three nights before he was vomited out upon dry land. (Jonah 1:17)

Jesus foretold his own death and resurrection to fulfill the prophesies of the Messiah. (Matthew 17:22-23, Matthew 20:18-19 & Luke 18:31-33)

The resurrection of others from the dead

(Job 19:25, Isaiah 26:19, Eziekel 37:1-14, Daniel 12:1-4, Hosea 6:2, 2 Peter 3:8, Acts 4:1)

The resurrection from the dead occurs in stages

(1 Corinthians 15:20-26)

1st stage - At the resurrection of Messiah – the first fruits.

Jesus Christ
Others (Matthew 27:52)
- (This resurrection did not include all the Old Testament saints since Peter declares that King David was still in his tomb on the day of Pentecost, fifty day after Jesus’ resurrection.

2nd stage - At the second coming of Jesus Christ.

This resurrection at the second coming of Christ is called the “first resurrection” in the book of Revelation. It begins with the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the first fruits of the harvest and ends with his second coming, the rest of the harvest.
This resurrection is for those who are Christ’s and in the grave (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
It is also for those who are Christ’s and are still alive (1 Thessalonians 4:17 - The rapture).
Jesus also spoke about the two-fold nature of the resurrection at his coming (John 11:25 - Resurrection of the dead and rapture of the living).

3rd stage - At the end – after the 1000-year reign of Christ on earth.

All those who had not been previously resurrected (Revelation 20:11-15).

The resurrection of the dead is central to the Christian faith.

God uses the resurrection of Jesus as proof that there will be a resurrection from the dead and that judgment will befall mankind (Acts 17:30-31).
The Apostle Paul chided some Christians because they were saying there was no resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12-14).
It is the promise to Christians, who have believed the Gospel (John 6:40).
Christian baptism identifies itself with the resurrection (Romans 6:6-10).

Other Observations

When the dead hear the voice of the Son of God (John 5:25-29).
Contrasting our bodies before and after the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:41-44).
- Our bodies will be different from one another.
- Our bodies will last forever.
- Our bodies will be glorious.
- Our bodies will be powerful.
- Our bodies will be spiritual.
- Our bodies will be able to fly. (Jesus ascended into heaven)
- Our bodies will be able to pass through material objects. (Jesus appeared to the disciples in a closed room.
- Our bodies will look different. (Mary Magdalene did not recognize Jesus in the garden, nor did his Uncle Cleopas on the road to Emmaus. His disciples were startled and frightened by his appearance in the closed room. Then, when the disciples went fishing with Peter on the Sea of Galilee, they did not recognize Jesus standing on the shore after having seen him in Jerusalem not many days before. It appears that when Jesus spoke, people were able to recognize Him)
What Christian’s will be doing after the resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6).

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The Truth Behind the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Position

2010-05-01T04:25:00.000-07:00

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Currently within the United States there is a prevailing view of eschatology (study of end time events). It is popularly called the “Pre-trib Rapture” (This eschatological view is actually futuristic – pre-millennial – with a pre-tribulation rapture. It is opposed to the Church’s historic position, which is futuristic - pre-millennial – with a post-tribulation rapture.) and arises from a system of theology known as Dispensationalism. The Dispensational system of theology began to be developed by John Nelson Darby of England in 1827. He inserted a pre-tribulation rapture view of eschatology after hearing a prophecy given by Margaret Macdonald in the spring of 1830. Darby’s dispensational views gained ground in the United States when C.I. Scofield included it in his reference Bible of 1917. After that, it began to be taught at Dallas Theological Seminary and one of its students; Hal Lindsey made it popular with his book, The Late Great Planet Earth (1970).

Four major components of the Pre-tribulation Rapture position are:

That Christians will be raptured (caught up to meet the Lord in the air) before a seven-year tribulation period.
That the rapture occurs before the second coming of Jesus Christ.
That the rapture is “secret”. (It will not be visible to anyone. Those who remain are either Jews or unbelievers and they will discover that all the Christians have disappeared in the twinkling of an eye.)
That the rapture is imminent. (It can occur at any time. No signs have to precede its occurrence.)

Based on the Pre-tribulation Rapture position as stated above please answer the following questions.

If Jesus’ return was imminent (could occur at any time)
- Why didn’t He say so?
- Why did He bother to tell His disciples about specific future events?
- Why did He caution them not to be misled?
- Why did He issue specific commands to the disciples when they observed the events happening?
- Since according to this scheme no signs are required to precede the Rapture, why did the Apostle Paul say that our gathering together to Jesus would not occur until after the apostasy and the man of lawlessness was revealed?
Jesus commanded His disciples to be alert.
- Why?
- What difference does it make if a believer is alert or not, since the rapture is a secret?
- What are they to be alert for?
If the rapture of Christians occurs before Christ’s coming why didn’t Jesus or any of the apostles or prophets tell anyone or write it down?

http://fringers.org/2008/12/22/who-is-the-thief-in-the-night.aspx

End-Time Events in the Words of God Himself | Return to Home Page

Who is "The Thief In The Night"?

2010-05-01T04:22:00.000-07:00

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“Remember, I have told you ahead of time,” Matthew 24:25

Be warned. After reading this you will no longer have any excuse for not studying about the return of The Lord. Yeshua Himself TOLD us to watch, stay alert, and be ready.

Yeshua said He was coming back to rule and reign from Jerusalem and I believe Him. He came as a real person in history and He will return a real person in history. “A Light for the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel.” The natural branches will, and are, being grafted back in.

His first coming fulfilled the types and shadows of the Spring Feasts of the Lord: Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Feast of Weeks or Pentecost; and His second coming will be in accordance with the Fall Feasts of the Lord: Yom Teruah or Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement, and Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles.

We’ve been duped. In 336 A.D. a council of men cut off the church from its natural ties to the Jewish nation with all her history and meaning. To our detriment, we lost the Jewishness of the faith.

According to scriptures, the lunar calendar is God’s method of calculating time. The lunar calendar (Jewish religious calendar) marks the seasons. In scripture, the word, “seasons” in Hebrew is “mo’ed” and means “appointed time”. This is referring to the “Appointed Times of The Lord” or “The Feasts of The Lord.”

1 Thessalonians 5:1, "Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you."

Okay, let’s stop right there. Times and Seasons. He’s referring to the lunar calendar and the Appointed Times of The Lord. They were Jewish believers (and Gentiles) who not only knew these feasts, but celebrated them.

1 Thessalonians 5:2, "For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night."

Remember that we are a kingdom and priests. I found out that according to Jewish history, the Captain of Temple was called “the thief in the night.” The priests and levites were in charge of guarding the Temple, including keeping the fire of God going. If the Captain of the Guard came in at night and caught the one of them sleeping on the job, he would hit the man with a stick then take the torch he was carrying and light the sleeping man’s white priestly / levitical garments on fire. The sorry fellow would wake up and have to tear the soiled, burning clothes from his body, exposing his nakedness. Shedding new light on these verses:

Revelation 16:15, “Look! I will come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition be seen.”

Revelation 3:14, 18, “This is the solemn pronouncement of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation, . . . Buy from me white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness will not be exposed, and salve to put on your eyes so you can see!”

“Priestly Guard”:

The captain of the guard saw that every man was alert, chastising a priest if found asleep at his post, and sometimes even punishing him by burning his shirt upon him, as a warning to others. (Mid. i. 1 – Jewish Encyclopedia)

The Captain of the Temple (the man of the Temple Mount) visited each guard, and burning torches were carried before him. And every guard which did not stand up (which was not standing), the Captain of the Temple said to him: "Peace be to thee." If he observed that he slept, he smote him with his stick, and he had authority to burn his dress. And they said, "What is the noise (voice) in the court?" "It is the noise of a Levite who is beaten, and his clothes are set on fire, because he slept upon his watch." (Perek I. – Mishnah-Middoth)

1 Thessalonians 5:3-10, “3 Now when they are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would. 5 For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. 6 So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation. 9 For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.

The Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) was known as the feast that “no one knew the day or the hour.” Again, “YOU ARE NOT IN DARKNESS FOR THE DAY TO OVERTAKE YOU AS A THIEF!” 1 Thessalonians 5:4

http://fringers.org/2008/12/22/who-is-the-thief-in-the-night.aspx

Yom Teruah/Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah Calendar Dates
(Begins at sundown and Ends at sundown)

2012
September 16, Sunday - September 18, Tuesday

2013
September 4, Wednesday - September 6, Friday

2014
September 24, Wednesday - September 26, Friday

2015
September 13, Sunday - September 15, Tuesday

2016
October 2, Sunday - October 4, Tuesday

2017
September 20, Wednesday - September 22, Friday

2018
September 9, Sunday - September 11, Tuesday

2019
September 29, Sunday - October 1, Tuesday

2020
September 18, Friday - September 20, Sunday

End-Time Events in the Words of God Himself | Return to Home Page

The Story of Hanukkah

2010-05-01T04:20:00.000-07:00

1 Maccabees (Apocrypha), Chapter 4

1: Then took Gorgias five thousand footmen, and a thousand of the best horsemen, and removed out of the camp by night;
2: To the end he might rush in upon the camp of the Jews, and smite them suddenly. And the men of the fortress were his guides.
3: Now when Judas heard thereof he himself removed, and the valiant men with him, that he might smite the king's army which was at Emmaus,
4: While as yet the forces were dispersed from the camp.
5: In the mean season came Gorgias by night into the camp of Judas: and when he found no man there, he sought them in the mountains: for said he, These fellows flee from us
6: But as soon as it was day, Judas shewed himself in the plain with three thousand men, who nevertheless had neither armour nor swords to their minds.
7: And they saw the camp of the heathen, that it was strong and well harnessed, and compassed round about with horsemen; and these were expert of war.
8: Then said Judas to the men that were with him, Fear ye not their multitude, neither be ye afraid of their assault.
9: Remember how our fathers were delivered in the Red sea, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army.
10: Now therefore let us cry unto heaven, if peradventure the Lord will have mercy upon us, and remember the covenant of our fathers, and destroy this host before our face this day:
11: That so all the heathen may know that there is one who delivereth and saveth Israel.
12: Then the strangers lifted up their eyes, and saw them coming over against them.
13: Wherefore they went out of the camp to battle; but they that were with Judas sounded their trumpets.
14: So they joined battle, and the heathen being discomfited fled into the plain.
15: Howbeit all the hindmost of them were slain with the sword: for they pursued them unto Gazera, and unto the plains of Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia, so that there were slain of them upon a three thousand men.
16: This done, Judas returned again with his host from pursuing them,
17: And said to the people, Be not greedy of the spoil inasmuch as there is a battle before us,
18: And Gorgias and his host are here by us in the mountain: but stand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and after this ye may boldly take the spoils.
19: As Judas was yet speaking these words, there appeared a part of them looking out of the mountain:
20: Who when they perceived that the Jews had put their host to flight and were burning the tents; for the smoke that was seen declared what was done:
21: When therefore they perceived these things, they were sore afraid, and seeing also the host of Judas in the plain ready to fight,
22: They fled every one into the land of strangers.
23: Then Judas returned to spoil the tents, where they got much gold, and silver, and blue silk, and purple of the sea, and great riches.
24: After this they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving, and praised the Lord in heaven: because it is good, because his mercy endureth forever.
25: Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.
26: Now all the strangers that had escaped came and told Lysias what had happened:
27: Who, when he heard thereof, was confounded and discouraged, because neither such things as he would were done unto Israel, nor such things as the king commanded him were come to pass.
28: The next year therefore following Lysias gathered together threescore thousand choice men of foot, and five thousand horsemen, that he might subdue them.
29: So they came into Idumea, and pitched their tents at Bethsura, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.
30: And when he saw that mighty army, he prayed and said, Blessed art thou, O Saviour of Israel, who didst quell the violence of the mighty man by the hand of thy servant David, and gavest the host of strangers into the hands of Jonathan the son of Saul, and his armourbearer;
31: Shut up this army in the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be confounded in their power and horsemen:
32: Make them to be of no courage, and cause the boldness of their strength to fall away, and let them quake at their destruction:
33: Cast them down with the sword of them that love thee, and let all those that know thy name praise thee with thanksgiving.
34: So they joined battle; and there were slain of the host of Lysias about five thousand men, even before them were they slain.
35: Now when Lysias saw his army put to flight, and the manliness of Judas' soldiers, and how they were ready either to live or die valiantly, he went into Antiochia, and gathered together a company of strangers, and having made his army greater than it was, he purposed to come again into Judea.
36: Then said Judas and his brethren, Behold, our enemies are discomfited: let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary.
37: Upon this all the host assembled themselves together, and went up into mount Sion.
38: And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, yea, and the priests' chambers pulled down;
39: They rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast ashes upon their heads,
40: And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven.
41: Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary.
42: So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law:
43: Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place.
44: And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which was profaned;
45: They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore they pulled it down,
46: And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what should be done with them.
47: Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former;
48: And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts.
49: They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense, and the table.
50: And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give light in the temple.
51: Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun to make.
52: Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up betimes in the morning,
53: And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made.
54: Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and harps, and cymbals.
55: Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and praising the God of heaven, who had given them good success.
56: And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and praise.
57: They decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of gold, and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they renewed, and hanged doors upon them.
58: Thus was there very great gladness among the people, for that the reproach of the heathen was put away.
59: Moreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, with mirth and gladness.
60: At that time also they builded up the mount Sion with high walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should come and tread it down as they had done before.
61: And they set there a garrison to keep it, and fortified Bethsura to preserve it; that the people might have a defence against Idumea.

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Seventy Prophecies of Yeshua's First Coming

2010-05-01T04:17:00.000-07:00

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He would be a descendent of Abraham (Avraham).
(Genesis 12:1-3; 18:18; 22:18; Matthew 1:1-2,17; Galatians 3:8,16)
He would be from the tribe of Judah (Yehudah).
(Genesis 49:8-10; Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5)
He would be a descendent of David.
(2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-13; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14; Psalm 132:11; Luke 1:32-33,67-69; Acts 2:29-30; Matthew 1:17; Romans 1:3)
He would be born in Bethlehem (Beit Lechem).
(Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:4-6; John 7:42)
He would be from Nazareth and be called a Nazarene.
(Matthew 2:23; Luke 1:26-27; John 1:45; Judges 13:5-7, 24)
The exact time of His crucifixion was known (483 years from the decree to build the temple, which was around 444 B.C.E.).
(Daniel 9:25; Nehemiah 2:1-8; 5:14)
He would be born of a virgin.
(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23; Galatians 4:4; Genesis 3:15)
His name would be Immanuel. Immanuel in Hebrew means "G-d with us."
(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23)
His name would be Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew), which means "Savior" or "Salvation." The word Yeshua in Hebrew means "salvation." It is derived from another Hebrew word, Yashah, which means "to save, deliver, preserve, bring salvation, get victory."
(Matthew 1:21)
His name would be the Messiah. The word Christ in English comes from the Greek word Christos, which means "The Anointed One." Christos in Greek is the word Mashiach in Hebrew, which also means "The Anointed One." The word Mashiach means "Messiah," who is Yeshua.
(John 1:41)
He would be the only begotten Son of G-d.
(Psalm 2:2,6-7; John 1:14; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:1-2,5)
He would be the Son of G-d and G-d would be His Father.
(Psalm 89:26-27; 2 Samuel 7:8,12-14; 1 Chronicles 22:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-2,5; Mark 14:36; John 20:30-31)
He would be circumcised the eighth day according to the law of purification.
(Luke 2:21-24; Leviticus 12:1-6)
He would go to Egypt and return to the land of Israel.
(Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-15)
Young babies would die in an attempt to kill Yeshua at His birth.
(Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18)
He would be preceded by a messenger (a type of Elijah [Eliyahu] known as John (Yochanan) the Immerser [Baptist]) who would prepare the way of the Lord.
(Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:13,76; Matthew 11:7,10)
The messenger, John (Yochanan) the Immerser (Baptist), would be preaching in the wilderness.
(Isaiah 40:3-5; Luke 1:13,80,3:2-6)
He would be a prophet like Moses (Moshe).
(Deuteronomy 18:15; John 1:45; Acts 3:20-23)
He would be anointed of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh).
(Isaiah 11:1-2; 42:1; Matthew 3:16)
He would preach and teach in the temple (Beit HaMikdash).
(Malachi 3:1; Luke 4:16; Matthew 26:55; John 7:28; 8:1-2)
He came specifically to the house of Israel and not to the Gentiles.
(Matthew 15:21-26)
Yeshua would be rejected by His own people Israel (corporately). [Note: It should be pointed out that many, many individual Jews were believers in Messiah during the first century. This can be seen very clearly by carefully examining Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Book of Acts.(Psalm 69:8; 31:11; 88:8,18; Job 19:13; John 1:11; 7:3,5)]
Yeshua is the stone that the builders rejected.
(Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 3:10-12; Romans 9:11)
Yeshua would be received by the Gentiles (corporately). [Note: It should be pointed out that many Gentiles are not believers in Yeshua and many others are believers in name only and not true followers with their hearts. The believers in Messiah are commanded to follow G-d with all of their heart (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).] (Isaiah 11:10; 42:6; 49:6,22; 54:3; 60:3,5,11,16; 61:6,9; 62:2; 66:12,19; Malachi 1:11; Luke 2:30-32; Acts 28:28)
He would speak in parables.
(Psalm 78:2-4; Matthew 13:34-35)
The ministry of Yeshua would be in Galilee.
(Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:12-16,23)
His ministry would be to heal the sick, set the captives free, and preach deliverance. This is known as the basar (gospel) in Hebrew.
(Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:16-21; Matthew 4:23; 9:34-35; Acts 2:22; 10:38)
Yeshua was to be the shepherd of Israel because Israel had no shepherd.
(Ezekiel 34:5-10; 1 Kings 22:17; Zechariah 10:2; Genesis 49:22,24; Psalm 23:1; 80:1; Isaiah 40:10-11; Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24; John 10:11,14-15)
His message would not be believed.
(Isaiah 53:1; John 12:37-38)
The meek would praise Him.
(Psalm 8:1-2; Matthew 21:15-16)
Illegal merchandise trading would be done in the temple.
(Psalm 69:9; John 2:13-17; Isaiah 56:7; Matthew 21:12-13)
He would be hated.
(Psalm 69:4; 35:19; 109:2-3; 119:161; John 15:24-25)
He would be a reproach to the people.
(Psalm 69:9; 89:50-51; Romans 15:3)
He would not seek publicity.
(Isaiah 42:1-2; Matthew 12:15-19; 9:30; 8:4)
He can be trusted and would be compassionate.
(Isaiah 42:3; Matthew 12:15,20-21)
No evil words would proceed from His mouth.
(Isaiah 53:9; Luke 23:41; 1 Peter 2:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
His disciples would forsake Him.
(Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 26:31-35,56)
There was nothing physically beautiful in Him to be desired.
(Isaiah 53:2; Psalm 22:6; Mark 6:1-3; Philippians 2:7)
He gave up the glory in Heaven for the poverty of earth.
(Luke 9:58; 2 Corinthians 8:9)
He would publicly enter Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) before the time of His crucifixion.
(Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1-5)
He would ride into Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) on a donkey.
(Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:5)
He would be sold for 30 pieces of silver.
(Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:14-16)
His betrayal price would be given for a potter's field.
(Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:3,7-10)
He would be betrayed by a friend.
(Psalm 41:9; John 13:18-21)
Both Jew and Gentile would conspire against Him.
(Psalm 2:1-2; Acts 4:27-28; Matthew 26:3; 27:1-2)
He would be nailed to a tree.
(Deuteronomy 21:22-23; Psalm 22:16; John 19:18; 20:25)
He would suffer for others.
(Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 20:28)
He would die for our sins.
(Isaiah 53:5; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 2:24)
He would be mocked.
(Psalm 22:7-8; Matthew 27:39-43)
He would die with the transgressors.
(Isaiah 53: 12; Mark 15:27-28)
He would make intercession for His murderers.
(Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34)
He would be smitten.
(Micah 5:1; Isaiah 50:6; Lamentations 3:30; Matthew 26:67; 27:30)
He would be spit upon.
(Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67, 27:30)
He would be forsaken by G-d.
(Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46)
He would be given gall and vinegar to eat and drink.
(Psalm 69:21; Matthew 27:34,48)
He opened not His mouth when accused.
(Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 26:63-64; 27:12-14)
His garments would be parted.
(Psalm 22:18; Matthew 27:35)
Not one bone would be broken.
(Psalm 34:20; John 19:33,36)
He would be pierced.
(Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34,37)
He would be like a lamb going to the slaughter.
(Isaiah 53:7; Acts 8:26-35)
He is King of the Jews (and the world).
(Psalm 2:6; John 18:33,37; 19:19-22)
He would be buried with the rich.
(Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)
He would die.
(Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:50)
His soul would not be left in hell.
(Psalm 16:10; 49:15; 56:13; Acts 2:27,31; 13:33-35)
He would rise from the dead.
(Psalm 16:10; Luke 24:6,31,34; Acts 2:27-31; 13:35)
Others would rise from the dead with Him.
(Psalm 68:18; Ephesians 4:8; Matthew 27:52-53)
He would rise the third day from the grave.
(Jonah 1:17; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Luke 24:45-46; Matthew 12:40)
He would ascend into Heaven.
(Psalm 68:18; Acts 1:9; Luke 24:50-51)
He would sit at the right hand of G-d.
(Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:2-3; Ephesians 1:20-21; 1 Peter 3:22)
He would usher in a New Covenant (Brit Hadashah).
(Jeremiah 31:31; Luke 22:20)
He would be a sure foundation to all who believe.
(Isaiah 28: 16; Romans 10:11; 1 Peter 2:4-6)

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Lesson 58: The Great Commission

2007-07-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

Brief 4-to-5 Minute Teaching Lesson
Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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Lesson 58 of the Discipleship Making process.

Forty days had passed since Jesus was raised from the dead. During that time He told the disciples many things concerning the kingdom of God and opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. He explained to them that it was written that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations beginning at Jerusalem. And He told them that they were to be witnesses of those things.

On the fortieth day Jesus gathered the disciples together and led them out of Jerusalem to a place on the Mount of Olives near Bethany. When they arrived He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem until He had baptized them with the Holy Spirit a few days hence. Somewhat puzzled they inquired of Him if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel at that time. He replied that it wasn’t for them to know the times or epochs established by the Father but that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them.

Then He issued His last set of commands, which today has come to be known as the “Great Commission”. After that He blessed the disciples and ascended into heaven while they watched. They were awestruck! As Jesus continued to rise, a cloud (The specific cloud that is being talked about in Hebrew is called the Sh’khinah: the cloud of glory. It is the same cloud that led the Israelites in their wilderness wanderings, became a pillar of fire at night and filled the Temple of God. It always indicates the presence of God.) received Him out of their sight. Then two angels appeared and told them that He would one day return to earth in the same manner that they had seen Him leave.

Read: Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-20, Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:3-12

Jesus had a way of making His points memorable and they certainly weren’t subtle. When He issued His last set of commands to the disciples He coupled it with His ascension into heaven. Talk about emphasis! Most of us are readily able to recall the first and last items on a “to do” list we are given because are brains are wired that way. But Jesus made sure the disciples didn’t forget the first and last things He told them.

Think back to Jesus’ first command to the disciples. It was “Follow Me”. And Jesus issued it in conjunction with a miraculous fishing trip. The point He was making to them was, I want you to hear and obey my voice and when you do what I have told you to do; miraculous things will happen that bring blessing. With the command to “Follow Me” Jesus also promised the disciples that He would make them fishers of men. And now, three and one-half years later Jesus was commissioning them to do that very thing.

By combining the three synoptic gospel accounts we get a clear picture of exactly what the Great Commission is and what Jesus commanded the disciples to do:

And He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

And behold, I am sending forth the promise of my Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.

At the heart of the Great Commission is the imperative to make disciples. It was Jesus’ full time occupation from the day He entered ministry at His baptism until He ascended into heaven. During His 3½ years of ministry, Jesus modeled the process of making disciples and then commanded all those who had followed Him to do likewise. The discipleship process involves five steps. They are:

Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.
Go into all the world.
Preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins in Jesus name.
Baptize those who believe the message … in the name of Jesus.
Teach those who have been baptized to observe all that Jesus commanded.

The disciples followed Jesus’ instructions perfectly and the initial results are played out in the pages of the book of Acts.

Stay - Acts 1:12-14
Go - Acts 2:1-6
Preach - Acts 2:22-36
Baptize - Acts 2:37-41
Teach - Acts 2:42

The point of the lesson is:
God has given us:

His Vision of what we are to become . . . like His son, Jesus.
The Mission we are to accomplish . . . to make disciples.
The Strategy we are to use . . .
- Go into all the world.
- Preach the message of forgiveness of sins in Jesus name.
- Baptize those who have believed the message.
- Teach them to observe everything that Jesus commanded to do.

And the Ministry we are to perform . . . the ministry of reconciliation.

In order to do this work He has also given us:

His Authority. . . to accomplish the mission and ministry.
His Power . . . the Holy Spirit.
His Tools . . . the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
His Glory . . . the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
His Equippers . . . apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.

With that, allow me to leave you with the ultimate homework assignment, along with a couple final questions to consider:
As we close this last lesson, be reminded that you have now gone through the spiritual maturity process and the responsibility is yours to accomplish the will of your Father in heaven. The Journey With Jesus blog site and/or series of books will help give you a guideline to accomplish the task that is set before you.

What is God’s will for your life? and Will you do it?

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:21, 24

Jesus says, "If you love me, you will obey what I command . . . Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him . . . He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me . . . If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love." John 14:15-15:10

“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

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Lesson 57: Receive the Holy Spirit

2007-07-10T15:30:00.000-07:00

Brief 4-to-5 Minute Teaching Lesson
Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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Lesson 57 of the Discipleship Making process.

In the previous lesson, we saw that when Jesus went to pray in the Garden at Gethsemane, He taught the disciples how to wait for Him. It had required active participation on their part. They were to be: :

Restful, not busy or sleeping.
Watchful.
Prayerfully seeking God’s will.
Prepared to act.
Responding immediately to His commands.

As soon as Jesus finished praying He was arrested, tried, condemned, crucified and buried. After remaining in the grave for three days and three nights He rose from the dead. He appeared to Mary Magdalene that morning and to His uncle, Cleopas and another disciple named Simon as they walked along the road to Emmaus that afternoon. Cleopas and Simon raced back to Jerusalem to tell Peter and the other disciples that they had seen Jesus alive! While the two were telling their story to the disciples, Jesus suddenly appeared to them all.

Read: Mark 16:13-14, Luke 24:33-49, John 20:19-29

The sudden appearance of Jesus in the room startled the disciples so He immediately commanded them to be at peace. It had been just five days before, at the Last Supper that Jesus had told them, “A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me?” Yet they were surprised to see Him. Then Jesus reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they hadn’t even believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.

At first the disciples thought they were seeing a ghost. But Jesus reassured them. First by showing them His nail-pierced hands and feet. And secondly, He invited them to touch Him and told them that a spirit did not have flesh and bones as He had. With the physical evidence as proof the disciples began to rejoice as they realized that it was truly Jesus who was standing in their midst. At the Last Supper, Jesus had also foretold of the disciple’s great joy. “But I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.”

Having eaten a piece of broiled fish that the disciples had given Him, Jesus told them “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit (In Hebrew, the term for the Holy Spirit is Ruwach Qodesh, literally the “breath of God”). If you forgive the sins of any, their sins haven been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

Its here that Jesus was demonstrates how the Holy Spirit works; first you must receive a breath of air and then expel it. In other words, like a gift, you must receive it first before it can be given away (John 4:13-14, John 7:37-39).

When Jesus told the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit they would have undoubtedly recalled the things that He had spoken to them about the Holy Spirit at the Last Supper. These statements form the core of our understanding on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

What thoughts come to your mind concerning what Jesus said.

The Father is the giver of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:16)
The Holy Spirit will remain with Jesus’ disciples forever. (John 14:16)
The disciples will have an intimate knowledge of the Holy Spirit. ( John 14:17)
The Holy Spirit will live with the disciples. ( John 14:17)
The Holy Spirit will be inside the disciples. ( John 14:17)
God the Father will send the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name. ( John 14:26)
The Holy Spirit will teach the disciples all things. ( John 14:26)
The Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance everything Jesus has said to His disciples. ( John 14:26)
Jesus, Himself sends the Holy Spirit. ( John 15:26) John the Baptist also testified to this when he said, He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
The Holy Spirit is truth. ( John 15:26)
The Holy Spirit will bear witness of Jesus. ( John 15:26)
The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin because they do not believe in Jesus. (John 16:8, 9)
The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning righteousness because Jesus has been raised from the dead. (John 16:8, 10)
The Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning judgment because Satan, the ruler of this world (kosmos–adornment/illusion) has been judged. (John 16:8&11)
The Holy Spirit will guide the disciples into all truth. (John 16:13)
The Holy Spirit will not speak on His own initiative. (John 16:13)
The Holy Spirit will speak only what He hears. (John 16:13)
The Holy Spirit will speak. (John 16:13)
The Holy Spirit will tell you about the future. (John 16:13)
The Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus. (John 16:14)
The Holy Spirit will give the disciples understanding of everything that Jesus possesses. (John 16:14)

Jesus also made other statements to the disciples about the Holy Spirit, what thoughts come to your mind?

The heavenly Father gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. (Luke 11:13)
No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of the Spirit (John 3:5)
When a person is born again by the Spirit it is like the wind. You don’t know where the wind came from or where it is going because it goes where it wishes … you just hear the sound of it. (John 3:8)
The Holy Spirit will clothe the disciples with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)

Eight days after Jesus’ initial encounter with the disciples He appeared to them again while they were in the Galilee. This time Thomas was with them. After greeting them, Jesus proves His identity to Thomas and then commands them to believing, not doubting. Then He proceeded to place a prophetic blessing on all those who would not see Him, as the disciples had, but believe in Him anyhow.

The point of the lesson is to be sure you receive the Holy Spirit.

With that, allow me to leave you with these questions to consider, along with a little homework assignment until the next lesson:

What had the Father sent Jesus to do? (See Luke 4:18) Also to make disciples, use the gifts of the Spirit, obey the Father, love others, forgive people’s sins, etc.
What does Jesus want His disciple’s to do? The same thing.
Since Jesus had told the disciples on two different occasions at the Last Supper that He would be sending them the Holy Spirit, why do you think He had to command them to receive the Holy Spirit? Because the Holy Spirit is a gift and a gift must be received. (For example: God sent His Word, His prophets, His Son, and His salvation … all of them are gifts and must be received to be beneficial.
How do you believe Jesus’ last statement above applies to you?
Why do you think Jesus breathed on the disciples? Why do you think Jesus blessed those who would believe in Him even though they had never seen Him? They were people of faith and deserving of reward because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Many are called but few are chosen.
According to the book of Acts the Holy Spirit can be bestowed upon individuals after they have been baptized in Jesus name through the laying of hands by an apostle. (Acts 8:18) Does that verse apply today? Why or why not? Do you think the disciples were waiting for Jesus to return as He had taught them to? Why or why not? If you had been with the disciples when Jesus appeared in their midst, what would your reaction have been?

And the homework assignment, read the following passages of Scripture:

Acts 2:1-4 “clothing with power”
Acts 2:33 “hear and see”
Acts 2:38-39 “will receive”
Acts 2:43 “the apostles have power”
Acts 3:22-23 “Jesus is sent to you … obey or perish”
Acts 4:29-31 “prayer for signs and wonders and a bold testimony”
Acts 6:5-8 “Stephen receives the laying on of hands and does signs and wonders”
Acts 8:5-19 “Philip goes to Samaria and the people are clothed with power”
Acts 9:17-18 “Paul receives the Holy Spirit and gets baptized”
Acts 10:43-48 “ Cornelius and his household receive the Holy Spirit”
Acts 19:1-6 “John’s baptism versus baptism with the Holy Spirit”
1 Corinthians 12 & 14 “gifts of the Spirit”
1 Timothy 4:14 “Timothy gets a gift”

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Lesson 56: Waiting For Him

2007-07-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Brief 4-to-5 Minute Teaching Lesson
Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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Lesson 56 of the Discipleship Making process.

As the Last Supper drew to close Jesus prayed for His disciples and then blessed the fourth cup of wine. This fourth cup of wine, the Cup of Elijah, is the culmination of the Passover meal and for every Israelite points forward to the future fulfillment of all of God’s promises. It is also called the Cup of Praise or Hope and refers specifically to Exodus 6:8. For fifteen centuries the Israelites had been observing this ritual and now the Lord’s Passover was literally being fulfilled before the disciple’s eyes.

As the men drank the cup they ended by singing the Hallel (Psalm 113-118). They had no idea that what they were singing would come to pass within a matter of hours (read the last fifteen verses of Psalm 118:14-29).

When they finished singing the hymn they walked out into the night. Jesus and the disciples exited the city through the nearby Essene Gate. They descended the steep slope down into the Valley of Ben Hinnom. The short journey terminated at a grove of olive trees known as … Gethsemane, “the oil press.”

Read: Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46

It was here, at Gethsemane, that Jesus told eight of His disciples to remain until He had prayed. From His interaction with the disciples we can learn some lessons about waiting for our Lord to do something.

Sometimes it is boring having to wait on Him. We want released into ministry but it doesn’t happen. We pray for something and it seems like He doesn’t answer. We wait for His direction but it doesn’t come. Why do we have to wait? The hours roll by. What’s the hold up?”

The disciples were no different than we are, so Jesus gave them some instructions on what to do while they were waiting for Him. He began by telling the disciples to sit. “Sit here until I have prayed.” Sitting denotes a restful state. It is not working and it is not sleeping. It is the position of readiness for another action. We, as Christians would do well to remember that the Lord is going before us to make the way. The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus, our High Priest, “lives to make intercession for us,” (Hebrews 7:25). And for those of us who do wait for the Lord, God promises they “will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary,” (Isaiah 40:31).

Jesus accompanied by Peter, James and John separated themselves from the larger group by walking a short distance into the grove of trees to the south. After entering the grove He told those three disciples to remain there and keep watch. The second instruction we should adhere to is to remain watchful while waiting for Him.

There is a tendency for us to become complacent in our lives, never expecting Jesus to show up in any significant way. Yet He will! The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises,” (Hebrews 6:11-12). When Jesus returned He found Peter, James and John asleep and rebuked them for it.

The third thing we are to do is to add prayer to our watching. Jesus said, “Keep watching and praying.” In the garden that night, Jesus sought His Father’s will. And that is the kind of praying we should be doing. Some call this “praying in the Spirit”. The Apostle Paul alluded to this in his epistle to the Romans (Romans 8:26-27).

Many times, we as Christians engage in prayer but aren’t really expecting God to respond, so we just go ahead and do what we were already planning to do. Jesus admonished the disciples to watch and pray so they wouldn’t fall into temptation. The reason we are to remain awake and alert is to see what the Lord’s reply will be.

Jesus also prayed three times to the Father regarding the same issue . . . could what He was preparing to go through be done another way? Jesus was a man of faith. He was use to having His prayers answered. He believed that he would receive what He asked for. Concerning prayer, Christians should remember that when we ask God for something we are to believe we have received our request (Mark 11:24).

Again Jesus returned and found the three disciples asleep so He gave them another instruction. “Rise and pray.” The fourth thing we can learn about waiting for the Lord is that when we become weary we should rise or stand to our feet while we pray. This demonstrates our preparedness to act on whatever the Lord tells us to do.

As the disciples prepared to rise Jesus issued His final instruction, “Arise, let us be going”. The last thing we learn about waiting on the Lord is that once He instructs us on what to do or what direction to take, as Christians we should immediately do what He says.

The point of the lesson is that waiting for the Lord to act involves active participation:

It requires us to be restful, not busy and not sleeping.
It requires us to be watchful.
It requires us to be prayerful, seeking God’s will.
It requires us to be prepared to act.
It requires us to immediately respond to Him.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider, along with a little homework assignment until the next lesson:

How does the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) compare with what Jesus taught His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane that night?

And the homework assignment:

Use this outline the next time you are waiting for the Lord to do something.

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Lesson 55: Disillusioned

2007-07-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

Brief 4-to-5 Minute Teaching Lesson
Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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Lesson 55 of the Discipleship Making process.

Near the end of the Last Supper Jesus began talking to His disciples about various relationships they would be involved in. First he talked about their relationship with Him. “Abide in Me, and I in you.” Then He discussed their relationship with one another. “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” And finally He talked to them about their relationship with the world. “If the world (kosmos) hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world (kosmos), the world (kosmos) would love its own; but because you are not of the world (kosmos), but I chose you out of the world (kosmos), because of this the world (kosmos) hates you.”

When Jesus used the term “world”, He wasn’t talking about the earth with its landmasses, oceans, lakes, rivers, mountains and prairies. Instead the Scriptures use the Greek word kosmos (world). The word kosmos is translated as “adornment”. It’s the way things appear or the way things operate here on earth. It’s an illusion! And that is the same way the world (kosmos) is . . . it’s an illusion. The things of this world look attractive however they are not as they appear. The Scriptures tell us that Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44), governs all the kingdoms of this world (kosmos). Therefore, everything in it is wearing a deceptive mask . . . it’s an illusion. In fact you could substitute the word illusion for the word, world (kosmos). For example we could read a familiar verse from the book of James as, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world (illusion) is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world (illusion) makes himself an enemy of God,” (James 4:4).

According to the dictionary an illusion is a false idea or conception. It is belief or opinion not in accord with the facts . . . an unreal, deceptive, or misleading appearance or image. Many people use the word disillusioned in a negative sense, however to be disillusioned is actually quite good. The word disillusioned simply means to be free from illusion or false ideas

Read: John 15:18–16:33

Jesus begins the lesson by telling the disciples that they will be hated by the world. This is quite understandable because the world and it systems are based on lies, while Jesus, His disciples and the Kingdom of God are all based on the truth. Therefore conflict is inevitable.

Jesus continued by saying, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." Jesus is so adamant about this truth that He reinforces it with a command, “Remember the word I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than His master’. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”

In order to combat the world’s lies, the Lord promised the disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit came He would bear witness along with them that Jesus was the way, the truth and the life and that no man could come to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). In addition the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth (1 John 5:6).

The coming of the Holy Spirit would be the sign that the Kingdom of God (Romans 14:17) had come upon the earth. It was the kingdom prophesied by Daniel “the stone cut out of the rock without hands” (Daniel 2:34 & 44-45) that would crush all the kingdoms of this world (kosmos). Each member of this kingdom would be clothed with heavenly armor (Daniel 2:34 & 44-45) and each one would wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And each way that the sword turned it would destroy the lies and illusions of the world.

Jesus told the disciples to ask in His name and that they would receive, that their joy my might be full. Each of us who names Jesus Christ as Lord should be asking Him to make us effective in using the sword of the Spirit against the rulers, powers, world forces of this darkness and the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Yet at the same time we are not to fight against flesh and blood even though our enemies may control people through lies and illusions. It is these people who persecute us not knowing the truth. And like Jesus they may ridicule, torture or kill us. But we are to be of good cheer knowing full well that our hope is not in this world. As Jesus brought the lesson to a close He said, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world (kosmos) you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (kosmos)” (John 16:33).

The point of the lesson is to welcome disillusionments by welcoming truth. Rejoice when you are persecuted for truth because it affirms your transformation into the image of Christ.

With that, allow me to leave you with these questions to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

Name some illusions that people live under?
How do people become disillusioned? By learning the truth. “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free,” (John 8:31-32).
Many Christians believe that everything in their life will be wonderful. What is the truth about this? They forget the Scripture that says in this world you will have tribulation.
Many Christians believe that everyone in church is nice, understanding and forgiving. What is the truth about this? Not everyone in a church is a Christian, in fact they may be sent by your enemy to destroy the work. Also Christians are a being conformed to the image of Christ and may not have arrived at maturity.
Many Christians believe that when they get married, their lives will be totally fulfilling. What is the truth about this? It takes hard work, dying to one’s self and submission to their mate.
Many Christians believe that you should trust one another. What is the truth about this? Where is it written that we should trust in any man? According to the Scriptures we should trust only in God (Ps 20:7, Ps 56:4, Pr 3:5 and Jn 14:1).
Many Christians believe that spiritual growth just happens. What is the truth about this? Spiritual growth is a process in which the believer is conformed to the image of Christ by hearing the Word of God and obeying it. At various points in his life he will undergo testing.
Many Christians believe that the government can solve their problems. What is the truth about this?

And the homework assignment:

Write down one event that occurred in the past in which you were persecuted for telling the truth and tell your group about it.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 54: Abiding in Christ

2007-07-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

Brief 4-to-5 Minute Teaching Lesson
Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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Lesson 54 of the Discipleship Making process.

As the Last Supper began to draw to a close Jesus commanded His disciples to believe Him when He said, “I am in the Father and the Father is in Me” (John 14:10-11). For the disciples this was a profound statement.

Before we get into the lesson let’s reflect on some other Scriptures:
Hebrews 6:18, Deuteronomy 32:4, John 14:6-10, John 17:17, 1 John 5:6, John 8:15-16, John 12:47-50, Matthew 4:47

Read: John 15:1-11

As the disciples leave the site of the Last Supper with Jesus, He expands on the idea of oneness with God. Only this time He speaks of the disciple’s oneness with Him. He begins the conversation by declaring, “I am the true vine.” Through the analogy of a grapevine Jesus connects this oneness with Himself to the disciples being able to bear fruit. Take this time now to reflect on the following questions:

Since Jesus calls Himself the “true vine”, is there an untrue vine? Yes. (Ezekiel 17:1-10).
What fruit is Jesus talking about? The fruit of the Spirit as enumerated in Galatians 5:22-23.
What is the purpose of our bearing fruit? It glorifies God and blesses others.
What does God do when we don’t bear fruit? Lifts us up (John 15:2). The goodness of God leads a man to repentance (Romans 2:4).
How are we able to bear fruit? By being in Christ (John 15:4). Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17).
How can we bear more fruit? God prunes us (John 15:2). Through discipline (Hebrews 12:5-6) Loss of focus produces leaves not fruit.
What is the purpose of pruning a grape vine and how is it done? It will produce better quality grapes. Grapes only grow on one year old vines and only the uppermost spurs are left.
How do we bear much fruit? (John 15:5) By recognizing that we can do nothing apart from the Lord therefore we remain in constant fellowship with Him.
How do we know that we are abiding in Christ? We continue to partake of the bread and wine. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:53–56). According to Jesus: 1) A believer abides (dwells) in Jesus when he eats Jesus’ flesh and 2) Jesus abides (dwells) in a believer when the believer drinks Jesus’ blood.
What happens if we don’t remain in fellowship with Christ? (John 15:6) We wither and dry up. Then we are gathered up and cast into the fire to be burned.
What happens if we forsake the bread and wine? We in effect are saying we have no fellowship with Christ and are not obeying what He commanded us to do.

Continuing the lesson, Jesus remarks that if His disciples remain in Him and His words remain in them then they can ask whatever they wish and it would be done for them. At that point the disciples were probably thinking … which words? Jesus was quick to reply! He issued them another commandment and then told them how to keep it. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments you will abide in my love. This was the same way that the Father had treated Him.

The point of the lesson is that since we have been born again by the Spirit of God and God dwells in us then our words and actions should line up with the Word of God.

With that, allow me to leave you with these questions to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

Since Jesus is the Word of God how important are His instructions to us?
Are Christians not having their prayers answered because they are not obeying what Jesus told them to do?
What does the following verse mean to you?
By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6)

And the homework assignment:

Read the songs of two different vineyards. Isaiah 5:1-7, 27:2-6

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 53: Peaceful Hearts - Part 2 of 2

2007-07-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

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Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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The continuation of lesson 53 of the Discipleship Making process.

In summary of part one of this lesson, we learned of the prophecies Jesus used to encourage, strengthen and console His disciples, shortly after Judas departed the Last Supper, during the part of the meal known as the Maggid (the telling of the Passover story), of His impending death, for He knew full well that He would redeem His people by stretching out His arms upon the cross.

Read: John 13:36 - 14:31

It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus did more than just console the disciples He told them truth (forth-telling). The central issue of these passages of Scriptures we are studying today is what Jesus said concerning Himself. I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. To many this is a difficult statement! They like to say there are many ways to the Father.

Jesus statement, “I am the way, and the truth and the life” was the sixth of seven “I am” statements He used in the gospel of John. The others were: 1) I am the bread of life (6:35), 2) I am the light of the world (8:12), 3) I am the door (10:7 & 9), 4) I am the good shepherd (10:11 & 14), 5) I am the resurrection and the life (11:25) and 6) I am the true vine (15:1 & 5). Each time Jesus used the “I am” (In Hebrew “I am” is pronounced “Yah”) He was invoking God’s memorial name (Exodus 3:13-15).

Moses was chosen to deliver and lead God’s people. He worked miracles and declared God’s law (teachings or instructions). Like Jesus, Moses before he died, prophesied to God’s people about the one (Moses prophesied concerning Jesus and Jesus prophesied concerning the Holy Spirit) who would come. He would be like Moses, delivering and leading God’s people, working miracles and declaring God’s law (teachings and instruction) (Deuteronomy 8:15-18; Matthew 17:5; John 8:58).

In order to help His people identify who the coming one would be, God had Moses appoint Joshua as the prophet who would follow him (Deuteronomy 31:14 & 23).

The name Joshua (Yah-shua) means “I Am Salvation". And that is precisely Jesus’ name in Hebrew, Yah-shua. It was not Moses’ responsibility to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because he had sinned (Moses disobeyed God (sinned) when he struck the Rock a second time to bring forth water. God originally told Moses to strike the Rock of Horeb with his staff when the children of Israel became thirsty and it would bring forth water (Exodus 17:6). When the children of Israel became thirsty a second time God commanded Moses to speak to the Rock instead of hitting it and it would bring forth water. But Moses became angry with his rebellious people and struck the Rock a second time. (Numbers 20:3-13) The reason God would not let Moses lead his people into the Promised Land was because, as a prophet, Moses had given Israel a false sign. From 1 Corinthians 10:4 we discover that the Rock from which the water came forth was Christ. Jesus said, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” Since Jesus is the Christ, God was in effect saying that He would permit His Son to be stuck by the rods of men only once for salvation and after that they merely needed to speak to Him. “Whoever will call upon the Name of the Lord will be saved”. (Joel 2:32, Romans 10:13). It was and still is Joshua’s (Yah-shua’s) responsibility to lead God’s people into the Promised Land.

In chapter 7 of the book of Acts, Stephen a man full of the Holy Spirit, brought a railing testimony against the Sanhedrim, the ruling council of the Jews, concerning their treatment of Jesus (Acts 7:37) and all God’s prophets before Him. For that, He was stoned to death, making him the church’s first martyr. The Israelites had refused to hear God speaking even when He spoke through men just as they had requested. Jesus had already spoken to the chief priests and Pharisees about their failure to hear and obey God’s voice (John 5:45-47) and even used the parable of the landowner (Matthew 21:33-46) to make the same point.

Since Jesus was the one of whom Moses prophesied, He commands His disciples to, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” Then He offered then two proofs as to His identity. The first proof was the words that He spoke (Hebrews 1:1-2) to them: His forth-telling words could be verified in the Law and the Prophets and His foretelling words would come to pass. The second proof Jesus offered them was the miracles He performed (John 14:11).

The point of the lesson is, since Jesus is the way, and the truth and the life, how important is it to believe Him and observe everything He commands us to do?

With that, allow me to leave you with these questions to consider until my next posting:

What do you think the statement “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” means?
Do you believe that the statement, “No one comes to the Father, but through Me” is true?
What kind of statement do you make to others who contend with you that there is more than one way to come to the Father?

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 53: Peaceful Hearts - Part 1 of 2

2007-07-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Brief 4-to-5 Minute Teaching Lesson
Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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Lesson 53 of the Discipleship Making process.

Shortly after Judas departed the Last Supper, Jesus and the disciples came to the part of the meal known as the Maggid, the telling of the Passover story. At the beginning of the Maggid they would have partaken of the second cup of wine, the cup of judgment or instruction. Its intent was to remind those who participated in the meal how God had delivered His people (Exodus 6:6).

The telling of the Passover story is still done in the same manner. Children attending the meal ask four questions of the elders that invoke them to tell the story of the Passover by answering the questions. At the Last Supper, the disciples asked Jesus four questions, they were:

Simon Peter - "Lord, where are You going?”
Thomas - "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”
Philip - "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
Judas (not Iscariot) - “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

Read: John 13:36 - 14:31

Jesus started the Maggid with a series of remarks. “Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’” This He spoke concerning His impending death for He knew full well that He would redeem His people by stretching out His arms upon the cross. In order to comfort the disciples Jesus began to prophesy.

God has always used prophecy to comfort His people. It reminds them that He has a special relationship with them through His word. And that He willingly provides direction while assuring them that He is in control (Isaiah 55:11). The Apostle Paul would later remark that prophecy should be the most sought after spiritual gift and that the “one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.” (1 Corinthians 14:3)

Jesus spoke in the manner of a prophet that night by using both aspects of prophecy: foretelling (concerning the future) and forth-telling (declaring truth from God). He gave both short-term (ST) and long-term (LT) foretelling prophecies. Short-term prophecy was used to check the truthfulness of the prophet. If the prophet’s short-term prophecy did not come to pass then God’s people were to ignore the prophet, his long-term prophecies and any forth telling he did.

Since Peter had asked the question about where Jesus was going, Jesus responded to him first with a long-term prophecy. “Where I go(to the cross), you cannot follow Me now; but you shall follow Me later.” According to tradition, Peter was crucified upside down in Rome around 65 AD. Jesus followed that with a short-term prophecy. “Truly, truly, I say to you, a cock shall not crow, until you deny Me three times.” This happened within eight hours of Jesus speaking it.

Jesus issued a series of twenty foretelling prophecies to the disciples, which He introduced with the commandment, “Do not let your heart be troubled.” Then as if He were putting a parenthesis around them Jesus finished with a similar command, “Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” And for good measure He punctuated it with the statement, “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe." Let’s look at the prophecies Jesus used to encourage, strengthen and console the disciples:

I go to prepare a place for you. (LT)
I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (LT)
He who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also. (ST-55 days)
And greater works than these he will do. (ST– 55 days)
Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do. (ST-55 days)
If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. (ST-55 days)
He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever. (ST-55 days)
He abides with you and will be in you. (ST-55 days)
I will not leave you as orphans. (ST-55days)
I will come to you. (ST-4days)
After a little while the world will no longer see Me, (ST-12 hours)
But you will see Me; (ST-4 days)
Because I live, you will live also. (LT)
He who loves Me will be loved by My Father. (ST-55 days)
He who loves Me I will love him. (ST-55 days)
He who loves Me I will disclose Myself to him. (ST-55 days)
We will come to him and make Our abode with him. (ST-55 days)
He will teach you all things. (ST-55 days)
He will bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. (ST-55days)
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. (ST-immediately)

In part 2 of this lesson, we will see the conclusion of Jesus’ instruction on “Peaceful Hearts”.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 52: Love One Another

2007-07-10T15:05:00.000-07:00

Brief 4-to-5 Minute Teaching Lesson
Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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Lesson 52 of the Discipleship Making process.

As Jesus communed with His disciples at the Last Supper He stressed the importance of loving one another. The reference to one another refers only to other disciples of Jesus since He was only speaking to His disciples.

Read: John 13:12-17 and 34-35 and 15:12-17

Near the beginning of the supper Jesus arose, set aside His outer garments and began washing the disciple’s feet. That would have been a dirty job in those days as people wore sandals and spent their days working in the fields, standing on dirt floors or walking on dusty roads. Customarily the act of foot washing would have been performed by one of the host’s servants. However, Jesus was the host and He had no servants … so He became the servant Himself.

Having washed the disciple’s feet Jesus continued with the Passover supper until he dipped the second time and gave the morsel to Judas. At that moment Satan entered Judas, he arose from the table and went out into the night putting in to action his plan to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. After Judas had gone, Jesus resumed speaking on the subject of love.

Earlier in his ministry, during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had commanded the disciples to “love your neighbor as yourself” but now He issued them a new commandment. He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” This was not a change to the way they were to love their neighbors but an additional commandment to the special way in which they were to love other disciples of Christ.

After the meal Jesus again returned to speaking on the issue of love, this time provoking the disciples to think even more deeply about it. He told them that the deepest expression of love is for one to lay down his life for his friends.

The point of the lesson is, in view of the fact that Jesus taught the lesson at the Last Supper when He was communing with his disciples it behooves us to reflect on whether we are truly friends of His.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

How would you comfort people when they are anxious or worried about the future?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

Are we doing what He asked us to do? Let’s consider the following questions, in addition to reading through this list of 58 “one another’s” in their context as your homework assignment:

In what ways had Jesus demonstrated His love to the disciples? List them.
- Showed them how to make disciples.
- Rebuked them when they were wrong.
- Forgave them.
- Prayed for them.
- Washed their feet.
- Obeyed the father.
- Gave up His time.
- Served them.
- Taught them.
- Made their lives significant.
- Gave them power and authority.
- Gave them a message.
- Gave them spiritual gifts.
- Gave them directions.
- Calmed their fears.
Why did Jesus want them to love one other as He had loved them? So that all men would know that they were His disciples. Why? To demonstrate for people what God was like. Why? In order to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:7-8)

Read: John 15:14 & 16

Who are Jesus’ friends? Those that do what He commands then to do.
Who initiates a friendship with Jesus? He does.
Why does He initiate the friendship? So that his friends can bear fruit.
What fruit is he talking about? The fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-26) or God’s nature and character (See the vine and branches).
Who eats the fruit? Everyone but you.
How long should this fruit last? Forever.
What does it mean to ask in the name of someone? It is what the individual would have asked for himself.
What is Jesus’ name? I am salvation.
Deliverance or salvation from what? Everything.
Who are the one another’s being talked about? Jesus’ friends (other disciples).

The “One Another’s”

Be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50)
Wash one another’s feet (John 13:14)
Love one another (John 13:34)
Love one another (John 13:34)
Love one another (John 13:35)
Love one another (John 15:12)
Love one another (John 15:17)
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love (Romans 12:10)
Give preference to one another in honor (Romans 12:10)
Be of the same mind toward one another (Romans 12:16)
Love one another (Romans 13:8)
Let us not judge one another (Romans 14:13)
Accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us (Romans 15:7)
Admonish one another (Romans 15:14)
Greet one another with a holy kiss (Romans 16:16)
When you come together to eat, wait for one another (1 Corinthians 11:33)
Have the same care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25)
Greet one another with a holy kiss (1 Corinthians 16:20)
Greet one another with a holy kiss (1 Corinthians 16:20)
Through love serve one another (Galatians 5:13)
But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you are consumed by one another (Galatians 5:15)
Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another (Galatians 5:26)
Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
Showing forbearance to one another in love (Ephesians 4:2)
Be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
Forgiving each other (Ephesians 4:32)
Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19)
Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ (Ephesians 5:21)
Let each of you regard one another as more important than himself (Philippians 2:3)
Do not lie to one another (Colossians 3:9)
Bearing with one another (Colossians 3:13)
Forgiving each other (Colossians 3:13)
Teach one another with psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16)
Admonish one another with psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16)
Increase and abound in love for one another (1 Thessalonians 3:12)
Taught by God to love one another (1 Thessalonians 4:9)
Comfort one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Build up one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
But encourage one another day after day (Hebrews 3:13)
Consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)
Encouraging one another (Hebrews 10:25)
Do not speak against one another (James 4:11)
Do not complain against one another (James 5:9)
Confess your sins to one another (James 5:16)
Pray for one another (James 5:16)
Fervently love one another from the heart (1 Peter 1:22)
Keep fervent in your love for one another (1 Peter 4:8)
Be hospitable to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another (1 Peter 4:10)
Clothe yourself with humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5)
Greet one another with a kiss of love (1 Peter 5:14)
Love one another (1 John 3:11)
Love one another (1 John 3:23)
Let us love one another (1 John 4:7)
We also ought to love one another (1 John 4:11)
If we love one another, god abides in us (1 John 4:12)
Love one another (2 John 5)

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 51: Breaking of Bread: Making Strong Men - Part 3 of 3

2007-07-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 51 of the Discipleship Making process.

In summary of part two of this lesson, we learned, according to Jesus: 1) A believer abides (dwells) in Jesus when he eats Jesus’ flesh and 2) Jesus abides (dwells) in a believer when the believer drinks Jesus’ blood.

It is here that we pick-up where we left off, many of Jesus’ disciples were offended and repulsed at His suggestion that they needed to eat His body and drink His blood in order to partake of eternal life. The pagans, not Jews, practiced cannibalism. The fact that there was a prohibition against eating blood in the Law of Moses hindered their understanding of the spiritual implications He was giving them.

A working definition of cannibalism is “the practice or process of making strong men.” The ancients would eat the flesh and drink the blood of a dead man to share in his strength, holiness, wisdom and character. The most likely ones to be eaten after their death were warriors, holy men, virgins and parents. The meal consisted of just a small amount of flesh and blood, not the consumption of the entire body. It was also practiced to commune in a holy way with the deceased.

So prevalent were these concepts that many people believed that Christians were cannibalistic because they ate the flesh and blood of their Lord Jesus Christ. And in a spiritual sense they were right. The early church believed by faith that partaking of the Body (bread) and Blood (wine) of Christ did make them spiritually strong. They also believed that they were participating in the strength, holiness, wisdom and character of their Lord. In fact their interconnectedness to Him was through Holy Communion; that by eating His flesh and drinking His blood they were abiding in Him and He in them.

Both their faith and prayer life was strengthened just as Jesus had said, "Abide in Me, and I in you . . .” (John 15:4-8)

Jesus knew what he was telling His disciples to do and why they were offended. The Law of Moses plainly stated that a person would be cut off from the fellowship of Israel and God would be against him if they ate any blood. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood . . . its blood is identified with its life . . . You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood . . .” Leviticus 17:11-14.

Jesus was well aware of what God said: that life was in the blood and that life could be transferred through the eating of the blood. That’s why God made a prohibition against the eating of blood, since men would take on the characteristics imparted by it. However, Jesus is not a bird or beast but the Son of the Living God. He is the Christ; holy and pleasing to His Father in all things, obedient even to death. This is the life He wants to impart to us. Jesus made eating His flesh and drinking His blood an ordinance, knowing that He was imparting spirit and life through the elements. The participants would be taking on the characteristics of His life. Following is an earlier illustrated teaching of Jesus’ on this principle:

The Exchanged Life
Jesus dealt with the spiritual issues of communion at the beginning of His ministry when He turned water to wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11). It was the first of His signs and He used it to convey the basic concept of an exchanged life (“I have been crucified with Christ [symbolized by baptism - water]; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me [symbolized by communion - wine]; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20) by changing water to wine (blood).

Jesus used six (Six is the number of man) large water pots that were set aside for purification purposes.
A pot represents a container for something.
Throughout Scripture, men are referred to as containers. (Vessels, pots, houses, temples, wine skins, white washed sepulchers, etc)
The container is important but in no way compares to the contents for which the container was designed for and made.
When a purification pot was filled with water (immersed in or baptized) it became useful for purification of others.
Jesus however changed the water to wine.
Wine is a symbol for blood, life, the Holy Spirit and joy (see Wilson’s Dictionary of Bible Types for a full explanation).
Jesus was indicating that true purification would come by blood, an exchanged life, the infilling of the Holy Spirit and that the outcome would produce great joy.
The change in the contents of the purification pot indicates a change in the nature of the individual. No longer would water be poured out, but the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39).
Wine produces a change in a person’s behavior. Alcoholic beverages are sometimes referred to as “spirits” because of the change it produces in one’s behavior.
When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit they were accused of being drunk.
The purification pots (men) that had been filled (immersed in or baptized) with purification water would be changed inwardly (spirit-filled) and then be poured out to effect change in others.

The point of the lesson is true purification comes by blood, an exchanged life, the infilling of the Holy Spirit and that the outcome would produce great joy, sharing in Christ’s strength, holiness, wisdom, and character.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider, along with a little reading assignment until my next posting:

Why do you think that Jesus wants us to wash one another’s feet?

. . . and the reading assignment . . .

The Lesson - The Three Major Views of Holy Communion

Transubstantiation - The bread and the wine is transformed into the physical substance of the body and blood of Christ although the actual appearance of bread and wine remain. This is the historic viewpoint of the Church and remained so for the first 1500 years until the Protestant Reformation. It was because of this view that the Romans accused the early Christians of cannibalism.
Consubstantiation – The bread remains bread, and the wine remains wine, but the body and blood of Jesus is in, with, and under the bread and wine. In other words the bread, wine, body, and blood are co-mingled together. (Introduced by Martin Luther in 1519 AD).
Memorial Only - The bread and wine are merely symbols; based on the phrase, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Ulrich Zwingli originated this view about 1520 AD in response to some of his contemporaries who found the idea of eating flesh and drinking blood offensive.

Requirements

There are three requirements for participation in receiving communion.
- Baptism.
- Faith.
- A life conformed to the will of Jesus Christ. This is usually accomplished through self-reflection and confession of one’s sins (1 Corinthians 11:26-34).
Originally communion was served daily (Acts 2:46Acts 2:46). The Catholic Church still offers it morning and evening seven days a week.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 51: Breaking of Bread: Body & Blood - Part 2 of 3

2007-07-10T15:01:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 51 of the Discipleship Making process.

In summary of part one of this lesson, we learned that, Jesus, being the high priest is able to impart righteousness and peace through the elements of bread and wine.

It is here that we pick-up where He left off, Jesus teaching His disciples about the spiritual implications of communing with God. His instructions were so controversial that many of His disciples abandoned the faith. Those remaining were confused and failed to understand its meaning until after His crucifixion.

Read: John 6:48-66

Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.” The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” John 6:48-52.

Having heard their argument Jesus hammers home His point. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him,” John 6:53 –56.

After hearing Jesus’ teaching many of His disciples abandoned the faith. "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever.” These things He said in the synagogue, as He taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before?

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the word that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father.” As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore John 6:57-66. The “words” Jesus refers to as being spirit and life are: “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”

The point of the lesson, according to Jesus: 1) A believer abides (dwells) in Jesus when he eats Jesus’ flesh and 2) Jesus abides (dwells) in a believer when the believer drinks Jesus’ blood.

In part 3 of this lesson, we will learn the key to Making Strong Men.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 51: Breaking of Bread: Biblical Roots - Part 1 of 3

2007-07-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 51 of the Discipleship Making process.

In this lesson we will be looking at the significance of the bread and wine in the Passover.

Read: Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20

The use of the bread and wine can be traced back to Abraham (Genesis 14:17-20).

According to Scripture, Melchizedek was both the “King of Righteousness” and “King of Peace” (Hebrews 7:2). This is derived from his name and his title. His name was Melchizedek (Melchi meaning king and zedek meaning righteousness). His title was king of Salem (Shalom), meaning “peace”. Since he was the “King of Righteousness and Peace,” it meant that he had authority over those two things. Therefore, he had the power to grant righteousness and peace to anyone as he wished.

Melchizedek imparted his righteousness and peace to Abraham through the gifts of bread (righteousness, teaching) and wine (peace, joy). Then, he spoke a blessing to Abraham. Abraham was so honored by Melchizedek’s gifts and blessing that he gave Melchizedek a tithe (tenth) of all God had given him (the plunder of the conquered worldly kings).

According to Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews chapters 5 and 6, Jesus is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. And in the book of Hebrews, Jesus is referred to as the high priest of that order fifteen times. This has profound implications in regards to the bread and wine.

The order of Melchizedek is a “royal priesthood” since the head of the order was a king (Melchizedek was king of righteousness and king of peace). Jesus, being the high priest of that order is able to impart righteousness and peace through the elements of bread and wine in the same manner as Melchizedek did. At the Last Supper Jesus Christ indicated that the bread (righteousness, teaching) represented His body and the wine (peace, joy), His blood. Christians as partakers of these elements are able to share in Christ’s righteousness and peace.

Four hundred years after Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek we see the bread and wine surface again. This time, Moses under God’s direction, makes it a communion offering to God by the Levitical priesthood.

The entire sacrificial offering system in Israel was for the purpose of being in communion (relationship or fellowship) with God. Offerings fell into two categories: 1) those that restored communion with God and 2) those that were taken in communion with God. Because sin separated people from having a relationship with God the offerings that restored communion (relationship or fellowship) with God were offered first.

According to 1 Peter 2:9, Christians are members of the Melchizedek priesthood of whom, Jesus is the high priest. As priests, what should we be doing to fulfill the requirements of our office?

Serve as mediators between God and men bringing forth righteousness and peace.
Bring the daily offerings: Sin – 1 John 1:9 Trespass – James 5:16 & Matthew 5:23-24 Burnt – Romans 12:1 Peace – Psalm 100:4 Meat and Drink (Bread and Wine) – 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Incense – Revelation 8:3-4.

The point of the lesson is, Jesus, being the high priest is able to impart righteousness and peace through the elements of bread and wine.

In part 2 of this lesson, we will learn what the Body & Blood means.

. . . and the reading assignment . . .

The Sacrificial Offering System

Two offerings restored communion with God.

Sin – for offenses against God through ignorance (There is no offering for sins committed intentionally (willful wrongdoing). This type of sin requires repentance and a change of the attitudes that made it possible for the transgressor to flout God’s will - Hebrews 10:26. Jesus our high priest made the only permanent sin offering for mankind.
Trespass – for offenses against others. Restitution has to be made.

Five offerings were taken in communion with God.

Burnt – This is the sacrifice of devotion or service and was performed twice each day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
Peace – This is the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise and the offering could be brought anytime.
Meat – Although this offering is called the meat offering it is actually a grain offering and consists of partaking of bread, usually unleavened. It was brought in conjunction with burnt and peace offerings.
Drink – It concerns the pouring out of wine as an offering. It was brought in conjunction with burnt and peace offerings.
Incense – This is the sacrifice of prayer and was performed twice each day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 50: The Passover View

2007-07-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 50 of the Discipleship Making process.

Jesus knows that His time is short and begins to prepare the disciples for the days ahead. They will be going to Jerusalem where He will suffer, die and be raised from the dead as the Scripture has foretold. He commands His disciples to “Behold”. The word, “behold” means “to see with understanding”. In other words Jesus is telling them that they should gain full understanding of the events that they are about to observe in Jerusalem. Like the disciples we will take a closer look at the events as they transpired before studying the specific instructions that Jesus gave His disciples during this period of time.

Read: Matthew 20:17-19, Mark 10:32-34, Luke 18:31-34

In this lesson we will focus on the timing of and historical significance of the events leading to and surrounding Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. The first issue we need to deal with is time. We in Western cultures base our time on the Gregorian calendar. This calendar was derived from the Julian calendar developed by Julius Caesar in 46 BC and modified by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 AD. The Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar, basing its calculations on the earth’s movement around the sun, which makes a complete cycle about every 365 days. The calendar consists of twelve months: 7 of 31 days, 4 of 30 days and 1 of 28 days. An extra day is added to the 28-day month every 4th year and every 100th year to keep it accurate. The Gregorian calendar does not have a recurring cycle of dates.

The Hebrew or Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar. It is based on the movement of the moon around the earth, which makes a complete cycle about every 29-1/2 days. This calendar also consists of twelve months, but the beginning of each month is determined by visual observation of a new moon. In order to maintain accuracy with the solar year, an extra (13th) month is added seven times within a nineteen-year period. This extra month follows the twelfth month, Adar and is called Ve Adar or “second” Adar. The Hebrew or Jewish calendar has a recurring cycle of dates every nineteen years.

January 1st is New Years Day on the Gregorian calendar but the Hebrew calendar year contains two New Years Days. In Exodus 12:2, God ordained that the first month of the year for Israelites would be Abib. The name Abib means “green ears” and was used to indicate the time of year when the corn of grain first appears in the head of wheat and barley. It is from the new moon of Abib that all the Feasts of the Lord (“appointed times of Jesus Christ”) as ordained by God in Leviticus 23, are determined. The Jewish people currently call this month Nisan and it corresponds to our March/April time frame.

The Jewish people also have a civil calendar, which begins at the new moon of Ethanim, the supposed birth date of Adam. We know this date as Rosh Hashanah meaning “Head of the Year”. They use this New Year’s date to mark the beginning of the year of kings, childbirth and contracts. The name Ethanim means “permanent” and is the seventh month of the God ordained year. The Jewish people currently call this month Tishri and it corresponds to our September /October time frame.

In western cultures our day begins at 12 am or midnight. In Hebrew or Jewish culture the day begins with the appearance of three stars in the evening (about 6 pm), which is six hours earlier than ours.

The days of the week on the Gregorian calendar are named after various gods. The Hebrews simply numbered their days . . . 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. The 7th day of the week is the Sabbath (“Rest”); it begins at approximately 6 pm on Friday night and ends at approximately 6 pm on Saturday night.

In addition to the weekly Sabbath (“Rest”) there are seven other annual Sabbath (“Rest”) days located in the seven Feasts of the Lord (“appointed times of Jesus Christ”).

First day of Unleavened Bread – Passover (Abib 15)
Seventh day of Unleavened Bread (Abib 21)
Feast of the Seven Sevens (Weeks) – Pentecost (50th day)
Day of Blowing – Rosh Hashanah (Ethanim 1)
Day of Atonement – Yom Kippur (Ethanim 10)
First day of Tabernacles (Ethanim 15)
The Eighth day (Ethanim 22)

Timeline of Events:
The following timeline of events was developed from 1) Biblical chronology, 2) the Jewish calendar with its nineteen-year recurring cycles, 3) astronomical considerations, and 4) a detailed comparative study of possible dates. The timeline is based on the Hebrew dates of each event but I have included the Gregorian day of the week to help the reader understand when the events transpired:

The Passover Timeline

Biblical Calendar of Events & Jesus Our Passover Lamb

Celebrate Your Own Passover Seder

Passover Seder Receipts

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Lesson 49.1: Be Alert - Part 2 of 2

2007-07-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 49 of the Discipleship Making process.

In summary of part one of this lesson, we learned that Jesus wants His disciples to have common knowledge concerning the time of His coming. The signs in the heavens: the sun and moon not giving their light and the stars falling from heaven are to serve as a sign, like the Fig Tree, of His soon return. It is near, at hand or right at the door.

It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus laying out the issue of alertness revolving around the fig tree.

Read: Matthew 24:32-25:13, Mark 13:28-37, Luke 21:29-36

The issue of alertness revolves around the parable of the fig tree. Jesus knows that a person cannot be vigilant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and He is not telling His disciples to do it either. However, He is telling them when to become alert. Like the fig tree, when you see the signs in the heavens begin to come to pass be alert, your redemption is drawing near.

The concept of when to become alert is reinforced by Matthew (Matthew 24:37-41) when he compares the coming of the Son of Man to the days of Noah. Most Christians aren’t aware that Noah was given a prophetic sign on when to become alert or ready to enter the Ark. Let’s take a closer look at his story:

It begins with Noah’s great-grandfather Enoch, the seventh generation from Adam. Enoch was a prophet according to Jude 14 and he walked with God. In his 365th year he went to God without dying. We currently call that event “raptured” or “caught up to God”. Enoch and Elijah are the only two people in the Scripture that did not die but were taken by God to heaven while still alive. Enoch being a prophet, named his son, Methuselah. The root meaning of the name Methuselah is “his death shall bring” or some variant of that theme. According to the Jewish sages Methuselah died seven days before Noah received the word of God to enter the Ark. Then he remained in the Ark seven more days before the flood began (Genesis 7:4).

Though Noah had finished building the Ark he did not have to become “alert” or “ready” until Methuselah died, which was his prophetic sign that the flood was approaching. Then came the Word of God for Noah to enter the Ark through which he and his household would be saved from the impending wrath of God to come. In like manner, Christians are to become “alert” or “ready” upon observing the heavenly signs, recognizing that God’s judgment is approaching. Then the Word of God (Jesus Christ) will come to save His household from the impending wrath of God to come.

Commencing with the parable of the fig tree Jesus begins to exhort His disciples to remain alert. As He does so Jesus also weaves three other concepts together with alertness throughout his commentary:

Those who are not His disciples won’t know what is about to transpire.
No one will know the day and hour.
Darkness or night.

Since those who are not Jesus’ disciples won’t be looking for His appearing, the significance of the signs in the heaven won’t have the same meaning for them.

No one will know the day or hour of Jesus’ return because there are always two days and twenty-four hours existing on planet earth at any given moment. According to Hebrew tradition the judgment of men begins on the Feast of the Lord called Yom Teruah, the Day of Blowing. This feast day is also called: Rosh Ha Shannah (New Year’s Day), Yom Hazikaron (Day of Remembrance) and Yom Haddin (Day of Judgment) the horn. A unique property of this feast is that it is celebrated over two days, the Jewish people call it “Yoma Arikata” or one long day, because it was based on the visible sighting of the light of the new moon of the seventh month.

According to Jesus it will be dark when He comes and this is borne out through many Old Testament Scriptures concerning the Day of the Lord. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is because the sun, moon and stars will not be giving off their light. Why this is happening is a matter of conjecture. It should be noted that Yom Teruah the Feast of Trumpets falls on the first day of a new moon when the night skies are darker in the first place.

Read: Isaiah 13:9-10, Ezekiel 30:3, Joel 2:1-2, 3:14-16, Amos 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

The point of this lesson is to become alert when you see the signs in the heavens.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider until my next posting:

Were you invited to the Last Supper?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

The Truth Behind the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Position

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 49: Be Alert - Part 1 of 2

2007-07-10T14:45:00.001-07:00

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Lesson 49 of the Discipleship Making process.

I left you last time with these questions, “If the rapture of Christians occurs before Christ’s coming why didn’t Jesus or any of the apostles or prophets tell anyone or write it down?”

Jesus is concerned about the future. He wants His disciples to be prepared to meet its challenges. So He begins the Olivet Discourse cautioning His disciples not to be misled, then gives them the map of the future with road markers along the way and finishes by telling them to stay alert.

Jesus is adamant about staying alert. During the Olivet Discourse He issues twenty instructions that His disciples are to obey. The last ten deal with the issue of alertness.

Read: Matthew 24:32-25:13, Mark 13:28-37, Luke 21:29-36

Immediately after telling His disciples how He will return to earth, Jesus instructs them to learn the parable (a parable is used as an illustration comparing the concepts about a known subject with an unfamiliar one) of the fig tree. Talk about using a parable for effect! Just hours before, the disciples had walked by a fig tree that Jesus had cursed the day before and noticed it had completely withered from the roots up in one day.

The reason Jesus cursed the fig tree was that it gave a false sign. The time of year was April. Normally, fig trees don’t put forth their leaves until July or August and the fruit becomes ripe in October. However, with the coming of its leaves the fig tree also puts forth its fruit at the same time. So Jesus walked over to the tree to see if there was any fruit on it (The fruit would have been green and hidden among the leaves so closer inspection was required.). Since there was no fruit (Matthew 12:33, Matthew 3:8, 10) on the tree Jesus knew it was an aberration and cursed it. The tree was an aberration because it did not follow the pattern that God created for the fig tree. In other words the tree was in rebellion against God and its own nature. It failed on two counts: 1) it put forth leaves at the wrong time and 2) it didn’t produce fruit with the leaves, which provided Jesus with a two-fold witness against the tree. Therefore, it was worthy of being cursed. The cursing of the fig tree also serves as a sign and warning to hypocrites who themselves are an aberration (i.e. those who say they are Christians but do not produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit). The hypocrite’s curse is that they will be assigned to a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 24:51).

It was common knowledge in the Jewish culture that a fig tree put forth its leaves in the summer time. So it served as a practical sign to all the people that summer was near, at hand or right at the door. In the same way Jesus wants His disciples to have common knowledge concerning the time of His coming. The signs in the heavens: the sun and moon not giving their light and the stars falling from heaven are to serve as a sign, like the fig tree (Revelation 6:12-13), of His soon return. It is near, at hand or right at the door. There should be no doubt about the validity of these heavenly signs being a precursor to Christ’s return, as all three of the synoptic gospels record the signs in the heavens immediately followed by the parable of the fig tree.

In part 2 of this lesson, we will continue to look at the question, “If the rapture of Christians occurs before Christ’s coming why didn’t Jesus or any of the apostles or prophets tell anyone or write it down?”, as well as, continue to look at Jesus’ specific instruction on when to become alert and as to the nearness of His redemption.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 48.2: Signs - Part 3 of 3

2007-07-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

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The conclusion of lesson 48 of the Discipleship Making process.

In summary of part two of this lesson, we learned that Jesus’ final two future road markers, prior to His return, included the signs in the Heavens and the sign of the Son of Man appearing in the sky.

It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus concluding the final sign that the disciples are to be looking for, the sign of the Son of Man appearing in the sky, so that His future disciples will understand the signs of the times.

Read: Matthew 24:31, Mark 13: 27

Route Marker #12 (continued) – The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. (Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27)

Then the Lord will send forth His angels with a Great Trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. The great trumpet is also called the “trump of God” in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and the “last trump” in 1 Corinthians 15:52. The trumpet itself is a shofar. It is made from the horns of a ram because God provided a ram in the place of Isaac when Abraham was about to offer him as a sacrifice. So when it is sounded, the people of God are reminded of His provision for them.

The shofar is sounded at two of the Feasts (appointed times) of the Lord.

Yom Teruah – Day of Blowing (the horn) or Day of Warning is the biblical name of the first feast. Jews also refer to this day as Rosh Hashanah or “head of the year” since it is the 1st day of the seventh month. They also refer to it as Yom Hazikaron – Day of Remembrance and Yom Haddin – Day of Judgment. (Joel 2:1-14)
Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement is the second feast. (Joel 2:15-17)
These two feasts mark the beginning and end of a ten-day period of people’s repentance towards God called Yamim Noraim – The Days of Awe.

When Jesus referred to the great trumpet some translate those words to mean “with a great sound of a trumpet”. The “great sound” translation works well because it refers to the last note that is played on the shofar: “Tekiah Gedola” - the extended blast. The note begins at the end of the Day of Blowing. It is completed during the “closing of the gate” ceremony at the end of the Day of Atonement in the year of Jubilee (celebrated every 50 years). This trump is blown for an extended amount of time insuring that anyone desiring to repent of his sins will be given opportunity to do so. Since no man can play a note for that length of time (10 days) it is also considered the trump of God.

When the Apostle Paul refers to the “last trump” he has three things in mind.

The last note being played.
The last Jubilee: when people are released from bondage, their debts are canceled and their land is returned.
The Hebrew tradition: that the Lord preserved the two horns from the sacrificial ram given in the place of Isaac. He sounded one horn (the first) at Mount Sinai and will sound the other (the last) when He redeems His people by the coming of Messiah at the end of the age.

The point of this lesson is to understand the signs of the times.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider until my next posting:

If the rapture of Christians occurs before Christ’s coming why didn’t Jesus or any of the apostles or prophets tell anyone or write it down?

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 48.1: Signs - Part 2 of 3

2007-07-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 48 of the Discipleship Making process.

In summary of part one of this lesson, we learned that, Jesus, knowing that His return was yet distant, began placing another set of markers for His future disciples, which He called the beginning of birth pangs. These next set of markers directs His disciples’ attention to the things that will be happening to them prior to His return, including “The Abomination of Desolation”, which according to Jesus marked a series of apocalyptic events leading to His return (providing hope of His soon coming return), in addition too, tribulation, apostasy, false prophets and lawlessness.

It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus laying out the final two future road markers, prior to His return, so His future disciples will understand the signs of the times.

Read: Matthew 24:27-30, Mark 13:24-26, Luke 21:25-28

Route Marker #11 – Signs in the Heavens. (Matthew 24:27-29, Mark 13:24-25, Luke 21:25-26)

According to Jesus these heavenly signs begin to occur after the great tribulation. They mark events that immediately precede the Day of the Lord (a 1000-year period of time that commences with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign on the earth. At that time Jesus’ disciples will be gathered to Him (raptured) and the wrath of God will be poured out on the wicked.), are well documented in the Old Testament: Isaiah 13:9-13, Joel 2:30-31

Route Marker #12 – The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. (Matthew 24:30-31, Mark 13:26-27, Luke 21:27-28)

The sign of the Son of Man is the final sign that the disciples of Jesus are looking for. We know they will be looking for this sign because Jesus had commanded them to straighten up (Luke 21:36 - be prepared) and lift up their heads (look into the sky) when the heavenly signs begin to appear.

Many people are confused as to what this sign is but from Scripture it is quite clear. The term “Son of Man” is derived from Daniel 7:13-14. It is a direct Hebraic reference to the Messiah and Jesus continually used it in referring to himself.

The sign that Jesus’ disciples are looking for are “the clouds of heaven” (This is the Sh’khinah or cloud of glory, the indication of the presence of God. It is the same cloud that led the Israelites in their wilderness wanderings, became a pillar of fire at night and filled the Temple of God (Exodus 13:13-14, Numbers 14:14, Nehemiah 9:19, 1 Kings 8:10-11, Ezekiel 10:3)). As Christians we should be aware of this because it was written in the book of Acts 1:9-11 concerning the ascension of Jesus into heaven.

Jesus said that at this time the earth would be darkened. So the appearance of this cloud cannot be mistaken for any other as it is filled with light. Jesus also said that His coming would appear as a lighting flash across the heavens. It’s going to be obvious!

In part 3 of this lesson, we will conclude the final sign that the disciples of Jesus are looking for, the sign of the Son of Man appearing in the sky, so His disciples will understand the signs of the times.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 48: Signs - Part 1 of 3

2007-07-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 48 of the Discipleship Making process.

I left you last time with these questions, “In order to understand Jesus’ roadmap to the future what do you have to do?”

Jesus has been laying out an end-time roadmap for His disciples to follow so they aren’t misled. The rest of the world is not privy to their inside information and will be surprised when the end comes.

Knowing that His return was yet distant, Jesus began placing route markers the apostles were able to identify in their lifetime. He assured them not to be frightened, as the end was not near. Then He placed another set of markers so that future disciples would become aware that the end was approaching. He called them the beginning of birth pangs. The next set of markers directs His disciple’s attention to the things that will be happening to them prior to His return: tribulation, apostasy, false prophets and lawlessness. While the signs indicate a difficult period of time they also provide hope of His soon coming return.

Jesus was not a date setter. He knew there would be many different calendars in use at the time of His return. He also knew that the earth was round and that there were twenty-four hours and two days coexisting on the planet at any given time. So the signs Jesus leaves His disciples concerning His coming don’t involve dates but they are unmistakable!

Read: Matthew 24:15-26, Mark 13:14-23

Route Marker #10 – The Abomination of Desolation. Jesus said, “Let the reader understand.” (Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14)

Up to this time the signs that Jesus used tended to be general in nature. However the Abomination of Desolation is very specific and when it occurs it marks a series of apocalyptic events leading to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. According to Jesus, this single event must be understood.

The Scripture passages referring to the Abomination of Desolation are Daniel 9:27, 11:31 and 12:11

In order for the Abomination of Desolation to take place either a Tabernacle (tent) or Temple has to be in existence. The abomination occurs when something is placed, erected or established within it. In the original Tabernacle (tent) only five furnishings were permitted: The golden altar (altar of incense), the seven-branched golden lampstand, the table of showbread with its twelve loaves of bread, the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat. The prophecies in Daniel 11:31 and 12:11 also indicate that the regular (The Hebrew word for “regular” is Tamid, which means eternal or continuously ongoing) sacrifices and offerings to God will be stopped.

A type (Since both, Jesus (Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14) and Paul (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), discussed the Abomination of Desolation as being futuristic, the abomination committed by Antiochus IV who preceded them by 200 years could not have been any part of the fulfillment of this event.) of this abomination occurred once before but not for the full duration indicated in the prophecies of Daniel (8:9-14 and 12:11-12). In 167 BC, Antiochus IV - Epiphanes (God Manifest) set up a likeness of himself in the Temple, stopped the sacrifices and sacrificed a pig on the altar of burnt offerings. The Temple was cleansed and rededicated to God a little over three years later in 164 BC. The original story is found in book of 1 Maccabees 4:36-61. The eight-day Jewish feast of Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple.

Jesus’ disciples will know beforehand that the Abomination of Desolation is going to occur because Jesus commands them to pray that it will not occur in the wintertime or on a Sabbath (indicates the weekly Sabbath - about 6 pm Friday evening until about 6 pm on Saturday evening). And once it does occur He commands that the disciples living in Judea (lies within a thirty-five mile radius of Jerusalem) flee to the mountains immediately.

The Abomination of Desolation marks the beginning of a period of great tribulation (Tribulation is affliction or suffering endured by the saints in this world at the hands of men - John 16:33), known in the Old Testament as the time of Jacob’s trouble. Messianic fervor will be in vogue, as many people will be expecting the Messiah. That is why Jesus warns His disciples that false Christs and false prophets will appear during this period of time. And they will even be performing great signs and wonders. Jesus cautions His disciples not to go after them because His coming will be obvious to everyone.

In part 2 of this lesson, we will continue to look at Jesus’ road map of future road markers along the way, so His disciples will understand the signs of the times.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 47.1: Do Not Be Misled - Part 2 of 2

2007-07-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 47 of the Discipleship Making process.

In summary of part one of this lesson, we learned that the main purpose of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, although to foretell future events, in perspective was used to keep His disciples from being misled, by following or listening to someone who is not his leader, about the future, especially the events surrounding His second coming. Knowing that deception will come and to keep His disciples from being misled, Jesus leaves very specific instructions for them to follow when they observe certain events occurring.

It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus laying out a road map of the future, and place markers along the way, so His disciples won’t be confused about the route it is going to take. That way they won’t be misled.

Read: Matthew 24:6-14, Mark 13:7-13, Luke 21:9-11

Route Marker #1 - The apostles will be sent out to give their testimony of Jesus. He commands them, “So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” (Matthew 24:9, Mark 13:9-12)
Route Marker #2 – Jerusalem will be taken over by the Gentiles for a period of time. Jesus said, “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand.” (Luke 21:20)
Route Marker #3 – Hearing of wars and rumors of war. Jesus said, “See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.” (Matthew 24:6, Mark 13:7, Luke 21:9)
Route Marker #4 - Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. Jesus said, “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.” (Matthew 24:7-8, Mark 13:8, Luke 21:10-11)

As the end approaches Jesus narrows the focus of His discourse from a broad world perspective to things directly affecting His disciples (Christians).

Route Marker #5 – Jesus’ disciples will be delivered into tribulation, killed and hated by all nations on account of His name (The Lord Jesus Christ). (Matthew 24:9, Mark 13:9)
Route Marker #6 – Many disciples will fall away from their faith, hate and betray one another. (Matthew 24:10)
Route Marker #7 – False prophets will arise and mislead many. (Matthew 24:10)
Route Marker #8 – Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. Jesus said, “But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.” (Mark 13:13)
Route Marker #9 – The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations. Jesus said, “Then the end shall come.” (Matthew 24:14)

The point of the lesson is to follow Jesus’ instructions and you won’t be misled.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

In order to understand Jesus’ roadmap to the future what do you have to do?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

Around 1600 AD, John Calvin developed a system of theology that has been condensed to a single statement used by many evangelical Christians: “Once saved, always saved.”

If this is so, why was Jesus concerned about His disciples being misled?

If this is so, who are the many who will fall away?

Today, many people are writing books and teaching what they believe about end time events. Much of the teaching ignores what Jesus said or it is relegated to secondary importance. Remember, being misled deals with leadership. Whom do you believe or whom do you follow or whom do you listen to concerning future events?

Are any of these whom you are listening to the head of the Church or your leader?

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 47: Do Not Be Misled - Part 1 of 2

2007-07-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 47 of the Discipleship Making process.

I left you last time with these questions, “Have you ever been misled by someone before?” and “What could you have done to prevent being misled?”

The main purpose of the Olivet discourse appears to be foretelling future events. But in reality, Jesus uses it to keep His disciples from being misled about the future, especially the events surrounding His second coming. In both the Temple Mount and Olivet discourses Jesus begins answering the disciple’s questions by warning them, “see to it that you are not misled.” Knowing that deception will come and to keep His disciples from being misled, Jesus leaves very specific instructions for them to follow when they observe certain events occurring.

Read: Matthew 24:4-5, Mark 13:5-6, Luke 21:8

Being misled deals with the issue of leadership. An individual is misled when he follows or listens to someone who is not his leader. On the previous day Jesus taught His disciples a lesson about leadership. He instructed them not to be called leaders, rabbi (teacher) or father. Each of them was responsible to 1) follow Jesus, the Word of God, 2) be taught by the Holy Spirit and 3) be servants of their Father in heaven alone.

Having begun His discourses with the words “see to it that you are not misled”, Jesus is quite aware that His statement has raised some common questions in the disciples’ minds. As He continues the discourses Jesus answers their anticipated queries:

Who would try to mislead us? In previous teachings Jesus had warned his followers about deceivers: wolves in sheep’s clothing. He had addressed false prophets and false teachers but now reveals a new threat yet to come: false messiahs (Christs).
Why would we be following them? Jesus explains that many people will come claiming to be the Christ, who is sent by God. Within one hundred years of Jesus’ death one group of people, the Sicarii and three individuals laid claim to the title of Messiah. And in the 500-year span from 1500 AD to 2000 AD more than forty people have claimed to be the Messiah.
How will they try to influence us? Since people are always concerned about the future, Jesus said that these false messiahs would be declaring, “The time is near.” In other words, the end is near and judgment is coming.
What should we do? Jesus said, “Do not go after them.” (Luke 21:8)
Jesus, since you are concerned that we are capable of being misled, then how will we recognize the real thing? This is the crux of the matter so He spends the rest of the discourse explaining how they will know.

In part 2 of this lesson, we will look at Jesus’ road map of future road markers along the way so His disciples won’t be confused about the route it is going to take. That way they won’t be misled.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 46.3: Looking At The Future - Part 4 of 4

2007-07-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 46 of the Discipleship Making process.

In summary of part three of this lesson, the conclusion of the Olivet Discourse (on the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane), we found Jesus answering Peter, James, John, and Andrew’s final two questions of their three end of time events questions: “What will be the sign of your coming?”, and “What will be the sign of the end of the age?”. We learned from Jesus, in answer to these questions, that this time would be evident with the Son of Man (“Jesus” – The Messiah) coming on the clouds of the sky (Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-28), in concert with a great trumpet being blown for a call of salvation/redemption (the Feast of Trumpets – late September/October), where by the Son of Man will send His angels to gather His elect. Jesus’ then challenges His disciples to be alert and on guard for this day through historical prophetic picture and Parables.

It is here, at the conclusion of this lesson, that we will look at the Apostle Paul’s commentary on these same events, while at the end of the lesson we will be comparing the sequence of end time events through the words of Jesus, Paul, and the book of Revelation.

Writings Of The Apostle Paul

The Day of the Lord: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

“The Day of the Lord”: is 1000 years long (2 Peter 3:8). It is the seventh 1000-year day from creation. It is the Sabbath, a rest for the people of God because the Kingdom of God will be established in the earth, which begins with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign and ends prior to the release of Satan to deceive the nations again. It is the 8th day, corresponding to the 8th day of the Feast of Tabernacles (October) that Heaven and earth pass away, the great white throne judgment takes place and God creates a new heaven and earth. The Day of the Lord is the primary subject of the Book of Revelation, as the Apostle John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. He is describing events that occur throughout the day: warnings, judgments, resurrection of the dead (Hosea 6:2), binding of Satan, marriage supper of the lamb, and the reign of Christ on earth. Jesus will fulfill the final three Feasts (appointed times) of the Lord: Day of Trumpets/Blowing (the shofar), The Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.
“let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober . . . For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”: There is only one day a year which God requires His people to fast and afflict their souls. That is the Day of Atonement (September/October), a Sabbath day. The day starts at about 6 pm when God’s people gather together. Many stay awake throughout the night because they are to be alert. Studying the Scriptures, singing praises to God and prayer are the focus.

The Coming Of The Lord: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2

The Apostasy: 2 Thessalonians 2:3

“it”: is referencing the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“the apostasy”: “falling away” (from the faith).
“the man of lawlessness is revealed”: “The Antichrist” is revealed.
All of which will happen before the Lord Jesus Christ’s return and our gathering with Him.

The Abomination Of Desolation: 2 Thessalonians 2:4

“takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God”: this event comes before the Lord Jesus Christ returns and we are gathered together with Him.

The Mystery Of Lawlessness: 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12

Rapture: 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

“we shall not all sleep”: Not all die in Christ; “we shall all be changed”: “Rapture” – (John 11:24-26).
“the Last Trumpet”: The “last” or “great trump” is known by the note it sounds: a “Tekiah Gedola”. The note begins at the end of the Day of Trumpets/Blowing (September/October) and is completed during the “closing of the gate” ceremony at the end of the Day of Atonement (September/October). This trump is blown for an extended amount of time insuring that anyone desiring to repent of his sins will be given opportunity to do so. It was also on the Day of Atonement every fifty years that the High Priest would shout out in proclamation that it was the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:9).

The Dead In Christ: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“those who are asleep”: Dead in Christ.
“those who have fallen asleep”: Died.

The point of the lesson is to keep alert, aware, and expectant of Jesus’ future return.

With that, allow me to leave you with these two questions to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

Have you ever been misled by someone before?
What could you have done to prevent being misled?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

Comparing the Sequence of End Time Events through the Words of Jesus, Paul, and the book of Revelation:

Apostolic witness: Jesus
Temple torn down: Jesus
Birth pangs: Jesus – Paul – Revelation
Apostasy: Jesus – Paul
Abomination of Desolation: Jesus – Paul – Revelation
Great tribulation/Time of false messiahs: Jesus – Paul – Revelation
Signs in the heavens: Jesus – Paul – Revelation
Wrath of God: Jesus – Paul – Revelation
Coming of Jesus/Gathering together with Him: Jesus – Paul – Revelation
Millennial reign of Christ: Revelation
Heaven and earth pass away/Great white throne judgment: Jesus – Revelation
End of the age/New heaven and earth: Revelation

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 46.2: Looking At The Future - Part 3 of 4

2007-07-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 46 of the Discipleship Making process, where in part two of this lesson we were left to consider the following questions, “What will be the sign of your coming?”, and “What will be the sign of the end of the age?”.

In summary of part two, scene two of the Olivet Discourse (on the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane), we found Jesus alone with Peter, James, John, and Andrew, answering the first of their three end of time events questions: “When will this time of false prophets and birth pangs be?”. We learned from Jesus, in answer to this question, that this time would be evident with wars, plagues, famines (Matthew 24:3, Mark 13:3-4), numerous false messiahs (Matthew 24:4-8, Mark 13:5-8), a great falling away of believers from the faith, many false prophets (Matthew 24:9-14, Mark 13:12-13), the Abomination of Desolation in Jerusalem, tribulation on believers like non-other in history (Matthew 24:15-22, Mark 13:14-20), and many claims of sightings of the messiah (Matthew 24:23-28, Mark 13:21-23). It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus answering the two remaining end time events questions, posed by Peter, James, John, and Andrew, regarding the signs of His future return, and His corresponding commands to keep His disciples alert, aware, and expectant.

Scene 2: The Mount of Olives (continued) – (Matthew 24:29-25:46, Mark 13:24-37, Luke 21:25-36)

What Will Be The Sign of Christ’s Coming? – The Cloud: Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-28

“the Son of Man”: a reference Jesus used concerning himself - Daniel 7:13-14.
“coming on the clouds of the sky”: the sign of Jesus’ return is His appearance in the cloud (ex.Acts 1:9-11). The specific cloud that is being talked about in Hebrew is called the Sh’khinah: the cloud of glory. It is the same cloud that led the Israelites in their wilderness wanderings, became a pillar of fire at night and filled the Temple of God. It always indicates the presence of God.
“a great trumpet”: the trumpet referred to is a Shofar: a ram’s horn. The shofar is sounded at two Feasts (appointed times) of the Lord: The Day of Blowing (the horn) and The Day of Atonement. These feasts mark the beginning and end of a period of time in which people are called to repentance toward God. The “last or “great trump” is known by the note it sounds: a “Tekiah Gedola”. The note begins at the end of the Day of Blowing and is completed during the “closing of the gate” ceremony at the end of the Day of Atonement. This trump is blown for an extended amount of time insuring that anyone desiring to repent of his sins will be given opportunity to do so.

Parable of the Fig Tree: Matthew 24:32-34, Mark 13:28-30, Luke 21:29-32

“when you see all these things”: refer to the previous passage of Scripture concerning “signs in the heavens”.

What Will Be The Sign of the End of the Age? - When Heaven and Earth Pass Away: Matthew 24:32-34, Mark 13:28-30, Luke 21:29-32

“Heaven and earth will pass away”: According to the book of Revelation this does not occur until after the 1000-year reign of Christ on earth, followed by the great white throne of judgment.
“But of that day or hour no one knows”: “That day” is referring to the day heaven and earth pass away and is known only by the Father. Also on that day a new heaven and earth will be created.

Like the Days of Noah: Matthew 24:37-41

Be Alert: Matthew 24:42-44

Be on Guard: Luke 21:34-36

“Be on guard, that your hearts may not be weighted down with dissipation”: Excess.

Be Alert: Mark 13:33-37

“at cockcrowing”: the third of the Roman night watches known as “cock-crowing” ended at 3:00 AM.

Faithful or Unfaithful: Matthew 24:45-51

Parable of the Ten Virgins: Matthew 25:1-13

Parable of the Talents: Matthew 25:14-30

The Son of Man in His Glory: Matthew 25:14-30

In part 4 of this lesson, we will look at the Apostle Paul’s commentary on these same events, while at the end of the lesson we will be comparing the sequence of end time events through the words of Jesus, Paul, and the book of Revelation.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 46.1: Looking At The Future - Part 2 of 4

2007-07-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 46 of the Discipleship Making process, where in part one of this lesson we were left to consider the following question, “When will this time of false prophets and birth pangs be?”

In summary of part one, we found Jesus introducing the subject of end time events, in the first scene (leaving the Temple, with all of His disciples, walking up to the Mount of Olives) of His Olivet Discourse, in response to His disciples initial end time events questions, where we learned the prophetic events surrounding the destruction of the Temple (Matthew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2, Luke 21:5-7) and the signs that lead up to its destruction (Luke 21:8-24). It is here that we pick-up where we left off, scene two of the Olivet Discourse, where we find Jesus now on the Mount of Olives answering three remaining end time events questions, posed by Peter, James, John, and Andrew, regarding the signs of His future return, and His corresponding commands to keep His disciples alert, aware, and expectant.

Scene 2: The Mount of Olives – (Matthew 24:3-28, Mark 13:3-23)

The Olivet Discourse: Matthew 24:3, Mark 13:3-4

“the Mount of Olives”: this was probably the Garden of Gethsemane, which is located on the lower portion of the Mount of Olives directly across from the eastern (Golden) gate.
“these things”: refer to the other events (wars, plagues, famines, etc.) that Jesus described while answering their first questions about the Temple: when it would be torn down and the sign associated with it. Like us these four disciples were curious about these “other things” and came to Him privately asking more questions.

The Beginning Of Birth Pangs: Matthew 24:4-8, Mark 13:5-8

“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ’”: some of those who claimed to be the Christ (messiah) after Jesus were: the Sicarii, Theudas (44-46 AD), Menahem ben Judah and Simon bar Kokhba (135 AD). In the five hundred year period from 1500 – 2000 AD there have been over forty individuals who claimed to be the Christ.

When? - The Apostasy: Matthew 24:9-14, Mark 13:12-13

“tribulation”: many people confuse two Biblical concepts: tribulation and God’s wrath. Tribulation is affliction or suffering endured by the saints in this world at the hands of men (John 16:33). The wrath of God refers to the anger of God poured out on the ungodly (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).
“many will fall away”: the word used here is apostasy, which means defection from truth, falling away, forsake (Galatians 1:6-9, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, Hebrews 3:12, 6:4-6, 2 Peter 2:1-3, 2 Peter 3:17-18, 1 John 2:18-19, Jude 3-4).
“many false prophets”: A prophet is one who is supposed to declare God’s will to people. In the Old Testament a prophet was considered false when he came in the name of the Lord and 1) told people to serve other gods or 2) the sign (miracle, prophecy, etc.) he declared did not come to pass. Jesus added another test when He told his disciples to discern the prophet’s fruit (character): was his behavior producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The Abomination Of Desolation And Great Tribulation: Matthew 24:15-22, Mark 13:14-20

“standing in the holy place”: Many Christians confuse the Desolation of Jerusalem (conquering and controlling the City of Jerusalem by the Gentiles) prophesied in Daniel 9:26 with the Abomination of Desolation (desecration of the Holy Place by the Antichrist) in Daniel 9:27. Jesus even cautioned the readers to be discerning about this issue.
“on a Sabbath”: this could indicate the weekly Sabbath (about 6 pm Friday evening until about 6 pm on Saturday evening or any one of the seven Sabbaths within the Feasts of the Lord (the Appointed Times of the Lord).

The Coming of the Son of Man: Matthew 24:23-28, Mark 13:21-23

In part 3 of this lesson, we will look at scene two of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse on end time events, where He will answer the following, final two, questions for us:

What will be the sign of your coming?
What will be the sign of the end of the age?

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 46: Looking At The Future - Part 1 of 4

2007-07-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 46 of the Discipleship Making process.

I left you last time with these questions, “When will this time of false prophets and birth pangs be?”, “What will be the sign of your coming?” and “What will be the sign of the end of the age?”

Just prior to His crucifixion Jesus took the disciples aside, on the Mount of Olives, and prophesied many things that would happen after His death. Bible theologians refer to this as the Olivet Discourse. Along with the prophecies, Jesus issued several commands His disciples were to follow regarding the upcoming future events.

Before any of us, as Jesus’ disciples, can obey Him we must have a basic understanding of what He is talking about concerning these events. Many Christians in today’s world are confused when it comes to the future so we will use this lesson to clarify the contexts in which Jesus spoke and look closely at what He said. So let’s begin.

Confusion starts because most popular Christian teachers and writers today declare that Jesus’ discourse was given on the Mount of Olives in response to two questions that His disciples asked Him. But after careful study of the Scripture passages involved we can see that the disciples asked Him a total of five questions. 1) Jesus responded to two questions asked by His disciples as they are leaving the Temple. And after crossing the Kidron Valley 2) Jesus responded to three more questions asked by Peter, James, John and Andrew when they came to Him privately while He was seated on the Mount of Olives.

Parts of the Olivet Discourse are contained in all three of the synoptic gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke. When read individually the texts seem to be saying similar but different things so the reader can become confused. However, by studying the separate texts in side-by-side comparison a clear picture of future events unfolds.

Confusion surrounding future events also occurs when the reader fails to consider personal pronouns. Who is Jesus talking to or about?

To make it easier for you the reader to understand what Jesus is saying we have taken the liberty of combining the three gospel accounts of the Olivet Discourse. It is divided into two scenes: 1) Leaving the Temple Mount and 2) Sitting on the Mount of Olives. The five questions that Jesus is asked by His disciples are addressed, I would ask that you please note the personal pronouns used within the text. Following what Jesus has to say about future events, I’ve included the Apostle Paul’s commentary on these same events. At the last part of this study is a sequence of end time events comparing Jesus and Paul with the book of Revelation.

Scene 1: The Temple Mount – (Matthew 24:1-28, Mark 13:1-23, Luke 21:5-24)

Those Present
- Jesus.
- All of his disciples.
Location
- Walking out of the Temple, after having observed the widow putting her two mites into the treasury (Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4).
The Disciple’s Questions
- When will the Temple be torn down?
- What will be the sign when the Temple is about to be torn down?

The Temple In Jerusalem Will Be Torn Down: Matthew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2, Luke 21:5-7

“going away”: Jesus had left the Temple and was probably exiting through the eastern (Golden) gate headed for the Mount of Olives, which lies directly across the Kidron Valley.

Warnings: Luke 21:8-11

When? - The Apostolic Witness: Mark 13:9-11, Luke 21:12-19

What Will Be The Sign? – Desolation of Jerusalem: Luke 21:20-24

“Jerusalem surrounded by armies”: Roman legions under Titus, the eldest son of the Roman emperor Vespasian, conquered the city of Jerusalem and tore the Temple down on the ninth of Ab (late August) in 70 AD.
“those who are in the midst of the city depart”: when Titus and his Roman legions temporarily withdrew from their siege the Christians fled the city and went to Pella, a city on the eastern side of the Jordan River in current day Jordan.
“wrath to this people”: according to Josephus Flavius, the Jewish historian, 1,000,000 Jews were slain and 97,000 were carried away captive as slaves by the Romans in the war of 66-70 AD.
“until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled”: the city (Jerusalem) remained under foreign (Gentile) control until June 5-10, 1967 when it was liberated from Jordan in the Six Day War.

In part 2 of this lesson, we will look at scene two of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse on end time events, where He will answer the following question for us:

When will this time of false prophets and birth pangs be?

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 45.1: Chair of Moses - Part 2 of 2

2007-07-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 45 of the Discipleship Making process, where in part one of this lesson we were left answering the questions, “Who is in authority over you at your church?” and “Who do you have authority over at your church?”

In summary of the last lesson, we found Jesus introducing the subject of authority, where we learned that God has always wanted a personal relationship with His people and that their authority would derive from Him because they heard and obeyed His voice, instead of men appointing men based on their knowledge and understanding of the Law, apart from any relationship with God, with the end result, men following men instead of God. It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus’ instruction on authority and its purpose to lead men to follow God alone.

Read: Matthew 23:3-12, Mark 12:38-40, Luke 20:45-47

The scribes and Pharisees had developed skill in and knowledge of the Law of Moses through study, but Jesus constantly accused them of being hypocrites. They didn’t apply the Law to themselves nor did they apply it correctly to the people. The reason for that was that they did not have a personal relationship with God in which they could properly hear and obey Him. Outwardly they appeared righteous to the people but inwardly they were corrupt. Although the scribes and Pharisees professed to know and love God, when He actually came to them in the flesh they hated Him (John 5:39-40, 44-47, 10:26-27).

Jesus’ disciples were different then the scribes and Pharisees, they could hear the voice of God because they listened to Jesus and obeyed Him. Jesus issued three important instructions to them regarding authority. First He told them to do and observe everything the scribes and Pharisees said to do in regards to the Law of Moses. In other words, since the scribes and Pharisees are expounding on the Law, which is holy and good then have respect for the Law and pay attention to them because they are experts in regards to it. This is submission to the authority of Scripture.

Secondly, Jesus commanded them not to behave like either the scribes or Pharisees, because they were hypocrites living their lives for the applause of men not God. The disciples were to live their lives in contrast to the scribes and Pharisees. They were to become servants of people and not taking exalted positions of authority.

Finally, Jesus instructed them on proper authority by using three titles that men take upon themselves. His disciples were not to place men in authority over them nor were they to be in authority over others. Instead they were to be constantly pointing people to God.

His disciples are not to let people call them, Rabbi . . . that is teacher. Why? The word Rabbi indicates that he is a master qualified to give instructions for living . . . a guide. Jesus said there is only “One” who is qualified to be your teacher. When Jesus uses the term “One” He is referring to God and more specifically, the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27, John 16:13).

His disciples are not to call anyone on earth their father (not natural fathers but to spiritual fathers). Why? The word father denotes the one who gives life. Jesus said there is only “One” who gives life, that is your Father in heaven, the Creator (Galatians 3:26, Psalm 82:6).

His disciples are not to let people call them, leaders. Why? A leader is someone that people follow. Jesus said there is only “One” who is appointed to lead, that is Christ (Acts 2:36, Matthew 4:19).

The point of the lesson is a believer’s true authority comes from God and they are to behave as His servants.

With that, allow me to leave you with these questions to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

When will this time of false prophets and birth pangs be?
What will be the sign of your coming?
What will be the sign of the end of the age?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

Today, the church has become a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people for Gods own possession (1 Peter 2:9). How then should we live?

Until next time . . . Godspeed!
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Lesson 45: Chair of Moses - Part 1 of 2

2007-07-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 45 of the Discipleship Making process.

I left you last time with these two questions, “Who is in authority over you at your church?” and “Who do you have authority over at your church?”

Jesus left the withered fig tree where He had taught the disciples about faith and entered the city of Jerusalem. From there He proceeds to the temple where He began to teach on the topic of authority, with the context of His message centering on and around the “chair of Moses”.

When Jesus talked about the chair of Moses, He probably was referring to it, both literally and symbolically. The chair itself was a stone seat on a raised platform. It was placed at the front of the synagogue next to the Ark containing the Torah scrolls, facing the congregation. Usually the most prominent elder or leader would sit on it while he expounded upon the Law and the Prophets. Undoubtedly this is what Jesus was referring to concerning the scribes and Pharisees when He said, “They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.”

Symbolically, the chair of Moses represented the place of judgment. From there legally binding decisions were made for the people in regards to the Law. This concept was derived from Exodus 18:13-16. According to the Mishna (oral tradition), this right passed from Moses, to Joshua, to the Judges, to the Prophets and finally to the Sanhedrin.

Read: Matthew 23:1-2, Mark 12:39

Beginning His teaching by saying, “The scribes and the Pharisee have seated themselves in the chair of Moses,” Jesus was making the point that these men had appointed themselves to this high position, it had not been granted to them by God. All the individuals in the line of succession for the chair of Moses from Moses, himself through the last prophet, Malachi, all had a personal relationship with God and their authority was derived from Him because they heard and obeyed His voice. From that time on men were appointed by other men based on their knowledge and understanding of the Law.

God has always wanted a personal relationship with His people, where they heard His voice and fellowshipped with Him. This was never more evident than when God led the Israelites out of bondage to the Egyptians. Moses took the Israelites from Egypt to Mt Horeb (Sinai) where they could meet with and talk to God (Exodus 19:1-14, 20:18-21). No sooner had God spoken to His people than they broke their covenant with Him. They were settling for second best, wanting to listen to Moses’ voice instead of His. God granted their request.

At this point everything changed for the nation of Israel. Since they didn’t want to hear Him speak, God gave Moses a set of laws for the people to follow and he became its first mediator. This became the Law of Moses and has led these people the past 3,400 years. The Law of Moses was added because of sin (Galatians 3:16, 19), the refusal to hear and obey God (This was the original sin that occurred in the Garden of Eden: Adam and Eve refused to hear and obey God), and its purpose was to lead men to Christ (Galatians 3:24-26).

God having mercy on His people came to them in the likeness of a man . . . Jesus, the Christ. That way, He wouldn’t frighten His people and could show them what He was really like (John 14:8-10). Even though God came in a lowly, humble and gentle way to his people most of them still refused to listen to Him . . . preferring their own ways to His.

In part 2 of this lesson, we will be challenged by Jesus’ continued instruction on authority and its purpose to cause men to follow God alone.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 44.1: A Matter of Faith - Part 2 of 2

2007-07-10T13:45:00.000-07:00

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The continuation of lesson 44 of the Discipleship Making process, where in part one of this lesson we were left answering the questions, “Where does faith come from? and How do you get faith?”

In summary of the last lesson, we found Jesus introducing the subject, to His disciples, of True Biblical Faith, where we learned that an individual has true Biblical faith when he hears God’s word, has assurance in his heart that it is God’s word, confesses it and acts upon it. It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus’ instruction that faith has requirements.

Read: Matthew 21:20-22

For many Christians this statement presents a problem and it arises because they don’t have a proper understanding of it.

Jesus used the phrase, does not doubt in his heart as one of the conditions for the disciple’s faith to be rewarded. Believing what you say will come to pass will always be subject to doubt if you don’t have assurance. If you are trusting in yourself to bring about what you say you can never have assurance. That assurance can only come from God and His word. Since faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17), then if God doesn’t tell you to move the mountain, you will doubt in your heart and the mountain won’t be moved.

Jesus began His next statement with the word “therefore”. The word “therefore” simply means “for that reason”. In other words Jesus was saying, “In view of what I just told you, does not doubt in his heart, then believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” It stands to reason that if you have God’s reply on something that you are praying or asking Him about, that you can believe that you have received your request.

Since faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God, it is incumbent upon believers to hear the word of God if they are to have faith that produces results. The word of God is heard by believers in three different ways:

The written word of God – The Scriptures.
Utterances – Testimony, preaching, teaching, tongues and prophesy.
A still small voice – Hearing in your spirit.

When a believer cannot find a word of God that applies to his unique situation then he should ask God for wisdom before he prays (James 1:5-8).

The final condition was forgiveness of others. If any disciple expected to have his faith rewarded then he had to forgive others. Forgiveness of sins would stand at the center of the Gospel, which was to come: Christ died for sinners and He through His disciples is reconciling man to God. Jesus wanted the disciples to have a firm understanding of the importance of forgiveness (Mark 11:25). Since this is the word of God to us as Christians we should believe it, confess it and act upon it. The consequence of not forgiving others is dire.

The point of the lesson is living by faith has requirements.

With that, allow me to leave you with these two questions to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

Who is in authority over you at your church? and Who do you have authority over at your church?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

Practice your prayer life using these principles.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 44: A Matter of Faith - Part 1 of 2

2007-07-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 44 of the Discipleship Making process.

I left you last time with these questions, “Where does faith come from? and How do you get faith?”

Two days before His crucifixion Jesus left the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha in order to enter Jerusalem where He would spend the day teaching. On the way, the disciples noticed and were amazed that the fig tree that Jesus cursed the previous day had withered from the roots up.

Read: Mark 11:20-26, Matthew 21:20-22

Where does faith come from? It is a gift from God. - (Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:7-9)
How do you get faith? By hearing the word of God. - (Romans 10:17)

In this short teaching session Jesus told His disciples who they should have faith in and three conditions for having their faith rewarded. It is interesting that Jesus began this lesson with the statement, “Have faith in God”. As His disciples most of us would say, “Well of course, whom or what else would we have faith in?” However, within our churches and in the world at large God has a lot of competition.

True Biblical faith “is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” Hebrews 11:1. It is a response to God and His word, because faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17. It arises in the heart, for with the heart a person believes (Romans 10:10). Once God’s word is heard and believed it needs to be spoken, for with the mouth he confesses (Romans 10:10). And finally God’s word must be acted upon because faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Therefore it might be stated that an individual has true Biblical faith when he hears God’s word, has assurance in his heart that it is God’s word, confesses it and acts upon it. Faith is not complete until all three parts occur!

This pattern is demonstrated throughout the Scripture and one example of it can be seen in the life of Abraham:

Abraham heard the Word of God and believed it. (Move to the land, which I will show you.) – Genesis 12:1-3
Abraham spoke the word of God. (He told his family because they moved with him.) – Genesis 12:4
Abraham did what he was told to do by God. (Abraham physically moved.) – Genesis 12:5

Today, we see true Biblical faith being challenged in three primary areas within the Church. The first deals with the idea that faith is mental assent or agreement. In this case there is a belief in place but it produces no works (James 2:14-20, Matthew 7:21).

The second challenge deals with the idea that faith is reason. In this case the belief is that since God has given us a mind to reason with we should trust that. However there are many ways to reason and they are all based on the individual’s perspective. For example, reason can be based on observable data, historical references, or popular opinion just to name a few. When reason is employed its source comes from the individual’s mind not the heart, therefore it is not Biblical faith.

The third challenge deals with the idea of confession or in other words “you can have whatever you say”. This concept is mainly being propagated by the Word of Faith movement, which had its beginnings in the United States of America. The fallacy here lies in the fact that the source of the “word” is the individual himself and may arise from the desires of his spirit, soul, mind, will, emotions or flesh. At its root is the thought that the individual himself is God, therefore like God he can create whatever he speaks by faith. In this scheme the individual’s faith is not in God or His word but in the individual’s own ability to create by faith whatever he speaks (John 5:19).

In part 2 of this lesson, we will be challenged by Jesus’ instruction that faith has requirements.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 43: Up To Jerusalem

2007-07-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 43 of the Discipleship Making process.

Jesus knows that His time is short and begins to prepare the disciples for the days ahead. They will be going to Jerusalem where He will suffer, die, and be raised from the dead as the Scriptures have foretold. He commands His disciples to “Behold”. The word, “behold” means “to see with understanding”. In other words Jesus is telling them that they should gain full understanding of the events that they are about to observe in Jerusalem.

Read: Matthew 20:17-19, Mark 10:32-34, Luke 18:31-34

In this lesson we will focus on the timing of and historical significance of the events leading to and surrounding Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. The first issue we need to deal with is time. We in Western cultures base our time on the Gregorian calendar. This calendar was derived from the Julian calendar developed by Julius Caesar in 46 BC and modified by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 AD. The Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar, basing its calculations on the earth’s movement around the sun, which makes a complete cycle about every 365 days. The calendar consists of twelve months: 7 of 31 days, 4 of 30 days and 1 of 28 days. An extra day is added to the 28-day month every 4th year and every 100th year to keep it accurate. The Gregorian calendar does not have a recurring cycle of dates.

The Hebrew or Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar. It is based on the movement of the moon around the earth, which makes a complete cycle about every 29-1/2 days. This calendar also consists of twelve months, but the beginning of each month is determined by visual observation of a new moon. In order to maintain accuracy with the solar year, an extra (13th) month is added seven times within a nineteen-year period. This extra month follows the twelfth month, Adar and is called Ve Adar or “second” Adar. The Hebrew or Jewish calendar has a recurring cycle of dates every nineteen years.

January 1st is New Years Day on the Gregorian calendar but the Hebrew year contains two New Years Days. In Exodus 12:2, God ordained that the first month of the year for Israelites would be Abib. The name Abib means “green ears” and was used to indicate the time of year when the corn of grain first appears in the head of wheat and barley. It is from the new moon of Abib that all the Feasts of the Lord (“appointed times of Jesus Christ”) as ordained by God in Leviticus 23, are determined. The Jewish people currently call this month Nisan and it corresponds to our March/April time frame.

The Jewish people also have a civil calendar, which begins at the new moon of Ethanim, the supposed birth date of Adam. We know this date as Rosh Hashanah meaning “Head of the Year”. They use this New Year’s date to mark the beginning of the year for kings, childbirth and contracts. The name Ethanim means “permanent” and is the seventh month of the God ordained year. The Jewish people currently call this month Tishri and it corresponds to our September/October time frame.

In Western cultures our day begins at 12:00 am or midnight. In Hebrew or Jewish culture the day begins with the appearance of three stars in the evening (about 6:00 pm), which is six hours earlier than ours.

The days of the week on the Gregorian calendar are named after various gods. The Hebrews simply numbered their days . . . 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. The 7th day of the week is the Sabbath (“Rest”); it begins at approximately 6:00 pm on Friday night and ends at approximately 6:00 pm on Saturday night.

The point of the lesson is to see with understanding.

With that, allow me to leave you with these two questions to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

Where does faith come from? and How do you get faith?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

The following timeline of events was developed from Biblical chronology and the Jewish calendar with its nineteen-year recurring cycles. The timeline is based on the Hebrew dates of each event but I have included the Gregorian day of the week to help the reader understand when the events transpired.

Biblical Prophecy Fulfilled:
Jesus’ Final Week
Timeline of Events

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 42: Children

2007-07-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 42 of the Discipleship Making process.

A short while after Jesus told the Parable of the Unrighteous Judge, people began bringing their children to Him that He might touch them and pray a blessing upon them. When the disciples saw this they rebuked the people. However, Jesus was indignant with the disciples and replied, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them: for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

Read: Mark 10:13-16, Matthew 19:13-15, Luke 18:15-17

We may never know the real reason that people brought their children to Jesus or why the disciples rebuked them for it, but we can tell by His actions and verbal response that Jesus loved children and considered them valuable enough to warrant His time and attention. Perhaps He recalled what His mother had told Him about Simeon in the Temple. How he took Jesus, as a baby into his arms and pronounced a blessing over Him: “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, and the glory of Your people Israel,” Luke 2:29-32.

From the Scriptures, we can observe firsthand the parent’s determination and faith in bringing their children to Jesus. So it seems that we who are parents of young children should seek to model their behavior since Jesus found it acceptable. And as the church, we should take Jesus’ attitude by not hindering any child from entering into a relationship with Him.

The point of the lesson is to not stop children from having a relationship with Jesus.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

What is the meaning of Jesus’ statement to His disciples: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem”?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

The “laying on of hands” always denotes a spiritual impartation of some form to the one on whom hands are laid. Following are a few of those Biblical mandates, gifts, and blessings that are imparted through the laying on of hands (Hebrews 6:1-3):

Giving of the Holy Spirit (ex. Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Acts 1:5, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:17, 9:17, 19:6)
Giving of spiritual gifts (ex. Acts 19:6, 1 Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6)
Healing (ex. Mark 6:5, 16:18, Luke 4:40)
Baptism (ex. Matthew 3:16, Luke 3:21-22, Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, 2:41, 8:12, 8:15-16, 9:17-18, 10:47-48, 16:33)
Ordination of priests, ministers, elders, deacons and other officials (ex. Acts 6:6-7, 13:3, 1 Timothy 5:22)
Dedications (ex. Mark 10:16)
With spoken blessings (ex. Matthew 19:13, Mark 10:16, Luke 24:50-52, Galatians 3:14, Ephesians 1:3, 1 Peter 3:9)

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 41: Don’t Lose Heart

2007-07-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 41 of the Discipleship Making process.

I left you last time with this question, “Doubt is the enemy of faith. What are some doubts you have when praying?”

When Jesus finished telling the disciples about His second coming to deliver the saints from God’s wrath upon the earth, He followed it with the Parable of the Unjust Judge. The parable is meant to be an encouragement to all of His disciples and its purpose is to show them that at all times they should pray and not lose heart. It has a practical everyday application in the lives of all Christians. And more pointedly to those who are alive just prior to His second coming, as Jesus concludes the parable with the statement, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

Read: Luke 18:1-8

The Parable of the Unjust Judge is a contrasting parable, as God who is a just judge is unlike the unjust judge.

Since the parable is contrasting, the opposites are true with a just judge. Therefore the parable is indicating that with God you do not have to keep coming to Him with the same request; He heard you the first time. You do not have to wear God out; He is willing to make judgment in your favor and will do so quickly. But from Jesus’ opening and closing statements “ought to pray and not to lose heart” and “will He find faith on the earth” it appears that some Christians are not praying with faith but only hope.

The Parable of the Unjust Judge clearly indicates that if a Christian has faith that God will answer his just prayer request, favorably and quickly. However, many Christians are quick to point out that the Apostle Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” from which he was not delivered after repeatedly asking God to take it away (2 Corinthians 12:1-9).

According to Paul’s testimony he was given a “thorn in the flesh” evidently by God as a gift to him or at least with God’s permission. The reason he was given the “thorn in the flesh” was to keep him from exalting himself or becoming prideful (Numbers 33:55). This was a result of having seen great visions and revelations of the Lord.

Though we may never know what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was, we can draw some conclusions about Paul’s prayer life. It appears that Paul believed his prayers would be answered if he prayed with the right motive, didn’t fear the circumstances and believed that what he prayed for would come to pass. He exhibited his faith by his actions. He didn’t just pray for the salvation of people but actually preached to them.

Since Paul says he prayed three times for the same thing it appears not to be normal to continually ask God for the same thing. The greatest elapsed time between the potential onset on the “thorn in the flesh” and his reporting of it to the Corinthians was fourteen years. So it appears that when Paul prayed he gave the Lord adequate time to answer his prayer. But he also didn’t give up until God answered him.

The point of the lesson is to pray and do not lose heart . . . have faith in the God who is both just and loves you.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

Why did Jesus say, “Permit the infants to come to me . . . Do not hinder them?”

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

Start a prayer journal for your major prayers recording the date of the prayer, what was asked of God and the date on which you observed the first fulfillment. There can be multiple fulfillments or greater and lesser fulfillments.

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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Lesson 40: Foretaste of the Kingdom

2007-07-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

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Lesson 40 of the Discipleship Making process.

I left you last time with this question, “If you knew a disaster was coming what three things in your house would you try to save beside family members?”

Read: Luke 17:20-37

The Pharisees who questioned Jesus concerning the coming of the Kingdom asked him a legitimate question. Jesus had constantly referred to Himself as the Son of Man and these Pharisees recognized that in essence He was claiming to be the Messiah. They arrived at their conclusion based on the Messianic prophecy in the Book of Daniel 7:13-14.

Essentially the Pharisees wanted to know when Jesus would begin reigning as the King of Israel and establishing His rule over all the nations. They were expecting a physical kingdom whose beginning could be dated with some precision. But Jesus’ reply was somewhat cryptic. The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or, “There it is!” For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

In order to unravel His cryptic reply we will need to gain some understanding about the idea of the Kingdom of God. In simple terms “the Kingdom of God” means “the rule of God.” The kingdom of God is established when God begins to rule over His people. When Jesus told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God is in your midst, He was alluding to the fact that God rules when people accept Him as Lord and obey His laws and decrees (Jeremiah 31:33-34). That’s why Jesus told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God was not coming with signs to be observed.

Then turning to His disciples, Jesus cautioned them not to give heed to people who would say that the Kingdom of God was either here or there since the Kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed. But wishing to give His disciples more information, Jesus turned the conversation back to the Son of Man, thus linking Himself with His future reign as Messiah.

He told them that they would long to see the day when He, the Son of Man, was ruling on the earth but they would not see it in their lifetimes because He would have to suffer many things and be rejected by the current generation. However, He did tell them that He would return to the earth in the future. And He likened that day to a lighting flash: occurring suddenly, in the sky, transpiring quickly and noticeable to all who were watching for it.

As if to give force to His point, Jesus likened His return to the day that Noah entered the ark (Genesis 6:9-9:17) and the day that Abraham’s nephew Lot left Sodom (Genesis 19:1-29). As in those times there will be two groups of people coexisting on planet earth at the same time: those who belong to the Kingdom of God and those who do not. God will deliver those who are His and reign down wrath on those who are not. Those who belong to God will hear His voice and obey Him. Then He instructs them to remember Lot’s wife.

To those who do not belong to the Kingdom of God that day will be like any other. They will be eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, and building. They will be unsuspecting! Then on that night the wrath of God will fall upon them. From the scripture it appears that one-half of the remaining people will be destroyed.

The point of the lesson is those who hear and obey God’s voice will be spared.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

Doubt is the enemy of faith. What are some doubts you have when praying?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

Read: Genesis 19:15-26

Take a few minutes to reflect on what Jesus had to say, and ask yourself these questions:

What happened to Lot’s wife?
Why did Lot’s wife turn back?
What was wrong with looking back?

Until next time . . . Godspeed!
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Lesson 39: Servant-hood

2007-07-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

Brief 4-to-5 Minute Teaching Lesson
Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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Lesson 39 of the Discipleship Making process.

I left you last time with these two questions, “Are you a servant of God?” and “Do you believe that God will provide the necessities of life for you?”

Read: Luke 12:32-59

Employed by God
Jesus begins the lesson on servant-hood by assuring His disciples that God has employed them. He has gladly chosen to give them the Kingdom of God, so they do not need to be afraid. He will provide for their needs, in this way they are able to devote their time and attention to serving God. And since God has freely chosen to give the disciples employment, they can feel free to sell their possessions and give the proceeds to the poor and needed (ex. Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-35).

The Job Description
The next thing that Jesus tells His disciples to do is to make purses for themselves, which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven. Upon hearing this command the disciples might have been somewhat puzzled but with a little thought we can ascertain what Jesus was saying:

According to the Scriptures there are only three things (treasures – see Lesson 13) that have eternal worth or value. They are faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). These three are priceless treasures in both heaven and earth. No thief can steal them and no moth or rust can destroy them.
Finding material to make purses that can hold faith, hope, and love forever is the next step. The only things that qualify are human beings. They can be made into disciples of Jesus Christ who in turn will go to heaven with treasures stored in them (Matthew 28:18-20).

Daily Responsibilities
In the final portion of the lesson Jesus addresses the disciples daily responsibilities. First, they are to be dressed in readiness. This implies that disciples are to be prepared at all times (Ephesians 6:13-18).

Secondly, He tells them to keep their lamps alight. In Lesson 4 we discovered that the disciples’ light shines when they bring the testimony of Jesus to others. In order to keep the light shining a constant supply of oil is needed. Throughout Scripture oil is used symbolically to represent the Holy Spirit. For example, in Zechariah 4 we see the image of a seven-branched golden lampstand flanked by two olive trees with pipes running from them to the lampstand providing it with a constant supply of oil. Then we hear God declare, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” In order to keep their lamps alight the disciples need to be continually filled with the Spirit of God. Interestingly, several months later Jesus cautioned the disciples not to run out of oil when He told them the Parable of the Five Wise and Five Foolish Virgins.

Thirdly, Jesus tells the disciples to be like men who are waiting for their master. Within this command are two concepts: expectation and priority. The disciples are to go about the business of making disciples daily. However they are to remain alert for the arrival of their master who may give them additional instructions that override what they were currently doing. As Christians we are to be constantly listening for our Lord’s voice and immediately stop what we are doing and respond to it.

An additional allusion can be drawn from what Jesus told them, “Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.” In the Book of Revelation the last message given to the Church before Jesus’ return concerns this very issue. The Church has become wealthy, apathetic, and self-satisfied. Yet the Lord is displeased with their servant-hood and finds them needy. Do they hear His voice anymore? Will they welcome Him in their midst? Listen to how the message to the Church of Laodicea (name means “human rights”) reads: Revelation 3:20-22.

The point of the lesson is to learn to be a good servant.

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

If you knew a disaster was coming what three things in your house would you try to save beside family members?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

Read: Revelation 3:14-22

Take a few minutes to reflect on what Jesus had to say, and ask yourself these questions:

Why do you think that Jesus would want His disciples to sell their possessions and give to charity?
How can you be more effective at making purses that don’t wear out (disciples)?
Are you waiting expectantly for the Lord’s word each day?
Are you willing to prioritize His word above what you are doing?

Until next time . . . Godspeed!
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