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APPLICATION FOR TODAY 1. Walk with Jesus in Your Confusion and Disappointment What It Meant Then: These two disciples are leaving Jerusalem—the place of promise and resurrection! In Jewish thought, walking away from Jerusalem is like walking away from God's presence and redemptive purposes (cf. Psalm 122:3–4). Yet Jesus pursues them even in their disillusionment. What It Means Now: Many people walk away from faith, community, or calling after spiritual disappointment or trauma. But like with the Emmaus disciples, Jesus walks with us in our confusion, even when we don't recognize Him. Jesus never waits for us to “have it all together” before He draws near. 2. Listen to the Scriptures with an Open Heart and a Messianic Lens What It Meant Then: Jesus doesn't just perform miracles—He roots understanding in Scripture. He re-reads the Hebrew Bible with Himself at the center: Messiah as Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53), the rejected cornerstone (Psalm 118), the pierced one (Zechariah 12:10). First-century Jews saw the Messiah as a conquering king; Jesus reinterprets Scripture to show He must first suffer before glory (cf. Luke 24:26). What It Means Now: Many today treat the Bible as a moral guide or historical text rather than the living, Christ-centered Word. The key to understanding Scripture is not academic skill but a heart open to Jesus as its center (cf. John 5:39–40). Our own stories can only be rightly understood in light of His story. 3. Welcome Jesus to the Table—He Reveals Himself in Community and Covenant What It Meant Then: Meals in Jewish culture were deeply symbolic—not just about food, but covenant, belonging, and identity. Jesus' four-fold action (take, bless, break, give) mirrors the Last Supper (Luke 22:19) and echoes covenant meals like Abraham's in Genesis 18. Their eyes are opened in the breaking of bread, a shared moment of intimacy and recognition. What It Means Now: Jesus often reveals Himself in the ordinary made sacred—like a shared meal, communion, or small group conversation. Worship isn't limited to a temple or stage—it happens around kitchen tables, coffee cups, and communion elements. Many miss Jesus because they look only for mountaintop moments, not everyday intimacy. 4. Let Your Encounter with Jesus Fuel Your Mission What It Meant Then: The journey to Emmaus was 7 miles. After encountering Jesus, they ran back the same night—risky and urgent. Their encounter with the risen Christ turned grief into mission. In Jewish culture, testimony matters. Sharing what you've seen is a way of honoring truth (cf. Deut. 19:15). What It Means Now: When people encounter the risen Jesus, they can't help telling others. Evangelism is not a script—it's a natural overflow of love and transformation. Spiritual fire (v.32 – “Were not our hearts burning...?”) results in kingdom urgency.
Get ready to step back in time! In this special Holy Week episode of Open Our Bible Together, I sat down with Tammy Munson, host of Christian Podcasting Secrets, for a powerful conversation about witnessing the events of Holy Week and Easter as if we were there. We dive into: The celebration and tension of Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:1-11) The emotional weight and confusion of the Last Supper (Luke 22:14-20) The heartbreak of Good Friday (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22) The world-changing joy of Resurrection Sunday (Luke 24:1-12) PLUS—we explore how visual portrayals, like The Chosen Season 4, bring these moments to life in a whole new way! Join us as we reflect on Old Testament prophecies, biblical insights, and what it would be like to stand in the crowd during the most significant week in history. AND… of course, Tammy and I are having a little fun in this one too! We can't help ourselves! Be sure to listen in as we're answering some lighthearted Easter questions to end our time together—so get ready to laugh, reflect, and celebrate the real reason we have hope this Easter season. Thank You, Jesus! For the full episode show notes, please go to https://mfahring.com/what-if-you-saw-holy-week-up-close/
MAUNDY THURSDAY REV. KENDRA BALLIET ORGANIST JAMES ROSS *Please Stand If Able Prelude - Dear Lord, and Father of Mankind -Paul Randall Keith Lighting of Candles *Greeting Leader: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. People: And also with you. Leader: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. People: Christ has prepared a feast of love. *Hymn - Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah #127 *Opening Prayer - Holy Thursday UMH p. 238 Confession and Pardon My sisters and brothers, Christ shows us his love by becoming a humble servant. Let us draw near to God and confess our sin in the truth of God's Spirit. Silent Prayer Most merciful God, we your Church confess that often our spirit has not been that of Christ. Where we have failed to love one another as he loves us, where we have pledged loyalty to him with our lips and then betrayed, deserted, or denied him, forgive us, we pray; and by your Spirit make us faithful in every time of trial; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ. But Christ suffered and died for us, was raised from the dead and ascended on high for us, and continues to intercede for us. Believe the good news: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Glory to God. Amen. Scripture: Holy Sunday through the Last Supper Luke 21:34-13; John13:3-10a; Luke 22:14-20 Message Offertory - Meditation on Olives Brow-Anthony Giamanco *Hymn - Let Us Break Bread Together #618 (vs. 1-3) Communion – Insert *Response Leader: God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all. People: Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Leader: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, People: and we loved darkness rather than light. *Hymn - Lord of the Dance #261 (vs. 1-4) Benediction Postlude - Ah, Holy Jesus- William Allen Pasch
MAUNDY THURSDAY REV. KENDRA BALLIET ORGANIST JAMES ROSS *Please Stand If Able Prelude - Dear Lord, and Father of Mankind -Paul Randall Keith Lighting of Candles *Greeting Leader: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. People: And also with you. Leader: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. People: Christ has prepared a feast of love. *Hymn - Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah #127 *Opening Prayer - Holy Thursday UMH p. 238 Confession and Pardon My sisters and brothers, Christ shows us his love by becoming a humble servant. Let us draw near to God and confess our sin in the truth of God's Spirit. Silent Prayer Most merciful God, we your Church confess that often our spirit has not been that of Christ. Where we have failed to love one another as he loves us, where we have pledged loyalty to him with our lips and then betrayed, deserted, or denied him, forgive us, we pray; and by your Spirit make us faithful in every time of trial; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ. But Christ suffered and died for us, was raised from the dead and ascended on high for us, and continues to intercede for us. Believe the good news: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Glory to God. Amen. Scripture: Holy Sunday through the Last Supper Luke 21:34-13; John13:3-10a; Luke 22:14-20 Message Offertory - Meditation on Olives Brow-Anthony Giamanco *Hymn - Let Us Break Bread Together #618 (vs. 1-3) Communion – Insert *Response Leader: God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all. People: Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Leader: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, People: and we loved darkness rather than light. *Hymn - Lord of the Dance #261 (vs. 1-4) Benediction Postlude - Ah, Holy Jesus- William Allen Pasch
MAUNDY THURSDAY REV. KENDRA BALLIET ORGANIST JAMES ROSS *Please Stand If Able Prelude - Dear Lord, and Father of Mankind -Paul Randall Keith Lighting of Candles *Greeting Leader: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. People: And also with you. Leader: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. People: Christ has prepared a feast of love. *Hymn - Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah #127 *Opening Prayer - Holy Thursday UMH p. 238 Confession and Pardon My sisters and brothers, Christ shows us his love by becoming a humble servant. Let us draw near to God and confess our sin in the truth of God's Spirit. Silent Prayer Most merciful God, we your Church confess that often our spirit has not been that of Christ. Where we have failed to love one another as he loves us, where we have pledged loyalty to him with our lips and then betrayed, deserted, or denied him, forgive us, we pray; and by your Spirit make us faithful in every time of trial; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ. But Christ suffered and died for us, was raised from the dead and ascended on high for us, and continues to intercede for us. Believe the good news: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Glory to God. Amen. Scripture: Holy Sunday through the Last Supper Luke 21:34-13; John13:3-10a; Luke 22:14-20 Message Offertory - Meditation on Olives Brow-Anthony Giamanco *Hymn - Let Us Break Bread Together #618 (vs. 1-3) Communion – Insert *Response Leader: God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all. People: Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Leader: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, People: and we loved darkness rather than light. *Hymn - Lord of the Dance #261 (vs. 1-4) Benediction Postlude - Ah, Holy Jesus- William Allen Pasch
MAUNDY THURSDAY REV. KENDRA BALLIET ORGANIST JAMES ROSS *Please Stand If Able Prelude - Dear Lord, and Father of Mankind -Paul Randall Keith Lighting of Candles *Greeting Leader: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. People: And also with you. Leader: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. People: Christ has prepared a feast of love. *Hymn - Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah #127 *Opening Prayer - Holy Thursday UMH p. 238 Confession and Pardon My sisters and brothers, Christ shows us his love by becoming a humble servant. Let us draw near to God and confess our sin in the truth of God's Spirit. Silent Prayer Most merciful God, we your Church confess that often our spirit has not been that of Christ. Where we have failed to love one another as he loves us, where we have pledged loyalty to him with our lips and then betrayed, deserted, or denied him, forgive us, we pray; and by your Spirit make us faithful in every time of trial; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ. But Christ suffered and died for us, was raised from the dead and ascended on high for us, and continues to intercede for us. Believe the good news: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Glory to God. Amen. Scripture: Holy Sunday through the Last Supper Luke 21:34-13; John13:3-10a; Luke 22:14-20 Message Offertory - Meditation on Olives Brow-Anthony Giamanco *Hymn - Let Us Break Bread Together #618 (vs. 1-3) Communion – Insert *Response Leader: God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all. People: Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Leader: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, People: and we loved darkness rather than light. *Hymn - Lord of the Dance #261 (vs. 1-4) Benediction Postlude - Ah, Holy Jesus- William Allen Pasch
Here is the sermon for Sunday, April 13th, 2025Pastor Lindemann's theme for todays sermon devotion is “Dead and Buried”If you would like to follow along with the service order,Our readings for today are:(Part 1: Palm Sunday) Luke 19:28-40(Part 2: The Last Supper) Luke 22:1-23(Part 3: Preparation) Luke 22:24-38(Part 4: Betrayal) Luke 22:39-53(Part 5: Betrayed (again) and Mocked) Luke 22:54-65(Part 6: The Trials) Luke 22:66 – 23:25(Part 7: Crucified) Luke 23:26-43(Part 8: Dead and Buried) Luke 23:44-56 {Sermon/Devotion focus}Thank you for joining us in worship!You may donate by going to this link: https://www.fountoflife.com/giving
Understanding the Last Supper Through Jewish and Global Eyes The Last Supper was not just any meal—it was a Passover meal, filled with deep symbolism and cultural significance. For the Jewish disciples, this meal was something they had celebrated every year of their lives. The Passover meal pointed to their freedom from slavery in Egypt. But in this moment, Jesus was going to redefine what the Passover meant and give it new, deeper meaning. The meal would have shocked the disciples because Jesus was not just remembering the exodus from Egypt; He was instituting a new exodus, one that would lead to freedom from sin for all people.
Are you looking for simple, hands-on ways to teach your kids about Holy Week?As busy moms, we want Easter to be meaningful, but finding engaging, faith-filled activities can feel overwhelming. That's why I've gathered simple, hands-on ideas to bring the Easter story to life in your homeschool! Your kids will love these Easter homeschool activities.✅ Read as a Family Daily – Use the easiest tool in your homeschool tool belt to inspire your kids' faith in Jesus✅ Discussion Questions That Spark Faith – Open-ended prompts to help kids process Jesus' sacrifice.✅ Hands-On Easter Crafts – Create cross crafts, a resurrection garden, or Stations of the Cross.
This episode wraps up the "At The Table" series, recapping how Jesus met with diverse people, including sinners and tax collectors, creating an atmosphere for recognizing Him and sharing profound theology. The episode connects this theme to Ash Wednesday and Easter, emphasizing the importance of preparing our hearts.Drawing from Luke 22, the message highlights Jesus's Last Supper with His disciples, where He instituted communion, and how He looked forward to this meal before His suffering. Despite spending three years with Jesus, Judas Iscariot betrayed him. The crucifixion occurred with only a few disciples nearby.The focus shifts to Luke 24 and the Road to Emmaus, where two disciples, Cleopas and another unnamed, walk and discuss the trial and resurrection of Christ. The key points include: We are not created to walk alone. Jesus is always listening to our conversations. Our expectations can prevent us from seeing what Jesus is doing. There is a difference between guilt and conviction. Our time with the Lord is more productive when we allow Him to speak. Always look for Jesus in every passage of scripture and ask God to help interpret the scripture. Are we asking Jesus to stay with us? Can we be in the presence of Christ and not know it?Jesus, acting as a guest, becomes the host when at the table, He takes, blesses, and breaks the bread, opening their eyes to recognize Him before He vanishes. The episode concludes with a call to remember Jesus's sacrifice, His preparation of tables for people, and the promise of a future meal in Heaven. It encourages self-examination, repentance, and faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.Key Bible Verses Luke 22 (Last Supper) Luke 24:13-31 (Road to Emmaus) Romans (Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord)
This series is a study of the gospel of Luke. Luke was a traveling physician and companion of the Apostle Paul. Each week, as we study Luke, we seek to find the prescription that this Christian doctor would prescribe for us to become more like Jesus.
I am hosting a free 5 day challenge to receive God's love over you, your body & your eating habits. Join me December 9th-13th as we take time to start each day with RECEIVING God's love for us. There will be scriptures, step by step processes to walk through and prayers to empower your weight-loss journey. When we receive what God has for us, everything changes. I hope to see you there! Sign up here: https://www.leandramcmullen.com/offers/fYbjrohy Outline from today's class: Biblical Foundations of giving thanks: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Psalm 100:4-5 Giving thanks in all circumstances: In hardship: Thank God for His presence, His promises, & His strength. In abundance: Thank God for His blessings. In everyday: Thank God for the ordinary moments. Jesus gave thanks while on earth: before feeding the 5,000 - John 6:11 before raising Lazaraus from the dead - John 11:41 the Last Supper - Luke 22:19-20 Eating Gracefully this Thanksgiving: 1 Corinthians 10:31 Galatians 5:22-23 Practical Tips for eating gracefully this Thanksgiving: set intentions - plan to enjoy smaller portions use a smaller plate eat slower - put fork down between bites & engage in conversation choose quality over quanitity stay hydrated pause before seconds practice self-compassion focus on fellowship over food pray for discipline and strength be with your body - anxious, bored annoyed etc. I am grateful for each one of you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
More Than a Song - Discovering the Truth of Scripture Hidden in Today's Popular Christian Music
CLICK HERE for the episode guide to help you connect with Scripture through this song.To count our blessings is to name them and acknowledge our gratitude for the good things God has blessed us with. Seph Schlueter sings of this in his song "Counting My Blessings," and I use it to catapult us into the world of Jesus to see how He gave thanks in all circumstances.Let's explore Scripture together to deepen our knowledge as we practice giving thanks in our lives.In this episode, I discuss the following:Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Reading in contextListen to an audio version of the textRepetitionMake a listComplete a word studyMeditate on ScriptureConsider the oppositeEpisode GuideReading all of 1 Thessalonians as inspired by 1 Thessalonians 5:18Making a list of what Paul is thankful for as an example of how to make a list of our ownAsking the question, "What does giving thanks look like in Scripture?""One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp - Amazon Paid LinkAn interview by Kirk Cameron with Ann Voskamp - YouTube VideoLearning to be on the hunt for things to be thankful forActually taking action -- to give thanks is a verbGreek word for "to give thanks" - eucharisteo - BibleHub Word StudyThe times Jesus eucharisteoat the Last Supper - Luke 22:17-19, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Hebrews 12:2at the Feeding of the 5000 - John 6:11-13, 23at the resurrection of Lazarus - John 11:38-44How miracles, provision, fullness, resurrection, and life are on the other side of giving thanksConsidering the opposite of how Jesus gave thanks sinful people described as NOT giving thanks - Romans 1:21hypocritical religious man giving thanks in a presumptuous and arrogant fashion - Luke 18:11using our words to give thanks rather than foolish talk - Ephesians 5:4Reading Scriptures about giving thanks won't transform you unless you allow them to inform what you think about giving thanks, and then actually PRACTICE giving thanks.Additional ResourcesLyrics - NewReleaseToday.comThe story behind the song "Counting My Blessings" by Seph Schlueter - YouTube Short"One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp - Amazon Paid LinkAn interview by Kirk Cameron with Ann Voskamp - YouTube VideoMy favorite Bible Study Software - Logos Bible Software Affiliate LinkThis Week's ChallengeSpend some time in 1 Thessalonians. Make a list of what Paul is thankful for. Then, make your own list of things you are thankful for. Be imitators of Christ in your eucharisteo. Read about Christ giving Change your music. Change your life. Join my free 30-Day Music Challenge. CLICK HERE.
The talk from our evening service on 18th February 2024.
Scripture Reading: Acts 1:12 - 2:13 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away). 13 When they had entered Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James were there. 14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a gathering of about 120 people) and said, 16 “Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through David concerning Judas—who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus— 17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man Judas acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, and falling headfirst he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19 This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language they called that field Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”) 20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, and let there be no one to live in it,' and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.' 21 Thus one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with us, 22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.” 23 So they proposed two candidates: Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25 to assume the task of this service and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 Then they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; so he was counted with the eleven apostles.1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. 6 When this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Completely baffled, they said, “Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” 12 All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others jeered at the speakers, saying, “They are drunk on new wine!”Main ThemesWAITING ON THE PROMISE AND SELECTING A NEW APOSTLEThe fulfillment of Acts 1: 8 is interrupted by a problem left over from the gospel. One of the twelve witnesses must be replaced. Yet there is also a sense in which 1:12-26 is not simply a “problem” but part of the preparation for Pentecost. The disciples pray together (which is often linked with the Spirit's descent) and the leadership structure for the righteous remnant of Israel is restored.The Physical Setting—The Upper RoomOne might suppose that the entire group was staying in one upper room, but surely Luke means only that they habitually met there. No upper room would accommodate 120 people, and certainly the women would not have stayed with the men. One may also ask: which upper room? The definite article might suggest that this was a well-known upper room. The reader of Luke-Acts will infer that it is probably the same upper room that hosted the Last Supper (Luke 22:11-12).The Theological Setting—The RemnantWhat do I mean by a righteous remnant? Throughout the rocky history of the nation of Israel, full of disobedience to God, a small contingent always remained faithful. This was the remnant—quite literally, what remained and rebuilt after each of God's judgments. One can hardly avoid connecting this idea of a righteous remnant to the apostles, particularly given their number (12, just like the tribes of Israel). Thus, selecting a twelfth apostle was important to restore the symbolic value of the first leaders of the church. Israel's remnant fits well into the context of the Spirit and Israel's restoration and role in salvation. In fact, this is the fulfillment of God's first covenant with his people. All the way back in Genesis, God promised Abraham:Now the Lord said to Abram,“Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father's householdto the land that I will show you.Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you,and I will make your name great,so that you will exemplify divine blessing.I will bless those who bless you,but the one who treats you lightly I must curse,so that all the families of the earth may receive blessing through you.” Genesis 12:1-3The continuity between Genesis and Acts is incredible.12 out of (Approximately) 120 and the Language of CallingThe connection between the apostles and the remnant is reinforced when we notice the number of apostles and how Peter spoke of their calling. Peter notes that Judas the traitor had received the same privileges of calling that the other eleven had. Judas is described as being “numbered.” Peter describes the apostolic calling here as a “service” in which Judas once shared. Peter also describes this calling in terms of a “portion” or “lot” in the service. This description reinforces the fact that possessors of the office of apostle were chosen by divine purpose, including the betrayer. There is a beautiful connection between Peter's language and the Old Testament. In Numbers, for example, God chooses the Levites to serve as his priests:5 The Lord spoke to Moses: 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. 7 They are responsible for his needs and the needs of the whole community before the tent of meeting, by attending to the service of the tabernacle. 8 And they are responsible for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and for the needs of the Israelites, as they serve in the tabernacle. 9 You are to assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they will be assigned exclusively to him out of all the Israelites. 10 So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be responsible for their priesthood, but the unauthorized person who comes near must be put to death.”11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 12 “Look, I myself have taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the Israelites. So the Levites belong to me, 13 because all the firstborn are mine. When I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They belong to me. I am the Lord.” Number 3:5-13Furthermore, notice the numbers involved. Twelve are chosen out of approximately 120. A tenth. Like the tithe.Any tithe of the land, from the grain of the land or from the fruit of the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30Or exactly like in Nehemiah (during the restoration of Israel after the Babylonian exile).So the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to settle in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine remained in other cities. The people gave their blessing on all the men who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 11:1-2Sometimes I think we miss the point that Acts is the restoration of Israel through the remnant of the people of God. Put simply, the Spirit comes, the sick are healed, the remnant rebuilds. Acts is the coming of the kingdom.CHOOSING A SUCCESSORMany church assemblies in Acts addressed controversial issues (Acts 6:1; 11:2-3; 15:1-7; 21:21-22); the matter of choosing Judas's successor, however, seems not so much controversial as necessary to prepare a united witness for the time when the Spirit would come.The Problem—Judas the BetrayerIn Acts, Peter speaks of Judas as a guide to those who arrested Jesus. However, Luke's audience would surely think of the fuller account of this betrayal in Luke. Treachery or betrayal was considered one of the most heinous offenses in antiquity, a breach of sacred trust. Notice that just like in the Gospel John, this treachery is not treated as a surprise. Instead, it was foretold. Jesus knew what would happen if he remained with Judas. Jesus went intentionally to his grave.How Did Judas Die?In the Bible, we have multiple accounts of Judas's death. Yet Matthew's version of Judas's demise seems to differ at key points from Luke's. Is it possible to reconcile these accounts?Now when Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the 30 silver coins to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!” So Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself. The chief priests took the silver and said, “It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” After consulting together they bought the Potter's Field with it, as a burial place for foreigners. For this reason that field has been called the “Field of Blood” to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the 30 silver coins, the price of the one whose price had been set by the people of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me.” Matthew 27:3-10The major differences are (1) whether Judas obtained the field himself (Acts 1:18 vs. Matt 27:7) and (2) how he met his end (Acts 1:18 vs. Matt 27:5). Regarding the first problem, perhaps Luke's narrative stems from his (or his sources') abbreviation of a longer account that could have included the high priests or that the priests, counting the money as legally belonging to Judas, could have bought the field in Judas's name. Regarding the second problem, plausibly, if Judas hanged himself from a tall tree or building in the sort of rocky field natural in Judean hill country, his innards might well spatter (assuming that the tree was tall) when someone cut or (less likely) untied the rope (or it eventually broke). (This assumes that the body was cut down before it decomposed or before it was picked apart by scavengers; in view of Judean piety, this assumption is likely, again assuming that the corpse was found, as it probably would have been if near Jerusalem.) Others have suggested the possibility of the body's being torn down and opened by wild dogs, fitting both versions. Luke or his source would then report the gorier fate of Judas's corpse rather than his actual mode of death.Qualifications for ApostleshipPeter lists the qualifications (1:20) for Judas's replacement. This gives us great insight into the requirements to be an apostle, so we should spend a minute or two making note of them.Antiquity was no stranger to lists of qualifications, particularly for reliable witnesses. Peter could have safely assumed that Judas' replacement had to be of good moral character and male. (Male testimony was nearly always accepted most highly. There could also be theological reasons to select a male.) But, what were the special qualifications to be not simply a witness but an apostle?Thus one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with us, beginning from his baptism by John until the day he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us. Acts 1:21-22This looks like one requirement but, in a sense, it is two. First, an apostle had to be a firsthand eyewitness of all of Jesus' ministry—from his baptism to his resurrection. Choosing those who had spent the most time with Jesus was important so that they could guarantee and interpret the message about him. Moreover, in antiquity just like now, eyewitness sources were considered the best, and those further removed from the witnesses were considered weaker.Second, and this is implied but it is no less important, an apostle had to be one of those who persevered. At the cross, all disciples deserted Jesus. So that desertion could be ignored (or all persons would be disqualified from discipleship). Nevertheless, throughout Jesus' ministry many of his followers left him. Recall, for example, the crowd's reaction after Jesus fed the five thousand and taught them that he was the bread of life:I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that has come down from heaven, so that a person may eat from it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus began to argue with one another, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.…Then many of his disciples, when they heard these things, said, “This is a difficult saying! Who can understand it?” When Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining about this, he said to them, “Does this cause you to be offended? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascending where he was before? The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had already known from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)…After this many of his disciples quit following him and did not accompany him any longer. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You don't want to go away too, do you?” John 6:41b-53, 60-64, 66-67Two Are Proposed, Lots Are CastTwo candidates are proposed by the community: Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. (“Joseph” was a very common name, hence requiring some further description. Historians often provided additional names for historical figures with common names.)How did the apostles choose between the two men? First, they prayed in recognition of two facts: (1) God knows the hearts of all men, and (2) God selects the apostles.Then they prayed, “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25 to assume the task of this service and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” Acts 1:24-25I discussed God's election of his apostles above. The idea that God knows men's hearts is also not new. We read statements to that effect in John, and it appears throughout the Old Testament. For example:But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don't be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way people do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7So, the assembly's prayer indicates that they are depending on God to provide the right replacement for Judas. The Lord's “choosing” Matthias provides continuity with his “choosing” other apostles. The question we often have is whether casting lots was the proper way to let God choose or communicate his decision.(By the way, what are lots? The lots may have been stones or pottery fragments shaken in a container, with Matthias's being the first to emerge.)Lot oracles (usually answering yes/no questions or other binary choices) were common in antiquity. Many cities had dice oracles for their citizens to consult in city centers. More relevant here is the use of lots for choosing public officials. Various classical Athenian officials were chosen by lot. Democracies in particular, but also other Greek cities, used lots to distribute, with a minimum of conflict, public offices among those who were equally eligible. The use of lots is also well documented in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt. In the Roman Republic, Romans could evade partisan politics by drawing lots. Romans did not use lots for selecting normal magistrates but did use them for selecting judges and other offices. Lots could be used to decide who would lead in battle, which general would go to war, which positions the legions would take in battle, which members of a disgraced cohort would be beaten to death, who might be sacrificed, and whose property would have to be sold.The point is that the apostles did not use some weird or irresponsible system to decide between Joseph and Matthias. They used a fairly standard procedure to elect officials when the candidates were equally qualified. Perhaps this is why casting lots seemed unobjectionable to the apostles and the rest of the believers. At the same time, we should notice that casting lots is not used again by the apostles. So, we should not consider its use prescriptive for the church.PentecostAll Together in One Place—Where?The Pentecost miracle happened when all the disciples were together in one place (Acts 2:1). To be honest, I always assumed that was the upper room mentioned in chapter 1. Maybe that's right, but maybe it isn't. If one inspects the text closely, the place is not specified. There are two choices for this unspecified location: the temple or a private home (presumably the one with the upper room).Before we consider the evidence, why would think the temple was their gathering place? The narrative that follows verse 2:1 implies that either they were in or at some point they enter the temple courts. Nowhere else in Jerusalem could they have drawn a crowd sufficient to produce three thousand converts, whereas the Temple Mount could fit about seventy-five thousand people. So, the disciples were either in or near the temple. Let's consider some of the evidence.The apostles frequently met in the temple (Luke 24:53; Acts 2:46; 5:12) but also “from house to house” (Acts 2:46), so both options are plausible. But maybe we can figure it out from verse two, which refers to the “entire house” being filled. Is the term “house" dispositive of the issue? Not decisively. The temple or tabernacle is called a house in Luke 6:4 and 19:46 (quoting Isaiah 56) and Acts 7:46-47; but the term also appears in contrast to the temple (Luke 1:23; Acts 2:46; 5:42), and Luke's emphasis on house meetings makes that sense more likely (Acts 2:46; 5:42; 20:20).If we favor preceding context over following context (i.e., chapter 1 over chapter 3), as someone reading the book in sequence for the first time would do and consider the allusion to the disciples' unity, we might be pointed back to the upper room of 1:13. If this is the case, we might conclude that the disciples rushed from there into the temple, still praising God. A transition from upper room to temple is plausible. Any home large enough to host huge numbers in an upper room would have to have been in the Upper City near the Temple Mount.When? During the Festival of PentecostPentecost, another name for the Feast of Weeks, was one of the great Jewish pilgrimage festivals, and as such, it would have been heavily attended by Jews from all over the world (as they knew it) and perhaps some Gentile tourists. Its history dates to the Old Testament. As a scholar explains:The Passover feast was celebrated at twilight in the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month (Lev 23:5). It was followed on the fifteenth day by the beginning of the closely related seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:6). On the next day, the sixteenth, the first fruits of the (barley) harvest had to be brought to the Lord (Lev 23:11, cf. vv. 6-7). Seven weeks and one day later, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) was celebrated, during which, among other things, offerings from the grain (wheat) harvest and two loaves of bread had to be brought to God (Exod 34:22; Lev 23:1517). (The fact that this festival was on the fiftieth day later gave rise to the name Pentecost, from the Greek word for “fiftieth.”)Although many ancient estimates of festival attendance may be exaggerations (e.g., later rabbinic estimates), massive attendance (in the thousands or tens of thousands) is not disputed. Such well-attended festivals were not unusual in the Mediterranean. Both pious believers and tourists would attend. Well-to-do Greeks and Romans apparently visited sanctuaries as tourists, and it is reasonable to guess that the Jerusalem temple's grandeur may have drawn a few Gentile tourists. Nevertheless, pilgrims would constitute the vast majority of visitors for Pentecost.Although Scripture demanded the attendance of all Israelite males at these festivals (Exodus 23:17; 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16), first-century Jews seem to have applied the requirement only within the Holy Land itself due to practical realities. Some sources suggest that more Diaspora Jews attended Pentecost than Passover because of the difficulties of traveling earlier in the season.Although Pentecost was originally a harvest festival, eventually a tradition developed that associated the occassion with the giving of Law at Sinai. Whether this tradition was known by Luke and his audience or relevant to them is disputed. Luke certainly does not acknowledge the connection. Luke mentions Pentecost for two clear reasons: he shows that, as Jesus had promised, the disciples did not have long to wait for the gift of the Spirit (1:5), and he explains why so many Diaspora Jews were present to recognize the languages spoken (2:5-12).The MiracleWind and FireOn Pentecost, God provided objective, external phenomena to confirm the internal empowerment taking place when he filled the church with the Spirit. Yet, we should notice that Luke is reserved in his description. He speaks of it “like” wind and “like” fire, just as he spoke of the Spirit coming on Jesus as “like” a dove. This might be intentional on his part, to prevent the reader from understanding the Spirit as a substance—as the Greeks would have done. Instead, Luke presents a more Jewish and biblical theology, in which the Spirit is only compared to substances.Why wind and fire? Broadly speaking, this imagery would have connected with anyone in the ancient world. Theophanic storm images of wind and fire were common signs of divine presence. But, is there a more specific connection we should make?WindWind often indicates the powerful presence of God in the Old Testament. In particular, the scene in Acts evokes Ezekiel 37 (more on that in a minute).In Acts 2:2, Luke uses a rare term for “wind.” The term πνοῆς appears elsewhere in the New Testament only at Acts 17:25, where it refers to human “breath” as a gift of God (and alludes directly to Gen 2:7). It appears 24 times in the Septuagint, referring especially to the breath of life. Whereas the more common term for “wind” and “breath” in Greek provides more obvious associations with God's “Spirit,” the term used by Luke points us to Genesis and life-giving. Moreover, Jewish tradition connected the divine breath of Gen 2:7 with the eschatological wind of the Spirit in Ezekiel 37. Jewish people expected an eschatological “wind” of the Spirit to bring the breath of life into the slain of Israel. A redacted version of Ezekiel 37 is presented below:The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and placed me in the midst of the valley, and it was full of bones. 2 He made me walk all around among them. I realized there were a great many bones in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them: ‘Dry bones, listen to the Lord's message. 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath into you and you will live. 6 I will put tendons on you and muscles over you and will cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'”7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. There was a sound when I prophesied— I heard a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 As I watched, I saw tendons on them, then muscles appeared, and skin covered over them from above, but there was no breath in them.9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath—prophesy, son of man—and say to the breath: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these corpses so that they may live.'” 10 So I prophesied as I was commanded, and the breath came into them; they lived and stood on their feet, an extremely great army.11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope has perished; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to open your graves and will raise you from your graves, my people. I will bring you to the land of Israel. 13 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. 14 I will place my breath in you and you will live; I will give you rest in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord—I have spoken and I will act, declares the Lord.'”…24 “‘My servant David will be king over them; there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my regulations and carefully observe my statutes. 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; they will live in it—they and their children and their grandchildren forever. David my servant will be prince over them forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be a perpetual covenant with them. I will establish them, increase their numbers, and place my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 Then, when my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.'” Ezekiel 37If you remember from our study of John, Jesus continually promised life, abundant and eternal. We need to look no further than the famous verse, John 3:16For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.Notice, therefore, that if the Spirit gives life, and we receive the Spirit now, then Acts is presenting a realized eschatology. Eternal life begins now.FireFire was also commonly associated with the presence of God in the Old Testament. Perhaps the best-known example is the burning bush:Now Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. He looked, and the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed! Exodus 3:1-3The other major example (although many more could be provided) is the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites through the desert.They journeyed from Sukkoth and camped in Etham, on the edge of the desert. Now the Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day or night. He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people. Exodus 13:20-22Fire was also an image associated with judgments, including end-time judgments, and purification. More importantly, Luke's informed audience would quickly connect the fire with Luke 3:16-17 (which, incidentally, contains both motifs).John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but one more powerful than I am is coming—I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.” Luke 3:16-17Though less common than simply “flames,” the expression “tongues of fire” is common in Jewish texts, perhaps because fire is often said to devour (sometimes translated as consumes). For example, the expression appears in the Qumran scrolls. Of course, Luke may have also selected that comparison to make a connection with the Spirit empowering the disciples to speak in tongues.EmpoweredIn Scripture, the phrase “filled with the Spirit” applied to the Spirit's gifting for skills, whether in sacred craftsmanship (Exodus 31:3; 35:31), for leadership (Deuteronomy 34:9), or for prophecy (Micah 3:8). Luke employs the biblical phrase “filled with the Spirit” frequently, especially for an experience enabling prophets and prophetic inspiration (Luke 1:15, 41, 67) and for power for Christian proclamation, both for apostles (Acts 4: 8; 9:17; 13:9) and others (4:31; 13:52).Speaking in TonguesIn Greek, the term for tongues, as in tongues of fire or speaking in tongues, is glōssais. Just like in English, the term can refer to a physical, literal tongue (e.g., “I burned my tongue”) or a language. The activity of speaking in tongues is glossolalia, which just means speaking (although it was often used to refer to prophetic speech).The idea of the Spirit of God enabling Christ followers to speak in tongues is rather novel. There is scant precedent. In one document from Qumran, different angels apparently lead the heavenly worship on successive Sabbaths in different languages. There is also a Jewish source speaking of divine sashes that allowed some women to speak in Angelic languages—but this source may be later than Acts (and the languages spoken by the women are described as intelligible, so perhaps they are no angelic after all). So, Spirit-inspired use of other languages seems unprecedented in the Judaic background of Acts.However, Jewish tradition certainly affirmed Spirit-filled prophecy. For example, consider 1 Samuel:Afterward you will go to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine officials. When you enter the town, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place. They will have harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. When these signs have taken place, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God will be with you. 1 Samuel 10:5-7Could this speaking in tongues have been borrowed from non-Jewish cultures? As Craig Keener points out:Many scholars think that the early Christian experience of tongues originated in such magical syllables or in unintelligible ecstatic speech, attested in both Egypt and Greece. The extant early Christian understandings of the experience, however (in Luke and Paul), do not reflect this background, and the experience probably (as Luke suggests) initially predates the expansion of Christianity into a Diaspora setting where such a background could make sense.In short, God-empowered speaking in tongues, even if interpreted liberally, was unusual in the ancient world. However, it is central to Acts and the early church. This kind of speaking in tongues is even attested to by church fathers. For example, Irenaeus (c. 130 – 202 AD) wrote:In like manner we do also hear many brethren in the Church, who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men, and declare the mysteries of God . . . . Her. 5.6.1A Reversal of BabelMany people (including scholars and commentators, current and ancient) understand Acts 2 as a reversal of the Babel story and believe that Luke patterned his narrative after it. The allusion is not immediately clear but there are some indications. The table of nations in Genesis 10 (shortly preceding the Babel narrative) seems to inform the list of nations in Acts 2. Acts 2 speaks of spreading tongues and confusion, using terms that sound similar to the confusion of tongues in the Babel narrative. More importantly, whether the author makes a textual allusion or not, the theological inference seems justified. Let's read the Babel story.The whole earth had a common language and a common vocabulary. . . . Then they said, “Come, let's build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people had started building. And the Lord said, “If as one people all sharing a common language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be beyond them. Come, let's go down and confuse their language so they won't be able to understand each other.”So the Lord scattered them from there across the face of the entire earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why its name was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the entire world, and from there the Lord scattered them across the face of the entire earth.In Babel, God scattered nations for trying to deify themselves, paralleling Adam's revolt and his expulsion from the garden. By contrast, the disciples at Pentecost were waiting in obedience to a divine command; instead of trying to reach heaven, they were waiting for their Lord, who had ascended to heaven, to send them the Spirit. In Gen 11:7, God descended to confound the transgressors, but at Pentecost God descends to clarify the mystery of the gospel to all people. In Genesis, God descended and scattered tongues to prevent unity; in Acts, the Spirit descends and scatters tongues to create unity across cultures and nations.I said last time, but I will say it again. The coming of the Spirit, the story of Acts, is the beginning of the end of the world. The curse on sinful mankind is being reversed. The kingdom of God is both here and growing. The message of salvation spreads from Israel to all nations.
Ness and Jonty re-experience the passion narrative through the lens of Ness' recent experience travelling through Jerusalem.Timestamps:0:00 - Intro0:45 - Acknowledgement of Country1:15 - Theme song1:29 - Welcome5:30 - The history of Jerusalem7:00 - Palm Sunday (Luke 19:28-40)10:27 - Jesus at the Temple (Luke 19:45-47)19:17 - The Last Supper (Luke 22:7-23)24:29 - Jesus gets arrested (Luke 22:39-52)30:25 - Jesus is put on trial and executed (Luke 22:63-23:54)37:48 - Thin spaces and community 42:10 - Death and resurrection 51:58 - Standing on holy ground56:36 - Wrap up1:02:15 - Outro song Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Last Supper brings to mind a meal at a long table...but the original story was about so much more...
Communion is celebrated at Wallula Christian Church every Sunday. It is easy to pass by the moment and not think about the layers of meaning and the significance of that moment. Studying the last supper helps us uncover so many deep truths wrapped up in this event.
We're jumping ahead a few chapters in our study of Luke to read about The Last Supper and Jesus' final instructions to his disciples. There was so much that he wanted them to understand, but they missed. Now we can study these scriptures with the benefit of knowing how the story ends, but we also tend to miss important truths about Jesus' message. Gary Christman was our guest speaker. Gary and his wife Lily serve full-time in ministry with Disciple Makers - a Christian campus ministry. They have been a part of the RCC family for a long time and we appreciated Gary taking the time to be with us. The first couple of minutes of this message was cut off due to technical issues.
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Tomas shares his life changing encounter with Jesus and how Jesus called him to create a new version of the cross. Tomas had always been sensitive in the spirit. After his church failed to help him understand and develop these gifts, he fell into the world of new age. It was 1988 when Tomas was awoken from his sleep to a vivid encounter with Christ that would lead him to truth. In this episode Tomas shares: -His open vision and encounter with Jesus that changed everything -How he was called to create a new version of the cross, and its meaning -A supernatural phenomenon at a church where light beamed from the cross -How a big project for the Seoul Olympics was tabled but is now finding purpose -A Buddhist receives a supernatural sign from God through the cross sculpture -A unexpected supernatural sign that came from the shadow of his art for a rehab facility -His connection to other artists who are using their art to serve others "And for those believers that have drifted into what we call the new age, which is sort of the belief that all spokes lead to the center, a book that was a motivational book for me was called The Beautiful Side of Evil. And this challenges these spirit entities, I'm not even suggesting that they're not there. They are there. I know you're dealing with real things, but the litmus test comes down to this. Who are they serving? And are they acknowledging that Jesus is the son of God? And that they're serving him because his name is the name that they have to acknowledge and bow... There's an atonement that happens through his sacrifice. And he makes a way for us to be restored back to standing in front of the tree of a life, which is the cross being washed in the water of the word, being washed spirit, water, He cleanses us and repurposes us." - Tomas Fernandez, Prophetic Artist To follow or contact Tomas and his prophetic art: www.tomasjfernandezartist.com YouTube links for Tomas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4sLkeKp00PLlMKsrU95vEiU9bhhxdz3F Art link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-5neikP1ZhFkm3FxYVu6fw Hope Through Arts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-4RTL5iU7Q&t=77s&ab_channel=TomasFernandez Heaven's Gate Book referenced by Tomas regarding new age and the occult: The Beautiful Side of Evil https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Side-Evil-Johanna-Michaelsen/dp/0890813221/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31RRJ7FQNRS23&keywords=the+beautiful+side+of+evil&qid=1661612314&sprefix=the+beautiful+side+of+evil%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-1 Scripture references listed in this episode: Slide # 1 – The Crux Gloria Model Rev. 1 – 14 -15 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters Matt, 7 13 - 14 You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell[a] is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. John 8 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Slide # 2 – Crux Gloria Hebrews 12:29 - for our “God is a consuming fire.” Slide # 3 Corpus Christi The Bread of Life, Holy Communion instituted the night of the Last Supper Luke 22:19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” John 54 - Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. Slide #4&5 Pool of Bethesda John 5: 1-8 John 7:38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.' Slide #6 Beyond Forever 1 Timothy 2:4 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. L'olam – is a Hebrew term to describe God as the vanishing point and beyond forever. Taken from Jonathan Cahn's book, The Book of Mysteries page 275. Slide #7 Healing Cross Numbers 21:9 So, Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed! Isaiah 61:1 – The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to those that are bound. Slide # 8 Carry Your Cross Matt 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.
How do we approach the Lord's Supper when we gather as the church? Why did Jesus call us to do this regularly? How do we encounter God more deeply at the Lord's Table?
Luke 22:1-23
Jesus institutes the Lord Supper in the upper room on Passover.
Message from Rick Ponzo on August 1, 2021
We continue our series on Good Friday, the 24 hours that includes Jesus washing his disciples feet, the Last Supper, the prayers in the garden, and the arrest, crucifixion, and burial. This week, we stage a super trimmed down version of the Passover meal to understand the rich symbols and story Jesus layered His sacrifice on top of when He ate with the disciples in the upper room. Huge thanks to Valerie and David for helping on stage, and to Tim Mackie from the Bible Project - this sermon is basically a copy and paste of a couple he did in the past. -- Jonathan Stein - March 14, 2021
Luke is a powerful study of the Life of Jesus. We will see His humanity and His Deity. We will see His compassion and His anger at injustice and evil. We will see His kingship and His sacrifice. Above all, we will see Jesus Himself for who He really is, not who we want Him to be. We encourage you to read the book of Luke 10 times in the 10 weeks we go through the book. -----------LINKS---------- Support 10WB on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/10weekbible The 10 Week Bible - http://www.10WeekBible.com Twitter: @DarrenHibbs - https://twitter.com/DarrenHibbs Sign up for my newsletter - http://www.darrenhibbs.com Get a copy of the 10 Week Bible Study today - https://www.amazon.com/Darren-Hibbs/e/B00B4I47CE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl2&tag=darrenhcom0a-20&linkId=401f3d79974c70929517936977e32df9 My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUU0XHSHuhSyN8qk-7efYg
The Last Supper – Luke 22:1-46
Message #96 by Pastor Doug Corlew--The Gospel of Luke Sermon Series
Luke 22:7-38
The Last Supper Luke 22:1-38 Read or download a PDF transcript of The Last Supper.
The Gospel of Luke Vol. 3: Innocent Lamb | Resurrected King
7/28/2019 Barry Cameron
In this episode we remember the Passover (Exodus 12), the example Jesus set at The Last Supper (Luke 22), and how we are to remember his death today (1 Corinthians 11). Don't forget to follow the conversation online with #angelreadsthebible and #ARTB. Be blessed!
Most studies on the theme of Passover in the Gospel of Luke have been confined to the story of the Last Supper (Luke 22:1-20). Dany Christopher, on the contrary, seeks to show where, how, and why Luke uses the theme of Passover throughout his two writings (Luke-Acts). Join us we talk with Dany Christopher about his recent book, The Appropriation of Passover in Luke-Acts(Mohr Siebeck, 2018). Dany Christopher earned his PhD from Durham University in 2016. He is assistant pastor at Gepembri Church in Jakarta, Indonesia, and lecturer at Great Commission Theological Seminary (STT Amanat Agung), also in Jakarta. L. Michael Morales is Professor of Biblical Studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and the author of The Tabernacle Pre-Figured: Cosmic Mountain Ideology in Genesis and Exodus (Peeters, 2012), and Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?: A Biblical Theology of Leviticus (IVP Academic, 2015). He can be reached at mmorales@gpts.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Most studies on the theme of Passover in the Gospel of Luke have been confined to the story of the Last Supper (Luke 22:1-20). Dany Christopher, on the contrary, seeks to show where, how, and why Luke uses the theme of Passover throughout his two writings (Luke-Acts). Join us we talk with Dany Christopher about his recent book, The Appropriation of Passover in Luke-Acts(Mohr Siebeck, 2018). Dany Christopher earned his PhD from Durham University in 2016. He is assistant pastor at Gepembri Church in Jakarta, Indonesia, and lecturer at Great Commission Theological Seminary (STT Amanat Agung), also in Jakarta. L. Michael Morales is Professor of Biblical Studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and the author of The Tabernacle Pre-Figured: Cosmic Mountain Ideology in Genesis and Exodus (Peeters, 2012), and Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?: A Biblical Theology of Leviticus (IVP Academic, 2015). He can be reached at mmorales@gpts.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Most studies on the theme of Passover in the Gospel of Luke have been confined to the story of the Last Supper (Luke 22:1-20). Dany Christopher, on the contrary, seeks to show where, how, and why Luke uses the theme of Passover throughout his two writings (Luke-Acts). Join us we talk with Dany Christopher about his recent book, The Appropriation of Passover in Luke-Acts(Mohr Siebeck, 2018). Dany Christopher earned his PhD from Durham University in 2016. He is assistant pastor at Gepembri Church in Jakarta, Indonesia, and lecturer at Great Commission Theological Seminary (STT Amanat Agung), also in Jakarta. L. Michael Morales is Professor of Biblical Studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and the author of The Tabernacle Pre-Figured: Cosmic Mountain Ideology in Genesis and Exodus (Peeters, 2012), and Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?: A Biblical Theology of Leviticus (IVP Academic, 2015). He can be reached at mmorales@gpts.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Most studies on the theme of Passover in the Gospel of Luke have been confined to the story of the Last Supper (Luke 22:1-20). Dany Christopher, on the contrary, seeks to show where, how, and why Luke uses the theme of Passover throughout his two writings (Luke-Acts). Join us we talk with Dany Christopher about his recent book, The Appropriation of Passover in Luke-Acts(Mohr Siebeck, 2018). Dany Christopher earned his PhD from Durham University in 2016. He is assistant pastor at Gepembri Church in Jakarta, Indonesia, and lecturer at Great Commission Theological Seminary (STT Amanat Agung), also in Jakarta. L. Michael Morales is Professor of Biblical Studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and the author of The Tabernacle Pre-Figured: Cosmic Mountain Ideology in Genesis and Exodus (Peeters, 2012), and Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?: A Biblical Theology of Leviticus (IVP Academic, 2015). He can be reached at mmorales@gpts.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More Than a Song - Discovering the Truth of Scripture Hidden in Today's Popular Christian Music
There is a table that all Christians come to -- the Communion Table. Jesus instituted this practice of breaking the bread and taking the cup as He reclined at a table. Sidewalk Prophets' song "Come to the Table" calls us to "take our place by the Savior now." I encourage you to do just that as we explore the Lord's Supper. Let's spend some time in thoughtful consideration of all that the Lord's Supper really means. On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Follow the cross references Journal Study with a friend The account of Jesus reclining at the table at the Last Supper - Luke 22:7-13 Following the cross reference to Exodus 12 God's lasting ordinance - Exodus 12:24-28 What we are to do in remembrance of Christ - Luke 22:14-20 Where we get the word "communion" in Scripture - 1 Corinthians 10:16 (KJV) How "communion" means "union with" Writing down the details and my own emotional response to Christ's sacrifice Allowing the input from others to compliment my own study "The Bible was composed in such a way that as beginners mature, its meaning grows with them." - St. Augustine Allowing the Lord's Supper to become too routine Additional Resources Purchase the album or single on Amazon Lyrics and chords Devotional based on "Come To The Table" by Sidewalk Prophets - YouTube Video Sermon Jam Remix based on "Come To The Table" - YouTube Video This Week's Challenge Read in Luke 22 of the Last Supper. Learn more about the Passover meal by following the cross reference to Exodus 12. Keep reading in Luke to see the details of the sacrifice of our Savior and then journal your thoughts about the broken body and poured out blood for you. Then, the next time you come to the table let your thoughts bring you to a deeper place of remembrance as you carry out this ceremony until Christ returns. Do this in remembrance of Him.
Jesus deliberately organises the last supper so there won’t be interruptions. During the supper Jesus uses the bread and wine to point to a future relationship; He uses an argument to teach humble servant hood; and He gives encouragement so our faith may not fail. You can read the written sermon here: https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/3-our-king-jesus-falsely-condemned-allan-quak-sermon-on-good-friday-230161?ref=SermonSeriesDetails
Join us as Mike Woodruff walks us through the evolution of a Jewish tradition, the Passover Seder Meal, that with the coming of Jesus has transformed into what we know as The Last Supper.
Join us as Mike Woodruff walks us through the evolution of a Jewish tradition, the Passover Seder Meal, that with the coming of Jesus has transformed into what we know as The Last Supper.
A sermon on Luke 22:7-20 preached in July 2016 at Sojourn J-Town.
The Last Supper - Luke 22:1-32
A sermon about the Last Supper (Luke 22 7-38)
Gospel of Grace Fellowship, Sermons (St Louis Park Minnesota)
Jesus Teaches His Disciples at the Last Supper (Luke 22:22-38)
Gospel of Grace Fellowship, Sermons (St Louis Park Minnesota)
The Last Supper (Luke 22:1-36)