Podcasts about instead jesus

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Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2022 35:41

Don't Murder! Realistically not many of us will ever disobey this command, but Jesus takes this to another level, telling us to be mindful of the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. To be self-aware of how we handle our anger specifically. That to think evil thoughts about someone, we have in some degree committed a crime against the other person. Instead Jesus calls us to be peacemakers in our relationships, be a uniter and not a divider. From our passage Jesus tells us: 1. Anger is the same as murder, and subject to judgment. 2. Have self-awareness in our relationships. Do we unite or do we divide? 3. Pursue Shalom (peace) in our community and world by serving others. Challenge: Being a peacemaker will be distinctive for the world to see, and for you to experience a more full and joyful well-being.

Thunk It, Done It! - Audio

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Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2022 35:41

Jan 16, 2022 Worship Service - Audio

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Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2022 81:38

Community Life - Denny Lai #weareclc - Gordon Wang Speaker - Pastor Calvin Yim "Thunk It, Done It!" Don't Murder! Realistically not many of us will ever disobey this command, but Jesus takes this to another level, telling us to be mindful of the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. To be self-aware of how we handle our anger specifically. That to think evil thoughts about someone, we have in some degree committed a crime against the other person. Instead Jesus calls us to be peacemakers in our relationships, be a uniter and not a divider. From our passage Jesus tells us: 1. Anger is the same as murder, and subject to judgment. 2. Have self-awareness in our relationships. Do we unite or do we divide? 3. Pursue Shalom (peace) in our community and world by serving others. Challenge: Being a peacemaker will be distinctive for the world to see, and for you to experience a more full and joyful well-being.

Jan 16, 2022 Worship Service - Video

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Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2022 81:38

Matthew 14-16: The Long Detour

Lifespring! Media: Quality Christian and Family Entertainment Since 2004

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2021 22:10

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Matthew 14-16, and I'm calling the episode “The Long Detour." Thoughts on Matthew 15 When the chapter begins, Jesus is in Gennesaret, by the Sea of Galilee. But in verse 21 Jesus travels to the area around Tyre and Sidon, about 50 miles away. And the area is in the opposite direction of Jerusalem. For reference, Galilee is roughly due north of Jerusalem, about 75 miles away. As the crow flies, Tyre is about 105 miles from Jerusalem. Remember, Jesus walked everywhere. He didn't own any animals. So it probably took him two to three days, depending on his speed, to walk from Gennesaret to the area around Tyre and Sidon. Why am I telling you this? Because when Jesus went there, this was not on the way to any of the places he usually frequented. He was there on a mission. He had an appointment to keep with a Canaanite woman. A Gentile. There was a lot of hatred between the Jews and the Canaanites. Yet this woman cries out to Jesus, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!” She must have heard the accounts of the miracles of healing that Jesus had done, even for Gentiles, and she believed that Jesus was the Son of David, and that He could heal her daughter. The people in his home town had no faith in Jesus, but this Canaanite woman did. Let's step aside for a moment to note that the Gentiles Jesus healed previously had travelled to his location. In this case, Jesus made the trip to her. Now back to the scene. The woman cries out, "Have mercy on me...!" and Jesus doesn't even answer her. Maybe he didn't even acknowledge her presence. This doesn't sound like Jesus. He ignored her. Evidently her reaction to being ignored was to keep pleading with Jesus, because the disciples said, “Send her away, because she is crying out after us!” At this point, we don't know what Jesus was doing, but the disciples were annoyed. They wanted her to just go away. In saying "send her away", the original language implies that they were asking Jesus to do what she asked so that she would stop her pleading and go away. Instead Jesus said in essence, "I was not sent for the Gentiles, but for Israel." This made her even more persistent. "Lord, help me!" Listen to what Charles Spurgeon wrote about this plea: “I commend this prayer to you because it is such a handy prayer. You can use it when you are in a hurry, you can use it when you are in a fright, you can use it when you have not time to bow your knee. You can use it in the pulpit if you are going to preach, you can use it when you are opening your shop, you can use it when you are rising in the morning. It is such a handy prayer that I hardly know any position in which you could not pray it: ‘Lord, help me.'” Lord, help me. Some people don't feel like they've prayed effectively unless they use a lot of words. Jesus told us in Matthew 6:8 that "...your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Lord, help me. But to our ears, Jesus seemingly doubled down in his coldness to her. He says, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs!” Sounds pretty racist, doesn't it? Knowing how Canaanites and Jews hated each other, it sounds like Jesus is calling her a dog, doesn't it? But not so. The language tells us that what Jesus said was "little dogs", as in the pet dogs that even Jewish people had, not the wild dogs that roamed the streets. We aren't told the tone of Jesus' voice when he made this statement, but I imagine He was beginning to let her in on the fact that He was using this as a teaching moment. I can even believe that He had a hint of a smile on his face. So she said, “Yes, Lord, for even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.” She understood what he was saying. She didn't take offense at being called a little dog. And she continued her plea. "Just throw me a scrap, Lord.

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9/26/2021 "Jesus is LORD: The Divine Servant: [Matthew 12:14-21]

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Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2021 47:47

Greater than Jesus' miracles of healing is the prophecy of him as the gentle and meek servant. Matthew includes the prophecy of Isaiah 42:1-4 in this intermission within the 12th chapter of the gospel as the greatest evidence that Jesus was/is the Messiah. Jesus never allowed the opposition of the Pharisees to hinder the ministry that God the Father placed upon him. In no way was the prophesied Beloved Servant of the Lord looking for attention or accolades from the people. Instead Jesus controlled the ministry to the suffering by withdrawing from the hinderances thus showing his Sovereign power as the Christ. He never allowed the political discourse to interfere or dominate the Kingdom of Heaven.

9/26/2021 "Jesus is LORD: The Divine Servant: [Matthew 12:14-21]

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Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2021 47:47

Perfectly Quiet: The Intertestamental Period Part 6

Anchored by Truth from Crystal Sea Books - a 30 minute show exploring the grand Biblical saga of creation, fall, and redempti

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2021 29:57

Episode 120 – Perfectly Quiet – The Intertestamental Period 6 Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The goal of Anchored by Truth is to encourage everyone to grow in the Christian faith by anchoring themselves to the secure truth found in the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God. Script: How can a grown man be born again?” Nicodemus asked. “He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!” “I am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again.” The Gospel of John, chapter 3, verses 4 through 7, Good News Translation ******** VK: Hello. I’m Victoria K. Welcome to another episode of Anchored by Truth. Today we are continuing our look at “The Intertestamental Period.” The intertestamental period is the 400 to 450 year period that elapsed between the close of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. It’s a very important period in overall Biblical history but we suspect it’s one of the least studied. I’m in the studio today with RD Fierro, author and Founder Crystal Sea Books. RD, why do you think the intertestamental period receives so little attention even from people who are faithful students of the Bible? RD: Greeting to all the Anchored by Truth listeners. If you are joining us here today for the first time we’d like thank you and invite you to keep checking us out. If you’ve heard Anchored by Truth before, thank you for coming back. We know that your continuing interest in our show marks you as someone who is serious in knowing the Bible. Much of the material that we discuss on Anchored by Truth requires thought and concentration and we know that in today’s hectic world that’s not always easy to come by. VK: Amen. RD: Anyway, I think you’re right that the intertestamental period may be the period of Biblical history that receives the least attention today. The biggest reason it doesn’t is because no books were being added to the canon of scripture during that time – between the testaments. And even for those who accept the Apocrypha as canonical there was still a gap during which no new material was being added to scripture. Because we normally focus our time on scripture itself we tend not to think very much about what happened outside of scripture, especially since we’re talking about events that all occurred over 2,000 years ago. VK: But you believe that those events that happened over 2,000 years ago are still important in our lives today. Why is that? RD: Well, let me answer that question with a question. What is God’s will for every one of his children? VK: That’s an easy one. God wants us all to be holy. 1 Peter 1:16 says “the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’” I know a lot of people spend a lot of time wondering what God’s will is for their lives. Usually, they’re thinking about what to study in school, what job to take, or whether to get married. And those are important questions. But, when it comes down to it, the only goal that scripture states for all of our lives is for us to be holy. RD: Very good answer. VK: Thank you. RD: And the next question is how do we go about becoming holy? VK: Well, I suppose two verses spring to mind. The Gospel of Mark, chapter 12 verses 30 and 31 where Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” RD: Again, that’s a very good answer. And I might add John 4:24. “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” In Mark Jesus is talking to someone who is referred to as a “scribe” or “a teacher of the law” – in other words a religious expert at the time. In Mark 12:28, the scribe has asked Jesus which of the commandments is the most important and, after reminding the scribe that there is only one God, Jesus replies with the commandment to love that God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. A lot of people today forget about the “mind” part. Then in John 4:24 Jesus in talking with the Samaritan woman at the well Jesus says that we must worship God in “spirit and in truth.” It would be hard to know the truth if we don’t use our minds. The point of all this is that for us to be holy (which is God’s will for all of our lives) we have to use not only our hearts and strength, but also our minds. Well, one of the things we need to be doing with our minds is not only reading scripture but doing our best to understand what we are reading. VK: So, your point is that there are many events that happened over 2,000 years ago that affected, or directly applied to, the content of our current Bibles. Some of those events occurred during the intertestamental period. So, if we don’t have some understanding of those periods historically we are automatically placing limits on our understanding of some parts of scripture. RD: Right. I’m not saying we have to turn everyone into a Bible historian. I’m certainly not. But I am saying that as we progress through our Christian lives, in order to be obedient to Christ’s command to the scribe and the Samaritan woman, we need to grow in our understanding of not only the Bible, but also the times in which the Bible was set. VK: And we need to do that because our times and cultures are quite different from the times and cultures that in which the Bible was written. The Bible tells us not be “unequally yoked” but very, very few modern Bible readers have ever had to put a yoke on themselves or an animal, for that matter. But we at least need to have a basic understanding of how yokes were used in Biblical times for us to see how that commandment should apply in our own lives. RD: Once again, that’s a great illustration. VK: And again, thank you. So, one of the biggest reasons we have undertaken this series on the intertestamental period is to make it a little easier for our listeners, who truly do want to improve their understanding of the Bible, achieve their goal. We’re doing the research and putting the research into a package that they can consume easily and share easily. RD: Exactly right. Back to the verse from 1 Peter where Peter starts off the encouragement part of his letter by reminding his readers of Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus 19:2. Peter is writing his letter to a widely separated group of believers – believers in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. Those are regions in modern day Turkey and they cover a lot of territory. Peter intends for his letter to be widely circulated. So, after some introductory comments Peter starts off by reminding his readers that God’s will for their lives, for all our lives, is for them to be holy. This is particularly important to remind them because Peter’s readers are being subjected to a great deal of persecution. VK: Like many believers are today. RD: Like many believers are today - and Peter doesn’t want them to give up their faith. Peter wants them, and us, to persevere. So, he starts off his encouragement by reminding them that God wants them to persistent in their efforts to be holy and he reminds them that the basis for this admonition is because God Himself is holy. VK: But, in reminding his readers of God’s holiness, Peter is actually reminding them that God is on their side. He’s not trying to act as some sort of “conduct policeman.” What Peter is actually reminding his readers, is that God is on their side. God is so much on their side that God wants them to be clearly identified with Him through their lives and behavior. Right? RD: Right. Peter is reminding his readers, and all of us, that God is very well aware of all the temptations and persecutions that come into their lives. But God doesn’t abandon them in those temptations and persecutions. God remains with His people and because God is with His people He knows how tempting it can be for us to give up “fighting the good fight.” VK: There is no more foundational comfort for a Christian than Deuteronomy 4:31 where God tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us. RD: I agree. So, the foundation for God telling His people to “be holy” and to love Him will their hearts, souls, strength, and minds is that His people belong to Him and not to the world or the forces of the world. This, not coincidentally, is a lesson that we can see clearly from God’s supernatural preservation of His people during the 450 years of the intertestamental period. VK: I like how you brought our discussion back to the intertestamental period we’ve been talking about. RD: Thank you. I try. VK: What you’re saying is that the Jews in Palestine during the intertestamental period would have had every reason to be discouraged. They had just endured decades of exile from their homeland. Even after the exile ended and some returned home, they returned home to an impoverished and desolate set of cities, towns, and fields. Even back in their homeland they were surrounded by hostile actors who would happily have destroyed them if they could. When Nehemiah arrived to lead an effort to restore the walls of Jerusalem, the workers were constantly harassed. They were threatened so much they had to keep their weapons with them at all times. And even after they rebuilt the walls and the temple, neither had the grandeur they had known formally. The truth was it would have been very easy for the Jews of that time to give up and leave or at least give up what made them distinctive – their faith. But they didn’t give up their faith. And neither should we during times of trial. RD: Exactly. But while the Jews had not given up their faith during the intertestamental period, as Jesus exchange with Nicodemus in our opening scripture illustrates errors had crept into the Jews understanding and practice of their faith. This was also illustrated by the exchange Jesus had with the Sadducees that we talked about in our last episode of Anchored by Truth. VK: Last time we discussed the incident where the Sadducees tried to trick Jesus with the woman-married-to-seven-brothers question that is related in Matthew, chapter 22, verses 25 through 28 and in Mark, chapter 12 and Luke, chapter 20. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection so they had developed this trick question about a woman who was married to 7 different brothers in accordance with the Jewish requirement that a younger brother marry the widow of an older brother. The Sadducees tried to illustrate that believing in the resurrection created questions that were impossible to answer - like whose wife the widow would be after the resurrection. RD: Right. But, of course, the Sadducees couldn’t trick Jesus. Instead Jesus pointed out that their own scriptures proved that the resurrection was real by quoting the scripture that described Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush. So, both the exchange with the Sadducees and Jesus’ exchange with Nicodemus showed that, even though the Jews had preserved their faith during the intertestamental period, errors had crept into their understanding of the content of their faith. In the case of the Sadducees they had begun to deny a fundamental doctrine of their faith – that there was life after death and that the life after death would be physical not merely spiritual. VK: And we don’t really know why the Sadducees had come to reject the doctrine of the resurrection do we? RD: Not precisely, no. But I think we can make some informed speculation. Let’s remember that the Sadducees and the Pharisees were kind of like political parties that had arisen during the intertestamental period. For over 200 years during the intertestamental period Palestine had been ruled by one group of Greeks or another. The Greeks actively promoted their language, culture, and ideas in the territories they controlled. This process was called “Hellenization.” Well, one of the ideas that pervaded Greek philosophy was the idea that the immaterial part of human beings, the spirit or soul, was far superior to the fleshly part. The Greeks largely thought of the spirit as good and the body as evil. So, to the Greeks the spirit needed to be liberated from the body and for some they thought of death as accomplishing this liberation. VK: The notion that the spirit is good but the body is evil is completely foreign to the Christian faith, isn’t it. When God had finished His creative activity on the 6th day he pronounced everything He had created “very good.” So, this pronouncement included both man’s body and spirit. Christianity and Judaism regard human beings as body-spirit unities with both parts having been originally created good. Right? RD: Right. And the Christian hope of resurrection is a physical resurrection just as Jesus was physically resurrected after he had been in the tomb. Jesus walked around, interacted with His disciples, ate and cooked food, and invited Thomas to touch His body to cure his doubts. The Christian faith believes in a physical resurrection though not in bodies that have been corrupted by sin, but in glorified, physical bodies like the one Jesus obviously possessed after He walked out of the tomb. Well, during the intertestamental period the Sadducees may have been heavily influenced by the Greeks ideas that were circulating in Palestine as a result of the Hellenization. The Sadducees as a party seemed to have been much more willing to embrace the process of Hellenization than the Pharisees like Nicodemus. VK: The Pharisees seem to have been the party within Israel that resisted Hellenization. The Pharisees seemed to have been far more interested in preserving their original culture and religion. As such, the Pharisees embraced the entire body of what we call the Old Testament as scripture whereas the Sadducees only believed that the first five books of the Old Testament were authoritative. So, after the intertestamental period when Jesus was conducting His earthly ministry the Pharisees did believe in the resurrection. But based on the exchange between Nicodemus and Jesus apparently some errors had crept into their understanding also. It’s just that their errors were different from the errors of the Sadducees. RD: Yes. The Sadducees were wrong about the existence of life after death, especially physical life. Since they didn’t believe in the resurrection at all they had no interest or questions in how such a resurrection could be accomplished. The Pharisees, such as Nicodemus, did believe in the resurrection but apparently even a Pharisee as knowledgeable as Nicodemus had questions. In particular, Nicodemus seems to have wondered about the means by which the resurrection would be achieved. Nicodemus seemed to have a good understanding of the ends but not the means. So, wisely, he brought his questions to Jesus because as Nicodemus acknowledged at the beginning of their interview Nicodemus knew Jesus had come from God. VK: So, we get some great lessons from this exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus. First, we learn that even people who are respected leaders and mature in their faith can still have questions and that’s ok. It’s okay to have questions and when we do it makes sense to go find people we think can help us find answers. We also learn that God is willing to provide us with teachers if we are sincere in wanting to grow in our understanding. Throughout church history there have been skilled teachers and preachers who have thought carefully about matters that are of concern to all of us. Thankfully, they have left behind an abundance of resources that are available to us today. So, even though we can’t go physically to Jesus we can go to a source of revelation more complete than Nicodemus had. Nicodemus had ready access to the Old Testament but we have ready access to both the Old and the New Testaments. RD: Those are both valuable observations. But we get learn even more when we contrast Jesus’ exchange with Nicodemus and His exchange with the Sadducees. VK: Like what? RD: Nicodemus was an honest questioner. He had some sincere questions about certain things that were part of his faith. But when Nicodemus approached Jesus he made no attempt to trick Jesus. The Sadducees did attempt to trick Jesus. The Sadducees had just as much information about Jesus as Nicodemus did, but rather than availing themselves of the opportunity to learn from him they attempted to defend their flawed understanding. They tried to trick Jesus with their supposedly-impossible-question. They probably used that question regularly in their debates with the Pharisees about whether the resurrection was real. It probably worked with the Pharisees but it didn’t work with Jesus. So, a lesson we learn when we compare the two encounters is that we need to recognize opportunities to learn from skilled and knowledgeable believers when they arrive. And we need to be honest about our questions and open to their teaching. VK: But we do need to be discerning about who we accept as teachers. We need to be sure that people we look to for help in growing in our faith are people who are solidly grounded in the understanding of the Bible. We need to be sure their desire is to elevate the Bible rather than their own ideas. RD: Yes. That’s a good caveat to keep in mind. Another lesson we pick up when we compare Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus as opposed to his encounter with the tricky Sadducees is to see how Jesus responded. With the Sadducees Jesus first corrected their misunderstanding but then he added what I would characterize as a mild rebuke. But he didn’t go any further. But with Nicodemus, who was both open and teachable, Jesus went beyond just trying to answer a question or explain a basic point regarding the content of his faith. VK: Well in John’s account of the encounter John doesn’t really record Nicodemus asking Jesus a question before Jesus told him that he had to be born again. RD: That’s true. So, we’re not sure whether there was a preliminary discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus before Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again. As a reporter John tends to focus on the material which is most relevant to John’s basic purpose of demonstrating that Jesus is the son of God. So, it’s possible that Nicodemus asked a question which John didn’t bother reporting or it’s possible that Jesus already knew what Nicodemus wanted to ask. VK: Jesus was a prophet, after all. In fact, Jesus was the greatest prophet of all time. He constantly displayed the ability to know things about the people he was talking to without having been told. The encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well comes to mind. RD: Exactly. Nicodemus may have asked a question or the two may have had an initial discussion which John doesn’t bother to report or Jesus may have just known what was bothering Nicodemus. It’s quite possible that Nicodemus, a Pharisee who believed in the resurrection – and who had had lots of debates through the years with the Sadducees on the resurrection – just wanted to be sure he understood the subject of life after death clearly. A lot of people today have similar questions. At any rate, Jesus did not just go about addressing the basic question he went on to provide Nicodemus with additional information – likely information Nicodemus didn’t even know he needed but which has been a cornerstone of the Christian faith. VK: You’re thinking of John 3:16 – possibly the most well-known verse out of the entire Bible. “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” (King James Version with slight edits) RD: Right. In response to Nicodemus’ honest question or question Jesus proceeds to give us one of the most famous expositions in the Bible. Jesus assures Nicodemus that not only is the resurrection real but that he was face-to-face with the instrument by which God would accomplish resurrection for everyone who believed. Jesus goes on in his discussion to a verse (18) which is less well-known but just as important. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.” (New Living Translation) Jesus ratifies that there will be a resurrection but notes that the resurrection will include a separation between the believers and unbelievers. I’m sure that must have been both comforting and distressing to Nicodemus. VK: Comforting because it reassured Nicodemus of the security of his individual destination. After years, or perhaps decades, of being told by the Sadducees that there was no such thing as the resurrection Nicodemus would have been comforted to know that he had been right all along. But he would have been distressed to know that many of his colleagues and perhaps friends were in eternal danger because he knew they did not believe that Jesus had been sent from God the way he did. I think that’s a sentiment many of us today would share. RD: Exactly. And so this goes back to the reason it’s a good idea for us to have some understanding of what life was like in Israel while Jesus was performing His earthly ministry. Debates had raged for decades on questions that are basic and essential to our faith. It can help us immensely to not see Nicodemus and the others Jesus encountered, pro or con, as real people with lives and histories just like ours. They had concerns just like we do and we share many of those concerns 2,000 years later – like how to help our friends avoid eternal judgment. Improving our understanding of scripture and how Jesus ministered during his life is invaluable to helping our friends. VK: Amen. This sounds like a great time for a prayer. Jesus’ ministry while He was on this earth was all about saving those who are lost spiritually. The need for doing that continues today. So, today let’s listen to a prayer for our nation – knowing that God continues to want to provide His light to any and all who are genuinely open to receiving answers to sincere questions: ---- PRAYER FOR THE NATION (MARCUS). We hope you’ll be with us next time and we hope you’ll take some time to encourage some friends to tune in too, or listen to the podcast version of this show. If you’d like to hear more, try out crystalseabooks.com where “We’re not famous but our Boss is!” (Bible Quote from the New International Version) Daniel, chapter 8, verses 5 through 8 and 20 and 21, New International Version

Mid-Winter Harvest Festival

John Hebenton's Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2021 28:55

John explores what harvest festival is about, and uses Matariki to offer the idea that in harvest festival we also commit to ongoing care for creation, where the harvest comes from. He links that with Pope Francis's Laudato Si, - giving thanks for creation and developing an attitude holding the bond between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society and inner peace. That leads us to the Gospel reading (Mark 5:21-43) and the reign of God revealed in Jesus offering of hope and life. In Jesus the reign of God defeats the powers that bring death and prevent people and creation from thriving. Instead Jesus offers life. And for many what prevents people thriving is their fear. Jesus breaks the power of fear and invites us to trust God even in the midst of our fear and doubt.The notes for this sermon can be found here

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12 Matthew 4:8-11 3rd Temptation: Bow Down

god jesus christ lord israel satan revelation jerusalem temptation deuteronomy compare ruling matthew 4 o israel bow down o israel the lord instead jesus

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2021

Satan offers Jesus a shortcut to gaining the blessings God has promised him. But idolatry is looking to someone or something other than God to grant us Life. For each of the temptations, we'll answer 3 questions: Why is the choice wrong? Why is the choice attractive? How does Jesus respond? Review At Jesus' baptism, we have a dramatic heavenly confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah. After that, we might expect Jesus to rally an army and march to Jerusalem to claim the throne of David amidst the cheers and adoration of his nation. Instead Jesus is led into the wilderness, alone, to face starvation and temptation. On the one hand, Jesus has been powerfully confirmed as the Son of God, the Messiah. On the other hand, God has put him in a place where he is facing great hardship and deprivation. This tension lies behind all these temptations. Satan wants to destroy Jesus personally and more importantly he wants to disqualify Jesus to be the Messiah. God is testing Jesus and demonstrating that Jesus is, in fact, worthy to be the Messiah. God tests Jesus in a way that echoes the story of Israel's journey in the wilderness to teach us that Jesus is succeeding where Israel failed. Jesus shows he understands this parallel between his situation and Israel's by quoting from Moses' sermon to the nation before they enter the promised land. Why is the choice tempting? 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'” 11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. - Matthew 4:8-11 Satan is not asking for Jesus' complete loyalty, but for an act of respect. This word translated "bow down" refers to the physical act of prostrating yourself as a gesture of respect, the kind of homage a subject would give a king (e.g. Revelation 3:9; Mark 15:19). Satan is asking Jesus to perform the physical act of bowing down before him in exchange for the kingdoms of the world. Ruling over the kingdoms of the world is Jesus' destiny as the Messiah (e.g. Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus must have longed for it insofar as he longs for God's will. God has promised to give Jesus authority over all the earth, but to realize that promise Jesus must suffer and die. Satan is offering to "fulfill" God's promise to Jesus WITHOUT the suffering. Luke 4:6-7 implies that Satan has authority to grant these kingdoms. Deuteronomy Review 1“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey." - Deuteronomy 6:1-3 The focus in this section is on the future. Israel is about to cross into the land God promised their fathers. Moses reminds the present generation that in the promised land they will face the same temptation their fathers faced in the wilderness: Will they be faithful to the Lord or not? 4“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart." - Deuteronomy 6:4-6 What does it mean that that Lord is one? Compare with Mark 12:28-34.

12 Matthew 4:8-11 3rd Temptation: Bow Down

god jesus christ lord israel satan revelation jerusalem temptation deuteronomy compare ruling matthew 4 o israel bow down o israel the lord instead jesus

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2021 53:17

Satan offers Jesus a shortcut to gaining the blessings God has promised him. But idolatry is looking to someone or something other than God to grant us Life. For each of the temptations, we'll answer 3 questions: Why is the choice wrong?Why is the choice attractive?How does Jesus respond? Review At Jesus' baptism, we have a dramatic heavenly confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah. After that, we might expect Jesus to rally an army and march to Jerusalem to claim the throne of David amidst the cheers and adoration of his nation. Instead Jesus is led into the wilderness, alone, to face starvation and temptation. On the one hand, Jesus has been powerfully confirmed as the Son of God, the Messiah. On the other hand, God has put him in a place where he is facing great hardship and deprivation. This tension lies behind all these temptations.Satan wants to destroy Jesus personally and more importantly he wants to disqualify Jesus to be the Messiah. God is testing Jesus and demonstrating that Jesus is, in fact, worthy to be the Messiah.God tests Jesus in a way that echoes the story of Israel's journey in the wilderness to teach us that Jesus is succeeding where Israel failed. Jesus shows he understands this parallel between his situation and Israel's by quoting from Moses' sermon to the nation before they enter the promised land. Why is the choice tempting? 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'” 11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. - Matthew 4:8-11 Satan is not asking for Jesus' complete loyalty, but for an act of respect.This word translated "bow down" refers to the physical act of prostrating yourself as a gesture of respect, the kind of homage a subject would give a king (e.g. Revelation 3:9; Mark 15:19).Satan is asking Jesus to perform the physical act of bowing down before him in exchange for the kingdoms of the world. Ruling over the kingdoms of the world is Jesus' destiny as the Messiah (e.g. Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus must have longed for it insofar as he longs for God's will.God has promised to give Jesus authority over all the earth, but to realize that promise Jesus must suffer and die. Satan is offering to "fulfill" God's promise to Jesus WITHOUT the suffering.Luke 4:6-7 implies that Satan has authority to grant these kingdoms. Deuteronomy Review 1“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey." - Deuteronomy 6:1-3 The focus in this section is on the future. Israel is about to cross into the land God promised their fathers. Moses reminds the present generation that in the promised land they will face the same temptation their fathers faced in the wilderness: Will they be faithful to the Lord or not? 4“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart." - Deuteronomy 6:4-6 What does it mean that that Lord is one? Compare with Mark 12:28-34.The scribe in Mark 12 restates the significance as there is no other besides him.

12 Matthew 4:8-11 3rd Temptation: Bow Down

god jesus christ lord israel satan revelation jerusalem temptation deuteronomy compare ruling matthew 4 o israel bow down o israel the lord instead jesus

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2021

10 Matthew 4:1-4 1st Temptation: Stones to bread

god jesus christ israel spirit man satan greek jerusalem exodus bread temptation stones pharaoh matthew 4 god exodus passover exodus instead jesus

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2021

In the temptations, Satan wants to disqualify Jesus as the Messiah while God wants to demonstrate that Jesus is worthy to be the Messiah. We'll look how how Jesus responds when he's tempted to believe God is no longer taking care of him. For each of the temptations we'll answer 3 questions: Why is the choice wrong? Why is the choice attractive? How does Jesus respond? Review At Jesus' baptism, we have a dramatic heavenly confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah. After that, we might expect Jesus to rally an army and march to Jerusalem to establish his rightful reign. We might expect him to claim the throne of David as is his right amidst the cheers and adoration of his nation. Instead Jesus is led into the wilderness, alone, to face starvation and temptation. Setting Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit. He is there because God told him to go there (Matt 4:1). God sends Jesus into the wilderness is so that he might be tempted by the devil (Matt 4:1). The basic meaning of the Greek word for "test" (periazo) is to test something to find out what it's made of. If you are testing a person with the hope that he fails the test, this word is typically translated "tempted." If you are testing a person with the hope that he succeeds, this word is often translated "try" or "test." God and Satan have two very different purposes for this testing. Satan wants to disqualify Jesus as God's Messiah while God wants demonstrate that Jesus is qualified to be the Messiah. God is deliberating creating a parallel between the nation of Israel in the wilderness and Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus appears to understand the parallel by quoting from the sermon Moses gave to Israel reviewing the lessons they were supposed to learn from their journey in the wilderness. Jesus succeeds in obeying God where Israel failed. Passage 1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” - Matthew 4:1-4 Satan is not asking Jesus to prove that he is the Messiah. It is not inherently wrong to turn the stones into bread. Elsewhere Jesus miraculously produces food. Satan is trying to convince Jesus that God cannot be trusted and he should take matters into his own hands. Satan's logic: "If God is really good, He would feed you. He's not feeding you, so God must not be good. If God isn't good, I can't trust Him to care for me. And if I can't trust God to care for me, then I'd better look out for myself.” The problem is the premise: God is good and He may not feed you. The choice is tempting because Jesus may conclude from his present circumstances that God is no longer taking care of him. The choice is wrong because it would be to stop trusting God and take matters into your own hands. Exodus Review When the nation of Israel is suffering in slavery in Egypt, God sends Moses to them with a message of deliverance (Exodus 4:1-31). God promises that He will deliver them from their slavery with a striking display of power. He will be their God and they will be His people (Exodus 6:1-130. Even though Israel is skeptical, God delivers them through a series of ten miraculous plagues, including the Passover (Exodus 7-13). Pharaoh agrees to let them go, but pursues them with his army after they leave. The people panic when they see Pharaoh's army approaching (Exodus 14:10-13). But God miraculously saves them by parting the sea (Exodus 14). The people believe God (Exodus 14:31), but their trust does not last. When they face hunger, the nation again loses confidence in God (Exodus 16:1-3).

10 Matthew 4:1-4 1st Temptation: Stones to bread

god jesus christ israel spirit man satan greek jerusalem exodus bread temptation stones pharaoh matthew 4 god exodus passover exodus instead jesus

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2021

10 Matthew 4:1-4 1st Temptation: Stones to bread

god jesus christ israel spirit man satan greek jerusalem exodus bread temptation stones pharaoh matthew 4 god exodus passover exodus instead jesus

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2021 46:18

In the temptations, Satan wants to disqualify Jesus as the Messiah while God wants to demonstrate that Jesus is worthy to be the Messiah. We'll look how how Jesus responds when he's tempted to believe God is no longer taking care of him. For each of the temptations we'll answer 3 questions: Why is the choice wrong? Why is the choice attractive? How does Jesus respond? Review At Jesus' baptism, we have a dramatic heavenly confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah. After that, we might expect Jesus to rally an army and march to Jerusalem to establish his rightful reign. We might expect him to claim the throne of David as is his right amidst the cheers and adoration of his nation. Instead Jesus is led into the wilderness, alone, to face starvation and temptation. Setting Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit. He is there because God told him to go there (Matt 4:1). God sends Jesus into the wilderness is so that he might be tempted by the devil (Matt 4:1). The basic meaning of the Greek word for "test" (periazo) is to test something to find out what it's made of. If you are testing a person with the hope that he fails the test, this word is typically translated "tempted." If you are testing a person with the hope that he succeeds, this word is often translated "try" or "test." God and Satan have two very different purposes for this testing.Satan wants to disqualify Jesus as God's Messiah while God wants demonstrate that Jesus is qualified to be the Messiah. God is deliberating creating a parallel between the nation of Israel in the wilderness and Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus appears to understand the parallel by quoting from the sermon Moses gave to Israel reviewing the lessons they were supposed to learn from their journey in the wilderness.Jesus succeeds in obeying God where Israel failed. Passage 1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” - Matthew 4:1-4 Satan is not asking Jesus to prove that he is the Messiah.It is not inherently wrong to turn the stones into bread. Elsewhere Jesus miraculously produces food.Satan is trying to convince Jesus that God cannot be trusted and he should take matters into his own hands.Satan's logic: "If God is really good, He would feed you. He's not feeding you, so God must not be good. If God isn't good, I can't trust Him to care for me. And if I can't trust God to care for me, then I'd better look out for myself.”The problem is the premise: God is good and He may not feed you.The choice is tempting because Jesus may conclude from his present circumstances that God is no longer taking care of him.The choice is wrong because it would be to stop trusting God and take matters into your own hands. Exodus Review When the nation of Israel is suffering in slavery in Egypt, God sends Moses to them with a message of deliverance (Exodus 4:1-31).God promises that He will deliver them from their slavery with a striking display of power. He will be their God and they will be His people (Exodus 6:1-130.Even though Israel is skeptical, God delivers them through a series of ten miraculous plagues, including the Passover (Exodus 7-13).Pharaoh agrees to let them go, but pursues them with his army after they leave. The people panic when they see Pharaoh's army approaching (Exodus 14:10-13). But God miraculously saves them by parting the sea (Exodus 14).The people believe God (Exodus 14:31), but their trust does not last.When they face hunger, the nation again loses confidence in God (Exodus 16:1-3). But God miraculously provides food for them (Exodus 16). Jesus' Response

The Kingdom is Within You

Weston Park Baptist Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2021 23:07

Jesus enters Jerusalem sitting on a humble donkey to decry the popular understanding of a political Messiah who will drive out the Roman invadors. Instead Jesus speaks of an interior kingdom where one meets God "within" then flowing out in a stream of love, peace and joy.

god jesus christ kingdom jerusalem instead jesus

Two Questions - Part 3

Sermons - Harvest Church | Arroyo Grande

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2021 187:46

0 (0s): Good morning, everybody online, everybody all over the campus here. Thank you for coming to church this morning and worshiping with us. Let's all stand together. Worship our Lord 1 (15s): 0 (14m 10s): Lord, we praise you this morning. We thank you that you make it abundantly clear your creation screams. The love you have for us. Lord, we dedicate this time to you, Lord, we pray Holy spirit, that you would lead us, that you give us ears to hear your word and to understand it. We praise you in Jesus name. Amen. If you ever watched those movies where like in the backroom, the mafia's counting a whole bunch of change. 0 (14m 50s): All this money. They got the green hats 2 (14m 52s): On all that stuff. 3 (14m 54s): Well, that didn't happen 2 (14m 56s): At the lifeline pregnancy center, but they did have to bring extra volunteers to count all of the cash that we brought in. 3 (15m 2s): So harvest church, you all were saying, 2 (15m 5s): So, so generous. So thank you so much. Yeah, it was, it was, they were just blown away by the amount of cash that they had to count. And so thank you. Hey, we are still looking for a few more volunteers. Let's see, we've got a few more things. It takes a village to run a church, right? Right. So we're still looking for one, the greeting team serving one Sunday, a month. One service safety team is still looking for a few extra folks. I know a few few people came up and talked to me last week about helping out with that. If you talk to me on Sunday, my mind has just gone. So go check it at the info center. Put your name, your email, all that email address. And Phil let us know w where you can serve there. 2 (15m 48s): As well as worship and tech team were helping need help with slides, cameras, instruments, all that. So you can either do it on online or go to the info center to check in. And then 3 (15m 59s): Lastly, big announcement. We've got Easter coming up Easter. So we, 2 (16m 3s): Our Easter is April 4th and we're going to be having one service here at the church. And we're going to have to be having in the upper parking lot, where we purchased a stage. We got all the sound equipment for it. It's going to be awesome. We're excited. Announced that it's going to be there in the upper campus. Hey, there will be baptisms this year. I can't promise that the 3 (16m 23s): Pool will be warm or hot, but 2 (16m 25s): At least there'll be warm. We'll make sure it's warm and then there'll be plenty of opportunities to serve as well. So just put Easter on your calendar. We're doing Easter, we're doing it in our upper parking lot. 3 (16m 35s): So that's all I got. That's it? That's it. Valentine's day go. Well, 4 (16m 45s): No, come on up here. What was it? So you've been married for how many years? Almost 10. Almost 10 years. So Valentine's day, was it a success or 3 (16m 57s): Yes, we do. We do. I'm trying to remember. Oh, yes, yes. That was the last Sunday. It was last Sunday. That's why I'm talking about it. Yeah. Our daughter is in the middle of teething reflux, not sleeping. So, so plans had to adjust, but we had, we had fun. We got a little dinner at California, fresh Pismo with everyone else and watch the sunset. All right, good. It was good. It was good day. Yeah. How was yours? You should ask my wife and shit. 4 (17m 27s): Yeah, it was good. It was, it was good. It was good. Yeah. We're going to be, we're going to make it another year. I think it's good. It's good. 3 (17m 36s): That's fine. Maybe I should Pat. Jolina her on the back. 4 (17m 42s): Welcome. We are in first Timothy chapter one today. We're actually going to get through the whole chapter today. I believe up to this point. We've through about three verses. I know you'll believe it when you see it, but I that's the plan. Anyway. That is the plan. Hey, crazy story. I don't know if you guys heard about this, but there was this guy in his neighborhood and he's watching his neighbor kicking down his own door. It was the craziest thing. The guy watching the neighbor kicked down his door. He knew that this guy was a criminal, but he didn't think that he was like insane. So he's like, he's like, dude, you know, this guy had been put in prison for breaking entering and all kinds of robberies and all kinds of things. 4 (18m 25s): And, and so the neighbor who's watching his neighbor kicked down his own door. He's like, you know, kind of cautiously say, Hey, Hey dude, what are you doing in the criminal set? I'm working from home. 3 (18m 43s): That's halfway, halfway decent. 4 (18m 50s): W what's the best time to go to the dentist? 3 (18m 55s): Why? Why two 30, two 30? Yeah. Somebody's tooth two 30, but enough of the jokes, 4 (19m 4s): Two questions. Part three. We're in first Timothy chapter one, we're looking at two questions again this week. God, what do you want me to do today? Number one and God, what do you want to do through me today? So we're just kind of asking those questions throughout the month of February two questions, throw them up there one more time. What do you want to do through with me today? What do you want me to do today? God. And what do you want to do through me today? We're just kind of asking God these questions kind of helping to align our lives with his plan. And when I talked about his planet, it really literally puts a smile on my face because his plan is really good. And I know sometimes we're worried about asking God to fulfill his plan innocent with us and through us because we're nervous about his plan, but if we can get past all of that and realize that his plans for us are really, really good. 4 (19m 57s): And when we ask God these questions, we can get excited about what he will do. Now. He's probably not going to download information and answers to us like out of the gate in the morning, but throughout the course of the day, he will show us what we're supposed to be doing and what he wants to do through us. He'll just make that clear in the course of our conversations, interactions with people, whether we're in business or in school or working from home or in our neighborhoods, whatever the case may be, God will show us with that. Let's go ahead and stand up. And we're going to continue to drill down on this. As we get through first Timothy chapter one, Lord, we love you. And we, we, we want to know what you want us to do. 4 (20m 38s): So we're camped out on this this month. And, and so I pray that it would become more clear to us. I know if we've never asked these questions before, if, if we've never had this expectation, have you before God, it's, it's it's new territory. And so I, I, I pray God that with this new territory that you'd show us Lord and that we would have eyes to see ears to hear, and then just a willingness to do, do it. Lord, a willingness to obey, to listen and obey. So Lord God, I, I pray that as we do that, that we would hit a new level in our faith walk with you. It would just become new and exciting for us, our faith journey. And some of us have been walking with the Lord for a long time. 4 (21m 20s): Some of us are brand new in the Lord. I pray that every person represented here all over this campus would just find a new excitement following you and trusting you through all the seasons and journeys of life. So Lord, as we open up your word and as we see what Paul was speaking about to Timothy, and as we look at other passages of scripture in Romans and Galatians and in Luke, I pray God that, that we would have fresh vision for our lives, fresh obedience, doing the things that you called us to do. We love you. And we trust you Lord in Jesus name, amen. You can be seated. You can be seated. What do you want me to do today? And what do you want to do through me today? 4 (22m 1s): We're going to, we've already kind of gone over the first three verses of first Timothy chapter one, but I'm going to read them just because it's just takes a second to read through them. And then we'll kind of pick things up in verse four. And like I said, we're going to try to get through all of it today by God's grace, without going too all the way to lunchtime. So that's the plan here. Here we go. First Timothy chapter one, all the verses will be up on the screen here. This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ. Jesus appointed by the command of God, our savior in Christ. Jesus who gives us hope powerful truth right there. I'm writing to Timothy. My true son in the faith. 4 (22m 41s): May God, the father and Christ Jesus, our Lord give you grace mercy and peace. Hope grace, mercy, peace. These are the things that the Lord wants us to experience in him. So we've got nothing to fear. Can we say that? Let's say that together. We've got nothing to fear. We got nothing to fear. Hope grace, mercy, peace verse three. When I left for Macedonia, I urge you to stay there in emphasis and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Verse four, Paul said, don't let them waste their time in endless discussions of myths and spiritual pedigrees. 4 (23m 24s): These things only lead to meaningless speculations and don't help people live a life of faith in God. And so the goal of the teaching of scripture is that we might live a life of faith in God. This is the goal of the scripture from the old Testament, all the way through the new Testament that we might a life of 5 (23m 46s): Faith in God. So these endless this discussions, it seems James is based, based on verse eight, might have been about the laws of God. So there's meaningless speculations in debate about the laws of God is most likely what's going on. The law. The commandments were never meant to be the focus. What we see is that these things tend to become the focus that 10 commandments, the laws of God. They tend to be our focus. It's what we're trying to do, trying to follow, trying to accomplish. But the laws of God, the commandments were never meant to be the focus. The law was dizzy signed to demonstrate our desperate need for a savior. 5 (24m 32s): The law was to help us understand. We look at what God's expectations are in our abilities. We can never accomplish what God's expectations are. So we cry out for the mercy and the grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ. We say, save me, Lord. The Pharisees, a Jewish shacks were known for their strict adherence to the law is if the, that might earn them some kind of favor with God and salvation. Pastor Joseph stole from moody Bible Institute in Chicago said this, he wrote in contrast to the two commands of Christ, what are the two commands of Christ? Love God and love others, right? 5 (25m 12s): So in contrast to these two commands that encompass all of the law of God. The Pharisees had developed a system of 613 laws, 613 laws. Like if you've got 613 laws to pay attention to like, you're never thinking about anything, but those 613 laws, because if I mess up, I've dishonored God. According to their thinking, there were 365 negative commands in 242 positive laws by the chime Christ. He continues by the time Christ came in, it had produced a heartless by the time Christ arrives on the scene, the 613 laws had produced a heartless cold and arrogant brand of righteousness, heartless cold and arrogant brand of righteousness as such. 5 (26m 6s): It contained at least 10 tragic flaws. And we're just going to go through these 10 tragic flaws really quick. So this is what Joseph stole said are the 10 tragic flaws of the 613 laws that the Pharisees had developed. Number one, new laws continually need to be invented for new situations. So what does it mean to honor the Sabbath day? How far can I walk and still honor the Sabbath? How, how much work can I do? And still honor the Sabbath. So new laws needed to be created constantly. Accountability to God is revealed, replaced by accountability to men. So instead of living in a relationship with God, where by I'm accountable to him for the way that I live my life now, all my accountability is with men. 5 (26m 51s): It's with people and now I'm comparing myself to them and measuring myself by their success or by their failures. It, it creates a disconnect between people and God and it makes, keeps it all external. Number three, it reduces a person's ability to 6 (27m 7s): Personally discern 5 (27m 10s): God has called us into a relationship whereby weep have the power, the ability to personally discern what he would have us to do. We've got the laws of God, love God and love others. But within that, we have a bazillion decisions to make throughout the course of the day. Lord is this the right decision? It calls us to account with God, to intimacy with God whereby we're asking him all of the time. Lord is this the right decision? Lord is this the right plan for my life? We're we're the law of Christ calls us into account to Jesus and calls us into a relationship with him. All of these 613 laws keep everything external. 5 (27m 50s): Number four, it creates a judgmental spirit. 6 (27m 53s): It creates 5 (27m 54s): A judgmental spirit. Number five, the Pharisees confused personal preference with divine law. Number six, it produces inconsistencies. Number seven. It created a false standard of righteousness. Number eight, it became a burden to the Jews. We'll talk more about that in just a little bit. Number nine, it was strict 6 (28m 15s): CLI external and 5 (28m 18s): Finally, number 10, it was rejected by Christ. It was rejected by Christ theologian. John F Wolverine wrote exactly what these endless discussions, these crazy myths, fables and genealogies spiritual pedigrees involved as not known. So we don't know exactly what they were arguing about. We have a feeling that it had something to do with the law, but we're not sure exactly they may. He, she continues. They may have had a Gnostic flavor, but we're more likely of Jewish origin. Paul wrote to Titus in Titus one 14, he said they must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands that people who have turned away from the truth. There's going to be all kinds of distractions in the world and within the church, if we're not careful that will take our attention off of Jesus. 5 (29m 6s): It will move our attention and cause us to focus on something else. 6 (29m 9s): Calls, Wolf, ward continues, whatever their nature, they were 5 (29m 15s): Empty of any spiritual value. And that only to further speculations questions and arguing. 6 (29m 23s): There's so much 5 (29m 25s): Speculations, so much argument with and questions within the body of Christ. I find that we tend to battle amongst ourselves as the body of Christ when we should be unified around the person and the work of the Lord, Jesus Christ. I was with a couple 4 (29m 42s): From our church and this 6 (29m 43s): Couple, they write Bible 4 (29m 46s): Study curriculum that goes into jails and prisons and facilities all over the, all over the country and really all over the world. The 6 (29m 54s): Dutra is well, they were down 4 (29m 56s): In Southern California and with the jail system and they were trying to get their more books into the LA County jail system. And so the, the chaplain read through all of their curriculum and found two sentences that he disagreed with. And so, because he found two sentences in the whole curriculum that he disagreed with, he wanted to keep 6 (30m 19s): Her books, their books out 4 (30m 21s): Of the jail system, even though 99.9% of their curriculum was in, in, on par with what he believed, because he found a couple little things in 6 (30m 31s): There that were really 4 (30m 33s): Unimportant things in most people's minds, he decided I'm going to keep, keep her books out. So these effective books that have been ministering to people all over the globe are now going to be kept out because we can't figure out how to get along over unimportant 6 (30m 48s): Issues, 4 (30m 51s): Speculations questions and arguments, such speculations were to be avoided because they did not further God's plan, which has grasped and implemented, not by human imaginings, 6 (31m 1s): But by faith, he can 4 (31m 4s): Continues by contrast human speculations tend to lead off, down endless blind tunnels, which serve only to confuse and obscure God's truth. 6 (31m 14s): So whatever 4 (31m 14s): The church in emphasis was dabbling in and in discussions of myths and spiritual pedigrees, these things only led to meaningless speculations, which don't help people live a life of faith in God. And that, and that's the goal. According to verse four, the goal is that we would live a life of faith in God, man. We need to stop arguing amongst ourselves within our denominational structures about things that are so unimportant that hinder our ability to evangelize and to grow people in their most Holy faith. So what is the purpose of Paul's instruction back to first Timothy chapter one, verse five. The purpose of my instruction Paul says is that all believers would be filled, 6 (31m 58s): Would love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience and genuine faith. Remember 4 (32m 8s): The letter written to the church in Ephesus in revelation, chapter two, he said, you've got all this stuff going for you, but I have this one thing against you. You've forgotten your first love. You don't love God and you don't love others like you did at first, the first thing that the enemy wants to attack, but the world system wants to attack is our love one for another, because the Bible says that the world will know that we're God's disciples. That we're, that we're the followers of Jesus because of our love, one for another. And so we're going 5 (32m 40s): To be attacked in that area of love. And so we're going to find a Fe fight, make it easy. We're going to find a fence with people. It'll be easy to find a fence with people and not love them. It'll be easy to find a fence with God and not love God. The, our love for God and love for one another is under attack. And instead of loving God and loving you, loving others, we can become mechanical in our faith. We can make it all about religious activity, all about the law, all about external things and be distant from God in our heart. And with our love. The purpose of my instruction is that believers will be filled with love. 5 (33m 20s): Paul understood. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees. He, he understood the law better than most, and he understood that it lacked desperately. These things that he's talking about. Now, God got a hold of him with his great, with God's great love and set him on a new path. The purpose is love. That comes from a pure, 6 (33m 41s): Our hearts are clear conscience and genuine faith. How's your walk with Jesus in light of that verse, right there. How's 5 (33m 53s): Your connection with Jesus in light of that? 6 (33m 56s): How your love what's the condition of your heart and your conscience is your faith genuine. As 5 (34m 4s): We look at these passages of scripture, and as we look at the word of God, verse six says, but some people have missed this whole point. They missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. And they want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don't know what they're talking about. Even though they speak 6 (34m 24s): Confidently. 5 (34m 27s): Commentator wrote certainly for the Christian. The goal of all exhortations in practical affairs is 6 (34m 33s): Love, which was in all probability conspicuously lacking in these speculative speculative reasoners 5 (34m 41s): Whose main purpose was their own 6 (34m 44s): Intellectual satisfaction, 5 (34m 48s): Where we're supposed to grow in our knowledge of God. We're supposed to grow in our knowledge of the word of God, but that growth should only cause us to love more fully and more effectively. It should cause us to serve Dow with a pure heart and a clear conscience with a genuine faith. The knowledge of God should draw us closer to him and not cause a distance, a separation. So we need to be careful that the knowledge that we're trying to accumulate does what it's meant to do. That's meant to cause us to have a genuine faith, a pure heart, a clear conscience it's it's meant to cause us to love more deeply. 5 (35m 28s): We should love people more deeply, more passionately. When we walk away from our time in the word, it should be teaching us these things about character of God and the plans of God for our life. So we talked about this last week, God, what do you want to do with me today? When he, what do you want to do through me today? Most likely it's around the topic of love. God wants to do something with you and through you in the area of love, like how can we love people more effectively better. We can do that by walking with people through the difficult seasons of their lives. Sometimes when we're, when people are going through difficulties in their life, we kind of give them their space. But I think maybe God wants us to walk with people more effectively, better by praying for them and just meeting their, their, their tangible needs. 5 (36m 15s): As people walk through difficulty because everybody walks through challenging seasons in 3 (36m 19s): Life, verse eight, 5 (36m 22s): We know that the law is good when it's used correctly. So we're not saying the law is bad. Jesus came, he fulfilled the requirements of the law. They're good. When they're used correctly. W what does that supposed to look like? Galatians three, 19 through 26 says this, then why then was the law given? He was given alongside the promise Jesus to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child, the 3 (36m 53s): Christ child, who was 5 (36m 55s): Promise God gave his law through angels to Moses. He was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful. If more than one party must reach an agreement, but God who is one did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham, 3 (37m 12s): Is there a conflict 5 (37m 13s): Then between God's law and God's promise his promises? Absolutely not. If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying. 3 (37m 24s): It's not the case. 5 (37m 26s): The scriptures declare verse 22, that we are all prisoners of sin. So we received God's promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus. 3 (37m 38s): So we don't receive 5 (37m 40s): The promise of freedom. By trying harder, we received the promise of freedom by drawing close to Jesus and allowing ourselves to be filled with the Holy spirit by constantly like constantly drawing closer to Jesus. The, the human condition always wants to keep an eye on the law. And so we're constantly focused on the things we should not be doing. Jesus has called us into an intimate relationship, a connection with him so that we're, we're, we're focused on him and filled with his presence so that we're living our lives out of that abundance out of that fulfillment out of that life, we're living out of that power. 5 (38m 21s): And the freedom just comes as a by-product just naturally comes as we keep our eyes on him. And as we keep ourselves filled with his, 3 (38m 31s): The spirits, if the law could give us new life, we 4 (38m 37s): Could be made right with God by obeying it. But the scripture is clear that we are all prisoners of sin. Verse 23 has jumped down to 23 before, 5 (38m 45s): Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us. We were placed under guard 3 (38m 50s): By the law. We were kept in 5 (38m 52s): Protective custody. So to speak until the way of faith was revealed, let me put it in another way. Verse 24, the law was our guardian until Christ came. It protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. Our hang up is that we want to be constantly made right with God, through our good actions. We want to constantly try to measure up. We can never measure up. And when we're focused on that, we're going to continue to stumble because our focus is on the wrong thing. It's like having our focus on the law, the list of do's and don'ts instead, when we're transformed by the power of God, when we're filled with the presence of the Holy spirit, and when we've got our focus on him, then freedom is a byproduct. 5 (39m 38s): We just 4 (39m 39s): Literally begin to walk in freedom, new life in Jesus Christ, 3 (39m 44s): Nice 4 (39m 47s): Verse 25. And now that the way of faith has come. We no longer need the law as our guardian for. We are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ and Christ. Jesus. Back to first of the chapter, one verse nine 3 (40m 3s): For 5 (40m 3s): Law was not intended for people who do what is right. 4 (40m 9s): It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who considered nothing sacred and to file. What is Holy who killed their father or mother, or commit other murders, murders. The laws for people who are sexually immoral or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, 3 (40m 31s): There's liars promise breakers, or do, or who do 4 (40m 34s): Anything else that contradicts the whole teaching that comes from the glorious good news entrusted to me, by our blessed God, 5 (40m 43s): The law was designed to make people realize their sin. So it's designed to help us recognize that apart from Christ, we can't, we, we w we, we don't measure up. I can't do what God requires. I can't do it because it's beyond my capacity to do it. 3 (41m 3s): The law 5 (41m 3s): Is not the good news. We talking about the gospel, Jesus Christ is their focus, and he is the good news. And so we need to get our focus on him. And as we do that, 4 (41m 16s): We'll experience Liberty and new life in Jesus. 5 (41m 20s): Jesus rebuked the law, abiding Pharisees over and over again for their lack of true godliness. So they were constantly the law by these law, abiding Pharisees were constantly about the laws, 613 laws. It's like they did. They couldn't write enough laws to try to keep their lives in order, but Jesus rebuked them because of their lack of godliness, their lack of intimacy with him, their lack of real salvation faith in him and Luke 1137 to 46. I was reading this in my devotional, my devotion time this week. And I just wanted to share it today because it's, it's, it's really it challenged. 5 (42m 1s): Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees and we're not fair. He he's, but he's, we have a Ferris ankle side of us. We can tend toward the law and tend to try to measure up by doing acts of doing the works of the law. As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the washing ceremony. Another law required by Jewish customs. Then the Lord said to him, you Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are filthy full of greed and wickedness. 5 (42m 46s): And then that isn't not the trap. Like we can focus so much on the outside of the cup, our ex eternal life that we neglect. What's going on internally. We can look so good on the outside. And yet internally be a mess. It's not God's design inside. You're filthy full of greed and awakeness fools. Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside. Jesus said, so clean the inside by making gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over. Just take a message. I'll get back to them. 6 (43m 27s): Thanks, Juanita. No, 5 (43m 31s): That's fine. First 42. What sorrow awaits you Pharisees for you are careful to tie the, even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. He said you should tie. Yes, but do not neglect. The more important things. So tithing is a external thing that we can do. It's often tied to our, you know, tied to our heart. We want to honor the Lord with our resources. And so we give, and then we check that box, potentially. I'm not, not never case, but potentially we check that box. 5 (44m 14s): And then we go about our business. When God wants to do more than just that bit 6 (44m 22s): In your life. 5 (44m 26s): Juanita is leaving the church. Now they don't go for a long come back. You're careful to tie the, even the tiniest part from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God, you should tie the yes, but do not neglect. The more important things he continues. What sorrow awaits you, Pharisees for you love to sit in the seat 4 (44m 46s): Seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings. As you walk in the bar 5 (44m 51s): Marketplace. Yes. What sorrow awaits you for? You are like hidden 4 (44m 56s): Graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on. According to the law, walking over the grave was would cause defilement. 5 (45m 10s): So what Jesus is saying is that you are defiling people because you are spiritually dead. You're so spiritually dead. That when people encounter you, you are literally 4 (45m 21s): Defiling them. 5 (45m 23s): You're misleading them and misdirecting them. You're causing them to be unclean. They don't know you're dead. 4 (45m 31s): They don't know you're dead, but you are dead and you to file them. Nonetheless 3 (45m 37s): Teacher 4 (45m 39s): Said an experts in religious law. You have insulted us too. And what you just said, yes, said, Jesus, I know what sorrow also awaits. You experts in religious law for you, crush people with your unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden. 3 (46m 3s): People who are 4 (46m 3s): Or focused on the law, the Pharisees and people in our own midst, within the faith of Christiandom, we can be so focused on all of these external things and out of that word, judgmental of others who don't see things, the way that we see things we're critical, we're unloving, we're ungrateful. We're focused on the wrong thing. The law was never meant to be our focus. 3 (46m 31s): Good works in Christ were meant to be the focus faith in Jesus. We're meant to be. The focus. Love 4 (46m 37s): Is meant to be the focus of pure hearts is meant to be the focus, a clear conscience. 3 (46m 44s): All of these 5 (46m 45s): Things flow out of that connection that we have 4 (46m 48s): With, with God when we're intimate with him. 5 (46m 53s): When we abide with him, when we walk with him, when we allow him to direct our steps, when we ask God, what is it that you want to do with me? God, what is it that you want to do through me? What is your plan, Lord, because I want to be about your plan today and this week, God, I want to be about your plan, God, this month, I want to be about your plan and not just for the month of February, but God, for all of 2021 in moving forward, I want to be about your plan 4 (47m 22s): And God, because it's like a good plan. And it's a plan that will fill us to overflowing with just the beauty of God. The law was never meant to be our focus. So we need to get our eyes off of the law and get our eyes on Jesus. It was meant to just kind of keep us in check until the Christ child came. The law will never get us focused on what we were supposed to be doing. The grace of God will keep us focused. The grace of God will compel us to work or to ask these two questions. What do you want me to do today? Lord, how's that going? Anyway? I wonder, how's it going? I, I, I get up every morning and I'm like, okay, Lord, it's a new day. 4 (48m 3s): What do you want to do today? What do you want me to do today? What do you want to do through me today? And then, and then throughout the course of the day, I'm just listening. I'm just trying to listen, trying to pay attention and trying to do what he says to do. And it's like, it's like a new adventure every day. What is, what is God's doing? What does he want to do? 1 (48m 22s): I really appreciate the fact that you put that forward because for me it's been wonderful. All your senses. And you know, when you're in a word, the word is, it's not even like, you're just reading words, just like you can actually see it in motion and feel yourself. It's just so much more alive emotions, everything. 1 (49m 3s): And show me when I want to say it immediately. 4 (49m 10s): Okay. So those of you who are in a different venue and you can't hear what's going on, Maryland is talking about her experience. She's grateful that we have the opportunity to ponder these questions, thinking about these questions. And she said, it's just made everything come to life. The word of God, her walk with the Lord, everything is just is different and new. Is that accurate? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. There's something it taps into the re our relationship with God and just at a whole new level, it brings it front and center and, and it's really, it's really a life-giving experience. Thanks for your testimony about that. I wish I had you up here on a microphone, two more verses about the law, and then we'll leave the law alone. 4 (49m 51s): Obviously Romans three, 19 and 20. Obviously the law applies to those, to whom it was given for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses and to show that the entire world is guilty before God for no one can ever be made right with God, by doing it to the law commands by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. Paul understood God's grace in his mercy on that Damascus road experience that Paul had an act chapter nine. He understood the grace and mercy of God. He was actually persecuting the people of God as a Pharisee because he thought he was doing the will of God and misunderstood the will of 5 (50m 28s): God. When anytime you're focused on the law of God, you misunderstand the will of God. And we're focused on all of the wrong stuff. Paul said this in verse 12, I think Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. And so when we're asking God to work through us, God, what do you want to do with me today? What do you want to do through me today? We're we're asking God to, to work through us with his strength, with his wisdom, with his understanding, with his capacity, we don't understand what people are going through, but God does. And so when he asks us to do something, we're operating based on his understanding and out of faith in his strength, I think Christ our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work, he considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him. 5 (51m 10s): Even though I used to blast him the name of Christ. So maybe you're here today and you're like, I'm too bad of a person. Like I've made too many mistakes. You were never as bad as Paul . He's going to go on and tell us that he's the chief of sinners. Like you'll no matter what you've done. You've never been that bad. And yet God, because of his mercy and grace, Grace's 6 (51m 33s): Getting what we don't deserve. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. Paul got both. We all get both mercy, 5 (51m 39s): Not getting what we deserve. Grace, 6 (51m 41s): Getting what we don't deserve. Forgiveness. 5 (51m 44s): I used to blaspheme the name of Christ in my insolence. I persecuted his people, but God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious 6 (51m 59s): Lord was. He filled me with the faith and love that comes from Christ. Jesus. Paul was a Pharisee. He became a follower of the Lord. Jesus Christ. Right? What was your was, and what is your now w what is your was, and what is your now, whatever your was, was your now can be, I'm a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ, because of his grace and mercy. That's the gospel, whatever your was was it's unimportant. Grace and mercy can touch your life and set you on a new path. 5 (52m 37s): Verse 15, this is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. Christ Jesus came into the world to save center 6 (52m 44s): And I am the worst of them all. So Paul takes the prize. He's worse than all of us, worse than all y'all, but God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they too can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor, catch this all honor and glory to God forever, because we're saved by grace through faith right now, because of our good works. 6 (53m 27s): Paul wasn't saved 4 (53m 29s): Because of all of his good works. He was saved because of the grace and mercy of God. 6 (53m 33s): God. So anytime 4 (53m 36s): We have a success in our walk with Jesus, 6 (53m 38s): All honor, and glory to God, when we, 4 (53m 43s): He experienced his mercy and his grace a new, because we've stumbled because we've tripped because we 6 (53m 49s): All in all honor and glory to God, he gets all of the honor and the glory all honor and glory, 4 (53m 58s): Paul understood that all honoring glory to God forever and ever, he is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies. He alone is God. Amen. 6 (54m 6s): And, and then the final, 4 (54m 9s): Final couple of verses here, Timothy's responsibility, Timothy. My son here are my instructions for you. Based on the prophetic words, spoken about you earlier, may they help you fight with, 6 (54m 21s): Well, in the Lord's battle, we're all called to a spiritual battle. May God's grace and mercy equip you for that battle. Has you 4 (54m 36s): Honor him with those two questions? God, what is it that you want to do with me? And what do you want to do through 6 (54m 40s): Me? We enter this battle 4 (54m 43s): And that's, this is why it's difficult for us to ask those questions. And this is why it's difficult for us to do though, do what God has asked us to do because we're in the spiritual battle where the enemy of our souls is fighting against us and trying to keep us distant from the Lord and distant from his plans. So he said clean to your faith in Christ and keep your conscience 6 (55m 3s): Clear. For some people 4 (55m 5s): Have deliberately violated their conscience. As a result, their faith has been shipped 6 (55m 10s): Brecht verse 20. Hi, 4 (55m 17s): Ennis and Alexander are two examples. People who have shipwrecked their faith, I threw them out and handed them over to Satan. So they might learn not to bless FIM God. He threw them out. So they might encounter 6 (55m 32s): The 4 (55m 33s): Enemy of their soul. So they might get so tired of blaspheming, God and rebelling against God and resisting God that they might turn and serve him. Maybe you're here today. And you've been maybe not blaspheming God, but you've been working against God. You've not been allowing God to work in your life. You've not been willing to ask those questions. God, what do you want to do with me? And what do you want to do through me? Not, you've not being willing to ask those questions because you're really living a life contrary to God outside. You look great. Externally, the cup is clean, but internally there's just junk going on. And God wants to address that. Maybe you've been trying to address the junk, but your focus has been on the junk. 4 (56m 14s): And God says, Hey, get your focus off the junk and get your focus on me and get filled with me. When you do that, deliverance will come. Freedom. Liberty will come. Victory over. Sin will come. Victory over. Addiction will come. That the right stuff will come. When we get focused on Jesus, what will you do this week? Maybe you forgot all about these questions. Maybe you're hearing these questions for the first time. What will you do this day? And this week, as you ask all those questions, will you out of the gate, like Maryland said, obey, obey, obey, will you be committed to it? 4 (56m 56s): No matter what he asks you to do, some are like, there's no way I need to hear what he's telling me, because we're afraid of what he's going to tell us to do, because we don't at the heart of the matter. Trust him. We don't believe that he's good. And we don't trust that. What he's going to tell us to do is good. We feel like it's going to be embarrassing to us. We feel like it's going to be whatever. So we don't even ask the question. Can I challenge that premise, that lack of faith, that fear can I challenge that and just say that we serve a good and faithful God, and it will be fun. 4 (57m 37s): I I'm going to make a promise to you that it will be fun. It will be stretching for us, but it will be fun at the same time. It'll be exhilarating too. For the first time. Maybe walk in that freedom. It says, you know, we've got, I'm just going to ask the question and do it no matter what the answer is without let's go ahead and stand up and bite the worship team forward. Lord, we want, we want to be resp responsive to you. Fill with you, attentive to you, led by you excited about you Lord. And so I pray that that would be the case for each of us. 4 (58m 17s): God use our time, our talent and our treasure for your glorious purposes, we submit to you, Lord God. And I pray that the result will be a renewed excitement or renewed joy about our faith Lord, a renewed, renewed vigor, or just excitement and, and strength and power in you. Jesus renewed faith for you. Confidence. God renewed, whatever it is that needs to be renewed in us. Do that. We pray help us. We ask Lord in Jesus name. Amen. Let's worship. 1 (59m 5s): . 0 (1h 10m 36s): Thank you, Lord, for saving us. Thank you for your grace and mercy toward us. Thank you Lord, for your protection over us, Lord, we pray that you'd be with us this week. You'd empower us. It fills with your Holy spirit. It helps us to walk with you. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Thank you guys for joining the class as well. 1 (1h 11m 11s): Great week. 7 (1h 12m 2s): I don't want to be 8 (1h 31m 21s): 7 (1h 32m 7s): never gave up on me. 7 (1h 34m 4s): Never gave up on me. 7 (1h 34m 11s): 1 (1h 39m 25s): 7 (1h 40m 13s): when I'm broke and then I can be no take care necessary. 7 (1h 42m 46s): 1 (1h 56m 19s): Good morning. Welcome to harvest. Let's all stand together. 1 (1h 56m 32s): 0 (2h 10m 14s): Lord, we thank you for great mercy and forgiveness. You offer us Lord. We thank you Lord, for this gorgeous day for the protection of a place to worship. We thank you for meeting us here. We thank you for the power of the Holy spirit. Lord, we just honored you. We confess that you are the one true. Holy God. We praise you in Jesus name. Amen. 0 (2h 10m 54s): Amen. What do you say? We all make friends 7 (2h 11m 11s): all right. 7 (2h 14m 18s): Good morning. Harvest church. Good morning. 2 (2h 14m 22s): Hey, my name is Jeremy. I'm one of the pastors here. I am joined by my daughter Posey. Yeah, one of these days she's going to give the announcements. Hey, we're so glad that you're here. Thanks for joining us. And I know I've seen some new faces today, so thanks for joining us here in person. And we want to just let you know that if you're new here, joining us for the first time visiting, go check in at the info center, we have a free gift for you. And we just like to be able to connect and find out how you can connect with harvest church. With that said, have you ever seen those mafia movies where there's a back room and there's people in the backroom, they got those little green hats and they're, they're counting all this change behind the scenes. 2 (2h 15m 5s): Well, I've never been to one of those rooms. Hopefully you haven't either. But that's why I referenced it is is a few weeks ago we had our lifeline baby bottle drive and we and harvest church donated so much cash that they actually had to pull extra volunteers into count all this change. So great job harvest church. Your generosity is amazing. So we're so thankful for, for the, for your y'all's generosity. Hey, we, we are still looking for a few more volunteers in a few areas. Once again, Sundays, the greeting team, once a month, one service, one service. Why do I always mix it up? 7 (2h 15m 42s): Okay. Yeah. That's that 2 (2h 15m 45s): Service one time a month. That's what we're looking for. We're also looking for folks to jump, join at the safety team and that's that they keep feet, keeping folks safe on campus and that'll include first aid training as well. We're looking for some more people to help out with the worship team and tech team. So slides, musical instruments, cameras, all that fun stuff. And so you can connect with us that way and go to the info center. Put your name down on a little email address. We'll get, we'll get back to you. Or you can go on the website. There's a whole plethora of ways to get connected. So grateful for that. So last announcement, and this is exciting. One Easter is coming RI Easter's coming April 4th. 2 (2h 16m 25s): We are going to be having our Easter service here on a campus at 10:00 AM, one service, and we're going to be taken over to the upper parking lot. We have a new stage, we've got a big TV wall going in. There's it's going to be an awesome, awesome Sunday. And yes, we are going to be doing baptisms as well. I can't guarantee the pool will be hot. It won't be cold. So maybe lukewarm somewhere in between, somewhere between. So we're so excited to be planning for that Lee, be listening for some opportunities to serve that way as well. So that's I think 4 (2h 16m 56s): Yep. Easy for helping with the announcements today. You get my five I five. Good job. Good job. Thanks guys. Welcome. How is everyone? Good. Good, good. We're in first Timothy chapter one today, I'm going to put this over here and we'll just do it the old fashioned way. First Timothy chapter one, we're going to get through all the first Timothy today. So far in three weeks, we've gone through three verses. And so we're actually going to get through all of it today. That is the plan all of first Timothy. 4 (2h 17m 37s): Welcome. But you guys did you, did you guys hear this, this story? There was this guy who was neighbors with this felon and this guy was known for, you know, breaking and entering and robbing people's houses and that sort of thing. And so his neighbor, this neighbor, this felons neighbor notices that this guy's kicking down his own door. Like the felon is kicking down his own door, not somebody else's door. And, and the neighbor said why? I knew this guy was an ex-con of a felon for breaking and entering and that sort of thing. 4 (2h 18m 17s): But I didn't know. He's kind of crazy as well. He was just kind of wondering what was going on. And so kind of cautiously. He said, Hey, Hey, what are you doing? And the guy said, I'm working from home. Pretty good. I mean, it's, it's, it's not terrible. Right? One more time. What's what's the best time of the day to go to the dentist, whatever, two 30 to two 30, two 30. I owe Jean five bucks for that second joke. It may be only worth about two 50, but I'm going to give her the five bucks anyway, anyway, so, Hey, we're continuing our conversation about these two questions. 4 (2h 19m 6s): So this is like two questions. Part three guys. Remember the questions, God, what do you want to do with me today? And God, what do you want to do through me today? Those questions are up on the screen. What do you do want to do with me? And what do you want to do through me today? I love these questions because they, they, they, when I wake up in the morning and I think about these questions, it kind of gets me focused right on Jesus. And it gives me focus on what his plans and purposes are for my day. Now, some of us may be a little fearful about asking these questions. Number one, where maybe we're not sure what God will ask us to do. So we're not going to ask the question, right? I just want to, I just want to make this promise to you that if you ask God this question, and if you do what God asks you to do, it will be fun. 4 (2h 19m 48s): It will, it will be fun. And it will be a bit exhilarating because you're going to do stuff that you wouldn't normally do. It's stuff that's outside of your comfort zone. And so it's going to be kind of a new experience for you. And this may have to do with your neighbors, your coworkers, your friends, your spouse, your family, whoever, maybe, but God will do something. And usually, usually I've found that it surround the area of just loving someone. So whether you're loving someone through a word of affirmation where you're just saying something honest and kind to someone in your world, maybe as someone that you don't even know, but it's someone that the Lord has kind of tapped you on the shoulder and said, Hey, just say something kind to this person. 4 (2h 20m 35s): Maybe it's someone in your life. Maybe it's someone you don't know, but it's going to be either a word where it's going to be an action. It's going to be something that communicates love in some way, either your love for that person or God's love for that person. So let that kind of take the mystery out of the whole exercise, the whole experience, and just, just go with me for the rest of this month and just ask yourself or ask God that question every single morning, when you wake up and then throughout the course of the day. So when you wake up and you ask God that, that those questions is probably not, you're probably not going to get an answer right away. You just not probably not, but you will have clarity as you're interacting with people. 4 (2h 21m 19s): And as you keep thinking about those questions, you're going to say, what do you want me to do today? What do you want to do through me today? And does it include this person? Does it include this person who's in front of me right now? And they just see what the Lord will do. Just see. I bet. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised. It's going to be fun and it'd be exhilarating. And, and it, it will do something else. It'll keep you focused on Jesus all day long. And that's really what Christianity is meant to be about. I don't know about you, but I spent most of my Christian life focusing on the to-do list, what I'm supposed to do and what I'm not supposed to do instead of focusing on Jesus. 4 (2h 22m 1s): And often that's what Christianity boils down for people. It boils down to what I am supposed to do and what I'm not supposed to do. And that's where our focus lies. Instead of having our focus, just be on Jesus and being filled with the Holy spirit. And then out of that experience out of that life with Jesus being filled with the Holy spirit living life, I have just greater victory in my life. Since I figured out that that was kind of the, the, the formula or God's design, greater freedom, greater joy, greater peace, greater relationships. There's just something about making Jesus. 4 (2h 22m 41s): Your focus is, and being filled with the Holy spirit all day long, there's just something about it. Everything goes better. Relationships are better. You love people better. Your relationship with, with God is more intimate. There's just, there's something about the intimacy that is developed when you're focused on Jesus and filled with the spirit all day long. Let's take a look at first Timothy, we're going to be looking at Galatians three, Romans three, Luke 11 and a. So I'm going to do something a little bit different today. I had nine pages of notes and I appreciate them for the first service on my iPad, but I felt this morning for second service. After first service, I thought, you know, I, to, I feel like the Lord is asking me to, so this is the kind of the deal you don't get the revelation or the answers from the Lord until you are in the midst of whatever it is that you're doing. 4 (2h 23m 29s): So I felt like the Lord said, just, just open up the word and just teach you, you know what you're going to teach. You've got the outline in your head and all that sort of thing. There's plenty of quotes that I'm going to miss, but there's something that God wants to do. We just open up the scripture and allow God to speak. So we're going to be looking at all the same texts, all the same passages, but we're just going to be kind of doing it a little bit differently. So here we go. This letter is Paul. We've already kind of gone through the first three verses over the last three weeks, two, three weeks, whatever it's been. So I'm just going to reread them just for context, text sake, and then we'll jump and start really unpacking things in verse four. Does that sound good? You guys with me? All right, so everything will be up on the screen. 4 (2h 24m 10s): All of the verses will be up on the screen. Now they may not be in the order. This is going to be interesting for you on the tech team. They may not be in the order exactly that that I present. It gave them to you. So anyway, just be patient with me back there on the board and on the computer. This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ. Jesus appointed by the command of God, our savior in Christ. Jesus who gives us hope. That should be an expectation as followers of Jesus Christ. There should be a hope expectation. Like I should have this expectation that there's a divine hope connected to knowing Jesus that gives life. 4 (2h 24m 57s): This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ. Jesus appointed by the command of God, our savior and Christ. Jesus who gives us hope. I'm writing to Timothy. My true son in the faith. May God, the father and Christ Jesus. Our Lord gave you grace, mercy and peace. So four things hope. Grace, mercy, and peace, all tied to an intimate knowledge and walk with the Lord. Jesus Christ. Paul understood it. Having been a fair sissy, having been a person who understood the laws of God, but didn't understand God. And I think that's where we have a disconnect. Sometimes as followers of Jesus, we understand the laws of God, but we don't understand God. 4 (2h 25m 41s): And we'll never fully understand the person of God through the laws of God, because the laws of God were simply designed to help us to recognize our need for God. Does that make sense? So we're not going to get a full understanding of who God is by simply understanding the law, the do's and the don'ts we'll get full understanding of God. When we allow ourselves to be filled with his presence on a regular basis, Ephesians five, it's not on the screen. Ephesians five says don't be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. Instead. Be filled with the Holy spirit 6 (2h 26m 12s): Instead, be filled with the Holy spirits. 4 (2h 26m 15s): First three, when I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there and emphasis. And we talked a lot about emphasis in the last couple of weeks and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Don't let them waste their time in endless discussions of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don't help people live a life of faith in God. What is the author talking about there? When he talks about spiritual pedigrees myths, endless discussions about these things. We're not really sure it doesn't really tell us, but if we go to verse eight, it kind of helps us. The context helps us understand what this might be. It says in verse eight and we'll come back to the rest of the verses here shortly. 4 (2h 26m 57s): But it says, we know that the law is good when used correctly. So most likely there's a misunderstanding about the use of the law. Why did God give us the law? When I say the law I'm primarily mean the 10 commandments, why did God give us the law of God? Why, why were we given a lot? Well, let's, let's look at a few verses here. Let's go to see if I can flip around in my Bible here and go to Galatians. Actually, let's go to Romans chapter four, Romans chapter three. I think the tech team can find that on the screen. This is Romans chapter three, verse 19. If you can find that it'll go up on the screen. It's just obviously the law applies to those, to 6 (2h 27m 37s): Whom it was given 4 (2h 27m 40s): For its purpose is to keep people from having excuses and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. The Bible says in Romans three, that all have sinned and all fall short of God's glorious standard. So the law was given so that the whole world, the entire world might realize that they're guilty before God for no one in verse 20 says for no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. Isn't that interesting. Some of us are maybe hearing this for the first time for no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful simple we are. 4 (2h 28m 21s): So the law can't make 5 (2h 28m 22s): Us Holy. Why don't we spend so much time thinking about a lot. If a law can't make us Holy, if only our holiness can only be made available to us through Christ Jesus, as he imputes his righteousness to us, as he gives us righteousness, then why are we so focused on the law? We never find freedom in Jesus. As long as we're focused on the law, let's take a look at Galatians chapter three as well. 3 (2h 28m 49s): Galatians chapter three says why then was the law given it was 5 (2h 28m 59s): Give it alongside the promise to show people their sins. So again, the law is there. So it might recognize we have a desperate need for a savior, but the law was designed to last only the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who has promised, who is that? Speaking about Jesus, right? God gave his law through angels to Moses who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful. If more than one party must reach an agreement, but God who is one did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham, is there a conflict then between God's law and God's promise absolutely not. If the law, if the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. 5 (2h 29m 46s): But the scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin. So we receive God's promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. So we get back to first Timothy, we're going to get into a passage. We're where we're beginning, beginning to understand what all of the arguments in foolish disagreements were about. I wish I wish as the church that we could get over our foolish disagreements, they're often so petty and so small and so unimportant. And yet they hinder a few things. They hinder real fellowship within the body of Christ. 5 (2h 30m 29s): They, they hinder our ability to evangelize the loss because if the church is fighting amongst itself, how can we effectively show the world? Jesus love proved that we're his disciples and then point people to him. Quick story. We've got a couple of our church who write Bible study curriculum, Mike and Sharon do Trump. Well, they have their Bible study books and curriculum in County, jails and prisons all over the States and all over the nation. And in other parts of the world, they, their, their books have been translated into other languages. And it's gone out to nations around the world and it's helpful. 5 (2h 31m 11s): Bible study tools and information to help people follow Jesus. Well, they had a meeting with Southern California jail system, a chaplain down there, and the chaplain loved, loved 3 (2h 31m 28s): The books, but there were 5 (2h 31m 30s): Two sentences within the book that this chaplain didn't like. And so he said, your books will not be in the County jail system. Did that crazy. Why don't we have to fight amongst ourselves as the church. We're not talking about essential stuff, like things under salvation. We're talking about 3 (2h 31m 51s): Minor silly 5 (2h 31m 54s): Theological and doctrinal differences. That is not going to keep anybody out of heaven, but will keep the church from being unified. I love that dark pastors in our churches are the pastors of our churches in the area, get together once a month for lunch in prayer and fellowship. And, and so we get together the first Wednesday of every month, just for lunch and fellowship and prayer. And, and to break down those walls of division that so easily want to go up in our midst. 3 (2h 32m 25s): And so continue to 5 (2h 32m 27s): Pray because I believe as the pastors go, so the churches will go. So pray that as the pastors gather that we will continue to find unity and not get focused on 4 (2h 32m 37s): The unimportant things. 3 (2h 32m 42s): Oh, really 5 (2h 32m 42s): Reread verse three in verse Timothy one. When I left from Macedonia, I urged you to stay there at emphasis and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Don't let them waste their time and endless discussions of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don't help people live a life of faith in God. That is the goal that the teaching of scripture from the old and the new Testament is to help people to live a life of faith in God. And so when we read the scripture, that should be a major takeaway for us. It should, this scripture should build us up in our most Holy faith. The Bible says without faith, it's impossible to please God. 5 (2h 33m 24s): And so God is calling us into a place of faith. And so in the arenas of our life, we need to be operating as people of faith. And I wonder how often we're actually operating as people of faith doing, answering the, you know, asking God those questions, God, what is it that you want to do with me and God? What is it that you want to do 3 (2h 33m 43s): Through me believing that bye-bye 5 (2h 33m 45s): Faith, God will speak to us. He'll direct us. She'll give us an assignment and by faith in him, and as he gives us the power and the grace, we're able to walk it out and to see people's lives touched and see people ministered to in our sphere of influence. I just wonder how much we're actually living lives of faith in God. Paul said in verse five, the purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love. Go ahead and underline that love if you got your, with you, me, Phil would love that comes from a pure heart. I'm an underline that a clear conscience, I'm an underlying that and a genuine faith. 5 (2h 34m 28s): The purpose of my instruction Paul says is that all believers will be filled with love. That comes from a pure heart, that clear conscience and genuine faith, but some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don't know what they're talking about. Even though they speak so confidently, this is God's the purpose of God speaking and, and inspiring the scripture so that we might listen to it and be taught about it and read it for ourselves that we would be well, let's just go from the top that we would give experience hope in verse one, grace, mercy, and peace in verse two, that's in verse five, we would see the love that comes from a pure heart at clear conscience, that genuine faith. 5 (2h 35m 29s): These are the purposes of the scripture. Now it's important that we, I just broke the pen. It's, it's important that we grow in knowledge and understanding of God, but not for the wrong reason so that we feel better about our understanding, about who God is. It's okay to feel like you're growing and like, things are good, but it should drive us somewhere. Knowledge of God, understanding of doctrine and theology. It should take us somewhere. And Paul's saying the purpose of my instruction, and this is true for not only Paul's writings, but all of the texts within the scripture. The purpose is that all believers will be filled with love. I talked about last week, the church in Ephesus in revelation chapter two, John on the Island wrote this letter to the seven churches in the first church that he wrote a letter to was to the church at emphasis. 5 (2h 36m 22s): Timothy is pastoring the church in emphasis. And so that's why we talk about emphasis. And so we're in first Timothy he's pastoring the church in Ephesus. The letter that was written to the church in emphasis was full of affirmation. But God said this, I have this one thing against you. You don't love each other. And you don't love me like you did at first, you've lost your first love. So he said, if you don't repent of losing your first love, I'm actually going to remove your lampstand from you. In other words, you won't be recognized as a church any longer. If you don't figure out how to love one another and figure out how to love me, that's what God is saying. Isn't that crazy? 5 (2h 37m 3s): It's a big deal. And so the, the emphasis of the scripture and the reason that we open up the scripture and the reason that we teach scriptures, we might have these things, this hope, this grace, mercy, and peace, but then ultimately this love that comes from a 3 (2h 37m 19s): Pure heart, a heart that just wants to honor the Lord. That just wants to give back 5 (2h 37m 29s): Laurie to God and do what he's asked us to do a pure heart with a clear conscience. 3 (2h 37m 34s): That means we're not messing 5 (2h 37m 35s): Around with our faith. We're not messing around with, in dabbling, in things of the world, cluttering our conscience, but we've got a clear conscience because though we're not perfect by God's grace, our effort and our desire is to honor him and to please him and so such that our conscience as clear, or m

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9/13/20 EYE FOR EYE: Matthew 5:38-42

god jesus christ law kingdom citizens leviticus matthew 5 yet jesus eye for eye instead jesus

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2020 52:12

No one likes to be attacked. It is an evil that brings with it a justified response. Yet Jesus is teaching a radically approach to injustice. Jesus reminds his disciples that it is the governing authorities that have the responsibility and right to dole out justice and to protect the people. In no way does God permit His people to take God's law (Leviticus 24:17-20) into their own hands. Instead Jesus reminds his disciples that although judges and governing authorities have the right to seek justice, we are to wait patiently with the injuries suffered in attacks from another. Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven are to allow God's rightful justice to be issued as needed rather than for individuals to take God's Law into their own hands.

9/13/20 EYE FOR EYE: Matthew 5:38-42