We learned a bit about the Pharisees last time: “Because of their refusal to humble themselves to God’s offer of righteousness through Jesus Christ, the Pharisees and lawyers continued in their own legalistic ways to establish their own righteousness. And they continued to lord over the people by imposing their own expanded version of the Mosaic law upon them.”
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Light and Darkness
I remember as a boy being scared of our basement. There was an old oil furnace in the back of this small cellar with a dark and foreboding area behind it. I often saw “ghosts” and “monsters” back there. I remember once being trapped on the stairs—in the dark—and seeing the glowing red eyes of some creature making its way to devour me. Thankfully, I was able to get the door open and return to the light of the kitchen. Light brings deliverance and peace. God is light.
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Fear Not; Shine Forth
What are you afraid of? Pain, suffering, poverty, sickness, looking foolish, losing love, being disliked, failing at your job, a bad marriage, a country in chaos? There is plenty to fear if we let our minds go that route. But God gave you free will and the ability to think His thoughts. Then you can claim His power and shine forth for Him!
I used to care a lot about what people thought of me. In fact, in high school I tried to be everybody’s friend. I was eventually class president and had made a name for myself, but I really didn’t have that many close friends. Even worse, I would change my opinions based upon who I was with in order to please them. This chameleon lifestyle was hard to keep, because it would change with each social environment.
We most recently witnessed Jesus raising up a young man from the dead! Following this, word about Jesus spread throughout all Judea and even further.
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Witnesses of Christ
Witnesses in a court of law must tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” They even swear on a Bible (the ultimate truth) and say “so help me God.” Jesus was God’s true witness of what the Father is and what He will do for us. Jesus was God’s Word—His communication to mankind—in physical form. And therefore, he bore witness of what the Scriptures promised he would be.
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What I Don’t Do
Many Christians are concerned about what they do in life. That is reasonable. But I’m learning how important it is to “not do” things. Some people like to talk about sins—of commission and omission. In other words, the mistakes we make from what we do or don’t do. Our actions proceed from our hearts. What did Jesus say about this?
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Trilogy of Truth
God our Creator and Father
In the beginning, moved His hand
And built the world His love had planned,
A living, resting place for man,
Creator God and Father.
Then on the sixth and final day,
With earth and heavens fully laid,
From red earth forming Adam’s race,
Created in His image.
Not only flesh and bone and breath,
But with His spirit’s perfect rest,
Free from pain and sin and death,
Created thus to know Him.
Yet Satan tricked this primal pair,
With pride and greed, he set the snare,
Bringing loss and great despair,
Creation groaned in sadness.
But God’s first promise soon He said,
The woman’s seed, would crush his head,
A suffering savior, though made dead,
Creation’s hope arisen.
O Praise the Lord, our God and King,
To the Creator, voices ring,
He gave His Son, our life to bring,
Creator, now our Father.
God, the Holy Spirit, and His Word
From ages past, God’s holy ones,
Spoke of all, the Lord had done,
And how He would, send forth His Son,
His Word would be accomplished.
Noah, Moses, Jesse’s son,
Isaiah, Micah—every one,
Looked to the day, Messiah comes,
The Word made flesh to save us.
An angel told, a humble maid,
That she’d conceive, and bear by grace,
The one for whom, the prophets prayed,
Fulfilling His Word for us.
“God is Spirit,” Jesus told
A woman at the well of old,
As he fulfilled the ancient scrolls,
The living Word among us.
Each jot and tittle, ever true,
God-breathed and faithful, makes us new,
Born of His spirit, me and you.
The Word of Life—salvation.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
What price could pay, the guilt of sin?
Could ever man, be whole again?
A second Adam, victory win?
God never will forsake us.
Cast from the garden’s, precious home,
Where evil spirits, haunt and roam,
Adam’s sons, seemed all alone,
But God would not forsake them.
The flood’s destruction, came at last,
When Noah stood, on God’s Word fast,
From his son, Shem, would come to pass,
The promise of a Savior.
Bearing all our sin and strife,
Never time, for home or wife,
Jesus lived a perfect life,
On the cross to save us.
What happened, that “accepted year,”
When Jesus’ voice, rang true and clear?
He overcame sin, death, and fear.
Our risen Lord redeems us.
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Shepherds for the Lord
Let’s see God’s loving heart toward us as our Father as a Shepherd, and how His only Son Jesus Christ (who made known the Father) is also a good shepherd. Through Christ, we can be good shepherds ourselves.
Last time, we rejoiced to hear about the healing of the centurion’s servant in Capernaum. We did not actually see him healed because Jesus did not even have to go to the centurion’s home! He simply “spoke the word” and the beloved servant was healed.