Podcasts about scriptures luke

Season 3 Episode 9 Topic: A Life At The Altar In this episode, we'll explore Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:36-38), a woman of unwavering faith and devotion who spent decades fasting, praying, and worshiping as she awaited the Messiah. When Jesus was brought to the temple, she immediately recognized Him and began praising God and sharing the good news. Anna's story teaches us about perseverance, worship, and trusting God's timing. We'll discuss how her faithfulness and spiritual insight reflect the Proverbs 31 woman, reminding us that waiting on God is never wasted. Scriptures: Luke 2:36-38 Black girl Bible is a podcast that speaks on the black experience as a woman and uses the Bible to provide Godly advice on how to navigate through this world as a young black woman. New podcasts every Monday. Each week will feature a different topic, coupled with some of my experiences as a young black woman. I utilize songs, prayer, and scriptures to provide Godly advice relating to each topic.

Welcome to City Light Church! This Easter Sunday, Pastor Jason brings a powerful message titled "The Miracle Isn't Over" — part 8 in our “Only God Can” series on the miracles of Jesus.Have you ever felt like your story is over? Like hope is gone and you've walked too far to turn back? In this Easter message, we dive into the story of the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24) and discover three life-changing truths:When you think it's over, remember God's promises.When you think it's over, recognize God's presence.When you think it's over, respond to God's power.Because Jesus rose from the grave, your story isn't finished. No matter what you're going through, the miracle isn't over — it's just beginning.

April 20, 2025 - 10:45am Service: Wilf, Karin & Team lead us in praise; Natalie and Ava sing "Living Hope"; Jill F. reads the Scriptures (Luke 24:1-12); Pastor Clint shares the message; and David B.'s water baptism. Sermon Title:  Who Runs to a Graveyard? Text:  Luke 24:1-12 (NIV84) Date:  April 20, 2025 [...]

Speaker: Pastor Wayne Denny   Scripture Reading: Luke 24:13-32   Focus: Jesus rose again according to the Scriptures   Luke 24:44-46   Q What are some of the OT Scriptures Jesus expounded on the road to Emmaus?   1.Dead but no decay Psalm 16:10   2.He will see His offspring Isaiah 53.10-11   3.The sign of Jonah Jonah 1:7   4.Abraham offering Isaac Genesis 22   5.   The Feast of 1st Fruits Leviticus 23.9-14

Edge God In Podcast 282: A Lenten Reflection: Train Up for the Trial EdgeGodIn.com | Host: Lauren E Miller Download Bible Study Template Learning Objective: Learn 3 ways to train up for the trial from Jesus example in the garden. Scriptures: Luke 22:39-46 | Romans 8:28 | 1 Thessalonians 5:24 | Joshua 1:9 | Psalm 46:1-3, 37: 1-9 | Isaiah 41:10 & 13 Prayer: Lord, guide me into the training ground so that I am prepared for the trials in life. Help me to live in the thrill of the surrendered life so that my knowing that you are with me overrides all fear, self-doubt and worry. Previous Edge God In Podcast: A Lenten Reflection: Freedom is Found in the 10th Commandment Support Resources: Award Winning Book: Hearing His Whisper: With Every Storm Jesus Comes Too, by Lauren E Miller Emotional Intelligence in Christ: 6 Week Study Guide 5 Minutes to Stress Relief 

Co-Pastor Rev. Mimi Walker preached on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025. Scriptures: Luke 19:28-40 and Luke 22:31-34, 47-62. The Church at Ponce & Highland is a multiracial, pro-LGBTQ, economically diverse, member-led church in intown Atlanta. We value radical inclusivity, thoughtful spirituality, and caring community. To learn more, hit subscribe or visit http://churchatponceandhighland.org/

Why was a rich tax collector drawn to a message of good news for the poor? Guest speaker, Damilola Makinde of Kings Cross Church looks at how easy it is to be cash rich and soul poor.Scriptures: Luke 19: 1-9, Luke 4:18

Pursuing Virtue with Wisdom - Luke Bingham Various Scriptures

52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did notenter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered." Luke 11 finishes with Jesus giving a personal, up-close,scathing word of rebuke and declaration of condemnation and judgment upon the religiousleaders of His day. He pronounced three “woes” upon the Pharisees and their hypocrisy,and three “woes” upon the lawyers who were the religious “experts” interpretingthe Law of Moses for the people.  That is why verse 45, tells us that after Jesus spoke His wordsto the Pharisees, the lawyer said, "Teacher, by saying these things Youreproach us also." The Pharisees believed, and were supposedly practicingall the traditional teachings of these lawyers. This opened the door for Jesusto condemn these lawyers too. I'm convinced that the false teachers of the Wordof God will receive the greater condemnation on judgment day from God. We needto know how to identify them and avoid them.  First in verse 46, they don't practice what they teach.They put a “religious works” burdens on others that they ignore themselves.Secondly, in verse 47-51, they glorify the Old Testament prophets as they attemptto identify with them so that they will appear to be authentic. They appear toknow the Bible better than anyone else. And third, in verse 52, they claim becauseof that, they are the only ones who can properly interpret the Scriptures. The internetand social media are full of these false teachers today! Beware! These “lawyers” that Jesus was condemning were guilty ofrobbing the common people of the knowledge of the Word of God. It was badenough that they would not enter the kingdom themselves, but they werehindering others from going in! It is a serious thing to teach God's Word andnot everyone is supposed to do it (James 3:1). Unfortunately, what some peoplecall "Bible study" is too often just a group of unprepared peopleexchanging their ignorance. The lawyers had convinced the people that nobody couldunderstand and explain the Law except the trained and authorized teachers. Wehave some of that arrogant attitude showing itself today. Teachers whooveremphasize the Bible languages give people the impression that the HolySpirit cannot teach anyone who does not know Greek and Hebrew. We need toalways remember that Jesus is the key to the Scriptures (Luke 24:44-48).  When you take away that key, you cannot understand what Godhas written. As helpful and necessary as theological studies are, the mostimportant requirements for Bible study are a yielded heart and an obedientwill. Jesus said in John 7:17: “If anyone wants to do His will, he shallknow concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on Myown authority.”  In John 14:21 Jesussaid: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. Andhe who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifestMyself to him."  The best Bible teachers are men and women who learned thetruth of God's Word on their knees and on the battlefield of life. They wereSpirit-taught, not man-taught. Jesus told His disciples in John 16:13-14: “However,when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; forHe will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak;and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take ofwhat is Mine and declare it to you.” A Spirit led Bible teacher will alwaysglorify Jesus and not himself.  So serious is this danger of false teachers that Jesus willhave more to say about it in Luke 12:1. (Also read 2 Peter 2-3)  Meanwhile, let us beware! God bless!

When we choose grace over exclusion, we can experience God's gift of belonging. Scriptures: Luke 4:21-30; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a

Sermon by Pastor Gary Terry of LCBC. Scriptures: Luke 10:1-3, John 3:15-16, 2Corinthians 5:17-21, Acts 1:8, 4:31

Sermon by Pastor Gary terry of LCBC. Scriptures: Luke 9:23-26, Matthew 5:33, Philippines 2:3-5, Matthew 35:33-40, Hebrews 13:22, Matthew 5:34, Revelation 13:5-7, 13:16-17 & 14:9-11, 2timothy 1:12, 2:12, Luke 12:8-9

The Christmas Story, Life-Altering Journeys to Jesus, Part 5-Why are you here?Scriptures: Luke 2:15, Matthew 2:2, Luke 1:38, Matthew 1:24, Matthew 2:3Main Points:The Shepherds-Hunger for MoreThe Magi-Hope and ExpectationThe Parents-Blessing and ObedienceThe Kings-Fear of the UnknownSermon Notes:There were a number of individuals who were part of the birth story. The question we might ask all of them is “Why are you here?” What's a magician from the far east doing here? Why are there shepherds here? What's this young girl and her husband doing here? Let's take a few minutes to look at the reasons they were there and finally the reason that one person didn't show up. Which one is most like you?There are some people who find their way to Jesus because at one point in their lives they had an experience that changed their perspectives. Something happened that sparked just enough interest in them to create a “hunger for more.” So, they go looking. But be careful… sometimes our hunger for more ends in disappointment because we think that more is going to be grandiose and experiential. Make sure your hunger fore more doesn't drive you away from God after the goosebumps and the hype are gone.We've been hearing about the coming Messiah. We've come a long way because we want to find him. If he's real, we want to worship him! Sometimes we show up because we need some hope in our lives and we are filled with just enough expectation that Jesus could be the answer to some longing within us that we don't even understand. It comes on the heals of the “there's got to be more than this” moment that most of us have or will experience. What if Jesus is the more? What if God is the answer? What if giving my life to God would change the way I see myself and the world around me? I am hoping he's the answer to everything I'm expecting. That's why I'm here!Some people end up at the feet of Jesus just because that's what you're supposed to do. God commanded it. So, I'm going. God said I have to give my heart to him. God said I have to follow him. God said I have to obey him. That's why I'm here. They can't imagine not being here. It wasn't always that way, but somehow at some point God got ahold of their hearts and they can't even consider doing anything but obeying now. The amazing part of Mary and Joseph's story is that there was a blessing in their obedience, not just for them, but for the whole world!We have all these people who showed up for different reasons to be part of the birth of Jesus. Then, we have a group that was no where to be found. They are typified through King Herod. He was the “King of the Jews” at the time of Jesus' birth. When he was told by the Magi that they had come to find the newborn King of the Jews… he was disturbed by that. The announcement of the Messiah was disturbing to all of Jerusalem. Why were they so surprised? They should have known. They probably did. However, there was fear. Life is cushy. It's manageable. What will happen if Jesus takes over? What will it do to my world? What will it do to my kingdom?If you are someone who has had their life completely changed by one day… are you willing to believe that it can happen again?

Thanks for listening. Sermon by Pastor Gary terry of LCBC. Scriptures: Luke 2:4-7, Philippines 2:5-11, Psalms 22:6-18, 2Chronicles 7:14, Proverbs 11:2, 22:4, Luke 14:11, Romans 12:16, Ephesians 4:2-6, Philippines 2:3-5, 1Peter 5:2-6 & James 4:6-10

Thanks For Joining Use. Sorry, I haven't been able to post last week. Could not access the page. Scriptures: Luke 2:7-14, Isaiah 7:14, Miach 5;2, Psalms 72:9-10, Isaiah 11:1-2 7 9:6-7

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year but what do we need to know about God in this season? On this week's episode of The Alex McFarland Show, Alex dives into the scriptures to share five truths that we need to know about God. Christmas reminds us of the God who is powerful, purposeful, and personal. Listen as Alex shares from his heart, and be encouraged today.5 Truths About God:God Sees - He is aware of our needs. (Deuteronomy 2:7)God Sympathizes - He cares about our needs. (John 3:16)God Plans - He came into the world on purpose. (John 18:35)God Acts - He sent His son at a specific time, to a specific place. (Titus 2:11)God Reigns - Satan, sin, and death were all defeated. God is in control.Scriptures:Luke 1:30-32Isaiah 9:2-6Isaiah 49Micah 5:22 Corinthians 5Genesis chapters 3,5,6, 12:16-17Hebrews 4Romans 5:8Galatians 4:4Exodus 20:1-17Deuteronomy 2:7John 3:16, 18:35, chapters 8 & 10Mark 14Titus 2:11John 1:1Alex McFarland WebsiteAsk Alex OnlineMy Relationship with God BookletThe Cove - July 18th-20th, 2025 & July 28th-Aug 1st, 2025Speaking EventsBook AlexDonateAlex McFarland MinistriesP.O. Box 485Pleasant Garden, NC 273131-877-937-4631 (1-877-YES-GOD1)Send us a text

Enjoy this message by John Crumpton as he unpacks the joy that is found in Him! SCRIPTURES  Luke 2:8-14 Nehemiah 8:5-12 Galatians 5:13,14,16-18, 22-25 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Psalm 16:9-11 Psalm 2:4 John 15:9-17 Acts 8:4-8 CONNECT WITH US  Facebook  |  Instagram |  Website  | Youtube  | Podcast  

Sermon with Pastor Gary Terry of LCBC. Scriptures: Luke 1:37-38, Jeremiah 32:15, Matthew 19:24 & 26, John 11:25-26

Enjoy this message by Darryl Reid as he unpacks the what it means to live a life of 'Show & Tell' - to live a life of walking in the power AND the message of the Gospel. SCRIPTURES ⁠⁠  ⁠Luke 9:1-2 •⁠  ⁠⁠Mark 6:12-13 •⁠  ⁠⁠Mark 6:30 •⁠  ⁠⁠1 Corinthians 2:4-5 •⁠  ⁠⁠Mathew 10:7-8 •⁠  ⁠⁠Mark 6:30-44 •⁠  ⁠⁠Mathew 17:20 •⁠  ⁠⁠1 John 2:3-6 •⁠  ⁠⁠Luke 8:21 •⁠  ⁠⁠Philippians 4:9 •⁠  ⁠⁠1 Timothy 4:14-15 •⁠  ⁠⁠Romans 10:14-15 CONNECT WITH US  Facebook  |  Instagram |  Website  | Youtube  | Podcast  

There is rejoicing in heaven when a sinner is saved, but are they aware of other earthly events? Do passed loved ones look over us while we are on Earth? Do they hear us when we talk at their gravesite?In today's episode, Pastor Derek and Pastor Jackie talk through a listener question regarding how involved people who are in heaven are in things happening on Earth. We look through examples of talking to the dead being condemned, while also finding one example in Scripture of a couple of people coming back from heaven very aware of what is happening on Earth. We hope this episode helps inform you of a rather challenging question and furthers you desire to know the Lord.The 17:17 podcast is a ministry of Roseville Baptist Church (MN) that seeks to tackle cultural issues and societal questions from a biblical worldview so that listeners discover what the Bible has to say about the key issues they face on a daily basis. The 17:17 podcast seeks to teach the truth of God's Word in a way that is glorifying to God and easy to understand with the hope of furthering God's kingdom in Spirit and in Truth. Scriptures: Luke 15:7, 10; 1 Tim. 2:5; John 14:6; Rom. 8:26-27; Heb. 4:14-16; Heb. 7:25; Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:10-12; Lev. 20:27; 1 Chr. 10:13-14; 1 Sam. 28:3-24; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; 1 John 4:1; Jer. 23:24; Prov. 15:3; Psa. 145:18; Heb. 9:27; Eccl. 9:5-6; Luke 9:30-31; Psa. 115:17; Luke 16:19-31; Psa. 34:18; Matt. 11:28; Jer. 31:25; 2 Cor. 1:3-4; 1 Thess. 4:13.If you'd like access to our show notes, please visit www.rosevillebaptist.com/1717podcast to see them in Google Drive!Please listen, subscribe, rate, and review the podcast so that we can reach to larger audiences and share the truth of God's Word with them!Write in your own questions to be answered on the show at 1717pod@gmail.com.  God bless!

Bible Study with Deacon Sam McDowell of LCBC. Scriptures: Luke 2:41-49, Ephesians 4:11-14, Romans 3:23,3:9-23, 12:1-3 , Ezekiel 3:17-21

Part 98 of "Luke: Mission to the World"

Part 98 of "Luke: Mission to the World"

In this episode, we discuss the difference between judgement and correction. Judgement is not for improvement, it's a conclusion, whereas correction is for the purpose of improvement.  Accepting correction can be hard and oftentimes we interpret correction as judgement.  Scriptures:Luke 6:37Romans 14:10-13Rev. 20:11-13Hebrews 12:11II Tim. 3:16Prov. 3:12Prov. 15:31-32It is  important to realize that when we are not open to correction and instruction, this can hinder our Christian walk. If we do not acknowledge that we make mistakes and sometimes need to change our ways, this can have negative consequences. The Bible informs us that God is our only judge. If we can be given correction and be corrected, we will be able to confidently stand before God in the judgement without condemnation.Contact us at:lifeinspiredproductions@gmail.comFind us on Apple iTunes, Spotify, PandoraFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/EnrichedPInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/enriched_perspectives/YouTube: @Enriched_Perspectives     

We continue a series exploring heaven and what the Old Testament and Jesus say about eternal life. Scriptures: Luke 4: 16-21, John 11:25-26, John 14:6-7, Matt. 7:13-14, John 5:28-29, Rev. 21:1-3 Presented by: Dr. Michael Patterson   --- About The Path --- At The Path, based out of Atlanta, Georgia, our mission is simple: “seek, save, and send.” Our goal is to save as many people as possible and teach them to do the same. Please consider sharing this messages; this helps us realize our vision of creating churches that mobilize the next generation.   --- Media --- YouTube: @ThePathChurchAtlanta Website: thepath.church Instagram: @jointhepath   --- Music --- Intro/Outro Music: "Action" Artist: JC Muzik

Today we'll answer a basic, yet important question: What is the real gospel? The true gospel has been hijacked by televangelists, secularist, and political parties, but to rediscover it we simply need to re-read the first sermon ever preached in the church age.--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now --What is the “Good News” that the church should offer to the world?Churches have corrupted it since the beginning!Galatians 1:6-7 (NLT) I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.These were the Judaizers in Paul's day, already corrupting the simple message of Jesus.Said you had to become a Jew first, and then a ChristianWorks gospel = God wants you to save yourselfToday there are too many false gospels to count, but I'll mention a few:Prosperity gospel = God wants you to be healthy and wealthyWoke gospel = God wants you to be YOU Red/Blue gospel = God wants you to be a Republican/DemocratThe true gospel has been hijacked by televangelists, secular humanists, and political parties, but to rediscover it we simply need to re-read the first sermon ever preached in the church age. That's what we'll do today.Let's turn to Acts 2.Last week we saw part one of Peter's sermonThe day Moses longed for and Joel predicted had finally come! Now the HS was available to everyoneThat's what they were seeing in real time - historic!Today we're looking at the second part of the sermonThis is the first time we see the bare essentials of the Christian messagePeter didn't sit down days earlier and write this out, but…His mind was opened to understanding the Scriptures (Luke 24:45)He had been trained by Jesus for 40 days on the “Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3)He had just been “baptized with the Holy Spirit” and empowered! (Acts 1:8)These three things combined to produce the first sermon ever preachedAnd the basic elements of Peter's message will be repeated throughout ActsSee 3:13-26; 4:10-12; 5:30-2; 10:36-43; 13:23-41And these bare essentials have never changed.The gospel is all about Jesus.Acts 2:22-24 (NLT) 22 People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.First part of Peter's sermon was about HS (last week)But the meat of the sermon was about Jesus; already the false gospels get it wrongWorks gospel: Jesus + worksLDS: “We are saved by grace after all we can do.”Galatians 3:2 (NLT) 2 Let me ask you this one...

Join us this evening for A Quick 15-minute moment of devotion and prayer with Pastor Scott from the Scriptures Luke 5:1-11 and Matthew 16:18 NKJV

Join us this evening for A Quick 15-minute moment of devotion and prayer with Pastor Scott from the Scriptures Luke 9:23-24 NKJV

Edge God In Podcast 245: Setting Ground Rules & Boundaries with God to Build Your Inner Game Support Resources Referenced in Podcast: Emotional Intelligence in Christ Book and 6 Week Study Guide I AM Statement PDF EdgeGodIn.com | Host: Lauren E Miller Championing Human Potential in Christ Download Bible Study Template Learning Objective: Learn the art of setting ground rules with God to create healthy boundaries and strengthen your inner game. Scriptures: Luke 4:1-10 | Luke 19:10 | Matthew 11:4-5 | John 10:10 | Ezekiel 36:27 | Jeremiah 31:33 | John 14:26 | 2 Peter 1:3 Dear Lord, more of you…less of me. Amen Award Winning Books: Hearing His Whisper, with Every Storm Jesus Comes Too  https://amzn.to/3nNxdya Stop Letting The World Be The Boss of You: 25 Solutions to Refresh Your Identity in Christ Stress Relief Video Techniques: Click Here https://laurenemiller.com/stress-relief-coaching-expert/

How can you enjoy a relationship with God? Scriptures: Luke 10:38-42, Mark 12:29-31, Psalm 37:4, Ecclesiastes 8:15,

Join us this evening for A Quick 15-minute moment of devotion and prayer with Pastor Scott from the Scriptures Luke 5:1-11 & Matthew 16:18 NKJV (the gates of hell

Where does the word of God encounter your world? Pastor Tyrone Reid explores the miraculous nature of encountering God through his word and how this can produce faith. Scriptures: Luke 24:13-35, John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:11-14, Matthew 18:21-35, Revelation 21:8, Hebrews 11:6, Colossians 1, Isaiah 64:6, Psalm 139:23-24 Dan Stevers and Brian Saylor - The True and Better - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGFtfqgBQkM

17. Jesus the Risen King 1 Corinthians 15:1-8: Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. The four Gospels, Matthew, Mark Luke and John, all tell us that Jesus was crucified, died and was buried in a tomb. What do these four Gospels say about the resurrection and Jesus’ rising from the dead? Let us first look at the sequence of events over the period of time after Jesus death till He ascended. Some of the sequence events have more than one Gospel reporting them, but for brevity, I will only give one reference to Scripture. The tomb is empty Two Marys watch the burial: Matthew27:61, Mark 15:47, Luke23:54-55, Roman soldiers guard the tomb: Matthew 27:62-66, Women prepare spices then rest: Luke 23:56, An angel rolls the stone away: Matthew 28:2-4 Women arrive at dawn with spices: Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1-4, Luke 24:1-3, John 20:1 Angels appear to women: Matthew 28:5-7, Mark 16:5-7, Luke 24:4-8, Women dart back to tell disciples: Matthew 28:8, Mark 16:8, Luke 24:9-11, John 20:2 Peter and John investigate the empty tomb: Luke 24:12, John 20:3-9 Peter and John go home: Luke 24:12, John 20:10 Mary Magdalene weeps by the tomb: John 20:11 Mary sees two angels: John 20:12-13 Jesus’ appearances Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene: Mark 16:9, John 20:14-17 Jesus appears to the other women: Matthew 28:9-10, Women report to the disciples: Mark 16:10-11, John 20:18 Guards testify to the priests: Matthew 28:11-15, Jesus meets two people on the Emmaus Road: Mark 16:12-13, Luke 24:13-32, Jesus appears to Simon Peter: 1 Corinthians 15:5, Luke 24:34, 2 report to disciples in Jerusalem: Luke 24:33-35, Jesus appears to the Disciples less Thomas: Luke 24:36-43, John 20:19-24 Disciples report to Thomas: John 20:25 Jesus appears to the Disciples and Thomas: Mark 16:14, John 20:26-29 Jesus appears to seven people: John 21:1-14 Jesus questions Peter 3 times: John 21:15-23 Jesus appears to 500 people: 1 Corinthians 15:6 Jesus appears to James: 1 Corinthians 15:7 Evidences for the resurrection These facts remain for the resurrection: The changed attitude of the disciples after seeing the risen Jesus. They changed from defeated, cowardly people to victorious, brave people. Nobody who could have produced the dead body of Jesus, did so. Their silence is as significant as the preaching of the Apostles. The multiple appearances of Jesus to various numbers of individuals and groups of people at various times of the day and in differing circumstances. The survival and inordinate growth and impact of the early church. If there was no bodily resurrection of Jesus’ would people really have risked persecution and death for a knowing lie? Dealing with Doubters Let’s say Jesus didn’t rise from the dead. Surely the authorities would have produced his dead body in order to quench the new movement! But they didn’t. Secondly, would the disciples have really risked death for telling and maintaining a lie about the risen Jesus? They were beaten, confused and defeated men until they saw Jesus truly did rise from the dead. After seeing Him, they were transformed and victorious people. Thirdly, somebody stole the body. Hardly likely, and if that did occur, for what reason? How would they have got past the Roman Guard and moved the stone a great distance from the tomb? Fourthly, Jesus didn’t die but merely fainted and recovered consciousness in the tomb. Even the sceptics disagree with this theory, one of whom said “It is impossible that a being who had stolen half-dead out of the sepulchre, who crept about weak and ill, wanting medical treatment, who required bandaging, strengthening and indulgence, and who still at last yielded to His sufferings, could have given to the disciples the impression that he was a Conqueror over death and the grave, the Prince of Life”. Fifthly, they all went to the wrong tomb. Whilst one person may have gone to a wrong tomb, not everyone would have done. Lastly, Jesus didn’t die on the cross but somebody was substituted for him. This is certainly untenable, given the rigidity and strict record keeping of Roman rule and with the eyes of the Jewish hierarchy watching. Significance of the Resurrection The resurrection of Jesus Christ provided the central theme for the sermons and teaching in the early church (Acts 1:22; Acts 4:33, Acts 17:18). But what significance is there in Jesus’ resurrection? The resurrection proved and vindicated all Jesus’ teaching and claims as the suffering Servant and attested to his being fully God and the last Judge of all mankind (Isaiah 53:10-12; Acts 2:36; Acts 3:13-15; Romans 1:4). Declared God’s approval of Jesus’ obedient service and the fulfilment of all the Old Testament promises, resulting in forgiveness of sins and salvation being only found in and through Jesus Christ, which was the prime motive for evangelism in the early church (Acts 2:32, Romans 4:24-25) Jesus’ resurrection is a sign of the bodily resurrection for all believers in him, giving a new attitude to death and transforming hopes (1 Corinthians 15:12-58, Romans 8:10, 2 Corinthians 4:14; 1 Peter 1:3 & 21) As the resurrected King, Jesus now intercedes for us and has perfected the redemption of all those who choose to follow him (Romans 5:10; Hebrews 6:20, 1 Peter 1:21). Jesus still meets people today As Jesus is still living, he meets with people at the present time. How does he do this? Jesus walks with us, whereever we go and in particular in the darkest periods of our life. Just as he did with the two people on the road to Emmaus, he walks with those who claim to follow him (Mark 16:12-13, Luke 24:13-32). Jesus speaks whenever the Bible is faithfully preached and read from, just as he opened the eyes of those on the Emmaus road when he explained the Scriptures (Luke 24:27). Jesus meets us in the Communion, with the bread and wine, which symbolise his flesh and blood. For more to think about please do read John 20 & 21. Ask yourself the following questions and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together. Q1. How does my faith journey compare to that of Thomas’? Q2. What can I learn from Peter and the responses he gave? Q3. How do I still encounter the risen Lord in my daily walk with him? Tap or click here to save this podcast episode as a mp3

It had to happen – or did it? This week, as I was reading through the Gospel accounts of the resurrection of Jesus, I was struck by a statement in John 20:9 which tells us that the disciples did not yet understand the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.   I found myself asking: ·      Why didn't they understand? ·      What was the scripture that John was referring to? ·      Why did Jesus have to rise from the dead? We'll deal with the first two questions fairly quickly, before answering in more detail why Jesus had to rise from the dead.   Why didn't they understand? Four possibilities: Some things we don't understand until after they have happened Their minds were clouded by unbelief – too good to be true? Jesus had not yet opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45) They had not yet received the Holy Spirit who would guide them into the truth (John 16:13).   What was the scripture that John was referring to? It's clear from Acts 2:24-32 that Peter, having been filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, now understood Psalm 16:8-11 to be a clear prophecy that Jesus would rise from the dead. He says in verse 24 that God raised (Jesus) from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.   Quoting where the psalm says my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay, Peter applies it directly to the resurrection of Jesus, saying in verse 31 that David saw what was ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. There are, of course, many other OT passages which prophesy the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ (notably Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53). But we can't be sure exactly what scripture John had in mind because he doesn't tell us. What we do know is that Jesus himself had explained to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life (Matthew 16:21, Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22). But notice that these verses not only say that he must be raised to life, but that he also must suffer and be killed. So that now widens our question. We need to ask not only why Jesus must be raised to life, but why he must suffer and die in the first place. Why did Jesus have to suffer, to die and to be raised to life? Because: ·      The Scripture must be fulfilled ·      It was the only way that we could be saved The Scripture must be fulfilled Matthew 26:53-54 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"   Luke 24:25-27 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.   Luke 24:44-47 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.   Why are these references to the fulfilment of Scripture so important? Because what God says in the Bible MUST come to pass. He said, Let there be light, and there was light. What he says, happens. Jesus had to rise from the dead because in the Bible God had said he would. We've also seen that it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Why? Because he was God's holy one.   But why did Jesus have to suffer and die. The NT gives us clear reasons for this, but, before we come to that, we need to think about what the words had to mean in this context. Did he really have to die? Didn't he have a choice about it? Yes he did. Notice what he said in John 10:17-18: The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.   So Jesus didn't have to suffer and die. But before man ever sinned he voluntarily chose to do so, because he loved us. He knew that if he chose not to, there would be no hope for us. The only way to save us from the just punishment our sins deserve was to take that punishment for us by dying on the cross. So in Gethsemane he ratified the decision he had made before the world began. He knew he must suffer. He knew he must die. It was the only way that we could be saved. It was the only way that we could be saved Let me explain it like this. Because God loves us, he wants what's best for us. Because he knows what's best for us he sets boundaries for our actions. If we go beyond those boundaries, there can be serious consequences.   For example, we heard about the tragedy in Baltimore recently where a bridge collapsed. I imagine that as soon as it happened, they erected a NO ENTRY sign to prevent traffic from crossing the bridge. If anyone ignored it the consequences could have been fatal.   It's like that with God. NO ENTRY signs like You shall not kill…You shall not steal… You shall not commit adultery… You shall not lie are there for a good reason. And the Bible has a word for ignoring God's NO ENTRY signs. It calls it sin. And if we disobey those signs, there's a price to pay. And the Bible is clear that this applies to all of us:   All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). There is no one who does not sin (1 Kings 8:46). If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves (1 John 1:8).   And the Bible warns us of the seriousness of sin. Sin separates us from God. Our sins have hidden his face from us (Isaiah 59:2) And unless our sins are dealt with, our separation from God will be eternal. Jesus himself talked eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46). Paul tells us that the price we pay for our sin is death (Romans 6:23)   So sin is serious. It separates from God. And there is nothing we can do about it. We cannot hide it, for our sin will find us out (Numbers 32:23). We cannot cleanse ourselves from it. Turning over a new leaf today won't eradicate yesterday's sin. No one can be righteous in God's sight by keeping the law (Romans 3:20, Galatians 2:16). We have all sinned. We are all separated from God. There is nothing we can do. We all need a Saviour.   And this is why Christ died. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He died on the cross to reconcile us sinners to God (Colossians 1:20). He did this by offering himself as a sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2). He died in our place. Because of our sin, we should die. Instead, Christ has died for us. He took the punishment for us. He was wounded for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5). He suffered for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). We deserved to die because of our sin, but because he loved us, he came and died in our place, so that we could live.   So why did Jesus have to suffer and die? So that we could be saved. But what must we do? You must be born again Listen to what Jesus once said to a very religious man called Nicodemus: I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again… You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' Of course, Jesus was not talking about physical birth. He was talking about a spiritual birth where God so completely changes us that we become a new person. This happens when we repent of our sin and trust Jesus for forgiveness, relying on the fact that he has already taken the punishment for us when he died on the cross. The Bible also calls this being saved and it's important because it's the only way to get to Heaven. Jesus said, I am the way… no one comes to the Father except by me (John 14:6). And Peter said Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). And that's why the gospel must be preached.   The gospel must be preached Mark 4:43 But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God …because that is why I was sent." John 9:4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. Mark 13:10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.   And finally, in 1 Corinthians 15 we find two more MUSTs. 1 Corinthians 15:22-25 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.   1 Corinthians 15: 50-53 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."   Your immortality is as certain as his reign!

To truly follow Jesus, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. It means letting go of our own desires and embracing the challenges that come with living out our faith. We surrender our will to God's, trusting His guidance and being ready to follow wherever He leads, even when it's uncomfortable or difficult.  Scriptures: Luke 9:23-24

Verse by verse teaching in Luke 24:44-53 titled "Comprehending the Scriptures" by Pastor Jeffrey Anderson of Calvary Youth of Calvary Chapel Clayton, NC on January 21, 2024.

During our Monday Night Live episode on March 10, 2024, we explored the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14). SCRIPTURES: - Luke 18:9-14 - Matthew 23:11-12 - James 4:1-10 - Philippians 2:1-11 RESOURCES MENTIONED: (All Links Available on YouTube Video) Subscribe to the Mission: Uplift YouTube Channel The Chosen's Update on Season 4 Emotionally Healthy Discipleship by Pete Scazzero Dr. Esau McCaulley on the Jude 3 Project Podcast with Lisa Fields (Full Episode) How Far To The Promised Land by Dr. Esau McCaulley Uplifting Limitations Episode 10 Tips for Crafting Your Personal Testimony (FREE DOWNLOAD) Pride and Humility at War by Dr. Lanier Burns Support My Work: Buy Me A Coffee **DISCLAIMER: This description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your contribution allows

Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). We are blessed family!

There is a story about a baby eagle who fell out of his nest and into a chicken coop. As the little eagle grew up, he began to cluck like a chicken, strut like a chicken, think like a chicken. But every day he noticed the eagles soaring high in the sky, always sensing that he was meant for something more than the chicken coop, but never realizing who he really was. The difference between the eagles that soared and the one living in the chicken coop was his understanding of who he really was. I think the Christian can go through life in the same way. I said at the beginning of our series in Ephesians that Pauls epistle answers two questions for us: 1) What does it mean to be a Christian, and 2) what does it mean to be the Church. When it comes to your identity as a Christian, some of you may be living like you belong in the chicken coop. Think about what it means to be a Christian according to Ephesians 1:3-14. You, Christian, have all the spiritual blessings listed throughout Pauls magnificent sentence of more than 200 words! You, Christian, have been chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless (v. 4). You, Christian, have been predestined to be the adopted son/daughter of the living God through the redemption of Jesus Christ (vv. 5-7). You, Christian, have been completely pardoned of past, present, and future sins only because of the grace of God that has been lavished upon you as a result of the Fathers wrath that was lavished upon the Son for all of our wrongdoings (Eph. 1:8; 2:1-4). You, Christian, have an inheritance that will not fade with time, cannot be destroyed, and will never be stained by sin (v. 11). You, Christian, have been sealed by Gods Spirit as His guarantee of salvation that will be completed and the full experience of all Gods blessings that you will receive (vv. 13-14). You, Christian, are loved by the God of Isaiah 46:9-11, and you are the beneficiary of all His good pleasure. Christian, you were saved not for the sake of being saved, not for the forgiveness of your sins, not for a pain-free eternity in heaven, not for loved ones who preceded you in death, or for any other reason but for the purpose of knowing Christ, and by knowing Christ, you can know God. I can say this because of the first three words in Ephesians 1:15-23, which state the reason for why Paul prays, what Paul prays, and how Paul can pray for the Christians in Ephesus, and those three words are: For this reason Now, I know that these verses teach us something about how we can structure our prayers. I believe that the way Paul expressed his thanksgiving for the Ephesian Christians and why and how he prayed for them can serve as a model for how we can structure our prayers for one another, but that is not how I want to use our time this morning. What I want to do with our time together is glean what we learn from these verses. Why Paul Prays for the Christians (vv. 15-17) How do you follow one of the most majestic statements about the salvation of lost humanity found in Ephesians 1:1-14? You do it with Ephesians 1:15-23. The apostle Paul begins, For this reason. For what reason, Paul? For the reason contained in the over 200 words that make up Ephesians 1:1-14. For the reason that the Christian has been chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless (v. 4). For the reason that the Christian has been predestined to be the adopted child of God the Father through the redemption of Jesus the Son (vv. 5-7). For the reason that the Christian has been fully pardoned of past, present, and future sins because of Jesus (Eph. 1:8; 2:1-4). For the reason that the Christian has an inheritance that will not fade with time, cannot be destroyed, and will never be stained by sin (v. 11). For the reason that the Christian has been sealed by the Holy Spirit as Gods guarantee of salvation and redemption that will one day be fully complete (vv. 13-14). For all of these reasons is the reason the apostle wrote of the Ephesian Christians that he did, not cease to give thanks for them, while making mention of them in his prayers (v. 16). Notice what the apostle says about these Christians against the backdrop of the first fourteen verses: having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints (v. 15). What did Paul hear about these Christians? He heard about their faith in Jesus and their love for one another while in prison. In other words, the reality of who these Christians were was expressed through the way they lived. Paul specifically and intentionally notes that the faith of these Christians was in more than facts they agreed with, but in the Lord Jesus and the evidence of their faith was seen in the way they treated each other. Because Paul heard of the faith and love of these Christians, he prayed for them, and what He prayed also teaches us something about what it means to be a Christian. Pauls prayer for these Christians is simple: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him (v. 17). Notice what it is that Paul does not pray for; he does not pray for more power, or success, or easy living, or any other thing but that God would give them, a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. The wisdom and revelation Paul prayed for can only be given to them by God; this is why many theologians believe that the word, spirit is a reference to the Holy Spirit. Others believe that the word spirit is not a reference to the Holy Spirit but the spiritual part of us that lives on after the physical death of our bodies. Regardless of whose spirit Paul is referring to here, what is clear in light of the sealing of the Holy Spirit and His work in the life of the Christian (vv. 13-14), is that it is the Holy Spirit who enables our growth through the authority of the Word of God (revelation) when it is applied to the way we live our lives (wisdom). What does the Word of God (revelation), and its application (wisdom) to our lives, produce? It produces the kind of knowledge of God that Paul longed for in his own life as he expressed in Philippians 3:10-11, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. The same word Paul used in Philippians 3 for know (ginōskō), he also used in Ephesians 1:17. The Christian was saved by the grace of God to have a relationship with God and Pauls prayer is that the relationship would only deepen through a faith rooted in Jesus as Lord of their lives. What Paul Prays for the Christians (vv. 18-19a) In verses 15-17, Paul lists four character traits of those who have been saved and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ; those character traits mark the person who has truly been born again, and they are as follows: A faith that is IN Jesus. A loyalty to the LORDSHIP of Jesus. A LOVE for those who belong to Jesus. A pursuit to KNOW Jesus. It is because of these character traits that Paul prays for a deepening knowledge of God that is intellectual, experiential, and emotional - because it is a knowledge that involves the mind, the will, and the heart. In verses 18-19, Paul unpacks what specifically he is praying for. His prayer is that the eyes of their hearts will be enlightened. What Paul is praying for is that the hearts of these Christians would see and understand what God has done for them. The word Paul uses for heart is kardia; he could have used a word for mind as he did in Philippians 2:5, Have this mind [proneō] in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus. Or Paul could have used a different word for mind that Luke used in his gospel to describe the way Jesus opened the minds of two disciples who were confused over the death and news of his resurrection: Then He opened their minds [nous] to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). However, Paul used the word kardia (heart), and he put an eye on it. What are eyes on a heart good for? They are good for seeing what God has done for you so that you can see the heavenly blessings listed in Ephesians 1:1-14, which are yours, and that you will know that they are yours not only with your mind but with your heart. Permit me to put it in a way you may understand more clearly. At the beginning of this series in Ephesians, I listed several truths that are rooted in the identity of the Christian. I said that if you are a Christian and your faith is in the Lord Jesus, then the following is true of you: You are saved by the will of God. You have the grace and peace of God. You have the blessing of God. You are redeemed to be holy and blameless before God. You are a son/daughter of God. You are favored by God. You are forgiven by God. You are rich in the grace of God. You now know God. You have a future with God. You are secure because of God. You are treasured by God. Listen, if you are a Christian, the reason why Paul does not pray for your adoption as a son/daughter, or for more salvation, or more purpose, or more of the inheritance, or more resurrection power, or more of the Holy Spirit is because they are already yours in Christ.What Paul prays for is the thing that we need, and what we need is to know (ginōskō) that they are ours in Christ (v. 17), and to know that they are ours is that they are ours; as you know it is the word used for when Abraham knew Sarah, but maybe what you have not considered is to have known her was to experienced her fully with a mind, a heart, and will that was bound to her as his wife.Paul uses uses a different word for know in verse 18 (oida) that also is the type of knowing that is tied to a persons experience: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know [oida].I will say more about this next week, but for now, I want to show you what specifically we are to know as Christians.Paul lists three blessings that he wants his Christian readers to know: 1) What is the hope of His calling, 2) what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance, and 3) what is the boundless greatness of His power.I will revisit these three whats that Paul mentions next week, but I will briefly mention what they mean for you now as a way to whet your appetite to come back next Sunday: The hope of His calling: The calling is the kind of thing Paul described in Ephesians 1:3-6 and 2:1-4. You were not looking for God because not only did you not know God, but you were also dead and unresponsive to God spiritually, and then He called you in the same way Jesus called Lazarus to come out of the tomb even though he had been dead for four days (see John 11:1-46). If you are a Christian, you are only a Christian because God called you by breaking into the tomb of your unbelief to give you life. God called you out of His great mercy to make you alive in Christ! The riches of His inheritance: Oh, this is so good, and I cant wait to unpack this with you next week, but for now, what I want you to know is that the inheritance is you Christian! I know this grammatically, but also because of what we read in verses 13-14, In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvationhaving also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of Gods own possession, to the praise of His glory. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit as, Gods own possession and because of what He has done to secure the salvation of wretched sinners through His own Son, we are now His inheritance! If you are a Christian, you are now Gods treasured child and because you are redeemed in Christ, what God sees is not a wretched sinner, but a treasure. The riches of His inheritance are that you are loved and given all the rights that come with being his treasured child. The knowledge of the boundless greatness of His power: The power is what we already have as those who have been called by God and belong to Him as His inheritance. What sort of power is it that we have? It is the power of the risen Christ. Paul tells us that this is the power that is ours in the rest of these verses: These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead (vv. 19b-20). Think about it, who can avoid the power of death? No one can, for death is coming for us all! Yet, there is One who conquered death, and the same power that conquered the grave is at work in you Christian! What Paul wants us to know with all our being is that because of our faith in Jesus as Lord, we are progressively moving from death to life. Because you are called by God and because you are His inheritance, the power of God is at work in and through you just as Paul described in Romans 8:11, But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. As one person wrote of this amazing promise that is for the Christian: This power is ours to witness, to overcome sin, to pursue holiness, to fight against the schemes of the Devil, and to have great faith for mission.[1] There is a magnet on my filing cabinet in my office with one of my favorite quotes from Jonathan Edwards that says, You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary. The one who made your salvation possible is the One you were made to know through and in Jesus. If you really know that it is He who called you, that it is you who are now His inheritance and treasure, and that the power that raised Jesus to life is the same resurrection power at work in and through your life then dont you know that you will be with Christ with a resurrected body on a resurrected earth one day and while with Him, with 10 billion years behind us, we will still know only a joy that will increase with every moment we are with Him. Paul prays that we will live our lives in light of a knowledge that not only acknowledges and understands that truth; but with a knowledge that encounters that truth with the eyes of our hearts. [1] Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition: Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman; 2014), p. 39.

There is a story about a baby eagle who fell out of his nest and into a chicken coop. As the little eagle grew up, he began to cluck like a chicken, strut like a chicken, think like a chicken. But every day he noticed the eagles soaring high in the sky, always sensing that he was meant for something more than the chicken coop, but never realizing who he really was. The difference between the eagles that soared and the one living in the chicken coop was his understanding of who he really was. I think the Christian can go through life in the same way. I said at the beginning of our series in Ephesians that Pauls epistle answers two questions for us: 1) What does it mean to be a Christian, and 2) what does it mean to be the Church. When it comes to your identity as a Christian, some of you may be living like you belong in the chicken coop. Think about what it means to be a Christian according to Ephesians 1:3-14. You, Christian, have all the spiritual blessings listed throughout Pauls magnificent sentence of more than 200 words! You, Christian, have been chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless (v. 4). You, Christian, have been predestined to be the adopted son/daughter of the living God through the redemption of Jesus Christ (vv. 5-7). You, Christian, have been completely pardoned of past, present, and future sins only because of the grace of God that has been lavished upon you as a result of the Fathers wrath that was lavished upon the Son for all of our wrongdoings (Eph. 1:8; 2:1-4). You, Christian, have an inheritance that will not fade with time, cannot be destroyed, and will never be stained by sin (v. 11). You, Christian, have been sealed by Gods Spirit as His guarantee of salvation that will be completed and the full experience of all Gods blessings that you will receive (vv. 13-14). You, Christian, are loved by the God of Isaiah 46:9-11, and you are the beneficiary of all His good pleasure. Christian, you were saved not for the sake of being saved, not for the forgiveness of your sins, not for a pain-free eternity in heaven, not for loved ones who preceded you in death, or for any other reason but for the purpose of knowing Christ, and by knowing Christ, you can know God. I can say this because of the first three words in Ephesians 1:15-23, which state the reason for why Paul prays, what Paul prays, and how Paul can pray for the Christians in Ephesus, and those three words are: For this reason Now, I know that these verses teach us something about how we can structure our prayers. I believe that the way Paul expressed his thanksgiving for the Ephesian Christians and why and how he prayed for them can serve as a model for how we can structure our prayers for one another, but that is not how I want to use our time this morning. What I want to do with our time together is glean what we learn from these verses. Why Paul Prays for the Christians (vv. 15-17) How do you follow one of the most majestic statements about the salvation of lost humanity found in Ephesians 1:1-14? You do it with Ephesians 1:15-23. The apostle Paul begins, For this reason. For what reason, Paul? For the reason contained in the over 200 words that make up Ephesians 1:1-14. For the reason that the Christian has been chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless (v. 4). For the reason that the Christian has been predestined to be the adopted child of God the Father through the redemption of Jesus the Son (vv. 5-7). For the reason that the Christian has been fully pardoned of past, present, and future sins because of Jesus (Eph. 1:8; 2:1-4). For the reason that the Christian has an inheritance that will not fade with time, cannot be destroyed, and will never be stained by sin (v. 11). For the reason that the Christian has been sealed by the Holy Spirit as Gods guarantee of salvation and redemption that will one day be fully complete (vv. 13-14). For all of these reasons is the reason the apostle wrote of the Ephesian Christians that he did, not cease to give thanks for them, while making mention of them in his prayers (v. 16). Notice what the apostle says about these Christians against the backdrop of the first fourteen verses: having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints (v. 15). What did Paul hear about these Christians? He heard about their faith in Jesus and their love for one another while in prison. In other words, the reality of who these Christians were was expressed through the way they lived. Paul specifically and intentionally notes that the faith of these Christians was in more than facts they agreed with, but in the Lord Jesus and the evidence of their faith was seen in the way they treated each other. Because Paul heard of the faith and love of these Christians, he prayed for them, and what He prayed also teaches us something about what it means to be a Christian. Pauls prayer for these Christians is simple: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him (v. 17). Notice what it is that Paul does not pray for; he does not pray for more power, or success, or easy living, or any other thing but that God would give them, a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. The wisdom and revelation Paul prayed for can only be given to them by God; this is why many theologians believe that the word, spirit is a reference to the Holy Spirit. Others believe that the word spirit is not a reference to the Holy Spirit but the spiritual part of us that lives on after the physical death of our bodies. Regardless of whose spirit Paul is referring to here, what is clear in light of the sealing of the Holy Spirit and His work in the life of the Christian (vv. 13-14), is that it is the Holy Spirit who enables our growth through the authority of the Word of God (revelation) when it is applied to the way we live our lives (wisdom). What does the Word of God (revelation), and its application (wisdom) to our lives, produce? It produces the kind of knowledge of God that Paul longed for in his own life as he expressed in Philippians 3:10-11, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. The same word Paul used in Philippians 3 for know (ginōskō), he also used in Ephesians 1:17. The Christian was saved by the grace of God to have a relationship with God and Pauls prayer is that the relationship would only deepen through a faith rooted in Jesus as Lord of their lives. What Paul Prays for the Christians (vv. 18-19a) In verses 15-17, Paul lists four character traits of those who have been saved and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ; those character traits mark the person who has truly been born again, and they are as follows: A faith that is IN Jesus. A loyalty to the LORDSHIP of Jesus. A LOVE for those who belong to Jesus. A pursuit to KNOW Jesus. It is because of these character traits that Paul prays for a deepening knowledge of God that is intellectual, experiential, and emotional - because it is a knowledge that involves the mind, the will, and the heart. In verses 18-19, Paul unpacks what specifically he is praying for. His prayer is that the eyes of their hearts will be enlightened. What Paul is praying for is that the hearts of these Christians would see and understand what God has done for them. The word Paul uses for heart is kardia; he could have used a word for mind as he did in Philippians 2:5, Have this mind [proneō] in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus. Or Paul could have used a different word for mind that Luke used in his gospel to describe the way Jesus opened the minds of two disciples who were confused over the death and news of his resurrection: Then He opened their minds [nous] to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). However, Paul used the word kardia (heart), and he put an eye on it. What are eyes on a heart good for? They are good for seeing what God has done for you so that you can see the heavenly blessings listed in Ephesians 1:1-14, which are yours, and that you will know that they are yours not only with your mind but with your heart. Permit me to put it in a way you may understand more clearly. At the beginning of this series in Ephesians, I listed several truths that are rooted in the identity of the Christian. I said that if you are a Christian and your faith is in the Lord Jesus, then the following is true of you: You are saved by the will of God. You have the grace and peace of God. You have the blessing of God. You are redeemed to be holy and blameless before God. You are a son/daughter of God. You are favored by God. You are forgiven by God. You are rich in the grace of God. You now know God. You have a future with God. You are secure because of God. You are treasured by God. Listen, if you are a Christian, the reason why Paul does not pray for your adoption as a son/daughter, or for more salvation, or more purpose, or more of the inheritance, or more resurrection power, or more of the Holy Spirit is because they are already yours in Christ.What Paul prays for is the thing that we need, and what we need is to know (ginōskō) that they are ours in Christ (v. 17), and to know that they are ours is that they are ours; as you know it is the word used for when Abraham knew Sarah, but maybe what you have not considered is to have known her was to experienced her fully with a mind, a heart, and will that was bound to her as his wife.Paul uses uses a different word for know in verse 18 (oida) that also is the type of knowing that is tied to a persons experience: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know [oida].I will say more about this next week, but for now, I want to show you what specifically we are to know as Christians.Paul lists three blessings that he wants his Christian readers to know: 1) What is the hope of His calling, 2) what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance, and 3) what is the boundless greatness of His power.I will revisit these three whats that Paul mentions next week, but I will briefly mention what they mean for you now as a way to whet your appetite to come back next Sunday: The hope of His calling: The calling is the kind of thing Paul described in Ephesians 1:3-6 and 2:1-4. You were not looking for God because not only did you not know God, but you were also dead and unresponsive to God spiritually, and then He called you in the same way Jesus called Lazarus to come out of the tomb even though he had been dead for four days (see John 11:1-46). If you are a Christian, you are only a Christian because God called you by breaking into the tomb of your unbelief to give you life. God called you out of His great mercy to make you alive in Christ! The riches of His inheritance: Oh, this is so good, and I cant wait to unpack this with you next week, but for now, what I want you to know is that the inheritance is you Christian! I know this grammatically, but also because of what we read in verses 13-14, In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvationhaving also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of Gods own possession, to the praise of His glory. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit as, Gods own possession and because of what He has done to secure the salvation of wretched sinners through His own Son, we are now His inheritance! If you are a Christian, you are now Gods treasured child and because you are redeemed in Christ, what God sees is not a wretched sinner, but a treasure. The riches of His inheritance are that you are loved and given all the rights that come with being his treasured child. The knowledge of the boundless greatness of His power: The power is what we already have as those who have been called by God and belong to Him as His inheritance. What sort of power is it that we have? It is the power of the risen Christ. Paul tells us that this is the power that is ours in the rest of these verses: These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead (vv. 19b-20). Think about it, who can avoid the power of death? No one can, for death is coming for us all! Yet, there is One who conquered death, and the same power that conquered the grave is at work in you Christian! What Paul wants us to know with all our being is that because of our faith in Jesus as Lord, we are progressively moving from death to life. Because you are called by God and because you are His inheritance, the power of God is at work in and through you just as Paul described in Romans 8:11, But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. As one person wrote of this amazing promise that is for the Christian: This power is ours to witness, to overcome sin, to pursue holiness, to fight against the schemes of the Devil, and to have great faith for mission.[1] There is a magnet on my filing cabinet in my office with one of my favorite quotes from Jonathan Edwards that says, You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary. The one who made your salvation possible is the One you were made to know through and in Jesus. If you really know that it is He who called you, that it is you who are now His inheritance and treasure, and that the power that raised Jesus to life is the same resurrection power at work in and through your life then dont you know that you will be with Christ with a resurrected body on a resurrected earth one day and while with Him, with 10 billion years behind us, we will still know only a joy that will increase with every moment we are with Him. Paul prays that we will live our lives in light of a knowledge that not only acknowledges and understands that truth; but with a knowledge that encounters that truth with the eyes of our hearts. [1] Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition: Ephesians (Nashville, TN: Holman; 2014), p. 39.

Sabbath School panel discussion and insight by 3ABN pastors and teachers. This podcast episode follows 2024 quarter 1, lesson 2 of the adult Bible study guide book. This quarter's book topic is “Psalms” and this week's Sabbath School lesson is titled “Teach Us to Pray” Join us every week for a fresh and relevant study of the word of God. Reading: 1 Chron. 16:7 | Neh. 12:8 | Ps. 25:1–5 | Ps. 33:1–3 | Rom. 8:26, 27 | Ps. 82:8 | Ps. 121:7 Memory Text: “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.' And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (Luke 24:44, 45, NKJV). (January 6 – January 12) Sunday (Ryan Day) - “Fostering the Use of the Psalms in Prayer”Monday (Shelley Quinn) - “Trust in Times of Trouble” Tuesday (Daniel Perrin) - “A Psalm of Despair”Wednesday (Jill Morikone) - “From Despair to Hope”Thursday (James Rafferty) - “Oh, Restore Us Again” Sabbath School Website: www.3ABNSabbathSchoolPanel.com Want the Panelists' notes? Email us at SSP@3abn.org Questions or Comments? Email us at mail@3abn.org Donate: https://3abn.org/donate-quick.html

Sabbath School panel discussion and insight by 3ABN pastors and teachers. This podcast episode follows 2024 quarter 1, lesson 1 of the adult Bible study guide book. This quarter's book topic is “Psalms” and this week's Sabbath School lesson is titled “How to Read the Psalms” Join us every week for a fresh and relevant study of the word of God. Reading: 1 Chron. 16:7 | Neh. 12:8 | Ps. 25:1–5 | Ps. 33:1–3 | Rom. 8:26, 27 | Ps. 82:8 | Ps. 121:7 Memory Text: “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.' And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (Luke 24:44, 45, NKJV). (December 30 – January 5) Sunday (Jill Morikone) - “The Psalms in Ancient Israel's Worship”Monday (Ryan Day) - “Meet the Psalmists”Tuesday (James Rafferty) - “A Song for Every Season”Wednesday (Johnny Dinzey) - “Inspired Prayers”Thursday (Shelley Quinn) - “The World of the Psalms” Sabbath School Website: www.3ABNSabbathSchoolPanel.com Want the Panelists' notes? Email us at SSP@3abn.org Questions or Comments? Email us at mail@3abn.org Donate: https://3abn.org/donate-quick.html

Edge God In Podcast 227: Spiritual Warfare Wisdom from An Exorcist EdgeGodIn.com | Host: Lauren E Miller Co-Host: Father Vincent Lampert Referenced Book: Exorcism: The Battle Against Satan And His Demons by Father Vincent Lampert Championing Human Potential in Christ Download Bible Study Template Learning Objective: Learn the devil's forms of trickery in spiritual warfare he uses to gain entry into our lives along with best practices to fend him off. Scriptures: Luke 4/Matthew 4:1-11 | 1 John 4:4 | 1 John 3:8 | James 4:7 | Ephesians 6:12 | Genesis 3 Protection Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ be with me, defend me, be within me, conserve me; be before me that you may lead me; be after me that you may guard me; be above me that you may bless me, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Support Resources: Award Winning Books: Stop Letting The World Be The Boss of You: 25 Solutions to Refresh Your Identity in Christ Hearing His Whisper, with Every Storm Jesus Comes Too  https://amzn.to/3nNxdya Emotional Intelligence in Christ Project: Book, 6-Week Study Guide & Course Now Launched Stress Relief Video Techniques: Click Here https://laurenemiller.com/stress-relief-coaching-expert/

Sunday Service on the Scriptures Luke 18:18-23, 19:1-10 with Pastor Taylor Corum on November 26, 2023

Barry follows up on the conversation with Rachael Denhollander and Tiffany Thigpen, asking why we sometimes find ourselves doing the opposite of our own chosen values? Two examples, racism and sexual abuse, provide the opportunity to look at this moral failure more closely—and find a strategy in Scripture to make the right decision. Scriptures: Luke […]

POP QUIZ: Who wants to help you at every turn, offer insight, comfort, and answers when there seem to be none?  If you said the Holy Spirit, you're absolutely right! Join Joyce, Ginger and Erin for a conversation that will help you understand and be encouraged by the Holy Spirit, who wants to give you the grace you need for every challenge you face, no matter how big or small. WALK IT OUT: Do you want to be filled with and led by the Holy Spirit but you're not sure how? Or maybe it's been a while since you've felt close to God? Take a few minutes to invite Him to make Himself real to you. It may happen in a moment or over time, but we're believing that as you pray and seek God, you WILL find Him and experience the closeness and peace of His Spirit in you. Scriptures: Luke 11:13 – Isaiah 30:21 – John 16:13

POP QUIZ: Who wants to help you at every turn, offer insight, comfort, and answers when there seem to be none?  If you said the Holy Spirit, you're absolutely right! Join Joyce, Ginger and Erin for a conversation that will help you understand and be encouraged by the Holy Spirit, who wants to give you the grace you need for every challenge you face, no matter how big or small. WALK IT OUT: Do you want to be filled with and led by the Holy Spirit but you're not sure how? Or maybe it's been a while since you've felt close to God? Take a few minutes to invite Him to make Himself real to you. It may happen in a moment or over time, but we're believing that as you pray and seek God, you WILL find Him and experience the closeness and peace of His Spirit in you. Scriptures: Luke 11:13 – Isaiah 30:21 – John 16:13

Did Jesus physically rise from the dead, or just his spirit? Find out the truth this week with Pastor Douglas Walker.

Managing Failure is often a tough thing to do. The key is what is the fruit from the failure? What have I learned form the failure and what can I pass on from it? Scriptures : Luke 22:61-62 ,Matthew 27:3-5(NIV) Visit us at Aliante campus Newantioch-Aliante.org Central campus Newantioch.org Tithes and offerings Cash App $NewAAlainte (Aliante) (Central )$Newantioch Text 'Newantioch' to 77977 Service times for Central campus 2917 W. Washington Las Vegas,NV 89107 Sunday's 9am Aliante campus Sunday 12;30 pm 2550 Nature Park Drive #100 N. Las Vegas,Nv 89084

Often times in life we live on the limits of our life.In this new series Level Up Your Margins we talk about how to establish your margins in life. On today's episode Pastor Parson preaches on how not prioritizing what's important can lead to over running our margins. Scriptures Luke 10:38-42(NIV) 1 Corinthians 9:25 (KJV) Newantioch-Aliante.org Tithes and offerings Cash App $NewAAlainte Text 'Newantioch' to 77977 Service times Sunday 12;30 pm 2550 Nature Park Drive #100 N. Las Vegas,Nv 89084