Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Gift Options

 My favorite Devotional book of all time: 52 weeks of selected readings from heroes of faith in history focusing on six major areas of spiritual formation.

https://www.amazon.com/Devotional-Classics-Selected-Readings-Individuals/dp/0060777508/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=598611839187&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1025954&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4960347664243133983&hvtargid=kwd-316342953483&hydadcr=8295_13544343&keywords=devotional+classics+richard+foster&qid=1684363521&sr=8-1

My favorite Keyword Study Bible: 

ESV - Hebrew Greek Keyword Study Bible

https://www.amazon.com/Hebrew-Greek-Key-Word-Study-Bible/dp/0899579132/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3U8T9HURYBO72&keywords=bible+word+study+book+hebrew+greek&qid=1684363833&sprefix=bible+word+study+book+hebrew+greek%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-3


One of my favorite word study resources: 

Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary

https://www.amazon.com/Mounces-Complete-Expository-Dictionary-Testament/dp/0310248787/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RIMN3B3MPZ8C&keywords=Mounce%27s+Complete+Expository+Dictionary+of+Old+and+New+Testament+Words&qid=1684363999&sprefix=mounce%27s+complete+expository+dictionary+of+old+and+new+testament+words%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1


My favorite church history books: 

Church History - Everett Ferguson - Vol 1

https://www.amazon.com/Church-History-One-Pre-Reformation-Intellectual-ebook/dp/B00CW4VQ4Q/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22VECT694CEL4&keywords=church+history+ferguson&qid=1684363733&sprefix=church+history+ferguson%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-1

Church History - Everett Ferguson - Vol 2

https://www.amazon.com/Church-History-Two-Pre-Reformation-Intellectual-ebook/dp/B00A9USDE6/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3NVCPNL4I4AIH&keywords=church+history+vol+2+ferguson&qid=1684363787&sprefix=church+history+vol+2ferguson%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-3

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

UCSC From Death to Life

 

What’s in the box?”

(Ginny Richards, Readers Digest 9/08 p. 86)

https://www.rd.com/jokes/family/page/2/

Romans 6:23  For the Wages of Sin is Death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Final Destination Movie - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195714/


-       Clap your hands, all you peoples, shout to God with a the voice of triumph! – Psalm 47:1

-       Great is the Lord, and most worth of praise, in the city of God, his holy mountain – Psalm 48:1

-       The mighty one, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth, from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets!  - Psalm 50:1!


Psalm 49:10-14 tells us:

“… all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. <Selah>  Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.”

·           Ps. 89:48 “What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave?”

·           Job talks to God and says: “I know you will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living.” Job 30:23

·           Ecclesiastes warns us - “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 

Ecclesiastes 7:2 says “Better to go to the house of mourning (the place of death) than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.” (NKJV)

 Psalm 90:12 says it more plainly “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (NIV)


Alfred Nobel - https://www.history.com/news/did-a-premature-obituary-inspire-the-nobel-prize

“Every man ought to have the chance to correct his epitaph in midstream and write a new one.”

Genesis 2:16-17 “the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

“… sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” Romans 5:12

The AeneidBook 8, starting on line 485: - (Written about 25 years before Jesus’ birth)…

The living and the dead at his command
Were coupled, face to face, and hand to hand,
Till, chok’d with stench, in loath’d embraces tied,
The ling’ring wretches pin’d away and died.


https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/library/article/id/1794/this-body-death.htm

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Verg.+A.+8.470&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0052

Romans 6:23  “For the wages of sin is death, …… BUT the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ps 49:15 says it this way: “God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.”


“The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, YET NONE OF THEM RECEIVED what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that ONLY together with us would they be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:38-40

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” Philippians 1:21-23

 

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Power 7 Class #1 - Logos

 Class #1 Intro - LOGOS

  • Bell Ringer Question: Poll Everywhere
    • Who was the Author of the Gospel of John?
      • John the Baptizer
      • John a Son of Thunder
      • John Mark the Missionary
      • John the Father of Peter
  • Prayer for Wisdom:

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

  • Greek: LOGOS - λόγος- Word - Lamda, Omicron, Gamma, Omicron, Sigma
    • John 1:1 - ᾿Εν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος.
    • John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
    • https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3056/kjv/tr/0-1/
    • 330x in NT
      • Used for Jesus in:
        • John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
        • John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
        • Hebrews 4:12 (Maybe?) For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
        • Revelation 19:13 - He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 

 

  • Passage: John 1:1-18

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 were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son[d] from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.[e] 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God,[f] who is at the Father's side,[g] he has made him known.

From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=ESV>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-2e9mMf7E8

  • Authorship:
    • Eyewitness
      • 1:14 - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
      • 19:34-36  But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.  He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 
    • Extant Sources - John > Polycarp > Irenaeus (130-202AD)

Eusebius Hist. Eccl. 2.23.1-4; 4.14.3-8; 5.8.4 (313 AD - Began Writing HE)

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250104.htm

  • Date & Location of Composition:
    • The majority of scholars date the Gospel in the period AD 90-100, though some have dated it much earlier <https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/intros/john.cfm>
    • Eusebius - Early church tradition suggests that that John composed his Gospel in Ephesus (Asia Minor). An example of this is the testimony of Irenaeus: "Then John, the disciple of the Lord, who had even rested on his breast, himself also gave forth the Gospel, while he was living at Ephesus in Asia."  https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250105.htm
  • Purpose:
    • John specifically states his purpose in 20:31, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
    • The Muratorian Canon (170 AD Table of Contents) says that, " The fourth Gospel is that of John, one of the disciples. When his fellow-disciples and bishops entreated him, he said, "Fast ye now with me for the space of three days, and let us recount to each other whatever may be revealed to each of us." On the same night it was revealed to Andrew, one of the apostles, that John should narrate all things in his own name as they called them to mind.28 And hence, although different points29 are taught us in the several books of the Gospels, there is no difference as regards the faith of believers, inasmuch as in all of them all things are related under one imperial Spirit,30 which concern the Lord's nativity, His passion, His resurrection, His conversation with His disciples, and His twofold advent,-the first in the humiliation of rejection, which is now past, and the second in the glory of royal power, which is yet in the future. What marvel is it, then, that John brings forward these several things31 so constantly in his epistles also, saying in his own person, "What we have seen with our eyes, and heard with our ears, and our hands have handled, that have we written."32 For thus he professes himself to be not only the eye-witness, but also the hearer; and besides that, the historian of all the wondrous facts concerning the Lord in their order.
    • https://archive.org/details/cu31924091353528/page/n43/mode/2up
    • http://prenicea.net/doc2/29954-en-01.pdf
  • Audience - Friends in Ephesus
  • Major Themes: What do you think?
  • Discussion Questions:
    • Seven Titles in John 1

In chapter 1, John uses 7 different names describing Jesus that have special importance to us today.

#1 Word (1:1-3,14).

“Logos” translated “Word” communicated to the Jews God’s divine work and dynamic power. To the Greeks, it embodied philosophical reason. As Christians, we acknowledge Jesus as the incarnate Word. The Eternal Word. The creative Word. The Divine Word.

The “Word became flesh.” Divinity took on humanity. God became a man. Jesus is the express image of God. The main message of the Bible. And He’s the Father’s spokesman today.

#2 Light (1:4-9).

Seven times John calls Jesus “The Light.” Jesus entered a world of moral darkness and depravity to enlighten it with Divine light. We don’t have to dwell in darkness. Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory. He points us to the Father. And lights our path.

When I see Jesus, as the Light of the world, I see the Light of understanding and insight. Light that sustains my spiritual life. Light that radiates its purifying impact on my sin-stained soul. Light that nurtures and heals my hurts. And Light that gives security.

#3 Son of God. (1:18, 34, 49).

An unbelieving world denies the Sonship of Jesus. He’s called a great Rabbi. An inspiring teacher. A moral reformer. A social justice advocate. But that won’t do.

John says Jesus was the Son of God. John the Immerser confesses this Truth. And Nathaniel listened to the advice of Philip to “come and see” and exclaimed, “You are the Son of God.”

Jesus was not just a mere man. He was (and is) the Son of God.

#4 Christ (1:19-28, 35-42).

“Christ” is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Messiah. It literally means “the anointed one.” In John 1:41 the two English words are used together when Andrew brought Peter to Jesus and said, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ).

Christ connects Jesus to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. To the hope of Israel. To our own hope. And provides indisputable evidence to Jesus’ divine identity.

#5 Lamb of God (1:29, 35-36).

“Where is the lamb?” Isaac asked Abraham. John’s pronouncement answers that question. Every slain lamb in the Old Testament offered for sacrifice points to the one, unique and unequaled Lamb of God. He died, not just for the sins of one nation, but for all nations. For every race. For me. And for you.

#6 King of Israel (1:43-49).

When Nathaniel said, “You are the King of Israel,” he probably was thinking of an earthly king like David. But Jesus would be a greater King. A King over spiritual Israel whose throne would be in heaven. A King that Paul would later proclaim as “the blessed and only Potentate. The Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings!”(1 Tim. 6:15).

#7 Son of Man (1:50-51).

This is the name Jesus most often called Himself. Over 80 times in the gospels. The expression “Son of Man” speaks to His human nature. Jesus was tired. Hungry. Thirsty. He suffered pain. Agony. And hurt. These are characteristics of the flesh. Traits of humanity.

Jesus voluntarily came to earth to feel what we feel. To identify with our problems. Challenges. And temptations. He possessed a human mind. Human emotions. Human feelings. His genealogy was filled with regular folks. Good and bad. Rich and poor. Famous and obscure.

Emerson was right when he wrote, “The name of Jesus is not so much written as plowed in the history of the world.”

From <https://thepreachersword.com/2020/10/27/7-names-for-jesus-in-john-1/>

  • From Bible Project: 7 titles given by others.
    • Lamb of God
    • Son of God
    • Rabbi
    • Messiah
    • Jesus of Nazareth
    • King of Israel
    • Son of Man

 

  • Big Idea:  If you believe these miracles and "I am" statements about the Christ, you may have life in His name! - "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 20:31
  • Recap:




Sunday, January 29, 2023

Class #4 - Aggelos

The Chosen - Healing of the Man at the Pool of Bethesda 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMj1ggINLe4

Textual Criticism - 

https://www.bereanpatriot.com/majority-text-vs-critical-text-vs-textus-receptus-textual-criticism-101/


John 5:4 Controversy - https://www.logos.com/grow/took-john-54-bible/

Aggelos - https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g32/kjv/tr/0-1/


John Chronology

https://www.biblicalfoundations.org/johannine-chronology/

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Class #2 - Wedding Sign - DOXA

 


  • Bell Ringer Question: Poll Everywhere
    • Which one is NOT one of the seven titles of Jesus in John 1?
      • Lamb of God
      • King of Israel
      • Redeemer
      • Son of Man
  • Prayer for Wisdom:

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

  • Greek: DOXA
    • DOXA - δόξα - Glory - Gamma, Omicron, Xi, Alpha
      • John 2:11 - Ταύτην ἐποίησε ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ ἐφανέρωσε τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.
      • John 2:11 - This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
      • Strong's G1391 - 168x in NT - glory (145x), glorious (10x), honour (6x), praise (4x), dignity (2x), worship (1x).
    • Last Week: LOGOS - λόγος- Word - Lamda, Omicron, Gamma, Omicron, Sigma
      • John 1:1 - ᾿Εν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος.
      • John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
      • https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3056/kjv/tr/0-1/
      • 330x in NT
  • Purpose: John specifically states his purpose in 20:31, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
  • Passage: John 2:1-11

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%202&version=ESV>

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-2e9mMf7E8

  • When?
  • Where?
  • Who?
    •  
  • Discussion Questions:
    • From Bible Project: 7 titles given by others.  Which of the titles of John 1 - does this best illustrate?
      • Lamb of God
      • Son of God
      • Rabbi
      • Messiah
      • Jesus of Nazareth
      • King of Israel
      • Son of Man
    • Catholics point to this passage as a reason we should pray to Mary to ask Jesus for miracles. What do you think this passage says about her?
    • Weddings in the New Testament?

Matt 9:15 - Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

 

Matt 11:17 "A wedding song we played for you, the dance you all did scorn. A woeful dirge we chanted, too, but then you would not mourn.'

 

Matt 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.

 

Matt 22:3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

 

Matt 22:4 Again, he sent out other slaves, and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: Look, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

 

Matt 22:8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

 

Matt 22:9 So go into the roads leading out of town and invite as many people as you can find to the wedding.'

 

Matt 22:10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

 

Matt 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

 

Matt 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

 

Matt 25:10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.

 

Mrk 2:19 Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the groom is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast.

 

Luk 5:34 Jesus said to them, “You can’t make the wedding guests fast while the groom is with them, can you?

 

Luk 7:32 They're like little children who sit in the marketplace and shout to each other, "A wedding song we played for you, the dance you all did scorn. A woeful dirge we chanted, too, but then you would not mourn.'

 

Luk 12:36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

 

Luk 14:8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

 

John 2:1 On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and

 

John 2:2 Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding as well.

 

Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

 

Rev 19:9 Then the angel said to me, "Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!" He also said to me, "These are the true words of God."

 

Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/words/Wedding

 

 

  • Big Ideas:
    • #1 -  If you believe these miracles and "I am" statements about the Christ, you may have life in His name! - "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 20:31

#2 -This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. - John 2:11

  • Recap:

Here are 3 important lessons we can take away from this miraculous event at Cana:

 

1. Take Your Requests to Jesus but Humbly Accept His Answer

The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’s mother told him, “They have no more wine.”

“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” John 2:3-4

 

2. Cultivate a Humble and Obedient Heart

But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” John 2:5

 

3. Remember that in God’s Hands, the Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary

When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” John 2:9-10