Up To Jerusalem – Teaching 11
Scripture Luke 22:31-34, John 13:31-37, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, John 14:1-31, Hebrews 7:25

Up to Jerusalem is a story filled with tragedy and yet a story that is above all, a story of victory and hope and defeat of the devil!

Pastor’s teaching on Jesus’ Last Supper continues with a look at 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 which documents the changes Jesus instituted in the Passover meal. As He breaks the 3rd piece of matzah Jesus says, “This is My body given for you.” He’s making it clear that what they have been celebrating for centuries is being fulfilled at that very moment. The fulfillment of the meal that had been celebrated for centuries – was changed because Jesus is the fulfillment – He is the Messiah. Then He takes the cup and says, “This is the New Covenant of My blood, poured out for you.” This is the promised new covenant!

There are three primary beliefs regarding the Lord’s Supper:
    1.    Transubstantiation – bread and wine change into the body and blood of Christ
    2.    Real Presence – in a supernatural way Jesus is present in the bread and wine
    3.    Symbolic Presence – bread and wine are a symbol of Jesus’ body and blood

Doctrine is critical and important, but Jesus makes it very clear on this night that what matters above all else is that we live out the truth of the New Covenant. That truth of the New Covenant is lived out by walking in the footsteps of our Savior’s self sacrifice, in absolute love, and love for our enemies not just our friends and followers of Jesus. Though we may differ in how to interpret the Lord’s Supper and what is received – what needs to bind us together is our common allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ, and our desire to carry out His will and His purpose.  His will and purpose is that we be one in Him  – one in Him to win the world back to Him.

As we look at what Jesus will suffer this night, we see that He endured so much for us but His suffering resulted in His glorification and this gives our struggles, sufferings and persecutions purpose. We know that because Jesus loves us so much He was willing to endure the cross that ended in victory over the grave – we know He has the power to take our suffering and turn it around for final victory for us as well. We too will triumph!

As the meal continues Jesus gives them a new command, “Love one another as I love you.” The depth of God’s love is revealed in the gift of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross – this is love – and we are to love to that depth.

Then Jesus tells Peter He is praying for him – and we know Jesus prays for us too.  It says in Hebrews 7:25 “He (Jesus) always lives to intercede (pray) for them (those who come to God through Him).” We also know the Holy Spirit prays for us too. Romans 8:26-27 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” 

What incredible comfort that is – full of strength and encouragement – to know we have the best prayer partners in the universe!

As the story continues Jesus tells Peter he will deny Him three times.  Pastor shares some interesting information around the meaning of “rooster crows.”

Our time together ends with Thomas asking, “How do we know the way to God?” The answer for every person on the planet is found in Jesus’ answer, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Under the blood of Jesus we have EVERYTHING!!

Pastor Dodge concludes with encouragement to read John chapters 14-17 as these are the important words of Jesus the evening of His arrest and in these words He shows us what should mean the most to us: love, the Holy Spirit, prayer, trusting God and bearing fruit for Jesus. Jesus encourages us with these words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”  All of His words are for us still today! 

Our website –  https://www.awakeusnow.com

Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper

Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01

Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus’ ministry concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries.  Up to Jerusalem is part four of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father’s plan. As we study Jesus’ final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us. 

This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.

Check out this episode!

Scripture: Luke 24:1-11, Mark 15:42-45, Psalm 22, Isaiah 53.

Doubts about Jesus’ resurrection? Are you a skeptic? Is it nonsense that can’t be true or if you know a skeptic or one who doubts the resurrection story, everyone is invited to come along with us today as we take a look at the skeptics and doubters in the Bible and explore if they remained skeptics and unbelievers!

Pastor explores several examples of doubters regarding Jesus’ resurrection in the New Testament. He shares a list of individuals who did not believe in the resurrection at first.

Then Pastor explores Alternative Explanations that have been suggested for what took place that morning:
    ⁃    Multiple conspiracies
    ⁃    Women went to the wrong tomb
    ⁃    “Christ myth”
    ⁃    Disciples lied
      
But all these alternative explanations fall by the wayside when carefully examined which leads us to the:
Evidences
    ⁃    Empty tomb
    ⁃    Eyewitnesses
    ⁃    Prophecies
    ⁃    Bold martyrs

The heart of the story of the resurrection of Jesus is the:
Good News
    ⁃    Consequences of sin = death
    ⁃    Death is not the end
    ⁃    God’s gift is Christ
    ⁃    Saving Faith – in the One who has risen from the grave, is alive and will return

Being “good” doesn’t save us
Trying hard doesn’t save us
It’s not that we’re better than others
IT’S PURELY A GIFT FROM GOD!

Pastor shares a call to come to Jesus as your Savior. He leads us through a prayer of recommitment to Christ for believers and a prayer of commitment to Christ for first time believers.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!  He IS risen!  He is risen, INDEED! HALLELUJAH!

Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.

Check out the video from our website: 
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Check out this episode!

Up To Jerusalem – Teaching 10
Scripture Luke 22, Exodus 6:6-7, John 13 & 14, Psalm 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118

Jesus’ Last Supper – 
Pastor opens with an interesting piece of history. Based on writings from Rabbis during the time of Jesus – the Passover lambs were actually “crucified.” What we know from Rabbinic writings is that when the priests killed the Lambs at the Temple in preparation for the Passover meal – they then took a thin stave and ran it through the shoulders of the killed lamb and then another stave was driven through its mouth and down its spine forming a cross, making it ready for roasting.

As our story opens – Jesus and His disciples gather in the upper room that Peter and John have prepared.

Passover – how it may have been in Jesus’ Day
– Passover Table – banquet style meal, low table surrounded by couches or pillows for reclining on, head supported by left hand, ate with right hand, was a lengthy meal that started at sunset.

– Four Cups
Kiddish Cup (to set apart – Sanctify)
Plagues Cup (story of the Passover was shared followed by singing of Psalms 113 and 114)
Blessing Cup (during the meal followed by singing of Psalms 115-118)
Hallel Cup (Praise cup with singing of Psalm 126. Also referred to as Elijah’s cup)

Jesus shares that He will not have this meal again until the meal finds its fulfillment in the kingdom of God (following His return).

There’s a possibility that Jesus ended the meal early. But here’s a possible order of the sequence of the events of the meal
    – the seating – bickering about who sits where
    – Jesus washing the disciples feet
    – Jesus tells that one of them will betray Him
    – Judas leaves

There is uncertainty around when the meal was actually eaten.  Was Judas there or not. Based on text from Luke and John it appears Judas was present for the meal. Pastor shares that Jesus is still merciful to Judas – to the very last He is trying to help Judas see what he is doing.

When considering Judas’ worthiness to be at the meal, the question becomes were any worthy of participating in this meal? The meal was attended by traitors and cowards. It is a table not of merit but of GRACE. Our God is a merciful and gracious God. His own disciples would run away that very night and leave Him in the garden – abandoning Him in His hour of need and yet Jesus still loved them. He knew what was going to happen and He still gave His disciples this meal as an indication of His incredible love.

This meal – the Lord’s Supper – is something we have turned into law rather than grace.  None of us can stand before a Holy God and say, “Look how good I am.”  The moment we do that we walk away from the Gospel of Grace.

We come to God as sinners, covered by the blood of His Son, made new by Him and when we receive the meal – the very meal He has with His disciples, we are being reassured of His incredible love, a love not based on our merit, accomplishments or achievements, but a love that is based upon the incredible love of The Father for those He has made and those He has redeemed with the blood of His Son.

It is NOT a table of merit.
IT IS A TABLE OF GRACE.

Our website –  https://www.awakeusnow.com

Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper

Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01

Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus’ ministry concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries.  Up to Jerusalem is part four of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father’s plan. As we study Jesus’ final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us. 

This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.

Check out this episode!

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19, Romans 11:25-26, Exodus 12:3.

The Palm Sunday story is a familiar story with detail that is not well known. This event was a prophetic declaration not only to the first century but also to the twenty-first century!

Palm Sunday – Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey to the shouts of “Hosanna” the weekend before his crucifixion death and resurrection.

All four Gospels record this event – each one offers a unique perspective. Pastor puts the four author’s writings together in a way that shows a host of detail about what it meant then and what it means now.

Pastor Dodge takes a deeper look into the following topics, sharing the New Testament coverage of the event with the prophetic words of this very event from the Old Testament in Zechariah, Psalms, Exodus, Deuteronomy and others. We will see this event as fulfillment of what had been biblically predicted:
Setting
Timing
Donkey
Hosanna
Opposition
Weeping
Return

Jesus shares prophetically in these words: “For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'” And we read this in Romans 11:25 “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.”

The day is coming when the Jewish people will receive Jesus as their Messiah. We can see this now:

23 – in 1948 the nation of Israel was established in a single day, a nation that had not existed for almost 19 full centuries. In 1948 there were 23 Jewish believers in the Messiah.
2000- and in 1948 there were 2000 Jewish believers in the whole world

30,000 – today there are 30,000 Jewish believers in Messiah in Israel
1,000,000 – and Jewish believers around the world and growing.

Something dramatic has happened – the Jewish people are coming to recognize Jesus as their Messiah and Savior. It mean the very thing Jesus predicted is taking place in our day and the King is coming back!!

This account from the New Testament is an historic account. One that summons us to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, one that calls us to recognize that God is in control, one that helps us understand that the Lord’s desire is that we know Him, that we be filled with His Holy Spirit and that we be part of the great assembly of believers who will ultimately welcome our King – because THE KING IS COMING BACK!

Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.

Check out the video from our website: 
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Check out this episode!

Up To Jerusalem – Teaching 9
Scripture – Matthew 25-26, Luke 22

We continue with Jesus’ Mt. Olivet Discourse where He is talking about the future end of Jerusalem that did happen in 70AD several decades after His ascension and as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophets. Jesus is also talking of the preparation for His second coming and the importance of being awake.

Pastor reviews the conclusion of the Parable of the Ten Virgins with Jesus’ words,”Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour.”  We want to be awakened 
    ⁃    Awake to the things of God
    ⁃    Awake to what He desires of us
    ⁃    Awake to our mission to lead others to a knowledge of the Savior and to usher in the Kingdom of God

Additional parables covered 
    ⁃    The Parable of the Talents – It is possible to know about the Master without truly knowing Him and living in relationship with Him.  We are to use all He has given us to His glory so that others know and learn the Good News of our Savior. We are called to serve, love and honor God.
    ⁃    The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats – Pastor helps us understand this parable in a first century Jewish context.  This story is incredibly profound and Pastor shares a personal testimony around the subject of sheep and goats and the question: “Do goats hear the shepherd’s voice?” Pastor shares the differences between sheep and goats. In Jerusalem these two animals are in the same flock but they are very different.
    ⁃    Identity: 54 chromosomes vs. 60 chromosomes
    ⁃    Diet: tender grass vs. garbage
    ⁃    Intelligence: great ability to learn and understand and created to thrive under a shepherd vs. independent
    ⁃    Offspring: keep lambs near by vs. send their offspring out on their own
    ⁃    Social structures: no competition, need a shepherd to lead them vs. butt heads, desire to dominate
    ⁃    Shepherd: only thrive under a good shepherd vs. fiercely independent 
This parable shows us that it is possible to be a member of the flock but not be one of The Shepherd’s sheep.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd and it’s important to follow Him.

This parable goes on to talk about when “The King” comes and how He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Sheep on His right to eternal life and goats on the left to eternal punishment.

This parable is about being a new creation in Christ, a follower, one of His sheep that hears His voice.  Goats have not become new in Christ and want be in control. We are NOT saved by works – we are saved by the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep.

As we continue, we move into Matthew 26 where Jesus tells His disciples, again, of His impending crucifixion.  We see Judas going to the chief priests as he prepares to betray Jesus as told in both Matthew 26 and Luke 22.

From there we see Jesus send two of His disciples (Peter and John) to begin preparations for the Passover meal which includes finding a place for their meal together and also going to the temple for the lamb for the meal.

Pastor points out several examples of Jesus being in control of the details leading up to His arrest and that it is not the enemy who is control. Jesus is in charge! He is the Lord! And this is something we each need to realize – we are not in charge of our destinies, we do not make the rules, when we try – then we are like goats. But when we listen to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, we are His precious sheep and He desires to be both Lord and Savior in our lives.

Even through Judas is “making plans” Jesus is still in control and He will not allow the enemy to divert Him from the Father’s purpose.

Pastor goes on to share unique details about the Passover lambs at the temple and our Passover Lamb, Jesus.

Join us again next week as we continue Up to Jerusalem – the road that takes Jesus to the cross but that ends with His victory!

Our website –  https://www.awakeusnow.com

Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper

Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01

Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus’ ministry concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries.  Up to Jerusalem is part four of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father’s plan. As we study Jesus’ final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us. 

This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.

Check out this episode!

Up To Jerusalem – Teaching 8
Scripture – Matthew 24:15 – Matthew 25:13

Luke 21, Mark 13 and Matthew 24-25 all have the story of Jesus’ Mt. Olivet Discourse with His disciples.

In today’s opening verses in Matthew 24:15ff, we hear Jesus answering the questions we left off with last week.  

The two questions the disciples asked Jesus:
    1.    When will these things you are telling us happen to the temple
    2.    What will be the sign of your return
They are thinking that these two questions coincide one with the other…. As we now know – that was not the case.  

Jesus is giving a forewarning of what would befall Jerusalem. (The fall happened in the year 70AD when the Roman General Titus laid siege to Jerusalem and ultimately leveled it to the ground.)

Jesus’ answer contains responses for both the questions. 

The Abomination that causes Desolation – three options of what this might be were shared last week – but only one seems to fit the time frame: An event in winter 67/68AD –  the temple was profaned by Jewish insurgents. Pastor reads about the event from Josephus’ writing: The Jewish War.  During this event the insurgents caused division within the Jewish community.  It’s a good possibility that this event caused believers in Jesus in the city of Jerusalem to begin fleeing the city by those who took Jesus’ words literally. They left because they could see what was coming and Jesus had warned them about what was coming. They fled across the Jordan River and they were protected from the siege by Titus which began shortly after the insurgent uprising.  Those who fled were protected from all that followed.  Over 1 million people died in the siege of Jerusalem.

In Luke 21:20-24 we read: “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

UNTIL THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES ARE FULFILLED – This passage in Luke has been fulfilled in our day.  Pastor shares a brief history of the city of Jerusalem from 70AD to the mid 20th century of when the city of Jerusalem was dominated by gentiles.
Romans
Byzantines
Persians
Byzantines
Crusaders
Ottoman Turks
WWI
British control
WWII – The Jewish people were given a homeland in 1948
Six Day War – 1967 City of Jerusalem came under control of the Jewish people and has remained in their control in an uneasy peace. THIS IS SOMETHING JESUS SAID AND IT WAS FULFILLED IN OUR LIFE TIME.

“The times of the gentiles are fulfilled”… what does that mean?  Does that refer simply to gentile control of Jerusalem? Or does it mean far more? Romans 9, 10, and 11 talk about the Jewish people returning to the Messiah. When they return to Him – the end comes!  We don’t know the day or hour – but He tells us when we see these things happening, look up because our redemption is drawing near.

Jesus’ final return will be like lightening filling the sky. He will come on cloud in great glory!

As the discourse continues in Matthew 24 – 25 we read about the following:
    ⁃    Fig Tree Imagery – Jesus prophesies that the end is near when we again see Israel beginning to flourish then we know “summer is near” (the end is coming)
    ⁃    Jesus says, “This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”  THIS GENERATION – generation in Greek has multiple meanings – one meaning refers to “this people” the other to “this nation” and in Aramaic (Jesus’ language of the day) the word for generation and the word for nation are the same word. It may well be that what Jesus is declaring is that the Jewish people will not come to an end – they will survive. And they have.
    ⁃    Judgement by fire
    ⁃    Be awake!
    ⁃    Do not grow weary in doing what is right
    ⁃    Follow Jesus – receive Him as King, Savior and Lord
    ⁃    Last days and times will be difficult – so we are called to walk close to God
    ⁃    Then Jesus shares several parables to emphasize what He has been teaching.
    ⁃    The Parable of the Ten Virgins – Be ready for Jesus’ return.  Pastor shares what Jewish weddings were like in Jesus’ day and how knowing that brings insight to this parable to be encouraged to be awake and to be ready for Christ’s return.

Join us next time as we continue with the story of “Up to Jerusalem” as Jesus travels to the cross.

Our website –  https://www.awakeusnow.com

Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper

Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01

Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus’ ministry concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries.  Up to Jerusalem is part four of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father’s plan. As we study Jesus’ final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us. 

This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.

Check out this episode!