Scripture:  2 Samuel 5, Ephesians 2:14, 16, Luke 21:24, Revelation 21:1-2.

Why is Jerusalem important not only to the Jewish people, but to Christian people? Let’s see what we will discover in today’s study of 2 Samuel 5.

King Saul has died and civil war has broken out in Israel. David is the reigning King of Judea but the Israelites in the northern kingdom are at war amongst each other and realize David is their only hope for unity and for bringing the kingdom back together. A delegation comes to David saying that it is clear the Lord has anointed him as His king and that it is now time for all Israel to come together and acknowledge his kingship. And that is precisely what happened. But what follows is incredibly significant, not just for David’s lifetime, but your ours as well.

After being anointed and accepted as king of all Israel, David proceeds to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites who lived there. But the question is why Jerusalem for his city and not a different city? Herschel Shanks puts it this way, “In non-Israelite hands, Jerusalem separated Israel’s territory in two.” David taking Jerusalem would mean unity of the country because of Jerusalem’s location. It’s also an easily defended city as it is on top of a hill with valleys on all sides except the north which was highly fortified. The Jebusites claimed that there was no way for David to defeat them and take the city. 

David realized there was a way in. It was through the water shaft. Pastor shares the history and archeology of this water shaft and the location of Jerusalem bringing fascinating evidence and clarity to this story of David conquering the Jebusites.

Pastor shares the discovery by Charles Warren in the late 1800’s and also more on the archeological work that has been done recently  in which we have learned there is an ancient shaft and a spring in the southern end of the City of David, when Jerusalem was located more on the eastern side of Old Jerusalem. The Gihon Spring lies in the Kidron Valley and the spring has a tunnel area and it is this tunnel area that ends inside the walls of Jerusalem that the Jebusite never dreamed would be what was used to enter the city and defeat them.

David then takes up residence and calls it the City of David and in verse 9 we read that David became more and more powerful because the Lord God Almighty was with him. And that is when Jerusalem became part of the heart of the ancient Jewish people, but also where it becomes an incredibly important part of the entire Bible story about God’s deliverance of not only Israel but of all nations through “David’s greater son”, the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor digs deep into what we see about Jerusalem and why it has such significance not only in David’s day but in our day:
Jerusalem

    •    Peace – called a City of Peace but has much blood shed over it, the greatest blood being that which was shed by the Messiah, Jesus, for all people, the Prince of Peace.
    •    Proof – the ancient City of David is one of the largest archeological sites in the world. Solomon’s Wall and David’s palace have been recent discoveries along with others like the Pool of Siloam and the road to Temple Mount that show the stones are crying out that these things really happened!
    •    Prophecy – Luke 21:24 of Jesus predicting how Jerusalem would be destroyed and trampled on by the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles are fulfilled. This was reality in the 70 AD when Romans leveled Jerusalem and then in 1967 for the first time in almost 2000 Jerusalem was no longer trodden down by Gentiles. It was occupied by the Israelis.  This is prophetic fulfillment.
    •    Perfection – the Book of Revelations ends by talking about the Holy City, a New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. A city where God will reign and live with His people.

Jerusalem is an historic city, but it is also at the heart of the message of the Gospel of Jesus, and it is at the very heart of the character of God where we will all be gathered together in the the New Jerusalem, the City of Our God!

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

Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart

Join us Sundays 
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

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

Check out this episode!

The Gospel of John Week 7
Scripture: John 4:31-5:29.

Our study this week begins with a look at people beginning to realize that the Jewish Messiah has come, but He has come to be the Savior of all – not just the Jewish people, but ALL people!

Jesus has been in Samaria and now returns to Cana where a high official in the government seeks Jesus out to heal his son who is dying.  Jesus heals the man’s son and the official and his whole family came to faith in Jesus.

Pastor talks about the feasts mentioned in the Gospel of John and how each finds its fulfillment in Jesus.  The feast mentioned in John 5:1-3 doesn’t specifically mention which feast event is going on at this particular time, but Pastor speculates that it could be the Feast of Trumpets – Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year – a time when the Jewish people are focused on this feast’s call to repentance.  

As we continue we see Jesus is at the Pool of Bethesda that had 5 colonnades.  Pastor talks about the discovery of this pool in 1890 and shares some photos of his from a visit there in recent years. He also shares additional discoveries and info that are quite interesting regarding deeper insights into the use of this pool and by whom.

As Jesus approached the pool, hundreds of people may well have been at the pool.  Jesus says to an invalid of 38 years “Do you want to get well?”  There were many there but Jesus chooses to speak to just one person. Jesus, on this Sabbath Day, tells the man to get up and walk and the man walks away carrying his mat.

The religious leaders had added many additional specific regulations to God’s Sabbath Day – rest day. They had added 39 additional man made rules and the 39th rule was that carrying a piece of property from 1 location to another location was not allowed and what this man just did in carrying his mat broke their Sabbath regulations. 

Jesus had deliberately provoked the religious establishment’s petty laws saying in effect “How dare you substitute the goodness of God with your own petty regulations and rules.” And the religious leaders become incensed when they hear it was Jesus that healed him and so now they are after Jesus and they begin to persecute Him and desire to kill Him. Not only had Jesus broken their religious man-made rules by doing the work of healing this man on a Sabbath, but also because Jesus called God His own Father making Himself equal with God.  Jesus claimed deity – Jesus is the Living God come to earth!! Yet they desired to reject this truth!

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

    ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. 
    ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before.

Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Check out this episode!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 27:1-7, 1 Samuel 30 1-6, Psalm 23.

This teaching dives into Psalm 23, a Psalm written by David, and the evidence we see in his life of the heart of God. We will see insights into David’s faith that will provide incredible encouragement to our faith lives as well.

Have you ever been in a situation where everything seemed hopeless? Or have you ever come to a point where you feel that you’re all alone? No one to turn to, no one to help you? There is much to learn from David’s life that reveals where genuine strength comes from.

David again is in need of escaping Saul and returns to the Philistine territory. The king of Gath, Achish, gives David the town of Ziklag, along the southern portion of the Philistine Empire along the coast of the Mediterranean.

About a year and four months into living in Ziklag, David returns from a meeting with Achish, to find his town of Ziklag destroyed by fire and his and his men’s wives, sons and daughters taken captive. They were devastated and their grief was so great they wept until they had no strength left to weep.

David faces a Life-Threatening Situation:
    ⁃    His men blame him for their loss and talk of stoning him; but David finds strength in the Lord his God.
    ⁃    David is abandoned, his men have turned on him, everything appears to be collapsing around him. He found strength in the Lord.
    ⁃    How did David find strength when there was no one else to turn to? David found strength because he knew the One we can always turn to.

We move into studying Psalm 23, written by David. Pastor shares a personal testimony of finding strength in this psalm during a difficult time in his life.

PSALM 23 – David knew the Messiah was coming, the One in whom we find strength!

Verse 1 – God is the ultimate shepherd, the Good Shepherd, the One who can always be relied upon and  in this psalm, David realizes he is not alone. And the Shepherd provides us with anything and everything we need (John 10:11).

Verse 2 – David understood that sheep need a shepherd to guide and lead them (John 7:37).

Verse 3 – Our Shepherd gives us hope, a future, assurance and righteousness (received by God’s grace). We receive strength to face difficulty, to leave the past behind, walk in a way that gives glory to God (John 14:27).

Verse 4 – Even in the darkest day, we do not need to be afraid. We are to rely on our Shepherd who guides and protects us (John 14:6).

Verse 5 – David knew that even in the face of the most persistent and evil enemies, God provides and God strengthens and restores us and gives us all that is needed (John 6:35).

Verse 6 – David understood that life is short, and he knew that eternity is forever. He knew that what God promises His own, is that we will be raised on the last day and will live forever with Him. Our troubles are momentary and God IS faithful, He will deliver His own, and He will restore His people and that day is coming when evil will be defeated and righteousness will reign forever (John 11:25).

We can rely on our Good shepherd with absolute confidence. David understood that, David found his strength in the Lord, his God, in the One who will fulfill everything He has promised in our lives.

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

Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart

Join us Sundays 
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

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

Check out this episode!

The Gospel of John Week 6
Scripture: John 3:22-4:30, Jeremiah 2:13, Ezekiel 47.

Today we look at the character of Jesus and into His identity in the story of the Samaritan Woman at the Well.

Great Points from Today’s Study:
        Jesus is the groom and His people are the bride
        Jesus is above all!
        God gives the Spirit without limit!
        Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life
        Tensions amongst the people were high so Jesus heads to Galilee and decides to go through Samaria on the way.
        Jesus always has purpose and follows what The Father tells Him
        This woman didn’t know it but she needed something from the Lord. She didn’t know that Jesus was going to change her.
        Pastor shares about who the Samaritans were. The basic difference in their beliefs with the Jews was a difference in where they were to worship. Though the rest of their beliefs were the same the Jews did not like the Samaritans at all and would not associate with them or even talk to them.
        The meeting with the woman happens at Jacob’s well in Samaria, at noon
        The time is important as women typically went to get the water for the day early in the morning. But it was noon when this woman was coming to the well. Why was she at the well at noon when other women were not there? We surmise it is because she maybe is shunned based on her lifestyle
        Jesus sits down by the well and proceeds to talk to the Samaritan woman, something that is just not done because men did not speak to women in public let alone a Samaritan woman
        Jesus asks her for a drink
        She’s surprised Jesus talks to her.
        Jesus is not a rule follower!
        She asks why He would ask her for water. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
        God is the giver of Living Water (Jeremiah 2:13) – Jesus is claiming deity.
        Jesus tells her that anyone who drinks the water He gives will never thirst again.
        Jesus is speaking spiritually
        He alone quenches the thirst of our souls – He wants to fill up her needy soul with His Himself!
        Jesus told her much about herself – He knew her – He know all about her life
        He knows us too!
        Jesus tells her “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)
        It is by the Holy Spirit that we understand who Jesus is. The Holy Spirit is the comforter, counselor and advocate. 
        Real worship isn’t where you go, it’s who you know
        Real worship is not a matter of a place, real worship is a matter of a Person. 
        Real worship is knowing the Messiah and the Holy Spirit that He gives.
        Real worship is not about ritual of where one worships, worship is about relationship with the one we worship!
        Jesus declares to her that He is the I AM. He is the Messiah – He is God! The Living God! The Living Water.
        She returns to town – forgetting that she probably is seen as an outcast, and shunned and instead tells everybody about Jesus! She can’t help herself but to share all about Him!

What we learn:
No one in need is ever turned away by Jesus.

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

        The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. 
        The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible. Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before.

Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Check out this episode!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 25.

Pastor’s teaching is on “Anger” today and a particular incident in David’s life before he became king. David and his men were in a desert area and nearby a man named Nabal from Maon is at his property in Carmel for shearing his 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats.

David, having at one time protected Nabal’s shepherds and flocks, sends 10 of his men to Nabal to greet Nabal speaking good health to him, his household and to all that was Nabal’s. They recounted when David and his men protected Nabal’s shepherds and flocks and then ask for Nabal’s favor in sharing with them whatever Nabal thought was fair or appropriate.

David’s words were gracious, but Nabal a surly, mean man responds saying, “Who’s this David? Why should I take my bread and water and meat and give any to his men who come from who knows where?”

David’s men report this rejection back to David who responds in anger with, “Strap on your swords.” He and 400 of his men head back Nabal.

David has revenge in mind but then Abigail, Nabal’s wife, hears how Nabal responded to David and she comes up with a plan to stop David’s intended revenge. Abigail’s chooses to act and her response is not only dramatic it is instructional. 

Abigail’s Response
    ⁃    Clear thinking
    ⁃    Decisive action
    ⁃    Calculated risk

Abigail packs bread, wine, meat, grain, raisin cakes, figs and loads it on donkeys and goes where David and his men were without telling her husband Nabal.

She comes to an angry David and his men on their way to find Nabal. Abigail falls at David’s feet. David has 400 men with him, his temper is on edge, and now this lady comes to him. Abigail asks David not to pay any attention to what Nabal had said. And she says, “let this gift your servant has brought to my Lord, be given to the men who follow you.” Then she asks for forgiveness and goes on to talk about all the Lord must have in store for David, that he is a man who has not sought revenge, but rather did things God’s way. She proceeds with a curse for all who pursue David and a blessing of security in the Living Lord God for David. She ends with a request for David to remember her when the Lord fulfills His promises to him. She says he would not want to have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and then she closes with a request for him to remember her.

Abigail’s response was issued with grace and spirit-guided wisdom with an emphasis on the things of God and it changes David’s heart in an instant. He responds, “Praise be to God who has sent you to meet me. May you be blessed for keeping me from bloodshed and from avenging myself.”  David is convicted.

David is a man who has God’s heart, and even when he has gone astray, he is willing to take correction. 

Dealing with Anger
    ⁃    Recognize the danger
    ⁃    Practice self-control
    ⁃    Deal with the cause
    ⁃    Respond graciously

Only the Lord God can give us the strength and resources to truly control our anger.

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

Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart

Join us Sundays 
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

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

Check out this episode!

The Gospel of John Week 5
Scripture: John 3:1-14, Ezekiel 36:25-27, Numbers 21:5-9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 2 Kings 18:4, Mark 1:14.

Today’s class explores the story of Nicodemus. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin Council.  Pharisees were a group Jesus often had harsh criticism for.  They are all about religion and following rules, and about what they do instead of what God has done and having a relationship with Him.

Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus is a teacher come from God because of the miracles there have been and Jesus responds, “No one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again from above.” Born again is something God does individually in each person. Nicodemus replies with how does one do that? And Jesus goes on to say we must be born of water and the Spirit. Ezekiel 36:25-27 “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” 

Jesus is saying what the prophets have said all along – it is now coming true – A New Covenant – the time of the New Covenant has come and Jesus is saying He’s bringing it! God Himself washes us clean and pours out His Spirit on us and gives us a new heart. He changes us from religion to a relationship with God that endures forever. 

Nicodemus was a Pharisee – he was into religion – but not relationship with God. Jesus is calling Nicodemus to take his eyes off himself and put his eyes on God and take his eyes off his own accomplishments and put his eye on the Messiah who is going to deliver, redeem, restore and renew. Jesus is breaking Nicodemus’ paradigm. It’s not what we do, it’s what God does!

Jesus goes on to say, “so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Jesus is saying He will be lifted up and all who look to Him will be saves.  He’s saying we need a Savior and that Savior is Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Jesus goes on to speak these marvelous words, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” 

The Light shows us for what we are – hypocrites- looking good on the outside but inside we are dead. But now the Son has come and He’s come not to condemn us but to save us! To redeem us!   When we live by the Truth – we come into the Light. 

Jesus is calling Nicodemus to set aside what he has always believed and instead yield himself totally to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is breaking into Nicodemus’ life and He wants to break into our lives too! To give us a new heart and to pour out His Spirit into us.

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

    ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. 
    ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before.

Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Check out this episode!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 24, Matthew 7:20, Numbers 15:37-39, Romans 12:19, Deuteronomy 32:35, Leviticus 19:18, Mark 11:25, Luke 6:28, Romans 12:20, Proverbs 25:21-22, Romans 12:21.

Today’s class is entitled, “Revenge” and Pastor will compare worldly wisdom with biblical wisdom on the topic of revenge. 

As we read chapter 24 of 1 Samuel, we read that David is now in en Gedi and Saul has found out and is headed along with 3000 men to en Gedi to find David. En Gedi is a wilderness area but it has several springs and many caves for hiding. As the story continues, Saul went into one of these caves to relieve himself. Unbeknownst to Saul, David and his men were further back into the cave hiding.

David’s men prompted David that this was his chance, his opportunity to put an end to the hiding by killing Saul. But instead David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. This is action is prophetic. The Hebrew word that is used for “corner” is kanaf. It refers the corners of a Hebrew robe or prayer shawl. The scriptures were particular about what was to be on the corners of those robes. Numbers 15:37-39 “…make tassels on the corners of your garments….you will have these tassels to look at… to remember all the commands of the Lord that you may obey them …”  And David cuts off a corner tassel.

The tassel, was to remind Saul to walk in God’s path rather than his own path, to walk in God’s will and not his own will. The tassel was to say pursue peace, be honorable, be faithful, walk by faith. Saul had abandoned those things and when David cut it off it was a prophetic act showing Saul’s wandering from God’s will.

Next we read that David’s conscience convicted him for cutting off the corner of Saul’s robe. He tells his men that he shouldn’t have done that to the Lord’s anointed king, Saul. David’s men encourage revenge but David stands strong saying that it would be contrary to God’s plan and will. David rebukes the men and doesn’t allow them to attack Saul. Instead David exits the cave calling to Saul and bowing down he says, “Why do you listen when they say David is bent on harming you. This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I will not lay my hand on my Lord because you are the Lord’s anointed. See this tassel of your robe in my hand, yet I did not kill you, but you hunt me down to take my life.”

David holds Saul accountable even as he shows the heart and grace of God to Saul. We see that the activities of a person are a window into his heart and if we seek revenge we are going contrary to the heart of God. We can deal with unjust treatment and  still refuse revenge while still holding the individual accountable.

Saul wept at David’s words saying, “You are more righteous than I. You have treated me well but I have treated you badly.”

What does God say about revenge?
        –         Romans 12:19 – revenge is the Lord’s – God is the righteous judge and he will judge in the end

Resisting Revenge
        –         Love your enemy Leviticus 19:18
        –         Forgive your enemy Mark 11:25 (this doesn’t mean we approve of what they have done, it does mean we let go of the bitterness, anger and desire for revenge.)
        –         Pray for your enemy Luke 6:28
        –         Feed your enemy Romans 12:20 as this can draw them into repentance before God.

Pastor ends with Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” This is how we are called to act. That’s what we see in David and that is what we see in the heart of God.

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

Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart

Join us Sundays 
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

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

Check out this episode!

The Gospel of John Week 4
Scripture: John 2:1-22, Genesis 1:10 & 12, Isaiah 62:5, Isaiah 25:6-9

Today’s study starts with the story of a wedding at Cana in Galilee and the text opens with “On the third day.”  The first day is Sunday, the second day of the week is Monday and the third day is Tuesday.  The wedding is happening on a Tuesday. Why is the wedding on Tuesday? The answer is because of what we read in Genesis 1:10 and 12 where God declared everything as good, not once but twice on the third day of creation and the rabbis said the third day is an especially good day – what a great day for marriages! So orthodox Jewish people have set their wedding dates on Tuesdays going back to Biblical times.

Mary, Jesus’ mother is at this wedding, too. They are most likely into the 4th or more day of the wedding feast. (They typically lasted a week or longer). And they run out of refreshment and Mary lets Jesus know they have run out of wine. Mary then tells the servants to “do whatever He tells you.”  This is a word for us today – to do what Jesus tells us. We are to listen and obey.

Pastor considers the questions: “Isn’t this a rather frivolous miracle? Why would Jesus for His first miracle make 150 gallons of wine?”  Let’s take a look at this miracle in light of what the Old Testament Scriptures say and what the Jewish people believe: God speaks of Himself as being married to His people. God calls Himself the groom and He gives Himself for His bride (the children of Israel). We reading Isaiah 62:5 “For as a young man marries a young woman, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” And the Bible talks of wedding feast banquets when Messiah comes. Isaiah 25:6-9 begins with: 
“On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
    he will swallow up death forever.”

These are a sample of the verses Jewish people knew and now Jesus performs His first miracle at a wedding! This is not a frivolous miracle – this is Jesus saying: “I am the Bridegroom. I am the One who provides everything you need. I am the One who brings in the wedding feast!”  This miracle points to Jesus as the Messiah! It is a dramatic declaration of Jesus’ identity and purpose and going forth Jesus will continually refer to Himself as the Bridegroom and to His people as those who get to be invited to the wedding feast.

Pastor shares other great insight into:
    1.    Why it’s important that the jars where stone and not clay pottery
    2.    The use of the word “signs”
    3.    The 7 miracles shared in the Gospel of John and how they show Jesus’ identity and demonstrate He is the Messiah.
    4.    The recent archeological discoveries that go back to the 1st century.

Next in our text we read the story of the Temple cleansing where Jesus overturns money changing tables at the Temple.  John is the only gospel that has this story at the beginning of Jesus ministry, the other gospels have it at the end of His ministry. Pastor shares the perspective of there being 2 temple cleansing: 1 at the beginning and.another at the end of Jesus’ ministry.

Other interesting points
    ⁃    The temple was to be a house of prayer – not a market place
    ⁃    Money changing was being done where worship was supposed to be happening
    ⁃    Tyrian Stater – 1/2 shekel temple tax
    ⁃    Pastor shares a detailed description of the Temple in Jesus’ day and does a dating of events in conjunction with the building of the temple and Jesus’ ministry
    ⁃    Pastor suggests a book by Jack Finnegan, “Handbook of Biblical Chronology”

Our reading today ends with John 2:20-21 where we read that Jesus knows what is in our hearts. He can see into our very souls. We cannot con Jesus. He is the Living God come to earth and we cannot fool Him.  

Pastor ends today’s class with a look at the Feasts of the Lord celebrated by the Jewish people and how the festivals point us to understanding their connection to who Jesus is: The Fulfillment of each festival.

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

    ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. 
    ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before.

Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Check out this episode!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 21-22 and Psalm 34.

Today’s class is entitled ,”Crippling Fear.” Crippling Fear describes the kind of fear that can easily cripple us. But Crippling Fear also describes how God can cripple our fear. 
    1.    Fear can easily cripple us
    2.    God can cripple our fear

As our story opens we see Saul trying in every way possible to get rid of David, to kill him through any method he can find. Then Saul shares with Jonathan (his son and David’s best friend) that he is determined to kill David and that he won’t relent. And so David has to flee from Saul and he heads to Gath – Philistine territory. David left behind his position as one of the leaders of the Israelite army, his wife, his best friend, his home, his friends, and more. 

David gets to Gath and is recognized. He had thought he could live there in anonymity, but being recognized, he became fearful.  Not just a little fearful but a lot fearful and so he decides to pretend to be insane in order to protect himself. This man who had been so courageous, is now paralyzed by overwhelming fear.

So then David leaves Gath and goes back into Israelite territory to the caves of Abdullah.  David’s father’s family and his brorhers’ families and others come to the cave with David.  It’s at this time that David writes Psalm 34.

There are four timeless truths in Psalm 34 that tell us how God can conquer our fear, something David knew but needed to be reminded of. And like David, that God conquers our fears is something we need to be reminded of too.

Psalm 34 Truths
    1.     PRAISE GOD (even in the darkest of times)  David didn’t start out this poem with, “Woe, is me.” He started out with, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” Praising God is to be our natural response of faith and transforms us from within because when we praise God we are looking to him not to our condition.  It’s looking heavenward versus looking inward.
    2.    GOD DELIVERS – strength is found in God’s inner presence and not in our own strength. It is God alone who delivers us.  As David turns to God in praise he finds God ministering to his very soul, delivering him from fear. David is no longer crippled by fear but sees that God cripples fear!  As we praise God and He delivers us, the Lord Jesus encamps around us. Hi is the One who says, “I’ll never leave you, don’t be afraid, I am with you.”
    3.    FEAR GOD – not in the sense of being afraid of Him – but in holy awe through repentance and in faith and in obedience.  Fear God alone and no one else.
    4.    GOD SAVES – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18  David reminds us that the Lord is close to us. He saves and restores us. He rescues us.

How de we deal with the fear that cripples? The answer is we turn to God who cripples fear. 

We turn to God, praising Him even in the fearful, hard, difficult, dark times. We praise Him because we know He is where we find deliverance from our fear. He conquers our fear. We come to Him in holy awe, in faith, in repentance and in obedience because we know He saves us. He rescues us   IT’S ALL ABOUT GOD!

What will it be in our lives? Are we going to allow fear to cripple us or will we turn to the One who cripples fear for us?  It’s a simple but profound and important choice.

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The Gospel of John Week 3
Scripture: John 1:19-51, Malachi 4:5-6, Psalm 105, Daniel 7:13-14.

Today we take a look at John the Baptist, his questioning by religious authorities, the Baptism of Jesus, and meet some of His first followers.

As Pastor begins today’s class we learn about who John the Baptist was and Pastor shares personal photos he has taken in the location where John lived and preached.

John the Baptist is the one who God foretold through Malachi the prophet: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” Malachi 4:5-6  John even dressed like Elijah: leather belt, animal skin clothing, ate locust and wild honey, lived in the wilderness.  John the Baptist was totally devoted to preparing the way for the Messiah. John 1:23 tells us, “John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.'” He knew Messiah was coming!

Pastor lays out a map of the area around the Jordan River, Dead Sea and Bethany where John lived and preached and offered baptism – a cleansing done in anticipation of meeting God – a ritual washing in Judaism that signified a cleaning off of ones sins – repentance. John 1:29-31, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’  I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

John the Baptist preaches that the Messiah is coming. And He calls Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. John the Baptist understands who Jesus is and in verses 32-34 – we read his testimony: “Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.  And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.””

As we explore Jesus’ baptism – the question is why was Jesus baptized?  Let’s start with why were people receiving John’s baptisms – because they realized they were sinners and needed to repent and the baptism represented the washing off of sin. But Jesus is sinless – why doe He get baptized – because it symbolized His willingness to take on all the sins that had been washed into the river. He goes into the water implying He is willing to take all of our sins onto Himself. And that’s where the road to the cross begins.

In John the Baptist’s testimony says that the Spirit come down and remained on Jesus and He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Jesus is the One who will bring the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 

Pastor shares an overview of the difference between the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and the Holy Spirit in the New Testament and shows us that we are in the Age of the Spirit. Pastor also shares encouragement for the American church to find its way back to acknowledging the Spirit of God that has been poured out.

As our story continues we see Jesus begin to gather the group that would become His disciples. We meet Andrew, Peter and Nathaniel. Pastor gives some interesting insights to these men.

Pastor summarizes this first chapter of the Gospel of John:  Jesus is the Word made flesh, who dwelt among us, who is the very glory of the Heavenly Father and who is God come to earth.

Join us next week for chapter 2 as we continue to learn about Jesus’ identity, about Judaism, about who Jesus the Messiah is, what He is doing and what that all means. We will look at His first miracle – one that many think is trivial – but as we will learn – it is NOT!  

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

    ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. 
    ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before.

Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Check out this episode!