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Liberty Worship Center

Category: 2025 Messages

Notes from church service sermons, Bible studies, and other topics in 2025.

  • A Grain of Wheat

    wheat field

    A Grain of Wheat

    Alone

    John 12:23-25 (NASB)

    23 And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
    24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
    25 “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.

    It takes about 14,400 grains of wheat to make a loaf of bread. Eating one grain by itself would definitely leave you still hungry. If you plant that grain, though, it could yield many more grains of wheat that could be used. The original grain of wheat, though, is “lost” in the process. Was it worth it?
    Each wheat stalk (plant) produces an average of five heads. Each head produces about 22 grains or kernels. That means that one grain could produce about 110 grains, if it is planted and is fruitful. That is more than 100 times the original single grain – 10,000% growth!

    Draw All Men

    John 12:32 (NASB)

    32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

    A few verses later, Jesus tells us how much He was about to produce. If He sacrificed Himself, He would draw (call) everyone to Himself. The amount of suffering that Jesus endured is more than we can imagine. He considered the cost and the benefit, and He determined that we were worth it. His love was greater than His suffering.

    Die to Yourself

    Mark 8:34-37 (NASB)

    34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
    35 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
    36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?
    37 “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

    Jesus didn’t tell His disciples that they just needed to give up a couple of things or be nicer to people; He told them that they had to deny themselves (all of their desires), take up their own crosses (crucify their own flesh), then follow Him. At another time, recorded in Matthew 10:38, Jesus said, “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”
    We are not even worthy of Jesus unless we die to ourselves. What does that mean?

    Service

    Just because people are godly doesn’t mean they are perfect. The 12 disciples left everything to follow Jesus. They ministered to Him, helped Him minister to others, and learned from Him, all while being supported by the generosity of others. Many times, they did not even know where they were going to sleep. They sacrificed much, but they were not perfect.

    Luke 9:46-48 (NASB)

    46 An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.
    47 But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side,
    48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”

    Jesus had just told His disciples that He was going to die at the hands of evil men. The Bible says that they did not understand what Jesus was saying at that time. Instead of asking Jesus about it, though, they started to argue about which one of them was the greatest. Jesus gave them the perfect example – a young child.
    Usually, a child knows that they need their parents. They don’t have jobs, their own places to live, or even how to cook. That’s how we are; we need God for everything. Sometimes, a child will leave home, wanting to be “all grown up.” They soon realize that being an adult is harder than it looks. We all need to come to this realization with our heavenly Father. Without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

    Foot Washing

    John 13:2-4 (NASB)

    2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
    3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
    4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.

    Throughout His life here on earth, Jesus showed us what it means to be a servant and die to yourself. He knew what Judas Iscariot was going to do, so when the devil himself entered Judas, He was not surprised. For the three years or so of His ministry, He ministered to Judas, entrusting him with carrying the money (John 13:29), and treating him like the rest of the disciples. Even at the end, when Judas was about to actually betray Him, Jesus washed his feet, the act of the lowest of servants.
    This was one of His last acts here on earth. He had been teaching the disciples all along about humble service to God and others, but they still didn’t get it. If we begin to think that maybe we have done enough, and just maybe it’s our turn to be ministered to, we need to remember what Jesus did, how He served us, even when we rejected Him. He never stopped serving, even knowing that it was His last night on this earth as a man.

    Deity

    John 1:1-3 (NASB)

    1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
    2 He was in the beginning with God.
    3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

    Jesus has always been God. He was not created. In fact, He created everything, along with His Father and the Holy Spirit. Every indication that we have tells us that He is just as powerful, just as much “God” as His Father. At the same time, He has always willingly submitted to His Father, not just here on earth, but for all eternity.

    Greater

    John 14:28 (NASB)

    28 “You heard that I said to you, I go away, and I will come to you. If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

    How is the Father greater than Jesus? Is He more capable? No, they both have unlimited power. Did He create Jesus? No, we just saw that Jesus has been from the very beginning. Is He more loving? No, Jesus gave His life to show us how to live, then He took all of our sins and nailed them to the cross.
    The only way that I can see that the Father is greater is that Jesus, the Son of God, has willingly submitted Himself to the Father’s authority.

    Not Equal

    Philippians 2:5-7 (NASB)

    5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
    6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
    7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
    8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

    Even though Jesus was equal in power, ability, and deity (being God), He placed His Father above Himself.
    Verse 6 says that Jesus existed in the “form” of God. The Greek word used here, morphe, describes something that is intrinsic, something that we see because of who or what it is, rather than just what it looks like on the outside. The same word is used in verse 7, where it says that He took the “form of a bond-servant.” In verse 8, though, where it says that He was “found in appearance as a man”, the word translated “appearance” is schema, which refers more to what someone or something looks like, as opposed to what it actually is.
    Jesus actually was God; He actually was a bond-servant, but He looked like only a man. He was fully man, but He was also fully God.

    Love

    John 13:34-35 (NASB)

    34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
    35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

    The example of love that Jesus gave us is what He expects from each one of us. He doesn’t just expect it, here He says that it is a commandment, just like not murdering, not lying, or any of the other commandments.

    Submission

    Earlier, we saw that Jesus was and is just as much God as the Father is, yet He willingly submitted Himself to His Father’s authority. Submitting to someone and serving them in no way indicates that you are any less (or more) capable than they are. It does not mean that you deserve any less (or more) blessings or praise from God or people. All that it means is that we are doing what Jesus commanded us to do.

    Ephesians 5:21-22 (NASB)

    21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
    22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

    Some people focus on verse 22, but they overlook verse 21. In the church, and in the home, we should humble ourselves and look for ways to serve each other. God has set up positions in the home, in the church, in businesses, and in governments, because without this structure, we have chaos.
    In the beginning, God created order out of chaos and nothingness. Order is part of His nature, and it is what is best for us – individually and as a family, church, and nation.

    Work

    1 Peter 2:18, 21-24 (NASB)

    18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.
    21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
    22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
    23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
    24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

    Maybe you work for someone that you don’t think appreciates all of your hard work. Maybe you feel like you deserve more money. You might even know more about their business than they do. It could be that you are right. God, however, wants us to show others, even ungodly people, His love and His grace. In the same way that He loved us, served us, and died for us, we should be willing to do that for others. God shows us over and over that if Jesus can do it, we can, too. We can’t live a godly life in our own strength, but with His help, and by His grace, we can.

    Jesus

    Philippians 2:8-11 (NASB)

    8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
    9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
    10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
    11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

    Jesus deserves our praise simply because of Who He is – our loving, eternal God. On top of that, though, He died in our place, humbly showing us how to live. That is why everyone who has ever lived or ever will live will one day bow their knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
    By willingly giving up Himself in this life, His individual grain of wheat has yielded a crop greater than anyone could possibly imagine. Are we willing to follow His lead and sacrifice our individual grains of wheat, so that the kingdom of God can blossom and grow, yielding a tremendous crop for all eternity?

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  • Freedom

    brown bird flying over the mountain

    Freedom

    Free as a Bird

    The other morning, I heard a bird singing, and it sounded like it was shouting, “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!” When you think about freedom, what do you think about? A bird soaring above mountain peaks, without a care in the world? Being independently wealthy? Walking along a beach, building sand castles and collecting seashells?
    Jesus came to give us freedom – the kind of freedom that can’t be taken away, can’t be earned, and lasts for eternity.

    Freedom for Brokenhearted

    Isaiah 61:1 (NASB)

    1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;

    This life has a way of tearing us down. People have a way of breaking our hearts. Circumstances have a way of making us prisoners. Jesus came to set us free from all of this. We might still have the problems, but He shows us how we don’t have to be controlled by them. We can rise above our problems and soar on the wings of freedom that He gives us.
    We were called to be different; we were not called to stay in our captivity to sin, but to be free from sin. Sin is our taskmaster. It makes us do things we don’t want to do, and it uses that to control us.
    We need to stand up and speak to the sin that is controlling us, “I am a child of God. Jesus paid the price, He has made the way, and He has set me free. I will walk in that freedom!”

    Untangled Freedom

    Hebrews 12:1-2 (NASB)

    1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
    2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

    Have you ever gotten tangled up with something – maybe a net, a rope, or even a piece of clothing? That’s what sin does to us. We think we are going along great, no problems at all, then all of a sudden, we fall flat on our faces. Sin will blind us to what is really happening in our lives. I have seen people who thought that they had it all. They had a good job, a good family, and their own secret sins that no one knew about. Then, all of a sudden, it all came to light, and they wound up losing everything. The sin that they thought was bringing them freedom was actually getting them tangled up. Their downfall was inevitable.

    Freedom From Sin

    Galatians 5:1, 13 (NASB)

    1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

    13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

    Some people think that freedom means that they can do anything that they want – including sinning. Unfortunately, that only makes them slaves to the thing that they thought was bringing them freedom.

    Sin is slavery.

    1 Peter 2:15-16 (NASB)

    15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
    16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.

    We should never use “freedom” as an excuse to do whatever we want. God has called us to holiness, not bondage to sin: free from sin, not free to sin.

    Freedom from Selfishness

    1 Corinthians 10:28-29 (NASB)

    28 But if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience sake;
    29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience?

    There are times when what I do could cause someone else to stumble or not understand. If what I do becomes a problem for someone else, I should be willing to change what I do, for their sake. Christian love always puts others first, not ourselves. We hear some people ask why someone else should dictate whether they can do something, just because the other person thinks that they shouldn’t do it. Why not turn that around, and ask ourselves, “What can I do to help my neighbor/friend/relative get closer to God?” If avoiding movies, certain foods, or other things will help, those would be small sacrifices viewed in the eyes of eternity.

    Philippians 2:3-4 (NASB)

    3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
    4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

    Eternity is forever. Souls are forever. Everything we do should be for the sake of eternal souls, our own and everyone else we can reach.

    1 Corinthians 10:30-33 (NASB)

    30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?
    31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
    32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God;
    33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.

    Freedom For Others

    2 Peter 2:18-19 (NASB)

    18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
    19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

    Jesus said in John 8:44 that the devil “is a liar and the father of lies.” Satan hates all of us, because he hates God, and we were made in the image of God. He will promise things that sound good and look good, but they are actually leading to our slavery and eternal death.

    Luke 16:13 (NASB)

    13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

    Jesus tells us that we have to pick a side; we can’t stay in the middle. We have to either live completely for Jesus or not. If we think that we can just be a little good, do good deeds now and then, and “slide through” life, we are mistaken.

    Jude 1:22-23 (NASB)

    22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting;
    23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

    Are we willing to do what it takes to save others from the very real fire that is waiting for everyone, unless we repent? Hell is real; what are we going to do about that?

    Freedom to be On Fire

    In Revelation, Jesus tells the church in Laodicea to get in or get out; you can’t “ride the fence.”

    Revelation 3:15-16 (NASB)

    15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.
    16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

    True freedom is living for Jesus, no matter the temptations or what others might think.

    John 8:34-36 (NASB)

    34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
    35 “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.
    36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

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  • Lamb of God

    white sheep

    Lamb of God

    Easter

    We just celebrated Easter, the day that we remember when Jesus rose from the dead. Let’s take another look at this, focusing on the sacrifice that God made for us.

    Fifth Gospel

    Isaiah 53:7 (NASB)

    7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.

    Many people have called the Old Testament book of Isaiah the fifth gospel (along with the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament), because Isaiah prophesies so much about Jesus – 700 years before Jesus was born.
    One reason Isaiah referred to Jesus as a lamb was because He did not defend Himself when He was on trial. If He had, He certainly could have refuted all of the false accusations that were made against Him. He also could have proven that He actually was the Son of God, not a blasphemer; but He didn’t do any of that.

    Matthew 27:13-14 (NASB)

    13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?”
    14 And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.

    Jesus knew that this was His ultimate purpose – to take our place on the cross, to become the true Lamb of God.

    John the Baptist

    John 1:29-30 (NASB)

    29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
    30 “This is He on behalf of whom I said, After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.

    John the Baptist recognized Jesus, because of the sign that He saw where the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove and remained on Him.

    John 1:31-34 (NASB)

    31 “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
    32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.
    33 “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.
    34 “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

    John freely admitted that he was not the Messiah or the Christ. God called and sent him to prepare the way for Jesus, the Son of God, the Lamb of God. Every Jew, including John and most of the people coming to him, knew that lambs were sacrificed for the sins of the people. He also knew that was what Jesus would do for us. He was the ultimate, and final, sacrifice.

    Vicarious Sacrifice

    A vicarious, or substitutionary, sacrifice is where someone or something takes the place of the original sacrifice. Many years ago, people would sacrifice animals. These sacrifices would temporarily cover over their sin, but they still were not enough.
    At the direction of God, Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac, his son of God’s promise, the one from whom God said he would bring multitudes of descendants. Abraham was completely distraught, but he knew that God could raise Isaac from the dead, even though he had never seen it happen (Heb. 11:17-19). At the last moment, God Himself stopped Abraham and provided another sacrifice for him.

    Genesis 22:12-14 (NASB)

    12 He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
    13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
    14 Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.”

    God always seems to come through at just the right moment. It might seem like it’s too late sometimes, but it never is. He provided another sacrifice, a vicarious sacrifice, so that Abraham did not have to offer Isaac as a burnt offering.
    When we are in our darkest hours, we need to be reminded of what Jesus did for us. He took our place. He bore the penalty for what we have done. He did what no one else could do. He gave us freedom – freedom from sin, shame, and death.

    Suffering

    Isaiah 53:1-3 (NASB)

    1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
    2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
    3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

    Jesus didn’t come so that He could rule over all of us. He came and lived as one of us, to give us the perfect example, and show us that it is possible to live a truly godly life. He wasn’t dressed up in royal robes, and He didn’t have an entourage and guards. When people saw Him, they did not consider Him to be rich, powerful, or influential. People who were hungry for God, though, saw Him for who He truly was – the Son of God.

    Our Healing

    Isaiah 53:4-5 (NASB)

    4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
    5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

    His suffering bought our healing – physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.

    Physical Healing

    1 Peter 2:24 (NASB)

    24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

    Healing is part of the good news of Jesus. Whether we receive a physical healing today or in eternity, He already paid for it.

    James 5:14-15 (NASB)

    14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
    15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

    Not everyone who is prayed for receives their healing immediately, but many do. We need to always believe God for the healing, even when we don’t see it right away.

    Emotional Healing

    1 Peter 5:6-7 (NASB)

    6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
    7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

    There are so many reasons to have anxiety in this world: money, social media, friends, loved ones, parents, children, work. We were never intended to do this on our own, though. God wants to help, if we will only let Him.

    Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB)

    28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
    29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
    30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

    Trying to “do life” on your own is really hard. Carrying your own burden is really hard. Being yoked with Jesus and having Him help is easy, and His “burden is light.” Notice that humility is one of the keys. We need to be willing to humble ourselves and admit that we need help, and that Jesus is the One Who can help.

    Spiritual Healing

    Ephesians 2:1-2 (NASB)

    1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
    2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

    Before Jesus, we weren’t just having a hard time; we were dead. Just as when our souls and spirits leave our bodies, bringing physical death, when our spirits are separated from God, the Author and Creator of our spirits, we are spiritually dead. Jesus paid the price and showed us the way for us to have spiritual life, true life, abundant life.

    John 15:13-15 (NASB)

    13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
    14 “You are My friends if you do what I command you.
    15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

    Jesus calls us His friends, not His slaves or servants. All we have to do is what He commands us to do. The great thing about keeping His commands (not just the Ten Commandments) is that this is how we can live the abundant life, free from sin, guilt, and shame.

    Home

    John 14:2-3 (NASB)

    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.
    3 “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.

    Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for us. He loves us so much that He wants all of us to live next door to Him. He also promises to not leave us here on this earth, in this sometimes good/sometimes bad life. If He goes to prepare that place (which He did), He promises to come back and get us, so that we can be with Him forever.

    Don’t wait. Start your new life with Jesus today. Click/tap here to start your new life. We would also love to have you join with us walking in the light of God’s love. Reach out to us here.

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  • Commitment

    empty tomb looking out at a cross

    Commitment

    Love

    Can God be taken by surprise? Of course not. He knows all things, sees all things, and lives outside of what we call time. He truly is the Great I Am – always present. When Adam and Eve sinned, was God surprised? Definitely not. He knew that we would fail, but He created us anyway. Before my wife and I had children, we knew that they would struggle at times and not be perfect, but we decided to have them anyway. Just like we looked forward to loving our children, in spite of whatever mistakes they might make, God did the same. Because of His love for us, He created us. Just like we treasure spending time with our children and grandchildren, God loves spending time with us.

    Chosen Beforehand

    Ephesians 1:3-4a (NASB)

    3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
    4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

    God chose us (everyone who will come to Him) “before the foundation of the world.” He didn’t have to do it, but He did. His love compelled Him. In the same way that I made a commitment to my children before they were born, God made a commitment to us before He created us. He chose to love us, protect us, and be with us, while also allowing us to have a free will. True love is only possible when it is a choice. God allows us to either choose or reject Him.

    His Purpose

    2 Timothy 1:8-9 (NASB)

    8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,
    9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

    We were not created “on a whim.” God had and still has a purpose for each one of us. God’s purpose is for us to receive his gift and grace that He has given to each one of us. Each one of us has a “holy calling.” This calling is not because of any good deeds that we have done. We can’t earn God’s love; He gives it to us freely. If we were to try to buy it, we couldn’t afford it, anyway.

    God’s Love

    Ephesians 2:4-7 (NASB)

    4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
    5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
    6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
    7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

    When Jesus committed to loving us, He held nothing back; He was all in.

    Philippians 2:5-8 (NASB)

    5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
    6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
    7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
    8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

    Jesus, the Creator of the universe and everything in it, “emptied” and “humbled” Himself to the point that He became a man. He not only became a man, but a servant of men. He did not come to rule, but to serve. He showed us and told us that was how we should serve each other.

    Perfect Time

    Galatians 4:4-5 (NASB)

    4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
    5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

    The “fullness of the time” means that Jesus did not come too soon or too late; He came at the perfect time. He did not hesitate. He committed to us before He created us, so at the right time, He came and lived among us.

    He Became a Curse

    Galatians 3:13 (NASB)

    13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us or it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”

    We were under a curse, just like Adam and Eve were, because of our sins. We have all sinned; we have all fallen short of God’s calling for each one of us (Rom.3:23). Jesus knew that would happen, and He also knew that there was only one way that we could be reconciled to Him.

    2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)

    21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

    Jesus took our sins on Himself when He was on the cross, so that we would no longer be under the curse of sin. He then put that curse to death, because He had no sin Himself, making His sacrifice the only possible perfect sacrifice, completely fulfilling the justice that our sins deserved.

    He Condemned Sin

    Romans 8:3-4 (NASB)

    3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
    4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

    Sin no longer controls us, if we are living in Christ, and are walking “according to the Spirit.” We can now walk (live) freely, without being controlled by sin.

    Our Debt is Canceled

    Colossians 2:13-15 (NASB)

    13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
    14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
    15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

    Jesus took our sin debt that we all owed, and He “nailed it to the cross.” He did this publicly, taking away the power of death that Satan was able to hold over our heads. We no longer have to fear death, if we are living in Christ. Satan, his demons, and all those who choose to follow him, have no right or authority over us; we now belong to Jesus!

    Freedom

    Hebrews 2:14-15 (NASB)

    14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
    15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

    The fear of death is something that is common to almost everyone. Before we were born again, we rightfully feared death, knowing instinctively that death was not a good thing. This made us slaves all of our lives. When we found Christ (or were found by Him), He set us free from this slavery. He bought our freedom with His own blood, with His unimaginable sacrifice for us. We no longer have to fear death; we no longer have to worry about what others might do to us.

    No Fear

    Luke 12:4-5 (NASB)

    4 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.
    5 “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!

    The only One Who we need to impress is our all-loving God. He paid the price for us and showed us the way. Jesus even came and gave us His perfect example of how to live. We can now live without fear. If someone threatens my life, I will not allow that to control me. I only have to fear God – no one else, and He loves me more than I can understand. God is love (1 John 4:8).

    Our Part

    Ephesians 2:8-10 (NASB)

    8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
    9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
    10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

    Jesus paid the price, He taught us, He gave us the perfect example of how to live, and we see that He even planned out the best way for each one of us to live. He has laid out things for each one of us to do. Just like He had a calling and purpose, we do, too. He made a commitment to us before He even created us. He then followed through on each step of that commitment.
    We made a commitment to God when we said that we would follow Him. We now need to follow through with that commitment, no matter the cost, no matter how difficult, no matter what we might think. He always knows best.

    Love One Another

    1 John 4:9 (NASB)

    9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
    10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
    11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

    As Christ loves us, we should love each other. As He forgave us when we didn’t deserve it, we should forgive each other when we don’t deserve it. As He gave His all to show His love for us, we should give our all to show our love for others.

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  • Purpose

    Purpose

    Childhood

    Jesus grew up as a regular boy in a typical Jewish home. His earthly father was a carpenter, so He probably learned the trade and helped His father with his work. Jesus always knew that He was different, though. His mother, Mary, told Jesus about His miracle birth. When He was twelve, He spent three days in the temple, talking with the priests and the religious leaders. Jesus studied the scriptures and learned who He was and what His purpose was.

    Ministry

    When He was about 30 years old (the age that priests could enter into the full ministry), Jesus started His ministry. He spent three years or so training His disciples, teaching the people, healing the sick, and raising the dead. These were critical parts of His ministry, as well as expressions of His love for people, but He knew there was more – He was born for more.

    Jerusalem

    Luke 9:51 (NASB)

    51 When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem;

    Jesus knew what was waiting for Him in Jerusalem, but He went anyway. He knew that He would be mocked, tortured, then crucified, but He went anyway. His love for us would not let Him do anything else. He knew this was the only way that our sins could be forgiven. He kept going.

    Triumphal Entry

    Mark 11:7-10 (NASB)

    7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it.
    8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.
    9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
    10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!”

    Today, we celebrate Palm Sunday – the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey. This was prophesied of Jesus, a prophecy which He fulfilled to the fullest. This was symbolic of His kingship of Israel. Before Israel had an earthly king, God was their king. Then, the throne was promised to King David and his descendants forever. Finally, Jesus came, a descendant of David (through Mary), as well as God Himself. God once again took His rightful place as King of Israel.
    Jesus could have been satisfied with this. He could have said to Himself that He could simply start His reign here on earth, without having to go through the suffering, but He didn’t. He knew He still had a purpose, a plan, a calling, to fulfill.

    Last Supper

    Jesus shared a final Passover meal with His disciples. He gave His disciples some final instructions, washed their feet, established our ordinance of communion, and was betrayed by Judas Iscariot.

    John 13:21, 26-27 (NASB)

    21 When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.”
    26 Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
    27 After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

    Even knowing that He would never celebrate the Passover on this earth with His disciples again, as well as the fact that Judas, a man that He had spent over three years with, teaching him, caring for him, and loving him, was about to betray Him to evil men, Jesus continued on. He went to a place of prayer, to prepare for what was to come.

    Gethsemane

    Luke 22:39-44 (NASB)

    39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.
    40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
    41 And He withdrew from them about a stone s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,
    42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
    43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.
    44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.

    Notice how it was Jesus’ “custom” to pray here. We see this a number of times. Even though Jesus was God, He still needed/loved to pray, so He could stay connected to His Father in heaven. He also showed us how much we need to pray. Although He was God, He was also a man.
    He asked His Father, knowing that all things are possible for Him, to make a way for Jesus to not have to go through what He was about to endure. Jesus knew the scriptures, He was in constant communion with His Father, and He had seen other people being whipped and crucified. Knowing what awaited Him, He still continued on.

    Betrayal

    Luke 22:47-48 (NASB)

    47 While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him.
    48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

    Having someone you love betray you is a pain that truly hurts. If a stranger betrays you, it’s not as bad. When it is someone you love, who says they love you, it hurts even more. To make it even worse, Judas had told the Jewish leaders that he would kiss Jesus as a sign, so they would know whom to arrest.
    Jesus could have stopped this right then and there. He said in Matthew 26:53, “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”, but He didn’t. He continued on.

    Unfair Trial

    Matthew 26:59 (NASB)

    59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.

    The chief priests and other religious leaders had the trial all planned out. They had paid off witnesses, they had the members of the council that they wanted, and they knew that this was now a done deal. They had a trial to show the people that this was a “legal” thing that they were doing. It was “commanded” by God’s Word.
    Even with all of this, they couldn’t get their own “witnesses” to say the right things, so they could kill Jesus. Jesus stood there quietly, saying only a few words. These “religious” people were using the Word of God against the very God Who wrote these words – exactly the same as the devil did when he tempted Jesus.
    Jesus could have stopped things right there, but He didn’t. He continued on.

    Crucifixion

    Mark 15:19-22 (NASB)

    19 They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him.
    20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.
    21 They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.
    22 Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.

    I have heard some people say that we should avoid talking about the grotesque torture that Jesus went through, because it’s too much for people today. We’re not used to seeing such things. It’s not very popular, either. Most people just want to hear about the pleasant promises and blessings of God.
    Jesus could have avoided this torture. He did not have to endure it. He had every opportunity to stop, but He didn’t. He proceeded on, through all of the pain, shame, and abandonment.

    Galatians 3:13 (NASB)

    13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”

    Jesus was crucified with criminals, even though He had done no wrong; He didn’t even sin one time! He was put on public display, being mocked. The same people who had hailed Him as the “Son of David” just a few days earlier now yelled, “crucify Him!”
    Jesus was abandoned by His followers, and even His disciples, to an extent. Since God cannot look upon sin, when Jesus became a “curse for us”, God had to look away. This was the only time in all of eternity that Jesus had been completely separated from His Father.

    Mark 15:34 (NASB)

    34 At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” which is translated, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”

    Sometimes, we may wonder why we have to go through certain things. We may cry out to God, as Jesus did, “Is there any other way?” As Jesus said, though, we must also say, “not My will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
    Jesus never lost sight of His current ministry of teaching, healing, and loving. He also never lost sight of His ultimate purpose: freedom from sin and death for all of His children.

    Freedom

    John 8:31-32, 36 (NASB)

    31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
    32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
    36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

    Walk in the freedom of Christ. Live in the presence of God. Rejoice in all of His blessings. He has given us freedom, grace, blessings, and eternal life. All we need to do is continue in His word.

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  • The Last Supper

    The Last Supper

    Passover

    In the Old Testament, God sent Moses to set the Israelites free from their slavery to the Eqyptians. At that time, Egypt had one of the most powerful armies and nations in the world. The Israelites were a poor nation, living in their borders, doing slave labor, mainly making bricks for the Eqyptian building projects.
    God gave Moses ten plagues/judgments to announce to Egypt. Pharaoh, the leader of Egypt, was stubborn and refused to let the Israelites go – until the last of the ten plagues.

    Exodus 11:4-7 (NASB)

    4 Moses said, “Thus says the LORD, About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
    5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
    6 Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again.
    7 But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.

    God said that He would make a distinction between the Jews and the Egyptians. Only the firstborn of the Egyptians would die. He told Moses that in order for the angel of death to “pass over” the houses of the faithful Israelites, they had to keep a meal, sacrificing a lamb that had no defects, then kill it at a specific time, cook it in a special way, without breaking any bones, and eat it together as a family. They would then use the blood of the lamb to mark their houses.

    A Sign

    Exodus 12:7 (NASB)

    7 Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

    This was more than just a sign to the angel of death. The faithful Jews who did this were declaring their belief in, and trust in, the one true God. If God did not save them, the Egyptians would have seen this mark on their houses, and they probably would have punished them for it.

    Unleavened Bread

    Exodus 12:11, 13-15, 17 (NASB)

    11 Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste t is the LORD’S Passover.
    13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
    14 Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.
    15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
    17 You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance.

    After all of the firstborn people and animals of the Egyptians died, they drove the Jews away quickly. God had told the Jews to be prepared, but everything happened so fast, they did not have time to put leaven in their bread (leaven makes the dough fluffy). That was why God told them to eat unleavened bread to remind them of what He had done for them in Egypt, and to remind them to always trust Him.
    The Passover meal was what Jesus and His disciples were celebrating in the meal that we call the Last Supper.

    Meal Preparation

    Matthew 26:17-19 (NASB)

    17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
    18 And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, The Teacher says, “My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” “
    19 The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

    Normally, this was a happy time. They were celebrating God miraculously freeing them from slavery. This day was different, though. Jesus had been telling His disciples that He was going to be betrayed by one of them, then He would be crucified, then rise from the dead. This was all too much for any of them to fully comprehend at the time.

    Judas Iscariot

    We’re not sure of all of the reasons why Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, but we are given a clue about one possible reason.

    John 12:3-7 (NASB)

    3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
    4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said,
    5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?”
    6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.
    7 Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.

    Judas was a thief, and his greed only let him think about what he could get today, in this life. The other disciples understood that there was something far more important in their midst – the Kingdom of God.

    Betrayal at the Meal

    Matthew 26:20-25 (NASB)

    20 Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.
    21 As they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”
    22 Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”
    23 And He answered, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me.
    24 “The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
    25 And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself.”

    During this normally happy time, Jesus tells Judas that He knows that he is the one who will betray Him.

    John 13:26-27 (NASB)

    26 Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
    27 After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

    This was after Jesus washed all of the disciples’ feet, including Judas’s feet.

    Remember

    Luke 22:19-20 (NASB)

    19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
    20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.

    Jesus told us to remember Him in this way. He wanted us to celebrate this time together and remember what He did for us.
    Just like the Old Testament Passover lamb was sacrificed, Jesus was sacrificed. The blood of the lamb over the top and sides of their doorways was their protection from death – just like the blood of Jesus protects us from eternal death. The Passover lamb could not have any broken bones; Jesus did not have His bones broken.
    The bread in the meal symbolized His body that He gave for us. He took the penalty for our sin and nailed it to the cross.
    The wine symbolized His blood that He shed for us, the same blood that protects us and washes us from all of our sin.

    Lord’s Supper

    The early church followed what Jesus had established. They called these celebrations either the Lord’s Supper or love feasts. The early Christians were not perfect, though. Just like us, they had their own problems. Paul reminds the Corinthian church what Jesus Himself had told him about the Lord’s Supper (again, stressing the importance of it).

    1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NASB)

    23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
    24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
    25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
    26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

    When we partake in the Lord’s Supper, we proclaim His death and resurrection. We also proclaim that we believe in and receive His sacrifice for us. It is His sacrifice that frees us from sin.

    All He had He gave to us. We need to do the same.

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  • Whatever Happened 2

    Two children in plaid shirts gaze into the distance outdoors

    Whatever Happened 2

    Demas

    Paul had a number of people who helped him in his ministry – Timothy, Titus, Luke, and many others. Demas was one of his helpers. We see in Colossians 4:14 where Paul includes Demas in his greetings to the church.

    Colossians 4:14 (NASB)

    14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.

    He also includes greetings in his letter to Philemon.

    Philemon 1:23-24 (NASB)

    23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
    24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.

    This Present World

    At the end of Paul’s life, he was in prison in Rome. Church tradition tells us that he was beheaded in prison shortly after he wrote his second letter to Timothy. In this letter, he mentions Demas again.

    2 Timothy 4:9-10 (NASB)

    9 Make every effort to come to me soon;
    10 for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

    Crescens and Titus were on ministry journeys, but Demas had left Paul, because he “loved this present world.” Contrast this with verse 8, just above this.

    Loved

    2 Timothy 4:8 (NASB)

    8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

    The same Greek word for “loved” His appearing also is used for Demas having “loved” this present world – agape. Instead of loving the appearing of Jesus, and preaching to those who were lost, Demas got distracted by his love for this world. This is the last that we hear about Demas.
    Jesus told a parable about the sower sowing seed. Some of the seed fell among thorns.

    Seed

    Matthew 13:22 (NASB)

    22 “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

    There are many things in this world that can distract us from following after Christ. Sometimes, we can get caught up in worrying about things that might go wrong, or even what has gone wrong. Other times, the deceitfulness of the world can either look very tempting or very scary.

    Fear

    Fear is basically the opposite of faith. Fear can cause us to look at our problems, instead of looking at the Problem Solver – Jesus. Fear is what made Peter look at the wind and waves instead of Jesus. As long as his eyes were on Jesus, Peter was defying the laws of physics and gravity. He was doing the impossible. He was walking on water.
    Notice how Jesus said in the parable that this person became unfruitful. Living only in the world, tempted by temporary pleasures and terrorized by tales of what might go wrong, we can live our entire lives, and never do a single thing for the kingdom of God – or for our eternal destination and reward.

    Laziness

    Jesus told another parable about trusted slaves and talents. A talent was worth a lot of money, about 6,000 days (19 years) of labor for a typical worker. The master was leaving for a long trip, and he entrusted three slaves with his money. To the first one he gave 5 talents, and he earned 5 more, using the 5 talents he had been given. The second one received 2 talents, and he earned 2 more for his master. The last slave received one talent, but he dug a hole in the ground and buried his talent. When his master returned, he tried to justify himself, but the master saw through his deceitfulness.

    Matthew 25:24-27, 30 (NASB)

    24 “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
    25 And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.
    26 “But his master answered and said to him, You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.
    27 Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.
    30 “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

    This slave tried to say that it was because of his fear that he buried the talent. His master said that he was wicked and lazy. God has given all of us different abilities. If we don’t use them for the kingdom of God, we are wasting them. We could fall into the same category as this “wicked, lazy slave.”

    John Mark

    Acts 12:12 (NASB)

    12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

    This is the first time that we are introduced to John, also called Mark. He and his mother appear to have been faithful Christians, because there was a group of Christians meeting and praying for Peter’s deliverance from prison, from their own home. This could have cost them their freedom or even their lives.
    They were also well-known in the church, and it seems that they had some wealth (see Col.4:10 and Ac.4:37). He was the cousin of Barnabas, a ministry companion of Paul. They brought John Mark from his home in Jerusalem to Antioch, Paul and Barnabas’s home base. When Paul and Barnabas were called by God for their first missionary journey, John Mark went with them.
    He was there with them when they confronted a false prophet and magician who was opposing their preaching. He was there when God temporarily blinded this false prophet. He was there when the leader of Cyprus became a Christian, because of what he saw.
    John Mark saw the trials and satanic attacks, but he also saw the power of God overcome them all.

    Retreat

    Acts 13:13 (NASB)

    13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

    Maybe what he had seen was just too much for John Mark. Whatever the reason, it seems that he left Paul and Barnabas with less of a ministry team than what they needed. When Paul and Barnabas were planning their next missionary journey, Paul did not want to take John Mark.

    Disagreement

    Acts 15:37-40 (NASB)

    37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also.
    38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
    39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
    40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

    From this, it seems that Paul and Silas had the approval of the church, but Barnabas did not. This could have ended badly for Barnabas and Mark. Instead, it seems that John Mark did humble himself and he became a faithful servant to the church. Even Paul told others how much he valued Mark’s assistance.

    Colossians 4:10 (NASB)

    10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);

    2 Timothy 4:11 (NASB)

    11 Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

    Unworthy

    Luke 9:62 (NASB)

    62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

    John Mark could have had a very different life. He could have determined that he just wanted to live a “normal” life, just like everyone else. If he had done this, Paul and many others would not have had the help that they needed, then they would not have been able to minister to others. Maybe, Paul would not have been able to write as much as he did.
    If John Mark had not spent a lot of time with Peter, ministering to him and hearing Peter talk about his time with Jesus, we might not have the gospel of Mark today. It’s not certain, but many people believe that John Mark was the author of this incredible treasure in the word of God.

    End Well

    John Mark had a rough start to his ministry, but you could probably say the same thing about Moses (Ex.2:11-15), Jacob, and Abraham. It looks like Mark, after he had failed on his first missionary journey, went to God, changed his thinking, and decided to put all of his trust in Jesus. He was a great help to Paul and others in the church, including Peter. Perhaps Mark did not fully count the cost before he went on that first journey with Paul and Barnabas. It seems that he eventually did, and he chose well; he chose eternal riches, instead of temporary riches.

    1 Peter 5:13 (NASB)

    13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark.

    Trials and tribulations will come. God tells us this; there is no doubt. Whether we are tempted by the world with all of its riches, or we are scared by what ungodly people might do to us, things happen. How we handle them will have repercussions now and for all of eternity.

    Eternity

    Are we willing to give up everything we see now, so that we can gain more than we could ever imagine in eternity?

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  • Whatever happened with…?

    Two children in plaid shirts gaze into the distance outdoors

    Whatever happened with…?

    Sometimes, we will think about someone from our childhood or an actor you haven’t seen in a while, and wonder “whatever happened with them?” There are a few people in the Bible that seem to disappear from the scene, then reappear later; we can learn from their experiences.

    Elisha

    In the book of 1 Kings in the Old Testament, we see the prophet Elijah. He was an incredible man of God, used in very powerful ways. God told him to anoint a man named Elisha to be his successor. Elisha became his servant, always with him, helping him in any way he could. At the same time, Elisha was learning how to be a true man of God.
    After Elijah was taken up into heaven (2Ki.2:11), Elisha became the main prophet in Israel. He had asked for, and apparently did receive, a double portion of Elijah’s anointing.
    After Elijah was gone, Elisha had a servant by the name of Gehazi.

    Gehazi

    We first meet Gehazi in 2 Kings 4:12, where he is helping Elisha thank a Shunammite woman for her hospitality. The woman said that she did not need anything, but Gehazi suggested to Elisha that she did not have a son, and her husband was old. At this time, it was very hard for a single woman or widow to make a living, because most jobs were hard, manual labor. A son would be able to take care of her in her old age. Elisha told the woman that she would have a son by that time next year, which she did.

    2 Kings 4:13-14 (NASB)

    13 He said to him, “Say now to her, Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army? ” And she answered, “I live among my own people.”
    14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Truly she has no son and her husband is old.”

    Years later, the son died, and Gehazi was there, assisting, when Elisha raised the son from the dead. Gehazi was observing, ministering, and learning, just like Elisha had ministered to Elijah. Maybe Gehazi was picturing himself in that position.
    At some later point, we see Gehazi again, still ministering to Elisha.

    Naaman

    The nation of Israel at this time had been unfaithful to God, so He allowed the nation of Aram (Syria) to be used to discipline Israel. The captain of Aram’s army was a man named Naaman, who also happened to have leprosy. This was a horrible disease in that day. It had no cure, would continue to spread, and made the leper an outcast, because no one wanted to catch it from him.
    Naaman heard about the prophet Elisha, so he took a large amount of money and treasures with him to meet Elisha and ask for healing of his leprosy.

    2 Kings 5:9 (NASB)

    9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha.

    Naaman was a very important person, and he came to Elisha, prepared to show him just how important he was. Elisha, though, was not impressed by worldly possessions and strength.

    Jordan River

    2 Kings 5:10-11 (NASB)

    10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”
    11 But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.

    Naaman was insulted. Didn’t Elisha, a lowly (in that day) Jew, realize how important he was? Didn’t Elisha care that Naaman could make him very rich? Eventually, Naaman’s servants convinced him to humble himself just a little and do what the prophet said. Naaman did that, and he was healed, and convinced that Elisha’s God was the only true god. He went back to Elisha, prepared to give him all the treasures that he had brought with him – ten talents of silver (about 750-100 pounds), six thousand shekels of gold (about 40 pounds of gold), and 10 changes of clothes. Keep in mind clothes were also very valuable, because they were all hand made, including the fabric and even the thread.
    Elisha, however, was not impressed. He knew the power and provision of God.

    Jordan River

    2 Kings 5:15-16 (NASB)

    15 When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.”
    16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

    God wanted Elisha to depend on him, not riches from an ungodly king. Elisha was not being rude, just obeying God. Gehazi, however, saw all of these riches that they could have. He might have even reasoned that his master, Elisha, seemed to only be getting by, and there were times that Elisha, Gehazi, and the schools of the prophets barely had food to eat. Besides, Gehazi thought, this was a pagan. It’s only right that he should pay for the blessings of God.

    2 Kings 5:20-21 (NASB)

    20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his hands what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
    21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?”

    Now, Gehazi goes from lusting after the treasures to lying.

    2 Kings 5:20-21 (NASB)

    22 He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes. “
    23 Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him.
    24 When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.

    God wanted Naaman to know that His blessings were not for sale. He is looking for righteous people, not those who could buy their own “blessings.”
    It’s amazing how we sometimes think, consciously or unconsciously, that we can hide our sins from God.

    2 Kings 5:20-21 (NASB)

    25 But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.”
    26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants?
    27 “Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

    Gehazi not only lost his position serving Elisha, he also lost the approval and respect of all of the prophets and everyone else that he knew. Because he was now a leper, he also became an outcast from society. He thought that he would improve his standing in the world, but he totally destroyed it.
    Whatever happened to Gehazi?

    Gehazi Later

    2 Kings 8:4-5 (NASB)

    4 Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please relate to me all the great things that Elisha has done.”
    5 As he was relating to the king how he had restored to life the one who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.”

    Gehazi was now reliving some of his “glory days” when he was serving the man of God. Instead of being a man of God, he was remembering how he once served a man of God.
    What great plans did God have for Gehazi? What could he have been? If only he had remained faithful and focused on God, his calling, and his ministry to Elisha, his life would have been far different.

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  • The Beatitudes (part 3)

    The Beatitudes (part 3)

    Merciful

    Matthew 5:7 (NASB)

    7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

    The Greek word for mercy that is used here also implies a type of empathy. A merciful person cares for others, and can even identify with them. They reach out to those in need.
    Jesus has already shown all of us incredible mercy. If we want mercy, we need to be merciful. We need to be proactive; we need to take the initiative. Don’t wait for someone else to make the first move. Be merciful. Be gracious. Be forgiving.

    Matthew 6:14-15 (NASB)

    14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
    15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

    Pure in Heart

    Matthew 5:8 (NASB)

    8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

    For many years, it has been the longing of my heart to see God. I know that I will see Him when I die, unless the rapture comes first. Jesus said that the way to do this is to be pure in heart. All evil thoughts, jealousies, hatred, lust, and greed have no place in a pure heart. Pure gold has no impurities. A pure heart only has goodness and godliness.

    1 John 3:2-3 (NASB)

    2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
    3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

    Philippians 4:8 (NASB)

    8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

    A pure heart meditates on godly things, pure things. This is where we should live, dwell, spend our time and energy.

    Peacemakers

    Matthew 5:9 (NASB)

    9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

    In this world, we see wars and fighting everywhere. One political group says the other group is hateful, so we need to hate them. The other side says the same thing. Groups of criminals and street gangs do all kinds of horrible things, because they think that is what will make them happy. If you tell people that we need to find a way to get along and live in peace, often you will find yourself being mocked as simple-minded and naïve.
    The problem is that people who don’t have peace in themselves can’t live a peaceful life with anyone else. Peace comes from not having any worries. People will always, sooner or later, let you down, whether they want to or not. Only God will never let us down, because He is all-powerful and has a truly pure heart.

    1 Peter 5:6-7 (NASB)

    6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
    7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

    Jesus said that the peacemakers will be called sons of God. It doesn’t matter what others might say or do. If God calls us His sons and daughters, that is the greatest gift we can have.

    Persecuted

    Matthew 5:10-12 (NASB)

    10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
    11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
    12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

    Jesus said that those who have been “persecuted for the sake of righteousness” would have the kingdom of heaven. All of the 12 disciples, except for one, were killed because of their faith in Jesus. They were all persecuted – stonings, beatings, imprisonment, losing their friends, losing family, and more. It really doesn’t make sense why other people should get offended when someone wants to live a righteous life, but it happens. Maybe, it’s because that person feels guilty for their own sin.
    Notice that Jesus says that they were persecuted for righteousness. If we do bad things, or say things just to offend people, that is not righteousness; it’s just the opposite. He did say that some people would insult, persecute, and lie about Christians, because of Jesus. When that happens, we should rejoice and feel blessed, because our “reward in heaven is great”, because that is how every prophet was treated.

    Matthew 10:41 (NASB)

    41 “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

    Be Blessed

    Receiving God’s blessings is both easy and the hardest thing we will ever do. He tells us what to do, but trials and temptations can get in the way. Trusting Him and relying on Jesus will get us closer and closer to Him, becoming more and more like Him every day. There is only one answer. There is only one truth. There is only one way.

    It’s All About Jesus!

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  • The Beatitudes (part 2)

    The Beatitudes (part 2)

    Righteousness

    Matthew 5:6 (NASB)

    6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

    Righteousness occurs when someone is in a condition where they are completely innocent of doing anything against the commands or will of God. In our legal system, if someone is accused of committing a crime, they are either found guilty or not guilty. The judge and jury do not attempt to claim that the person has done nothing wrong, only that they don’t believe they committed this crime.
    The righteousness that Jesus is speaking of here is where someone is completely innocent of any wrongdoing against God and others. People who long for this righteousness the same way that someone who is starving or dehydrated longs for food or water will be satisfied, which will make them blessed.
    Of course, the only person that I know of Who has ever been completely innocent and righteous is Jesus.

    Sinless

    2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)

    21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

    Jesus never sinned (“knew no sin”). He knew what it was like to live a sinless life. Even though He was God while walking on this earth, He was still a man. He still had temptations and trials. He had to overcome them, the same way that we need to.

    Sinners

    Romans 3:23-25a (NASB)

    23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
    24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
    25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.

    The Bible plainly tells us that we have all sinned, and none of us deserves the glory of God. We had no hope, because just one failure was enough for us to be sinners. Some people think that they are better than other people because they don’t sin as much as they do. Unfortunately, we were all in the same position, because we all have sinned.

    Hopeless

    Jesus told a parable about someone who owed a huge amount of money – so much so that it would be impossible to pay.

    Matthew 18:23-24 (NASB)

    23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
    24 “When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

    In Jesus’ day, a talent was about 75 to 100 pounds of weight, either in silver or gold. Assuming that it was only 75 pounds per talent:

    1 talent = about 75 pounds
    10,000 talents = about 750,000 pounds
    Current price of silver: $32.78/ounce
    Current price of gold: $2,927.90/ounce
    10K talents silver = $393,360,000.00 ($393 million)
    10K talents gold = $35,134,800,000.00 ($35 billion)

    1 talent = ~6,000 denarii (19 years labor)
    10K talents = 192,307 years labor

    For the average laborer (much less a slave), it would take them over 192,000 years to earn enough to pay that debt, assuming they spent nothing on anything else.
    Our sin debt was just as hopeless for us. Because Jesus knew this, He provided the only way possible for our debt to be paid – He paid it Himself.

    Substitute

    Romans 3:23-25a (NASB)

    23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
    24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
    25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.

    Jesus took our place. He became our propitiation (substitute). He paid all of the legal obligations of sin that we had. We literally owe Him our eternal lives.

    Hunger and Thirst

    Matthew 5:6 (NASB)

    6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

    Considering all that Jesus did for us, you would think that more of us would be longing to do everything we could to please Him, and seek His righteous. That’s what Jesus said we should be doing. He doesn’t just say to do this, though; He also tells us that if we seek His righteousness in this way that we will be satisfied. That’s a promise! That is why and how we are blessed, because if we hunger and thirst for His righteousness, the righteousness that He purchased for us with His own blood, we will be satisfied. We will be righteous.

    1 Corinthians 6:20 (NASB)

    20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

    It’s All About Jesus!

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