For those of you that would like to dig deeper in Galatians here is a bibliography of material I am using for the study:
W. M. Ramsay, Saint Paul the Traveller and Roman Citizen (1898) An Historical Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians (1900); F. Stahelin, Geschichte der Kleinasiatischen Galater (2 Auflage, 1907); W. M. Ramsay, The Church in the Roman Empire (1911); A. H. M. Jones, Cities of the Eastern Provinces (1937); R. A. Cole, The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians (1965); E. M. Blaiklock, Cities of the New Testament (1966). E. M. Blaiklock
See you on January 3rd!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
PLEASE NOTE - NO CLASS ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 27, 2009
We will only have service at 9:30am on Sunday, December 27, 2009. If you need further information please call the Church at 913 599 6447 or visit the website at http://www.lenexabaptist.com/.
NOTES: Sunday, December 20, 2009
What a wonderful year for the class. So much clear evidence of God working around and through the class. We are blessed to be in a fellowship like this.
Last Sunday we discussed the claims of Jesus. The discussion was focused around our:
Our Desire
His Deity
His Demonstration
Here are the notes and passages for reference:
1. The Son of God (Matt 26:63-63)
2. The Son of Man (Matt 16:13; Mk 14:62)
3. Giver of eternal life (Jn 10:28)
4. One with the Father (Jn 10:30)
5. One who forgives sin (Mk 2:10)
6. The bread of life (Jn 6:35)
7. The good shepherd (Jn 10:11)
8. The true vine (Jn 15:1)
9. The great "I Am" (Jn 8:58) - We read from vs 52 to 58
10. The giver of living water (Jn 4:10)
11. The light of the World (Jn 8:12)
12. The Messiah (Jn 4:26)
His Demonstration
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" ( John 11:25-26)
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." ( John 14:6-7)
"And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life." ( Matthew 19:29)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." ( John 5:24)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." ( John 5:25)
"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you, for on him has God the Father set his seal." ( John 6:27)
"And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." ( John 17:3)
Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise." ( John 5:19)
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me." ( John 6:38)
So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me." ( John 7:16)
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to Him." ( John 8:28-29)
"For I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has himself given me commandment what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has bidden me." ( John 12:49-50)
He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world." ( John 8:23)
"No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man." ( John 3:13)
"I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father." ( John 16:28)
Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." ( John 18:36)
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me." ( John 8:42)
The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things.” Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he." ( John 4:25-26)
Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." ( John 18:36)
But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. And the high priest tore his garments, and said, "Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" ( Mark 14:61-64)
Pilate said to Him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice." ( John 18:37)
So the Jews gathered round Him and said to Him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me." ( John 10:24-25)
He Is The Messiah
By "Messiah" (Christ in the Greek language) we mean, "Anointed One", a title reserved for the expected King the Jewish people had been anticipating for hundred of years based upon many Old Testament prophecies of a descendant of David who would come and rule over both Jews and Gentiles.
Jesus, while conversing with a Samaritan woman, made this claim of be the awaited Messiah.
JOH 4:16 He said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
JOH 4:17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband."Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband';
JOH 4:18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly. "
JOH 4:19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
JOH 4:20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."
JOH 4:21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father.
JOH 4:22 "You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
JOH 4:23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
JOH 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
JOH 4:25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us."
JOH 4:26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."
He Is From Above
Here, Jesus claims that He came from above, Heaven, where God is. Although He took on the form of flesh, He was not of the earth, but was from the Divine realm.
JOH 8:21 He said therefore again to them, "I go away, and you shall seek Me, and shall die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come."
JOH 8:22 Therefore the Jews were saying, "Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?"
JOH 8:23 And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
JOH 8:24 "I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins."
JOH 8:25 And so they were saying to Him, "Who are You?"Jesus said to them, "What have I been saying to you from the beginning?
JOH 8:26 "I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world."
JOH 8:27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father.
JOH 8:28 Jesus therefore said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.
JOH 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."
JOH 8:30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
He Is Eternal
Here, Jesus claims that He has always existed. He did not originate at any particular time and He will not cease to exist at any particular time. He applies the same language to Himself that Jehovah applied to Himself in Exodus Chapter 3 when He said that He was "I AM" when Moses had asked Him about what His name was. This was to indicate that He is the eternal God that has always existed. Jesus used the same language in the passage below.
JOH 8:52 The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste of death.'
JOH 8:53 "Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?"
JOH 8:54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God';
JOH 8:55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word.
JOH 8:56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."
JOH 8:57 The Jews therefore said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"
JOH 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."
JOH 8:59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.
He Is Equal With The Father (God)
Jesus said that He and The Father are "one". After He said this, the Jewish people reacted by concluding that He was claiming equality with the Father (God). In other words, He was claiming to be Divine. In their view, He was blaspheming.
JOH 10:24 The Jews therefore gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."
JOH 10:25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these bear witness of Me.
JOH 10:26 "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep.
JOH 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
JOH 10:28 and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.
JOH 10:29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
JOH 10:30 "I and the Father are one."
JOH 10:31 ¶ The Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
JOH 10:32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?"
JOH 10:33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."
JOH 10:34 Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'?
JOH 10:35 "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),
JOH 10:36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world,' You are blaspheming,' because I said,' I am the Son of God'?
JOH 10:37 "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
JOH 10:38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father. "
JOH 10:39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.
He Is The ONLY Way To God
Then, Jesus claimed to be the ONLY means that humanity has to reach and have a relationship with God. This would exclude all others along with their religious teachings and ideas.
JOH 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
JOH 14:2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
JOH 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
JOH 14:4 "And you know the way where I am going."
JOH 14:5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"
JOH 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.
He Is The Complete Revelation of The Father
How do we come to know about God? It is not through our feelings, through associating with some mysterious group who claims to have direct ties to God, communing with nature or by meditating within ourselves. We can only come to know God as we come to know Jesus and what He taught through His apostles. He is the full revelation of God to mankind.
JOH 14:7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."
JOH 14:8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."
JOH 14:9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, 'Show us the Father'?
He Would Be The One To Die For Our Sins And Be Raised From The Dead
This claim has to do with Jesus being our Savior,m pro9viding the sacrificial death needed so that we might have the oppoturnity to be forgiven of our sins. To confirm that His death would be unique, He claimed that He would be raised from the dead on the third day.
MAT 26:26 And while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
MAT 26:27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;
MAT 26:28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
MAT 26:29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
MAT 26:30 And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
MAT 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.'
MAT 26:32 "But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."
These are some of Jesus' claims. Whether we believe them or not, it is clear that Jesus claimed to be more than just a man, a teacher or a prophet. His claims go as far as being God, the Son of God. Jesus did not claim to be an angel or any other created being!
Now, why should we believe these claims that He made? What evidence is there that these claims are true? And, if they are true, what do they mean to each of us as far as our salvation is concerned?
The only way to learn what claims Jesus made is from the Bible.
A few secular historians of Jesus' day briefly mention Him, but only Bible writers give us eyewitness testimony of Jesus' life and teachings.
John 15:27 - He told His apostles that they would bear witness of Him, because they had been with Him from the beginning. [Acts 1:8]
Acts 1:21,22 - To be an apostle one had to be an eyewitness of Jesus' resurrection. [2:32; 10:39-41]
John 21:24 - John wrote his personal testimony and testified that it was true. [John 20:30,31]
1 John 1:1-3 - He bore witness about what he and others heard, saw with their eyes, and handled with their hands. This is the basis of our fellowship with God and Christ.
2 Peter 1:16-18 - Peter denies they had followed fables about Jesus. Rather they were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 - Paul declared the gospel he had preached, including the resurrection of Jesus. He lists various appearances, including the one he personally witnessed. Paul's testimony is also that of an eyewitness.
In 15:14,15 he said that, if Christ was not raised, then he and others were false witnesses.
The Bible writers themselves argued that their record - especially their record of the life and teaching of Christ - was based on eyewitness testimony. If their record is not accurate, they themselves acknowledge that it should be rejected as false testimony. [Luke 1:1-4]
Much evidence substantiates the historical accuracy of Bible writers, but again it is not our purpose to present this evidence. The point is that, if we do not accept the Bible record, then we know nothing about Jesus' claims. To reject aspects of the Bible record about Jesus, while still claiming to believe in Jesus, is nonsense. If we do not accept the Bible record as valid history, then we cannot possibly know what to believe about Jesus.
Jesus gave His approval to the teachings of His apostles, saying they would be inspired by the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:16; John 16:13). So we could study anything they taught about Him as having His approval. But we will restrict ourselves to what they claim He personally said or was said with His obvious knowledge.
As we study, ask yourself: Are these the claims of a mere man, even a great prophet? What if someone today were to make such claims? What Bible prophet would make such claims: Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Paul?
Jesus as Son of God
"Christ" is the New Testament word for the Messiah, the anointed ruler of God's people as predicted in the Old Testament. "Son of God" refers to Jesus' special relationship to the Father - a unique position no one else has - the only begotten Son (John 3:16). Did Jesus claim such positions?
Matthew 3:17 - At Jesus' baptism, the Father spoke from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 16:13-18 - Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus said that the Father Himself had revealed this to Peter, but He rejected as inadequate the claims that He was just a prophet. [John 6:69]
Matthew 17:5 - At the Transfiguration the Father again spoke from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is why we should listen to Him.
John 4:25,26 - Jesus acknowledged to the Samaritan woman that He was the Messiah (Christ).
John 9:35-37 - He told a blind man He had healed that He was the Son of God.
Matthew 26:63-66 - During His trial in the presence of His enemies, Jesus acknowledged that He was the Christ, the Son of God.
In addition, He allowed various other disciples to make such claims for Him (John 11:27; Matt. 14:33; John 1:29,34,49).
Did any other true prophet ever make such claims? Did God ever give approval to any other man to make such claims? John the Baptist expressly denied such claims for himself (John 1:19-22; 3:28).
What kind of man would Jesus be to make and allow such claims, if they were not true? Yet He not only allowed others to make such claims for Him, He praised them for making them, He made them Himself, and the eyewitnesses say that God the Father audibly made such claims for Him.
[Cf. Matt. 8:29; 12:41,42; 22:41-46; John 12:13.]
Many other people made such claims on Jesus' behalf, but we will consider cases where it was claimed by Him or in His presence. (See John 4:42; Luke 2:11; Eph. 1:7; 5:23; Acts 5:31; Titus 1:3,4; 2:13,14; 2 Peter 1:1,11; 2:20; 3:18; Col. 1:13,14; Acts 4:12.)
A. Jesus Claimed that He Came to Save Mankind from Sin.
Mark 2:3-12; Luke 7:48,49 - Jesus claimed to have power to directly forgive sins. This is a work only God can do.
Matthew 20:28 - He came to give His life a ransom for many.
Matthew 26:28 - He shed His blood for many for remission of sins.
John 8:24 - People who do not believe in Him will die in their sins.
[Luke 24:47; John 1:29,36; 12:47]
B. He Claimed that Men Can Have Fellowship with God and Eternal Life Only through Him.
John 14:6 - I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.
John 3:13-15 - Jesus claimed He came down from heaven so that whoever believes in Him can have eternal life. [6:40]
John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear my voice and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
Jesus does not class Himself with sinful creatures in need of salvation. He is the Savior! He claimed He could forgive sins and would die to give people remission of sins and eternal life. What true prophet or angel ever claimed such power?
If Jesus is not who He claimed to be, how could these expressions be anything but blasphemy? His own claims compel us to believe either that He is Divine or else that He was a very evil man.
[John 6:35,40,51; 8:51; 9:5; 11:25; 15:5]
A. Jesus Possesses Supreme Authority.
This is again claimed for Him repeatedly in the gospel, but we will note cases where He was personally involved in the claims. (See Phil. 3:20,21; 2:9-11; Col. 1:16; John 3:31; Rom. 9:5; 10:12; Acts 10:36; Eph. 1:21; Isa. 9:6.)
Matthew 28:18,20 - Jesus claimed to possess all authority in heaven and on earth; therefore, men should obey all His commands.
John 14:15 - He expects men to love Him, and this requires them to keep His commands. This is the kind of love that God requires (1 John 5:3).
Matthew 10:34-37 - We must love Him more than we love our closest family members, else we are not worthy of Him.
Revelation 19:16 - Jesus wears the name "King of kings and Lord of lords." He has authority above the highest of kings and rulers. [17:14]
Imagine what kind of person would make such claims, if He were merely a man! Would such a person be a good man and a great religious teacher?
[John 16:15; 17:10; Matt. 7:24-27; 5:21-48]
B. Jesus Will Judge All Men and Determine Their Eternal Destinies.
Again, this is a work only God could do (see Isa. 33:22; Psalm 50:6; 96:10,13; Rom. 2:3,5,16). Yet the gospel often claims that Jesus will do it. We will focus on passages where Jesus was present when the claim was made. (See 2 Cor. 5:10; Acts 17:31.)
John 5:22 - He said that the Father has given all judgment to Him.
Matthew 16:27 - He will come in glory with the angels and reward all men according to their works.
Matthew 25:31-46 - All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will send them into eternal punishment or eternal life.
Again, what true prophet or good man ever made such claims? If the claims are not true, what kind of man would Jesus be to make them?
[John 12:48]
As studied earlier, Jesus and other Bible teachers taught that only God deserves to receive worship. Men should not receive religious honor such as is reserved for God. (See Matt. 4:9,10; Acts 10:25,26; Rev. 22:8,9; 19:10; Rom. 1:25; Ex. 34:14; Isa. 42:8; 48:11; Rev. 9:20; 14:9-11; Ex. 20:3-6; Deut. 6:13-15 Matt. 23:8-12.)
Yet Jesus often allowed people to worship Him religiously and offer Him religious honor such as belongs only to God.
Matthew 14:33 - After Jesus had calmed the storm, the disciples worshipped Him saying He is the Son of God.
John 9:38 - After Jesus healed a blind man, the man said he believed and he worshipped Jesus.
Matthew 28:9,17 - After His resurrection, His disciples worshiped Him.
Luke 24:52 - After He had ascended back to heaven, they continued to worship Him.
So Jesus accepted worship as an act of religious honor. Jesus' own teachings would absolutely forbid this, if He was just a man, even if He was a great prophet.
[Matt. 8:2; 9:18; 15:25; Mark 5:6; Heb. 1:6; John 20:28,29]
John 5:23 - All men should honor the Son "just as" they honor the Father. To fail to so honor the Son is to fail to properly honor the Father.
John 17:5 - Jesus asked that, after He died, the Father would glorify Jesus with the glory He had with the Father before the world was. Jesus was glorified with the Father in eternity.
Once again, numerous Bible passages state that Jesus existed eternally in the past. He is not a created being - as are mere humans - but is eternal because He is Deity. But we will note passages where He was personally involved in those claims. (See John 1:1-3; Micah 5:2; Isa. 9:6; Psalm 102:24-27 cf. Heb. 1:8,10-12; Col. 1:16).
"The First and the Last, Alpha and Omega, the I Am" - We already listed passages where Jesus used these terms for Himself. But all these are names of God which imply eternal self-existence.
John 17:5,24 - Jesus had glory with the Father and the Father loved Him before the world began.
John 3:13; 6:38; 16:28 - He said He came down from the Father in Heaven and came into the world. [John 8:23]
Consider carefully all we have examined regarding Jesus' claims. Who else in the history of the world has ever made such claims and continued to receive a great following? The very nature of such claims compels us to reckon with such a person. We cannot be neutral or ignore Him. We must accept Him for exactly who He says He is, or else we must reject him as a liar or a lunatic or both. Surely he cannot be a good man and a great religious teacher, but just a human being.
But Jesus not only made these claims, He also offered evidence to substantiate them. He fulfilled prophecy, accurately predicted the future, did great miracles, and arose from the dead. That is a study of itself. (See Matt. 9:1-8; 17:1-5; 14:25-33; Luke 24:25-27,44-46; John 5:36,39; Matt. 16:21; 17:22,23; 20:17-29; 26:20-25,33-35; John 13:21-27; 5:28,29; 6:40,44; 10:24,25,37,38; 14:10,11.)
But just by themselves the claims of Jesus compel us to accept Him as the Divine Son of God, the Ruler of the Universe, and the Savior of the world, or else we must reject him as a liar, cheat, and fraud. There is no middle ground? What conclusion do you reach?
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Next Sunday (December 27) we have NO SUNDAY SCHOOL and there is only service at 9:30.
January 3, 2010 we will begin Galatians. Books are in the class. We will roughly follow the book with passages - such as the first chapter - taking us a few weeks to complete. We will go over the outline in class on the third.
Please pray for the class to be seeking God in 2010. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for me as I prepare for and teach the class.
Have a wonderful celebration of God incarnate!!!
Last Sunday we discussed the claims of Jesus. The discussion was focused around our:
Our Desire
His Deity
His Demonstration
Here are the notes and passages for reference:
1. The Son of God (Matt 26:63-63)
2. The Son of Man (Matt 16:13; Mk 14:62)
3. Giver of eternal life (Jn 10:28)
4. One with the Father (Jn 10:30)
5. One who forgives sin (Mk 2:10)
6. The bread of life (Jn 6:35)
7. The good shepherd (Jn 10:11)
8. The true vine (Jn 15:1)
9. The great "I Am" (Jn 8:58) - We read from vs 52 to 58
10. The giver of living water (Jn 4:10)
11. The light of the World (Jn 8:12)
12. The Messiah (Jn 4:26)
His Demonstration
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" ( John 11:25-26)
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." ( John 14:6-7)
"And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life." ( Matthew 19:29)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." ( John 5:24)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." ( John 5:25)
"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you, for on him has God the Father set his seal." ( John 6:27)
"And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." ( John 17:3)
Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise." ( John 5:19)
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me." ( John 6:38)
So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me." ( John 7:16)
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to Him." ( John 8:28-29)
"For I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has himself given me commandment what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has bidden me." ( John 12:49-50)
He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world." ( John 8:23)
"No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man." ( John 3:13)
"I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father." ( John 16:28)
Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." ( John 18:36)
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me." ( John 8:42)
The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things.” Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he." ( John 4:25-26)
Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." ( John 18:36)
But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. And the high priest tore his garments, and said, "Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" ( Mark 14:61-64)
Pilate said to Him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice." ( John 18:37)
So the Jews gathered round Him and said to Him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me." ( John 10:24-25)
He Is The Messiah
By "Messiah" (Christ in the Greek language) we mean, "Anointed One", a title reserved for the expected King the Jewish people had been anticipating for hundred of years based upon many Old Testament prophecies of a descendant of David who would come and rule over both Jews and Gentiles.
Jesus, while conversing with a Samaritan woman, made this claim of be the awaited Messiah.
JOH 4:16 He said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
JOH 4:17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband."Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband';
JOH 4:18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly. "
JOH 4:19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
JOH 4:20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."
JOH 4:21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father.
JOH 4:22 "You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
JOH 4:23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
JOH 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
JOH 4:25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us."
JOH 4:26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."
He Is From Above
Here, Jesus claims that He came from above, Heaven, where God is. Although He took on the form of flesh, He was not of the earth, but was from the Divine realm.
JOH 8:21 He said therefore again to them, "I go away, and you shall seek Me, and shall die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come."
JOH 8:22 Therefore the Jews were saying, "Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?"
JOH 8:23 And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
JOH 8:24 "I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins."
JOH 8:25 And so they were saying to Him, "Who are You?"Jesus said to them, "What have I been saying to you from the beginning?
JOH 8:26 "I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world."
JOH 8:27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father.
JOH 8:28 Jesus therefore said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.
JOH 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."
JOH 8:30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
He Is Eternal
Here, Jesus claims that He has always existed. He did not originate at any particular time and He will not cease to exist at any particular time. He applies the same language to Himself that Jehovah applied to Himself in Exodus Chapter 3 when He said that He was "I AM" when Moses had asked Him about what His name was. This was to indicate that He is the eternal God that has always existed. Jesus used the same language in the passage below.
JOH 8:52 The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste of death.'
JOH 8:53 "Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?"
JOH 8:54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God';
JOH 8:55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word.
JOH 8:56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."
JOH 8:57 The Jews therefore said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"
JOH 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."
JOH 8:59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.
He Is Equal With The Father (God)
Jesus said that He and The Father are "one". After He said this, the Jewish people reacted by concluding that He was claiming equality with the Father (God). In other words, He was claiming to be Divine. In their view, He was blaspheming.
JOH 10:24 The Jews therefore gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."
JOH 10:25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these bear witness of Me.
JOH 10:26 "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep.
JOH 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
JOH 10:28 and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.
JOH 10:29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
JOH 10:30 "I and the Father are one."
JOH 10:31 ¶ The Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
JOH 10:32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?"
JOH 10:33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."
JOH 10:34 Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'?
JOH 10:35 "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),
JOH 10:36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world,' You are blaspheming,' because I said,' I am the Son of God'?
JOH 10:37 "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
JOH 10:38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father. "
JOH 10:39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.
He Is The ONLY Way To God
Then, Jesus claimed to be the ONLY means that humanity has to reach and have a relationship with God. This would exclude all others along with their religious teachings and ideas.
JOH 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
JOH 14:2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
JOH 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
JOH 14:4 "And you know the way where I am going."
JOH 14:5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"
JOH 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.
He Is The Complete Revelation of The Father
How do we come to know about God? It is not through our feelings, through associating with some mysterious group who claims to have direct ties to God, communing with nature or by meditating within ourselves. We can only come to know God as we come to know Jesus and what He taught through His apostles. He is the full revelation of God to mankind.
JOH 14:7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."
JOH 14:8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."
JOH 14:9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, 'Show us the Father'?
He Would Be The One To Die For Our Sins And Be Raised From The Dead
This claim has to do with Jesus being our Savior,m pro9viding the sacrificial death needed so that we might have the oppoturnity to be forgiven of our sins. To confirm that His death would be unique, He claimed that He would be raised from the dead on the third day.
MAT 26:26 And while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
MAT 26:27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;
MAT 26:28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
MAT 26:29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
MAT 26:30 And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
MAT 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.'
MAT 26:32 "But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."
These are some of Jesus' claims. Whether we believe them or not, it is clear that Jesus claimed to be more than just a man, a teacher or a prophet. His claims go as far as being God, the Son of God. Jesus did not claim to be an angel or any other created being!
Now, why should we believe these claims that He made? What evidence is there that these claims are true? And, if they are true, what do they mean to each of us as far as our salvation is concerned?
The only way to learn what claims Jesus made is from the Bible.
A few secular historians of Jesus' day briefly mention Him, but only Bible writers give us eyewitness testimony of Jesus' life and teachings.
John 15:27 - He told His apostles that they would bear witness of Him, because they had been with Him from the beginning. [Acts 1:8]
Acts 1:21,22 - To be an apostle one had to be an eyewitness of Jesus' resurrection. [2:32; 10:39-41]
John 21:24 - John wrote his personal testimony and testified that it was true. [John 20:30,31]
1 John 1:1-3 - He bore witness about what he and others heard, saw with their eyes, and handled with their hands. This is the basis of our fellowship with God and Christ.
2 Peter 1:16-18 - Peter denies they had followed fables about Jesus. Rather they were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 - Paul declared the gospel he had preached, including the resurrection of Jesus. He lists various appearances, including the one he personally witnessed. Paul's testimony is also that of an eyewitness.
In 15:14,15 he said that, if Christ was not raised, then he and others were false witnesses.
The Bible writers themselves argued that their record - especially their record of the life and teaching of Christ - was based on eyewitness testimony. If their record is not accurate, they themselves acknowledge that it should be rejected as false testimony. [Luke 1:1-4]
Much evidence substantiates the historical accuracy of Bible writers, but again it is not our purpose to present this evidence. The point is that, if we do not accept the Bible record, then we know nothing about Jesus' claims. To reject aspects of the Bible record about Jesus, while still claiming to believe in Jesus, is nonsense. If we do not accept the Bible record as valid history, then we cannot possibly know what to believe about Jesus.
Jesus gave His approval to the teachings of His apostles, saying they would be inspired by the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:16; John 16:13). So we could study anything they taught about Him as having His approval. But we will restrict ourselves to what they claim He personally said or was said with His obvious knowledge.
As we study, ask yourself: Are these the claims of a mere man, even a great prophet? What if someone today were to make such claims? What Bible prophet would make such claims: Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Paul?
Jesus as Son of God
"Christ" is the New Testament word for the Messiah, the anointed ruler of God's people as predicted in the Old Testament. "Son of God" refers to Jesus' special relationship to the Father - a unique position no one else has - the only begotten Son (John 3:16). Did Jesus claim such positions?
Matthew 3:17 - At Jesus' baptism, the Father spoke from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 16:13-18 - Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus said that the Father Himself had revealed this to Peter, but He rejected as inadequate the claims that He was just a prophet. [John 6:69]
Matthew 17:5 - At the Transfiguration the Father again spoke from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is why we should listen to Him.
John 4:25,26 - Jesus acknowledged to the Samaritan woman that He was the Messiah (Christ).
John 9:35-37 - He told a blind man He had healed that He was the Son of God.
Matthew 26:63-66 - During His trial in the presence of His enemies, Jesus acknowledged that He was the Christ, the Son of God.
In addition, He allowed various other disciples to make such claims for Him (John 11:27; Matt. 14:33; John 1:29,34,49).
Did any other true prophet ever make such claims? Did God ever give approval to any other man to make such claims? John the Baptist expressly denied such claims for himself (John 1:19-22; 3:28).
What kind of man would Jesus be to make and allow such claims, if they were not true? Yet He not only allowed others to make such claims for Him, He praised them for making them, He made them Himself, and the eyewitnesses say that God the Father audibly made such claims for Him.
[Cf. Matt. 8:29; 12:41,42; 22:41-46; John 12:13.]
Many other people made such claims on Jesus' behalf, but we will consider cases where it was claimed by Him or in His presence. (See John 4:42; Luke 2:11; Eph. 1:7; 5:23; Acts 5:31; Titus 1:3,4; 2:13,14; 2 Peter 1:1,11; 2:20; 3:18; Col. 1:13,14; Acts 4:12.)
A. Jesus Claimed that He Came to Save Mankind from Sin.
Mark 2:3-12; Luke 7:48,49 - Jesus claimed to have power to directly forgive sins. This is a work only God can do.
Matthew 20:28 - He came to give His life a ransom for many.
Matthew 26:28 - He shed His blood for many for remission of sins.
John 8:24 - People who do not believe in Him will die in their sins.
[Luke 24:47; John 1:29,36; 12:47]
B. He Claimed that Men Can Have Fellowship with God and Eternal Life Only through Him.
John 14:6 - I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.
John 3:13-15 - Jesus claimed He came down from heaven so that whoever believes in Him can have eternal life. [6:40]
John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear my voice and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
Jesus does not class Himself with sinful creatures in need of salvation. He is the Savior! He claimed He could forgive sins and would die to give people remission of sins and eternal life. What true prophet or angel ever claimed such power?
If Jesus is not who He claimed to be, how could these expressions be anything but blasphemy? His own claims compel us to believe either that He is Divine or else that He was a very evil man.
[John 6:35,40,51; 8:51; 9:5; 11:25; 15:5]
A. Jesus Possesses Supreme Authority.
This is again claimed for Him repeatedly in the gospel, but we will note cases where He was personally involved in the claims. (See Phil. 3:20,21; 2:9-11; Col. 1:16; John 3:31; Rom. 9:5; 10:12; Acts 10:36; Eph. 1:21; Isa. 9:6.)
Matthew 28:18,20 - Jesus claimed to possess all authority in heaven and on earth; therefore, men should obey all His commands.
John 14:15 - He expects men to love Him, and this requires them to keep His commands. This is the kind of love that God requires (1 John 5:3).
Matthew 10:34-37 - We must love Him more than we love our closest family members, else we are not worthy of Him.
Revelation 19:16 - Jesus wears the name "King of kings and Lord of lords." He has authority above the highest of kings and rulers. [17:14]
Imagine what kind of person would make such claims, if He were merely a man! Would such a person be a good man and a great religious teacher?
[John 16:15; 17:10; Matt. 7:24-27; 5:21-48]
B. Jesus Will Judge All Men and Determine Their Eternal Destinies.
Again, this is a work only God could do (see Isa. 33:22; Psalm 50:6; 96:10,13; Rom. 2:3,5,16). Yet the gospel often claims that Jesus will do it. We will focus on passages where Jesus was present when the claim was made. (See 2 Cor. 5:10; Acts 17:31.)
John 5:22 - He said that the Father has given all judgment to Him.
Matthew 16:27 - He will come in glory with the angels and reward all men according to their works.
Matthew 25:31-46 - All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will send them into eternal punishment or eternal life.
Again, what true prophet or good man ever made such claims? If the claims are not true, what kind of man would Jesus be to make them?
[John 12:48]
As studied earlier, Jesus and other Bible teachers taught that only God deserves to receive worship. Men should not receive religious honor such as is reserved for God. (See Matt. 4:9,10; Acts 10:25,26; Rev. 22:8,9; 19:10; Rom. 1:25; Ex. 34:14; Isa. 42:8; 48:11; Rev. 9:20; 14:9-11; Ex. 20:3-6; Deut. 6:13-15 Matt. 23:8-12.)
Yet Jesus often allowed people to worship Him religiously and offer Him religious honor such as belongs only to God.
Matthew 14:33 - After Jesus had calmed the storm, the disciples worshipped Him saying He is the Son of God.
John 9:38 - After Jesus healed a blind man, the man said he believed and he worshipped Jesus.
Matthew 28:9,17 - After His resurrection, His disciples worshiped Him.
Luke 24:52 - After He had ascended back to heaven, they continued to worship Him.
So Jesus accepted worship as an act of religious honor. Jesus' own teachings would absolutely forbid this, if He was just a man, even if He was a great prophet.
[Matt. 8:2; 9:18; 15:25; Mark 5:6; Heb. 1:6; John 20:28,29]
John 5:23 - All men should honor the Son "just as" they honor the Father. To fail to so honor the Son is to fail to properly honor the Father.
John 17:5 - Jesus asked that, after He died, the Father would glorify Jesus with the glory He had with the Father before the world was. Jesus was glorified with the Father in eternity.
Once again, numerous Bible passages state that Jesus existed eternally in the past. He is not a created being - as are mere humans - but is eternal because He is Deity. But we will note passages where He was personally involved in those claims. (See John 1:1-3; Micah 5:2; Isa. 9:6; Psalm 102:24-27 cf. Heb. 1:8,10-12; Col. 1:16).
"The First and the Last, Alpha and Omega, the I Am" - We already listed passages where Jesus used these terms for Himself. But all these are names of God which imply eternal self-existence.
John 17:5,24 - Jesus had glory with the Father and the Father loved Him before the world began.
John 3:13; 6:38; 16:28 - He said He came down from the Father in Heaven and came into the world. [John 8:23]
Consider carefully all we have examined regarding Jesus' claims. Who else in the history of the world has ever made such claims and continued to receive a great following? The very nature of such claims compels us to reckon with such a person. We cannot be neutral or ignore Him. We must accept Him for exactly who He says He is, or else we must reject him as a liar or a lunatic or both. Surely he cannot be a good man and a great religious teacher, but just a human being.
But Jesus not only made these claims, He also offered evidence to substantiate them. He fulfilled prophecy, accurately predicted the future, did great miracles, and arose from the dead. That is a study of itself. (See Matt. 9:1-8; 17:1-5; 14:25-33; Luke 24:25-27,44-46; John 5:36,39; Matt. 16:21; 17:22,23; 20:17-29; 26:20-25,33-35; John 13:21-27; 5:28,29; 6:40,44; 10:24,25,37,38; 14:10,11.)
But just by themselves the claims of Jesus compel us to accept Him as the Divine Son of God, the Ruler of the Universe, and the Savior of the world, or else we must reject him as a liar, cheat, and fraud. There is no middle ground? What conclusion do you reach?
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Next Sunday (December 27) we have NO SUNDAY SCHOOL and there is only service at 9:30.
January 3, 2010 we will begin Galatians. Books are in the class. We will roughly follow the book with passages - such as the first chapter - taking us a few weeks to complete. We will go over the outline in class on the third.
Please pray for the class to be seeking God in 2010. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for me as I prepare for and teach the class.
Have a wonderful celebration of God incarnate!!!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
December
It is a great gift to be involved with such a great class!
Not only does the class work to support others, like serving the seniors on Friday night, but the class prays for one another, brings breakfast on Sunday Mornings, babysits for each other, and cleans up the Sanctuary every Sunday. Even more encouraging is the amount of servants we have that volunteer week in and week out - teaching the children, helping with service like the video ministry, and even coaching upward. We are truly blessed.
December is a great month to see how God has so clearly shown His sovereignty in our lives through our specific marriages and our family of God. We spoke a bit this morning about our commitment to encourage one another, especially the believers in Christ. We spoke about what we:
Adore about Christ
Believe about Christ
Take Counsel from Christ
I encourage each of you into next week to think about the gifts given around you as we think about the Christ who didn't just say He was the ONLY way. He also said things like "I saw satan fall" and "if you don't know Me you don't know My Father".
Next Sunday we will review how Christ is different and how this Gift is not by accident or similar to anything else.
Please pray for the prayer requests from today. Please encourage your spouse this week. Please encourage your kids this week. Think of God saying "Well done good and faithful servant" - let the rest shed off of you. Keep focused.
We love you all.
Andrew
Not only does the class work to support others, like serving the seniors on Friday night, but the class prays for one another, brings breakfast on Sunday Mornings, babysits for each other, and cleans up the Sanctuary every Sunday. Even more encouraging is the amount of servants we have that volunteer week in and week out - teaching the children, helping with service like the video ministry, and even coaching upward. We are truly blessed.
December is a great month to see how God has so clearly shown His sovereignty in our lives through our specific marriages and our family of God. We spoke a bit this morning about our commitment to encourage one another, especially the believers in Christ. We spoke about what we:
Adore about Christ
Believe about Christ
Take Counsel from Christ
I encourage each of you into next week to think about the gifts given around you as we think about the Christ who didn't just say He was the ONLY way. He also said things like "I saw satan fall" and "if you don't know Me you don't know My Father".
Next Sunday we will review how Christ is different and how this Gift is not by accident or similar to anything else.
Please pray for the prayer requests from today. Please encourage your spouse this week. Please encourage your kids this week. Think of God saying "Well done good and faithful servant" - let the rest shed off of you. Keep focused.
We love you all.
Andrew
Monday, December 7, 2009
Welcome Back!
Excited to be back blogging again after a short break for the video series on Love and Respect.
We will be updating the blog with bible study notes, calendar and announcement items, and other class or church information.
We will not be publishing personal information such as prayer requests, names, addresses, numbers, etc
As always, please feel free to ask questions or raise issues anonymously if necessary.
In Christ,
Andrew
We will be updating the blog with bible study notes, calendar and announcement items, and other class or church information.
We will not be publishing personal information such as prayer requests, names, addresses, numbers, etc
As always, please feel free to ask questions or raise issues anonymously if necessary.
In Christ,
Andrew
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