Bible Text: Mark 4:35-41 | Speaker: Jim Shepherd | Above are the
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June 11, 2023
“The Storms of Life”
Mark 4:35-41

Introduction.

 

Our family went sailing at Lewis and Clark Lake which is a

dammed up portion on the Missouri River.  Forty five minutes

into the journey the wind shifted becoming gusty with high waves

which swamped our boat.  With much struggle we made it back to

the marina

 

Some storms in life you don’t see coming.

Storms may come with no notice and grab a hold of you and shake

you before they move on.  They could be wind, financial, marital or

social storms.

 

Who sends them and why do they come?

 

Jesus experienced storms like this.

 

A valley leads into the Sea of Galilee.  There are steep mountains

on both sides which cause a wind tunnel and enormous storms.

The high winds and driving rain suddenly arise.  Any boats on the lake

are in peril.

 

 

Read Mark 4:35-41

35 On that day, when evening came, He said to them,

Let us go over to the other side.

 

36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them

in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.

 

37 And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were

breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.

 

38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion;

and they woke Him and said to Him, Teacher, do You not care

that we are perishing?

 

39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea,

Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

 

40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?

 

41 They became very much afraid and said to one another,

Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?

 

 

 

Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be Still!”

Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

 

He said to the disciples, “Why are you so afraid?

Do you still have no faith?”

 

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this?  Even the wind

and waves obey him!”

 

 

Whose idea was it to get into the boat?

 

The key to understanding this story is:

 

If you know the answer, then you know what the story was about.

If you don’t know the answer, the meaning will be lost to you.

 

Whose idea was it to get into the boat in the first place?

Go to the text and the answer is very plain.

It happened after a long day of ministry taking care of people’s needs.

 

Jesus said, “Let us go over to the other side.”

The disciples being exhausted were happy to leave.

 

Jesus had to get into the boat and teach.  The crowd pressed against

the water’s edge.  They came to hear the Master, to be healed,

to find hope.  They were desperate to be near Jesus.

 

Serving others takes its toll on the soul.

 

 

Why did Jesus sleep?

 

 

Jesus is fully human and was tired, hungry and thirsty.  Jesus understands

our needs and weaknesses.

 

Jesus slept on a cushion.

 

The disciples were fisherman (James, John, Peter, Andrew) and

know the Sea of Galilee well.  They thought it would be smooth sailing.

 

 

 

The storm hits.

 

 

When the storm hit the disciples had confidence in themselves and

felt they could handle any problems.  The lake was calm, Jesus decided

to sleep in the stern when suddenly a great storm arose.  The waves

crashed against the boat, the wind roared, the boat took on water

(swamped) and begins to sink.  This was terrifying.

 

 

Where did the storm come from?

 

Was it from God or the Devil?

 

Some experts say the storm came from the Devil taking advantage

of Jesus being asleep.  Can the devil use the weather to do his work?

 

 

Jonah 1:4

4 The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm
on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.

 

 

Isaiah 51:15

15 For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves
roar (the LORD of hosts is His name).

 

 

Psalm 107:25

25 For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,

which lifted up the waves of the sea.

 

 

Jeremiah 31:35

35 Thus says the LORD,

Who gives the sun for light by day

And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,

Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;

The LORD of hosts is His name:

 

 

 

Job 1:18

18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said,
“Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in
their oldest brother’s house,

19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and
struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people
and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

 

 

Who sent the Storm?  Answer:  God

 

Remember this important truth:

 

The wind always blows around us.

Mighty storms come to us sooner or later and we can’t avoid them.

We have no choice or control over the storm.

 

Storms could be weather, finances, health, faith, marriage and more.

 

Examples of good news:

 

We’re getting married, the house sold, I’m graduating, you’re hired.

 

Examples of bad news:

 

Your son has been arrested, you have cancer, you’re fired, I’m leaving…

 

We never know what tomorrow may bring.

 

Let’s go back to the basic questions:

 

Who told them to get into the boat? (Jesus)

Who was sleeping in the boat during the storm? (Jesus)

Who is omniscient? (Jesus)

Who is omnipotent? (Jesus)

Who was in control? (Jesus)

 

Remember, Jesus slept through the storm.

 

 

Lord, don’t you care?

 

the disciples are desperate and woke up Jesus and asked,

“Lord, don’t you care that we will drown?”

 

We all ask this question at some point.

 

When conditions turn desperate we may ask:

 

Lord, don’t you care that my child is sick?

Lord, don’t you care that my marriage is falling apart?

Lord, don’t you care that I’m all alone?

Lord, don’t you care that I have no money?

Lord, don’t you care that I’m about to give up?

Lord, don’t you care that I lost my job?

 

We never ask during good times.

 

Simple truth:

 

You’ll never know if Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.

 

Disciples learn that even in a raging storm, Jesus is all they need.

 

This is important because of all the trials they would face in the future.

 

Jesus is all we need in the tempest and during the calm seas.

This is the lesson we need to learn.

 

 

Why did the storm obey?

 

 

There were two storms that night.  They were on the lake and

in the hearts of the disciples.

 

Jesus awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea,

“Peace. Be still.”

 

Do you see what happened?

 

Jesus is omnipotent and all powerful.

 

Jesus speaks and the storm stops.  It had to.  The wind and waves have

to obey.  They have no choice.  They hear their master’s voice.

 

Upon hearing Jesus’ command millions of gallons of water ceased moving.

Upon hearing Jesus’ command gale force winds stop instantly.

 

Do you see Jesus (the divine Jesus)?

 

 

He is so human he must sleep and he is so divine he stops the storm.

 

Looking into the future to the Messiah the Psalmist says:

 

 

Psalm 107:29

29 He caused the storm to be still,

So that the waves of the sea were hushed.

 

 

What happened to the disciples’ faith?

 

Jesus said to the disciples, “Why are you so afraid?
Have you still no faith?”

 

The disciples had lost control and panicked.

Their faith had turned into fear.

How often does that happen to us?

 

Jesus asked, “Have you no faith?”  (yes or no)

 

They had faith in Jesus.  They believed in him but their faith

was not yet fully grown.

 

How do you get faith that allows you to survive the storms of life?

You have to get into the boat with Jesus and give him control.

 

Where there are no storms your faith will not grow but getting

into the boat with Jesus means you give up control.

 

We can see that the storms of life are the pathways forward
for spiritual growth.

 

When you cry out to the Lord in desperation the Lord saves you.

 

Who told the disciples to get into the boat in the first place?

Jesus dies because it was his idea all along.

 

Did Jesus know of the storm in advance? (Yes)

He is omniscient and omnipotent and he created it.

 

Did he warn them in advance? (No)

They wouldn’t have the lesson they needed to learn.

 

What did they learn about Jesus?

 

They learned of his power over nature, promise and deliverance and

presence (He’s in control).

 

Jesus is the Lord of the storms of our life.

He alls us, we get into the boat and we follow Him.

When the storm comes we call out to Him.

He awakens and calms the storm.

 

This progression leads to a greater faith.

 

Matthew 28:20 b

20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

When the storm is over, our faith is stronger.

 

Jesus is always with you even if you don’t see Him,

He is there with you.

 

 

Who is Jesus?

 

The disciples asked, “Who is this?”

 

This is the big question we all must answer which we spoke about

In our last sermon, “Who is Jesus?”

 

Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.

 

The wind and waves obey Him.  They have to.

He is the Lord of nature.

He created the wind, the wave and the universe.

 

 

 

Is Jesus in your boat?

 

When the storms of life come, keep calm because Jesus is

always in the boat with you.

 

Jesus is always in control.

 

 

 

 
Jim Shepherd
 

 

Bible Text: Luke 9:1-9 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: book study of Luke | Above are the
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June 4, 2023
“Jesus Sends Out the Twelve”
Luke 9:1-9

Read Luke 9:1-2…  It is important to be aware of the chronology of this next event in the life and ministry of Jesus.  Jesus is about 18 months away from being put to death on the cross in Jerusalem; and so, about half of His ministry is already over.  Up to this point, Jesus has been the only one preaching the gospel, teaching God’s Word, performing miracles of healing the sick, lame, blind, diseased, demon possessed, and even raising the dead, among the people of Israel.

Luke leaves out an important event that occurred between the time that Jesus’ healed a woman with an issue bleeding for 12 years, raised a 12 year old dead girl back to life (cf. Luke 8:41-55), and before He sent out the Twelve in Luke 9.

Mark’s Gospel fills in the gap by telling us that Jesus went to His own hometown (Nazareth) right after the events we studied last week.

See Mark 6:1-6…  Jesus took the apostles to His own hometown of Nazareth.  And on a Sabbath Day, Jesus went into the synagogue, which was His normal practice, and He began to teach.

Although the listeners were astonished and amazed at Jesus’ teaching, they question His authority and right to assume the position of teacher.  This is the synagogue Jesus would have attended growing up in Nazareth, where He was known as the son of Joseph, the carpenter.

The people acknowledge Jesus as one of their own, but He is no one special to them (cf. Mark 6:3), for He is simply a local boy trained as a carpenter, whose mother is Mary, whose brothers and sisters they knew.

The people of Nazareth refer to Jesus as the son of Mary, although, in Jewish culture, a man was normally called the son of his father even if the father was dead, unless the father was unknown to the people.

It may be that they are referencing the rumors that had gone around at the time of Jesus’ birth, about the illegitimacy of Mary’s conception, which was apart from any sexual relationship with Joseph.

The people of Nazareth failed to honor Jesus because of their own familiarity with Him, as just a kid from their village who had grown up and returned.

Instead of acknowledging His teachings and the miracles He had performed throughout the region, they rejected Jesus as Messiah; in fact it says, “they took offense at Him,” for He was not recognized by the local religious leaders as having any authority.

 

Jesus is fully aware of the people’s unwillingness to believe that He had come from God; and so, He states an old proverb (cf. Mark 6:4), that a prophet is without honor in His own town and in His own family.  This proverb is similar to one that we use today that says, “familiarity breeds contempt.”

Interestingly enough, Jesus had received a similar response from His town folks about a year before, the first time He went back to His hometown (cf. Luke 4:16-17), right after being baptized by John and ushered into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, where He spent 40 days being tempted by the devil.

Jesus then went to Nazareth (cf. Luke 4:18-19) where He entered the synagogue on a Sabbath and stood up to read from the scroll of Isaiah 61:1-2, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

When Jesus finished reading (cf. Luke 4:20) He gave the book back to the attendant and sat down, everyone’s eyes were upon Him.  He then said (Luke 4:21), “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  Jesus was claiming to be the One this passage was speaking about, the Anointed One from God, the Messiah!

The residents in Nazareth had known Jesus as a boy, and as a young man who had grown up in an ordinary family, learning the trade of carpentry.  Now He comes teaching with authority in their own synagogue?

Although it appears that the people were amazed at His words, they seem to question His authority, (Luke 4:22), “‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’ they asked.”

The people were filled with rage at the audacity of Jesus to say they were spiritually poor, spiritually captive, spiritually blind, spiritually oppressed, that they needed to be healed, and that He had come to save them.

Luke 4:28-29 tells us they drove Him out of the synagogue, out of town, and up to the top of a hill where they intended to kill Him by throwing Him off; but (Luke 4:30), He miraculously walked right through the midst of them and escaped.

So, in our reading today in Luke 9, it is about a year after that first visit to Nazareth, as recorded in Luke 4, when the people would not acknowledge Him as their Messiah, in fact they were enraged by His insolence.

Mark 6:6 says that Jesus was “amazed” [completely astonished] at the people’s lack of faith [unbelief].  It is not that Jesus was caught off guard; but Jesus was extremely taken back by their response to Him.

According to the biblical record, very few from His own hometown believed in Him, and so, He left there and (verse 6) “went around teaching from village to village,” throughout other parts of Galilee where the people were more receptive.

Earlier today I mentioned how, in the chronology of Jesus’ ministry, He is about half way through the three plus years He had been given to proclaim the message of God’s Kingdom here on earth..

Up to this time Jesus was the only one who was teaching and preaching and healing; but time is getting short as He will soon be leaving the area of Galilee and be heading toward Jerusalem in Judea, where He will be put to death on a cross, placed in a tomb, and on the third day after His death He would rise from the grave and appear to hundreds of His followers over a 40 day period, after which He would ascend back into heaven to be with the Father.

According to Isaiah 61:1-2, Jesus came “to preach the gospel to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

See Luke 9:1-3…  Jesus is going to commission the Twelve, who had already been named apostles, but they had not yet been sent out (cf. Luke 8:12-16).  It is now time for the Lord to multiply Himself by 12, by giving these men the power to heal, cast out demons, and “to proclaim the kingdom of God.”

In Matthew’s narrative of this event, he lists the Twelve (Matthew 10:2-4), “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

The apostles had been living with Jesus for over a year, it was now time for them to apply what they had heard, witnessed, learned and received from their Master and Teacher, Jesus Christ!  These men would now have to trust the Lord like never before, to protect them, feed them, clothe them, and guide them.

 

Read Luke 9:4-5…  Jesus tells them to seek out a house where they will be accepted and to stay there until they are ready to leave that town or village.  He then tells them that if any house or town will not receive them, they are to shake the dust off their feet as a “testimony against” those who rejected them and their message.

The disciples were sent out to bring God’s message of reconciliation and healing to the lost, lonely, and hurting of society.  For someone to reject them or their message, was the same as rejecting God.

The Jews had a practice, when returning to Israel from a Gentile country: they would shake the dust from their feet and sandals, so as not to bring pagan soil into Israel.  By this same gesture, the apostles were saying that any house or village that rejected them was unacceptable to and alienated from God.

Read Luke 9:6…  The disciples were instructed to call people to repent of sin and believe in Jesus to save them, just as John the Baptizer had done (cf. Matthew 3:1-2, 5-6, 11; Mark 1:4-5, 7-11; John 1:19-23, 28-29, 34).

As the apostles called people to repentance, they were also casting out demons and healing the sick, just as Jesus had done throughout the region. They were exhibiting the authority He had given them in order to demonstrate, with power, the kingdom message they brought, that salvation has been provided through Christ alone; this must be heard, understood, believed, and obeyed before salvation can be received.

Read Luke 9:7-9…  Herod had heard reports, and he was very distraught about all that was going on throughout the region, that repentance was being preached, people were being healed, and demons were being cast out, and that some were saying it was John the Baptizer who had risen from the dead; or Elijah or another great prophet who had power like the prophets in Israel’s past.

Herod felt guilty for having had John beheaded at the demand of Herodias, his vengeful wife.  She hated John for confronting Herod about his immoral, unlawful and adulterous marriage to her. And so, the thought that John had come back to life totally unhinged Herod, who must of been thinking, what if it was John and he was seeking revenge?

 

If you don’t know the story, you can read it in Mark 6:14-28.

 

We aren’t told any specifics about the apostles’ ministry, but it appears that reports had come to Herod about what was going on; and although he was not sure if it was John the Baptizer back from the dead, according to Luke 9:9, Herod kept trying to see who it was that was doing these supernatural healings and casting out of demons; although he isn’t sure who it actually is.

 

Listen, John the Baptizer is dead, Jesus is in heaven with the Father, the Apostles are all dead; but those of us who believe in and follow Jesus Christ (crucified, resurrected, and coming again) are to continue what they started.

 

2Corinthians 5:17-21,

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

 

 

 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><
 

 

Bible Text: Luke 8:40-56 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: book study of Luke | Above are the
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May 28, 2023
“Jesus Responds to Saving Faith”
Luke 8:40-56

        Please turn to Luke 8:40-56, and follow along as I read through it.

See Luke 8:40…  Unlike the inhabitants of Gerasa, on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, the people of Capernaum on the north western shore had been waitng for Jesus to return.

Mark 5:21 tells us there was a large crowd of people, no doubt, there were many who were hoping to be healed of their diseases, illnesses and infirmities.  Jesus was popular in Capernaum and He loved to be with the common people, to teach them God’s Word and to show them God’s compassion.

        See Luke 8:41…  A man named Jairus, a ruler in the local synagogue, falls at Jesus’ feet, pleading with Him to come to his house, as his one and only daughter, who is 12 years of age, is dying.  Mark’s narrative tells us (5:23) that Jairus said to Jesus, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.”

        See Luke 42-44…  As they begin to leave for Jairus’s house, a woman, who has suffered from an incurable bleeding affliction for 12 years, comes and touches Jesus’ outer clothing; and according to (Mark 5:28) “saying to herself, ‘If I can just touch His clothing, I’ll be healed.’”

Amazing faith, this woman believed she could be cured by simply touching Jesus’ clothing [lit. the fringe of His outer garment].  Note: A tassel fringe with a blue cord was a reminder to obey God’s commandments (Numbers 15:38), “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue.”

Upon touching one of the tassels, the woman with the issue of blood was healed immediately (Luke 8:44) and her bleeding stopped.

Mark 5:26 tells us more about her condition, “she had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse.”  This poor woman had suffered greatly at the hands of many so-called doctors, they had taken all her money, but instead of getting better she had actually gotten worse.

        See Luke 8:45-48…  Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him, He turns around to the crowd and asks, “Who is the one who touched Me?”  Mark 5:30 records Jesus saying, “Who touched my garments?”

Peter answers, stating the obvious, saying that all these people are crowding in around the Lord, it could have been anybody.  To which Jesus says, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.”

 

Jesus looks around, waits, and the woman comes to Him, falls at his feet, and tells Him what she has done; and at this point Jesus tells her she is healed and she can go in peace.  The Greek (Luke 8:48; Matthew 9:22; Mark 5:34) literally says, “your faith has “saved” you. “Go in peace?”

        See Luke 8:49-50…   We are told that while Jesus was speaking to the woman, some men came from Jarius’ house to tell him that it is too late, his daughter has died, and he should no longer bother the Teacher [Jesus]; but Jesus says to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid any longer; only believe and she will be made well [lit. saved].”

        See Luke 8:51…  Jesus only allowed Peter, James, John, and the girl’s parents, to go with Him into see Jarius’ daughter.

Matthew 9:23 tells us that Jesus entered Jairus’ home amidst a bunch of commotion, as musicians and mourners were making much noise. .

See Luke 8:52-53…  Jesus silences the crowd saying, “the girl is not dead, but is only sleeping.”  The people laugh at Jesus [lit. laugh in His face] with repeated outbursts about the girl not being dead.  Jesus sends them away and only the girl’s parents and Jesus’ 3 disciples go in to her.

        See Luke 8:54-55…   Jesus takes the girl by the hand and says, “Child arise!”  Mark 5:41, “Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”..Immediately, the girl gets up (Mark 5:42) and walks around the room, and those who are there marvel at this!

Luke 8:56…  Jesus gives strict orders for them not to tell anyone about what has happened.  Not that it was going to be kept quiet, I mean, the musicians, mourners, other family members, and friends, they were definitely going to find out and when they did, they would most likely spread the word about this miracle.

In fact, Matthew tells us (9:26), that after Jesus raises the girl back to life, “news of this spread throughout the region.”

Jesus already had a reputation for His supernatural power: healing diseases, casting out demons, feeding multitudes with a few scraps of bread and fish, calming the winds and the sea, and now, raising the dead!

Jesus’ main purpose was not to heal diseases and feed hungry people, but whenever the crowds found Him, He had compassion on them.

Jesus came to bring the Good News of Salvation, to heal sick hearts, souls, and minds, to cast out fear and unbelief. Mark 1:38, “Let us go… so I can preach… that is why I have come.” Romans 1:16, ”The good news is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”

 

When Jesus came, there was extensive disease, poverty and hunger among the people; He was forever reaching out to care for and love them.

According to Mark 5:43 Jesus said to Jarius’ family, “give the girl something to eat.”  Jesus had just brought this girl back to life, and she needed sustenance to regain her strength.

The Scriptures are full of examples of Jesus showing compassion to hurting people, no matter what nation, tribe, culture, or level of society they came from.

In today’s narrative, Jesus showed compassion to an outcast woman who had suffered for 12 years with an incurable disease; He then showed compassion to a synagogue official whose 12 year old daughter had become sick and died.

In both cases, there was a need that couldn’t be fulfilled by anyone else.  The truth is, it is our greatest need that brings us to God our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord, so that by believing in Him we have forgiveness for all our sins and we are eternally saved from any condemnation

Romans 3:10-12, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.  All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one”

Romans 3:22-24, “The righteousness of God [comes] through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 5:8, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 8:1-2, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

Jesus said (Luke 5:31-32) “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Whether we admit it or not, we all have a fatal disease, it is called sin, it separates us from a relationship with God and puts us at enmity with Him; and best the only cure for this fatal disease is Jesus Christ!

 

Jesus came to save those who are lost and separated from life with God because of sin, spiritually dead, having been taken captive by the darkness.

2Corinthians 4:4, “The god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 6, “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

In John 10:30 Jesus said, “I and the Father are One,” (John 14:7), “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

See John 1:1-5, 9, 14, 18…

John 14:19-21, “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” 23, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our [home] with him.”

Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

In Jesus Christ we have the Light of God, and Life with God. 

John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 5:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me” (cf. Acts 2:21; 4:12).

Mark 1:14-15, “Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe [trust, have faith] in the gospel.’”

 

 

 
What is the Gospel?
 

 

1Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

 

God loves us so much He sent His Son to take our punishment for sin by dying on the cross; so that anyone/everyone who repents of sin and believes in Jesus Christ as Savior receives forgiveness and eternal life.

 

        God responds to faith that believes (1John 5:5), “Jesus is the Son of God,” He alone can save us. 11-13, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

 

Do you know for sure that you have received forgiveness for your sins and that you have eternal life from God?  If you are not sure, you can clear that up with God right now, right here.

 

2Corinthians 6:2, “For [God] says, ‘At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’”

 

 

 

 
Pastor Mike Hale
 

Bible Text: Luke 8:26-39 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: book study of Luke | Above are the
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May 21, 2023
“Demoniac Turned Missionary”
Luke 8:26-39

        Read Luke 8:26-39…  We left off last week with Jesus calming a storm; then rebuking the disciples for their lack of faith.  After this occurred, Jesus and His disciples continued across the lake to an area known as Gerasenes, named for the small town of Gerasa nearby, just off the shore to the east of the Sea of Galilee.

As soon as Jesus steps out of the boat (Luke 8:27) a man possessed by demons, who has come from the tombs, is there to meet Him.  In Luke 8:29 we are told that this man has an “unclean spirit”.  Note: Unclean refers to a demonic spirit that can attack a person spiritually, mentally, and physically, even indwelling an unbeliever; it can also promote false religions, false worship, and false doctrines, resulting in immorality, insanity, masochism, and all kinds of godlessness.

This demon-possessed man was frightful: living out in the tombs, the place of the dead, these tombs were cut out of the hillsides and cliffs just outside the city.  This man is insane, naked, possessed by demons. No one was able to keep him bound, no matter what was used to restrain him, for he continually broke the ropes and chains used to bind his feet and hands.

This man was in constant torment (Mark 5:5), “Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones” [he cut himself with sharp jagged rocks, probably made of flint].

Running up to Jesus (Luke 8:28) he bowed down, shouting with a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg [implore] You, do not torment [torture] me.”

The demons know who Jesus is, in fact, Mark records an earlier encounter that Jesus had with demons (Mark. 1:16-24), “As [Jesus] was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him. They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, ‘What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’”

Note: The Holy One of God, the ”Most High God” is an ancient title used to identify the One, True, and Living God of Israel – distinguishing Him from all false gods.

 

The demons recognized Jesus’ authority to do with them as He pleases, for they are fallen angels who joined Satan’s rebellion long ago.

At one time, Satan was a highly ranked angel in God’s throne room, but he rebelled against God, wanting the glory that God was receiving to be given to him also.  He was cast out of heaven (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Luke 10:18) and 1/3 of the heavenly hosts [angels] rebelled and were cast out with him (Revelation 12:4).  These angels are called demons.

The demons in Luke 8 ask Jesus not to torture them, in Matthew 8:29 they ask Jesus, “Have You come here to torment us before the time?”  They know there is an appointed time at which God will judge and send them to their eternal place of punishment in the Lake of Fire (Matthew 25:41), “the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Jesus asks the man (Luke 8:30), “What is your name?”  The demon responds out of the man’s mouth saying, “Legion, for we are many.”  [A Legion is a Roman military unit consisting of 6000 men.]

The demons beg Jesus (Luke 8:31) not to send them into the abyss [bottomless pit, Revelation 9:1-2; Satan is locked up there for 1000 years, Revelation 20:1-3]. The demons implore Jesus to let them go into the large herd of pigs feeding on the mountain [Mark 5:13 tells us there were about 2,000 swine]. Note: To an orthodox Jew, pigs are the most unclean of animals, unacceptable to be used as food. The owners of this herd of swine were either Gentiles or unorthodox Jews who didn’t follow the law.

Luke tells us (Luke 8:32-33) that Jesus gave the demons permission to enter the pigs and the herd ran down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

In Matthew 8:31-32, we read, “The demons began to entreat [Jesus], saying, ‘If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine. And He said to them, Go! [Begone!] And they came out of the man and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea,” and drowned.

The men who were tending the herd (Luke 8:34), watched the pigs drown in the lake, then they ran into town and told the people all that had happened.  The people came out to see Jesus, and they found the demoniac (Luke 8:35) sitting at the feet of Jesus, totally calm, fully dressed, and in his right mind.

What a contrast to the way this man had been behaving, i.e., screaming out from the tombs, gashing himself with sharp rocks and running around naked.  Luke records that the people, when they saw the demoniac clothed, calmed and in his right mind, they became afraid!

 

At this point (Luke 8:36) the eyewitnesses [Jesus’ disciples and herdsman], tell the people about how the demons had gone out from the man and entered the pigs on Jesus’ command, then the large herd ran into the lake and drowned.

The people (Luke 8:37) in the region of Gerasenes, urge Jesus to leave, to go away from them!  Those people were in the presence of God’s Son, Savior and Lord, but they don’t ask Him to save them, instead they plead with Him to leave.

        Read Luke 5:1-11…  Notice, Simon Peter falls down at Jesus’ feet saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”  Peter realizes that this miraculous catch of fish was not a coincidence; only God could do such a thing, which meant that he was in the very presence of God, Immanuel [God with us].

This was overwhelming to Peter, and no doubt to James and John as well; for this is the largest catch of fish anyone had ever seen, and it takes place in broad daylight, when the common practice on the Sea of Galilee was to fish at night.

Simon in the presence of God in Jesus, is very aware of his own sinfulness.  God in Christ is holy and righteous, to be in His presence is to be made aware of one’s sinfulness, to either seek forgiveness or to reject God’s offer of salvation.

Romans 3:10-12, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.” Romans 3:23-24, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.”   

God loves us so much, even though we deserve death (Romans 6:23a), “For the wages of sin is death.”  God grants us forgiveness and eternal life (Romans 6:23b), “For the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”                                Only Jesus can set us free from sin’s penalty, because He alone was able to take upon Himself our punishment for sin (Romans 5:8), “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

No wonder in John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the [only] way [to God], the [only] truth [of God], and the [only] life [from God]; [and therefore] no one comes to the Father [no one is made acceptable to God, no one goes to heaven] but through Me”

Jesus offered Himself as full payment for all sins, for all people, for all time

(Hebrews 10:12, 14, 16-18), “He [Jesus], having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,” “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: ‘I will put My laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them,’ He then says, ‘And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

Romans 8:1-2, “Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

Back to Luke 8:38-39…  The people in the country of the Gerasenes were witnesses of Christ’s supernatural power that commanded the demons out of the man and into the pigs, also saving the demoniac’s soul and restoring his mind; but, instead of praising Jesus, the people implore Him to go away!  Luke says, “they were gripped with great fear,” and they begged Him to leave.

Jesus is rejected by them, He gets into the boat and goes back to Capernaum, and as far as we know from the biblical record, He never returned to the region of the Gerasenes.  But notice that the man who was healed implores Jesus to let him come along in the boat, he wants to be with Jesus.

The demoniac had been healed and delivered from his sin, and he wants to go with the Savior.  This man, previously possessed by a legion of demons, may be the only saved person in the whole region; Jesus tells the man to go home and to tell his family [to show them] all that God has done for him.  The man obeys and goes home, proclaiming the good news of God’s love, mercy, and power (Luke 8:39), “throughout the whole city” telling them all that “Jesus had done for him.”

The man who had been released from a Legion of demons has gone back to his people to testify to God’s mercy and grace.  God is forever extending His love to anyone who will believe in Him.

This story teaches us about the sovereign power of God, but also about the gracious, relentless, and unconditional love of God.  Even though the majority of the people in the country of the Gerasenes rejected God, God came to save one man, the demoniac, to release him from the penalty and curse of sin.

God went to great lengths to show His mercy to one lost tormented man living out in the tombs, in the region of the Gerasenes.  It is this same God, the One and Only True God, who desires that everyone come to a knowledge of the truth, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord, believing in and receiving Him as Savior.

God wants to save people, not condemn them.

1Timothy 2:3-4, “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

2Peter 3:9, “The Lord is… …patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

 

Romans 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Romans 10:13, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

        The healed demoniac was told to go back to his family as a witness of the salvation he had received from God.  He wasn’t discipled, neither did he sign-up for an evangelism course; instead, Jesus told him to go and tell others what God had done for him through Jesus Christ..

Near the end of Jesus’ time on earth, before ascending back into heaven, most likely on a mountain in Galilee, the resurrected Christ told a very large crowd of followers (Matthew 28:18-20), “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Do you understand what Jesus is saying?  Our purpose is simply to tell others about God’s Son, Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.  Why do we do that?  So that they might know the truth and be set free from sin’s penalty, forever, as a child of God.

The demoniac was healed spiritually, eternally; he was then commissioned to go tell others what God had done for him.  Guess what, every genuine believer and follower of Christ, every Christian, is commissioned to do the very same thing.

 

2Corinthians 5:20-21,

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He [God the Father] made Him [God the Son] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [being indwelled by God the holy Spirit.

 

 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Luke 8:22-25 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Above are the
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May 14, 2023
“Jesus Calms the Storm”
Luke 8:22-25

 

Read Luke 8:22-25…  After a long day of teaching, Jesus and His disciples get into a boat, no doubt a fishing boat, probably belonging to Peter, James, or John.

Mark also recorded that on the evening of the day when Jesus taught the parable of the sower and the seed (Mark 4:35-36), “On that day, when evening came, [Jesus] said [His disciples], ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.”

There was an earlier narrative recorded in Luke 5 that suggests that even after these fishermen became followers of Jesus, they still had their fishing vessels.

See Luke 5:1-11…

Notice that Luke 8:22 records “on one of those days,” Jesus said to His disciples,  “Let’s go to the other side of the lake.”  Luke didn’t always follow a strict timeline or chronological sequence, he often arranged his narratives according to themes, topics, or subject matter.

The events in Luke’s Gospel are also recorded in Matthew 8:23-27 and

Mark 4:35-41; in all three accounts Jesus had been explaining parables to His disciples, and it had been a long day of preaching, teaching, and healing; Jesus needed to get away from the large crowds for some rest, so in the boat they go.

The lake they are traveling on is the Sea of Galilee, also known as Sea of Tiberias, Lake of Gennesaret, and Lake Kinneret.  The western side of the lake had large cities, but the eastern side was much less populated; and so, it was most likely that they were headed to the eastern shore.

In Luke 8:23, we are told that, as they were sailing, a fierce wind [lit. furious squall] came up, tossing the boat about, as waves came over the sides of the boat, to the point where the boat was taking on water and was in danger of capsizing.

Note: *Wind is common to the Sea of Galilee which is about 13 miles long and 8 miles wide and sits at about 700 ft. below sea level [the lowest freshwater lake on the earth].  Mt. Hermon, at 9200 ft., is to the north, and in between is a narrow gorge that funnels winds to the lake causing extreme conditions and sudden storms.

Note: The boat was probably a small fishing type very common to fisherman like Peter, James, and John.  Archaeologists have recovered several fishing boats (from the time of Christ), in the area of the Sea of Galilee, with an average size of 30’ long, 8’ wide, 4’ deep.

Most of the disciples were experienced fisherman who had spent many years sailing under harsh conditions on the lake, but in this event, they are afraid and fearful for their lives.

According to Luke 8:24, Jesus was exhausted from His long day(s) of ministry, and even though the fierce storm was tossing and nearly swamping the boat, He is sound asleep on a cushion [Mark 4:38], at the back of the boat.

In a panic, the disciples wake Jesus up exclaiming, “Lord, save us! Or we’re going to die!”  Jesus gets up, rebukes the wind and the sea, saying, “Quiet! Be still!”  And guess what?  The wind dies downwind the sea is completely calmed.

Jesus is God incarnate, the Creator of all, who fed thousands with one boy’s lunch, who cast out demons, healed every kind of disease, raised the dead, and now, He displays His power and authority over nature itself.

This same Jesus spoke the universe into existence (Genesis 1:1-5) “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning [Day 1].”

The Biblical narrative records Day’s 2-6, when God spoke into existence land, vegetation, sea animals, birds, land animals, insects, and humans to rule over everything that has life, after which it says (Genesis 2:2-3), “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made..”

John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.”

John 14:7, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

Hebrews 1:1-2, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”

Colossians 1:16-17, “For by Him [Jesus] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

Back to Luke 8:25…  This storm is clearly a means of challenging the faith of Christ’s disciples.  After rebuking the wind and the waves, causing them to become calm, Jesus said to His disciples, “Where is your faith?”

In Matthew 8:26, Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”

The men in the boat were fearful [terrified, very much afraid], for these guys were finally coming to terms with all the miraculous healings, powerful teachings, and now the supernatural authority over nature itself, to where they were asking each other, “Who is this in the boat with us, ”that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

     Jesus questions His disciples, “Why are you so afraid?, i.e., “Don’t you have faith in Me to care for you, even after everything you have witnessed Me doing, and all that you have heard from Me?”

Read Matthew 6:25-34…  Three times in that passage Jesus commands us not to worry.  Granted, that is so easy to say, but not so easy to do!

As Paul writes (Philippians 4:5b-6), “The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Paul’s total trust in his present circumstances and his future circumstances was completely entrusted to Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.

Just like those first disciples, you and I must personally and heartfully consider, “Who is this Jesus?”  The disciples, that day on the Sea of Galilee, were suddenly confronted with the realization that this Jesus, in their boat, was God Almighty!  God Incarnate!  The very One and Only begotten of the Father who is the Creator, Sustainer, Judge over all, and the Resurrection and the Life

(John 11:23-26), “Jesus said to [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Moments later, at the tomb where Lazarus had laid dead for four days, Jesus calls out for Lazarus to come out of the grave.  All who were there witnessed Lazarus coming out alive!

The One in the boat who has calmed the wind and the sea was (John 3:16-19), “The only begotten Son [of God], [and] whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Jesus reassures these men that they can place their total faith and belief in Him, now and forever.  Have you done that?  Confessed your sins and and believed in Jesus Christ [God’s Son, Lord and Savior]?

Ask yourself today: do you have the assurance e that God has saved you, and that He will provide for you, and protect you, during the raging storms that will come upon you in this life; but He will also bring you to be with Him in heave forever.

Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Acts 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
Romans 8:1-2, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

Romans 10:13, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord [for the forgiveness of sins] will be saved.”

2Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Proverbs 3:5-6,

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

 

Proverbs 3:23-24,

“Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

 

Jesus is the only Savior, He is the only Way to heaven, and He turns no one away who comes to Him in faith seeking forgiveness; but you must admit you are a sinner, confessing your sinfulness to Him, believing in Jesus Christ: crucified, resurrected, and coming again to take you to be with Him in heaven.

 

At the moment of genuine belief in God’s Son, as Savior and Lord, you are granted eternal life, and you become a child of God, now and forever.

 

Psalm 100:5,

“For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.”

 
And all God’s children said, 
Amen!
 
 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><
 

Bible Text: Luke 8:16-18 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: book study of Luke | Above are the
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May 7, 2023
“Hear and Understand, Believe and Obey”
Luke 8:16-18

Six weeks ago, March 26, was the last time we were in Luke chapter 8, after which we spent several Sunday’s studying the events of Passion Week, followed by an extended study on the post-resurrection appearances of Christ.

As we open our Bibles today, let’s begin with a brief overview of Luke 8:4-15. As you may recall, this is a parable about a sower who sows seed on four different types of soil; but the seed is only able to grow and produce fruit in one of the soils.

After Jesus had told the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-8), He called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  His disciples didn’t understand so they

(9-10), “began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. And He said, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’”

Then Jesus (Luke 8:11-15) explained the parable to His disciples; revealing to them the spiritual truth it contained.  He is not just talking about a sower casting seed onto different types/conditions of soil, the seed is the gospel of Christ and the soil is the human heart, but only one of the heart conditions receives the seed, begins to grow, and produces fruit, i.e., only one of the hearts hears, understands, believes, and obeys the Word of God concerning Salvation.

Mark 1:14-15, “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’”  17, Come, and follow Me.”  So, what exactly is the gospel?

1Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

1Peter 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 23, “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.”

Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Do you see?  At the moment of genuine belief in the death [payment for your sins] and resurrection [demonstration of eternal life] of Jesus Christ you are born-again by God’s Spirit, and you will indeed bear fruit, [do the things that please God], for you have been born of God’s Spirit, becoming a child of God, a believer and follower of Christ, a first person witness to the Salvation of God in Christ.

When you hear and understand, you either believe and obey the message of Christ, at which time all your sins are forgiven (past, present, future), or you continue to reject the message of Christ, remaining dead in your sins.
Read Luke 8:16…  In the Bible, light is often used as a metaphor for the spiritual truth and spiritual life that comes from God, referring to all things that reveal and exemplify God; whereas darkness usually refers to those things that are void of God’s person, presence, pleasure, and power.

So light is a synonym for all things God, and darkness is a synonym for all things void of God, i.e., anything that is offensive toward or displeases God.

John 8:12, “Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

1Peter 2:9-10, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 

Matthew provides a parallel passage to Luke 8:16 (Matthew 5:14-16), “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

     God’s Church is illustrated as a lighted city on a hill; while true believers are said to be the individual lamps in each of the homes of the lighted city on the hill.                                                                                           Believing in Christ brings you into God’s Kingdom where you receive eternal life from God, in fact, the very Light [or revelation] of God, in order that you will expose unbelievers to the marvelous revelation of God in the Person of Jesus Christ.

2Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

Our purpose as Christians, is to let God’s Light show through us, so that those who are living in darkness might be exposed to God’s love and forgiveness.

Read Luke 8:17-18…  The Spirit of God exposes everything, i.e., nothing is hidden from God (Hebrews 4:12-13), “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him [to whom we must give account].”

God knows all things, even what is in our hearts.  God’s forgiveness and eternal life is granted to all who hear the message of Christ, understand it, believe it, and demonstrate obedience to it; for we have come out of the darkness of unbelief, into God’s marvelous Light, by believing in God’s Son.

See Ephesians 5:8-13…  All of us, at one time, were guilty of sin, separated from the light [revelation of God] and the life [eternal life with God], we were living in darkness; but now we are children of light, seeking to do that which pleases God.  We are not to participate in the fruitless deeds of darkness; but instead we are to expose them for all to see; for everything exposed by the light is made known.

See Ephesians 5:14-17…  The truth of God’s Holy Word, through the work of God’s Spirit, exposes all sin, so that those who are spiritually dead can be made alive through repentance of sin and belief in the Savior.

Unbelievers are spiritually dead [asleep] living in sin’s darkness, unaware of their lost condition and the judgment of God’s Wrath to come.  God wants them to wake up and receive God’s forgiveness for sin and eternal life, through His Son.

Paul offers an invitation in verse 14, to all who are not children of God, so that they might come to the light of Christ and be saved, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Then Paul continues in verses 15-17 saying, “be careful how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,” “making the most of your time,” “do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”  What is God’s will, what does He desire?
1Timothy 2:3-4, “God our Savior, …desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

 

In John 14:6, Jesus declares that He is the only way to God, and the only truth from God, and the only life with God; and that no one comes to the Father but through Him, God the Son [i.e., no one is made right with God, no one is forgiven their sins, no one goes to heaven] apart from believing in Christ’s sacrificial death as full payment for our sins, and His sovereign resurrection from the dead as demonstration that He is the resurrection and the life.

1John 1: 5-7, “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

God’s Word, from beginning to end, demonstrates God’s plan to separate light from darkness, forever (cf. Genesis 1:1-4; Revelation 21:23-24; 22:3-5).

Speaking to those who believe in Him, Jesus said (Matthew 5:14) “You are the light of the world.”  16, ”Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Has anyone come up to you lately and asked you what the iight is that is shining through you?  Probably not!  But if you are a Christian (a believer and follower of Jesus Christ), you will desire for the light of God to be seen in and through your life, so that, when an unbeliever asks you why you are different from the rest of the world, you can tell them it is all because of God’s Son.

John 3:16-19, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” 36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, for the wrath of God abides [remains] on him.”

He who has ears, let him hear!

Jesus Christ, God the Son, took our punishment for sin upon Himself, dying in our place on the cross, according to the Scriptures, He was then placed in a tomb, but on the third day, He rose from the grave alive, according to the Scriptures, demonstrating His authority over sin, death and judgement.

But that is not all, He promised that He is coming back to take all those who believe in Him, to be with Him in heaven forever, where there will no longer be any darkness; and there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain, or death, for all those things have passed away and will never return.

Now to God our Father, to God the Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, and to God the Holy Spirit, be the glory forever and ever, Amen!

 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Matthew 16:13-16 | Speaker: Jim Shepherd | Above are the
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April 30, 2023
“Who Is Jesus Christ?”
Matthew 16:13-16

Introduction

“Who is Jesus Christ?”

After 2,000 years people still wonder about the man called Jesus.

 

Matthew 16:13-16

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi,
He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah;
but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ,
the Son of the living God.”

 

Who is Jesus Christ and why do we believe in him?

 

A Good Man

 

Misunderstood Rabbi

 

Revolutionary Jesus

 

Ecumenical Jesus

 

To answer the great question of history,
“Who is Jesus Christ?”

We turn to the New Testament and look at

 

5 Important Facts.

 

Fact #1 – Fulfilled Prophecy

 

Fact #2 – Jesus made astounding claims concerning himself.

 

Fact #3 – Supernatural Power

 

Fact #4 – The Empty Tomb

 

Fact #5 – Transformed Lives

 

Closing:

 

Jesus’ second question to his disciples is more
personal and the most important.

“Who do you say I am?”

 

Where do you stand?

How do you answer this question,
“Who is Jesus Christ?”

Your eternal destiny hangs on your answer.

 

Jim Shepherd

Bible Text: various verses | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Above are the
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April 23, 2023
“Resurrection Appearances of Jesus Part Two”

Last week we studied some of the post resurrection appearances of Jesus: in the Garden near the tomb, on the road to Emmaus, in the upper room (10 Disciples present), and a week later in the upper room (11 Disciples present).  All of these events took place on a Sunday.

     Please turn to John 21:1-14…  The disciples had previously been told by Jesus (Matthew 28:10) to, “Go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.” 16, “The eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.”  Did you notice, it says the eleven disciples went to meet Jesus at a specified mountain in Galilee.

Back to John 21:2…  There are seven apostles in this story, “Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of [Jesus’] disciples were together.  It is very likely that the two unnamed disciples are Philip and Andrew, for they were often listed with Peter, James, and John (cf. Matthew 10:2-3, Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14). .

Peter said to the other six (John 21:3), “I’m going fishing,” and they said, “We will also come with you.”  They got into a boat (perhaps belonging to Peter, or maybe John), and they fished all night and caught nothing.

It would appear that Peter and some of the others who had been fishermen when Jesus called them, were now going back to their former occupation.

John 21:4-5 tells us they hadn’t caught anything and Jesus standing on the shore, unrecognized by them, tells them to try the right side of the boat; they obey, and their net becomes filled with of fish.

John says to Peter, “It is the Lord.”  Peter jumps into the lake, but he others remain in the boat, but when they finally reached the beach and got out of the boat, they could see there was a small fire with some fish and bread cooking.  At this point Jesus tells them to bring some of fish they have caught, but the net of fish is still in the water, offshore.  On hearing the Lord’s command, Peter grabs ahold of the net and pulls it up on the land, full of fish, 153 large fish.  John (a fisherman by profession) is amazed (John 21:11) that such a huge catch of large fish has not torn the net.

Jesus invites the men to come and have breakfast with Him (John 21:12-13), and although they are still not absolutely sure it is Him, they don’t ask any questions, for in their hearts they must know it is Jesus.

It appears that they drew close to where Jesus was cooking, although they didn’t take anything to eat; at least, not until the Lord took some of the bread and the fish and gave it to them.  The resurrected Lord is still providing for these guys.

John  tells us (verse 14), this is the third time Jesus has revealed Himself to His disciples since He rose from the grave (see John 20:19-20, 26-29).

     The next appearance of Jesus seems to take place on the mountain in Galilee, possibly the same place where He had given the Sermon on the Mount.

Please turn to 1Corinthians 15:6, “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.”

Jesus had told His followers to go to Galilee and there they would see Him, as most of them were Galileans.  This may be the mountain on which Jesus gave the Great Commission (Matthew 28). No more is known of this appearance.

See 1Corinthians 15:7a…  It is likely that the James mentioned here is the Lord’s half-brother, who did not come to saving faith until he saw the risen Lord; although we don’t know where Jesus appeared to him, James later become a prominent leader in the Jerusalem church, and the author of book of James.  There are four James mentioned in the New Testament (cf. Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:12-16), James the brother of John (sons of Zebedee), James the son of Alphaeus, James the father of Judas (not Iscariot), and James the half-brother of Jesus.  There is no more information about the appearance in 1Corinthians 15:7a given in the Scriptures.

See 1Corinthians 15:7b…  I believe the statement, “then to all the apostles,” mostly applies to what occurred in John 20:26-29.  If you’ll remember, it was on the second Lord’s Day after Jesus rose from the grave, when Jesus appeared to all eleven of the disciples who were hiding in a house with the doors/windows secured.

But there is also a possibility that “all the apostles” could be related to what is recorded in Acts 1:1-13, where all eleven of them are mentioned by name.

See 1Corinthians 15:8-9…  All the others to whom the Lord had appeared, had seen Him while He was alive and after He had risen from the grave, during the 40 days before He ascended back into heaven; but the Lord didn’t appear to Paul until several years later, after He had already returned to heaven.

Paul says, “and last of all He (Jesus) appeared to me also, as to one untimely [abnormally] born.  For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”

No wonder Paul felt like one abnormally born, the other apostles had walked

with and lived with Jesus for three years, being taught by Him; whereas Paul had not only rejected Him as the Messiah, he had persecuted His followers.

And yet Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, several years after He had ascended into heaven (cf. Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:1-18).

Did Saul actually see and hear the Lord?  See 1Corinthians 9:1, Acts 9:1-7.

Note: The Greek word phone [fo-nay] translated voice, means audible sound or speech.  The most common use in the Bible is for the voice of God, humans, angels, or any audible sound in general (cf. John 3:8; Revelation 1:10-15).

 

Jesus provided demonstrable proof and convincing evidence through His appearing to a great number of people, recorded in the Scriptures, as Luke writes, (Acts 1:3), “After His suffering [His death by crucifixion], He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”

Then there is the testimony of the church, millions of changed lives throughout history (cf. John 1:12-13; 3:1-8).  Most importantly, there is the personal indwelling of the God’s Spirit, confirming your spiritual birth into God’s family [the church, the body of Christ], and the assurance of eternal life with God, while at the same time (on this side of heaven), there is the continuing process of growing in your knowledge of and relationship with God, ,while being conformed to the character and nature of Christ, in obedience to the Word of God, to glory of God the Father.

The continuing testimony of those who belong to the Lord is the witness of Christ in this present and future generations.

Romans 10:13, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

1John 1:1-3, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

John was a first-hand witness to what Jesus said and did, including His death and resurrection.  John was not only an Apostle, but he was one of Christ’s most intimate followers, along with Peter and James.

John focuses on the historic reality of Jesus Christ (the God-man); while the false teachers of that time claimed belief in Christ, yet denied that He was both God and man.  John desires that all Christians form and hold to a proper view of Christ’s humanity and divinity.

Notice how John states that he (and the other Apostles) have heard, have seen, and have touched Christ.  John emphasizes how he personally looked upon and touched Jesus during His earthly ministry before and after His resurrection.

John writes via his own personal testimony, that God did come in the flesh and He did provide forgiveness and eternal life.  John declares that those who have genuine fellowship with the Father through Christ, will know, believe and teach what is recorded here.

 

This letter was written about 50-60 years after Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension; and yet, John has a vivid recollection of all that Jesus did, said, and was.  How is that possible (cf. John 14:15-17), “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” (25-26), “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”.

In 1John 1:1-3, John reemphasizes his own personal experiences and eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life on earth.  This first-person testimony is very important, especially in light of all the false teachers in those days (as well as today) who arrogantly and falsely proclaim about the Christ they have never seen, heard, touched, ,or known.

You and I, as God’s people, are to testify to others about the personal and growing relationship we have with Jesus Christ, as we prayerfully communicate with God, reading, studying and applying His Word to our life, learning to trust Him for what we need and thanking Him for all that He provides.

Everyone who genuinely seeks forgiveness for their sins has eternal life and fellowship with God the Father through Christ the Son, who is the Word of God.

John 1:1-4, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.” 14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” 18, “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”

John 5:26-27, “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.” 39-40, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”

John 11:25-26, Jesus said to [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”

John 14:6, “I am the [only] way [to God], the [only] truth [from God], the [only] life [with God]; [and] no one comes to the Father [is made righteous, goes to heaven, is granted forgiveness and eternal life] but through Me.”

1John 5:11-12, “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

    God’s people are to be witnesses, just as was John and the other apostles were witnesses; we must be ready and willing to share the message of Christ with anyone and everyone who will listen.

God’s people are messengers; Christ is the Message.  Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life and the Living Water, and everyone who believes in Him will be saved (2Corinthians 5:18-21), “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,  namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

 
Jesus Christ: Crucified, Resurrected, Coming Again!
 
 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: various | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Above are the
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April 16, 2023
“Resurrection Appearances of Jesus: Part One ”

Over these past weeks, we have studied the events surrounding Passion Week: Christ enters Jerusalem for the last time; He pours out His heart to the people about God’s love for them; He sets aside the old covenant of Passover to establish the new covenant of the Lord’s Supper; He is arrested and taken to stand before five mock trials in the early morning; after which, He is beaten and then crucified. On the cross Jesus speaks seven times, according to the Scriptures, He then dies, is buried, and on the third day He comes out of the tomb alive.

Jesus appeared to His followers over a 40 day period, before He ascended up into the clouds with His disciples watching.  Today we’ll look at the biblical record concerning the Lord’s post-resurrection appearances.

Please turn to John 20:1-9…  It is Sunday morning, the first day of the week.  Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb while it is still dark, and she finds that the stone covering the entrance to the tomb has been moved aside, Jesus is gone!

Mary runs to find Peter and “the other disciple” [cf. John 18:16; 20:2, 3, 4, 8, 25] whom Jesus loved” [cf. John 13:23, 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20], and to tell them that the Lord’s body is gone.  When Peter and John heard this they ran to the tomb.

John (verse 4, “the other disciple) gets to the tomb first and looks in to see the burial cloths, but he doesn’t go in (verse 5), he waits for Peter to arrive, and of course Peter goes right in the and finds that Jesus’ body is gone.

John now enters, and seeing the linen burial wrappings lying there, John recounts the moment (verse 8-9) saying that he now believed what he and Peter had previously not understood, that Jesus must rise from the dead on the third day.

     Please turn to John 20:10-17…  Peter and John left the tomb to go to where they were staying in Jerusalem, perhaps in the upper room where they had celebrated the Lord’s Supper, and perhaps where the Holy Sp[irit came at Pentecost.

Mary had evidently returned to the garden and was just outside the tomb weeping, when she saw two angels near where Jesus’ body had been laid (although she just saw them as men, not knowing that they were angels).

The angels ask (verse 13), “why are you weeping?”  She shared her concern that the Lord had been taken away and she didn’t know where He was.  Mary then turned around (we aren’t told why), perhaps she sensed someone was there?  Jesus is now standing there, but Mary doesn’t recognize Him in His resurrected body.

Both Matthew 28:1-10; Luke 24:1-10 also record Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene (and other women) at the tomb after they had seen the angels, and Jesus instructs them to go tell the disciples that they will see Him in Galilee.

Back to John 20:15…  Jesus asks Mary why she is crying, and who she is looking for?  Thinking that He is the gardener she asked Him if He knows where Jesus’ body has been taken, so that she might go and get it.

At this point (verse 16) Jesus calls her name, “Mary,” at that moment she recognizes Him, saying “Rabboni!” [Teacher, expressing honor and reverence.]

Jesus (verse 17) tells Mary not to cling to Him, but to go to His disciples and tell them she has seen Him.

We don’t know how much Mary was aware of, perhaps the apostles had told her what Jesus to them, that He was going to the Father (John 14:2-3), “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”  But until then, the Holy Spirit [Spirit of Christ] would come to live in them (cf. John 14:16-20; 16:7).

Please turn to Luke 24:13-35…  Jesus appears to two disciples as they are walking on the road to Emmaus, about 7 miles away, on the day of His resurrection.  They are not part of the eleven remaining disciples of the original Twelve (Judas now deceased).

We are given the name of one of them (verse 18) Cleopas; and although he is named nowhere else in the New Testament, he must have been known to the followers of Christ, or he wouldn’t be named here.

These two disciples (verses 13-16) don’t seem to have any idea that it is Jesus who approaches them and begins to walk with them, listening to them explain to Him about the things which have happened concerning Jesus the Nazarene (verses 17-24), how He was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people; and that He had been arrested by the Chief Priests and turned over to be crucified, that He was buried, and yet when some of His followers went to the tomb they found it empty, but there were angels there telling them that He was indeed alive!

Jesus reminds them (verses 25-26), how the prophets foretold Christ would suffer, die, and be buried, yet He would rise from the grave on the third day.

Then (verse 27), “beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures,” (cf Genesis 3:15). 1John 3:8, “The Son of God appeared… …to destroy the works of the devil.”

As Jesus and the two disciples approached Emmaus (verses 28-29), it is getting dark, so they invite Him to stay with them at their house.  And go inside, sit at a table, and prepare to having something to eat.

Jesus takes the bread and blesses it, then breaking it, He begins to give it to them (verses 30-31), “their eyes are opened and they recognize Him; then He vanishes from their sight!”

These disciples (verses 32-35) now understand the stranger is Jesus, their hearts burned within them while Jesus explained the Scriptures.  They immediately head for Jerusalem, where they find the eleven and those with them, gathered together saying, ‘The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon [Peter].’

Only Paul (1Corinthians 15:5) and Luke (Luke 24:34) mention that the Lord appeared to Cephas first, before any of the other Disciples.  Perhaps because Peter would be the first to preach the Gospel of Christ in Jerusalem, and he would be the first Pastor over of the church of God.  Why is he called Cephas,. Peter, and Simon?  Both Cephas [Aramaic] and Petros [Hebrew) mean “rock,” translated as Peter in English.

Jesus said (John 1:42), “‘You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).”

Just moments after the events of Luke 24:33-35, Jesus shows up on the evening of that first Sunday.  John 20:24 tells us that one of the disciples (Thomas, called Didymus) was not present when Jesus came that first Sunday.

Read Luke 24:36-43…  Jesus passes right through the walls and/or locked doors of the house where the disciples are gathered.  He appears right in front of them, even though (John 20:19) “…the doors were shut…”  The word translated “door” means a large solid door.  The word translated “shut” means locked or secured, often with a heavy bolt that slid through rings attached to the door and the door frame; this door would have been nearly impossible, to break down.

So, the disciples were hiding behind locked doors (John 20:19), “for fear of the Jews,” no doubt fearful of being arrested and hung on a cross, like Jesus.

Back to Luke 24:44-47…  Jesus then reminded them of things He already had told them, and began to show them how the Old Testament Scriptures spoke about Him (verse 45), “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”

What did Jesus mean by “all things written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” being fulfilled?  Jesus had said this to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:25-27), speaking about His suffering, death and resurrection, recorded in, although not limited to, these: Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53:1-12; Daniel 9:25-27; Psalm 16:10; Psalm 22:27-31.

Jesus spoke of these and other OT passages to His disciples, on several occasions (see Matthew 16:21;  Matthew 17:22-23; Matthew 20:18-19), declaring His victory over Satan, Sin, Death, and Judgement; all of the prophecies about the Holy One [the Messiah, the Christ] fulfilling the plan, purpose and provision of God, were fulfilled by Him: God’s Son, Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior. Hebrews 1:1-3, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

 

Please turn to John 20:26-29…  We are told here that after a week, on the following Sunday, the Lord came to them again; but this time, Thomas was present. The Lord invited Thomas to touch His wounds, that he might believe, for previously Thomas had said (John 20:25), “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

We are not told if Thomas reached out and touched the wounds in Christ’s body (verse 27), but we have Thomas’s confession of faith and belief (verse 28), “Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’”  Jesus accepts his faith, while declaring that those who believed in Him without seeing Him (verse 29) will indeed be blessed. There were thousands of believers in Israel at the time of Jesus’ resurrection from the grave, most of them hadn’t seen the risen Lord, and probably would never see the empty tomb; but they believed that Christ had risen and appeared to many of His followers; who were witnesses of this truth.

None of us here today have seen the risen Lord or looked into the empty tomb; and yet, many of us believe that He has risen from the dead, just like He said He would, and we have the indwelling assurance of the Holy Spirit that we have been born into God’s eternal family. Romans 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” 17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Acts 2:21, “‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.””

1Timothy 2:3-6, “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.”

Hebrews 10:10 “By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” 14, “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified,” 17-18, “‘And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

 

John 1:11-13, “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

1John 5:1-5, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”-11-13, “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

 
Pastor Mike
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April 9, 2023
“Good News of the Resurrection!”

     Today we celebrate the Good News of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

     Read Mark 2:1-11…  As Jesus is proclaiming the good news in a crowded room, we are told that four men carry in a paralytic but they can’t get to Jesus through the crowd, so they go up the outside stairway to the roof, dig through the thatch and earth roof, remove the tiles, and then lower the man in front of Jesus to the room below.

     It says (verse 5), Jesus “saw their faith,” and said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”  It was clear to everyone that the man’s greatest need was to be able to walk, to be healed of his paralysis; but Jesus basically says, ‘I have healed your spirit, forgiving your sins.’ This man has just received eternal life, but he still can’t walk.

Some religious leaders hearing Jesus’ statement about forgiving sins, consider this to be blasphemy, for only God can forgive sins.

     Many of the Jews at that time, believed diseases and afflictions were the result of one’s own sin, i.e., this man’s paralysis was caused by his sin. Jesus confronts the Jews (verse 9) saying, “Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’?

Anyone could say, “your sins are forgiven,” but who could verify whether or not it had happened?  But to say, “Get up… and walk” that miracle was clearly demonstrated and witnessed by all who were there.

By healing the paralytic, Jesus validated His claim and authority to grant forgiveness; for just as sure as there was physical healing, there was also spiritual healing, the forgiveness of sins.

The emphasis in this event is not the healing of this man’s body, but the healing of this man’s spirit. So, how does this relate to the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Well, we are told in the Scriptures that Jesus came to take upon Himself our punishment for sin’s penalty.

Read Isaiah 53:3-12…  He was despised and rejected by men… pierced for our sins; the punishment that brought us peace with God was poured out on Him, and by His shed blood we are spiritually healed, for He has paid the penalty for all our sins. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was put to death; and yet He came out of the grave alive.

What if we only had proof of Christ’s death, but no resurrection?  If you had been the paralytic man spoken of in Mark chapter 2, it would be like Jesus saying to you, “your sins are forgiven, really, trust Me!”  But there is no way for you to know if that is true, until after you die and wake up either in heaven or in hell.

 

But, if along with saying to you, “your sins are forgiven,” Jesus also said, “now, to prove that you have received forgiveness, and that I have such authority, ‘I say to you, get up and walk, you are healed of your paralysis,’” if indeed you could now walk, you would also know that you had received forgiveness for your sins.

In John’s vision (Revelation 1:17-18), he records the Lord’s words, “I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.”

The resurrection of Jesus Christ sovereignly confirms and declares that Jesus, through His own shed blood, did in fact take the punishment for our sins, and therefore, we have forgiveness and eternal life!

1Peter 3:18, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”

Listen, Jesus died on a Friday and was placed in a tomb before sundown, and on Sunday morning His body was missing; He had risen from the dead!

Read Matthew 28:1-15…  If Jesus did not rise from the grave, as He said He would, and His body was missing, then, someone had to take His body away.  But who could have done that?  There are three groups to consider:

The Jewish Religious Leaders: They didn’t want Christ’s body removed from the tomb; for a missing body could be perceived as a resurrected body.

Read Matthew 27:62-65…  The Jewish leaders pressured Pilate to put a seal on the tomb and a Roman guard unit there to keep the body in the grave, for Jesus had said (v. 63), “after three days I will rise again.”

The Roman Soldiers: These elite soldiers [Praetorian Guards, Pilot’s personal security force] were stationed at the tomb, to make sure Jesus’ body stayed put. Moving the body or allowing it to be taken, was punishable by death; therefore, they made sure Jesus’ body remained in the tomb, but then, they had never faced one of God’s mighty angels, like the one who rolled away the stone, and at this sight they fainted with fear.
Jesus’ Disciples: This group of mostly fishermen wouldn’t dare move the body and falsify Christ’s resurrection; for if they knew Jesus did not rise from the dead, they had no hope of eternal life, and it would have been better for them to quickly and quietly get out of the area, and deny ever knowing Him.

Why would the Disciples continue to proclaim the risen Lord, if it were not true?  And why would the Jewish leaders have to bribe the Roman soldiers to spread the “stolen body” story, if it were indeed true?

Jesus had told His disciples on several occasions, that He would be rejected, arrested, put to death, buried, and on the third day He would rise from the grave, according to God’s sovereign plan, purpose, and foretelling.

Mark 8:31, “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”

Matthew 17:22-23, “And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.’ And they were deeply grieved.”

Luke 24:44-48, “‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.’”

John 14:1-3,“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

John 14:29, “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.”

After His resurrection, before ascending back into heaven, Jesus appeared many times to His followers; we will study those events next Sunday morning.

The only reasonable explanation for the empty tomb is that which is repeatedly taught in the Scriptures: Jesus rose from the grave, by His own divine power and authority (John 10:17-18), “I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

Christ’s death provided forgiveness; His resurrection demonstrated eternal life (John 11:25-26), “Jesus said to [Martha], ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’”

Moments later, going to where Lazarus lay buried, Jesus said (John 11:39-44), “‘Remove the stone.’  Martha, the sister of the Lazarus, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.’ When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’”

Do you see what just happened?  Jesus loosed Lazarus from the bonds of death, demonstrating that he indeed had eternal life, for Lazarus belonged to the Lord.

Hebrews 9:27, “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,” in Matthew 25:46 Jesus says those who reject Him, “will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous [those who receive Him], will go away into eternal life.”  Let that sink into your mind and heart for a moment.

Listen, the resurrection is not just an event, it is also a Person.  Jesus is the Son of God, and all authority rests in Him. Resurrection to eternal life is through Him. The greatest hope that we have, and that we celebrate today, on this sacred holiday, is that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Lord and Savior, is the Resurrection and the Life.

1John 5:11-13, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Christ alone is “the Resurrection and the Life,” He experienced death for us, bearing our sins on the Cross; and yet, He now lives, having been raised from the dead on the third day; and so we can know that we have eternal life in Him!

Today, we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior from the dead.  Our celebration isn’t only looking back at some event in the distant past, or looking forward to some event in the distant (or maybe not so distant) future —Christ’s resurrection should impact our lives every single day.

God wants us to know that Jesus Himself is the divine hope for everyone who places their trust in Him. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live even if he dies; and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”

Remember, after He made that declaration, He asked Martha, “Do you believe this?”  And so today, on Easter Sunday, I ask you a similar question:

Do you believe in and confess Jesus Christ as Lord?

Do you have the assurance in your heart [your spirit] that you belong to the Savior and that you will live, even if you die before He returns?

Take a moment, earnestly consider your relationship with God through Christ.

     For [God] says (2Corinthians 6:2), “‘At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’”

 

If you know that you have eternal life, praise God, Hallelujah!

 

But if you are unsure that you have salvation through Jesus Christ, please, I urge you, settle this issue right now, right here.

 

     Admit to God that you are a sinner (we all are).

 

Repent of your sins, asking God to forgive you (He turns no one away).

Believe in Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior – that He died for your sins, was buried, and He rose from the grave to proclaim victory over death and judgement.

 

Receive forgiveness for your sins and eternal life with God, then pray to God and read God’s Word daily, obeying what you understand, as you live your life for Him.

Participate in a Bible Believing, Teaching, and Practicing Church, as a member of Christ’s Body, serving through word and deed, as if serving the Lord Himself.

Jesus Christ, is the Only Way to God, the Only Truth from God, the Only Life with God, now and forever!

Good News, Good News, for you and for me.  Jesus arose and He lives, don’t you see.  Good News, Good News, let’s tell it to others, so they too might know this wonderful Savior who loves us all so.

Go from this place as a witness that Jesus Lives; for He has defeated sin, death and judgement, and is coming back to take all those who believe in Him, to be with Him in heaven forever.

 
He is Risen!
 
He is Risen Indeed!
 
 
Pastor Mike
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