Sunday, February 04, 2024

On My Father's Side - Life of Christ = Week 06 - Sunday

A DOCTOR'S QUESTIONS:

What's your name, son?

      On my mother's side, I'm called Jesus.
      On my Father's side, I'm Emmanuel.

How old are you, son?

      On my mother's side, I'm twelve years old.
      On my Father's side, I've always been.

Where is your home, son?

      On my mother's side, it's Bethlehem.
      On my Father's side, it's Jerusalem.

What is your plan, son?

      On my mother's side, I'll be crucified.
      On my Father's side, I'll rise in three days and then sit on His right hand.

On My Father's Side by The Barn Again Gang
https://youtu.be/N5ddoyfn6g4


Friday, February 02, 2024

#025 Jesus and John Baptize Others (John 3:22-36) - Life of Christ = Week 05 - Friday

John 3:22-24 (Judea) Jesus and John Baptize #Baptism

John 3:25-36 John Testifies About Jesus

Jesus and His Disciples in Judea

John 3:22–24

22After this Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. 23John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. And people were coming and being baptized, 24since John had not yet been thrown into prison.

John the Baptizer Points People to Jesus

John 3:25–36

25Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. 26So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is flocking to Him.”

27John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’ 29He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30He must increase, but I must decrease.”

31The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms. The One who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. 33The one who has accepted His testimony has affirmed that God is true. 34For He whom God sent speaks God’s words, since He gives the Spirit without measure. 35The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands. 36The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.[1]


[1] Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp. 40–41). Holman Bible Publishers.



Other Resources:



Thursday, February 01, 2024

#024 Jesus Teaches Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) - Life of Christ = Week 05 - Thursday

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus                                       #BornAgain
John 3:1-21


Jesus Explains the New Birth to Nicodemus

John 3:1–21

1There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him.”

3Jesus replied, “I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4“But how can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked Him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”

5Jesus answered: “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.

10“Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11“I assure you: We speak what We know and We testify to what We have seen, but you do not accept Our testimony. 12If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.

16“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world that He might judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18Anyone who believes in Him is not judged, but anyone who does not believe is already judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

19“This, then, is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

[1]


[1] Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp. 38–39). Holman Bible Publishers.


Nicodemus: An Open-Minded Pharisee

Throughout His ministry Jesus clashed with the Pharisees because of their legalism, hypocrisy, and inflexible approach to religion. But Nicodemus was different. Although he was a Pharisee (John 3:1), probably a member of the Sanhedrin (“a ruler of the Jews,” John 3:1), and most certainly a respected Jewish teacher (John 3:10), he was interested in what Jesus had to say. He was open to Jesus’ teachings about the new birth and life in the Spirit.

Nicodemus never made an open declaration of faith in Jesus, as far as we know. But he did come to Jesus’ defense on one occasion (John 7:50). Along with Joseph of Arimathea, he claimed Jesus’ body after His crucifixion and helped prepare it for burial (John 19:39; see segment 205, “Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb,” p. 240). He may have been an undeclared or “secret” follower of Jesus.












https://youtu.be/qOz18_GwYJI
#Privilege



Take my Son John 3:1-21

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art." The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted. "Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?"

Another voice angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandt's. Get on with the real bids!"

But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?"

"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."

"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?"

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.

They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"

A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

"What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.

The man who took the son gets everything!"

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: "The son, the son, who'll take the son?"

Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVES, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE










  • God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
  • We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
  •  
  • I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How will I
  •  
  • You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.


Other Resources:
Born Again // Christ Brings Life June 12, 2022 
Anthony Walker



Document for DBS

Series: Be Different “Making Transformative Moves” Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Title: Different Mindset

Bookmark: Click Here

Opening Thoughts: Rather than embrace privilege, Jesus leveraged his status and privilege for the sake of others. Being different demands that we redirect privilege and power to those who are underprivileged and vulnerable.

v  Jesus called us to be different.

o   2 Peter “alien sojourners”

v  Privilege

o   Financially, racial, educated, blessed people.

o   It can make us blind

v  Plan flights

o   1st Class

o   Privilege can be blind at times.

v  John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

o   Neighborhood of John 3

Nicodemus

Samaritan

Man

Woman

Named

Nameless

Teacher

Dropout

Pharisaic Jew

Sinful Samaritan

Night

Noon

Confidence

Questions

===============================================================

Text: John 3-4

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g]

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

………….

Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman

Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

 

===============================================================

Summarize the main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.

v  Review and retell the story.

Reflections for applications:

v  Privilege gets you nowhere

o   You must be born again. Romans 1 vs. Romans 2

v  Lack of privilege does not disqualify

v  God wants to make a new you.

o   John 3:5 No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

o   Galatians 3:27-29 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

v  Privilege Brings Responsibility

Digging Questions:

·         How will you respond in generosity?

·         What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?

·         What is God calling us to do?

Take Away Challenges

·         What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?

·         Whom do you know who needs to hear this?

·         What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?

Hash tags #Give #Generosity

Sunday sermon link          https://youtu.be/qOz18_GwYJI

Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources: Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes

Comments and resources with some more resources:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A1-11&version=NIV