Good Shepherd Community Church

Jesus is known to refer to himself under a number metaphors that usually pertain to something in the history of Israel or to its system of laws. Leviticus 23 lists the festivals and among them are the Feast of Firstfruits and the Feast of Weeks, known as Pentecost. Both of these festivals concern the firstfruits of a harvest. The first one relates to the barley harvest but the second one relates to the wheat harvest. Jesus in John 12 says that he is the kernel of wheat that falls into the ground and sprouts as a new plant bearing much fruit. His death by crucifixion, burial, and resurrection on the third day was prefigured by the wheat harvest of the Feast of Completion. It is for this purpose he came into the world.

What is the relationship of the Christian to the kingdom of God? The New Testament has a lot to say about the kingdom. John announces it soon arrive in the Christ. Jesus came preaching the kingdom. He was going around from one city and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him. Luke 8:1 And he asserted to a group of Pharisees in Luke 11:20 if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. and in Luke 17:20f, Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, 'Look, here!' or, 'There!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst." He as God's appointed King was there in their midst, among there. Where the king is there is the kingdom. How do people enter the kingdom of God? It is through the new birth, the supernatural birth of the Spirit. John 1:12 and John 3:3,5 1 Peter 1:23 you have been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. The Bible teaches that the Christian, the Christians are citizens of the kingdom.

Jesus Christ's ascension back to heaven is just as crucial to God's saving and sanctifying work of his people as is his death and resurrection. In this passage we discover the following truths: I. The Ascension flowed from the Resurrection. II. The Ascension was the exaltation of Jesus Christ to Kingship and Authority. III. The Ascension set the stage for the defeat of the enemies of Christ. IV. The Ascension triggered the pouring out of the Spirit on the Church.

Jesus' life did not end with his death and burial. No, on the third day he arose bodily from the dead. Also he did not simply arise and disappear. He spent 40 more days on earth visiting with his disciples before he ascended back to heaven. Luke gives us this summary in Acts 1:1-3 "The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about God's Kingdom. A review of a number of these instances are recorded in the longer ending of Mark 16 plus the more detailed events recorded in Luke 24 and John 20-21. Here is the longer ending of Mark 16 plus the shorter ending for your reference from the Berean Standard Bible. This podcast is an overview of these appearances. They function as proof of the physical resurrection of Jesus in an immortal state. In this body he ascended into heaven on the 40th day after he arose from the dead. Mark 16 shorter ending,9 But they quickly reported all these instructions to Peter's companions. Afterward, Jesus Himself, through them, sent out from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. Amen.

The kingdom of God has been defined by Anthony Hoekema as "the reign of God, dynamically active in human history through Jesus Christ, with the purpose of redeeming God's people from sin and demonic powers, and ultimately establishing the new heavens and the new earth." The kingdom of God began to be manifested among men when Jesus Christ began his public ministry and proclaimed that it had arrived in his person. His kingdom is now manifested in the lives of his redeemed people, especially as they gather in local churches for worship and instruction. The book of Acts, in fact, begins with Jesus teaching his disciples about the Kingdom of God and it ends with Paul "proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ" Acts 28:31. As we await the full revelation and consummation of Christ's kingdom at his return, we Christians are ambassadors for King Jesus as we proclaim his Gospel, and as we pray, live, and teach by the Holy Spirit.

Peter no doubt received Jesus' forgiveness for his sin of denying knowing him when the risen Christ visited him on resurrection Sunday. But it was later at another meeting on the seashore in Galilee that Jesus restored Peter to his place of pastoral leadership in the early church. We see here the vital role the ministry of pastor (under shepherd) was then and now for the people of God.

We meet Peter on numerous occasions in the gospel narratives. He was the great confessor at Caesarea Philippi for all Twelve of the apostles when he declared, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." But we also encounter him at the last Passover with Jesus when he declared his unwavering loyalty, "Even if they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away. Peter said, "I will lay down my life for you." Jesus replied, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny me three times." Then tragically we read of his warming himself in the courtyard where Jesus was being interrogated. Three times he was ask if he was not a follower of Jesus. But he denied it. Even asserting, "I do not know the man." On tge third denial he even cursed in his denial! What will happen to Peter? Surely his sin has permanently disqualified him as chief of the Apostles. John records for us the gentle beautiful interaction of Jesus with Peter on his third appearance to seven of the apostles. John 21:12-19. Jesus asked Peter the love question.

The Apostle Thomas is often called "Doubting Thomas," but that is only part of his story. We see that at one point he was the "Fearless Thomas" - urging the other disciples to join him in going to Jerusalem and dying with him. At another point he was the "Inquiring Thomas," asking Jesus to show the way to the place he was going. He clung to unbelief during that first week after Christ's resurrection because he had not been at that initial appearance of Christ among the disciples. But then Jesus appeared again when Thomas was with the disciples and he told Thomas to throw aside his unbelief and come forward to touch the wounds he bore from the cross. At that point Thomas saw, believed, and confessed, "My Lord and God!" Jesus' word to the church from then on is, "Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed."

Witnessing is very important in the Christian life. We are commanded by the Lord Jesus to be his witnesses to others. This involves a focus on him as he is revealed in the Scriptures. The content of our witness is Christ Jesus not a plan of salvation or a story of our experience, although we can use what has happened to us as an example of believing. Too often we are focused on a few prooftexts that support steps to salvation. This can lead to faulty conversions that center on the wrong focus. The story of Jesus Christ in fulfillment of prophecy given in the Old Testament leading to an acknowledgement of his identity and the meaning of his death-burial-resurrection and ascension in our behalf must be the substance. Belief is expressed in a change of mind and direction of life (repentance) and faith in Jesus himself expressed in confession that is marked by baptism. This is our calling by the command of Christ our Lord. "You shall be witnesses unto Me." Tell people who I am and what I have done in fulfillment of the promises made to the prophets ."

On that first Resurrection Sunday, Cleopas and his companion's walk to Emmaus that afternoon proved to be monumental, not only for them, but for the Christian church. The stranger who accompanied them turned out to be Jesus, who pointed them to the OT scriptures which spoke of him.At the conclusion of their walk, Jesus showed them he himself had resurrected. Hurrying to Jerusalem with the good news of their encounter, the disciples had their resurrection joy strengthened by the news that the risen Lord had also appeared to Peter. And so for us today it is also the scriptures which prophesied and then testified to Jesus' death and resurrection that is our strength and help when we face sadness and fear. The risen Jesus is alive and always with us by his Spirit!

I believe in the resurrection of the dead because Jesus Christ arose from the dead. He is the first fruits of all the harvest that is to come,that is all those joined to him in faith. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him. 1 Cor. 15:35 But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come? Our resurrection body will be like Christ Jesus' resurrection body.

After Christ's execution on the cross his disciples were in fear that some similar fate might happen to them. Christ's appearance to them brought the astounding realization that he had risen physically from the dead. He had defeated death so they did not need to fear death. His presence assured them that they need not feel guilty for deserting him. The "peace" he extended to them included his forgiveness. The resurrected Christ breathed on them imparting the person of the Holy Spirit to them. They were not alone! And he gave them a mission and purpose in life - to declare the Gospel to the world. These formerly fearful men had become faithful servants of the living Christ.

I believe in the resurrection of the dead because it happened in history. It happened when Jesus of Nazareth arose from the dead. What difference does the resurrection of Jesus Christ make?

"The glorious resurrection body of Jesus Christ is the first fruit of the glorious resurrection bodies of his people which will occur at his return. Among the characteristics of Christ's body that will also mark the body of resurrected Christians are:1) Continuity with their pre-resurrection bodies2) Actual physical resurrection3) Immortal (never dying but eternally living) bodiesChrist went through death and all of its destruction and came out the conquering victor to God's glory and the great benefit of his people.

It is Friday afternoon. All is quiet now. The crowds have gone. Darkness has lifted. The earth has violently quaked. Jesus' mother and two close friends are waiting to receive his body for burial. Jesus of Nazareth is dead but ...Luke 23:44-56

The time for Jesus to complete the mission of redeeming his people arrived. It was Passover and Jesus gathers with his 12 special disciples. He will soon go through the horror of his sufferings climaxing in his crucifixion. He will actually be the true Lamb making atonement for people. During the course of this ceremonial meal Jesus gave his followers three commandments. Two are recorded in John and Matthew, Mark, Luke and Paul record the other commandment. Three words can help us to remember the 3 commands he gave at this last Passover: wash, love, eat.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday we see three things happening:1) The plan of God being carried out as the ancient prophecies are being fulfilled that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem as the descendant of David.2) The praises of the people as they hail him King and Deliverer in the words of Psalm 118:26, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Their praises were likely based on political hopes for freedom from Rome, rather than a recognition of Jesus is the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 3) Jesus weeping painful tears as he predicts the coming destruction of Jerusalem because they had not recognized their "time of visitation," (v. 44) when God's Messiah would visit them. Jesus had entered the final countdown to the cross that momentous Sunday.

Don't you rejoice when good news comes? When someone is very sick, but they are now well and healthy. Or when a bad situation is reversed.This is Paul's announcement in Colossians and in Ephesians. He tell us first the very bad news of our spiritual situation outside of Christ Jesus - dead, condemned, sold under transgressions, without God. "But God..."This simply phrase is how he introduces the good news, the gospel.God intervened in Jesus Christ to save us, to rescue us from a bad, impossible situation and condition. He acted out of his nature by his electing love in the person of his Son Jesus and the activity of his Spirit, making us alive!

The Victory of Jesus' cross, that is, his death in behalf of his people, is seen in this text as follows: I. The Hour of Crucifixion was the Hour of Glorification.It was through his sacrificial substitutionary death on the cross Jesus gained glory for his obedience to the Father and his love for his people. II. A Seed Must Die to Produce Life. As is true in the natural world, it is even more true that Jesus had to die to purchase the multitude of his people, ransoming them from the slave-market of sin. III. The Seed that Dies Bears Much Fruit. Jesus' death brings much spiritual fruit in the salvation of an innumerable number of people from every place and age. IV. We Must Lose our Life to Gain Eternal Life.Surrender to Jesus' Lordship results in manifold blessing including eternal life.

Jesus' death on the cross of Calvary is the remedy to at least three barriers that separate sinful humanity from the all-holy God. First of all, we are slaves to sin, to Satan, and to the world system of thought and behavior. Jesus' death on the cross is the ransom that paid the release-price so set us free from these enslavements (Matt. 20:28). Secondly, we are legally condemned before the court of God; we are guilty because of Adam's sin and because of our own personal sin. Jesus' death and resurrection removed our guilt and credited to us his righteousness (Rom. 3:21-26).Thirdly, we were enemies of God (Rom. 5:6-11) because of our wicked behavior. By his sovereign initiative, God stepped into our lives and reconciled us to himself because of the work of his Son on the cross. Through the work of the cross the ransom was paid, guilt was replaced by justification, and former enemies were adopted and made friends of God.

No one likes to hear bad news. However, sometimes bad news is necessary and can not be avoided. At other times bad news is helpful if it leads to a good result where the bad news becomes good news. Paul in writing to the Ephesians states the bad news bluntly in chapter 2 verse 1-3. He introduces the good news that had come to the believers with these promising words, but God.

Many people have a mistaken view of the role of the law in salvation. In fact it is common for people to think they will be accepted by God because their out weights their bad. Others believe God saves you by his grace initially but you must began to keep the law in order to be saved in the end. Exactly what role does God's Ten Words (Law) play in the ultimate salvation when Christ Jesus returns.

The cross of Jesus Christ was crucially necessary for lost sinners to be saved from their sin for three basic reasons:I. God is Righteous II. Humans Are UnrighteousIII. Humans Are Guilty of Cosmic TreasonIn contrast to the perfection of God's absolute righteousness and holiness, Romans 1 shows us by contrast the nature of humanity: they are ungodly and unrighteous, they suppress the truth, they refuse to honor God or give him thanks, they are foolish in their thinking, and they exchange the worship of the immortal, eternal Creator for created things. Is there no help for a lost human race? The cross of Jesus Christ is the only solution.

The Apostle's Creed which is based on an earlier baptismal creed is primarily a biblical summary of the person and work of Christ Jesus. The bulk of the creed is a direct biblical summary on Jesus. But the third part of the creed has a list of belief statements. This podcast explores the significance of this list as a summary statement of consequences or results of Jesus redeeming work on the cross and his resurrection and ascension. Each statement is directly connected to the Bible and its truth.

The Disciples' Model prayer teaches us that it is to our heavenly Father that we pray and it is to his glory that we live. This prayer is an echo of David's prayer in 1 Chron. 29:11-12. This last sentence in the prayer, "For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." is a return to the God-directed focus with which the prayer began, specifically on his glory. All the previous petitions tie in to the promotion of God's will and his kingdom. God, not like us, has all power to fulfill these petitions, which center around God's provision, pardon, and protection. He is our Provider in all these vital aspects of our Christian lives, as subjects in his everlasting kingdom.

When his disciples ask the Master, Jesus to pray he gave them a model prayer. The roots of this prayer is God's prior revelation through the Law, the prophets and the psalms. Listen to the prayer with some of the old Testament verses that are echoed in this brief pattern prayer our Lord taught us to pray.

The Lord Jesus teaches his people to pray, acknowledging God's holiness and kingdom, as well as our need for forgiveness of our sins. In this particular text we see our need to pray for deliverance, for rescue, from Satan and the evil he fosters in the world. Without God's grace we are helpless, but God is strong and he will keep us safe in his care. Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, and we triumph and live in his victory.

A number of Christian churches observe Ash Wednesday. My church does not usually observe the set period known as Lent. But there have been times when I have gone to an Ash Wednesday service. I have found it to be a biblical time of remembrance of our mortality. God often called Israel of old to remember. Remember who I am and who you are before me. Remember what I have done. Remember you will give an account to me. As God told Adam so he speaks to all of us, Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return. Genesis 3:19It is a call to confession of our sin and transgressions so that we can receive God's gracious pardon based on the death of Christ Jesus for sinners who put their trust in him. Join with me in a composite psalm prayer of repentance.

Christians are in great danger because of the evil cosmic forces aligned against them. Temptations, i.e., enticements to sin, come against us from Satan, the world, and our own remaining corruption. Prayer is needed that we would not yield to the temptations to sin, but would resist them and flee from them. Why these trials? To mold our character more into Christ's likeness that God would be glorified. Evil surrounds us on every side - we must call upon God our Father in the name of his Son Jesus, for protection and deliverance!

God has some important words addressed to both the rich, the wealthy, and the poor, those with little. Surprisingly, one of the words applies to both alike! This message begins in Proverbs but concludes with Jesus' own words as he observed people giving their offerings in the temple, Luke 21:1-4. God has number of warnings to the rich but both those with wealth and those in want can be guilty of idolatry expressed as the love of money! The rich should not despise the poor, but rather be generous toward them. The poor should not envy the rich, but should themselves be rich in faith.

When a person prays, "forgive us our sins," he is demonstrating his awareness of the high and holy God as well as his own sin and spiritual poverty. It is the proper prayer of a humble person and it brings one into the cleansing, restoring power of God. Christ, the teacher of this prayer, is also the foundation on which forgiveness is obtained - it is Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead that makes forgiveness possible. Having been forgiven by Christ of our great sin debt before him, we need to likewise forgive others who sin against us. How can we not forgive others whose sin against us is not near as great as our own before the holy God?

There is a sect that seeks to say there is a gospel in the first century but they have another gospel for the current generation. They build their view of how they read into and interpret the so called "Three Angels Messages."However, we must remain very vigilant against any other so called gospel,The Apostle Paul says in Galatians 1:6-8, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed."The first angel's message is a call to worship the true and living Creator God. It's wording is like Nehemiah 9:5-7, "Stand up and bless Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting! Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise! You are Yahweh, even you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of heaven worships you. You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, gave him the name of Abraham."The one eternal gospel is the message of Jesus - his person and saving acts in his death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for us sinners. Mark 16: 15 says, "And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.In Luke 24:44-49 we read, "Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, th

From John the Baptist's ministry we see that baptism has always been associated with the forgiveness of sin. Jesus calls his people out of the kingdom of darkness and places them into his kingdom. We must begin with the New Covenant scriptures to correctly understand baptism. It is the sovereign work of the Spirit who brings us to repentance and to Christ himself, who is the object of our faith.Baptism is not so much our testimony of our becoming a Christian as it of what God is doing in us and our submission to the Gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. It is a response to God's call and working in his people's lives.We come to God, confessing our faith in Christ, call upon his name to save us, and gratefully submit to Christian baptism as we begin our lives of allegiance to King Jesus and loyal soldiers in his army. So, do you believe in Jesus? The New Testament commands his disciples to declare their faith by being immersed and raised from the watery grave to "walk in newness of life in Christ" (Rom. 6:4).

Book beginnings are often very important in understanding what follows in the book. I think this is especially true of the writings, the books, in the Bible. We began a several week reading study of the book of Acts. The opening paragraph of Acts connects to the gospel of Luke. By careful reading of the opening paragraphs we learn the method, the structure and the purpose of Luke's writing his two volume work on the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth in order to establish a believer name Theophilus in the certainty of the teaching he had received as a believer. A challenge is for us to read carefully in a few settings all of Luke-Acts. Let the Word impact you and study the Scriptures. This is a way of loving God with your mind.

After Jesus leads his disciples to begin their prayers with the focus on God and his will and his kingdom, he surprisingly instructs them to pray for daily bread, showing his awareness of the practical needs of human life. Three simple but vital truths about prayer are seen here:I. God commands us to ask him for the necessities of life. ("bread")II. God wants us to realize that everything that we have from him is a pure gift. ("give")III. God instructs us to be in continual prayer for his provision. ("daily")

How do you usually pray? Is there a particular position that your body takes? Some believe and it is often announced especially in church meetings to bow your head and close your eyes. What does the Bible say about the positions of our body when we pray? You may be surprised but one of the best positions is to "pray with your eyes open"! Explore with me the various positions of biblical prayer.

This third petition in the Disciples' Model Prayer, "your will be done," is closely related to the second petition, "your kingdom come," yet it is distinct enough to warrant special attention. First of all, we should understand that although the ultimate fulfillment is at Christ's return, the more immediate relevance is a prayer that God's will be done here and now, in the church, in the kingdom subjects who live in a fallen and hostile world. For each of us personally, we are concerned that his kingdom be fulfilled in our lives. There are two primary aspects of God's will:1) His decreed will, his eternal plan, that he carries out on earth (cf. Acts 2:23), and2) His prescriptive will, that is, specific revelation and execution of his will in the lives of his people. Two examples would be Jesus' submission to the Father's will in submitting to the horrors of the cross, and Paul and the believers' submission to God's will in the prophecy that in Jerusalem suffering and imprisonment awaited him. Martin Luther in his catechism question on this petition summarizes this teaching in this idea, "that the good will of God would be done on earth but we want it done among us also."

This second petition in the Disciples' Model Prayer states, "Your kingdom come." A number of characteristics of the kingdom of God as set forth in the Bible are described in this sermon. God's kingdom is a reality wherever king Jesus rules and reigns, especially in the lives of his people. This Kingdom will come completely and fully at Jesus' Second Coming. Until then, the kingdom is expanded on earth as the Gospel goes out to the world and is received by faith and believers grow in him. These are ways we should pray that God's kingdom through Christ will come.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray, Our Father, your kingdom come.Two words are key to understand this petition. Kingdom. What is this kingdom of God? In what way is it to come?Jesus who teaches his disciples this prayer is the king of God's kingdom. Where the King is there is his kingdom. The prayer is not focused on geography but on relationship with God in the person of Jesus. So we are asking God to bring in a greater realization of the kingdom in and through our lives culminating in the personal arrival of the king in power and glory at the end of the age. We want God to actively bring in his reign in the midst of the rival kingdom of Satan ultimately totally destroying that kingdom and filling the earth with the eternal kingdom. The kingdom of God has a present and a not yet aspect.The present reality of the kingdom and its future aspect are present in this petition as demonstrated in the gospel narratives and Acts and Paul's descriptions of the kingdom in his letters. Revelation shows its ultimate fulfillment at the return of Jesus to this earth in power and glory.

One day when Jesus was engaged in prayer to his Heavenly Father one of his disciples asked him to teach them to pray. Luke 11:1-4 record this conversation. On another occasion when Jesus was instructing his disciples on the mountain side he gave them this prayer model, Matthew 6:9-13. This podcast gives an overview of the prayer by noting its two sections. The first section deals with the concerns of God, his honor and kingdom. The second section deals with our needs as his dependent children. God's glory and his will must always be our chief priorities, but our material and spiritual needs are also important to him. Let this prayer be a model and guide to you as you come before the Father in praise and petition.

Jesus teaches his disciples to pray what we term "the Lord's Prayer," but is better named, "the Disciples Model Prayer."The prayer consists of 7 petitions which are easily divided into two sections. 1. That which concerns God's interest.2. That which concerns our needs as God's dependent children. Jesus teaches us first to be concerned about God's concerns. We ask the Father to do what only he can truly do. Sometimes we interpret these petitions as if they are commands for us to follow. They are not. Only God can truly make his name great, only he is the Holy One. The petition centers on two key words: "holy" and "name"The sermon today looks at both terms with special reference to God's revelation of his Name to Moses in Exodus chapter 3 and 34.The 3 petitions of the first section of the prayer are interconnected • Father, hallowed be your name.• Your kingdom come.• Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.These three sections all involve God's doing. He makes his name holy; he will bring about his kingdom and he will do his will on earth. "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." Revelation 15:4

How should we pray? According to Jesus we must address our prayers to "Our Father". (Matthew 6:9ff; Luke 11:1-4)This episode explores the meaning of this expression both as to what conveys concerning our family relationship to God and fellow believers. But it also looks at a theological question on Jesus as the "only begotten Son" or "the one and only Son" and our being called sons of God. Devotion plus theology is embedded in this broadcast. Exposition leading to worship.

How do Christians know God is our heavenly Father? It is to Jesus Christ himself that we are indebted for the chief revelation in the Bible, primarily in the Gospel of John, that God is the heavenly Father of his people. When we look at Jesus Christ, we look at the Father also. He is a kind Father who desires to give good gifts to his children. Christians do not stand before the heavenly Father isolated from the other people of God, but in union with them, the one body of Christ that both rejoices and suffers together. We bow before the Father in the name and because of the redeeming merit of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus gives instruction on praying by his own prayer practice and through instruction on the personal level in Luke 11 and in a more formal public instruction to the multitudes who followed in what we term the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6). From these two accounts with different contexts we can learn principles for praying.

The apostle Paul was in prison and he was writing a letter to the Christian believers at the church in Ephesus, a city in present day Turkey, and as he was writing and he was thinking about all that the Spirit of God had been prompting him to write, he was overwhelmed with the grandeur and truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and what God had been doing among both the Jews and the Gentiles and so he places his writing quill down on the table and falls on his knees and begins to pray. That prayer is what we will be looking at today.

We often say to one another, "Pray for me." And we are urged, we are pushed to pray for one another. But what should we pray? Praying for the ups and downs and decisions in life certainly are matters for which we should turn to God for help and supply. God has concern for all his children's needs. The Bible through the examples of Paul would elevate our prayers to deeper concern. His prayers are rooted in the revelation of God in Jesus Christ and in the deep reality of conversion as a result of spiritual regeneration. One of these prayers is in Ephesians 3:14-19, "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Christian Standard Version)Paul adds many layers in his writing from all the fullness of God's saving work in Jesus Christ. These truths and spiritual realities are connected and often one thing leads to another. In this podcast my goal is to summarize two primary petitions Paul prayed for his fellow Christians and also for us as part of the group, "all the saints". Considering these petitions as ones made for me, I in turn now pray them for you."I pray that you will be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in your inner being.""I pray that you will be mentally and

The arrival of the Son of God, sent from heaven, to the land of Judea in ancient Palestine some 2,000 years ago was not an unexpected event. It did not catch everyone by surprise. Those who knew the ancient Hebrew scriptures had been looking for him, they were waiting for him. One of those people was an old man named Simeon. He believed that God would send a Deliverer, a Savior, for the people of God. He believed this because he believed the prophecies in the OT. Simeon's devotion to God and to his Word fueled his prayer life and his prayer, preserved by God for us, is a great model for us today.

Christians remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus, son of Mary. Traditionally this has been done throughout many centuries either on January 6 or December 25. The date of his birth is never revealed, but the fact of his birth is essential for the salvation of people. The death of the Messiah Jesus by crucifixion was decreed by God from all eternity. He is the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8, 1 Peter 1:19-20, Acts 2:23). In order for him to make the one real and sufficient sacrifice for sin it was necessary for the Word, the Son, to assume humanity in a mortal body. Although death had no claim on him he was born the sinless holy son of Mary in order that he might as a man in the prime of his life lay down his life in death on behalf of humans. All people die because they are born sinful in Adam. Because of the virgin birth through the power by the Holy Spirit Jesus was not born in Adam (Romans 5:16-19). Thus he could offer his sinless body as the sacrifice for the sins of his people (Hebrews 2: 10-15, Hebrews 10: 3-10, John 10:17-18, Isaiah 53). The hymnist Charles Wesley expressed it thusly:Christ, by highest Heaven adored;Christ the everlasting Lord;Late in time, behold Him come,Offspring of a virgin's womb.Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;Hail th' Incarnate Deity,Pleased as man with men to dwell,Jesus our Emmanuel. Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace!Hail the Sun of Righteousness!Light and life to all He brings,Risen with healing in His wings.Mild He lays His glory by,Born that man no more may die.Born to raise the sons of earth,Born to give them second birth.

How does anyone bless God? It is strange sounding yet the Bible exhorts us to bless God and gives examples of people blessing him.Of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Psalm 103:1LORD is Yahweh, the personal covenant name of God.Psalm 104:1 Bless Yahweh, my soul. Yahweh, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.The meaning of words is directly connected to the context in which they used. When we speak of blessing such as "be blessed" to another person we are wanting that person to receive something they need or be enabled to accomplish something. But God has no needs! He is the all-sufficent all-mighty self-sustaining eternal holy sovereign one!Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Deuteronomy 10:14So to bless God is to speak of God as he has revealed himself to be to God in praise or thanksgiving. We also can bless God by lifting him high above all to others in words that declare his works especially in the salvation of sinners such as ourselves.Two great examples of blessing God are given around the birth of the forerunner of the Messiah John the Baptizer. Mary the mother of the Lord Jesus, the incarnate Word offers her praise in Luke 1:46ff "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,...After John's birth his father blesses God Luke 1:67ff