Podcasts about 21then

Acts 13:13-52 Paul and Barnabas at Antioch in Pisidia 13Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, 14but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” 16So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. 17The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' 23Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. 24Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.' 26“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 27For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.' 34And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.' 35Therefore he says also in another psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.' 36For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, 37but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. 38Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. 40Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: 41 “‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.'” 42As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 43And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Joshua 6 The Fall of Jericho 1Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. 2And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” 6So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.” 8And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. 9The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. 10But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” 11So he caused the ark of the Lord to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp. 12Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually. 14And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days. 15On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. 17And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 21Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword. 22But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute's house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” 23So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel. 24And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25But Rahab the prostitute and her father's household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. 26Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. “At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.” 27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 31In te, Domine, speraviBCP p. 622In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;let me never be put to shame; *deliver me in your righteousness.Incline your ear to me; *make haste to deliver me.Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,for you are my crag and my stronghold; *for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *for you are my tower of strength.Into your hands I commend my spirit, *for you have redeemed me,O Lord, O God of truth.I hate those who cling to worthless idols, *and I put my trust in the Lord.I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy; *for you have seen my affliction;you know my distress.You have not shut me up in the power of the enemy; *you have set my feet in an open place.Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; *my eye is consumed with sorrow,and also my throat and my belly.For my life is wasted with grief,and my years with sighing; *my strength fails me because of affliction,and my bones are consumed.I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbors,a dismay to those of my acquaintance; *when they see me in the street they avoid me.I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; *I am as useless as a broken pot.For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;fear is all around; *they put their heads together against me;they plot to take my life.But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. *I have said, “You are my God.My times are in your hand; *rescue me from the hand of my enemies,and from those who persecute me.Make your face to shine upon your servant, *and in your loving-kindness save me.”Lord, let me not be ashamed for having called upon you; *rather, let the wicked be put to shame;let them be silent in the grave.Let the lying lips be silenced which speak against the righteous, *haughtily, disdainfully, and with contempt.How great is your goodness, O Lord!which you have laid up for those who fear you; *which you have done in the sight of allfor those who put their trust in you.You hide them in the covert of your presence from those who slander them; *you keep them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.Blessed be the Lord! *for he has shown me the wonders of his love in a besieged city.Yet I said in my alarm,“I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes.” *Nevertheless, you heard the sound of my entreatywhen I cried out to you.Love the Lord, all you who worship him; *the Lord protects the faithful,but repays to the full those who act haughtily.Be strong and let your heart take courage, *all you who wait for the Lord. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsSirach 12:2-20Do not praise individuals for their good looks, or loathe anyone because of appearance alone. The bee is small among flying creatures, but what it produces is the best of sweet things. Do not boast about wearing fine clothes, and do not exalt yourself when you are honored; for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works are concealed from humankind. Many kings have had to sit on the ground, but one who was never thought of has worn a crown. Many rulers have been utterly disgraced, and the honored have been handed over to others. Do not find fault before you investigate; examine first, and then criticize. Do not answer before you listen, and do not interrupt when another is speaking. Do not argue about a matter that does not concern you, and do not sit with sinners when they judge a case. My child, do not busy yourself with many matters; if you multiply activities, you will not be held blameless. If you pursue, you will not overtake, and by fleeing you will not escape. There are those who work and struggle and hurry, but are so much the more in want. There are others who are slow and need help, who lack strength and abound in poverty; but the eyes of the Lord look kindly upon them; he lifts them out of their lowly condition and raises up their heads to the amazement of the many. Good things and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth, come from the Lord.      The Lord's gift remains with the devout, and his favor brings lasting success. One becomes rich through diligence and self-denial, and the reward allotted to him is this: when he says, "I have found rest, and now I shall feast on my goods!" he does not know how long it will be until he leaves them to others and dies. Stand by your agreement and attend to it, and grow old in your work. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Revelation 9:13-21Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." So the four angels were released, who had been held ready for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, to kill a third of humankind. The number of the troops of cavalry was two hundred million; I heard their number. And this was how I saw the horses in my vision: the riders wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur; the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of humankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they inflict harm. The rest of humankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands or give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their fornication or their thefts. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages AV. Show us your mercy, O Lord;R. And grant us your salvation.V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy.V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;R. For only in you can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.V. Let your way be known upon earth;R. Your saving health among all nations.V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.   The CollectsProper 24Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost The Collect: O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Old Testament: 2 Kings 4:42-44 42A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.” 43But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” So he repeated, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.'” 44He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord. Psalm: 145:10-19 10 All your works praise you, O Lord, *        and your faithful servants bless you. 11 They make known the glory of your kingdom *        and speak of your power; 12 That the peoples may know of your power *        and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; *        your dominion endures throughout all ages. 14 The Lord is faithful in all his words *        and merciful in all his deeds. 15 The Lord upholds all those who fall; *        he lifts up those who are bowed down. 16 The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, *        and you give them their food in due season. 17 You open wide your hand *        and satisfy the needs of every living creature. 18 The Lord is righteous in all his ways *        and loving in all his works. 19 The Lord is near to those who call upon him, *        to all who call upon him faithfully. Epistle: Ephesians 3:14-21 14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Gospel: John 6:1-21 1After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, “Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all.11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” 15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”21Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

Day of Pentecost The Collect: Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. or this O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. First Lesson: Acts 2:1-21 or Ezekiel 37:1-14 1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.7Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power.” 12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.19And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' or 1The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.” 7So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them.9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' 12Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act,” says the Lord. Psalm: Psalm 104: 25-35,37 25 O Lord, how manifold are your works! *        in wisdom you have made them all;        the earth is full of your creatures. 26 Yonder is the great and wide sea    with its living things too many to number, *        creatures both small and great. 27 There move the ships,    and there is that Leviathan, *        which you have made for the sport of it. 28 All of them look to you *        to give them their food in due season. 29 You give it to them; they gather it; *        you open your hand, and they are filled with good things. 30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; *        you take away their breath,        and they die and return to their dust. 31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *        and so you renew the face of the earth. 32 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; *        may the Lord rejoice in all his works. 33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; *        he touches the mountains and they smoke. 34 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *        I will praise my God while I have my being. 35 May these words of mine please him; *        I will rejoice in the Lord. 37 Bless the Lord, O my soul. *        Hallelujah! Second Lesson: Romans 8:22-27 or Acts 2:1-21 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. or 1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.7Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power.” 12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.19And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Gospel: John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15 26”When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.27You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. 4I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?' 6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. 12“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. 16David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' 23But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

 Revealed: The Miracles of Jesus Part 5: Walking on Water By Louie Marsh, 9-10-2023   1) God's plan for my life includes HARDSHIPS.   “22Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,” (Matthew 14:22–23, ESV)   “13“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13–14, ESV)   2) God KNOWS when I'm in trouble & responds at the right time.   “48And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them… (Mark 6:48a, ESV)   “24but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.” (Matthew 14:24–26, ESV)   3) God uses difficulties to CONQUER my fears.   “26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”” (Matthew 14:26–27, ESV)   “27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27, ESV)   4) I should CHALLENGE my experiences just like Peter.   “28And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.” (Matthew 14:28–29, ESV)   “19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies, 21but test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19–21, ESV)   5) I must FOCUS on Jesus to overcome my fears.   “30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”” (Matthew 14:30, ESV)   6) No matter how often I fail, Jesus RESCUES me.   “31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” (Matthew 14:31–32, ESV)   7) Both faith & reason affirm that Jesus is LORD!   “33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”” (Matthew 14:33, ESV)   “21Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” (John 6:21, ESV)  

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 15:11-32  11Then Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands." ' 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe — the best one — and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate. 25Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' 28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' 31Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'"

In this episode, we continue our conversation about the Spirit of Man. The three functions of the spirit are the conscience, the fellowship, and the intuition.1 Thessalonians 5:23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.Genesis 2:7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.Zechariah 12:1This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares:Psalm 104:30 When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.Job 27:3as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils,Job 32:8But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.Proverbs 25:28Whoever has no rule over his own spirit, Is like a city broken down, without walls.Exodus 35:21Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.Proverbs 20:27The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.Romans 8:10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.Luke 24:39Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."Romans 8:16The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:John 4:24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.1 Peter 3:4rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.1 Corinthians 6:17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.1 Corinthians 2:11The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.Romans 8:10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.Psalm 32:2Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/622a9079e8fb640012cb94f3. I pray that God would "give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18I, pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance" https://plus.acast.com/s/blueprint-of-faith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This morning rant is about the Spirit of the Man and how God stirrers up the spirit of man to do his will. The three functions of the spirit are the conscience, the fellowship, and the intuition1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.Zechariah 12:1This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares:Genesis 2:7the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.Psalm 104:30 When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.Job 32:8But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.Proverbs 25:28Whoever has no rule over his own spirit, Is like a city broken down, without walls.Proverbs 20:27The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. Exodus 35:21Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.1 Chronicles 5:26So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan to this day.Ezra 1:1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,Proverbs 16:2All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits.Proverbs 18:14The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?Proverbs 29:23A man's pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.Ecclesiastes 8:8No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death.There is no release from that war, And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.Isaiah 66:2For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.Luke 1:80So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/622a9079e8fb640012cb94f3. I pray that God would "give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18I, pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance" https://plus.acast.com/s/blueprint-of-faith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First ReadingGENESIS 41:55-57; 42:5-7, 17-2441 55When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do." 56So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth. 42 5Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6Now Joseph was governor over the land; he it was who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came, and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. 7Joseph saw his brothers, and knew them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food." 17And he put them all together in prison for three days. 18On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined in your prison, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, 20and bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so. 21Then they said to one another, "In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us and we would not listen; therefore is this distress come upon us." 22And Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you not to sin against the lad? But you would not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood." 23They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. 24Then he turned away from them and wept; and he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.GospelMATTHEW 10:1-71And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. 2The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb'edee, and John his brother; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

Day of Pentecost The Collect: Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. or this O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. First Lesson: Acts 2:1-21 or Numbers 11:24-30 1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.7Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power.” 12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.19And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' or 24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again. 26Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!” 30And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp. Psalm: Psalm 104:25-35,37 25 O Lord, how manifold are your works! *        in wisdom you have made them all;        the earth is full of your creatures. 26 Yonder is the great and wide sea    with its living things too many to number, *        creatures both small and great. 27 There move the ships,    and there is that Leviathan, *        which you have made for the sport of it. 28 All of them look to you *        to give them their food in due season. 29 You give it to them; they gather it; *        you open your hand, and they are filled with good things. 30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; *        you take away their breath,        and they die and return to their dust. 31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *        and so you renew the face of the earth. 32 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; *        may the Lord rejoice in all his works. 33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; *        he touches the mountains and they smoke. 34 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *        I will praise my God while I have my being. 35 May these words of mine please him; *        I will rejoice in the Lord. 37 Bless the Lord, O my soul. *        Hallelujah! Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 or Acts 2:1-21 3No one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. 4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. 12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.13For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. or 1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.7Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power.” 12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.19And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Gospel: John 20:19-23 or John 7:37-39 19When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” or 37On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'” 39Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Love Needs To Prevail Over Law Deuteronomy 21:18 - 21 18If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” 21Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.

Good Friday The Collect: Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Old Testament: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 13See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. 14Just as there were many who were astonished at him—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals— 15so he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate. 1Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account. 4Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. 9They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. 11Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Psalm: Psalm 22 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? *        and are so far from my cry        and from the words of my distress? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; *        by night as well, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are the Holy One, *        enthroned upon the praises of Israel. 4 Our forefathers put their trust in you; *        they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 They cried out to you and were delivered; *        they trusted in you and were not put to shame. 6 But as for me, I am a worm and no man, *        scorned by all and despised by the people. 7 All who see me laugh me to scorn; *        they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying, 8 “He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him; *        let him rescue him, if he delights in him.” 9 Yet you are he who took me out of the womb, *        and kept me safe upon my mother's breast. 10 I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; *        you were my God when I was still in my mother's womb. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, *        and there is none to help. 12 Many young bulls encircle me; *        strong bulls of Bashan surround me. 13 They open wide their jaws at me, *        like a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water;    all my bones are out of joint; *        my heart within my breast is melting wax. 15 My mouth is dried out like a pot-sherd;    my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; *        and you have laid me in the dust of the grave. 16 Packs of dogs close me in,    and gangs of evildoers circle around me; *        they pierce my hands and my feet;        I can count all my bones. 17 They stare and gloat over me; *        they divide my garments among them;        they cast lots for my clothing. 18 Be not far away, O Lord; *        you are my strength; hasten to help me. 19 Save me from the sword, *        my life from the power of the dog. 20 Save me from the lion's mouth, *        my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls. 21 I will declare your Name to my brethren; *        in the midst of the congregation I will praise you. 22 Praise the Lord, you that fear him; *        stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel;        all you of Jacob's line, give glory. 23 For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;    neither does he hide his face from them; *        but when they cry to him he hears them. 24 My praise is of him in the great assembly; *        I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him. 25 The poor shall eat and be satisfied,    and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: *       “May your heart live for ever!” 26 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, *        and all the families of the nations shall bow before him. 27 For kingship belongs to the Lord; *        he rules over the nations. 28 To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; *        all who go down to the dust fall before him. 29 My soul shall live for him;    my descendants shall serve him; *        they shall be known as the Lord's for ever. 30 They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn *        the saving deeds that he has done. Epistle: Hebrews 10:16-25 or 4:14-16; 5:7-9 16“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,” 17he also adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. or 14Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 7In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.8Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered;9and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, Gospel: John 18:1-19:42 1After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” 5They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7Again he asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.”9This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, “I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.” 10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. 11Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?” 12So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. 13First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people. 15Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. 17The woman said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”18Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. 19Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23Jesus answered, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” 24Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.25Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, “You are not also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed. 28Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. 29So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30They answered, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.” 31Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.” The Jews replied, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.” 32(This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)33Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” 35Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 38Pilate asked him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no case against him. 39But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 40They shouted in reply, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a bandit. 1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. 3They kept coming up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking him on the face. 4Pilate went out again and said to them, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.” 5So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” 6When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.” 7The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.”8Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. 9He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10Pilate therefore said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?” 11Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” 12From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.” 13When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge's bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. 14Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” 15They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but the emperor.” 16Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus;17and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. 18There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. 19Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. 21Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,' but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.'” 22Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” 23When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture says, “They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” 25And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. 28After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” 29A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. 30When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. 32Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. 35(He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) 36These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, “None of his bones shall be broken.” 37And again another passage of scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.” 38After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. 39Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. 40They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. 42And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

God created you to be great.We were created to bear the image of greatnessThe process of the path produces the power for the platform.Matthew 20:20-21Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”Matthew 20:22“You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. Matthew 20:22“Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” Matthew 20:25Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Matthew 20:26Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”.God is not trying to move you from greatness to servanthood. He wants to move you to greatness through servanthood.Servanthood Is The Path To The Greatness Of God In Our LifeDr. Martin Luther King Jr.“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve.”Matthew 20:28Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”.God is a servant.1. Jesus served big needs2. Jesus served small needs3. Jesus served ugly needsMatthew 25:40Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.4. Jesus served serversLuke 9:12“Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” 13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”God is master of disguise. 

In this episode, Amber covers the killings of Christian Fuhr. When Christian Fuhr is sentenced to life in prison, Ammie Turos is convinced that they have the wrong person. She loves Christian, and doesn't believe that this man who has been so loving and kind to her could be capable of such a things. She remains faithful to him for years, determined to somehow prove his innocence and that he has been wrongly convicted. Then she discovers that the accusations against him are all true. This week, Amber is drinking Lady of the Mandrake Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. Amber pulled her sources from:Evil Lives Here S10 E 2 “He Got Into My Soul”www.investigationdiscovery.com Crime Feed 9-14-21www.murderpedia.orgwww.thecinemaholic.com “Who Were Christian Fuhr's Victims? Where is He now?” Viswa Vanapalli 7-17-21Then  Erika covers  parties from all different era's. She goes all the way back to BC, AD, 1393, 1694 then we will haul balls to the 1900's so listen in while Erika tells some really wild and even some tragic party stories.This week, Erika is drinking a Chardonnay from Sonoma County, River Roads Vineyards & Winery.  Erika pulled her sources from:www.brittanica.comwww.history.comwww.en.wikipedia.orgwww.listverse.com / 10 Parties That Ended in Tragedy / Robert Grimminck / April 12, 2014www.historyhit.com / 8 of the Wildest Parties in History / Sarah Roller / July 27, 2021

A Society without Restraints  (Judges 21:25) So you don't want a king (21:25)? In those days, there was no king in Israel. These are the words of an author, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, looking back to dark days. These days are dark because the community had no human kingly leader, and they refused to acknowledge the rightful divine king. Make no mistake; a human king would not solve humanity's sinful core. One day soon, Israel would have a king named Saul who transgressed and offered unacceptable sacrifices. David would ascend the throne, who would become an adulterer and murder. His son Solomon took the road to political expediency and married 700 wives! Israel did not need a king to lead them into or out of idolatry; the people did that independently. Take-Home: Your heart is your most significant threat to abundant life. If honest, none of us want a king because we want to be the supreme leader of our lives. But, where there is no king, Judges reminds us that we will fill the void. One way we fill the void of true Kingship is when we worship the god of autonomy. Thus, Israel's rejection of Yahweh was more than a simple exchange of one God for another; it exposed a fundamental desire to chart their course, realize their destiny, and find independence away from a Holy God. The god of autonomy says, “I have perfect freedom to do what I want when I want!” It was the worship of autonomy that led Friedrich Nietzsche to exclaim, “God is dead! God is dead! And we have killed him!” It's the god of autonomy that sings the famous lines, “And now the end is here, and so I face that final curtain. My friend, I'll make it clear, I'll state my case, of which I'm certain. I've lived a life that's full; I traveled each and every highway. And more, much more I did it; I did it my way.” Take-Home: Many have not come to saving faith in Jesus Christ because you are doing it “your way.” Don't let the god of autonomy send you to hell. To worshippers at the altar of autonomy, Jesus says, “Follow me.” Without a true King, we worship the god of identity. The god of identity says your most virtuous pursuit should be the advice of chief minister Polonius in Hamlet, “this above all: to thine own self be true.” Without a holy King, you can be anything you want to be. Judges states it this way; everyone did what seemed right to him- to thine own self be true. When everyone does what is right in their own eyes, it produces a society in which people lose their humanity and dignity. One manifestation of modern Identity worship is the attempt to irradicate gender boundaries and mar what Yahweh made beautiful. But, unfortunately, in doing so, our culture is producing generations in which both sexes are losing their humanity as if a society without gender provides a greater good. A society without restraint only produces confusion. The gender-fluid revolution began as an attack on patriarchy but concluded in the dehumanization of female personhood. Take-Home. The lie of the god of identity is that you can be anything you want to be. But, you will never find who you are without King Jesus. Jesus gives you a new identity. Without a true King, we worship the god of individualism. Note the shift: Judges 2:11 And the Israelites did what was offensive to the LORD. Judg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him. Israel slowly morphed into a community that disregarded one another and corporate holiness for individual expression. This is ultimately the lie of secularism: that faith is only private and should be kept out of the public realm. In the words of George Carlin, “thou shall keep religion to thyself.” By making faith merely a private affair, we have lost the ability to see how King Jesus shapes us within the community. We worship at the altar of individualism when doing what is right - in my eyes - is the ultimate expression of truly enlightened humanity. We honor the god of individualism when we see the gathered assembled church as optional for our faith. Take-Home: Not everything is right in your eyes, so don't do what is right in your eyes. Yahweh never designed your faith to be private! God's grace has come to you because it is going to others. Identity, autonomy, and individualism are but a few gods in the pantheon of societies without restraint. Jesus rescues you from the idolatry of autonomy so what we can pray “your will be done.” Redeemed people ask, “Jesus what do you want me to do.” Jesus rescues you from the idol of identity so what we can pray “Jesus, who do you want me to be?” Jesus rescues you from the worship of individuality so what we can live in relationship with the Father and gather as His holy people. Jesus' response to a society without restraints Where is God? Did you notice God mentioned at all in the final portion of Judges? Do you ever look at your broken world and cry, “Where are you, God?” While Yahweh is silent in this final chapter, He has not utterly abandoned Israel. Someday, humanity will no longer do what is right in their own eyes. One day, at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Take-Home: Where is God? He might be silent, but he has not abandoned you. You display Jesus' glory to the world every time you bend your knee to Him as King and confess Him as Lord. What happens when we get what we want? At the end of the day, we all want to be our own kings. A life without Jesus is not a life of love, hope, and freedom. It only leads to a chaotic culture in which the worst in human nature becomes the norm. Take-Home: Genuine human freedom that leads to flourishing is only found within holy boundaries through a relationship with Jesus  Christ. Despite all the depravity and morally bankrupt individuals in the book of Judges, the Scripture ends with a miracle. Did you catch it? There is a miracle because Judah still existed. How can you make sense of the fact that such an immoral society would still survive? Because Yahweh is gracious and his mercy is deeper than people's iniquity. As the Book of Act tells us, many years later, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 After removing him, he raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my will.' Acts 13:23    “From this man's descendants, as he promised, God brought to Israel the Savior, Jesus. There was no king that would save Israel, they required a Kingly Savior. Israel had a “Me do,” problem. Me do – the cry of a society without restraints. Me do- the cry of hell He did! The cry of the redeemed. The final solution for troubled hearts: People who do whatever is right in their own eyes only find destruction.. Whatever lives are broken and troubled. What is the answer to troubled heart? It's leaving a whatever life and finding a new identity as a whoever. John 3:16   “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

In this episode, Amber covers the murder of Michelle Mockbee. Michelle was a bright, beautiful 42-year old woman. She was the mother of 2 daughters, Madelyn and Carli and had been married to her husband Dan for 16 years. On May 29, 2012, Michelle was found bludgeoned to death at her place of work. But who would want Michelle dead?Amber pulled her sources from:www.chillingcrimes.com Blog post from 10-29-20www.oxygen.com 9-2-21 “After a Kentucky mom is murdered at her workplace, a shocking trial occurs” by Jill SederstromGeneration Why Podcast “Michelle Mockbee” released 8-15-21Then  Erika covers myths and legends from each state. She starts with a haunted playground in Alabama and made it through to the night watchers of Hawaii. Next time she will start in Idaho and see how far we can get.  So go ahead and listen in and decide for yourself if you think these myths and legends have any real truth to them or not. Erika pulled her sources:www.thrillist.com/ The Creepiest Urban Legend in Every State / By Thrillist Features / Sept.30, 2017www.clickorlando.com/   23 of the strangest things that happened in Florida 2020/ Adrienne Cutway / Dec. 28, 2020www.cnn.com / A Georgia lake's dark and deadly history has some people seeing ghosts / Faith Karimi / Oct. 31, 2020www.wikipedia.com

John 6:1521 (ESV) 15Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. Jesus Walks on Water 16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20But he said to them, It is I; do not be afraid. 21Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

Message John 6 : 16-21 - Pastor Jim Apgar John 20 : 31 31but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Mark 6 : 52 52For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. John 12 : 24 24Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. John 6 : 16-21 16Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. Exodus 24 : 9-11 9Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. 11But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank. Daniel 3 : 24-25 24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3 : 27 27And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. John 6 : 68-69 68But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” II Chronicles 7 : 13-14 13When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Matthew 14 :33 33Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Message John 6 : 16-21 - Pastor Jim Apgar John 20 : 31 31but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Mark 6 : 52 52For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. John 12 : 24 24Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. John 6 : 16-21 16Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. Exodus 24 : 9-11 9Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. 11But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank. Daniel 3 : 24-25 24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3 : 27 27And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. John 6 : 68-69 68But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” II Chronicles 7 : 13-14 13When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Matthew 14 :33 33Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Paul’s Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia   13Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and went back to Jerusalem.Ac 12:12; 13:6; 15:38 14They continued their journey from Perga and reached Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.Ac 9:20; 14:19,21; 16:3; 17:2; 18:4 15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”Mk 5:22; Ac 15:21 16Paul stood up and motioned with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites, and you who fear God, listen!Ac 10:2; 12:17 17The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, made the people prosper during their stay in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with a mighty13:17 Lit with an uplifted arm.Ex 1:6; 6:6; Dt 7:6–8; Ac 7:17 18And for about forty years he put up with them13:18 Other mss read he cared for them in the wilderness;Dt 1:31; Ac 7:36 19and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan,Dt 7:1; Jos 14:1; 19:51; Ps 78:55; Ac 7:45 he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20This all took about 450 years. After this, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.Jdg 2:16; 1Sm 3:20; Ac 3:24 21Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.1Sm 8:5; 9:1; 10:1 22After removing him,1Sm 15:23,26; 16:13 he raised up David as their king and testified about him, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart,13:221Sm 13:14; Ps 89:201Sm 13:14; Ps 89:20 who will carry out all my will.’ 23“From this man’s descendants, as he promised, God brought to IsraelPs 132:1; Mt 1:1; Lk 2:11; Ac 13:32 the Savior, Jesus.13:23 Other mss read brought salvation 24Before his coming to public attention, John had previously proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.Mt 3:1; Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3; Ac 1:22; 19:4 25Now as John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But one is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’Mt 3:11; Mk 1:7; Lk 3:16; Jn 1:20,27; Ac 20:24 26“Brothers and sisters, children of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the word of this salvation has been sent.Ac 4:12; 5:20 27Since the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him or the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they have fulfilled their words by condemning him.Lk 24:27; Ac 3:17 28Though they found no grounds for the death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed.Mt 27:22–23; Ac 3:14 29When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb.Mt 27:59; Lk 23:53; Ac 5:30 30But God raised him from the dead,Mt 28:6; Ac 2:24 31and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.Mt 28:16; Lk 24:48; Ac 1:3 32And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors.Ac 5:42; 26:6; Rm 4:13; 9:4 33God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm: You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 13:33 Or I have begotten you 13:33 Ps 2:7 Ps 2:7; Heb 1:5; 5:5 34As to his raising him from the dead, never to return to decay, he has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure promises of David.13:34Is 55:3Is 55:3; Ac 13:30,37 35Therefore he also says in another passage, You will not let your Holy One see decay.13:35Ps 16:10Ps 16:10; Ac 2:27 36For David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep,Ac 7:60; 1Co 11:30; 15:6,18,20,51; 1Th 4:13–15 was buried with his fathers, and decayed,1Kg 2:10; Ac 2:29; 13:22; 20:27 37but the one God raised up did not decay. 38Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you.Lk 24:47; Ac 2:38 39Everyone who believes is justified13:39 Or freed, also later in this versethrough him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.Rm 3:28; 10:4 40So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you: 41 Look, you scoffers, marvel and vanish away, because I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe, even if someone were to explain it to you.”13:41 Hab 1:5Is 29:14; Hab 1:5 Paul and Barnabas in Antioch 42As they were leaving, the people13:42 Other mss read they were leaving the synagogue of the Jews, the Gentiles urged them to speak about these matters the following Sabbath. 43After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and urging them to continue in the grace of God.Ac 11:23; 14:22 44The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord.13:44 Other mss read of God 45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him.Ac 18:6; 1Th 2:16; 1Pt 4:4; Jd 10 46Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.Mt 21:43; Ac 3:26; 18:6; 22:21; 28:28 47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”13:47Is 49:6Is 42:6; 49:6; Lk 2:32 48When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district.Ac 14:2,19; 2Tm 3:11 51But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feetMt 10:14; Mk 6:11; Lk 9:5; Ac 18:6 against themAc 14:1,19,21; 16:2; 2Tm 3:11 and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

We can’t stay here anymore week 8 "Paul and Barnabas scatter." Preparing for the Mission Field 1Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch,Mt 14:1; Ac 4:36; 11:19,22,27; 1Co 12:28 and Saul. 2As they were worshiping13:2 Or were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”Ac 8:29; 9:15; Rm 1:1; Gl 1:15 3Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.Ac 6:6; 14:26 The Mission to Cyprus 4So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5Arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.Ac 9:20; 12:12 6When they had traveled the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.Mt 7:15; Ac 8:9 7He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.Ac 18:12; 19:38 8But Elymas the sorcerer (that is the meaning of his name) opposedEx 7:11; 2Tm 3:8 them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.Ac 6:7; 8:9 9But Saul — also called Paul — filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at Elymas 10and said, “You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery, you son of the devilMt 13:38; Jn 8:44 and enemy of all that is right. Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight pathsHs 14:9; 2Pt 2:15 of the Lord? 11Now, look, the Lord’s hand is against you.Ex 9:3; 1Sm 5:6–7; Ps 32:4; Heb 10:31 You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12Then, when he saw what happened, the proconsul believed, because he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.Ac 13:49; 15:35–36 Paul’s Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia 13Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and went back to Jerusalem.Ac 12:12; 13:6; 15:38 14They continued their journey from Perga and reached Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.Ac 9:20; 14:19,21; 16:3; 17:2; 18:4 15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”Mk 5:22; Ac 15:21 16Paul stood up and motioned with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites, and you who fear God, listen!Ac 10:2; 12:17 17The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, made the people prosper during their stay in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with a mighty13:17 Lit with an uplifted arm.Ex 1:6; 6:6; Dt 7:6–8; Ac 7:17 18And for about forty years he put up with them13:18 Other mss read he cared for them in the wilderness;Dt 1:31; Ac 7:36 19and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan,Dt 7:1; Jos 14:1; 19:51; Ps 78:55; Ac 7:45 he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20This all took about 450 years. After this, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.Jdg 2:16; 1Sm 3:20; Ac 3:24 21Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.1Sm 8:5; 9:1; 10:1 22After removing him,1Sm 15:23,26; 16:13 he raised up David as their king and testified about him, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart,13:221Sm 13:14; Ps 89:201Sm 13:14; Ps 89:20 who will carry out all my will.’ 23“From this man’s descendants, as he promised, God brought to IsraelPs 132:1; Mt 1:1; Lk 2:11; Ac 13:32 the Savior, Jesus.13:23 Other mss read brought salvation 24Before his coming to public attention, John had previously proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.Mt 3:1; Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3; Ac 1:22; 19:4 25Now as John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But one is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’Mt 3:11; Mk 1:7; Lk 3:16; Jn 1:20,27; Ac 20:24 26“Brothers and sisters, children of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the word of this salvation has been sent.Ac 4:12; 5:20 27Since the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him or the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they have fulfilled their words by condemning him.Lk 24:27; Ac 3:17 28Though they found no grounds for the death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed.Mt 27:22–23; Ac 3:14 29When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb.Mt 27:59; Lk 23:53; Ac 5:30 30But God raised him from the dead,Mt 28:6; Ac 2:24 31and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.Mt 28:16; Lk 24:48; Ac 1:3 32And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors.Ac 5:42; 26:6; Rm 4:13; 9:4 33God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm: You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 13:33 Or I have begotten you 13:33 Ps 2:7 Ps 2:7; Heb 1:5; 5:5 34As to his raising him from the dead, never to return to decay, he has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure promises of David.13:34Is 55:3Is 55:3; Ac 13:30,37 35Therefore he also says in another passage, You will not let your Holy One see decay.13:35Ps 16:10Ps 16:10; Ac 2:27 36For David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep,Ac 7:60; 1Co 11:30; 15:6,18,20,51; 1Th 4:13–15 was buried with his fathers, and decayed,1Kg 2:10; Ac 2:29; 13:22; 20:27 37but the one God raised up did not decay. 38Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you.Lk 24:47; Ac 2:38 39Everyone who believes is justified13:39 Or freed, also later in this versethrough him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.Rm 3:28; 10:4 40So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you: 41 Look, you scoffers, marvel and vanish away, because I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe, even if someone were to explain it to you.”13:41 Hab 1:5Is 29:14; Hab 1:5 Paul and Barnabas in Antioch 42As they were leaving, the people13:42 Other mss read they were leaving the synagogue of the Jews, the Gentiles urged them to speak about these matters the following Sabbath. 43After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and urging them to continue in the grace of God.Ac 11:23; 14:22 44The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord.13:44 Other mss read of God 45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him.Ac 18:6; 1Th 2:16; 1Pt 4:4; Jd 10 46Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.Mt 21:43; Ac 3:26; 18:6; 22:21; 28:28 47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”13:47Is 49:6Is 42:6; 49:6; Lk 2:32 48When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district.Ac 14:2,19; 2Tm 3:11 51But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feetMt 10:14; Mk 6:11; Lk 9:5; Ac 18:6 against themAc 14:1,19,21; 16:2; 2Tm 3:11 and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.Mt 5:12; Jn 16:22; Ac 2:4     “The Gospel washes away our old identity”    "The Antioch church was diverse yet Unified.... hungry and passionately pursuing the spirit.... Generous and wholly Unselfish."

Helpful LinksSojourning in Babylon - An Introduction to the Book of Danielhttps://www.powerofchange.org/blog/2009/1/3/sojourning-in-babylon-an-introduction-to-the-book-of-daniel.htmlThe Borg Collective - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BorgScriptures Referenced5 "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. 9 They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. 10 At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. 11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!" - Habakkuk 1:5-113 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. - Daniel 1:3-417 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. - Daniel 1:17-2017 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. - 1 Peter 1:17-21Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” - Revelation 11:15

Paul Arrested 27When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,28shouting, Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.29(They had previously seen Trophimusthe Ephesianin the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.) 30The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul,they dragged himfrom the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.31While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.32He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be boundwith twochains.Then he asked who he was and what he had done.34Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another,and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.35When Paul reached the steps,the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers.36The crowd that followed kept shouting, Get rid of him! Paul Speaks to the Crowd 37As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks,he asked the commander, May I say something to you? Do you speak Greek? he replied.38Arent you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wildernesssome time ago? 39Paul answered, I am a Jew, from Tarsusin Cilicia,a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people. 40After receiving the commanders permission, Paul stood on the steps and motionedto the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic[a]:221Brothers and fathers,listen now to my defense. 2When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic,they became very quiet. Then Paul said:3I am a Jew,born in Tarsusof Cilicia,but brought up in this city. I studied underGamalieland was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.I was just as zealousfor God as any of you are today.4I persecutedthe followers of this Wayto their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,5as the high priest and all the Councilcan themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associatesin Damascus,and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. 6About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me? 8Who are you, Lord? I asked. I am Jesus of Nazareth,whom you are persecuting,he replied.9My companions saw the light,but they did not understand the voiceof him who was speaking to me. 10What shall I do, Lord? I asked. Get up,the Lord said,and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. 12A man named Ananias came to see me.He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.13He stood beside me and said, Brother Saul, receive your sight! And at that very moment I was able to see him. 14Then he said: The God of our ancestorshas chosen you to know his will and to seethe Righteous Oneand to hear words from his mouth.15You will be his witnessto all people of what you have seenand heard.16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptizedand wash your sins away,calling on his name. 17When I returned to Jerusalemand was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance18and saw the Lord speaking to me.Quick!he said.Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me. 19Lord, I replied, these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprisonand beatthose who believe in you.20And when the blood of your martyr[b]Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him. 21Then the Lord said to me,Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles. Paul the Roman Citizen 22The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, Rid the earth of him!Hes not fit to live! 23As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaksand flinging dust into the air,24the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.He directedthat he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.25As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasnt even been found guilty? 26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. What are you going to do? he asked. This man is a Roman citizen. 27The commander went to Paul and asked, Tell me, are you a Roman citizen? Yes, I am, he answered. 28Then the commander said, I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship. But I was born a citizen, Paul replied. 29Those who were about to interrogate himwithdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen,in chains. Paul Before the Sanhedrin 30The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews.So the next day he released himand ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrinto assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them. 23Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrinand said, My brothers,I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscienceto this day.2At this the high priest Ananiasordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.3Then Paul said to him, God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck! 4Those who were standing near Paul said, How dare you insult Gods high priest! 5Paul replied, Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.[c] 6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadduceesand the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, My brothers,I am a Pharisee,descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) 9There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Phariseesstood up and argued vigorously. We find nothing wrong with this man,they said. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?10The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks. 11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said,Take courage!As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.

Find us online at: AdventNYC.orgEmail us at: Podcast@AdventNYC.orgTalk with us at: Advent Sermons & Conversations on FacebookCome to a service and hear the sermons live and in person Sunday morning 9am and 11am in English and 12:30pm in Spanish at 93rd and Broadway.Readings for this Week:First Reading: Joshua 5:9-12By celebrating the Passover and eating the produce of the promised land instead of the miraculous manna that had sustained them in the desert, the Israelites symbolically bring their forty years of wilderness wandering to an end at Gilgal.9The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.  10While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. 11On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.Psalm: Psalm 32Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord. (Ps. 32:11)1Happy are they whose transgressions | are forgiven,  and whose sin is | put away! 2Happy are they to whom the Lord im- | putes no guilt,  and in whose spirit there | is no guile! R 3While I held my tongue, my bones with- | ered away,  because of my groaning | all day long. 4For your hand was heavy upon me | day and night;  my moisture was dried up as in the | heat of summer. 5Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not con- | ceal my guilt.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” Then you forgave me the guilt | of my sin. 6Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in | time of trouble;  when the great waters overflow, they | shall not reach them. R 7You are my hiding-place; you preserve | me from trouble;  you surround me with shouts | of deliverance. 8“I will instruct you and teach you in the way that | you should go;  I will guide you | with my eye. 9Do not be like horse or mule, which have no | understanding;  who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will | not stay near you.” 10Great are the tribulations | of the wicked;  but mercy embraces those who trust | in the Lord. 11Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice | in the Lord;  shout for joy, all who are | true of heart. RSecond Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21One way to describe the gospel is the promise that in Christ everything is transformed into newness. All mistakes, all deliberate sins, all old history is reconciled with Christ’s resurrection. This is Paul’s strong message to the congregation in the city of Corinth.16From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32Jesus tells a parable about a son who ponders his father’s love only after he has spurned it. The grace he receives is beyond his hopes. That same grace is a crisis for an older brother who believed it was his obedience that earned his place in the father’s home.1Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to [Jesus.] 2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  3So he told them this parable: 11b“There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.  25“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Sunday, February 03, 2019   Year (cycle): C   The Collect:  Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.   Old Testament:  Jeremiah 1:4-10 4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 5 ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.' 6Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.' 7But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.' 9Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.' Psalm:  Psalm 71:1-6 1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge; *       let me never be ashamed. 2 In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; *      incline your ear to me and save me. 3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; *      you are my crag and my stronghold. 4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, *      from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor. 5 For you are my hope, O Lord God, *      my confidence since I was young. 6 I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;    from my mother's womb you have been my strength; *      my praise shall be always of you. Epistle:  1 Corinthians 13:1-13 1 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 11When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. 12For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. Gospel:  Luke 4:21-30 21Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.' 22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph's son?' 23He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.” ' 24And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's home town. 25But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.' 28When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Find us online at: AdventNYC.orgEmail us at: Podcast@AdventNYC.orgTalk with us at: Advent Sermons & Conversations on FacebookCome to a service Sunday morning 9am and 11am in English and 12:30pm in Spanish at 93rd and Broadway.Reading for this Week:First Reading2 Kings 4:42-4442A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to [Elisha,] the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.” 43But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” So he repeated, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ” 44He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.PsalmPsalm 145:10-1810All your works shall praise | you, O Lord,  and your faithful | ones shall bless you. 11They shall tell of the glory | of your kingdom  and speak | of your power, 12that all people may know | of your power  and the glorious splendor | of your kingdom. 13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your dominion endures through- | out all ages.  You, Lord, are faithful in all your words, and loving in | all your works. R 14The Lord upholds all | those who fall  and lifts up those who | are bowed down. 15The eyes of all wait upon | you, O Lord,  and you give them their food | in due season. 16You open | wide your hand  and satisfy the desire of every | living thing. 17You are righteous in | all your ways  and loving in | all your works. 18You are near to all who | call upon you,  to all who call up- | on you faithfully. RSecond ReadingEphesians 3:14-2114For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  20Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.GospelJohn 6:1-211Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”  15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.  16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

Exodus 33 21Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will remove my hand and you will see […]

Luke 21:4-24: "And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6"As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." 7And they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?" 8And he said, "See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. 9And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once." 10Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your lives. 20"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Luke 21:4-24: "And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6"As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." 7And they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?" 8And he said, "See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. 9And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once." 10Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your lives. 20"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Luke 21:4-24: "And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6"As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." 7And they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?" 8And he said, "See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. 9And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once." 10Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your lives. 20"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Luke 21:4-24: "And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6"As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." 7And they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?" 8And he said, "See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. 9And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once." 10Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your lives. 20"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Pastor Zenzile Legend February 16, 2014 Judges 61The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. 2Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 3Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. 4They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. 5They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. 6Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help. 7When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.” 11The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” 13“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” 15“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” 17Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.” And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.” 19Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. 20The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so. 21Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared. 22When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” 23But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” 24So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 25That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.” 27So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. 28In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! 29They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” 30The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” 31But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” 32So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.” 33Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them. 36Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. 39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew. Judges 7 1Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. 4But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” 6Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. 7The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” 8So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. 9During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. 13Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” 14His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” 15When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 16Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. 17“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ” 19Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. 22When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.