Luke 12-13

~ Patricia ~ 3 Comments

Luke 12- I never noticed before how big the crowd had grown:

Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Who is Jesus talking to? “I tell you, my friends,…

Yes, there are thousands listening in, hanging on to every word BUT He is talking to the ones that believe already.  You can see how Jesus will talk to both at the same time.  Picture the first one: (I split it by color)

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

I can picture Jesus talking softly to the disciples for they are on the road to be persecuted for the rest of their lives because of the Gospel.  He encourages them with beautiful words ❤️.  Then, I picture Him raising his head and voice higher and louder and saying for this massive crowd –5 But I will show you whom you should fear…

Listen, I am going to bite my tongue BUT if we share Truth without sharing Truth, then it is NOT Truth. (I am probably not making sense).

Your turn:  Can you see Him encouraging believers, but warning unbelievers at the same time

8 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

The next section is about possessions.  AGAIN, Jesus is encouraging His disciples who are going to be His missionaries and will give them words of encouragement BUT He has eavesdroppers and He provides a Word for them too.  I say all that because these may be familiar scriptures…that MANY people (me) have used out of context or use it as advice to make it “fit”. I am going to let the ‘possessions’ scriptures speak to you directly.   I don’t want to mess up any personal message the Lord has for you.

Watchfulness-

The next parable is so harsh to hear that even Peter says:

41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

This passage is about the interval between Jesus’s ascension and his return (the church age…us). While Jesus is absent all need to be ready and watching for His return, but we will not know the day.  By the time you get to Verse 43, Jesus focuses on our responsibility of taking care of each other.  Irresponsible behavior will be punished and responsible behavior will be rewarded.

47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

All punishment will not be equal because those who are entrusted with more responsibility and knowledge are held to a higher standard.  WE live in a country that allows us access to the scriptures.  We know HIs will.   We are held to a higher standard.

Sharing the Truth will offend.  That is not an excuse for not sharing it with family.  I am guilty of that!  Knowing it will divide my family is the excuse.  Jesus warns us of that.

Jesus already told us that we will know not the day of His return so we must be ready BUT that doesn’t mean we ignore the fulfillment of the prophecies.

7 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

If a person were going to court, knowing he could lose his case and spend time in jail, he would definitely try to reconcile his offense on the way to court. NO DOUBT.  So if someone is under the fear of judgment they should reconcile with the Lord while there is still time!

Chapter 13

So evidently Pilate had some people killed AT the Temple (not sure why they didn’t see the problem with that if they had read the Law of Moses….AND some people died from an architectural error.  They questioned, “did this happen because they were REALLY bad sinners”. Jesus is quick to say NO!  But then follows with the “Turn or Burn”. “Go Right or you will be LEFT”.  LOL.

“Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”  Great question!

I have heard people say “We all take different roads that lead to God” meaning different “world religions”.   That is TRUE!  ALL roads lead to God because we will all see his face at the final judgment!

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

Luke 10-11 and John 10:22-42

~ Patricia ~ Leave a comment

Luke: If you look at this outline you can see where we are in Luke.  Luke 1-3 was the advent of the Messiah.  Then we saw His identity through His Miracles.  Next, we will sit at his feet and listen to his teaching as we close in on His last 6 months. The Gospel According to LUKE The Master Teacher. The Gospel According to Luke The Author: Luke Writes to Theophilus (Greek) –Genealogy goes back to Adam. - ppt download

70 men are sent out (some manuscripts say 72). We had the 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and Jesus sent out the 12 apostles with instructions to minister to the Jewish people.

Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Now Jesus sends 70 to the surrounding nations.

Luke 24:46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 

In Genesis, there were 70 nations established, 70 descendants of Jacob that went to Egypt, and then 70 Elders that were chosen to lead (in Numbers) which is where the Jewish Council got the number to have 70 leaders in the Sanhedrin.

They were sent in pairs for companionship, protection, and to adhere to the law of having a witness if needed.  After all, they were being sent to the wolves!  The message/advice given to the 70 was the same message given to the 12 so it may sound very familiar

  • Go!
  • travel light (God will provide for your needs)
  • Be careful and aware of your surroundings
  • Always offer Peace when entering a home
  • If they promote Peace back: ’ 6 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 
    • the food set before the disciples, in whatever town they might visit, could possibly include ceremonially unclean food. Jesus had already discussed what goes into our body does not make us unclean, but what comes out of our mouth.
  • Heal the sick…THEN minister to them.

8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Jesus ends with these words as they are LOOKING at Jesus:

23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan.  I hope now that you have all the context, you read this story with fresh eyes and look at the deeper meaning than “just be a good Samaritan”

  • Jesus was being tested by an “expert in the law” so we know his question was a trap
  • So Jesus turns the question back on the “expert”
  • ALL the law can be summarized as“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Look at the 10 Commandments, they are divided into- honoring God and honoring others.
  • So Jesus says:“Do this and you will live.”
    • The whole point was Jesus was saying “you can’t”. Go read the 10 commandments and cross off all the ones you have personally broken. Oh my…were more crossed off than you thought?? Romans:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
  • I feel like this parable sounds like a joke you would tell “A priest, a Levite,  and someone you don’t like to walk into a bar…😂  Anyway, after this awesome parable, PURPOSELSY using a samaritan in the example because the Jewish “experts” hated the Samarians.
    • I have all the past scriptures about Loving your enemy running through my brain…
    • A priest and a Levite were used in this account because they had created a legal system of making laws to protect the laws that they thought they really COULD safeguard anyone from breaking the Law.  EVEN if they protected the laws that we do on the “outside”, how can someone be sinless in their heart or their thoughts?  I mean could we go a day (or an hour if you were me) without a thought of judgment, jealousy, idolatry…(OK, an hour was a long shot…)
  • Now go back and read that section again:  WHO is the Good Samaritan?? (By the way it’s not me or you, sorry)
    • took pity
    • took care of his wounds
    • anointed him with oil
    • paid for him
    • says he will return
    • 🤔

Mary and Marth-in Bethany.  Look at both maps.  You will see that Bethany is just 2 miles Southeast of Jerusalem.

Bethphage - Mount of Olives - Jerusalem - Israel and You | Mount of olives, Bethany, Bethany israel

 

Map and History of Israel at the time of Jesus Christ

The home of Mary and Martha.  Have you heard a sermon on this?  Now read it.  Sit quietly.  Listen for God to bring a thought to your mind about where you are in this story.  😍

Luke 11:  When you turn the page and you see that we have read the synoptic gospel in the same account what should you do?  READ IT CLOSER.

  • its a great time to say “Hmm I don’t understand that, I better research or ask
  • you might say “that is amazing in context now”
  • you WILL see things you didn’t see in last week’s reading for sure
  • now it might be less educational and more personal to you

Did any particular WOE stop you in your tacks??  Feel free to write in the comments 😒   use a fake name if you have to!

John: Start paying attention to His presence in Judea, being accused of the crime of blasphemy (who He is), and then retreating to ‘safe’ territory.  It was a crime in Judea to claim He was God, but not outside the region.  So he retreats to a region He cannot be arrested because the time has not come!  BUT if Jesus came first for the Jew and then for the Gentile, He will need to be accused from both.  So what will the crime be in the Gentile region? If you don’t know then I guess you will have to keep reading.  He dies for both so He will be accused by both.

Have a wonderful day.  I am glad you read today even if it is days or weeks behind schedule.  I leave with this wonderful scripture from John:

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

John 9:1-10:21

~ Patricia ~ 2 Comments

Two accounts today

  • Jesus heals the blind
  • The good shepherd

If you go all the way back to the book of Job (seems like a lifetime ago we read that) you will remember one of his friends accused Job of sinning and his circumstance was a “punishment” for it.  You can see that false teaching still existed.  (still today).

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Skip to: 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

The Law was never to be more important than the miracle!  Then they called Jesus a sinner for it.  Sometimes we can’t see the forest in the trees.

His own parents did not support the healing because they were too afraid of being excommunicated from the Synagogue.  The reasons people were kicked out were: insulting a learned man; calling a fellow Jew a ‘slave’; keeping an object or animal that could harm others, like a broken ladder or a rabid dog; taking God’s name in vain.  The parents did not want to insult the elders of the Jews. (I want to know why they thought it was even ok to allow him to be a beggar??)

THEN: The best scripture ever (today):

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

Yes, this is where the Amazing Grace hymn comes from.  A terrible man named John Newton, who was a slave trader,  became lost at sea.  He called out to God and was shipwrecked.  When he was rescued God sent another storm at sea.  During Newton’s conversion, these words spoke to him.  We now have this beautiful song that we can all relate to.

The good Shepherd.

Not sure if you read or remember my post about the “Sheep Gate” (the healing at the pool of water) But ohhhh how this adds to the account!    When people came to the Temple, they would bring their sacrifice to the Sheeps Gate.  The shepherd could ONLY enter through the sheepfold (a stone fence).  If one came in without permission they were a robber.  Honestly, I just assumed the sheep were “tagged” so they knew whose were whose 😂.  However, when a sheep had a good shepherd, they would make a distinct call, and the sheep knew the sound so well, only his sheep would come to him.

This parable deepens our understanding of Jesus that he is the good Sheperd, and His sheep will recognize His voice BUT we also see here He is the Gate, the Gatekeeper,  and the Shepard

Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

John 10:3. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep…

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Jesus was NOT killed.  He gave up His life.  He is the gate, the gatekeeper, and the Shepherd.

John 7-8

~ Patricia ~ 1 Comment

We are only 6 months away from Jesus’ day before the Crucifixion.  It’s getting close.

John 7 can be broken into 3 sections:

  • Before the Feast- 1-10
  • During the Feast- 11-39
  • After the Feast- 40-53

Jesus’ brothers (half brothers) are going to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacle.  (1 of 3 pilgrimages Jews would go for). Mary’s other sons’ names are James, Joses, Simon, and Jude (this is not Simon Peter).  Jesus decides not to go because “My time is not yet here”.  He knows the crowd will be huge and the Jewish Council will be looking for him!  Even His own brothers did not believe He was the Messiah! (v.5).

When He was alone, He went there in private.

16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”

The Jews were seeking their own Glory!

20 “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually, it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath.

Jesus is referring to an incident a year ago, also at the Feast of Tabernacles,  (told in Chapter 5) when He healed a man on the Sabbath and they went nuts over it.

Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

In verse 26 they are basically saying…” they call this man the Messiah?  Can’t be.  We know where He is from (Nazareth).”  There was an urban legend circulating that we would NOT know where the Messiah would come from.  Seriously??  Have they ever read the scriptures??  We know the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2) BUT they knew him as a man from Nazareth…they never asked him where he was born!

(I am going to skip a little because I know the reading was long.

Oh, but don’t miss the name, Nicodemus!  One of the leaders of the Jewish Council took up to Jesus.  He was the Pharisee that went to Him at night to ask questions about salvation.

Chapter 8- “Let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”.

This might be a familiar passage, but what is happening here?  The teachers of the Law are attempting to test Jesus to break the law.  Does He know the Law?  OF course, He does.  Leviticus 20:10-10 “‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.

They did not produce the guilty man, and they were unwilling or unable to produce the required witnesses.

They cared nothing about this woman; they were using her to trap Jesus

  • if He told them to set the woman free, they could claim He did not hold to the Law of Moses.
  • If He told them to stone her, they could claim He was not the Savior (He came for the Sinner)
  • if He said nothing, they could claim He lacked wisdom

We don’t know what He was writing in in the sand (I bet Jesus has GREAT handwriting though).  I have heard maybe it was their sins but in my head, I envision the word “Hypocrite”.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

The topic of witnesses has been brought up a lot and we will begin to see it more because on the day of the Crucifixion it will be asked that witnesses come forward to prove Jesus is guilty.  If the Law requires witnesses, we know Jesus will not break the Law.   We need 2 or more witnesses.  Does Jesus have them?  YES.  He has Himself and His Father.  If they would recognize WHO He is,  they would know WHOSE He is.  Two witnesses.

BTW, just this past weekend I had to discuss doctrine about suicide.  This morning I was blessed with ANOTHER scripture on the topic.  We were told to be careful of the ‘yeast of the Sadducees and Pharisees. Everything they have said has been Yeast! They made a comment “will he kill himself” because Jesus said, “Where I go, you cannot come”.  They assume THEY are going to Heaven and He is going to Hell because they have called him Satan in the past.  IF EVERYTHING they have said is “sinful yeast”, you can be confident in the scriptures that this is not true.  There is only ONE unforgiven sin that keeps you from the Father, and they are committing it RIGHT now, denying His Work in others.

Jesus’ mission is becoming very powerful and we are seeing conversions every day.  He knows we are months away and He begins using “Cross” terminology:

“When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.

As you finish out the Chapter look for Key Verses: (some you may have used in your life out of context.  Hopefully after today we will know the doctrine behind them and quote it correctly 😘)

  •  32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (It doesn’t say “tell” the truth). Jesus as the Messiah IS Truth
  • “Slave to Sin”- Oh, we have said that wrong in our day to day conversations
  • The Jews said, “Abraham is our Father”.  They are looking at genealogy NOT Family.  Jesus said all those who believe are Family.

I know many of you are thinking…WHY  don’t they believe Jesus??  Well, it really is quite simple.  It is the same as today.  It is falling on deaf ears.

47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Matthew 18

~ Patricia ~ 5 Comments

“Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Valid question.   The disciples are living in a time where everything in the community revolves around status.    If Jesus is coming as the new King of the Jews, what will be the new pecking order?  Will the Roman’s still be at the top?  Amongst them, who will be in charge?   When Jesus responds using a child, the word He uses refers to “toddler”.  This is more than just having “child-like faith”.  Toddlers are dependent, they cannot survive without someone taking care of them.  Toddlers don’t have a motive or a different point of view.  The faith of a toddler is unwavering.  If you tell them their food is on the table, they do not doubt it, ponder over it, discuss it…they believe it.

Verse 6-9- the use of hyperbole (I love that word!) is intentional so that we consider the severity of the sin from God’s perspective.  To cause a child of God’s to stumble in their walk with Christ… is a “Beware” (Woe) moment.    He then reverses it to be the one that has stumbled.  To exaggerate the idea of “if your hand is causing you to sin” is really important to see the severity of sin.  Losing your right eye or limb (right meaning best side), is nothing compared to eternity in Hell.

OK, ready for it.  I am not kidding you.  If I had to tally the most common scripture/set of verses I have heard from God or used from the Bible it is this:

12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

It is not a secret that sheep are not bright, they cannot focus and wander off constantly (like looking in a mirror).  Therefore, they ALWAYS need a Shepard.  The Shepard is the steward on the watch for the owner of the sheep. However, they are accountable for all 100 of them.  If he loses a sheep (it happened all the time) they were required to pay for it.

When I hear it from God randomly, It has applied to missions God puts me on AND He has used it to rebuke me often.  “Ummm, Trish, this is not about you…it’s about the ONE”.  Well, I was once the “one”.

I do want to share real quick,  a few months ago we read Proverbs 13:24.

Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

How are the Shepherd's Rod and Staff Different? » Reasons for Hope ...

In the time the scripture was written, and even still today, shepherds used tools to guide their sheep. They use a staff, or a crook, and a rod. The crook is the curved stick you see most often in pictures with shepherds.

  • When sheep fall into a pit or lose sight of their flock, they look down. The curved end of the crook is used to pull the sheep’s head back up and guide it in the way it should go.
  • The rod is used to guide sheep who wandered off from the flock.  It can also be used defensively to keep the sheep safe from predators.

I am already way off-topic (shocking) so I am going to put one more (maybe it is for me, maybe for you today), connecting Proverbs to Psalms to Matthew this morning:

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Every day I see something new…instead of me reading “Follow Me” but instead…Jesus is behind me with His rod and His staff for my protection!

Let’s keep going….”Leave the 99″

OK, back to the Bible 😘

Sin in the Church- I wrestle with God all the time about this because I have seen this done twice in a church.  I know I have to trust the elders read these scriptures and headed advice from the Lord on it and know things I don’t know but I am going to tell you it left a bad taste in my mouth the way I have seen this interpreted.  🤐

  1.  If you are in fellowship with a believer.  Believer to Believer, and one is openly sinning, we are to confront them  PRIVATELY with the intent of REPENTANCE.
  2. If they do not, then 2 or 3 witnesses are to be brought PRIVATELY to bear witness, again with the goal of Repentance.
  3. If they do not, then take it to church council, again the goal is Repentance.
  4. IF they still do not, then you must cut fellowship with them and treat them as unbelievers (with love), again the goal is repentance.

In the meantime what are you, the witnesses, and the church doing?  Not throwing stones at it…that is for sure! 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”  

You are gathering with Jesus and praying over that person, with the goal of Repentance.

So then what happens when they Repent?  You forgive them just as you have been forgiven for your many sins.

Forgiveness takes away our vengefulness.  (oh, but that is hard for my ugly heart). Go back to the story of Cain and Abel.  Was he forgiven?

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
    wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed a man for wounding me,
    a young man for injuring me.
24 If Cain is avenged seven times,
    then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

Escalating vengeance can only be snuffed out by forgiveness

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9:28-62

~ Patricia ~ 3 Comments

Seven days later they had walked from Caesarea Philippi to Mt. Tabor (possibly).His Face Shone Like the Sun The Transfiguration

 About a week after Jesus told His disciples that He would suffer, die, and be raised to life, He took Peter, James, and John up a mountain to pray.  We talked about the disciples and their faith last week. They had faith but they always had some doubt in his power and authority.  Jesus took them aside to show them He was the son of the living God! He was God in the flesh.  I picture it like He “unzipped” his skin to show them that He was fully man but fully God too!

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/17/bb/23/17bb23507f5a2aa4278274c9302d6a2f.jpg | Transfiguration of jesus, Pictures of jesus christ, Jesus pictures

Peter, not knowing what he was saying fully (easy for us, we have hindsight 20/20) and being very fearful, offered to put up three shelters for them. This is a reference to the booths that were used to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles when the Israelites dwelt in booths for 7 days. Peter was expressing a wish to stay in that place.

The appearance of Moses and Elijah represented the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah). But God’s voice from heaven – “Listen to Him!” – clearly showed that the Law and the Prophets must give way to Jesus. The One who is the new and living way is replacing the old – He is the fulfillment of the Law and the countless prophecies in the Old Testament. Also, in His glorified form, they saw a preview of His coming glorification and enthronement as King of kings and Lord of lords.

The disciples never forgot what happened that day on the mountain and no doubt this was intended.  In 2 Peter 1, he wrote:

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

Not all the disciples were at the transfiguration so in the following story the disciples still did not have “full faith”.

16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

These men were given healing powers!    (Here is a scripture directed to the disciples that I think many of us take ut of context)

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 

In Mark, it ends 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”  

The disciples could not heal him because they thought “they” could heal him.  No, they need to come to God, so that the healing was from Him, for His Glory.

Temple Tax:  Oh I love this!  So temple tax was to be paid yearly (about 2 days wages) every year for Temple maintenance.  When Kings collected taxes their children were exempt from paying it.  So SHOULD Jesus be required to pay it?  NO, He was the son of God.  But does He?  YES.    Jesus did not come to break the Law, not a single one.  As Christ-followers, in His family, are we REQUIRED to give?  NO, should we? YES.  When we do, God is faithful to provide it.

Luke: We have an extra story that says:

51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

  1.  my heart sank on verse 51…the time is near…
  2.  we know now that the Samaritans and the Jews did not like each other…
  3. James and John.  Bless their hearts..did they really say do you want “us”.  (Oh my, who did they think they are)

BUT this is the very reason God chose them to be in the inner circle.  The spirit would be needed for the mission ahead.  James will be the first disciple to lose his life for the Lord, and John will be the last.

Matt 16; Mark 8; Luke 9:18-27

~ Patricia ~ 2 Comments

The first line alone should say it all:

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from Heaven.

Let me phrase that in another way, so you get it ” Trump and Biden came together….”  That’s how controversial this is!  The Pharisees and Sadducees are opposite parties! However, together they should know the sign of the times they are in!  They witnessed miracles, but they want to see something different, some sign from Heaven. (They will….it’s the sign of Jonah, after 3 days He will rise again)

Then the Bread story:

7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

Bless!!!  Really???

They did have faith, BUT they didn’t have the FULL faith that was needed yet to participate in Jesus’ ministry.

BEWARE OF THE YEAST OF PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES | Into the Sacred Hills of Jade

So what would be an example of the “yeast” that the Pharisees and Sadducees would teach that could rise up in you?  (Yeast synonymous with sin).  Well, if you go back to yesterday’s post you could probably put it together.  The Pharisees would preach legalism, tradition, and works (sounds like some familiar teachings today).  The Sadducees were more political and believed in self-preservation, status, and money-very “worldly.”  (Also very familiar teachings).  Just a little of either teaching is like yeast and would rise up in us and eventually take over our doctrine.

Caesarea Philippi is near the foot of Mount Hermon, it became the religious center for worship of the Greek god, Pan (you may have seen the images, half-man,  half-goat, plays the “pan” flute).  Caesarea Philippi was a place to worship Greek gods.  In the cliff that stood above the city, local people built shrines and temples to gods and to worship Caesar (thus the name of the city).

To the pagan mind, the cave at Caesarea Philippi created a gate to the underworld, where fertility gods lived during the winter. The pagans of Jesus’ day commonly believed that their fertility gods lived in the underworld during the winter and returned to earth each spring. They saw water as a symbol of the underworld and thought that their gods traveled to and from that world through caves. They believed that this city was literally at the gates of the underworld: the gates of hell. In order to entice the return of their god, Pan, each year, the people of Caesarea Philippi engaged in horrible deeds, including prostitution and sexual interaction between humans and goats.

When the Gates of Hell Prevail over the Church - The Meaning of Catholic

Many were saying Jesus was John the Baptist (well they got that from Herod who was freaking out that JB had come back from the dead to get revenge), others say He was Elijah (the Prophet foretold he would to pave the way and he has not had an earthly death yet),  and some said Jeremiah (both were called before birth, a prophet to the nations, spoke of the temple destruction, and wept for Jerusalem).

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

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

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in Heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Peter said he believed Jesus was “the Christ,” the Messiah that the Old Testament prophesied.  Matthew’s only use of Peter’s full name here, “Simon Peter,” highlights the significance of the declaration.  Peter further defined Jesus as “the Son of the living God.” Peter’s great confession here was an important benchmark in their understanding and faith.

18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Which Rock?? The one they are standing on?  On Peter (his name means “Rock)”? Or what Peter said?

He is going to build His church on what Peter professed (the first mention of the word Church).  Jesus is going to build the Church on those who say I am The Christ.  That is a Cornerstone of a Rock!

“and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

ANOTHER reason Jesus chose THIS place to compare and contrast His Message with the “gates to the underworld he was standing on”

Jesus then predicts his:

  • Suffering
  • Death
  • 3rd day Resurrection

Now, this will not make complete sense to the Disciples, BUT when it happens, it will take them from “little faith” to that “Servant Faith!”

Get behind me Satan!

He was NOT calling Peter Satan.  He was however recalling when He was tempted in the desert.  Peter did not WANT this to happen, but Jesus reminds him we must die to self.  It is what The Lord will do.

 

Sorry if Typos!!  I was up late.

Matthew 15 and Mark 7

~ Patricia ~ Leave a comment

Similar texts with very different details!

As we read on, Jesus will be confronted by the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes.  Jesus held tightly to the original scriptures and did not conform to his environment.  (ouch, right).  You need to know who are the “confronters”:

  • Pharisees-(means to be separated) They began after the Babylonian Captivity.  Started out great! They are going to be separated from the World!  As time went on, they became too separate and legalistic-conservatives to a fault
  • Sadducees- did not believe in the Oral Law, Miracles, the Resurrection of the dead, or any Supernatural event.  They were more of a social group.-liberals to a fault
  • Scribes- probably began during the time of Ezra.  The “OG” of Scribes. They would copy the Torah (The 1st 5 books)-so that people in captivity and those that returned to Jerusalem could study God’s Law.
    • Through time they would make additional post-it notes and debate over them as a group.  Sometimes the post-it note superseded the words of God. (like reading Christian books, without reading the Bible)
  • Herodians- they were Jewish nationalists that sided with the Herod Family.  They wanted to exalt the Herods for building up the beautiful temple before them.

Jesus makes a new group and named them a greek term for being an actor-‘hypokrites’, – Hypocrites! 

Let’s jump right in with me growing up with an Italian Catholic mother in NJ- We had LOTS of “Christian” traditions, yet no one in my family (I mean the aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents…..NEVER once had a Bible)

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees about ritual without reality. The Pharisees had asked why the disciples did not wash their hands according to the ritualistic tradition of the elders. This hand-washing was not what we think of today with soap and water. It was a ritual done as a show of “religion”.  

Oh, you want to talk following the law Pharisees?  OK, let’s pick a 10 commandment….#5 will do.

‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

The phrase ‘devoted to God’, means “Corban”. Whatever money might have been used to provide for aging parents could be dedicated to the temple treasury instead (BUT you can keep it in your wallet and use it if you needed) . Saying, “It is Corban” would exempt a person from his responsibility to his parents. (Next time my kids ask for money I am going to say “Corban”. Ha!!)

“Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”….

17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

So what comes out of our mouth is more vile than what goes into the sewer pipes.  

Quite the parable to think over today.

The Faithful Canaanite woman- “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!”– Wait….what?  So you are telling me a Gentile woman not living near Jerusalem is willing to admit WHO Jesus is, but not the Jewish leaders.

26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

In other words- “It is not right to take what I promised the Jews through a Covenant and freely give it to Gentiles” (Gentiles were often referred to as dogs)

27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

You go girl!!!

Great Map!  Click here to print.

Jesus feeds the 4000+ family (This is a separate event from the other feeding). Look at the map.

The meal difference: The first feeding miracle/the feeding miracle

  • 1-day sermon verse 3 day sermon
  • different season (sitting on grass verse ground)
  • 5 loaves/ 7 loaves a few fish
  • 12 baskets left over/7 baskets left over
  • Two different locations: Galilee region/Decapolis region

John 6

~ Patricia ~ 3 Comments

So when I see one chapter I think  “light day”.  And then I read it and say “Woah, that was heavy”.  This is one of those chapters. I hope you will read it: I am going to literally break down a section verse by verse.  I just have to it is so good!

I am going to start at verse 25.  Many had just been fed by Jesus the night before.  They wake up and look for him to eat again (or to see what else He might give them).

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill

Oh stars.  Why were they seeking Jesus?  To “get” something.   How many people do you know that seek Jesus ONLY when they need a favor?  They haven’t followed Him, prayed, lived for Him BUT when they “want” something they suddenly look for Him. (I wasn’t throwing a stone, I was looking in the mirror).

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

Sooooo being legalistic, they inquire about the word “work”. What good deed do I need to do to earn a blessing?  28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

THE ULTIMATE ANSWER:29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

The ONLY thing you must do is believe!  (This is not what they were expecting).  What they said next made me say a few 4 letter words)….yes I am a sinner, I know, but good grief Charlie Brown!!

30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

  1.  They asked for a sign!  What in Sam Hill?  What’s Jesus been doing??? Healing the sick, blind, mute, paralyzed people, casting out demons, feeding about 15,000 people (5000 plus their wives and children)….what was that? A Vegas show?
  2. Then they threw Moses in His face!  “Well, Moses fed my ancestors manna for 40 years…you gave us only 1 meal!

See why I said a bad word!  I really shouldn’t have because what Jesus says was better!

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.

DROP MIC!!

Now the next paragraph is HUGE.  It is PACKED with Salvation doctrine! (I will break it down in bullets)

  • 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
  • 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.  

Re-read verse 37.  Salvation:  First, God chooses you BUT we must choose HIM. It’s a relationship.  Think about that when you share the Gospel with young ones, I am seeing a HUGE church trend where we “choose” Jesus in our hearts without ever mentioning Sin, Cross, or Sometimes even God.  

  • 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

What is the Father’s Will??  What does God want? Everyone who seeks Jesus AND believes WILL have eternal life!  All believers will be raised up from the grave and taken to Heaven on the last day!

So what happens next you ask??  You won’t believe it…just like the other day, they went back to saying “WHOSE  He is, not WHO He is”. I am not kidding…look for yourself!

42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

He ends this conversation with another ‘drop mic’ statement: Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Wait….all this was said IN a Synagogue….oh, I wish I was there that day! The Rabbis must have been furious!

“Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 

We are really beginning to get small hints of what is to come.  We have heard about 3 days in the fish, pick up your cross, and now-what if I ascend to heaven.  (There are more.  I wish I had written them down because I know the Big Ones “I will rebuild this Temple in 3 days”….but this year I am seeing the little ones 😍.

After many decide not to follow Jesus, He asks His 12 men if they are going and Peter (Oh I love Peter) says “what??  no way man”.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”

Ok, thinkers:  Why was Judas CHOSEN?

No wrong answer.

Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9:1-17

~ Patricia ~ 4 Comments

The beheading of John.  (I particularly like the Mark version the best, some cool extra info was stated)

Click here to see this bigger or print it.

  1. Herod the Great is the Herod that was alive when Jesus was born (decreed all the babies be killed in hoping the one born called ‘king of the jews’ would perish.  Fat chance!
  2. Herod Philip– 1st husband to Herodias
  3. Herodias-seduced by #6 Herod Antipas (a ruler)- her uncle and married him.
  4. The JB
  5. Salome- daughter of Philip and Herodias (1st marriage) and a pole dancer!  She was seducing Herod Antipas!  (she marries her great uncle #8)

With this visual, the story should make sense.  If you have any questions let me know.

The feeding of the 5,000 men and their wives and children.  (A lot!)

Aside from the resurrection, the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. To feed 5,000+ people with five loaves and two fish is miraculous!  Click here for a handout.

Jesus’ disciples had wanted to send the people away because the evening was approaching and they were in a remote place. But Christ had a better idea: “You give them something to eat”.  At this point, the disciples should have recalled the many miracles they had seen Jesus do AND the Missions discourse. In John 6 (when we get there) we will see  Andrew show doubt? (Bless his heart) And Philip will say “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (We always think of $$)

Amazingly, the entire multitude was fed with that small meal. Jesus provided “as much as they wanted” (in John) and “they all ate and were satisfied” (in Matthew). Christ did not just meet the need; He lavished them with so much food that there were “twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish” leftover.

There is a foreshadowing of this miracle in 2 Kings. Elisha told his servant to feed the people gathered there, although there was not enough food for the hundred men. One of the men said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” (2 Kings 4:42–44) In the end, however, the men not only had enough to eat but “they ate and had some left”.

What a test for the apostles who were to walk the baskets to the people and have faith that there would be enough, but an even bigger test for us today.  God will shatter the pint-sized expectations of what we as followers can do.

(Reminds me of when I pray and then say under my breath…yeah, like that will ever happen!  Ohhhh such little faith!)

Jesus walks on water- I know many of you have read a commentary on this, or have been given an encouraging word through the church with this account but for our purposes, look at the chronological standpoint.   The apostle’s mission has been given.  They are going to go into the region to proclaim the kingdom of God.  They must have FULL faith in who Jesus is.  When Jesus fed the 5,000+ they still had little faith.  Again Jesus shows his authority

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

In Matthew it said:

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

I hope each day you read familiar stories new. 😁