Week of 4 Epiphany B - 01/29 - 02/04/12

Week of 4 Epiphany B

This is a Three-Year Lectionary based on the Lutheran Book of Worship 3-year Lectionary (for public worship), "Prayers of the Day..." (Propers), p. 13-41, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978. It is based, with only minor variations, on the Revised Common Lectionary, used by many denominations, including the Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches:

http://www.commontexts.org/

and:

http://www.commontexts.org/rcl/usage.html

The daily readings are the Propers (Lections) for the following Sunday, so that the daily devotions can prepare us for worship. Additional Lections are from Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church, "Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers," United Lutheran Church of America, General Rubrics VIII. Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers, p. 299 - 304, Philadelphia, 1918.

The previous 2- year Bible Study based on the Lutheran Book of Worship, Daily Lectionary for personal devotions p.179-192, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978, is available at:

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To get the most from these studies, it is suggested that you first read the scripture texts for the entry, and then the paraphrase and commentary. It is also recommended that you look up the scripture references, unless you recognize and recall them from memory.

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Podcast Download: Week of 4 Epiphany B
Sunday 4 Epiphany B
First posted February 1, 2009;
Podcast: Sunday 4 Epiphany B

Deuteronomy 18:15-20   –   Test of Prophecy;

Psalm 1   –   Rewards of Righteousness; Fate of the Wicked;
1 Corinthians 8:1-13   --   Food Offered to Idols;
Mark 1:21-28   –   Jesus Heals;

Deuteronomy Background:

Israel was about to enter the Promised Land. Moses was not allowed to enter, because he had taken God's glory for himself when God provided water from the rock in the wilderness (Numbers 20:8-12). So Moses was giving Israel his last words.

Deuteronomy Paraphrase:

God had told Moses that he would raise up a prophet like Moses from among the Israelites, and Israel was to trust and obey his Word. When God had appeared to Israel at Mount Horeb (Mt. Sinai). Israel had asked Moses to be the spokesman and mediator between Israel and God, because they had been frightened by the voice of God and his appearance as of fire on the mountaintop (Exodus 19:16-24; 20:18-19; Deuteronomy 5:1-5) and God had agreed. God promised to raise up a prophet like Moses, and to give him God's Word to declare to the people, just as he had done with Moses. God will hold accountable anyone who does not obey God's Word. But a prophet who presumes to speak the Word of God without instruction from God, or in the name of any other “god” shall die.

Psalm 1 Paraphrase:

People who don't walk according to the counsel of the wicked, nor stand with sinners or sit with unbelievers will be blessed. Righteous people delight in God's Word and meditate on it day and night. They are like trees planted near water. Drought doesn't cause them to wither, they bear fruit abundantly in season, and they prosper in all they do.

The wicked are not like the righteous; they are like chaff that is blown away by the wind. The wicked won't “stand” in the Day of Judgment, nor will sinners sit among the congregation of the righteous. The way of the righteous is known to God; but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

1 Corinthians Background:

The Church at Corinth had been founded by Paul's preaching of the Gospel. In the time of the Apostle Paul, much of the meat for sale in markets was from pagan sacrifices. There was controversy in the congregation as to whether Christians should eat such meat. Social organizations often held banquets in pagan temples.

1 Corinthians Paraphrase:

The people who were not bothered by these questions thought they were more knowledgeable than those were were bothered. Paul suggested that the guiding motive should be love rather than knowledge. Knowledge tends to make people prideful, but love motivates us to build up one another. Any one who thinks that he knows more than others doesn't yet know what is really important. God knows those who love God.

Concerning food offered to idols, those who considered themselves enlightened among the congregation knew that pagan “gods” don't really exist, and that there is only one true God. There are many so-called “gods” and many lords; but Christians know there is really only one true God, our Father, “from whom are all things, and for whom we exist” (1 Corinthians 8:6a) and one true Lord, Jesus Christ, “through whom are all things and through whom we exist” (1 Corinthians 8:6b).

Not all have this knowledge. Some former pagans have been accustomed to eat food offered to idols, and so their conscience bothers them. Food will not commend or condemn us to God. We are no better or worse in God's judgment regardless of what we eat or abstain from eating. But we should not use our freedom in Christ to injure our weaker brethren. If their weaker brethren saw a more knowledgeable believer eating in a pagan temple, the weaker believer might be tempted to eat food sacrificed to idols, and his faith be damaged. So by one's knowledge a weaker believer is destroyed. Since the weak believer is also one for whom Christ died, the knowledgeable member has sinned against Jesus. So if eating meat injures the faith of a weaker member one should sacrifice one's own freedom to eat meat, in order to save a weaker member from sinning.

Mark Paraphrase:

After Jesus had called the original Twelve to be his disciples, he took them to Capernaum, and Jesus began teaching in the synagogue on the sabbath. The people were amazed at his teaching; he taught with authority, unlike their scribes. Right away, there was a man in the synagogue who had an unclean spirit. The spirit within the man cried out, addressing Christ as Jesus of Nazareth, and acknowledging Jesus as the Holy One of God.

The demon asked if Jesus had come to destroy them (presumably the man and his demon). Jesus commanded the demon to be silent and come out of the man. Convulsing the man and crying out loudly, the spirit came out of him. The witnesses were amazed and questioned among themselves what they had witnessed, and called it a new teaching! Jesus has authority to command even unclean spirits and they obey him. Immediately Jesus' fame spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Commentary:

The history of God's dealing with Israel recorded in the Bible is intended to be a series of metaphors for life in this world. Moses is intended by God to foreshadow and illustrate the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Savior and eternal King, who God has designed into the structure of Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14).

God's Word is always fulfilled (Deuteronomy 18:21-22), and because it is eternal, is fulfilled over and over, as the conditions for its fulfillment are met. From the time that Israel entered the Promised Land, God raised up prophets from among Israel to proclaim God's Word.

The first fulfillment of this prophecy was in Joshua, who replaced Moses and who led Israel into the Promised Land, through the Jordan River on dry ground, as Moses had led Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground (Joshua 3:11-17).

God raised up prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah and Elisha, who had personal relationships with God and who proclaimed God's Word. Israel's history is a series of cycles, regarding their heeding of the prophets. When times were good, Israel would fall away from obedient trust in God's Word. The prophets would warn them of the consequences of disobedience and call for repentance, but the people would not repent and return to obedience until God took away his providence and protection. Then, during their suffering, they would repent and return to obedience, and God would eventually restore a renewed people of God, but not necessarily the same people. The people who disobeyed God's command to enter and possess the Promised Land died in the wilderness, and the people went into Babylonian exile died in Babylon, since seventy years was a virtual lifetime for adults at the beginning of the exile.

Moses was the first Judge of Israel (Exodus 18:13-26) and when Israel entered the Promised Land God raised up Judges, like Gideon and Samson, to lead the people.

The Lord was the king of Israel, but Israel wanted a human king, like their neighboring countries. Through his prophet God warned Israel what the disadvantages of having a human king would be (1 Samuel 8:5-21), but God allowed them to establish the monarchy. David was the shepherd boy who became the great human king of Israel, who foreshadows the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the son (descendant) of David and the eternal King and heir to the throne of David (2 Samuel 7:5-13; Psalm 89:20-29).

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise of a prophet like Moses, whom God's people are to trust and obey, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), and eternal King of God's people.

Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant of Law. Moses was the prophet who had a close personal relationship with God, and who proclaimed God's Word to God's people. Jesus is the “New Moses,” the mediator of the New Covenant (Testament; Hebrews 9:15) of Grace, the New Passover, which Jesus established on the night of his Last Supper (Matthew 26:26-28, RSV note "g").

Jesus is the “New Moses” who leads his people out of bondage to sin and death in the “Egypt” of this present world order, through the “sea” of baptism into Jesus Christ, by which we pass through without “getting wet” and by which our enemies are separated from us and destroyed. Jesus leads us through the “wilderness” of this lifetime, guiding us by the indwelling Holy Spirit which is the “pillar” of cloud and fire (Exodus 13:21-22). Jesus (the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name “Joshua”) is the “New Joshua” who leads us through the “river” of physical death, without getting “wet feet” (physical death cannot harm us; Joshua 3:14-17) and into the eternal Promised Land of God's eternal kingdom in Heaven.

Jesus is the Word of God fulfilled, embodied and exemplified human flesh in this temporal world (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus' word is the Word of God (John 14:10, 24), with the creative force of God's Word (Mark 4:39-41; compare Genesis 1:3, 9). God will hold us accountable on the Day of Judgment for whether we have trusted and obeyed Jesus or not.

We will be accounted righteous (doing what is right, good, and true, according to God's Word) with the righteousness of Jesus Christ, if we have believed (trusted and obeyed) Jesus and have accepted him as our Lord. God knows who has followed God's Word of righteousness, and God has made known in his Word the fate of those who have rejected Jesus as Lord and have refused or failed to trust and obey Jesus' teachings (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

Jesus is the only way to be forgiven our sin (disobedience of God's Word), the only way to know divine, eternal truth, and the only way to have eternal life (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home). This is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is not possible for one to be “born-again” by the indwelling Holy Spirit and not personally know it with certainty (Acts 19:2).

Believing that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Holy one of God, won't save us. Even demons know that (James 2:19); they just won't voluntarily obey Jesus' teaching. Faith is not getting whatever we believe if we believe “hard enough.” Faith is not like wishing on a star. Saving faith is obedient trust in Jesus' teachings. Jesus warns us that calling Jesus our Lord and claiming to be his disciples (the definition of a Christian; Acts 11:26c) won't save us (Matthew 7:21-27; Luke 6:46).

Jesus has the power and authority to command us and we would have no choice but to obey him, but it is God's purpose to allow us the freedom to choose whether to trust and obey Jesus or not. Most often Jesus referred to himself as the Son of man, which is true, and allows his hearers to decide for themselves who Jesus is. There is a Day of Judgment coming when he will command and we will have to obey; but in that Day our eternal destinies will be fixed and unchangeable.

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Monday 4 Epiphany (Variable) B
To be used only if there is a 5 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First posted February 2, 2009
Podcast: Monday 4 Epiphany B

Psalm 147:1-13   –   Praise the Lord;

Paraphrase:

Let us praise the Lord! Our Lord is merciful, kind and compassionate, and he is worthy of our praise. The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He restores the outcasts to Israel. The Lord heals those who are brokenhearted, and bandages the wounded. He determines the number of stars in the heavens, and knows all their names. Great is our Lord; abundant is his power and beyond measure is his understanding. “The Lord lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground” (Psalm 147:6).

In thanksgiving let us sing to the Lord and make music to our God with stringed instruments. He is the Lord who makes clouds in the skies and provides rain for the earth. He covers the hills with grass. He feeds all the animals.

The Lord doesn't delight in the strength of a horse, or in the physical abilities of mankind; his pleasure is in those who fear (have the appropriate awe and respect for the power and authority of) God and trust in God's steadfast love.

Let Jerusalem (the City of God; the Church) and Zion (the temple mount; the citadel of David) praise the Lord their God! It is the Lord who strengthens their fortifications and blesses their sons and daughters within.

Commentary:

The Lord is the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. He has been progressively revealing his glory to us, first through the goodness of Creation itself, then through God's Word, the Bible, and ultimately through God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the “living Word” (John 1:1-5, 14). Everything in Creation glorifies God, except mankind; we have been given the freedom to choose whether to praise and glorify God or not.

This Creation has been designed from the beginning to accomplish God's eternal purpose. God's purpose is to establish an eternal kingdom of God's people who willingly trust and obey God. God has designed Creation knowing that, given the freedom to choose, we would choose to do our own will rather than God's. Disobedience of God's Word is the definition of sin. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), recorded in the Bible and demonstrated in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ has been designed into Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14). He is not an afterthought after mankind fell into sin. God knew, from the beginning of Creation, that we would all sin. Jesus Christ is God's one and only provision for forgiveness of our sin and our salvation from eternal condemnation (Acts 4:12; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

The meaning and purpose of life in this Creation is to seek and come to know and have fellowship with God, our Creator (Acts 17:26-27), and to be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life. These are only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (John 14:6), by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). The gift of the Holy Spirit is a personally discernible ongoing event; if one has been “reborn” (Acts 19:2) it is impossible not to know it with certainty for oneself.

The indwelling Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9), through whom we have personal knowledge of and fellowship with God, our Creator, and our Lord Jesus Christ. By the indwelling Holy Spirit we feel the love of God for us. It is only by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we can truly praise and glorify our Lord (John 4:23-24; Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:6).

The only true security in this world is in the Lord. People can build fortresses, gather armies, train them, and equip them with the latest technology, but unless they trust and obey the Lord, their efforts are ultimately futile (Psalm 147:10-11; compare Psalm 33:17; 127:1-2 RSV). People can build “castles” with security gates and bars and “panic rooms,” they can hoard food and money for times of disaster, but unless they trust and obey the Lord they will ultimately come to eternal spiritual disaster.

God sent his Son into the world to heal the spiritually wounded and brokenhearted. Jesus is the only one who can restore the downtrodden and outcast. But those who think that they can provide their own wellbeing and security will ultimately be overthrown and will spend eternity in eternal destruction in Hell with all evil.

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Tuesday 4 Epiphany (Variable) B
To be used only if there is a 5 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First posted February 3, 2009
Podcast: Tuesday 4 Epiphany B

Job 7:1-7   --   Suffering;

Paraphrase:

Life is hard and one's days are like that of a hireling. The hireling longs for his wages; the slave longs for shade. Job's life was months of emptiness and nights of misery, tossing and turning until dawn. Job's flesh was filthy and covered with worms. It crusted over and then re-erupted. The days of his life fled faster than a weavers shuttle and ended without hope. Job asked God to remember that his life was fleeting; Job feared that he would never again see goodness in life.

Commentary:

Job had been afflicted with boils, and he was in physical misery (Job 2:1-8). The three friends who came to him believed that Job had done evil and had brought this suffering upon himself.

Job saw his life passing by while he was in misery; his days were empty, and he couldn't sleep at night. When he thought his skin was healing it broke out again. He feared that he would never see goodness in life.

Sickness and suffering are not signs of God's disapproval, and wealth and prosperity are not evidence of God's approval. The world is quick to blame suffering on the sufferer.

Job was a believer in God but he hadn't had a personal knowledge of and fellowship with God (Job 42:5). Job had no reason to believe that there was life beyond physical death, but he hoped ultimately to see God (Job 19:25-27).

Job longed for a mediator between God and mankind (Job 9:33-35 RSV), and an advocate to defend mankind before God (Job 16:19-21). He believed that the Lord was his redeemer, and that he would come to earth in the last days, and all would face eternal judgment (Job 19:29).

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of Job's hope of a redeemer and vindicator, a mediator between God and mankind (Hebrews 9:15), an advocate for mankind before God (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14-16), and the Righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:8), to whom all will be accountable on the Day of Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus is the fulfillment of Job's hope that his Redeemer would stand upon the earth, and Job would behold him face to face.

God doesn't cause suffering but he allows it to happen. Sin (disobedience of God's Word) is the cause of suffering and evil in this world. When we don't trust and obey God's Word he lifts his favor and protection from us and allows us to suffer, in the hope that we will realize our need for him and return to him, so that we can have eternal life in his heavenly kingdom.

God can use our suffering to cause us to examine our beliefs, and to seek God's Word. Job grew spiritually through his suffering (Job 42:5). God is able to restore us again (Job 42:10-17). I personally testify that this has been my personal experience (see Personal Testimonies, sidebar, top right, home)

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Wednesday 4 Epiphany (Variable) B
To be used only if there is a 5 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First posted February 4, 2009
Podcast: Wednesday 4 Epiphany B

1 Corinthians 9:16-23   –   All Things to All People;

Paraphrase:

Paul could not boast about preaching the Gospel, because it was an obligation. He would receive a reward for doing this willingly, but if he were doing it unwillingly he would still do it because he had a commission. Paul delighted in preaching the Gospel without charge, although he would be entitled to earn his living as an Apostle (messenger; preacher).

Paul was free of obligation to anyone, but he voluntarily accepted an obligation to everyone so that he might attract many to their salvation. He appealed to Jews as a Jew, in order to save them. To those who were under the Law he appealed to them as one under Law, although he was not personally obligated to the Law. To those outside the Law (the Gentiles) he appealed to them as if he were outside the Law, although he was under the law of Christ (Romans 8:1-9). To those who were weak he became like them, so that he could win some to salvation. Paul surrendered his self-will to become the servant of all, so that some might be saved, and so that Paul might share in the blessings of the Gospel himself.

Commentary:

Paul was the prototype and example of a “modern,” “post-resurrection,” “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciple and apostle of Jesus Christ, as we can become. He had personally experienced the joy of forgiveness and salvation, and he wanted to share that with others (Acts 9:1-22).

All Christians are by definition “born-again” disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26c). We are to be led in discipleship by “born-again” disciples within the Church (the New Jerusalem) until we have been spiritually “reborn” before going into the world with the Gospel (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8). Then we have a commission from Jesus Christ to make “born-again” disciples of Jesus Christ, and teach them to trust and obey all that Jesus taught (Matthew 28:19-20).

“Born-again” Christians have come to know from experience the truth and joy of Jesus Christ, and want to share that with their families, friends and neighbors. We not only want to share the Gospel but are obligated. Who would not speak out if we saw someone doing something that would kill them? If we know the secret of a better way to live, who would not share it with their families, friends and acquaintances?

The meaning and purpose of life in this world is to seek, find, and have fellowship with God, our Creator, and this is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually reborn to eternal life. Eternal life and fellowship with God are only possible by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is possible for one to know with certainty if one has been spiritually reborn (Acts 19:2).

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Thursday 4 Epiphany (Variable) B
To be used only if there is a 5 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First posted February 5, 2009;
Podcast: Thursday 4 Epiphany B

Mark 1:29-39   –   Jesus' Ministry Begins;

Paraphrase:

After gathering Simon, Andrew, James and John along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus began his ministry at the synagogue in Capernaum (Mark 1:16-28). Immediately afterward he entered the home of Simon (Peter) and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. Jesus came, took her hand, lifted her up, her fever left, and she served them.

That same evening at sunset, all who were sick or demon-possessed were brought to him and Jesus healed them all. Jesus would not let the demons speak because they knew Jesus.

Very early the next day Jesus rose and went to an isolated place to pray. His disciples followed him, and told him that lots of people were looking for him. Jesus told his disciples to go with him to the next town, so that Jesus could proclaim his Gospel there also; that was the reason Jesus had gotten up so early. So “he went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons” (Mark 1:39).

Commentary:

Jesus' Gospel (meaning “good news”) is of forgiveness of sin (disobedience of God's Word) and salvation from eternal death, which is the penalty for sin ( Romans 6:23; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

Jesus began his ministry by teaching in synagogues. At the synagogue in Capernaum Jesus healed a man who had been demon-possessed, and the news of the healing quickly spread throughout Galilee.

After “church,” Jesus and his disciples visited the home of Simon and Andrew, where Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a fever, and Jesus healed her. That evening great crowds of people gathered at the door for healing of physical illness and demon exorcism. Jesus' healing was so sought for that he had to leave very early the next morning, or he would not have been able to teach in other synagogues in Galilee.

Jesus' ministry was primarily to bring spiritual healing, spiritual feeding and spiritual, eternal life. Jesus' physical healing, feeding, resurrection, and demon exorcism were intended to show that Jesus can also heal us spiritually. Physical healing only lasts until the next illness, and physical feeding only lasts until the next meal. What good is physical health if one spends eternity in Hell?

Many people were attracted to Jesus only for what he could do for them physically. Unless they realized their need for spiritual healing they missed what only Jesus can provide. If Jesus had allowed it, his entire ministry would have been spent satisfying people's physical needs.

Our greatest needs are spiritual, but many do not know or acknowledge that. Unless we realize our spiritual needs, Jesus can't help us (Mark 2:17).

In many instances, demon-possession is what many today would call psychiatric illness. It is a great physical symbol of spiritual illness. We are all in bondage to Satan (Romans 3:23; Hebrews 2:14-15), unless Jesus frees and heals us by the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit.

There are demonic forces at work in our world today. As long as we are unaware of them, they don't make their presence known; it is not in their interest. Unless we have been set free we don't realize how much we have been controlled and manipulated by them.

Satan and his demons know who Jesus is; they just don't willingly obey him. Jesus can and does command and they must obey. Jesus commanded this demon not to say who Jesus is, because Jesus wants every one to decide for themselves who Jesus is. Jesus also didn't want those who he healed to spread that news, so that his spiritual ministry would not be impeded by people seeking only physical benefits (John 6:26-27).

Jesus could command us and we would have no choice but to obey, but he chooses not to. It is God's purpose to allow us the freedom to choose whether or not to trust and obey him. There is a day coming, the Day of Judgment, when Christ returns, when he will command and we will all, believers and unbelievers, obey; but in that day it will be too late to change our eternal destinies (Matthew 25:31-46).

There are many nominal “Christians” today who are only interested in what the “Church” can do for them physically. Not every one who calls themselves “Christian” is one. A Christian is by definition a disciple of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26c) who has been spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8), by the gift (“baptism;” “anointing;”) of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). If we have experienced his spiritual healing, we will certainly want to serve him. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is impossible to be truly “born-again” and not know it personally with certainty by oneself (Acts 19:2).

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Friday 4 Epiphany (Variable) B
To be used only if there is a 5 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.

First posted February 6, 2009
Podcast: Friday 4 Epiphany B

Ezekiel 33:10-16   –   Personal Responsibility;
Colossians 3:12-17   –   New Life Duties;

Ezekiel Paraphrase:

God commanded the prophet to declare that God's people had acknowledged that their sins were upon them and they were wasting away because of them. The Lord is not pleased by the death of the wicked; he desires that they turn back from their wickedness. Why would they choose death? They should turn away from their sins.

The righteousness of the righteous will not save them if they turn from righteousness to sin, nor will the wickedness of the wicked condemn them if they turn from their wickedness. The righteous are warned that if they commit what is wicked, their past righteousness will not save them. Similarly, if the wicked truly repent and make restitution for their wickedness and live according to God's Word, their past wickedness will not be remembered by God and they will not be condemned to eternal death.

Colossians Paraphrase:

New believers are to put off the old worldly nature and put on the new nature of life in the likeness of our Creator (Colossians 3:9-10).

Let us put on the new nature which befits us as God's chosen, holy (consecrated to God's use) and beloved people. We are to become compassionate, kind, lowly, meek and patient, forbearing (tolerant) and forgiving of one another, if having a complaint against another. We must forgive others as the Lord has forgiven us (Matthew 6:14-15). Above all of these we are to apply love, which binds all together in complete harmony.

Let us allow the peace of Christ to reign in our hearts, as one body, for which we were called. Let us remember to be thankful. May the fullness of Christ's word dwell in us as we teach and admonish one another in (divine) wisdom, and as we sing psalms and songs of praise inspired by the Holy Spirit, with thanksgiving to God. Let us, in every word and deed, do so in the name of our Lord, Jesus, with thanksgiving to God through him.

Commentary:

Good works will not save a person who willfully commits sin, and past sins will be forgiven and expunged, if the wicked truly repents and changes his behavior.

We have all sinned (disobeyed God's Word), and have fallen short of his righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), and the penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is God's only provision for our forgiveness and salvation from eternal condemnation and death (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

When we acknowledge our sinfulness and accept salvation through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, we will turn from our former life and behavior, and learn to live according to Jesus' word, his teaching and example, one day at a time (Matthew 6:11, 34). As we demonstrate our sincere commitment, we will receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). By the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit we are spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

It is by the indwelling Holy Spirit that our minds are opened to understand the Bible scriptures (Luke 24:25-27, 32, 45), and to know divine eternal truth (John 14:17). The Holy Spirit teaches us all things and brings all of Jesus' teachings to our remembrance (John 14:26). It is only by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we can truly worship the Lord (John 4:23-24; Romans 8:15-16). The Holy Spirit will provide what to say at the moment we need to testify (Matthew 10:19-20; Luke 21:14-15).

The Holy Spirit is given to us to help us live according to God's Word (Romans 8:1-9), motivated by love, rather than by fear (John 14:15). It is by the Holy Spirit that we experience the love of the Lord for us. It is by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we have personal knowledge of and fellowship with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:23). It is by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we have the peace of Christ within us (John 14:27; Hebrews 2:14-15).

We are all God's “chosen” people. God has chosen us to be his obedient trusting children. Have we chosen him to be our Father and our Lord?

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Saturday 4 Epiphany (Variable) B
To be used only if there is a 5 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First posted February 7, 2009
Podcast: Saturday 4 Epiphany B

Matthew 13:24-30   –   Weeds Among Wheat;

Paraphrase:

In a parable, Jesus described the kingdom of God like a wheat field. The farmer sowed good seed, but during the night his enemy sowed weeds among the wheat. When the wheat sprouted the weeds sprouted also. The farmer's servants asked the farmer how the weeds got into the field and the farmer told them that his enemy had done this. The servants asked if they should weed the field, and the farmer told them not to, or they might damage the wheat. The farmer allowed both to grow until the harvest. Then God's reapers will bind the weeds into bundles and burn them, and gather the wheat into the farmer's barn.

Commentary:

A parable is a story of a common earthly experience used to describe a spiritual truth. This Creation is God's wheat field, where he is growing people who will trust and obey God, to become citizens of God's eternal kingdom in heaven. The weeds are the children of Satan, the enemy of God.

This Creation has been designed for God's purpose, to allow people freedom to choose whether or not to obey God's Word, and the opportunity to learn by trial and error that God's will is their best interest. God allows the wicked to live among the righteous (those who do what is right, good and true according to God's Word) for now, but at the end of time the angels of God will gather the weeds and burn them, and will gather the wheat into God's “barn,” God's kingdom in heaven.

God created this world and it was very good (Genesis 1:31). God didn't cause the evil that is present in the world, but he allowed it to happen because he allowed for the possibility for sin (disobedience of God's Word). Otherwise we would not be free to choose whether to trust and obey God or not. It is people who have caused this Creation to be less than the perfect world God created, because we haven't trusted and obeyed God's Word.

We are all guilty of sin because we have all disobeyed God's Word and fall short of God's righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). The penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). God knew when he created this world that we would sin, and he designed a Savior, Jesus Christ, into Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14, Romans 5:8; John 3:16-17; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

God is not willing to tolerate rebellion and disobedience forever, or at all in his eternal kingdom. So this Creation and we ourselves have been limited by time. Time will end for each of us at the moment of our death, and the next moment is Judgment, not reincarnation, not “nothingness,” at the throne of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:27). Each of us will be accountable to the Lord on the Day of Judgment for what we have done in this lifetime (John 5:28-29).

There is forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal condemnation and death only by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). Salvation is the free gift of God to all who are willing to receive it through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord, who have trusted and obeyed Jesus will have been spiritually “reborn” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit now, in this lifetime, and will enter God's eternal kingdom in heaven. Those who have rejected Jesus as Lord, who have refused or failed to trust and obey Jesus will be condemned to eternal death in Hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). Only Jesus gives the gift (“anointing;” “baptism”) of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).

Not everyone who claims to be a Christian, who claims to be “born-again,” who claims that Jesus is their Lord, is going to be saved (Matthew 7:21-27; Luke 6:46). Saving faith is not getting whatever one believes, if one believes “hard enough.” Saving faith is not an “opinion.” Saving faith is obedient trust in Jesus Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

No one can be sure of living until tomorrow. Today is the only day we can be sure of. Today is the Day of Salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Week of 3 Epiphany - B 01/22-28/2012

Week of 3 Epiphany - B

This is a Three-Year Lectionary based on the Lutheran Book of Worship 3-year Lectionary (for public worship), "Prayers of the Day..." (Propers), p. 13-41, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978. It is based, with only minor variations, on the Revised Common Lectionary, used by many denominations, including the Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches:

http://www.commontexts.org/

and:

http://www.commontexts.org/rcl/usage.html

The daily readings are the Propers (Lections) for the following Sunday, so that the daily devotions can prepare us for worship. Additional Lections are from Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church, "Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers," United Lutheran Church of America, General Rubrics VIII. Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers, p. 299 - 304, Philadelphia, 1918.

The previous 2- year Bible Study based on the Lutheran Book of Worship, Daily Lectionary for personal devotions p.179-192, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978, is available at:

http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/ (Please bookmark this link).

This 'blog is mirrored at:

http://shepboy.multiply.com/

Shepherdboysmydailywalk’s Blog

.mp3 Podcasts via Linux Festival text-to-speech and Panopreter Basic text-to-speech are available at:

http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/dw_bible2/a_year/Wklx_a.html

http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/dw_bible2/b_year/wklx_b.html

http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/dw_bible2/c_year/wklx_c.html

Please Note:

This ‘blog is now available in mobile-optimized format:

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To get the most from these studies, it is suggested that you first read the scripture texts for the entry, and then the paraphrase and commentary. It is also recommended that you look up the scripture references, unless you recognize and recall them from memory.

I will post weekly by Saturday, noon, (God willing), Pacific time (UTC-8:00) for the week of the Church Season which begins on Sunday. Please scroll down for the desired day, or save the week to your desktop/hard drive.

Podcast Download: Week of 3 Epiphany - B
Sunday 3 Epiphany - B
First Posted 1/25/2009;
Podcast: Sunday 3 Epiphany - B

Jonah 3:1-5, 10   -   Jonah's Second Call;
Psalm 62:6-12   -    Wait for the Lord;
1 Corinthians 7:29-31    -   The Lord is at Coming;
Mark 1:14-20   -    The Kingdom of God is at Hand;  

Jonah Paraphrase:

The first time God called Jonah to proclaim God's Word of judgment against Nineveh, Jonah tried to flee. After repenting, Jonah was again called by God, and Jonah reluctantly obeyed God's command. Nineveh was so large that it would take three days to travel from one end to the other. Jonah went a day's journey into the city and began to proclaim that in forty days God would destroy Nineveh. The people believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and all dressed in sackcloth (the garb of ritual mourning), regardless of their social standing in the city.

When God saw their repentance and  their change in their ways, God relented and renounced his intention to destroy the city as he had said. 

Psalm Paraphrase:

God is the only source of salvation; the only safe eternal refuge; the only solid rock on which to build our lives, so that we cannot be shaken. In God alone can we find deliverance, honor and refuge.

Let us always trust in him, everyone. We can pour out our hearts to him, and he will give us refuge.

Social status, worldly wealth and power are a delusion; they amount to no more than a puff of air. Let us not resort to extortion or robbery to gain wealth or power. Let us not desire or rely upon material resources.

God has declared, and I am doubly sure, that power belongs to God, who is worthy of our steadfast love. The Lord alone judges mankind according to our individual behavior.

1 Corinthians Paraphrase:

Paul was "discipling" the Roman Christians, teaching them to not become too distracted by worldly things and affairs. We should spend every day in anticipation of the Lord's immediate return. We must not become too focused on spouses and family. We may have mourning but we should not allow that mourning distract us from our expectation of Christ's return. We can celebrate with the joyful, without letting celebration interfere with our preparation for the coming of Jesus. We still have to shop for the necessities of life, and conduct worldly affairs, but without becoming preoccupied and distracted by material possessions and worldly matters. We should consider ourselves citizens of the coming age and God's eternal kingdom.

Mark Paraphrase:

After Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptizer, John had been imprisoned, when Jesus began his public ministry. Jesus went about in Galilee proclaiming God's Gospel, God's "good news" for mankind, and declaring that the time had come; the kingdom of God was at hand. Jesus urged his hearers to repent and believe the Gospel.

As Jesus walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers fishing with a throw-net. Jesus invited them to follow him and he would teach them to become "fishers of men." They immediately abandoned their nets and followed Jesus.

A little farther on, Jesus saw two men, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, in their father's boat with their father, mending nets. Jesus called them to follow him and they immediately left their father, their nets, and the boat and followed Jesus.

Commentary:

Jonah tried to flee from God's call and got swallowed and spent three days in the belly of a big fish (whale). This is a parable and a metaphor. God calls each one of us to trust and obey God. The belly of the fish is a metaphor for the grave (Matthew 12:40). When Jonah repented and prayed to the Lord, God raised him to life again, and gave him a second chance.

Jonah's "resurrection" prefigures Jesus' resurrection, through whom by faith (obedient trust) we can be raised from spiritual and physical death to eternal life, but if we flee from God's call in Jesus Christ, we will be swallowed up by death, and have no second chances.

God doesn't want anyone to perish eternally. He wants all of us to live eternally in paradise restored in his heavenly kingdom (John 3:16-17). He is always ready to forgive us when we repent and become obedient to his Word, right up to the moment death comes, but don't plan on waiting until the last possible moment, because it takes some time for us to learn what we need to know from this lifetime. Death may come suddenly, without opportunity for repentance, or we may deteriorate mentally before our death. At our death our eternal destiny will be fixed and unchangeable for eternity, and our families and friends will not be able to "pray" our way out of "purgatory," a doctrine not supported in the Bible.

God has designed this Creation for his purpose, to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly choose to trust and obey him. He has designed this world with freedom for us to choose whether to obey God or not and the possibility of learning by trial and error. God knew that given that freedom, we would all choose to do our own will and disobey God's Word, which is the definition of sin (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). The penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23).

Jesus Christ is God's one and only provision for our forgiveness and salvation from eternal condemnation and destruction in hell with all evil (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). God designed Jesus into the structure of Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

Jesus is the fulfillment of God's Word of forgiveness and salvation. Jesus is the only source of true eternal security. Jesus demonstrated that he can heal the spiritually sick, feed the spiritually hungry and raise up the spiritually and physically dead to eternal life.

This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually "born-again" (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

The psalmist warns us not to rely on material wealth and physical resources. We should keep a "loose grip" on material and worldly things. Those things can't save us; they can only tie us down and distract us from spiritual life and truth. Those who trust in God's Word will become "doubly certain," as they receive the fulfillment of God's promises and experience his power (John 6:68-69).

Paul taught the new disciples at Rome to "keep a loose grip" on the things of the world. We can't avoid worldly affairs and concerns, but we need to remember that what is most important is learning to serve the Lord. The meaning and purpose of this lifetime is to seek, find, know and have fellowship with God our Creator (Acts 17:26-27). Our main purpose should be learning to know, trust and obey Jesus' teaching, and learning to know his will for us on a day-by-day basis (Matthew 6:11, 34). As we do he will cause us to grow to spiritual maturity at the Day of Christ's return (Philippians 1:6 RSV).

Jesus' physical manifestation and sacrificial death on the cross began the coming of God's kingdom. John the Baptizer called for the people to repent and return to obedience in God's Word in preparation to receive the promised Messiah. Those who believed God's Word through John were prepared to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but many in Israel didn't believe, were unprepared, and did not receive the promise of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life (John 1:10-13). 

When Jesus appeared, after John had identified him (John 1:26-34), Jesus began to preach the Gospel and the coming of God's kingdom. The Church is the heir to the ministry of John the Baptizer. Once we have identified Jesus and have come to know him, we testify that he is the Christ, the Son of God, who died and arose from the dead. We call people to repent and return to obedient trust and receive water baptism for repentance and forgiveness, to prepare to receive Jesus through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus comes again to us personally and individually through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Jesus has promised to come again at the end of this Messianic age, the age of grace (God's free gift of forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus), the end of time and of this Creation. Jesus will judge the living ("quickened") and the dead (1 Peter 4:5), in both physical and spiritual senses. Those who have accepted Jesus now as their Lord and have trusted and obeyed Jesus will enter eternal life with him in his eternal heavenly kingdom, but those who have rejected Jesus and have refused or failed to trust and obey Jesus will enter eternal destruction in hell with all evil (Mathew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 2 Thessalonians 1: 5-10).

That Day of Judgment is not far off. We will all experience it immediately after our physical death, and none of us can be sure how much time we have. Today is the only day we can be sure of; today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Today Jesus is calling, and when we hear his voice let us not resist his call (Hebrews 3:7-8).

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Monday 3 Epiphany - B (Variable)
To be used only if there is a 4 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First Posted 1/26/2009;
Podcast: Monday 3 Epiphany - B

Psalm 1  -  Righteous and  Wicked Contrasted;

Paraphrase

Those who don't walk in (follow) the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in (serve) the way of sinners, nor sit with (join) scoffers will be blessed. The blessed are those who delight in God's Word and meditate on it day and night. They are like a tree planted near a stream that doesn't wither, but produces fruit in its season. They prosper in all that they do.

The wicked are not like that; they will be carried off like chaff blown by the wind. The wicked will not stand (prevail) in the judgment; they will not be allowed to sit in (join) the congregation of the righteous. The Lord knows the way (the deeds, and the eternal reward) of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will result in eternal destruction.

Commentary:

God has designed this Creation from the very beginning to allow us the freedom to choose whether to obey God's Word or not. His purpose is to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly choose to trust and obey God. This present Creation and we ourselves are limited by time, because God is unwilling to allow rebellion and disobedience forever, or at all in his eternal kingdom, or it wouldn't be heaven.

We are all eternal souls in physical bodies. We're all born physically alive but spiritually “unborn” into this world. This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life. This lifetime is our opportunity to seek and find God our Creator (Acts 17:26-27), and to learn to trust and obey God's Word.

God knew that, given the freedom to choose, we would all choose to follow our way, instead of God's. Sin is disobedience of God's way. We have all sinned and fall short of God's righteousness (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8-10). God designed a Savior into this Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus is God's one and only provision for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus is the only way for us to be forgiven, restored to fellowship with God which was broken by sin, the only way to know divine eternal truth, and the only way to true eternal life (John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

God has been progressively revealing himself and his purpose for Creation, first in the goodness of Creation itself, then through his Word, the Bible, and now through his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2), the “living Word:” the fulfillment embodiment and example of God's Word, lived in this world in human flesh (John 1:14).

In order to get the most out of our lives in this Creation, we should investigate the “Owner's Manual,” the Bible. (God is the owner of everything in this Universe.) It is the testimony of every “born-again” Christian that the Bible is the Word of God and that Jesus is the only way to true eternal life in God's kingdom restored to paradise in heaven. The test of God's Word is that it is absolutely true and reliable (Deuteronomy 18:21-22), and that it is fulfilled over and over as the conditions for its fulfillment are met.

This lifetime is God's gift to us to allow us to seek and find him, and to learn from experience that his Word is good, possible for us to do, and our perfect best interest (Romans 12:2). God's Word warns that everything physical and material will pass away; only what is spiritual is eternal (Matthew 24:35; 1 Corinthians 13:13; 2 Peter 3:10).

Every believer (who has trusted and obeyed God's Word) has experienced and testifies to the truth of God's Word, and that includes the psalmist. If we will trust and obey God's Word we will come to know with certainty that it is the only way to have true, eternal life (John 6:68). There are two ways to learn by trial and error: We can know now with certainty that it is God's Word, that Jesus is the way, truth and life, and that we are in Jesus and have eternal life, or we can ignore God's Word and continue to pursue our worldly life and our own will, and discover that we have condemned ourselves to eternal destruction on the Day of Judgment, when it is too late to change our eternal destiny.

It is not true that we can't know for sure whether there is a heaven and a hell and eternity until we die. The only people who don't know are those who are eternally lost and perishing. Now is the day of Salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2), now is the only time we can change our eternal destiny.

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Tuesday 3 Epiphany - B (Variable)
To be used only if there is a 4 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First Posted 1/27/2009;
Podcast: Tuesday 3 Epiphany - B

Deuteronomy 18:15-20   –   Test of Prophecy;

Background:

Israel was poised to enter the Promised Land, and Moses was giving them his farewell address.

Deuteronomy Paraphrase:

Moses told the people of Israel that God was going to raise up a prophet like Moses from among Israel. They were to obey him as they had Moses, when they asked him at Mount Horeb (Sinai) to be their mediator between God and Israel. They had been afraid of God's voice and the fire of his manifestation at Mount Horeb (Exodus 19:16-24; 20:18-19; Deuteronomy 5:1-5). God agreed. God promised to raise up a prophet like Moses to speak to Israel the Word of God. Everyone in the congregation of Israel would be accountable to God if they failed to trust and obey the prophet.

A prophet who presumes to speak words that God had not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of another god will die. God gave Israel the test of prophecy by which they would know true prophecy from false: any one who presumes to speak God's Word which does not come to pass is a false prophet. Such prophets do not speak God's Word and the people should not be afraid to disregard their words.

Commentary:

The test of God's Word is its fulfillment. God's Word is eternal, and is always fulfilled, over and over, as the conditions for fulfillment are met.

Moses is the prototype who foreshadowed the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ (Messiah and Christ each means “anointed” in Hebrew and Greek, respectively). Moses had not been allowed to enter the Promised Land because he hadn't given God the glory for bringing forth water from the rock (Numbers 20:8-11). Joshua became the first leader like Moses, who led the Israelites through the Jordan River on dry ground (Joshua 3:11-17) and into the Promised Land.

Moses was also the first judge (Exodus 18:13-26). When Israel entered the Promised Land God raised up judges like Moses to be leaders of the people, Gideon and Samson, for example.

The Israelites wanted to have a king, like the nations around them, and God allowed them to, after warning them what it would cost them in terms of resources (1 Samuel 8:5-21). God had been their king, but the people insisted on a human king. David became the ideal shepherd-king, foreshadowing the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the “Good Shepherd,” (John 10:11, 14), the eternal King of kings, the Son of David (Matthew 1:1; 21:9) and heir to the throne of David (2 Samuel 7:5-13; Psalm 89:20-29).

God raised up prophets like Moses, who had a personal relationship with God, like Moses had (Exodus 34:29-35), such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah and Elisha.

The prophecy promising a prophet like Moses is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the “New Moses,” the mediator of the “New Covenant" (Testament; Matthew 26:26-28; Hebrews 9:11-15) who leads God's people out of bondage to sin and death in the “Egypt” of the present world order, through the “Sea” of baptism into Christ, and through the “Wilderness” of this lifetime. Jesus is the "New Joshua" who leads us  through the “Jordan River” of physical death, on supernaturally dry ground (Joshua 3:14-17), symbolizing that physical death has no power over us, and into the eternal “Promised Land” of God's eternal kingdom in heaven. Jesus is the “New Moses” who died physically, but arose from physical death to eternal life, our “New Joshua” (Joshua means “Jehovah the Savior;” Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, or Jeshua), and who fights our spiritual battles and protects us from our spiritual enemies.

Throughout the history of God's dealings with Israel in the Old Testament, God has been progressively revealing his purpose for Creation, through human examples of what God intends. Jesus is God revealed in human flesh (Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28; John 14:8-11; Matthew 11:27), in a non-threatening way. Jesus came humbly, as a new-born infant. His earthly ministry was gentle. His physical healing and feeding and resurrection miracles were intended to show that he can provide spiritual healing and feeding and life from physical death. He allowed humans to kill him in the most painful way imaginable (Philippians 2:8).

Jesus didn't come to condemn us but to save us (John 3:16-17). Those who do not believe (trust and obey) him condemn themselves because they have not believed the name (the whole person and character) of the only Son of God (John 3:18).

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the prophet like Moses. Jesus' word is the Word of God (John 14:10, 24) with the creative power of God's Word (Mark 4:39-41; compare Genesis 1:3, 9). Jesus is the “living Word;” the Word of God fulfilled, embodied and exemplified in human flesh in this world (John 1:1-5, 14).

“In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the World” (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Wednesday 3 Epiphany - B (Variable)
To be used only if there is a 4 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First Posted 1/28/2009;
Podcast: Wednesday 3 Epiphany - B

1 Corinthians 8:1-13   –   Knowledge and Love;

Background:

There was controversy in the Corinthian congregation over eating meat, because much of the meat for sale came from animal sacrifices to idols. People who had no ethical reservation about eating such food felt superior to those who did. Banquets of social clubs and guilds were often held in pagan temples.

Corinthians Paraphrase:

On the subject of food offered to idols, we all have knowledge. Knowledge produces the feeling of one's superiority, while love builds up others and ourselves. Anyone who imagines himself superior to others by his knowledge demonstrates that he doesn't yet know what he should. If we love God we will be known by him.

So, regarding food offered to idols, we know that idols have no real existence, and there is only one true God. While there are many so-called gods and lords, for us there is only one true God, the Father, “from whom are all things, and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist” (1 Corinthians 8:6).

Not everyone knows this; some who were accustomed to eating food sacrificed as really sacrificed to idols are defiled by a weak conscience. What food we eat does not commend us to God. What we eat doesn't make us better off, and what we abstain from eating doesn't make us worse. What is important is to not allow our liberty to cause another who is weak to stumble spiritually. If those who are knowledgeable are seen at a banquet in a pagan temple, a weaker believer might be encouraged to eat food as really sacrificed to idols, and cause him to sin. Our knowledge must not cause another to sin. Causing one of our brethren, for whom Christ died, to sin would be our sin against Christ. So if eating meat would cause a brother to sin, we should abstain for his sake.

Commentary:

Our knowledge should not be used to harm our brethren. Instead of pride, we should be motivated by love. None of us can boast of our love, either, because God first loved us, and we can only truly love others by God's love for us. Anyone who claims spiritual knowledge but has no concern for weaker brethren, doesn't yet have the true knowledge which is most important: that we should love others as God has loved us.

Christians know that there is only one true God, and only one true Lord, Jesus Christ (John 6:68-69 RSV). God is the Creator of the Universe, and our Father, who has created us to be his children. Jesus is the one through whom all things were created and through whom we exist (John 1:1-5, 14).

We come to personally know and have fellowship with God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

We know that idols have no real existence; they are made by the imagination and hand of man. Pagans call them “gods” and lords, but that doesn't make it so. But the Corinthian Christians and we ourselves should not allow our spiritual “enlightenment” to lead ourselves to sin against ourselves or others. Idols themselves have no real existence, but there are real demons behind idols (1 Corinthians 10:20-22; Deuteronomy 32:17). When we know this, we will not treat idols lightly.

God our Father has created this world for his purpose, which is to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly trust and obey God. We have been created to become his obedient, trusting children and citizens of his eternal kingdom.

This lifetime is our opportunity to seek and find God (Acts 17:26-27), and this is only possible through Jesus Christ by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:6). We receive every good gift in the heavenly realm through Jesus.

We are all born physically alive but spiritually “unborn.” This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually “born-again” to eternal life, through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We receive eternal existence through Jesus Christ.

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Thursday 3 Epiphany - B (Variable)
To be used only if there is a 4 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First Posted 1/29/2009;
Podcast: Thursday 3 Epiphany - B

Mark 1:21-28   –   Healing Spiritual Illness;

Paraphrase:

According to Mark, after gathering his disciples, Jesus entered Capernaum and right away Jesus began teaching in the synagogue. The people were amazed at his teaching because he taught with authority, unlike the scribes.

There was a man there who was possessed with a demon, and he cried out, addressing him as Jesus of Nazareth, asking what Jesus would do about them; had Jesus come to destroy them? Jesus commanded the demon to be silent and come out of the man. Crying out with a loud voice, and convulsing the man, the demon came out. The onlookers were amazed and questioned among themselves what to make of this; it was a new teaching! They were amazed that Jesus had authority even over demons. Immediately Jesus' fame spread out through all the surrounding area of Galilee.

Commentary:

Jesus' mission was to give spiritual, eternal life and to heal and feed us spiritually. His mission of physical resurrection, healing and feeding was intended to show that he is able to similar things for us spiritually.

In a sense we are all in bondage to sin, death and the power of Satan (Hebrews 2:14-15), and only through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus are we set free (see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home). God has consigned us all to sin, so that he might have mercy on all who believe in (trust and obey) Jesus (Galatians 3:22; 1 John 1:8-10).

Satan and his demons are a spiritual reality in the world today. The modern diagnosis of the man might be mental illness, but he was spiritually ill, controlled by evil, and only Jesus was able to heal him and restore him to the community and worship of God.

There is a lot of spiritual illness in our society today; not only mental illness, but also antisocial behavior, such as gangs, drugs, and sexual immorality. Our society urgently needs the kind of spiritual healing that only Jesus can provide.

Many in our society realize their spiritual emptiness and are seeking spiritual meaning and fulfillment in all the wrong places. Many are interested in the supernatural, but don't read the Bible. The Bible is the true source of spiritual fulfillment, and the source of true supernatural power.

Many people in the time of Jesus' physical ministry were attracted to him for physical healing and feeding. Physical food only lasts until the next meal. Physical healing only lasts until the next illness. Jesus healed and fed them physically, but unless they acknowledged their spiritual condition and need, they missed the real healing and sustenance which is eternal.

I assert that the meaning and purpose of life is to seek, find, come to know and have fellowship with God our Creator (Acts 17:26-27), and this is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to come to God the Father, the only way to know divine, eternal truth, and the only way to have eternal life (John 14:6). This is only possible through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). The gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit is a personally discernible ongoing event (Acts 19:2).

God's purpose for Creation is to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly choose to trust and obey God's Word. This temporal Creation is the “seed bed” from which God is growing his eternal people. We are all spiritual beings in physical bodies. We are all born into this Creation physically alive but spiritually “unborn.” This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life.

This Creation has been designed to give us the freedom to choose whether to trust and obey God's Word or not, and the opportunity to learn by trial and error that God's Word is good, reasonable, and our very best interest (Romans 12:2). This Creation and we ourselves are limited by time, because God is not willing to tolerate rebellion and disobedience forever, or at all in his eternal kingdom, or it wouldn't be Heaven.

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Friday 3 Epiphany - B (Variable)
To be used only if there is a 4 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First Posted 1/30/2009;
Podcast: Friday 3 Epiphany - B

Exodus 14:21-31  --   Crossing the Sea;

Background:

God had delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, but the Egyptian army had pursued them and had trapped them between the Egyptians and the Red Sea. The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, in the pillar of cloud and fire, had stood between Israel and the Egyptians all night (Exodus 14:19-20).

Exodus Paraphrase:

Moses did as the Lord had commanded (Exodus 14:16-18); he stretched his arm out over the sea and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind, dividing the waters of the sea and drying the sea bottom so the Israelites were able to pass through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on each side of them. Then the Egyptians pursued them; and the Lord, in the pillar of cloud, caused the Egyptians chariot wheels to bog down. The Egyptians tried to flee from the Israelites because they saw that the Lord fought for them against the Egyptians.

The Lord told Moses to stretch out his arm over the sea, so that the water would return and come upon the chariots and horsemen of the Egyptians. When Moses did so the waters returned wiping out the Egyptian army so that not one was left. But the Israelites passed through the sea, with a wall of water on either side.

Israel had thus been saved from the Egyptians by the power of the Lord. The Israelites saw the Egyptian soldiers dead and strewn along the shoreline. The Israelites witnessed the great miracle the Lord had done against the Egyptians on their behalf, and they feared (had appropriate awe and respect for the power and authority of) the Lord and believed in him and Moses, his servant.

Commentary:

The whole history of Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt, and their journey to the Promised Land was intended by God to be a metaphor of life in this world, and to prefigure God's plan for Creation. We're all in slavery to sin and death in the “Egypt” of this world, and Jesus is the “New Moses” who can free us from the “pharaoh” of this world, Satan. Baptism into Jesus Christ is the “parting of the sea,” which allows us to escape from our spiritual enemies. We pass through unharmed, but our spiritual enemies are destroyed.

The final plague upon the Egyptians was the death of the first-born of Egypt (Exodus 12:1-13). The Israelites were saved from the destroying angel of God by the blood of the lamb which was sacrificed for the Passover Feast, instituted by God on the eve of the final plague. Jesus is the “New Lamb" of the "New Passover” feast, the “Lord's Supper” (Holy Communion; Eucharist), which Jesus instituted on the night of his betrayal and arrest (Matthew 26:26-28). Jesus' blood, shed on the cross, marks all who believe (trust and obey) Jesus, to be “passed over” by the destroyer, and saved from eternal death (see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

God had given Israel a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night to guide and protect God's people through their journey to the the Promised Land (Exodus 13:21-22). This is intended by God to illustrate the gift (“baptism”) of the indwelling Holy Spirit which is given through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ.

The “sea” of water baptism into Jesus Christ is the baptism of John the Baptist, the baptism by the Church, for repentance, to prepare us to receive Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:1-3), by the gift (“baptism”) of the Holy Spirit, the "pillar of fire and cloud." Only Jesus gives the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). Only Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:3). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

The Church is the heir to the role of John the Baptist. Our role is to call people to repent and be baptized with water for forgiveness of sins (disobedience of God's Word), to prepare us to receive Jesus by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9). The Church is to point people to Jesus (John 1:35-37), to teach them to trust and obey all that Jesus teaches (Matthew 28:20), to keep “discipling” them within the Church (the “New Jerusalem”) until they have been “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8; note: Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8), and then to send them into the world to carry on the mission of Jesus Christ to bring forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal condemnation to all who are willing to receive it by faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20).

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Saturday 3 Epiphany - B (Variable)
To be used only if there is a 4 Epiphany Sunday - Otherwise skip to 8 Epiphany.
First Posted 1/31/2009;
Podcast: Saturday 3 Epiphany - B

Romans 13:8-10   –   The Commandment to Love;
Matthew 8:23-27   –   Calming the Storm;

Romans Paraphrase:

Paul was “discipling” new believers in the Roman Church. He was telling them his understanding of the Gospel in anticipation of a future visit. Paul advised them not to get into debt with anyone; their only obligation should be to love one another. Love fulfills the the Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments. The commandments dealing with our relationship with others, adultery, murder, stealing, coveting, and others (dishonoring parents; lying), can be summarized by the commandment to love ones neighbor as oneself. Love for our neighbor prevents us from doing our neighbor any harm.

Matthew Paraphrase:

Great crowds were gathering around Jesus seeking physical healing, and Jesus healed many (Matthew 8:14-17). To get relief from the throng, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee.

A violent storm arose and was threatening to swamp the boat, but Jesus was asleep in the stern. His disciples awoke Jesus and asked him to save them, because they were afraid they were going to drown. Jesus asked them why they were afraid; was their faith so little? Then Jesus rose and commanded the wind and waves to cease, and there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed, and wondered among themselves who Jesus really was, that he had power over the wind and sea.

Commentary:

The disciples had just seen Jesus do many miracles of healing (Matthew 8:1-4, 5, 13-17). Some of them had been professional fishermen and boatmen; they knew the danger of the storm, and their lack of their own ability to do anything about it. They looked to Jesus for salvation in this storm, but they were amazed that Jesus was able to control the forces of nature.

They believed and knew that Jesus was the Messiah, God's “anointed” Savior and eternal King, but this miracle was beyond their expectations; only God can command the forces of nature (Genesis 1:3, 9). It took a relatively long time for them to understand fully who Jesus is.

They could hardly believe Jesus' resurrection, after having seen him raise the dead to life on several occasions (Lazarus, Jairus' daughter, the son of the widow of Nain), and having heard Jesus three times predict his death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19). Thomas was one of the last of the disciples to believe Jesus' resurrection (John 20:17-19). Cleopas (Clopas) was one of two disciples on the road to Emmaus, on the first Easter day; they had talked to the risen Jesus without recognizing who he was, until they invited him in to dinner with them (Luke 24:13-35).

Jesus is God in human flesh (Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28). Anyone who has “seen” Jesus has “seen” God the Father (John 14:8-11). No one can know God except through Jesus (Matthew 11:27; John 14:6). Jesus' word is the Word of God (John 14:10, 24) with the creative force of God's Word (Mark 4:39-41).

Jesus doesn't reject us for having too little faith. All we need is the “mustard seed” of faith, our “yes” to Jesus, and he will cause it to grow to spiritual maturity, larger than our expectations.

Jesus' mission was to bring us spiritual healing and spiritual “rebirth” (John 3:3, 5-8). We have all sinned, and fall short of God's standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). We have all been born into this creation physically alive but spiritually “unborn.” His miracles of physical healing, feeding, and resurrection were intended to show that he can also heal, feed, and “resurrect” us spiritually, now (John 3:3, 5-8), and ultimately in eternity (see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

Throngs of people were coming to Jesus for physical healing and feeding (Matthew 8:1-4, 5, 13-17; John 6:22-40). They were actually impeding Jesus' ministry. Jesus told those he healed physically not to tell anyone but their priest (Matthew 8:4; Mark 7:36). Those who had been healed thought they were helping Jesus by telling others, but they weren't, and they weren't obeying Jesus' command. Unless they realized who Jesus was and what he could do for them spiritually, those who were healed physically received only that. Physical feeding only lasts until the next meal; physical healing lasts only until the next illness.

The meaning and purpose of life is to seek, find, come to know, and have fellowship with God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 17:26-27). This is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ. Only Jesus gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually “reborn” to eternal life, and this is only by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Unless we have been reborn we can't see the kingdom of God all around us now, or see and enter it ultimately in eternity.

Jesus commanded the wind and waves and they obeyed him. Jesus commanded demons and the forces of evil and they obeyed him (Luke 10:17; Mark 1:34; Luke 4:41; James 2:19.) Jesus could command us to trust and obey him and we would have no choice but to obey, and there is a day coming at the end of time, the end of our individual lives, when he will command, and there will be no choice but to obey (Philippians 2:10-11; John 5:28-29; Matthew 25:31-46).

God's purpose for this creation is to give us the freedom to choose whether to trust and obey God's Word, and the opportunity to learn by trial and error that God's will is good, reasonable and our very best interest (Romans 12:2). Jesus usually referred to himself as the son of man, which is true, but which allows his hearers to decide for themselves who Jesus is. Jesus told his disciples not to tell anyone who Jesus is (Matthew 16:15-16, 20).

Jesus condensed the Ten Commandments into two: to love God with everything we are and possess, and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus commands his disciples to love one another as he has loved us (John 13:34), and by our love of others we will be known as Jesus' disciples (John 13:35).

Jesus said that we show our love for God the Father and Jesus Christ by obedient trust in their word (John 14:15-17), and that Jesus will reveal himself to those who keep doing his commandments (John 14:21).

Jesus commanded his disciples to wait in Jerusalem (the Church is the "New Jerusalem") until they had been spiritually reborn (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8), and then to go into the world making disciples of Jesus Christ, teaching them to trust and obey all that Jesus teaches (Matthew 28:19-20).

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?