Podcast appearances and mentions of christ they

Now amazing, the place we pick up in Luke 12:22-29, seemsto specifically be for our family during a time like this! Remember Jesusbegins this chapter telling His disciples to “beware of hypocrisy” (vv. 1-12).Then Jesus tells them to “beware of covetousness” (vv. 13-21). You might havenoticed like me, that in verse 22, this is the second time Jesus specificallyaddresses His disciple in this chapter. In verses 1 and 22, we read, “…Jesussaid to His disciples”. Now, In verse 22, Jesus basically is saying to them,and to us, “beware of worry”. Jesus had just told the story of the rich farmer who was afool, not because he was rich, but because he forgot to consider God and eternity.The rich farmer worried because he had too much, but the disciples might betempted to worry because they did not have enough! They had given up all theyhad in order to follow Christ They were living by faith, and faith is alwaystested. First, we should remember that worry is destructive.The word translated "worry" in Luke 12:22 (or “anxious” in othertranslations), means "to be torn apart," and the word “anxious”,translated "doubtful mind" in Luke 12:29, KJV, ASV, means "to beheld in suspense." It is the picture of a ship being tossed in a storm.Our English word worry comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word that means "tostrangle." "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow," saidCorrie Ten Boom; "it empties today of its strength." Someone said, “Worryis like being in a rocking chair. It will give you something to do but won'tget you anywhere”. It will emotionally wear you out! Worry is also deceptive. It gives us a falseview of life, of itself, and of God. Worry convinces us that life is made up ofwhat we eat and what we wear. We get so concerned about the means that wetotally forget about the end, which is to glorify God (Matt. 6:33). There is agreat difference between making a living and making a life. Worry blinds us tothe world around us and the way God cares for His creation. God makes theflowers beautiful, and He even feeds the unclean ravens who have no ability tosow or reap. He ought to be able to care for men to whom He has given theability to work. Jesus was not suggesting that we sit around and let God feedus, for the birds themselves work hard to stay alive. Rather, He encourages usto trust Him and cooperate with Him in using the abilities and opportunitiesthat He gives us (2 Thes. 3:6-15). But worry even blinds us to itself. We can get to the placewhere we actually think that worry accomplishes good things in our lives! InLuke 12:25, Jesus pointed out that our worries do not add one extra minute toour lives (Ps. 39:5) or one extra inch to our height. The rich farmer'sfretting certainly did not lengthen his life! Instead of adding to our lives,our worries take away from our lives. People can worry themselves into thehospital or into the grave! Once again, Jesus argued from the lesser to thegreater. If God feeds the birds, He will surely feed His children. If Hebeautifies the plants that grow up one day and are cut down the next, surely Hewill clothe His own people. The problem is not His little power, for He can doanything; the problem is our little faith. The emotion of worry should be like an alarm clock to us.It warns and alerts us that we are looking and thinking more about our needs,and focusing on them, rather than our great God who loves us and cares for us, andis more than sufficient to meet those needs. May the Lord often remind us of His cure for worry in Philippians4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer andsupplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; andthe peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts andminds through Christ Jesus.” God bless!

In this episode of the Reformed Brotherhood, Tony and Jesse dive into Colossians 2:6-10, exploring the profound truths of walking in Christ and being rooted in His sufficiency. They unpack the significance of receiving Christ as Lord, emphasizing the importance of living a life grounded in faith and gratitude. The episode highlights the contrast between the fullness of Christ and the emptiness of worldly philosophies, warning listeners to guard against being taken captive by human traditions and false teachings. The discussion emphasizes how Christ is the ultimate authority, with the fullness of deity dwelling in Him bodily. This fullness not only reveals His divine nature but also fills believers, enabling them to live lives conformed to His pattern. Tony and Jesse also touch on how the gospel stands apart as an alien knowledge — a divine revelation that cannot be conceived by human minds or traditions. As they explore the text, the hosts discuss the practical implications of walking in Christ, from steadfast faith to gratitude and spiritual growth. They encourage listeners to seek a deeper understanding of Scripture, depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance, and remain vigilant against anything that detracts from Christ's sufficiency and authority. Key Points: Receiving Christ as Lord: The episode begins by unpacking the command to walk in Christ as those who have received Him as Lord. This involves submitting to His authority and living a life rooted in His teachings. Avoiding Empty Philosophy: The hosts warn against being taken captive by human traditions and worldly philosophies, which detract from the sufficiency of Christ and the gospel's divine truth. The Fullness of Christ: They emphasize that in Christ, the fullness of deity dwells bodily, and believers are filled in Him. This profound reality shapes how Christians live and view the world. Practical Christian Living: The discussion highlights the importance of spiritual growth, gratitude, and the necessity of being grounded in Scripture to guard against false teachings. Union with Christ: The episode sets the stage for a deeper dive into the themes of baptism and union with Christ, to be explored in the next installment. Questions for Reflection: What does it mean to “receive Christ Jesus as Lord,” and how does this shape your daily life? How can you remain vigilant against being taken captive by worldly philosophies or human traditions? In what ways does the knowledge of Christ's fullness and sufficiency transform your understanding of faith and worship? How can you cultivate a life of gratitude in response to the truths of the gospel? What practices can help you remain rooted and built up in Christ, especially amidst challenges to your faith?

 1st Corinthians 2:15 – “The spiritual person, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone .”   Please note that the 1st part is in English, and the 2nd part is in Malayalam starting at 16:46 mark.According to 1st Corinthians chapters 2 and 3, there are four kinds of people. 1)The natural man - A natural man does not have the mind of Christ.  The natural man perceives the things of God to be foolishness and refuses to have the thinking of Christ.2) The fleshly person-  A fleshly person has jealousy, strife and arrogance.  3) The infants in Christ - They have just come to know Christ and are only now beginning to learn about the things of God. Sometimes they will look like a fleshly person as they cannot think or judge with the mind of Christ.4 ) The spiritual man – As the things of God are spiritually perceived, they are able to discern or evaluate properly the things of God.  A spiritual man has the mind of Christ. What makes a person spiritual, how should a spiritual person behave, and what are the rewards of a spiritual person are discussed.  A personal evaluation of the current Christians is made.My name... Cicily at cicilysunny@gmail.com

Christ described how He has many things to say to His people, but they were not able to bear them at that time.--His disciples couldn't accept the death of Christ- They wanted a physical kingdom instead of a justifying sacrifice.--They were prejudiced against the non-Jewish people, thinking that Israel was God's only chosen people, and not understanding the Gospel is for all mankind---They didn't believe the resurrection of Christ- They didn't realize that a heavenly country is far better than an earthly country. They didn't understand that Christ's kingdom, at this time, is pursued by spiritual means, rather than by physical strife.--They didn't grasp the adoption of believers as the sons of God- They didn't understand how our bodies would be changed when Christ raises us from the dead.--Christ had surely broached many of these matters to them, but they were not able to bear them then.--Christ's answer to this is to send the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, to guide His people into all these truths, and many more---The Holy Ghost will guide us into all truth, because He will not speak of Himself, but He will speak what He hears about God the Father and His Son. --Here Christ emphasizes the complete unity of the persons of the Godhead. There are no different stories told, or falsehoods conveyed, by the Holy Ghost. He is to be trusted explicitly and absolutely, as Christ's representative to His people.--Christ then makes it clear- the Comforter, by doing this work, will glorify the Lord Jesus---Everything true about Christ glorifies Him- The truth about Jesus is His glory- There is nothing true about Him that blemishes or stains His honor and majesty-

Christ described how He has many things to say to His people, but they were not able to bear them at that time.--His disciples couldn't accept the death of Christ- They wanted a physical kingdom instead of a justifying sacrifice.--They were prejudiced against the non-Jewish people, thinking that Israel was God's only chosen people, and not understanding the Gospel is for all mankind---They didn't believe the resurrection of Christ- They didn't realize that a heavenly country is far better than an earthly country. They didn't understand that Christ's kingdom, at this time, is pursued by spiritual means, rather than by physical strife.--They didn't grasp the adoption of believers as the sons of God- They didn't understand how our bodies would be changed when Christ raises us from the dead.--Christ had surely broached many of these matters to them, but they were not able to bear them then.--Christ's answer to this is to send the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, to guide His people into all these truths, and many more---The Holy Ghost will guide us into all truth, because He will not speak of Himself, but He will speak what He hears about God the Father and His Son. --Here Christ emphasizes the complete unity of the persons of the Godhead. There are no different stories told, or falsehoods conveyed, by the Holy Ghost. He is to be trusted explicitly and absolutely, as Christ's representative to His people.--Christ then makes it clear- the Comforter, by doing this work, will glorify the Lord Jesus---Everything true about Christ glorifies Him- The truth about Jesus is His glory- There is nothing true about Him that blemishes or stains His honor and majesty-

Matthew 5-8 speaks to the condition of the natural man's heart, the condition of the blessed man's heart and that great promise of Christ -They shall see God-

Matthew 5:8 speaks to the condition of the natural man's heart, the condition of the blessed man's heart and that great promise of Christ "They shall see God"

"And thus we shall always be with the Lord." I quoted a fragment of one of the most precious promises we have, as believers. It's from 1 Thessalonians 4, a passage we'll visit today. There is hope for "the dead in Christ:" They will be resurrected, changed, and caught up. And their living brothers and sisters will be right behind them. And then what? How do events unfold for us after the Rapture? Here's the conclusion of Jim's sermon, Kept From the Hour. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS09202023_0.mp3Scripture References: Revelation 3:10

“Maturing in Christ”Acts 1:8“We mature in Christ as we prioritize what Jesus prioritizes.”3 signs of a disciple maturing in Christ:They gain a heavenly perspective (Luke 8:5-15)They distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:13-14)They suffer well (James 1:2-4)Key catalyst for further growth - Living on Mission (Acts 1:8)Questions to consider: What evidence of maturity do you see in your Christian life? What could promote greater maturity for you? How could you embrace living on mission more fully in your day-to-day life?

There are three ways an antichrist will deny Jesus.  They say He is not the Christ They say He is not God the Son They say He did not come as fully God and fully man. But these false teachings do not stand against the truth. Because Jesus is the Christ Jesus is God the Son Jesus is fully God and fully man. This is our mid-week Bible study.

Matthew 27-11-22 -KJV- And Jesus stood before the governor- and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews- And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. 12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee- 14 And he answered him to never a word- insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. 15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you- Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ- 18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man- for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you- They said, Barabbas. 22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ- They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

Philippians 2:19-30 New King James Version Timothy Commended 19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your [a]state. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. 25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; 26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; 30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, [b]not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me. A Mundane Travel Itinerary of 3 Ministers used by the Holy Spirit to further Illustrate TRUTH Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” In this short passage, Paul, Timothy, & Epaphroditus  illustrate Men who had a servants Heart, though both different in personality Cultivating A Servants Heart Centered on Jesus Christ Vs. 19,24 Paul submitted all His ministry to the Lord Vs. 21,22 Timothy also, served the Lord , Not seeking His own interests…But helped Paul ‘In the Furtherance of the Gospel' (Phil. 1:12) Vs.25   Epaphroditus was also an example of servant leadership in pushing through sickness to  minister to Paul's need   MINISTERED  (leitourgos) (Liter-goss) this word is translated both minister & service & we get our English word LITRGY from this word, which not only has to do with service but also.. adoration & veneration (See Romans 12:1)…To the Greeks in the secular sense it meant  sacred service to ones community THREE Distinguishing attitudes of Servants Focused on Christ: They are willing to Go anywhere They are willing to Serve anyone ( see Philip Acts 8:5-8, 26-40) They are willing to sacrifice Anything   Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my [b]race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of A Servants Heart Puts Others Ahead of Himself for the Sake of Christ Vs. 2:22 that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel (Timothy)…Paul was willing to send His  favorite son though he himself was in need Vs.30 (Of Epaphroditus)…. because for the work of Christ he came close to death, [b]not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me…..The Philippian church had sent their Minister to Paul Epaphroditus selflessly served Paul …. Paul calls  Epaphroditus “ one who ministered to my need” , This man ministered to Paul's wants/ needs to the point of endangering his own life by coming to Paul's aid on behalf of the Philipi church… (vs. 30) not regarding his life….The Greek language coveys a reckless abandonment ., a gambling term meaning to throw all caution to the wind…So Epap. Showed NO concern for himself out of Love for Paul ( John15:13 Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down His life for his friends) Of Timothy…VS. 2O.. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus….Vs. 22) But you know his proven character          

Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER 1) To see the importance of combining zeal with the right kind of knowledge 2) To understand that Israel had plenty of opportunity to heed the gospel of Christ, but for the most part they had rejected it SUMMARY As Paul continues to explain God's dealings with the nation of Israel, he repeats his expression of love towards them (1).  Though as a nation they had plenty of zeal, unfortunately their zeal was not according to the right kind of knowledge (2).  Thus they rejected the righteousness of God while trying to establish their own righteousness through the Law of Moses.  But Paul explains that Christ is the fulfillment of the Law and has brought it to an end (3-4). The righteousness God now offers is based upon faith in Christ, not keeping the Law.  It involves not the accomplishment of some great feat (like ascending to heaven or descending to hell), but such things as confessing Jesus as Lord and believing that God raised Him from the dead (5-10).  As foretold by Scripture, it is offered to all, both Jew and Gentile (11-13).  And it is offered through the medium of preaching the Word (14-15). The problem with the nation of Israel, then, is that not all of them received the gospel message, even when they had ample opportunity (16-18).  But as Moses predicted, the day would come when God would provoke Israel to jealousy by another people, who Isaiah said did not seek God yet found Him, while Israel was constantly rebelling against Him (19-21). The theme of this chapter is Israel's present rejection. Paul moved from divine sovereignty (Rom. 9) to human responsibility. He continued the theme of righteousness introduced at the end of the previous chapter (Rom. 9:30–33) and explains three aspects of Israel's rejection You would think that Israel as a nation would have been eagerly expecting the arrival of their Messiah and been prepared to receive Him. For centuries they had known the Old Testament prophecies and had practiced the Law, which was “a schoolmaster” to lead them to Christ (Gal. 3:24). God had sought to prepare the nation, but when Jesus Christ came, they rejected Him. “He came unto His own [world] and His own [people] received Him not” (John 1:11). To be sure, there was a faithful remnant in the nation that looked for His arrival, such as Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25–38); but the majority of the people were not ready when He came. How do we explain this tragic event? Paul gives several reasons why Israel rejected their Messiah. PAUL'S EXPRESSION OF CONCERN FOR ISRAEL (1-4) That Israel be saved, for they have zeal but not real knowledge (1-2) Ro 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. They did not feel a need for salvation (v. 1). There was a time when Paul would have agreed with his people, for he himself opposed the Gospel and considered Jesus Christ an impostor. Israel considered the Gentiles in need of salvation, but certainly not the themselves. In several of His parables, Jesus pointed out this wrong attitude: the elder brother (Luke 15:11–32) and the Pharisee (Luke 18:9–14) are two examples. Israel would have been happy for political salvation from Rome, but she did not feel she needed spiritual salvation from her own sin. Ro 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. They were zealous for God (v. 2). Ever since Israel returned to their land from Babylonian Captivity, the nation had been cured of idolatry. In the temple and the local synagogues, only the true God was worshiped and served, and only the true Law was taught. So zealous were the Jews that they even “improved upon God's Law” and added their own traditions, making them equal to the Law. Paul himself had been zealous for the Law and the traditions (Acts 26:1–11; Gal. 1:13–14). Ac 22:3 "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. Ga 1:13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers                it was as if Paul had been considering himself a 100-watt light bulb, surrounded by people who were only 75-, 60-, and 25-watt light bulbs. But, when Jesus appeared to him, the righteousness of Jesus was like the brightness of the sun. When Paul realized that, he gave up trying to create his own righteousness and instead placed his faith in Jesus, which was the only sensible thing to do.[i]                But their zeal was not based on the right kind of knowledge; it was heat without light. Sad to say, many religious people today are making the same mistake. They think that their good works and religious deeds will save them, when actually these practices are keeping them from being saved. Certainly many of them are sincere and devout, but sincerity and devotion will never save the soul. “Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight” (Rom. 3:20). Through ignorance, they seek to save themselves by the Law, and do not submit to God's righteousness in Christ which brings an end to the Law (3-4) Ro 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.                They were proud and self-righteous (v. 3). Israel was ignorant of God's righteousness, not because they had never been told, but because they refused to learn. There is an ignorance that comes from lack of opportunity, but Israel had had many opportunities to be saved. In their case, it was an ignorance that stemmed from willful, stubborn resistance to the truth. They would not submit to God. They were proud of their own good works and religious self-righteousness, and would not admit their sins and trust the Savior. Paul had made the same mistake before he met the Lord (Phil. 3:1–11). The godly Presbyterian preacher, Robert Murray McCheyne, was passing out tracts one day and handed one to a well-dressed lady. She gave him a haughty look and said, “Sir, you must not know who I am!” In his kind way, McCheyne replied, “Madam, there is coming a day of judgment, and on that day it will not make any difference who you are!”  4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. They misunderstood their own Law (vv. 4–13). Everything about the Jewish religion pointed to the coming Messiah—their sacrifices, priesthood, temple services, religious festivals, and covenants. Their Law told them they were sinners in need of a Saviour. But instead of letting the Law bring them to Christ They worshiped their Law and rejected their Saviour.  Ga 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.                The Law was a signpost, pointing the way. But it could never take them to their destination. The Law cannot give righteousness; it only leads the sinner to the Saviour who can give righteousness. Christ is “the end of the Law” in the sense that through His death and resurrection, He has terminated the ministry of the Law for those who believe. The Law is ended as far as Christians are concerned. The righteousness of the Law is being fulfilled in the life of the believer through the power of the Spirit (Rom. 8:4); but the reign of the Law has ended (see Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14). “For ye are not under the Law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). Ga 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Mt 5:17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,  14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.  hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

The triumphal ride of Christ into Jerusalem was the dim foreshadowing of His coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory, amid the triumph of angels and the rejoicing of the saints. Then will be fulfilled the words of Christ to the priests and Pharisees: “Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Matthew 23:39. In prophetic vision Zechariah was shown that day of final triumph; and he beheld also the doom of those who at the first advent had rejected Christ: “They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.” Zechariah 12:10. This scene Christ foresaw when He beheld the city and wept over it. In the temporal ruin of Jerusalem He saw the final destruction of that people who were guilty of the blood of the Son of God.

The Riotous Adoption Matthew 27-11-26-11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, -Are you the King of the Jews-- Jesus said, -You have said so.- 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, -Do you not hear how many things they testify against you-- 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, -Whom do you want me to release for you- Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ-- 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, -Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.- 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, -Which of the two do you want me to release for you-- And they said, -Barabbas.- 22 Pilate said to them, -Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ-- They all said, -Let him be crucified-- 23 And he said, -Why- What evil has he done-- But they shouted all the more, -Let him be crucified-- 24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, -I am innocent of this man's blood- see to it yourselves.- 25 And all the people answered, -His blood be on us and on o

Intro: Last week, we looked at how Peter and John handled themselves when the pressure was on from the authorities and the religious experts forbidding the preaching the gospel. They were accused wrongly for doing an act of kindness and then they were threatened. The council tried to intimidate them into submission. But, God, through the Holy Spirit, gave Peter and John supernatural courage to stand firm with respect. They made it clear to  the council that when it comes to a choice of obeying them or obeying God, they would obey God no matter what the consequences. In this passage today, Peter and John report to the church what happened when they were arrested on false accusation and severely threatened. How the church responded to this report should be a model for how the church today ought to respond. They Prayed They cried out to God They were united e.g. of one accord They affirmed that the Lord is Sovereign In control Directing history towards His purpose They affirmed Him as Creator All powerful All mighty They affirmed that God speaks By the Holy Spirit In and trough His servants e.g. David Psalm 2:1-2 Jesus is the anointed one, the Messiah, the Christ They recapped what happened to Jesus Herod and Pilate in conjunction with the Gentile, the people of Israel, conspired against the Messiah But, this was part of God's greater plan of salvation God was still in control They addressed the threats of the Sadducees, the priests, and the rulers made against Peter, John, and by implication, the church They didn't pray that God would take away the opposition They prayed that God would enable the church to speak His Word with great boldness They prayed for signs and wonders to point people to Jesus Christ and the glory of God They prayed that these miracles would be done in the holy name of Jesus. They waited for God's answer The place of their prayer meeting was shaken They were all filled with the Holy Spirit They spoke the Word of God  boldly They opposition grew even more Illustration: The bar in a small town Closing: How about us church? Do you believe that the church needs this kind of urgent and heartfelt corporate prayer? Do we believe in the power of corporate prayer? We are facing threats today also. Some people in positions of  power in politics, education, economics, and science what to marginalize or do away with God. I believe that we will need corporate prayer to ask God to enable us with holy boldness to speak His word even in the face of growing opposition and criticism.

2 Peter 1:1-4 God Gives Great Gifts! - Bill J Last week, we took a little look back at 1st Peter and ahead to 2nd Peter. 1st Peter looked at trials coming from OUTSIDE the Church. Stand firm in God’s Grace! 2nd Peter looks at trials coming from INSIDE the Church. Stand firm in God’s Truth! Peter was aware that this was going to be his last message. ~ He would soon be martyred for his faith.  Jesus had told him it was how he would die! Nero was Emperor and persecution of Christians was rampant.     The thing that he wanted to make sure they, and we get is that the church stayed diligent to not allow any other gospel to be preached...  NO variation from what they were taught.   False teachers and False teaching were already deceiving many... Don’t be deceived!!! 2nd Peter in a nutshell: IF our Faith in Christ is real, and we stay Focused on Him, it will be evident in our behavior.   IF we continue to grow and mature in our faith and knowledge of Christ; We are transformed by the Spirit of God and we won’t be deceived by false teachers or false teaching! With that backdrop, let’s jump into 2nd Peter! 2 Peter 1:1-4nlt ~ This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. 2 May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 2 Peter 1:1 ~ This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. Notice Peter refers to himself as Simon Peter.  Simon being his birth name, and “Peter” (Gk. petros meaning Rock / Stone) being the name given to him by Jesus.   There was significance in his names... It’s like Simon had a permanent case of “Foot in Mouth” disease.   He made promises he couldn’t keep.   He’d jump into something with both feet, then be the first one to back out...   It seems like Jesus changed Simon’s name because He wanted his new name to be a perpetual reminder to him about who he could be.  From that point on, whatever Jesus called him sent him a subtle message.  If He called him Simon, He was signaling him that he was acting like his old self.  If He called him Peter / Rock, He was commending him for acting the way he should. The Lord could correct or commend him just by using one name or the other. Peter used “Simon Peter” to show both his broken side and his rock-solid side.   He knew the fullness of His guilt and sin. He knew the weight of shame. But he also knew the sufficiency of God’s Grace!  He didn’t pretend or deny his faults... Peter knew it was only by God’s Grace that he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ! Peter KNEW he had denied knowing Jesus ~ THREE times! Shortly after proclaiming he would NEVER fall away... Peter KNEW it was Jesus that restored him! He called Himself a Slave and Apostle of Jesus Christ! A Slave, because Peter had died to his will and his ways! No rights, No will of his own! An Apostle because of the grace of God! Jesus said in Matt 6:24 ~ No man can serve two masters... a more literal translation would be “No man can be a slave to two masters”... it’s the same Gk word doulos!  It’s why Peter, James, Jude & Paul, all identified themselves as Slaves of Christ ~ They knew who they were and knew who they had become, and it wasn’t about them anymore...

The Jesus Saves Ministry 1007 W. Arlington Blvd Greenville, N. C. 27834  Email: gojesusnow@aol.com www.tjsm.org  studio   :252.916.0104  phone: 252.214.0799 Apostle Lonnie Stocks, pastor   Matthew 27:21-25 (KJV) 21  The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 22  Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23  And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.   

“So to walk even as He walked.” — 1 John 2:6 Why should Christians imitate Christ? They should do it for their own sakes. If they desire to be in a healthy state of soul — if they would escape the sickness of sin, and enjoy the vigour of growing grace, let Jesus be their […]

Psalm 146 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! 2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; 7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 10 The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD! A Prayer:Almighty and everlasting God, You willed that Your Son should bear for us the pains of the cross, that You might remove from us the power of the adversary: Help us to remember and give thanks for our Lord’s Passion that we may obtain remission of sin and redemption from everlasting death; through the same, our Lord Jesus Christ. AmenMatthew 27:11-54 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so." 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?" 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream." 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." 22 Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" 23 And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!" 24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." 25 And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. 32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, "This man is calling Elijah." 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him." 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.   51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Romans 5:1-11 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. And now, may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Palm Sunday of the Lord's PassionLectionary: 37/38 Reading 1MT 21:1-11 At the procession with palms - Gospel 35 Year A When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalemand came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them,“Go into the village opposite you,and immediately you will find an ass tethered,and a colt with her.Untie them and bring them here to me.And if anyone should say anything to you, reply,‘The master has need of them.’Then he will send them at once.”This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophetmight be fulfilled:Say to daughter Zion,“Behold, your king comes to you,meek and riding on an ass,and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them.They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them,and he sat upon them.The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,while others cut branches from the treesand strewed them on the road.The crowds preceding him and those followingkept crying out and saying:“Hosanna to the Son of David;blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord;hosanna in the highest.”And when he entered Jerusalemthe whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?”And the crowds replied,“This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” At The Mass  IS 50:4-7 The Lord GOD has given mea well-trained tongue,that I might know how to speak to the wearya word that will rouse them.Morning after morninghe opens my ear that I may hear;and I have not rebelled,have not turned back.I gave my back to those who beat me,my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;my face I did not shieldfrom buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help,therefore I am not disgraced;I have set my face like flint,knowing that I shall not be put to shame. Responsorial Psalm PS 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24. R. (2a)  My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?All who see me scoff at me;they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:"He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,let him rescue him, if he loves him."R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?Indeed, many dogs surround me,a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;They have pierced my hands and my feet;I can count all my bones.R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?They divide my garments among them,and for my vesture they cast lots.But you, O LORD, be not far from me;O my help, hasten to aid me.R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?I will proclaim your name to my brethren;in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:"You who fear the LORD, praise him;all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel!"R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Reading 2 PHIL 2:6-11 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,did not regard equality with Godsomething to be grasped.Rather, he emptied himself,taking the form of a slave,coming in human likeness;and found human in appearance,he humbled himself,becoming obedient to the point of death,even death on a cross.Because of this, God greatly exalted himand bestowed on him the namewhich is above every name,that at the name of Jesusevery knee should bend,of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess thatJesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.Verse Before The Gospel PHIL 2:8-9 Christ became obedient to the point of death,even death on a cross.because of this, God greatly exalted himand bestowed on him the name which is above every name. Gospel MT 26:14—27:66 OR 27:11-54 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,went to the chief priests and said,“What are you willing to give meif I hand him over to you?”They paid him thirty pieces of silver,and from that time on he looked for an opportunityto hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,the disciples approached Jesus and said,“Where do you want us to preparefor you to eat the Passover?”He said,“Go into the city to a certain man and tell him,‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near;in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”’”The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,and prepared the Passover. When it was evening,he reclined at table with the Twelve.And while they were eating, he said,“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”Deeply distressed at this,they began to say to him one after another,“Surely it is not I, Lord?”He said in reply,“He who has dipped his hand into the dish with meis the one who will betray me.The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”He answered, “You have said so.” While they were eating,Jesus took bread, said the blessing,broke it, and giving it to his disciples said,“Take and eat; this is my body.”Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,“Drink from it, all of you,for this is my blood of the covenant,which will be shed on behalf of manyfor the forgiveness of sins.I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vineuntil the day when I drink it with you newin the kingdom of my Father.”Then, after singing a hymn,they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them,“This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken,for it is written:I will strike the shepherd,and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed;but after I have been raised up,I shall go before you to Galilee.”Peter said to him in reply,“Though all may have their faith in you shaken,mine will never be.”Jesus said to him,“Amen, I say to you,this very night before the cock crows,you will deny me three times.”Peter said to him,“Even though I should have to die with you,I will not deny you.”And all the disciples spoke likewise. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,and he said to his disciples,“Sit here while I go over there and pray.”He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,and began to feel sorrow and distress.Then he said to them,“My soul is sorrowful even to death.Remain here and keep watch with me.”He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying,“My Father, if it is possible,let this cup pass from me;yet, not as I will, but as you will.”When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep.He said to Peter,“So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again,“My Father, if it is not possible that this cup passwithout my drinking it, your will be done!”Then he returned once more and found them asleep,for they could not keep their eyes open.He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time,saying the same thing again.Then he returned to his disciples and said to them,“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?Behold, the hour is at handwhen the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.Get up, let us go.Look, my betrayer is at hand.” While he was still speaking,Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs,who had come from the chief priests and the eldersof the people.His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying,“The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.”Immediately he went over to Jesus and said,“Hail, Rabbi!” and he kissed him.Jesus answered him,“Friend, do what you have come for.”Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesusput his hand to his sword, drew it,and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.Then Jesus said to him,“Put your sword back into its sheath,for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.Do you think that I cannot call upon my Fatherand he will not provide me at this momentwith more than twelve legions of angels?But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilledwhich say that it must come to pass in this way?”At that hour Jesus said to the crowds,“Have you come out as against a robber,with swords and clubs to seize me?Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area,yet you did not arrest me.But all this has come to passthat the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.”Then all the disciples left him and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus led him awayto Caiaphas the high priest,where the scribes and the elders were assembled.Peter was following him at a distanceas far as the high priest’s courtyard,and going inside he sat down with the servantsto see the outcome.The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrinkept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesusin order to put him to death,but they found none,though many false witnesses came forward.Finally two came forward who stated,“This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of Godand within three days rebuild it.’”The high priest rose and addressed him,“Have you no answer?What are these men testifying against you?”But Jesus was silent.Then the high priest said to him,“I order you to tell us under oath before the living Godwhether you are the Christ, the Son of God.”Jesus said to him in reply,“You have said so.But I tell you:From now on you will see ‘the Son of Manseated at the right hand of the Power’and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’”Then the high priest tore his robes and said,“He has blasphemed!What further need have we of witnesses?You have now heard the blasphemy;what is your opinion?”They said in reply,“He deserves to die!”Then they spat in his face and struck him,while some slapped him, saying,“Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?”Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.One of the maids came over to him and said,“You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”But he denied it in front of everyone, saying,“I do not know what you are talking about!”As he went out to the gate, another girl saw himand said to those who were there,“This man was with Jesus the Nazorean.”Again he denied it with an oath,“I do not know the man!”A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter,“Surely you too are one of them;even your speech gives you away.”At that he began to curse and to swear,“I do not know the man.”And immediately a cock crowed.Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken:“Before the cock crows you will deny me three times.”He went out and began to weep bitterly. When it was morning,all the chief priests and the elders of the peopletook counsel against Jesus to put him to death.They bound him, led him away,and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned,deeply regretted what he had done.He returned the thirty pieces of silverto the chief priests and elders, saying,“I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.”They said,“What is that to us?Look to it yourself.”Flinging the money into the temple,he departed and went off and hanged himself.The chief priests gathered up the money, but said,“It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury,for it is the price of blood.”After consultation, they used it to buy the potter’s fieldas a burial place for foreigners.That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood.Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiahthe prophet,And they took the thirty pieces of silver,the value of a man with a price on his head,a price set by some of the Israelites,and they paid it out for the potter’s fieldjust as the Lord had commanded me. Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him,“Are you the king of the Jews?”Jesus said, “You say so.”And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,he made no answer.Then Pilate said to him,“Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?”But he did not answer him one word,so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feastthe governor was accustomed to release to the crowdone prisoner whom they wished.And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them,“Which one do you want me to release to you,Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?”For he knew that it was out of envythat they had handed him over.While he was still seated on the bench,his wife sent him a message,“Have nothing to do with that righteous man.I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowdsto ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.The governor said to them in reply,“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”They answered, "Barabbas!”Pilate said to them,“Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?”They all said,“Let him be crucified!”But he said,“Why? What evil has he done?”They only shouted the louder,“Let him be crucified!”When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all,but that a riot was breaking out instead,he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd,saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.Look to it yourselves.”And the whole people said in reply,“His blood be upon us and upon our children.”Then he released Barabbas to them,but after he had Jesus scourged,he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetoriumand gathered the whole cohort around him.They stripped off his clothesand threw a scarlet military cloak about him.Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head,and a reed in his right hand.And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,“Hail, King of the Jews!”They spat upon him and took the reedand kept striking him on the head.And when they had mocked him,they stripped him of the cloak,dressed him in his own clothes,and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon;this man they pressed into serviceto carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha—which means Place of the Skull —,they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall.But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.After they had crucified him,they divided his garments by casting lots;then they sat down and kept watch over him there.And they placed over his head the written charge against him:This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.Two revolutionaries were crucified with him,one on his right and the other on his left.Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,save yourself, if you are the Son of God,and come down from the cross!”Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,“He saved others; he cannot save himself.So he is the king of Israel!Let him come down from the cross now,and we will believe in him.He trusted in God;let him deliver him now if he wants him.For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”The revolutionaries who were crucified with himalso kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole landuntil three in the afternoon.And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Some of the bystanders who heard it said,“This one is calling for Elijah.”Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge;he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed,gave it to him to drink.But the rest said,“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.”But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice,and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuarywas torn in two from top to bottom.The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection,they entered the holy city and appeared to many.The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesusfeared greatly when they saw the earthquakeand all that was happening, and they said,“Truly, this was the Son of God!”There were many women there, looking on from a distance,who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph,and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening,there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph,who was himself a disciple of Jesus.He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus;then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linenand laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock.Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomband departed.But Mary Magdalene and the other Maryremained sitting there, facing the tomb. The next day, the one following the day of preparation,the chief priests and the Phariseesgathered before Pilate and said,“Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said,‘After three days I will be raised up.’Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day,lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people,‘He has been raised from the dead.’This last imposture would be worse than the first.”Pilate said to them,“The guard is yours;go, secure it as best you can.”So they went and secured the tombby fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard. or Jesus stood before the governor, Pontius Pilate, who questioned him,“Are you the king of the Jews?”Jesus said, “You say so.”And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,he made no answer.Then Pilate said to him,“Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?”But he did not answer him one word,so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feastthe governor was accustomed to release to the crowdone prisoner whom they wished.And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them,“Which one do you want me to release to you,Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?”For he knew that it was out of envythat they had handed him over.While he was still seated on the bench,his wife sent him a message,“Have nothing to do with that righteous man.I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowdsto ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.The governor said to them in reply,“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”They answered, "Barabbas!”Pilate said to them,“Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?”They all said,“Let him be crucified!”But he said,“Why? What evil has he done?”They only shouted the louder,“Let him be crucified!”When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all,but that a riot was breaking out instead,he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd,saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.Look to it yourselves.”And the whole people said in reply,“His blood be upon us and upon our children.”Then he released Barabbas to them,but after he had Jesus scourged,he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetoriumand gathered the whole cohort around him.They stripped off his clothesand threw a scarlet military cloak about him.Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head,and a reed in his right hand.And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,“Hail, King of the Jews!”They spat upon him and took the reedand kept striking him on the head.And when they had mocked him,they stripped him of the cloak,dressed him in his own clothes,and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon;this man they pressed into serviceto carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha— which means Place of the Skull —,they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall.But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.After they had crucified him,they divided his garments by casting lots;then they sat down and kept watch over him there.And they placed over his head the written charge against him:This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.Two revolutionaries were crucified with him,one on his right and the other on his left.Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,save yourself, if you are the Son of God,and come down from the cross!”Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,“He saved others; he cannot save himself.So he is the king of Israel!Let him come down from the cross now,and we will believe in him.He trusted in God;let him deliver him now if he wants him.For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”The revolutionaries who were crucified with himalso kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole landuntil three in the afternoon.And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Some of the bystanders who heard it said,“This one is calling for Elijah.”Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge;he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed,gave it to him to drink.But the rest said,‘Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.”But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice,and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuarywas torn in two from top to bottom.The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection,they entered the holy city and appeared to many.The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesusfeared greatly when they saw the earthquakeand all that was happening, and they said,“Truly, this was the Son of God!”

Reading 1 MT 21:1-11 At the procession with palms When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.’ Then he will send them at once.” This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Say to daughter Zion, “Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” Evangelio Mt 21, 1-11 Cuando se aproximaban ya a Jerusalén, al llegar a Betfagé, junto al monte de los Olivos, envió Jesús a dos de sus discípulos, diciéndoles: “Vayan al pueblo que ven allí enfrente; al entrar, encontrarán amarrada una burra y un burrito con ella; desátenlos y tráiganmelos. Si alguien les pregunta algo, díganle que el Señor los necesita y enseguida los devolverá”. Esto sucedió para que se cumplieran las palabras del profeta: Díganle a la hija de Sión: He aquí que tu rey viene a ti, apacible y montado en un burro, en un burrito, hijo de animal de yugo. Fueron, pues, los discípulos e hicieron lo que Jesús les había encargado y trajeron consigo la burra y el burrito. Luego pusieron sobre ellos sus mantos y Jesús se sentó encima. La gente, muy numerosa, extendía sus mantos por el camino; algunos cortaban ramas de los árboles y las tendían a su paso. Los que iban delante de él y los que lo seguían gritaban: “¡Hosanna! ¡Viva el Hijo de David! ¡Bendito el que viene en nombre del Señor! ¡Hosanna en el cielo!” Al entrar Jesús en Jerusalén, toda la ciudad se conmovió. Unos decían: “¿Quién es éste?” Y la gente respondía: “Éste es el profeta Jesús, de Nazaret de Galilea”. At The Mass IS 50:4-7 The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. La Misa Is 50, 4-7 En aquel entonces, dijo Isaías: “El Señor me ha dado una lengua experta, para que pueda confortar al abatido con palabras de aliento. Mañana tras mañana, el Señor despierta mi oído, para que escuche yo, como discípulo. El Señor Dios me ha hecho oír sus palabras y yo no he opuesto resistencia ni me he echado para atrás. Ofrecí la espalda a los que me golpeaban, la mejilla a los que me tiraban de la barba. No aparté mi rostro de los insultos y salivazos. Pero el Señor me ayuda, por eso no quedaré confundido, por eso endurecí mi rostro como roca y sé que no quedaré avergonzado”. Reading 2 PHIL 2:6-11 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Segunda Lectura Flp 2, 6-11 Cristo, siendo Dios, no consideró que debía aferrarse a las prerrogativas de su condición divina, sino que, por el contrario, se anonadó a sí mismo, tomando la condición de siervo, y se hizo semejante a los hombres. Así, hecho uno de ellos, se humilló a sí mismo y por obediencia aceptó incluso la muerte, y una muerte de cruz. Por eso Dios lo exaltó sobre todas las cosas y le otorgó el nombre que está sobre todo nombre, para que, al nombre de Jesús, todos doblen la rodilla en el cielo, en la tierra y en los abismos, y todos reconozcan públicamente que Jesucristo es el Señor, para gloria de Dios Padre. Gospel MT 26:14-27:66 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”’” The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.” While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed; but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him in reply, “Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be.” Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And all the disciples spoke likewise. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!” Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.” While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people. His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, “The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.” Immediately he went over to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and he kissed him. Jesus answered him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me. But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Peter was following him at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard, and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward who stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.’” The high priest rose and addressed him, “Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?” But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “You have said so. But I tell you: From now on you will see ‘the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power’ and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?” They said in reply, “He deserves to die!” Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?” Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about!” As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazorean.” Again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man!” A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away.” At that he began to curse and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the cock crows you will deny me three times.” He went out and began to weep bitterly. When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.” Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered up the money, but said, “It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood.” After consultation, they used it to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter’s field just as the Lord had commanded me. Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.” The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered, "Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves.” And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha —which means Place of the Skull —, they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!” Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb. The next day, the one following the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said, ‘After three days I will be raised up.’ Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ This last imposture would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “The guard is yours; go, secure it as best you can.” So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard. Evangelio Mt 26, 14–27, 66 En aquel tiempo, uno de los Doce, llamado Judas Iscariote, fue a ver a los sumos sacerdotes y les dijo: “¿Cuánto me dan si les entrego a Jesús?” Ellos quedaron en darle treinta monedas de plata. Y desde ese momento andaba buscando una oportunidad para entregárselo. El primer día de la fiesta de los panes Ázimos, los discípulos se acercaron a Jesús y le preguntaron: “¿Dónde quieres que te preparemos la cena de Pascua?” Él respondió: “Vayan a la ciudad, a casa de fulano y díganle: ‘El Maestro dice: Mi hora está ya cerca. Voy a celebrar la Pascua con mis discípulos en tu casa’ ”. Ellos hicieron lo que Jesús les había ordenado y prepararon la cena de Pascua. Al atardecer, se sentó a la mesa con los Doce, y mientras cenaban, les dijo: “Yo les aseguro que uno de ustedes va a entregarme”. Ellos se pusieron muy tristes y comenzaron a preguntarle uno por uno: “¿Acaso soy yo, Señor?” Él respondió: “El que moja su pan en el mismo plato que yo, ése va a entregarme. Porque el Hijo del hombre va a morir, como está escrito de él; pero ¡ay de aquel por quien el Hijo del hombre va a ser entregado! Más le valiera a ese hombre no haber nacido”. Entonces preguntó Judas, el que lo iba a entregar: “¿Acaso soy yo, Maestro?” Jesús le respondió: “Tú lo has dicho”. Durante la cena, Jesús tomó un pan y, pronunciada la bendición, lo partió y lo dio a sus discípulos, diciendo: “Tomen y coman. Éste es mi Cuerpo”. Luego tomó en sus manos una copa de vino y, pronunciada la acción de gracias, la pasó a sus discípulos, diciendo: “Beban todos de ella, porque ésta es mi Sangre, Sangre de la nueva alianza, que será derramada por todos, para el perdón de los pecados. Les digo que ya no beberé más del fruto de la vid, hasta el día en que beba con ustedes el vino nuevo en el Reino de mi Padre”. Después de haber cantado el himno, salieron hacia el monte de los Olivos. Entonces Jesús les dijo: “Todos ustedes se van a escandalizar de mí esta noche, porque está escrito: Heriré al pastor y se dispersarán las ovejas del rebaño. Pero después de que yo resucite, iré delante de ustedes a Galilea”. Entonces Pedro le replicó: “Aunque todos se escandalicen de ti, yo nunca me escandalizaré”. Jesús le dijo: “Yo te aseguro que esta misma noche, antes de que el gallo cante, me habrás negado tres veces”. Pedro le replicó: “Aunque tenga que morir contigo, no te negaré”. Y lo mismo dijeron todos los discípulos. Entonces Jesús fue con ellos a un lugar llamado Getsemaní y dijo a los discípulos: “Quédense aquí mientras yo voy a orar más allá”. Se llevó consigo a Pedro y a los dos hijos de Zebedeo y comenzó a sentir tristeza y angustia. Entonces les dijo: “Mi alma está llena de una tristeza mortal. Quédense aquí y velen conmigo”. Avanzó unos pasos más, se postró rostro en tierra y comenzó a orar, diciendo: “Padre mío, si es posible, que pase de mí este cáliz; pero que no se haga como yo quiero, sino como quieres tú”. Volvió entonces a donde estaban los discípulos y los encontró dormidos. Dijo a Pedro: “¿No han podido velar conmigo ni una hora? Velen y oren, para no caer en la tentación, porque el espíritu está pronto, pero la carne es débil”. Y alejándose de nuevo, se puso a orar, diciendo: “Padre mío, si este cáliz no puede pasar sin que yo lo beba, hágase tu voluntad”. Después volvió y encontró a sus discípulos otra vez dormidos, porque tenían los ojos cargados de sueño. Los dejó y se fue a orar de nuevo, por tercera vez, repitiendo las mismas palabras. Después de esto, volvió a donde estaban los discípulos y les dijo: “Duerman ya y descansen. He aquí que llega la hora y el Hijo del hombre va a ser entregado en manos de los pecadores. ¡Levántense! ¡Vamos! Ya está aquí el que me va a entregar”. Todavía estaba hablando Jesús, cuando llegó Judas, uno de los Doce, seguido de una chusma numerosa con espadas y palos, enviada por los sumos sacerdotes y los ancianos del pueblo. El que lo iba a entregar les había dado esta señal: “Aquel a quien yo le dé un beso, ése es. Aprehéndanlo”. Al instante se acercó a Jesús y le dijo: “¡Buenas noches, Maestro!” Y lo besó. Jesús le dijo: “Amigo, ¿es esto a lo que has venido?” Entonces se acercaron a Jesús, le echaron mano y lo apresaron. Uno de los que estaban con Jesús, sacó la espada, hirió a un criado del sumo sacerdote y le cortó una oreja. Le dijo entonces Jesús: “Vuelve la espada a su lugar, pues quien usa la espada, a espada morirá. ¿No crees que si yo se lo pidiera a mi Padre, él pondría ahora mismo a mi disposición más de doce legiones de ángeles? Pero, ¿cómo se cumplirían entonces las Escrituras, que dicen que así debe suceder?” Enseguida dijo Jesús a aquella chusma: “¿Han salido ustedes a apresarme como a un bandido, con espadas y palos? Todos los días yo enseñaba, sentado en el templo, y no me aprehendieron. Pero todo esto ha sucedido para que se cumplieran las predicciones de los profetas”. Entonces todos los discípulos lo abandonaron y huyeron. Los que aprehendieron a Jesús lo llevaron a la casa del sumo sacerdote Caifás, donde los escribas y los ancianos estaban reunidos. Pedro los fue siguiendo de lejos hasta el palacio del sumo sacerdote. Entró y se sentó con los criados para ver en qué paraba aquello. Los sumos sacerdotes y todo el sanedrín andaban buscando un falso testimonio contra Jesús, con ánimo de darle muerte; pero no lo encontraron, aunque se presentaron muchos testigos falsos. Al fin llegaron dos, que dijeron: “Éste dijo: ‘Puedo derribar el templo de Dios y reconstruirlo en tres días’ ”. Entonces el sumo sacerdote se levantó y le dijo: “¿No respondes nada a lo que éstos atestiguan en contra tuya?” Como Jesús callaba, el sumo sacerdote le dijo: “Te conjuro por el Dios vivo a que nos digas si tú eres el Mesías, el Hijo de Dios”. Jesús le respondió: “Tú lo has dicho. Además, yo les declaro que pronto verán al Hijo del hombre, sentado a la derecha de Dios, venir sobre las nubes del cielo”. Entonces el sumo sacerdote rasgó sus vestiduras y exclamó: “¡Ha blasfemado! ¿Qué necesidad tenemos ya de testigos? Ustedes mismos han oído la blasfemia. ¿Qué les parece?” Ellos respondieron: “Es reo de muerte”. Luego comenzaron a escupirle en la cara y a darle de bofetadas. Otros lo golpeaban, diciendo: “Adivina quién es el que te ha pegado”. Entretanto, Pedro estaba fuera, sentado en el patio. Una criada se le acercó y le dijo: “Tú también estabas con Jesús, el galileo”. Pero él lo negó ante todos, diciendo: “No sé de qué me estás hablando”. Ya se iba hacia el zaguán, cuando lo vio otra criada y dijo a los que estaban ahí: “También ése andaba con Jesús, el nazareno”. Él de nuevo lo negó con juramento: “No conozco a ese hombre”. Poco después se acercaron a Pedro los que estaban ahí y le dijeron: “No cabe duda de que tú también eres de ellos, pues hasta tu modo de hablar te delata”. Entonces él comenzó a echar maldiciones y a jurar que no conocía a aquel hombre. Y en aquel momento cantó el gallo. Entonces se acordó Pedro de que Jesús había dicho: ‘Antes de que cante el gallo, me habrás negado tres veces’. Y saliendo de ahí se soltó a llorar amargamente. Llegada la mañana, todos los sumos sacerdotes y los ancianos del pueblo celebraron consejo contra Jesús para darle muerte. Después de atarlo, lo llevaron ante el procurador, Poncio Pilato, y se lo entregaron. Entonces Judas, el que lo había entregado, viendo que Jesús había sido condenado a muerte, devolvió arrepentido las treinta monedas de plata a los sumos sacerdotes y a los ancianos, diciendo: “Pequé, entregando la sangre de un inocente”. Ellos dijeron: “¿Y a nosotros qué nos importa? Allá tú”. Entonces Judas arrojó las monedas de plata en el templo, se fue y se ahorcó. Los sumos sacerdotes tomaron las monedas de plata y dijeron: “No es lícito juntarlas con el dinero de las limosnas, porque son precio de sangre”. Después de deliberar, compraron con ellas el Campo del alfarero, para sepultar ahí a los extranjeros. Por eso aquel campo se llama hasta el día de hoy “Campo de sangre”. Así se cumplió lo que dijo el profeta Jeremías: Tomaron las treinta monedas de plata en que fue tasado aquel a quien pusieron precio algunos hijos de Israel, y las dieron por el Campo del alfarero, según lo que me ordenó el Señor. Jesús compareció ante el procurador, Poncio Pilato, quien le preguntó: “¿Eres tú el rey de los judíos?” Jesús respondió: “Tú lo has dicho”. Pero nada respondió a las acusaciones que le hacían los sumos sacerdotes y los ancianos. Entonces le dijo Pilato: “¿No oyes todo lo que dicen contra ti?” Pero él nada respondió, hasta el punto de que el procurador se quedó muy extrañado. Con ocasión de la fiesta de la Pascua, el procurador solía conceder a la multitud la libertad del preso que quisieran. Tenían entonces un preso famoso, llamado Barrabás. Dijo, pues, Pilato a los ahí reunidos: “¿A quién quieren que les deje en libertad: a Barrabás o a Jesús, que se dice el Mesías?” Pilato sabía que se lo habían entregado por envidia. Estando él sentado en el tribunal, su mujer mandó decirle: “No te metas con ese hombre justo, porque hoy he sufrido mucho en sueños por su causa”. Mientras tanto, los sumos sacerdotes y los ancianos convencieron a la muchedumbre de que pidieran la libertad de Barrabás y la muerte de Jesús. Así, cuando el procurador les preguntó: “¿A cuál de los dos quieren que les suelte?” Ellos respondieron: “A Barrabás”. Pilato les dijo: “¿Y qué voy a hacer con Jesús, que se dice el Mesías?” Respondieron todos: “Crucifícalo”. Pilato preguntó: “Pero, ¿qué mal ha hecho?” Mas ellos seguían gritando cada vez con más fuerza: “¡Crucifícalo!” Entonces Pilato, viendo que nada conseguía y que crecía el tumulto, pidió agua y se lavó las manos ante el pueblo, diciendo: “Yo no me hago responsable de la muerte de este hombre justo. Allá ustedes”. Todo el pueblo respondió: “¡Que su sangre caiga sobre nosotros y sobre nuestros hijos!” Entonces Pilato puso en libertad a Barrabás. En cambio a Jesús lo hizo azotar y lo entregó para que lo crucificaran. Los soldados del procurador llevaron a Jesús al pretorio y reunieron alrededor de él a todo el batallón. Lo desnudaron, le echaron encima un manto de púrpura, trenzaron una corona de espinas y se la pusieron en la cabeza; le pusieron una caña en su mano derecha y, arrodillándose ante él, se burlaban diciendo: “¡Viva el rey de los judíos!”, y le escupían. Luego, quitándole la caña, lo golpeaban con ella en la cabeza. Después de que se burlaron de él, le quitaron el manto, le pusieron sus ropas y lo llevaron a crucificar. Al salir, encontraron a un hombre de Cirene, llamado Simón, y lo obligaron a llevar la cruz. Al llegar a un lugar llamado Gólgota, es decir, “Lugar de la Calavera”, le dieron a beber a Jesús vino mezclado con hiel; él lo probó, pero no lo quiso beber. Los que lo crucificaron se repartieron sus vestidos, echando suertes, y se quedaron sentados ahí para custodiarlo. Sobre su cabeza pusieron por escrito la causa de su condena: ‘Éste es Jesús, el rey de los judíos’. Juntamente con él, crucificaron a dos ladrones, uno a su derecha y el otro a su izquierda. Los que pasaban por ahí lo insultaban moviendo la cabeza y gritándole: “Tú, que destruyes el templo y en tres días lo reedificas, sálvate a ti mismo; si eres el Hijo de Dios, baja de la cruz”. También se burlaban de él los sumos sacerdotes, los escribas y los ancianos, diciendo: “Ha salvado a otros y no puede salvarse a sí mismo. Si es el rey de Israel, que baje de la cruz y creeremos en él. Ha puesto su confianza en Dios, que Dios lo salve ahora, si es que de verdad lo ama, pues él ha dicho: ‘Soy el Hijo de Dios’ ”. Hasta los ladrones que estaban crucificados a su lado lo injuriaban. Desde el mediodía hasta las tres de la tarde, se oscureció toda aquella tierra. Y alrededor de las tres, Jesús exclamó con fuerte voz: “Elí, Elí, ¿lemá sabactaní?”, que quiere decir: “Dios mío, Dios mío, ¿por qué me has abandonado?” Algunos de los presentes, al oírlo, decían: “Está llamando a Elías”. Enseguida uno de ellos fue corriendo a tomar una esponja, la empapó en vinagre y sujetándola a una caña, le ofreció de beber. Pero los otros le dijeron: “Déjalo. Vamos a ver si viene Elías a salvarlo”. Entonces Jesús, dando de nuevo un fuerte grito, expiró. Aquí todos se arrodillan y guardan silencio por unos instantes. Entonces el velo del templo se rasgó en dos partes, de arriba a abajo, la tierra tembló y las rocas se partieron. Se abrieron los sepulcros y resucitaron muchos justos que habían muerto, y después de la resurrección de Jesús, entraron en la ciudad santa y se aparecieron a mucha gente. Por su parte, el oficial y los que estaban con él custodiando a Jesús, al ver el terremoto y las cosas que ocurrían, se llenaron de un gran temor y dijeron: “Verdaderamente éste era Hijo de Dios”. Estaban también allí, mirando desde lejos, muchas de las mujeres que habían seguido a Jesús desde Galilea para servirlo. Entre ellas estaban María Magdalena, María, la madre de Santiago y de José, y la madre de los hijos de Zebedeo. Al atardecer, vino un hombre rico de Arimatea, llamado José, que se había hecho también discípulo de Jesús. Se presentó a Pilato y le pidió el cuerpo de Jesús, y Pilato dio orden de que se lo entregaran. José tomó el cuerpo, lo envolvió en una sábana limpia y lo depositó en un sepulcro nuevo, que había hecho excavar en la roca para sí mismo. Hizo rodar una gran piedra hasta la entrada del sepulcro y se retiró. Estaban ahí María Magdalena y la otra María, sentadas frente al sepulcro. Al otro día, el siguiente de la preparación de la Pascua, los sumos sacerdotes y los fariseos se reunieron ante Pilato y le dijeron: “Señor, nos hemos acordado de que ese impostor, estando aún en vida, dijo: ‘A los tres días resucitaré’. Manda, pues, asegurar el sepulcro hasta el tercer día; no sea que vengan sus discípulos, lo roben y digan luego al pueblo: ‘Resucitó de entre los muertos’, porque esta última impostura sería peor que la primera”. Pilato les dijo: “Tomen un pelotón de soldados, vayan y aseguren el sepulcro como ustedes quieran”. Ellos fueron y aseguraron el sepulcro, poniendo un sello sobre la puerta y dejaron ahí la guardia.

Matthew 26-27 English Standard Version (ESV)The Plot to Kill Jesus26 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.” Jesus Anointed at Bethany6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” Judas to Betray Jesus14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. The Passover with the Disciples17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.” Institution of the Lord's Supper26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same. Jesus Prays in Gethsemane36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” Peter Denies Jesus69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. Jesus Delivered to Pilate27 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. Judas Hangs Himself3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.” Jesus Before Pilate11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. The Crowd Chooses Barabbas15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. Jesus Is Mocked27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. The Crucifixion32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. The Death of Jesus45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. Jesus Is Buried57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The Guard at the Tomb62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Welcome to In Your Embrace Daily, a series of short daily reflections on the Gospels from the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Today's reading for the Third Friday of Lent is from the Holy Gospel according to John. John 4:5-42 (DRE) "At that time, Jesus cometh therefore to a city of Samaria, which is called Sichar, near the land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. It was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria, to draw water. Jesus saith to her: Give me to drink. For his disciples were gone into the city to buy meats. Then that Samaritan woman saith to him: How dost thou, being a Jew, ask of me to drink, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews do not communicate with the Samaritans. Jesus answered, and said to her: If thou didst know the gift of God, and who he is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith to him: Sir, thou hast nothing wherein to draw, and the well is deep; from whence then hast thou living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered, and said to her: Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again; but he that shall drink of the water that I will give him, shall not thirst for ever: But the water that I will give him, shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting. The woman saith to him: Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come hither to draw. Jesus saith to her: Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered, and said: I have no husband. Jesus said to her: Thou hast said well, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands: and he whom thou now hast, is not thy husband. This thou hast said truly. The woman saith to him: Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers adored on this mountain, and you say, that at Jerusalem is the place where men must adore. Jesus saith to her: Woman, believe me, that the hour cometh, when you shall neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, adore the Father. You adore that which you know not: we adore that which we know; for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him. God is a spirit; and they that adore him, must adore him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith to him: I know that the Messias cometh (who is called Christ). Therefore, when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith to her: I am he, who am speaking with thee. And immediately his disciples came; and they wondered that he talked with the woman. Yet no man said: What seekest thou? or, why talkest thou with her? The woman therefore left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men there: Come, and see a man who has told me all things whatsoever I have done. Is not he the Christ? They went therefore out of the city, and came unto him. In the mean time the disciples prayed him, saying: Rabbi, eat. But he said to them: I have meat to eat, which you know not. The disciples therefore said one to another: Hath any man brought him to eat? Jesus saith to them: My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, that I may perfect his work. Do you not say, There are yet four months, and then the harvest cometh? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see the countries; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life everlasting: that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, may rejoice together. For in this is the saying true: That it is one man that soweth, and it is another that reapeth. I have sent you to reap that in which you did not labour..." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/in-your-embrace/message

Third Sunday of Lent Lectionary: 28 Reading 1 Ex 17:3-7 In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? a little more and they will stone me!” The LORD answered Moses, “Go over there in front of the people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.” This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel. The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD in our midst or not?” Responsorial Psalm Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9. R. (8)  If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him. R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,     as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me;     they tested me though they had seen my works.” R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Reading 2 Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 Brothers and sisters: Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Verse Before the GospelJn 4:42, 15 Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world; give me living water, that I may never thirst again. Gospel Jn 4:5-42 Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” —For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.— Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one speaking with you.” At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” They went out of the town and came to him. Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.” Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” orJn 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42 Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” —For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.— Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water. “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking with you.” Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him. When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”

View the Bulletin for Wednesday February 12, 2020Service Time: 7:00 p.m.Bible Study: 7:35 p.m.View LIVE STREAMING versions of the Sunday and Wednesday Service on YouTube.View and Subscribe at Zion’s YouTube ChannelColossians 3:1-17If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.John 4:27-45Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”After the two days he departed for Galilee. (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

Sermon Notes UNSTOPPABLE VISIONOUR MISSION: Love, Connect and Grow through knowing God and Serving our community.Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Mark 8:34They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching…Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.... And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47WE HAVE A VISION FOR A CHURCH WHERE1) EVERYONE IS WELCOME.The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:17Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" They came out of the town and made their way toward him. John 4:28-30WHAT 3 PEOPLE CAN YOU INVITE TO CHURCH NEXT WEEK?1) _______ 2) _______ 3) ________2) EVERYONE IS NEEDED.There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable… 1 Cor 12:21-223) EVERYONE IS CHANGED.…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power…and you will be changed into a different person. 1 Samuel 10:6Think About It.1) Have you ever been somewhere and didn’t feel welcome? How can you help people feel welcome at our church?2) Who are the three people you are going to invite to church next weekend? (Remember, if they live out of town, you can still invite them to join us on Facebook.)3) Describe a time when God used you to make a difference? How are you using your gifts at church? (If you’re not serving at church, where are you going to serve?)4) How has God changed you in the last year Bible References Links Website Facebook Twitter InstagramThis podcast is powered by Pinecast.

A week into 2020 Michelle opens up this new season of podcasting with a new series called Faith & Power: Understanding the Power of Who Christ Is In You. She begins the series reading Ephesians 1:17-23 from The Passion Translation. Show Transcript: You are listening to the Blooming Inspired Podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network. We exist to empower the voices of women who live their lives #BloomingAlive through Podcast Community. Now, here is your host. Blooming Inspired Podcast equipping and empowering the voices of women who live their lives Blooming Alive. Introduction Good Morning! This is Michelle Bentham, host of Blooming Inspired Podcast. We are a week deep into 2020 - Can You Believe It? A Brand New Decade! I’ve been sitting with the Lord the last few months, resting and listening. Quieting my heart to hear His truth and His word as I walk out God’s plan and purpose in my life for 2020. I’ll share a bit about this in a future episode, but the short version is God gave me several passages of Scripture from Habakkuk 2:1-3 (NLT), Amos 9:13-15 (MSG), and Isaiah 14:24, 7-8, 4 (tpt). Through these passages He revealed to me that most of my year is beyond “The Finish Line” and that as I walk with the Father - my vision will increase, as I walk with the Son - my victory will increase, and as I walk with the Holy Spirit that velocity will be added to my life. I’m in an entirely new season, seeking intimacy with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit like never before and seeking to run the uncharted path of my race with vision, velocity and victory as I move out of the old season and into the new. How about you? What is your word for 2020? Leave it in the comments or email or send it by direct message to me: for email send to michelle.bentham@bloominginspirednetwork.com or on Facebook DM @BloomingInspired. Everyone who sends in their word will get a photo print of my Word of the Year as a free gift for engaging with the podcast. This week we are beginning a new series called “Faith & Power: Discovering the Power of Who Christ is in You!” Our reading today will be from the book of Ephesians 1 in The Passion Translation. Grab your Bible, your favorite winter beverage and get comfy as we dig into this new study for our new year. This Week’s Reading Let’s Pray, Father God, I ask that you would give each person within the sound of my voice an encounter with You, Your Son and the Holy Spirit this morning as we read Your words of life together. Impart the truth of who You are to our hearts, minds, souls and bodies today - we ask for Holy Spirit revelation to open our eyes to the way You see, open our ears to hear Your majestic voice, and open our hearts to know Your heart in intimacy and truth. I thank you that when we believe in Christ, we are hidden in Him and His blessings, and that same power that raised Him from the dead now lives bodily in us and we have access to it by Faith. Remind us of these truths as we read today and make them real for us! I ask these things in Jesus’ Holy Name, AMEN. The title for this episode is “The Same Power.” We’re looking for what it means that the same power that raised Jesus from the Dead now lives bodily in us. So let’s begin: Verse 17: I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know him through your deepening intimacy with him. Paul has just commended the believers at Ephesus for their love and devotion as well as their strong faith in God. Then He prays for them - as we reread those words, what do you hear God saying to you? I pray that the Father… would impart to you the RICHES of the SPIRIT OF WISDOM and the SPIRIT OF REVELATION to KNOW HIM through your DEEPENING INTIMACY WITH HIM. Last night I was painting bookmarks I will send off to Edna,TX this weekend for the gift bags that will be given to women attending a conference where I’ll be speaking on February 22nd. I am a bit overwhelmed painting bookmarks for 100 women, but I’m also deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve in this way. I love creating gifts for people that spark a desire in their heart to know God more. I went to bed very late and as I laid my head on the pillow I had these sentences running through my mind: “Ministry happens in the culture of relationship. Impartation happens in the culture of intimacy.” My question becomes if Wisdom and Revelation is imparted by Spirit that comes from knowing Him in intimacy - what cultivates intimacy in your life? For me, it’s worship… Hands down. Not just singing songs to God, but focusing my heart on His presence and His goodness. Engaging my heart with what I see the Father doing and hear Him saying. Prayer and Intercession birthed out of the deep ache of my soul drives my heart in longing toward God in intimacy. I want to lean back against His chest and feel His heart beating - then I want my heart to find that rhythm in my own life. I want to be attentive to what He is doing every moment of every day not just in the ministry moments. What I’m realizing is I can know God in a relationship with Jesus Christ and never fully engage or incline my heart toward Him. I can do ministry for God, serve the people of God and never fully know the heart of God because I do not engage His heart in intimacy. Intimacy is a key to experiencing the Wisdom and Revelation that comes only by the Holy Spirit. For many years I read the Bible seeking to understand the words of Scripture with little to know understanding, but then as I learned to listen and hear from God as I read. The more I inclined my heart to deeply know Him, the more He revealed Himself to me through both Scripture and Experience. Encountering the Presence of God - Holy Spirit - will change my heart, my mind and my life. So let me ask you… How engaged is your heart with the presence of God? Moses, David and the disciples and apostles knew God in this way. What would happen if we inclined our heart to know God deeply through intimacy and presence? Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Verse 18: I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones! Paul prayed that the imagination of the believers at Ephesus would have the eyes of their imagination illuminated. Come on… If you love to dream, explore and create then this should get your heart pounding! God wants to light up your imagination and use it for His glory! Isn’t that exciting? I remember being a young girl in third grade and we had to write a story and draw a picture to match it. My momma and daddy loved the oldies music from the 50s and 60s and so we had tons of little 45 records with various songs on them. The Purple People Eater was one of my favorite songs. I wrote my story about this one-eyed, one-horned, flying Purple People Eater and drew a picture of it. My teacher told my parents at the open house that I had a “Very Vivid Imagination.” And I do… When I read fiction I picture myself as one of the characters in the story so I can understand what is happening. The same thing with Scripture - I’ve begun to read Scripture as if I were living it rather than just reading about it. My redeemed imagination has the power to tap into the Holy Spirit’s revelation and wisdom in a way my natural mind and reasoning cannot. Now, I’m not saying we throw logic and reasoning out the window - I’m just saying to truly know God in intimacy we need an integrated approach where our intuition and imagination plays an equal role as we Engage His presence, Read His Word and Encounter His Love. Faith brings us into this relationship with God, but it is all the fascinating ways He created us, and the fact that when we believe in Him by faith all of who He is comes to live inside of us. Paul also writes in this passage that when He floods us with His Light, and we experience that flooding until we are full of revelation of the Hope of His Calling… That somehow, and this is atrue mystery and a wonder, that this revelation of Hope and His calling makes us a full expression of the wealth of God’s glorious inheritance that He finds in us… We are called Saints - His Holy Ones! Christ in You - that is the key. Discovering who Christ is unlocks revelation and wisdom insight into who we are… Then, we need only find the way He wants to express Himself through us to fully realize His purpose in our life. And this comes through intimacy. Verse 19-20: I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the mighty power that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority in the heavenly realm! C’mon! Not only does Jesus by Holy Spirit come to live inside of us, but the same power that RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, Paul writes in Romans 6 & 8 that this same power lives in us and if it raised Jesus from the dead it will give life - more than eternal life, but abundant life here on earth as well. Matthew 10 indicates Jesus commissions His disciples to carry the same power that He carries to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and cleanse lepers. The SAME POWER - He even says that the signs of healing, casting out demons, and handling deadly poison and snakes should not harm the disciples (poison and snakes both bring death) and in John 14 He says that those who believe in Him and did not see Him will do all the works He has done, He being Jesus, and even greater works because of their Faith in Him. At the end of Matthew, what most believers in the Western Church call “The Great Commission” tells the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus to go into all the world preaching the Gospel, baptizing believers into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and to teach them all the things He had imparted through commandment to His disciples. He imparted to His disciples authority and power by the measure of their faith over every evil thing the enemy is empowered to do in this earth. And yet, we live fearing the devil and cowering at death’s door. Faith in what you have not yet seen, but believe in empowers us to do the greater works! Works greater than the signs, wonders and miracles we see Jesus performing in the Gospels. He even told His disciples not to rejoice in the power they had to work miracles, signs and wonders among the people, but rather to rejoice that these things were evidence that their names were written in the Lamb’s book of life. Faith should bring us into revelation, wisdom, and power. Do You Understand? Verse 21: And now he is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised,not only in this age, but in the age that is coming! Do we really live like we believe Jesus has been exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence? DO WE? He is now and forevermore gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised! And yet professing believers in the body of Christ believe to live is a Struggle and to Die is to Gain Everything God Promised. But, that is not what Paul said. Paul wrote so eloquently that he would count his suffering with joy, just as Christ endured the cross for the Joy Set Before Him. And Jesus counted it joy, that He would gain us, when we endure suffering and overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit - knowing that as Paul wrote, “To Live is Christ and to Die is Gain…” What if we believed it is true that to live is Christ and die is gain? What would we do with the power and authority that comes to us by faith? What kind of victory could we realize if we only believe Faith and Power belong to us in Christ? They are both brought to us by the Holy Spirit (see Acts 1 and 1 Corinthians 12) and because Jesus, by the Sealing Work of the Holy Spirit, now lives inside of us - so do this faith and power, the authority to act as He acted when He lived upon the earth. He is our archetype and model. Not, the traditions of men we are often taught by well meaning leaders in our church houses today. Verse 22: And he alone is the leader and source of everything needed in the church. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ and has given him the highest rank above all others. How would we live differently if we truly believed that Jesus is who Paul prophesses him to be, who the disciples and apostles knew Him to be? How would we live differently if we believed that in Christ we find the lone leader and source of everything we need as His body? Jesus outranks everyone. EVERY. ONE. He alone is sufficient to meet our every need. He alone is the provision and the protection we are looking for - and He alone paid the price that we should live free, empowered and faithful to all He calls us to - especially the work of His Holy Spirit within us. Verse 23: And here’s where we’re going to wrap it up. And now we, his church, are his body on the earth and that which fills him who is being filled by it! I don’t know about you, but the way the Passion Translation transcribes this verse is a bit confusing to me, but I can read it in the NKJV and see how it says, that we as Christ’s body are continually being filled by Him, who fulfills Himself in us. IN OTHER WORDS, as Brian Simmons included in his footnote for this verse in the Passion Translation: “That is, we are those who are filled (completed) by Christ, we also complete (fill) Him. What a wonderful and humbling mystery is revealed by this verse.” What if we REALLY believed this is true!? That our identity is so wrapped up in Christ and who He is that when we fully realize who He is… We fully become who we are supposed to be. That in Him we find ourselves, and our purpose and our destiny… As we allow Him to be fully expressed through us - finite as we are - somehow we complete Him as His body reaching a lost and dying world. What a glorious thing to consider. As I close out today’s show I want to say something a bit strong - to challenge you a bit - and, I hope that is okay! I want to challenge everyone within the sound of my voice to consider this one thing… When you are singing, Waymaker at church on Sunday or are contemplating that prayer request where the outlook is not so lively, and here is what I want you to consider: Either we believe this is true or we don’t. Are we living our lives full of faith and power, believing God for the impossible and the greater works, or are we dumbing down the testimony of Scripture about faith, power and impossibilities to fit our experience and expectations or traditions from a religious perspective? Do we live like Pharisees? Questioning every sign and wonder, warning people off of the devil while dismissing the power of God and holding onto our set of rules, taboos, doctrines and superstitions about God. Do we leave no room for revelation, power or even repentance to have a perfect work at any moment of our lives? Have we studied the Scriptures searching for Him, but miss Him when He shows up in power and moves among us. Where is the bold faith that steps out and risks everything for God, seeking to see His Kingdom come and Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven? When was the last time you stopped, listened and prayed to know what the Father was saying or doing so you could partner with Him rather than try to talk Him into doing what you thought He should do? And finally… Do we live like the Apostles? Stepping out in risky, unfavorable and downright dangerous circumstances BY FAITH - seeing the impossible not only become possible, but probable as the miraculous becomes mainstream. Do we live by supernatural power imparted by the Holy Spirit or by the whims of our Human Heart? Are we satisfied with our normal religious preferences and failing to step out to take up a cross and follow Jesus with Bold Faith to see His Kingdom become our reality even now? Lord God, I pray that as these words go out penetrating the airwaves through the internet that your will would be accomplished. That they would be guided to the hearts of those who listen and bring with them the HOPE of Your Faith and Power that is waiting for us to step up, step out and step into the Kingdom of God. Saying, “Your Kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Is not a passive wish we speak out, but a promise from Heaven, that when we ask, seek and knock that you will respond and answer, reveal and unlock what we are seeking you for… So Lord we are asking, seeking, and knocking - meet us where we are with your faith and your power and give us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation as your light illuminates our imaginations with Your Impossible Possibilities! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. Closing Remarks That's all the time that I have today! Thank you for tuning in with us. I want to ask you if this podcast has been a blessing to you: would you consider subscribing to it and share it with your friends and family? We’d love to partner with you in sharing messages that encourage and inspire. If you’d like to be a guest on this show or get more information about hosting your own podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network - please reach out to michelle.bentham@bloominginspirednetwork.com. I’d love the opportunity to connect with you and figure out how we can share your voice with the world around us. BIBLE STUDY SEASON IS UPON US! We began our The Gospels: Verse-By-Verse Bible Study in October. We will be reading in person (Granbury, TX) and on Facebook Live at 10 am (Central Time). That’s right - This season our study is found in the book of Luke. We will be reading Luke 8 this week and digging into the life of Christ Verse-By-Verse considering what we would believe if reading the Scriptures was the primary way we inform our faith! You can learn more and catch up on last week’s study by visiting facebook.com/bloominginspired. As I mentioned earlier, I will be speaking at a women’s conference (R.E.A.L. Women Conference) at (The Ranch Cowboy Country Church South) in Edna, TX. Registration is available for $40 through January 10th, and will be $45 after the 10th through the day before the conference. Tickets at the door will be $60. This one day conference is February 22 this year and includes a continental style breakfast, full lunch and dinner provided. I’d love to see some familiar faces attending. If you’d like to register please email or DM at the email listed above or through our FB page for details or visit theranchsouth.org for more information! If you’d like to get this podcast delivered to your smart device, we're available on both Apple and on Google Podcasts - take a moment to Subscribe today! Again, I would like to ask you partner with us. We would love for you to share about our podcast on social media -- share it with your friends your family -- the people within your influence let them know what we're doing at Blooming Inspired Network! Thank you for listening to the Blooming Inspired Podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network. This show airs weekly on Tuesdays. Please take a moment to like, share and subscribe to this podcast. To learn more about this podcast and it’s network, or the ministries of Blooming Inspired Network please visit BloomingInspiredNetwork.com and click the podcast link at the top of the page.

A week into 2020 Michelle opens up this new season of podcasting with a new series called Faith & Power: Understanding the Power of Who Christ Is In You. She begins the series reading Ephesians 1:17-23 from The Passion Translation. Show Transcript: You are listening to the Blooming Inspired Podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network. We exist to empower the voices of women who live their lives #BloomingAlive through Podcast Community. Now, here is your host. Blooming Inspired Podcast equipping and empowering the voices of women who live their lives Blooming Alive. Introduction Good Morning! This is Michelle Bentham, host of Blooming Inspired Podcast. We are a week deep into 2020 - Can You Believe It? A Brand New Decade! I’ve been sitting with the Lord the last few months, resting and listening. Quieting my heart to hear His truth and His word as I walk out God’s plan and purpose in my life for 2020. I’ll share a bit about this in a future episode, but the short version is God gave me several passages of Scripture from Habakkuk 2:1-3 (NLT), Amos 9:13-15 (MSG), and Isaiah 14:24, 7-8, 4 (tpt). Through these passages He revealed to me that most of my year is beyond “The Finish Line” and that as I walk with the Father - my vision will increase, as I walk with the Son - my victory will increase, and as I walk with the Holy Spirit that velocity will be added to my life. I’m in an entirely new season, seeking intimacy with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit like never before and seeking to run the uncharted path of my race with vision, velocity and victory as I move out of the old season and into the new. How about you? What is your word for 2020? Leave it in the comments or email or send it by direct message to me: for email send to michelle.bentham@bloominginspirednetwork.com or on Facebook DM @BloomingInspired. Everyone who sends in their word will get a photo print of my Word of the Year as a free gift for engaging with the podcast. This week we are beginning a new series called “Faith & Power: Discovering the Power of Who Christ is in You!” Our reading today will be from the book of Ephesians 1 in The Passion Translation. Grab your Bible, your favorite winter beverage and get comfy as we dig into this new study for our new year. This Week’s Reading Let’s Pray, Father God, I ask that you would give each person within the sound of my voice an encounter with You, Your Son and the Holy Spirit this morning as we read Your words of life together. Impart the truth of who You are to our hearts, minds, souls and bodies today - we ask for Holy Spirit revelation to open our eyes to the way You see, open our ears to hear Your majestic voice, and open our hearts to know Your heart in intimacy and truth. I thank you that when we believe in Christ, we are hidden in Him and His blessings, and that same power that raised Him from the dead now lives bodily in us and we have access to it by Faith. Remind us of these truths as we read today and make them real for us! I ask these things in Jesus’ Holy Name, AMEN. The title for this episode is “The Same Power.” We’re looking for what it means that the same power that raised Jesus from the Dead now lives bodily in us. So let’s begin: Verse 17: I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know him through your deepening intimacy with him. Paul has just commended the believers at Ephesus for their love and devotion as well as their strong faith in God. Then He prays for them - as we reread those words, what do you hear God saying to you? I pray that the Father… would impart to you the RICHES of the SPIRIT OF WISDOM and the SPIRIT OF REVELATION to KNOW HIM through your DEEPENING INTIMACY WITH HIM. Last night I was painting bookmarks I will send off to Edna,TX this weekend for the gift bags that will be given to women attending a conference where I’ll be speaking on February 22nd. I am a bit overwhelmed painting bookmarks for 100 women, but I’m also deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve in this way. I love creating gifts for people that spark a desire in their heart to know God more. I went to bed very late and as I laid my head on the pillow I had these sentences running through my mind: “Ministry happens in the culture of relationship. Impartation happens in the culture of intimacy.” My question becomes if Wisdom and Revelation is imparted by Spirit that comes from knowing Him in intimacy - what cultivates intimacy in your life? For me, it’s worship… Hands down. Not just singing songs to God, but focusing my heart on His presence and His goodness. Engaging my heart with what I see the Father doing and hear Him saying. Prayer and Intercession birthed out of the deep ache of my soul drives my heart in longing toward God in intimacy. I want to lean back against His chest and feel His heart beating - then I want my heart to find that rhythm in my own life. I want to be attentive to what He is doing every moment of every day not just in the ministry moments. What I’m realizing is I can know God in a relationship with Jesus Christ and never fully engage or incline my heart toward Him. I can do ministry for God, serve the people of God and never fully know the heart of God because I do not engage His heart in intimacy. Intimacy is a key to experiencing the Wisdom and Revelation that comes only by the Holy Spirit. For many years I read the Bible seeking to understand the words of Scripture with little to know understanding, but then as I learned to listen and hear from God as I read. The more I inclined my heart to deeply know Him, the more He revealed Himself to me through both Scripture and Experience. Encountering the Presence of God - Holy Spirit - will change my heart, my mind and my life. So let me ask you… How engaged is your heart with the presence of God? Moses, David and the disciples and apostles knew God in this way. What would happen if we inclined our heart to know God deeply through intimacy and presence? Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Verse 18: I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones! Paul prayed that the imagination of the believers at Ephesus would have the eyes of their imagination illuminated. Come on… If you love to dream, explore and create then this should get your heart pounding! God wants to light up your imagination and use it for His glory! Isn’t that exciting? I remember being a young girl in third grade and we had to write a story and draw a picture to match it. My momma and daddy loved the oldies music from the 50s and 60s and so we had tons of little 45 records with various songs on them. The Purple People Eater was one of my favorite songs. I wrote my story about this one-eyed, one-horned, flying Purple People Eater and drew a picture of it. My teacher told my parents at the open house that I had a “Very Vivid Imagination.” And I do… When I read fiction I picture myself as one of the characters in the story so I can understand what is happening. The same thing with Scripture - I’ve begun to read Scripture as if I were living it rather than just reading about it. My redeemed imagination has the power to tap into the Holy Spirit’s revelation and wisdom in a way my natural mind and reasoning cannot. Now, I’m not saying we throw logic and reasoning out the window - I’m just saying to truly know God in intimacy we need an integrated approach where our intuition and imagination plays an equal role as we Engage His presence, Read His Word and Encounter His Love. Faith brings us into this relationship with God, but it is all the fascinating ways He created us, and the fact that when we believe in Him by faith all of who He is comes to live inside of us. Paul also writes in this passage that when He floods us with His Light, and we experience that flooding until we are full of revelation of the Hope of His Calling… That somehow, and this is atrue mystery and a wonder, that this revelation of Hope and His calling makes us a full expression of the wealth of God’s glorious inheritance that He finds in us… We are called Saints - His Holy Ones! Christ in You - that is the key. Discovering who Christ is unlocks revelation and wisdom insight into who we are… Then, we need only find the way He wants to express Himself through us to fully realize His purpose in our life. And this comes through intimacy. Verse 19-20: I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the mighty power that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority in the heavenly realm! C’mon! Not only does Jesus by Holy Spirit come to live inside of us, but the same power that RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, Paul writes in Romans 6 & 8 that this same power lives in us and if it raised Jesus from the dead it will give life - more than eternal life, but abundant life here on earth as well. Matthew 10 indicates Jesus commissions His disciples to carry the same power that He carries to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and cleanse lepers. The SAME POWER - He even says that the signs of healing, casting out demons, and handling deadly poison and snakes should not harm the disciples (poison and snakes both bring death) and in John 14 He says that those who believe in Him and did not see Him will do all the works He has done, He being Jesus, and even greater works because of their Faith in Him. At the end of Matthew, what most believers in the Western Church call “The Great Commission” tells the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus to go into all the world preaching the Gospel, baptizing believers into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and to teach them all the things He had imparted through commandment to His disciples. He imparted to His disciples authority and power by the measure of their faith over every evil thing the enemy is empowered to do in this earth. And yet, we live fearing the devil and cowering at death’s door. Faith in what you have not yet seen, but believe in empowers us to do the greater works! Works greater than the signs, wonders and miracles we see Jesus performing in the Gospels. He even told His disciples not to rejoice in the power they had to work miracles, signs and wonders among the people, but rather to rejoice that these things were evidence that their names were written in the Lamb’s book of life. Faith should bring us into revelation, wisdom, and power. Do You Understand? Verse 21: And now he is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised,not only in this age, but in the age that is coming! Do we really live like we believe Jesus has been exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence? DO WE? He is now and forevermore gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised! And yet professing believers in the body of Christ believe to live is a Struggle and to Die is to Gain Everything God Promised. But, that is not what Paul said. Paul wrote so eloquently that he would count his suffering with joy, just as Christ endured the cross for the Joy Set Before Him. And Jesus counted it joy, that He would gain us, when we endure suffering and overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit - knowing that as Paul wrote, “To Live is Christ and to Die is Gain…” What if we believed it is true that to live is Christ and die is gain? What would we do with the power and authority that comes to us by faith? What kind of victory could we realize if we only believe Faith and Power belong to us in Christ? They are both brought to us by the Holy Spirit (see Acts 1 and 1 Corinthians 12) and because Jesus, by the Sealing Work of the Holy Spirit, now lives inside of us - so do this faith and power, the authority to act as He acted when He lived upon the earth. He is our archetype and model. Not, the traditions of men we are often taught by well meaning leaders in our church houses today. Verse 22: And he alone is the leader and source of everything needed in the church. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ and has given him the highest rank above all others. How would we live differently if we truly believed that Jesus is who Paul prophesses him to be, who the disciples and apostles knew Him to be? How would we live differently if we believed that in Christ we find the lone leader and source of everything we need as His body? Jesus outranks everyone. EVERY. ONE. He alone is sufficient to meet our every need. He alone is the provision and the protection we are looking for - and He alone paid the price that we should live free, empowered and faithful to all He calls us to - especially the work of His Holy Spirit within us. Verse 23: And here’s where we’re going to wrap it up. And now we, his church, are his body on the earth and that which fills him who is being filled by it! I don’t know about you, but the way the Passion Translation transcribes this verse is a bit confusing to me, but I can read it in the NKJV and see how it says, that we as Christ’s body are continually being filled by Him, who fulfills Himself in us. IN OTHER WORDS, as Brian Simmons included in his footnote for this verse in the Passion Translation: “That is, we are those who are filled (completed) by Christ, we also complete (fill) Him. What a wonderful and humbling mystery is revealed by this verse.” What if we REALLY believed this is true!? That our identity is so wrapped up in Christ and who He is that when we fully realize who He is… We fully become who we are supposed to be. That in Him we find ourselves, and our purpose and our destiny… As we allow Him to be fully expressed through us - finite as we are - somehow we complete Him as His body reaching a lost and dying world. What a glorious thing to consider. As I close out today’s show I want to say something a bit strong - to challenge you a bit - and, I hope that is okay! I want to challenge everyone within the sound of my voice to consider this one thing… When you are singing, Waymaker at church on Sunday or are contemplating that prayer request where the outlook is not so lively, and here is what I want you to consider: Either we believe this is true or we don’t. Are we living our lives full of faith and power, believing God for the impossible and the greater works, or are we dumbing down the testimony of Scripture about faith, power and impossibilities to fit our experience and expectations or traditions from a religious perspective? Do we live like Pharisees? Questioning every sign and wonder, warning people off of the devil while dismissing the power of God and holding onto our set of rules, taboos, doctrines and superstitions about God. Do we leave no room for revelation, power or even repentance to have a perfect work at any moment of our lives? Have we studied the Scriptures searching for Him, but miss Him when He shows up in power and moves among us. Where is the bold faith that steps out and risks everything for God, seeking to see His Kingdom come and Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven? When was the last time you stopped, listened and prayed to know what the Father was saying or doing so you could partner with Him rather than try to talk Him into doing what you thought He should do? And finally… Do we live like the Apostles? Stepping out in risky, unfavorable and downright dangerous circumstances BY FAITH - seeing the impossible not only become possible, but probable as the miraculous becomes mainstream. Do we live by supernatural power imparted by the Holy Spirit or by the whims of our Human Heart? Are we satisfied with our normal religious preferences and failing to step out to take up a cross and follow Jesus with Bold Faith to see His Kingdom become our reality even now? Lord God, I pray that as these words go out penetrating the airwaves through the internet that your will would be accomplished. That they would be guided to the hearts of those who listen and bring with them the HOPE of Your Faith and Power that is waiting for us to step up, step out and step into the Kingdom of God. Saying, “Your Kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Is not a passive wish we speak out, but a promise from Heaven, that when we ask, seek and knock that you will respond and answer, reveal and unlock what we are seeking you for… So Lord we are asking, seeking, and knocking - meet us where we are with your faith and your power and give us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation as your light illuminates our imaginations with Your Impossible Possibilities! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. Closing Remarks That's all the time that I have today! Thank you for tuning in with us. I want to ask you if this podcast has been a blessing to you: would you consider subscribing to it and share it with your friends and family? We’d love to partner with you in sharing messages that encourage and inspire. If you’d like to be a guest on this show or get more information about hosting your own podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network - please reach out to michelle.bentham@bloominginspirednetwork.com. I’d love the opportunity to connect with you and figure out how we can share your voice with the world around us. BIBLE STUDY SEASON IS UPON US! We began our The Gospels: Verse-By-Verse Bible Study in October. We will be reading in person (Granbury, TX) and on Facebook Live at 10 am (Central Time). That’s right - This season our study is found in the book of Luke. We will be reading Luke 8 this week and digging into the life of Christ Verse-By-Verse considering what we would believe if reading the Scriptures was the primary way we inform our faith! You can learn more and catch up on last week’s study by visiting facebook.com/bloominginspired. As I mentioned earlier, I will be speaking at a women’s conference (R.E.A.L. Women Conference) at (The Ranch Cowboy Country Church South) in Edna, TX. Registration is available for $40 through January 10th, and will be $45 after the 10th through the day before the conference. Tickets at the door will be $60. This one day conference is February 22 this year and includes a continental style breakfast, full lunch and dinner provided. I’d love to see some familiar faces attending. If you’d like to register please email or DM at the email listed above or through our FB page for details or visit theranchsouth.org for more information! If you’d like to get this podcast delivered to your smart device, we're available on both Apple and on Google Podcasts - take a moment to Subscribe today! Again, I would like to ask you partner with us. We would love for you to share about our podcast on social media -- share it with your friends your family -- the people within your influence let them know what we're doing at Blooming Inspired Network! Thank you for listening to the Blooming Inspired Podcast on the Blooming Inspired Podcast Network. This show airs weekly on Tuesdays. Please take a moment to like, share and subscribe to this podcast. To learn more about this podcast and it’s network, or the ministries of Blooming Inspired Network please visit BloomingInspiredNetwork.com and click the podcast link at the top of the page.

Last time: Ephesians 2:1-10 Made alive in Christ What you WERE and why (1-3) We were dead in our transgressions and sins (1, 5) We were by nature deserving of wrath (3) Why? We followed the ways of the world (2) We lived in sin (2) because we lived among sinners (the disobedient)(3) We followed the ways of the Devil (2) We followed the desires and thoughts of the flesh (3) We were by nature deserving  (children) of wrath Why were we ‘deserving of wrath’? (Greek: children of wrath) By nature, but because we followed our nature However, 2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  What you ARE and why (4-10) What we are: alive with Christ (5) saved (5, 8) seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (6) God’s handiwork (10) Why? Cause God’s love, mercy, grace and kindness     Our response of faith (not works) Purpose Now v 10 ...created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. in the future. 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Now we turn to: Ephesians 2:11-22 The main purpose of these verses is to show how, through the death of Jesus, the enmity and barrier between Jews and Gentiles has been broken down and that, through the new humanity created by this, God is building a holy temple in which God lives by his Spirit. Let’s read it together: 11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth (in the flesh) and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (which is done in the body by human hands) – 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside (abolishing) in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. 1 This passage is mainly addressed to Christians with a Gentile background   11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth... Note the use of you in verses 11, 12, 13, 17, 19 (Not we because Paul was a Jew) 2 The condition of the Gentiles before they came to Christ They were ‘uncircumcised’ Circumcision was the sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham To be uncircumcised was to have no covenant relationship with God 11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth (in the flesh) and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (which is done in the body by human hands) – 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. To be separate from Christ is to be: excluded from citizenship in Israel foreigners to the covenants of the promise without hope without God. Citizenship in Israel conveyed many blessings. However, as Paul makes clear in Romans, true circumcision is of the heart as distinct from circumcision ‘which is done in the body by human hands’ (v11) Romans 2:25-29 NIV Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a law-breaker. A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. Galatians 3:27-29 NIV ...for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 3 The condition of the Gentiles after they came to Christ This can best be summarised as ‘United with the true Israel’ (Reminder: Jews are only part of the true Israel if they have believed as Abraham believed. Gentiles who believe are as much part of the true Israel as Jews who believe.) 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility  This is a clear reference to the stone wall in the Jewish temple which divided the Court of the Gentiles from the temple proper. It carried an inscription in both Latin and Greek which ‘forbade any foreigner to go in under pain of death.’ This inscription was discovered by the French archaeologist, M. Clermont Ganneau, in 1871 (Foulkes, F., Ephesians, London, IVP, 1963, p.81).  Cf. Acts 21:29ff.  But now, through Christ, both Jew and Gentile have access to the Father by the Holy Spirit (v 18).  The blessings that result from this are made clear throughout vv. 13-19. 13 brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 he has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,  15 he has abolished the law with its commands and regulations. He has created one new humanity out of the two 16 he has reconciled both of them to God through the cross 17 He has preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household NEXT TIME The church as the new temple God is building.

Matthew 27:11–26[11] Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” [12] But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. [13] Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” [14] But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.[15] Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. [16] And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. [17] So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” [18] For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. [19] Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” [20] Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. [21] The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” [22] Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” [23] And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”[24] So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” [25] And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” [26] Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. (ESV)

Welcome to our new Summer Series ~ “False Prophets, False Teachers, False Teaching”. We are to properly test the spirits once or twice. Then… evaluate the test results before taking drastic action such as refusing them entry into our home. However, testing the spirits is properly done in a church setting where we have the protection of the flock. Just what does scripture teach us about the lifestyle of false teachers? How do we differentiate someone who is a Christian, working out, walking out, their walk in Christ? They sin too. So what is the difference between a sinner saved by Grace working out their new found Salvation and someone deliberately, in rebellion to God, living out a definable lifestyle that tells us they are a false teacher or worse?! If we have had a good home, raised with Godly values, regardless of childhood religion, than we have little understanding of a false prophet’s or false teacher’s lifestyle especially!, if, they live what appears to be a Godly principled lifestyle. Our only ruler for measure here is knowing and experiencing the Godly man’s, the Godly woman’s lifestyle so well that, the counterfeit lifestyle of the false prophet and false teacher stands out glaringly so. The wind of false doctrine, false teaching, false prophecy, and false philosophy is the beguilement, the one speaking with great perceived charisma, and any wonder the listener may succumb. Such is the winds of doctrine of which, in our infancy can blow us to and fro. As an older man or woman of God, the analogy better analogizes a wishy-washy believer. A Laodicean lukewarm believer for which, God has little, if any, tolerance. We should also note that John and Paul spoke of false prophets and teachers had gone out into the world in number. Now Peter says in 2 Peter 2:1, “But false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. These false teachers will infiltrate your midst with destructive heresies, even to the point of denying the Master who bought them.”. We hope you find this study most instructive. Get your sharp pencil, paper and Bible out! Then click Play! TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Greeting / Preamble04:30 Study Start26:58 Final Notes27:32 Thanks32:19 Benediction33:20 Total Time Please visit our Outreach Web site! ~ https://unchurched.site123.me Introduction ~ About Us, Who We Are [REVISED]: https://is.gd/DNqtwP How-To Be Saved: https://is.gd/sJSZgRShort Links Provided by: https://is.gd Our church home: The House of Supernatural Encounters ~ https://supernaturalhouse.org “End Times” and “Benediction” A “Barking Squirrel Production” Copyright: 2018 ~ All Rights Reserved Image Credit: Alex Iby, Boston, Mass., https://alexiby.com, Picture: Fenway Park, Boston, Mass., United States

[11] Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” [12] But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. [13] Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” [14] But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.[15] Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. [16] And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. [17] So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” [18] For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. [19] Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” [20] Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. [21] The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” [22] Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” [23] And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”[24] So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” [25] And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” [26] Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. (ESV)

30 June 2019 | Pastor Evan Curry Matthew 27:11-44 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

(Ep 7) The guys talk about their hobbies outside the box—Brock coins the phrase “GPS for life”—Jeremiah asks, “Why do we want to give directions?”—The guys consider the problems of judgmentalism and the ease of sliding into it—Brock reminds us all, “God’s not mad at you,” if you are in Christ, so fall on the mercy of Christ—They reflect on Jesus’ words about what really defiles us ----- Discussion: Brock and Jeremiah read about washing up from Matthew 15. While some individuals were concerned about ritual hand washing, they never saw that God gave such a ritual as a metaphor, as a way of pointing to regular heart washing, routine conscience examination. Jesus connects the dots for them by noting that hand washing doesn't bring about the spiritual goals they have in mind, closeness with God. Our hearts are far dirtier than our environments, and if we could see with our conscience they way we might see with our eyes, we'd realize that we have some sprucing up to do. The freedom that comes from such honesty and self-reflection is a divine gift, that is, if we are leaning on Jesus and not merely on what the rest of mob around us finds acceptable. This is a story about personal honesty and self-reflection! If you don't have a Bible to follow along, below is the passage that we are reading: ----- Matthew 15:1–20 (ESV) [1] Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, [2] “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” [3] He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? [4] For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ [5] But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” [6] he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. [7] You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: [8] “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; [9] in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” [10] And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: [11] it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” [12] Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” [13] He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. [14] Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” [15] But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” [16] And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? [17] Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? [18] But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. [19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. [20] These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (ESV) ----- Credits: 1. Thanks to Brad Adams for creating, recording, and mastering all of the music for the Freedom Current podcast! The intro, the outro, etc. were done by Brad in his home studio. Thanks so much, Brad! 2. Thanks to Halteman Village Baptist Church in Muncie, Indiana for giving us office space for Jeremiah and Brock to film and record this podcast! http://www.hvbchurch.org/ 3. Thanks to Remedy City Church in Muncie, Indiana for teaching us the gospel every week and for providing the resources for us to bring the remedy of Jesus Christ to the needs of our city! http://remedycitychurch.org/ 4. And, thanks and all glory to God for answering our prayers as we've desired to start this podcast!

“But the governor said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said, ‘Crucify Him!’ And he said, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they kept shouting all the more, saying, ‘Crucify Him!’ When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves’” (Matthew 27:21-24).

Brad is back from his road trip Snow in Chicago Endgame While we try not to criticize people we will call out what is not Biblical Your own version of the truth Where do you get your theology? SWAT radio will be in the Norfolk area of Virginia on The Lighthouse 100.1 fm or 1010 am starting Wednesday, May 1st. SWAT Bible studies How am I dealing with my sin? ------------------ Matthew 27:1-26 Jesus Delivered to Pilate ​1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. Judas Hangs Himself 3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.” Jesus Before Pilate 11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. The Crowd Chooses Barabbas 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” ------------------ https://swatradio.com/ SWAT - Spiritual Warriors Advancing Truth Call us Toll-Free at: +1-844-777-7928 Email Us a Question: ask@swatradio.com FIND A SWAT MEETING Woody’s Bar-B-Que 226 Solano Rd Ponte Vedra, FL 10611 Wed. 6:30-7:30 am Eastside Community Church 13301 Beach Blvd Jacksonville, FL Wed. Night 7-8 pm Salem Centre 7235 Bonneval Rd Jacksonville, FL Wed. 12:00-1:00 pm Jumping Jax House of Food 10131 San Jose Blvd #12 Jacksonville, FL Thursday 6:30-7:30 am The Village Inn 900 Ponce De Leon Blvd St. Augustine, FL Friday 9:00-10:30 am Woodmen Valley Chapel - Woodmen Heights Campus 8292 Woodman Valley View Colorado Springs CO 80908 Thursdays 8-9:15 pm

Matthew 27:15-2615 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

Paul Poteat shares what Greater Authenticity looks like by walking through John 4:27-30. Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him. There are three things we can see through this text about the faith we should have in Jesus: Simplicity Authenticity Bravery The woman at the well show cased all three of these attributes and Paul exhorts us to showcase authenticity in our walk with Christ.

With Benson battling a cold AND preparing for his daughter's wedding, it's an encore presentation of the BTG Program. Benson introduces segments from previous broadcasts where he and Barletta discuss the situation at Ole Miss and specifically, that of former Head Coach Hugh Freeze. Does a misstep by an otherwise faithful man nullify all that he has done, or will do in the name of Christ? They also work through the David Price-Dennis Eckersley incident and Benson gives a biblical perspective on dealing with conflict. And finally, a little bit about the upcoming Mayweather-McGregor fight and how over-sized egos can be a problem for a believer in Christ.

Continuing our study of Romans, we’re right in the middle of the section in which Saint Paul addresses the question: "Why haven’t all the Jews responded to the Gospel of Christ?" They were the chosen people, but yet the majority of the Jews did not accep...

Continuing our study of Romans, we’re right in the middle of the section in which Saint Paul addresses the question: "Why haven’t all the Jews responded to the Gospel of Christ?" They were the chosen people, but yet the majority of the Jews did not accept Jesus as their Messiah. Why? In this first half of chapter 10, Paul addresses the question of faith versus works of the Law, and the necessity of confessing with our lips and believing in our hearts.

Our Co-hosts, with one off the walls, discussed Apologetics, what are apologetics? They also played a segment from a pre-recorded show with Juliana C, with the song "Untitled" by Simple Plan, and in the recorded segment talked about distracted, drunk, drowsy driving, especially with prom season coming up. Speaking of proms, along with getting houses in order for guests, shouldn't we be getting our souls together for Christ? They also discussed Mother's Day, as well as why Catholics consider Mary their spiritual mother, as well as why they pray to her. They also speak about why Jesus asked Peter three times if he (Peter) loved Him (Jesus).

Matthew 27:15-26 (ESV) 15)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16)And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17)So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18)For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19)Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 20)Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21)The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22)Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23)And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” 24)So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” 25)And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26)Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

The principles of the Doctrine of Christ are defined by six basic teachings. These are found in Hebrews 6:1-2. The only problem is that most of the Christians that I have met are not grounded relative to these biblical concepts. What are the principles of the doctrine of Christ? They are repentance from dead works, faith towards God, doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and everlasting judgment. Years ago when I first read this verse for myself I realized that this was everything I didn't know. This week on Discovering the Truth with Dan Duval we will finish our discussion on these teachings. The truths that these principles contain will revolutionize your thinking and your life just as they have revolutionized mine. Understanding these principles will take us from cavalry to the return of Christ and back again as we explore issues that have long remained poorly understood. In the end, this will prove to be another revolutionary episode of Discovering the Truth with Dan Duval.

The principles of the Doctrine of Christ are defined by six basic teachings. These are found in Hebrews 6:1-2. The only problem is that most of the Christians that I have met are not grounded relative to these biblical concepts. What are the principles of the doctrine of Christ? They are repentance from dead works, faith towards God, doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and everlasting judgment. Years ago when I first read this verse for myself I realized that this was everything I didn't know. This week on Discovering the Truth with Dan Duval we will be diving into these teachings. The truthes that these principles contain will revolutionize your thinking and your life just as they have revolutionized mine. Understanding these principles will take us from calvary to the return of Christ and back again as we explore issues that have long remained poorly understood. In the end, this will prove to be another revolutionary episode of Discovering the Truth with Dan Duval.

Matthew 27:15-26 English Standard Version (ESV) The Crowd Chooses Barabbas 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified 24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood;[a] see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged[b] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

TRANSCRIPT Church Militant (a 501(c)4 corporation) is responsible for the content of this commentary. With the Democratic National Convention (which was more like a once-every-four-year meeting of the Soviet Politburo) blessedly come and gone, we can now look at all things official from the Party of Death. The communist Democrats did the main thing they actually gathered virtually to do — to nominate fake-Catholic Biden as their man. They also tossed in fake African American Kamala Harris just to keep the theme of fake going. She ain't African American. And she knows nothing of the experience of "black America." But Harris isn't the focus today; Biden and his fellow commies are. There is no way any Catholic can vote for this ticket, die unrepentant of it and escape Hell. To lend your support to these enemies of Christ is to cut yourself off from Him (and therefore from eternal salvation). Biden and the Democrats hate religion, for starters. They pay a tiny bit of lip service to it but, in practice, would completely nullify it in the process of overturning every right protected by the Constitution. The 2020 Democratic Party is anti-Christ, which makes their leader, Joe Biden, a fake Catholic waging war against Christ. For example, the 2020 party platform says religious freedom is a "fundamental human right." Sounds good, right? Read on. It's a right that, however, cannot be used "as a cover for discrimination." There you have it. Your religion is fine as long as you don't try to actually practice it. In 1993, sensing communist creep closing in on religion, the United States passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act ("RFRA"). It has been successful in preventing the government from forcing individuals and groups to violate their consciences with morally objectionable laws and regulations. So an adoption agency run by the Church is free to uphold its religious beliefs, for example, and not give children to homosexual couples for adoption. If a gay couple wants a child, there are plenty of other agencies they can go to. RFRA, because it backs religious convictions, has been high on the target list for the communist Democrats for years. Last year, Kamala Harris introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate to gut RFRA and force religious-minded people to go along with immoral laws and practices — or pay the price. The bill lost because the commies don't have control of the Senate: That's the only reason. The entire communist Democratic Party has adopted an anti-God platform (and specifically an anti-Christian or, more acutely said, anti-Christ platform). Yep. The 2020 Democratic Party is anti-Christ, which makes Joe Biden, their leader, a fake Catholic waging war against Christ. Jesus Christ is the truth. Personally. He said it of Himself: "I am the way, the truth and the life." He's the truth, not some truth. He's not a person who says truth, but is truth itself. When He stood before Joe Biden's spiritual ancestor, Pontius Pilate, He said, "Anyone who hears the truth, hears My voice." When Christ speaks, it is truth speaking — truth in vocal resonance. It's not what He says but that He says anything. Since He is truth, nothing can come from His mouth other than truth. There is nothing in the Communist Party platform other than lies — that which is opposed to truth. What type of Catholic would these monstrous men in miters be capable of producing other than a Biden (an enemy of Christ)? Forcing consciences, mauling and murdering children in the womb, destroying families, eradicating the human spirit, the enslavement of labor, the glorification of unbridled sex, the celebration of perversion — everything this party supports is opposed to the divine (no matter how many homosexualist priests sashay onto center stage to pretend otherwise). Biden had better hope — for the sake of his salvation — that the dementia is deep and has been around for a while. He long ago entered into a pact with the diabolical where he exchanged his soul for political power. That much is obvious. The circumstances of the pact are unimportant. Only the consequences are worth considering. Biden hates Christ because he hates the truth. And what's worse, he pretends otherwise. At least the likes of Soros don't pretend. But then again, Soros and company don't need to deceive people in order to secure their votes. In many ways, Biden is little else than the extension of a failed Catholic Church — a hierarchy that sold its own soul decades ago in exchange for mostly homosexual lust but also power and money. As the expression goes, "Garbage in, garbage out." What type of Catholic would these monstrous men in miters be capable of producing other than a Biden (an enemy of Christ)? They long ago set themselves up as His enemy, and now affairs are simply playing out to their logical conclusion. Biden learned to become an enemy of Christ at the feet of so many bishops and clerics who perfected the practice. Many of those men are now dead, and Biden is close. Maybe, somehow, all those perverted bishops and priests — perverted in a thousand ways — were all saved (as Bp. Barron assures us). After having lied to, deceived, raped, robbed, pillaged tens of millions of souls for their careers, they each suddenly had a deathbed conversion. We can certainly desire that, but there is no reasonable hope of it because a reasonable hope is based on a reason. And just what would that reason be? Christ would want them to be saved, of course. But the reality is many of them would not want to be saved. They would have cut themselves off from salvation — locked in their sin and unable to cooperate with whatever graces they may have received, even on their deathbeds. God does not force Himself on a soul; He does not force souls to go against their conscience. That's what communist Democrats do. You know, the enemies of Christ. The ones who hate him — like their 2020 nominee.