Scripture: Luke 2: 1-20

The Christmas Story is familiar to most of us – a story we’ve heard over and over, year after year.  When something becomes so familiar we can easily be deceived into treating it too casually without the awe and gratitude this story should cause in our hearts.  Familiarity can cause us to forget this is a REAL story, with REAL people and our REAL Savior.  

So let’s look at this very familiar story in Luke 2:1-20 with new eyes and new ears and new hearts. May we experience and receive THE GREAT GOOD NEWS as the best gift ever given.

As Pastor reads the Christmas Story he shares insights about the location of where Jesus was born, and other interesting historical information, even specific insights into the shepherds in the fields and the intended use of their lambs.

Mary and Jospeph arrive in Bethlehem for a census, Jesus is born, and then the angels announce the Great Good News to the shepherds. When the angels broke through the skies the shepherds went from experiencing great fear at the appearance of the angels to great joy because of the Great Good News they were told.

“You will find the Babe wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  The Shepherds hurried off to find Jesus – an encouragement for us, too! Have you found Him? That is our prayer, that you find and know Jesus for The Great Good News has come, Jesus the Messiah!

The host of angels fills the sky above the shepherds singing, “Glory to God in the Highest!” Praising God in this Christmas season is a calling to us as well.

Let us hurry to find Him, seek Him and adore Him. The shepherds’ desire to find Jesus is to be our attitude too. Let this familiar story touch your heart in new ways this Christmas.

After seeing baby Jesus in the manger the shepherds spread the story about what the angels had told them and about the baby they met. May we also, like them, share the Great Good News of a Savior.

The Great Good News is:
    ⁃    Real – this really happened, this is true. There is overwhelming evidence from both believers and skeptics that the Messiah is real. 
    ⁃    Risen – He is risen and this victory is ours.
    ⁃    Returning – the reality is that He is returning. He is coming back – we have a forever life ahead of us!
    ⁃    Response – God loved us so much He was willing to take on human flesh, live the perfect life we could not, willingly give Himself for us on the cross in a most inhumane way as the sacrifice for our sins. Then He rose victorious from the grave….THAT demands a response!  One of repentance and belief. A response of receiving the Great Good News by walking with Him, following Him, surrendering to Him and watching what He will do.

Receive Him today as your Savior!

The Christmas story is not simply a story of our culture – it is the story of God’s love to each one of us.

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Luke 1:57-80; “John’s Story” 

Pastor Dodge explores Luke’s account of John the Baptist in today’s study.  It’s a story that starts with the miraculous pregnancy of Elizabeth who was well past her child-bearing years, yet God was faithful to His promise to her husband Zechariah.

In today’s text John is born and it is the 8th day after his birth, the day that the baby boy would be circumcised and named.  Their family and friends are sure the baby boy will be named a family name after Zechariah. However Elizabeth follows through with what the angel Gabriel had told her husband when the angel had announced they would have a son. And Elizabeth states the child would be named John just as the angel told them to name him.

Since the angel’s visit to Zechariah he had become unable to speak because he doubted the word of God through the angel. As family is saying how can you name him John, Zechariah writes on his tablet that the child’s name is John and he is instantly healed and able to speak.  He praises the Lord and everyone joins in thanking God for this miraculous healing.

The story is a reminder that God has never stopped doing things. He has never stopped acting. He is moving constantly and revealing himself to men, women and children.  He is the Living God. He is near and He does these things still today!

Zechariah is a priest – with some holy speculation – it is possible he is the one who may have circumcised John that day.  We read that Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit.  From the beginning of the Last Days which began with the coming of Jesus when Mary became pregnant God has been filling people with His Holy Spirit – men, women, young and old.  Not just then, 2000 years ago, but still today.

Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit and  then prophecies the coming of the Messiah, the fulfillment of God promises of a Redeemer.  Zechariah goes on to prophecy over his son as the one to prepare the way for the coming Messiah.

John grew up and became strong in the Spirit. He lived in the wilderness until he began to appear publicly to the people of Israel.

We read in all 4 gospels about 

JOHN’S CHARACTER

    1.     Prophetic – John was prophetic in his actions and his behavior.  Wearing a camel hair garment and a leather belt – an outfit that harkened back to the prophet Elijah – John like Elijah calls people back to God.  
    2.    Courageous – John called all to come back to God. He even told the religious. He told soldiers, prostitutes, tax collectors, even a king. John did not back down from courageously speaking God’s of all needing a Savior.
    3.    Humble – John knew his life belonged to God. He knew his life was not his own.  We too are called to be humble before God because a humble heart is open to receive what God desires to impart.

JOHN’S MESSAGE

    1.     Sin – John taught the unpopular message that God takes sin seriously. Sin is rebellion against God.  All have sinned and all of us need a Savior.  Sin is treason against God.
    2.    Repentance – repentance is the proper response to recognizing that “I am a sinner.”  Repentance is a 180 degree turn around – it’s an about face in one’s life and it is turning back to God. Repentance is also a change of mind in the way we look at our sinful nature.
    3.    Salvation – John taught that God keeps His word and redeems us by sending His Son to save us all through faith in Jesus. John points us to Jesus – our Savior who brings us Salvation.

In our lives we too are to prepare the way for Jesus’ return, He is coming, and so we prepare by living for Him alone.

    ⁃    Prepared.  
    ⁃    Changed. 
    ⁃    Renewed.
    ⁃    Inviting Jesus into our daily living.
    ⁃    Reflecting on Him.
    ⁃    Living out of the Good News.  

He transforms us 
and on the last day 
He will raise us!

Until then we are to serve, follow and grow in Him who is Lord of our lives.

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St. Luke’s Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. This book written by Luke, a non-Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus’ life.

This study is great for large group, small group or home group study.

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This teaching is from Matthew 26:26-39 and Exodus 6:6-7

Our story continues today with the Lord’s Supper.

Jesus is going to make it clear that He is the Passover Lamb who lays down His life for all people of all time.

Pastor overviews the Passover meal: why it was done, what the purpose was and shows us how Jesus changed the script that had always been spoken during this meal since the time of Moses. 

Taking the bread Jesus says, “Take eat; this is My body.” Then after that He took the cup saying, “Drink from it, all of you, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Pastor shares about the 4 cups of wine during the Passover meal referencing the four verbs in Exodus 6:6-7. Four verbs, four cups of wine:
    1.    Cup 1 – I will BRING you out
    2.    Cup 2 – I will FREE you
    3.    Cup 3 – I will REDEEM you
    4.    Cup 4 – I will take you as My people

According to what is said in the gospels it appears Jesus spoke the words “drink this cup…” with the 3td cup – the Cup of Redemption.  Jesus talks about this cup as “my blood of covenant given for you and for many.” This cup not only reminds us of God’s great deliverance of His people from bondage in Egypt, but it is God’s new covenant of deliverance from the bondage of sin for all people. 

The disciples could see something unique was happening.  Clearly Jesus is speaking of Himself as the redemption. In the days to come the disciples would look back on this Supper, Jesus’ Last Supper, and they would see it more clearly.

In the next verse, as Jesus finishes this 3rd cup, taking what is written here in Matthew 26:29 and in the other gospels it appears Jesus is saying He will not drink the 4th cup until the day we are all together in His Father’s kingdom (meaning when everything is fulfilled) when he said, ” I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 

Jesus will take this fourth cup, the Cup that will be celebrated at the “Marriage Feast of the Lamb” on His return.  “When I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom,” this is the assurance of His return and a celebration that will never end.

Then Jesus and His disciples head to the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane. He tells them that He is overwhelmed to the point of death. Jesus is truly God in human flesh – a real human being going through agony and sorrow at what He knows is to come.

He asks the disciples to stay with him and keep watch or in other words, “Be Awake!” What does it mean to “be awake?” It means to recognize the times, to be ready and prepared, to be one with our Lord Jesus, one with our Heavenly Father and one with the Holy Spirit.  Be Awake!

Jesus asks that “this cup to be taken from me, yet not as I will but as you will.” Jesus – fully divine but also fully human speaks to His father and says could we go with another plan? But concludes His request with not my will but your will.  This is how we too should pray – praying in God’s will.  

We know things that God desires and we can pray in His will without hesitation: 
For awakening in our country
For people to come back to the Lord
For people to know the Lord
For those going through difficult days
And holding one another up in prayer

But there are some times when we don’t know what God desires because His ways are far beyond our ways and even Jesus prayed not my will but your will to the Father.

“Thy will be done,” even in the face of overwhelming agony of what was ahead He stilled prayed “Your will, Father” and we are called to pray the same way.

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Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25, Micah 6:8

Being in the Scripture is a great place to be because God DOES speak in His Word, both 2,000 years ago and today!  

Today’s text from the Bible is a powerful Word, a life-changing Word…

Matthew tells the Christmas story from the vantage point of Joseph, who after finding out about Mary being pregnant decided to divorce her quietly, but…

Joseph receives a visit by an angel in a dream and the angel tells him that he is not to divorce Mary, that she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit, and that he is to name the child Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.  Following the dream, Joseph stays engaged to Mary, doesn’t consummate the marriage until after Jesus’ birth, and he names the baby, Jesus.

A virgin birth is implausible if there is no god. But there IS a god!  He is the God who reveals Himself in the Scripture and through His Holy Spirit and like in today’s reading, through angelic beings.

What prophets predicted, is fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth. 

Immanuel: God with us. 
Fully human: suffers as our substitute for our sin
Fully God: eternal redemption by His blood

Apart from Christ our lives hold no hope. No matter how good we are it’s not good enough. We cannot save ourselves for we have all sinned and we need the Perfect One to save us. Apart from Jesus – nice guys finish last. With Jesus there is life, forgiveness, peace, strength, joy, hope and the assurance we will live forever with Him.

Today’s Bible story still speaks powerfully to us today. God revealed the identity of Jesus to Joseph – and for us God is still speaking and revealing His identity to each of us through Joseph’s story.

In Joseph we see an example of what a godly person ought to be:
    ⁃    Our faith is based on the truth that God has revealed to us in His Word
    ⁃    Our faith is more than head knowledge
    ⁃    Our faith informs our behavior

Joseph’s example:
    ⁃    Faithful to God’s Word and wanted to live for God. He knew God is to be trusted, honored and obeyed.
    ⁃    Merciful in a culture that looked at Mary’s pregnancy as a disgrace, that recommended a public divorce, Joseph did not want to humiliate Mary.
    ⁃    Obedient to what God revealed in his dream and also obedient to the Word in the Bible of “the virgin will conceive and bare a son” and so he took her as his wife.
    ⁃    Courageous individual who put family first and God over all. An individual who did what God told him to do despite pushback and persecution.  He understood that it is more important to follow God than to worry about public opinion.

Joseph wasn’t saved because he was a good man.
He was a good man because He was saved.

So we too are encouraged to live lives as a response to the incredible gift of the grace and goodness of God in Christ.

Micah 6:8 says:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

May we exhibit that kind of a life-style in response to the revelation of who our Lord Jesus Christ is.

Lord Jesus help us live courageous lives for You!

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Luke 1:39-56; “Elizabeth’s Story” 

The story of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth is often a forgotten story. But what it shows us should not be ignored. It is life-changing, powerful, dynamic and has impact on the way we understand the Bible, the way we perceive and understand God and how he moves in our lives today. 

Earlier in the chapter we learned Elizabeth was now about 6 months pregnant with John the Baptist and Mary is just newly pregnant with Jesus. When Mary arrives and greets Elizabeth, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, In this first chapter of Luke the Holy Spirit is mentioned three times. Why is this significant?

When we look at the Old Testament – which contains 23,145 verses, the Holy Spirit is only mentioned a total of 3 times. But now in the New Testament in this first chapter of Luke in the first 41 verses, the Holy Spirit is mentioned three times! What this indicates is a profound truth: with the coming of Jesus, EVERYTHING CHANGES! It ushers in the age of the Spirit that will continue until Jesus’ return.

The three Holy Spirit incidents:
        Mary’s told by the angel announcing her to be Jesus’ mother, that the Holy Spirit will come upon her. 
        Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit as Mary arrives at her home and greets her.
        John in Elizabeth’s womb leaps in the power of the Holy Spirit.

In points one and two we see they are women receiving the Spirit, this prompts us to look to see if a woman being filled with the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Old Testament and there is not a mention of that. 

So let’s look at Joel 2:28-29 “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” Here we read God will pour out His Spirit on both men AND women!  In Luke 1 – we see this prophetic word coming true. God is pouring out His Spirit on young (Mary) and old (Elizabeth) and both men and women. God’s Spirit in fullness to all!

At this point everything changes because God is now dealing with His people in a dynamic NEW WAY by pouring out his Spirit in abundance. Why? Because the Messiah has come – within the womb of Mary! it is in Him that the Spirit comes and we are freed to live in this power.

Additionally, we hear in our story that as Mary greets Elizabeth and Elizabeth is filled with the Spirit, the baby (John) inside her womb leaped and was filled with the Spirit.

Elizabeth immediately responds: “Blessed are you among women, Mary, blessed is the child (Jesus) you will bear. But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your voice reached my ears, my womb leaped for joy!”

The angel foretold this about Elizabeth’s baby (John the Baptist) when he announced to Zechariah (Elizabeth’s husband) he would have a son: “for he (John) will be great in the sight of God…and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born!”  Luke 1:15

All these pieces coming together! What happens next? Looking  at Joel 2:28-29 we see everything prophesied happening EXCEPT for this line: “your sons and daughters will prophesy” but in the very next verse of our story what happens? Mary prophesies in a beautiful song, The Magnificat. (Luke 1:46-56)

In this song of praise to God verses 51-55 are also prophetic. Pastor Dodge, using Hebrew context, goes on to explain and describe how these verses are prophecy. (Our hope is that you will listen to this most interesting and revelatory insight on Mary’s song). 

Jesus ushered in the age of the Spirit when He came to earth and even while still in Mary’s womb this is still true. Just like Mary, Elizabeth and John, we too are told we are filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s through the Spirit that we can say, “Jesus is Lord!” (1 Corinthians 12:3 “Therefore I want you to know that… no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.”)

In this story we see the evidence of God keeping His word. Every promise of God’s will be fulfilled.

We read Mary stayed three months with Elizabeth and oh the conversations they must have had! Our Christian faith is personal and communal: shared with families, friends, and others. When God’s people talk together about faith and what God is doing, we are encouraging each other in our faith and exalting God’s Name together! Just as Mary and Elizabeth did 2,000 years ago!

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St. Luke’s Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. This book written by Luke, a non-Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus’ life.

This study is great for large group, small group or home group study.

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This teaching is from Matthew 26:1-28.

As we come to these final chapters of Matthew we are exploring the final days of Jesus’ ministry on earth; His time with the disciples, His suffering, His death, His resurrection.  These are days that truly have changed the world and that’s not hyperbole – it’s fact.

In today’s reading – Jesus tells the disciples yet again of His coming crucifixion. He continues to let them know what’s coming and what’s ahead so that when it happens they will remember He had told them these things and they can then begin to put the pieces together.

In verses 3-5 we read of the chief priests and elders scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill Him. But they decide to wait until after the Passover festival is over to avoid rioting by the crowds that are in Jerusalem during the festival time frame. BUT something happens to change their minds from that decision to a decision of “let’s do it now!”

It is no coincidence the timing of what’s coming for Jesus in the timing of the Passover Festival. 

The day before Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem – what we call Palm Sunday – Jesus is at a dinner at Simon the Leper’s home. While Jesus is dining, Mary pours perfume on Jesus’ head. When the disciples call it a waste of money that could have gone to the poor, Jesus says, “When she poured this perfume on my head and body, she did it to prepare me for burial.” Yet another way of letting the disciples know what’s to come.

Next we read about the reason the Chief Priests change their minds to arresting Jesus earlier than originally planned.  Judas, one of the disciples, comes to them and asks what they would give him for delivering Jesus one to them. He was given 30 pieces of silver and then began to watch for the opportune time to hand Jesus to them.

As the day for the Passover meal approaches, the disciples ask Jesus where He wants to make preparations to eat the meal. They gather around the table of an upper room for the Passover meal at the place the disciples had secured according to Jesus’ directions. During the meal, Jesus mentions more clues of what is to come, “My appointed time is near.”

During the dinner Jesus announces, “Truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me” and gives a harsh word of judgement. 

As the Passover meal continues, Jesus institutes the “Lord’s Supper” as a New Covenant. He takes the bread and wine of the Passover meal and reveals Himself as the Passover Lamb, the body (bread) and blood (wine) of the Passover Lamb meal.

There are multiple correlations between the Passover Festival activities and activities of Jesus during His last week on earth.

Jesus is the perfect, unblemished Lamb of God.

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Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6-7, Daniel 7:14, 1 Samuel 16:7

In today’s Scripture, we look at an incredible and great announcement from the angel Gabriel to Mary that she would be the mother of the Son of God, Jesus. In this season of Advent we also look with anticipation to the incredible and great announcement of Christ’s return.  This will not be a quiet visit to just one person, this will be an announcement the whole world will see and hear!

As we look at today’s reading, the question for us is how will we react to the announcement of the Savior’s birth? We can learn from Mary…

The angel Gabriel came to Mary, saying, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!” (Hold onto that word favored – we’re coming back to that!) She was pretty shocked, but the angel said to not be afraid and he announces to her that she will conceive (even though she is a virgin) and have a son.  She is to name Him Jesus and he will be the Son of the Most High – His kingdom will never end. This child being announced is the long awaited Messiah! He is the fulfillment of the prophetic word all through the Old Testament.

Call Him Jesus
1. Jesus = God Saves
2. Son of the Most High – God with us
3. Reign on David’s throne
4. Kingdom will never end!!

As the story continues, Mary asks how this could be as she is a virgin. The angel tells her that the Holy Spirit will come on her and the power of the Most High will over come her and that the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.  The angel concludes with, “No word from God will ever fail!!”

What a great line! Sometimes that seems hard to believe, especially if we are going through a difficult time, but we have a clear word from God that His word never fails, that in the end all who trust in Jesus will share in His victory!  In the end WE WIN!  GOD KEEPS HIS WORD – no word from God will ever fail!

But there’s a word here that speaks directly to us today as we walk by faith in our Savior – “Why was Mary CHOSEN (favored) to be the Mother of Jesus?

Highly Favored
1. 1 Samuel 16:7 we learn that “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the HEART.”  God is concerned about the heart and that’s the heart of the reason He chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus.  We want to have her heart. People look from the outside in, God looks from the inside out.
2. Devout (see Luke 1:46-47) – She knew God and His faithfulness
3. Humble (see Luke 1:48) The Lord noticed her humble state – she understood she deserved nothing from God, but she also knew God is good and everything good comes from Him.
4. Obedient (see Luke 1:38) Her reply to the announcement was, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” She was willing to go along with the divine plan. She takes this Great Announcement as God’s truth!  Our Savior is coming to earth!

We want the Lord to look at our hearts and we want Him to see hearts that are faithful before Him: devout, humble and obedient.

Our reaction to this Great Announcement is to respond in joy and thanksgiving and praise to the goodness and grace of God in Christ.  This is a “WOW” gift!

What an incredible announcement and living in response to it is an incredible way to live!!

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Luke 1:26-38; “Mary’s Story” 

The Christmas story is familiar to most of us, but Pastor Dodge gives us a fresh view of this well know story over the next few weeks beginning today with the story of Mary, Jesus’ mother.

Mary’s name means bitter.  She was born in an obscure village, raised in a difficult time when the children of Israel were in bondage to Roman master. BUT her Son would not only redeem Israel – He would redeem the world.

Very little is know about Mary. What we know is that she was a virgin born in the town of Nazareth, a town not even mentioned in the Old Testament. However, God chose an obscure little town and an unknown young woman to be the carriers of His promised Savior. Though Mary’s name means bitter, God changes things! He turns bitterness into joy! A unique birth, a unique mother and a unique child!  

Today, Christmas is under attack. Yet perhaps it’s more than that. The battle is larger than the attack on Christmas, it’s a battle that goes back to the garden of Eden. It’s not a war on Christmas, it’s a war on God.

The human race, since our fall, has been hostile to the things of God. But! The magnitude of God’s love is that He breaks into our world even when we are His enemies.

Let us pray that God would move in the lives of people to reveal His incredible goodness.

This well-known story shows us many things:
    ⁃    God breaks into the life of Mary and He still breaks into our lives today.
    ⁃    Mary willingly listened to God’s message to her through the angel Gabriel and His Word is still active and alive today!
    ⁃    Gabriel tells her what to name her son. She is to name Him Jesus, meaning “God saves” and God continues to save His people today through faith in Christ Jesus.
    ⁃    Mary asked “I am a virgin, how will this be?” Gabriel responded through the Holy Spirit and the angel goes on to say in Luke 1:37 “For no word from God will ever fail.” God’s promises are assured. He does the impossible!  He does what no human being can accomplish – our redemption! Jesus alone redeems and saves.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit using the Virgin Mary to conceive and bear a Son – God’s one and only Son – Jesus breaks into our world with His saving grace!

Today’s reading ends with Mary saying, “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled” and then the angel left her. Such a powerful example of trust – she hears the word of God, receives it, believes it and rejoices in it.

So much to learn from Mary. She’s not just our Savior’s mother, she is an amazing role model for any who desire to be servants of the Lord.  Things that stand out about Mary that we can apply in our own lives as well:
    1.    Devout Faith – trusted God even when what Gabriel told her seemed impossible.  We too are called to devout faith in God today.
    2.    Humility – humble individual who knew it wasn’t about her, but about God. A truth for us to internalize too.
    3.    Obedience – she listened, obeyed and followed God. Faith saves and when we have faith we will obey!  Faith shows itself in obedience.
    4.    Worship – sing praises- thank God for what He has done.

As we celebrate Christmas we’re not simply looking back to what happened long ago at Jesus’ first coming. We’re also looking forward to His final coming when He returns – when He reigns and rules forevermore!

Check out 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

St. Luke’s Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. The Gospel of Luke takes a look at the life of Jesus, beginning with the well-known Christmas stories. Luke, a non-Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus’ life.

This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.

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This teaching is from Matthew 25:31-46 with a review of Matthew 24:3, 30-31 with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

Pastor Dodge opens on the topic of the “Rapture?” Yes, he adds the “?” as his purpose is to plant in our minds’ questions that need to be addressed around the topic of the rapture.

The word rapture is not used in the New Testament, but Pastor takes a look at the teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 in the light of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24:3, 30-31.

Many believers hold to a quiet, unannounced, silent rapture that’s only noticed after people have disappeared and that happens before the tribulation.

The Rapture is a young teaching going back to the 1830s by John Darby who brought forth the teaching of the a Pre-Tribulational Rapture.

Pastor believes in a rapture – but does not believe it will be silent or unseen, nor does he believe it will take place before Jesus’ final appearing.  Why? He bases his view on scripture and draws a comparison between the two sets of verses using some of the original Greek words to impart additional insight that shows both are talking about the same day – the final coming of Christ. – Not a quiet or unobserved coming but rather something all will see and hear. (Take a listen to the teaching for further insight by going to the link below.)

Pastor then moves on with our progression through the book of Matthew by exploring Matthew 25:31-46 – the Parable of the Sheep and Goats.

Pastor shares a personal story that taught him the difference between sheep and goats.  There are physical differences like sheep graze, eating grass and goats are browsers, eating anything and everything. Sheep tails go down, goat tails go up. But there are other significant differences: Goats butt heads to gain control, they go off on their own and are fiercely independent. Sheep view the shepherd as in control, follow him and thrive under his care and put themselves under the authority of the shepherd. As we dig deep into the differences between sheep and goats it becomes very apparent why Jesus chose the illustration of sheep and goats for this parable on His Return.

Now let’s examine the story. The parable tells how when Jesus returns He will separate the goats from the sheep.  Goats to His left and sheep to His right. He separates them not by what they have done but ON WHO THEY ARE and whose they are. The sheep belong to Him, the goats do not.

After the separation, He talks about what each did or did not do showing the difference between those who have received Him as Savor and Lord (sheep) and those who have not (goats). 

Followers of the Lamb
 vs
Those who are followers of the devil 

To those on the right (where the sheep are – the ones who have put themselves under the authority of the Good Shepherd.) Jesus gives them an inheritance, eternal life forever with Him.

To the goats on the left (those who did not hear or heed the Shepherd’s voice) He commands them to depart from Him to eternal punishment.

Noteworthy: Jesus does NOT say, “I know my goats and my goats know me.” He does Not say, “I lay down my life for my goats.” And He does NOT say, “I am the good goatherd.”

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and who laid down His life for His sheep and we, as His sheep, will follow Him.

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First Sunday in Advent – The Great Awakening
Scripture: Luke 1:5-25 and Malachi 4:5-6a  

The season of Advent is a time we prepare to celebrate that Jesus came, but it is also a time we eagerly anticipate that He will return!

When asked about the Great Awakening, people most often mention the The Great Awakening of the 1700s, an awakening that fundamentally changed what would become the United States of America, and imparted America’s destiny and the make up of our country.

But THE Great Awakening Pastor refers to today is the one that far out strips the awakening in the 1700s.

This is THE Great Awakening that started just over 2000 years ago!  And it has completely changed the world!  Pastor suggests that it began in Luke chapter 1 verse 5, that THE Great Awakening began with Zechariah and Elizabeth’s story.

In the Gospel of Luke chapter 1 verses 5-25 we read the story of the coming one who would prepare the way for the Promised One, the Savior, the Messiah.

The Great Awakening
    1.    Started with Zechariah – the priest
    2.    His son, John, would prepare the way for the coming of Jesus
    3.    Jesus Christ – the Messiah, our Savior who is coming back and the One who sent out disciples to the nations is the message of THE Great Awakening.
    4.    The message of Jesus spread throughout all Israel
    5.    Then the message of Jesus went to the Gentile world
    6.    And then all of Israel – the final step of the Great Awakening – is when the Jewish people return to faith in Jesus the Messiah.

Zechariah doubted what the angel was telling him, and yet, God came through with everything the angel announced and in Christ, God fulfilled every promise of a Savior.  Zechariah’s story serves as a reminder of the faithfulness of God even amidst doubt. 

During this season of Advent we joyfully prepare for Christmas and celebrating Jesus’ birth and we also focus our hearts and minds on the anticipation of His return.  

Let us also be encouraged to pray by the power of the Holy Spirit for THE Great Awakening to overwhelm the Jewish people in coming to a knowledge of Jesus the Messiah, their Savior, the Promised One. 

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