Luke 9:28-36
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.
Pray for God’s guidance as you read this passage. You may want to read the entire chapter to get a better "feel" for what Luke is communicating about Jesus.
The word translated "departure" is literally "exodus." In what way is Jesus about to make an Exodus?
What is the significance of Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus?
How does Peter react to the situation?
What is the significance of God’s statement?
What does this passage mean for us?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Different Week
Most of this week will be spent in preparation for Elder Link in Atlanta and then traveling south to share the preparation.
http://www.acu.edu/ministry/events/elderlink/conferences/atlanta.html
Three of our elders are going. I will speak Saturday, and then our elders and I will answer questions for a while.
Should be interesting.
Have a good week!
http://www.acu.edu/ministry/events/elderlink/conferences/atlanta.html
Three of our elders are going. I will speak Saturday, and then our elders and I will answer questions for a while.
Should be interesting.
Have a good week!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Jude 1-7 You Already Know This
Jude 1-7
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
Pray for God’s guidance as you read this passage. You may want to read the entire book of Jude to get a better "feel" for what the writer is communicating to the readers.
Our main focus is on verse 5, where Jude references the Exodus Story.
What is Jude wanting to discuss?
Why is he having to change his topic?
What is going on in the church?
What are the false teachers teaching?
How does the Exodus Story serve as a warning?
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
Pray for God’s guidance as you read this passage. You may want to read the entire book of Jude to get a better "feel" for what the writer is communicating to the readers.
Our main focus is on verse 5, where Jude references the Exodus Story.
What is Jude wanting to discuss?
Why is he having to change his topic?
What is going on in the church?
What are the false teachers teaching?
How does the Exodus Story serve as a warning?
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Hebrews 11:22-29 Exemplary Faith
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
You may want to read the entire chapter, Hebrews 11, to get a better "feel" for what the writer is communicating to the readers.
How many times does the expression "by faith" occur in these verses?
How is faith exhibited in each occurrence?
What would have happened in each occurrence if there had been no faith?
What do we learn from this?
How can we develop a "faith" mind-set or attitude that allows us to view life in this way?
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
You may want to read the entire chapter, Hebrews 11, to get a better "feel" for what the writer is communicating to the readers.
How many times does the expression "by faith" occur in these verses?
How is faith exhibited in each occurrence?
What would have happened in each occurrence if there had been no faith?
What do we learn from this?
How can we develop a "faith" mind-set or attitude that allows us to view life in this way?
Sunday, March 01, 2009
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Examples Gone Bad
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Why do think Paul describes the Exodus as he does?
How do those who experienced the Exodus serve as an example for us?
What did they do?
Why is it dangerous to think "you are standing firm"?
How is God faithful in temptation?
Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Why do think Paul describes the Exodus as he does?
How do those who experienced the Exodus serve as an example for us?
What did they do?
Why is it dangerous to think "you are standing firm"?
How is God faithful in temptation?
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