Knowing God--Walking through the Book of Books Lessons 1-18

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Knowing God Study Guide Messages 1-18 By Dr. John S Barnett

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020414PM ASGOTB-6 Exodus- Water and Tab

A STRATEGIC GRASP OF THE BIBLE-6 CHRIST IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES: EXODUS The Rock, the Water and the Feast of Tabernacles

What do these verses have in common? WOMAN AT THE WELL John 4:10, 14 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” JESUS AT A FEAST John 7:37-38 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” PAUL ON WATER FROM A ROCK 1 Corinthians 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

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CHRIST IN EXODUS: EXODUS 33:17 He is the One greater than the deliverer, Moses – He is Christ in ALL the Scriptures! In Exodus we find Christ: 1. The Voice in the Burning Bush (3.1-6) 2. The Passover Lamb of God (12.1-28) 3. The Unleavened Bread (13.3-10) 4. The Rock/Pillar of Cloud and Fire leading them (13.21-22) 5. The Red Sea Crossing (14.1-31) 6. The Manna from Heaven (16.1-36) 7. The Source of Living Water (17.1-7) We can see Pictures of Christ in every section of Exodus.

Pictures of Christ: The Burning Bush (3:1-6) Pictures of Christ: The Passover (12:1-28) PICTURES OF CHRIST: THE UNLEAVENED BREAD (13:3-10) PICTURES OF CHRIST: THE ROCK THAT LED THEM (13.21-22) PICTURES OF CHRIST: THE CROSSING OF THE RED SEA (14.1-31) PICTURES OF CHRISTIAN LIFE IN THE SEQUENCE OF Exodus 15-18 Exodus 15-18 records Seven EXPERIENCES the Israelites had that correspond 1 to our Christian experience. 1. THIS LIFE IS A STRUGGLE: The Wilderness of Shur was the spot of the Song of the Redeemed (15:1-22) this reminds us that we aren’t promised a bed of roses after our salvation/redemption. 2. CHRIST IS OUR HOPE: At Marah, the Bitter Water was Sweetened by a Tree (15:2326) which reminds us that Christ's cross sweetens the bitter experiences of life with the hope of His presence, His Peace, and His Plan. 3. CHRIST MAKES US FRUITFUL: The Oasis at Elim (15:27) with 12 wells and 70 palms reminds us of the promises He gives of a Fruitful Christian life. 4. CHRIST SATISFIES US: In the Wilderness of Sin they were provided Manna and Quail (16.1-36) which reminds us that Christ is the Bread of Life who provides all we need. 1

J. Vernon McGee. (1991). Exodus (Chapters 1-18). Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN.

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5. CHRIST DIED ONCE FOR OUR SINS: The Smitten Rock of Rephadim (17.1-7) reminds us that "that Rock Was Christ" and He was only to be smitten once. 6. WE ARE HIS SOLDIERS: The fight with Amalek is a picture of our war with the Flesh (17:8-16) and the victory is the Lord’s and comes by prayer and His weapons. (Deut. 25:17-18); 7. HIS WORD IS OUR GUIDE: In the scene with Jethro, Priest of Midian (18) we see the value of God's Wisdom revealed over the emptiness of the wisdom of this world. We now have that wisdom in His Word.

PICTURES OF CHRIST: THE MANNA (16:1-36)

Pictures of Christ: The Water from the Rock (17:1-7) To understand the fullness of the water from the Rock it is often helpful to see the Jewish celebration attached to it. Since Jesus attended and participated in these celebrations it is even more imperative to know and understand why. The first2 real test for the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt was this very point. God had opened the waters of the Red Sea to let them out of Egypt. He then closed the same waters behind them to keep them from ever getting back into Egypt. They then sang the first song in the Bible, as they stood on the wilderness shore of the sea. Then they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. ...And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? (Exodus 15:22,24) In Egypt they could always look down to the Nile. That river, the longest in the world, had provided everything that they ever needed. The ancients used to say, and rightly so, "Egypt is the gift of the Nile." But now, a mighty change ensues. These people, redeemed by blood and by power, find themselves in "the waste howling wilderness."(Deut. 32:10) Up until now, they had always looked down. From this time on, they were to look up. o Their food now came from above. o Their guidance now came from above. o Their water would now come from above out of a Rock. o The desert would provide nothing. All that they were to need for the journey would be met out of a gracious God's fullness.

2

Roy Gustafson, In His Land Seeing Is Believing. Minneapolis, Minnesota: World Wide Publications, 1980, p. 107-109.

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In answer to their question, "What shall we drink?" God gave them water from a most unlikely source - a flinty rock! And the New Testament teaches that "they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ." (I Cor. 10:4)

The Water from the Rock in Exodus 17 is celebrated by the Jews at Tabernacles. This re-enactment of the Water from the Rock in Exodus 17 is known as Simcha Bet Ha-sho-evah (the Rejoicing of the House of Drawing Water). o This special ritual prophetically illustrates the time when the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon Israel. o It also illustrates the truth that Jesus Christ, the Giver of living water, probably was came to earth at Sukkot. So the Feast of Tabernacles “the Word became flesh and TABERNACLED among us” takes on a whole new meaning! John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. o Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. ..Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:10, 13-14 NKJV). We have seen3 Christ's ministry on the cross was vividly portrayed by the rituals surrounding Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First fruits. There's one other image we need to get from the Temple celebrations. It is the one which commemorates the drawing of water from the rock at Horeb (Ex. 17:1-7). On the morning of the first day of the festival called Sukkot or Tabernacles, and every day thereafter, a priest carried a large golden ewer from the Temple mount down to the spring of Siloam. As he walked he was surrounded by jubilant worshipers who followed him as he drew water from the pool of Siloam. The route back to the Temple led through the water gate, and into the inner court. There in that grand courtyard of Herod’s gigantic Temple, a huge cheering crowd always waited near the altar. As the water bearing priest approached the altar, the ceremonial silver trumpets were sounded. 3

John Hagee, His Glory Revealed. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999, p. 151-155.

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NOW COMES THE BIG EVENT! Then would come the priests chanting the words of Isaiah: "Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" (12:3 NKJV). Now here is the unforgettable significance of this moment. In Isaiah 12:3 the word for "salvation" in Hebrew is Yeshua. This is exactly the same word in Hebrew we translate as "Jesus." With that in mind think again of the scene. On the first through the sixth days, the priest and his joyful processional circled the altar once, but on the seventh day, they circled the altar seven times! All those times a whole group of priests are loudly affirming that with joy all were to draw water from the wells of JESUS! The highlight of the ceremony occurred when the priest stood and poured the water on the altar. While the water washed away the blood of the morning's sacrifices, a long line of priests, all bearing willow branches, sang psalms of praise. The Talmud4 describes the ceremony in detail, including a portrait of venerable sages juggling lighted torches and performing somersaults as part of the celebration. The experience5 was one of intense and total joy, so much so that the Talmud says whoever has not been in Jerusalem for this ceremony has not experienced real joy! Now get the scene in your hearts with me: o Like all devout Jewish men, Jesus attended the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. o On the last day of one Sukkot festival, He stood and cried out to the crowd: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38 NKJV). The apostle John goes on to explain that Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit, which had not yet been given. o Can't you just see it? Jesus and His disciples had just attended the glorious celebration inside the Temple. They had sung psalms with the priests, had perhaps followed the golden ewer of water seven times around the altar as they chanted Isaiah 12:3 “draw water from the wells of YESHUA (Jesus)”. o Then Jesus and His disciples watched the liquid stream over the altar, cleaning away the blood of goats and rams from the morning sacrifices. As the rustlings of a thousand palms filled the air, foreshadowing the palms that would be lifted to hail Him when He would enter Jerusalem to die at Passover. o In the midst of all that, Jesus spoke in a commanding voice and explained the ritual the Jews had just witnessed. “If any thirst LET THEM COME TO ME! He was the Light of the World, the Living Water, the Word made flesh to dwell among them. He would soon be the Passover Lamb, the Bread Without Leaven, the First fruits. As our sinless High Priest, He would atone for sin once and for all. o For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring. -Isaiah 44:3 NKJV o Hundreds in the Temple that day heard Him ...but only those with understanding believed. Do you?

4 5

Chumney, “ The Feast of Tabernacles” http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2175/chap9.html Barney Kasdan, “Sukkot: The Feast of Tabernacles,” found at Web site www.umjc.org/documents/sukkot.html

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APPENDIX: KEY INSIGHTS ON THE ROCK OF EXODUS 17 1. The "Rock" is one of the titles6 of Jehovah, found frequently on the pages of the O.T. In his "song," Moses laments that Israel forsook God and "lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation" (Deut. 32:15). In his song, we also hear the sweet singer of Israel saying, "The Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer" (2 Sam. 22:2). The Psalmist bids us make a "joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation" (95:1). While the prophet Isaiah tells us "And a Man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a Great Rock in a weary land" (32:2). In the N.T. we get that memorable and precious word, "Upon this Rock (pointing to Himself, not referring to Peter’s confession) I will build My church" (Matthew 16:18). 2. The first thing that impresses one when we see a rock is its strength and stability, a characteristic noted in Scripture in the question of Bildad to Job, "Shall the rock be removed out of his place?" (Job. 18:4). This is a most comforting thought to the believer. The Rock upon which he is built cannot be shaken: the floods may come, and the winds may beat upon it, but it will "stand" (Matthew 7:25). 3. Another prominent characteristic of rocks is their durability. They outlast the storms of time. Waters will not wash them away, nor winds remove them, from their foundations. Many a vessel has been dashed to pieces on a rock, but the rock stands unchanged; and it is a deeply solemn thought that those who are not built upon The Rock, will be shattered by it—"And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken," said Christ, pointing to Himself, "but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (Matthew 21:24). 4. A third feature that may be mentioned about a rock is its elevation. It towers high above man and is a landmark throughout that part of the country where it is situated. Some rocks are so high and so steep that they cannot be scaled. Each of these characteristics find their application to and realization in the Lord Jesus. He is the strong and powerful One—"The mighty God" (Isa. 9:6). He is the durable One—"the Same yesterday and today and forever." He is the elevated One, exalted to the Throne of Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 5. The first thing to be noted here in our type is that the rock was to be smitten. This, of course, speaks of the death of the Lord Jesus. It is striking to note the order of the typical teaching of Exodus 16 and 17. In the former we have that which speaks of the incarnation of Christ; in the latter, that which foreshadowed the crucifixion of Christ. Exodus 17 is supplementary to chapter 16. Christ must descend from Heaven to earth (as the manna did) if He was to become the Bread of life to His people; but He must be smitten by Divine judgment if He was to be the Water of life to them! Here is another reason for the opening "And." 6. There are three details here which enable us to fix the interpretation of the smiting of the rock as a type of the death of the Lord Jesus. First, it was to be smitten by the rod of Moses. The "rod" in the hand of Moses had been the symbol of judgment. The first reference to it definitely determines that. When he cast it on to the ground it became a "serpent" (4:3)—reminder of the curse. With his rod the waters of the Nile were smitten and turned into blood (7:17), and so on. Second, only the "elders of Israel" witnessed the smiting of the rock. This emphasizes the governmental character of what was here foreshadowed. Third, Jehovah Himself stood upon the rock while it was smitten. "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb" (v. 6

A. W. Pink, Gleanings in Exodus, chapter 24.

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6)—marvelous line in the picture was this. Putting these things together what spiritual eye can fail to see here a portrayal of our Substitute being smitten by the rod of Divine justice, held in the hand of the Governor of the Universe. Doubtless that word in Isaiah 53:4, 5 looks back to this very type—"Smitten of God . . . by His stripes we are healed." How solemn to behold that it was the people’s sin which led to the smiting of the rock! 7. Out from the smitten rock flowed the water. Beautiful type was this of the Holy Spirit—gift of the crucified, now glorified, Savior. May not this be one reason why the Holy Spirit is said to be "poured out" (Acts 2:18)?—speaking in the language of this very type. The gift of the Holy Spirit was consequent upon the crucifixion and exaltation of the Lord Jesus. This is clear from His own words from John 7:37, 38: "Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." Now mark the interpretation which is given us in the very next verse: "But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified." 8. The Holy Spirit has given us a supplementary word through the Psalmist which enhances the beauty of the picture found in Exodus 17. There we are told, "He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. For He remembered His holy promise (to) Abraham His servant" (105:41, 42). It was because of His covenant to Abraham that God gave the water to Israel. So, too. we read of God promising to give eternal life to His elect "before the world began" (Titus 1:1, 2), and this, on the basis of "the everlasting covenant" (Heb. 13: 20). 9. 1 Corinthians 10, also supplements Exodus 17. In the historical narrative we read of Moses striking the rock in the presence of "the elders" of Israel, but nothing is there said about the people drinking of the streams of water that flowed from it. But in 1 Corinthians 10:4, we are told, "And did all drink the same spiritual drink." This is an important word. It affirms, in type, that all of God’s people have received the Holy Spirit. There are some who deny this. There are those who teach that receiving the Holy Spirit is a second work of grace. This is a serious error. Just as all the children of Israel (God’s covenant people) drank of the water from the smitten rock. so in the anti-type, all of God’s children are made partakers of the Holy Spirit, gift of the ascended Christ—"And because ye are sons, God had sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6). There is no such thing as a believer in Christ who has not received the Holy Spirit: "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of Him" (Rom. 8:9). 10. Much of the blessedness of our type will pass unappreciated unless we note carefully the occasion when the stream of living water gushed from the smitten rock. It was not when Israel were bowed in worship before the Lord. it was not when they were praising Him for all His abundant mercies toward them. No such happy scene do the opening verses of Exodus 17 present to our view. The very reverse is what is there described. Israel were murmuring (v. 3); they were almost ready to stone God’s servant (v. 4); they were filled with unbelief, saying, "Is the Lord among us, or not?" (v. 7). The giving of the water, then, was God acting according to His marvelous grace. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. But, be it well noted, it was grace acting on a righteous basis. Not till the rock was smitten did the waters flow forth. And not till the Savior had been bruised by God was the Gospel of His grace sent forth to "every creature." What, my reader, is the response of your heart to this amazing and rich mercy of God? Surely you say, out of deepest gratitude, "thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift" (2 Cor. 9:15). Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 8

11. This chapter would not be complete were we to close without a brief word upon Numbers 20, where we again find Moses smiting the rock. "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron, thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth His water, and thou shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink" (vv. 7, 8). 12. What is recorded in Numbers 20 occurred forty years later than what has been before us in Exodus 17. Almost everything here is in sharp contrast. The rock in Exodus 17 foreshadowed Christ on the cross; the rock in Numbers 20 pictured Him on high. The Hebrew word for "rock" is not the same. The word used here in Numbers 20 means an elevated rock, pointing plainly to the Savior in His exaltation. Next, we notice that Moses was not now bidden to "strike" the rock, but simply to speak to it. In Exodus 17 the rock was smitten before the "elders" of Israel; here Moses was bidden to "gather the assembly together." And while Jehovah bade him take a rod, it was not the rod used in Exodus 17. On the former occasion Moses was to use his own rod—"Thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river." That was the rod of judgment. But here he was to take "The rod" (Num. 20:8), namely, the rod of Aaron. This is clear from verse 9, "And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as He commanded him" if we compare it with Numbers 17:10—"And the Lord saith unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony (viz., the Ark in the Holy of Holies), to he kept for a token against the rebels." This, then, was the priestly rod. Mark also how this aspect of truth was further emphasized in the type by the Lord bidding Moses, on this second occasion, to take Aaron along with him—Aaron is not referred to at the first smiting of the rock! 13. The interpretation of the typical meaning of Numbers 20:8 is therefore abundantly clear. The rock must not be smitten a second time, for that would spoil the type. "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once; but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God" (Rom. 6:9, 10). "But now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself... So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many" (Heb. 9:26, 28). Streams of spiritual refreshment flow to us on the ground of accomplished redemption and in connection with Christ’s priestly ministry. 14. How solemn the sequel here. The servant of the Lord failed—there has been but one perfect "Servant" (Isa. 42:1). The meekest man upon earth became angry at the repeated murmurings of Israel. He addressed the covenant people of God as "Ye rebels." He asked them. "Must we fetch you water out of the rock?" He "smote the rock twice"—indicating the heat of his temper. And because of this God suffered him not to lead Israel into Canaan. He is very jealous of the types—more than one man was slain because his conduct marred them. 15. It is striking to note that though Moses smote the rock instead of speaking to it. nevertheless, the refreshing waters gushed forth from it. How this should warn us against the conclusion that a man’s methods must be right if the Lord is pleased to use him. Many there are who imagine that the methods used in service must be pleasing to God if His blessing attends them. But this incident shows plainly that it is not safe to argue thus. Moses’ methods were wrong; notwithstanding, God gave the blessing! But how this incident also manifests, once more, the wondrous grace of God. In spite of (not because of) Israel’s murmuring, and in spite of Moses’ failure, water was given to them, their every need was supplied. Truly, our God is the "God of all grace." May the realization of this draw out our hearts in adoring worship, and may our lives rebound more and more unto His glory. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 9

020602PM ASGOTB-8 Exodus-Tab

A STRATEGIC GRASP OF THE BIBLE-8 CHRIST IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES: EXODUS THE TABERNACLE

Please open to John 5:39 and 46. Always remember to really grasp God's Word we must see that all of it speaks of Christ. Now turn with me to Exodus 24:16, the revelation of the Tabernacle was so sacred, so powerful, so vital to God that He made Moses stand for 6 days and didn’t speak until the 7th day to him. Now look at Exodus 25:9 where God showed Moses a pattern in the Heavenly Tabernacle, and then starts with the furniture. Most people fit furniture into the house; God built the tent around the furniture! Note from Ark outward is how God thinks of the Tabernacle. Now note Exodus 27:1 the Brazen Altar that speaks of Christ's Cross is the tallest piece of furniture in the Tabernacle. For God forbid that I should glory Paul said, in anything but Christ's Cross. The Tabernacle is God’s photo journal documenting salvation. It is not an after thought, it is His premeditated explanation of what Jesus would do perfectly on the Cross. The Tabernacle is the clearest portrait of Christ and His redemption to be found in any part of the Old Testament. While God only uses one verse to record Creation (Genesis 1:1), and two chapters (Genesis 1-2) to explain it, He takes 15 chapters (Exodus 25-40) to explain the construction of the Tabernacle and 27 more to describe it in action (Leviticus). This task was so important that God did not depend on the ingenuity of craftsmen to follow a blueprint, He actually came into them through His Spirit (Exodus 31:1-6) and guided each step of their work. Before God sent a Person named Jesus Christ, He sent a picture called the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle is a photo album of the most detailed explanation of salvation in the Old Testament. The Tabernacle is the ABCs of Christian Doctrine, it is a systematic Theology that Paul actually uses in Romans to explain salvation. In the Old Testament the Tabernacle is the dwelling place of God. In the New Testament the Church becomes the dwelling place of God. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 10

Before the Cross, before Christ came, God established ceremonies to typify, shadow, and explain the Cross. The observant would clearly see that sin must be dealt with before God could be approached. Fellowship with God was only possible when the sin problem was settled. That was the message of sacrifice and the meeting place called the Tabernacle. Now on this side of the Cross, the meaning of the death of Christ to God, and the effects of Christ's death upon us who believe is most clearly taught in the Tabernacle. Even the New Testament has to revert to the Tabernacle to explain Christ's work (Romans 3; Hebrews 8-9). The Cross of Christ is God’s 1st Aid plan for mankind, it is not His secondary or contingency plan. Christ was slain before the foundation of the world as God’s Lamb. The Death of Christ on the Cross was the plan and purpose of God from Eternity past, it was not an after thought brought forth and an emergency solution to the sin dilemma. So when we say that Christ and His Cross are set forth in the Tabernacle it is only a reflection of the grander truth that the death of Christ on the Cross 1900 years ago is part of God’s infinite plan. Before Golgotha, the Cross was God’s plan. Before Calvary, Christ's death was God’s plan. So in the Old Testament Tabernacle God planned out every color, every thread, every article of furniture, and even every tent stake and all of them speak of Christ's sacrifice. The Tabernacle is God's Portrait of Christ. In it we see the key doctrines of Salvation. 1. The Altar of Brass: The Doctrine of Satisfaction 2. The Laver of Brass: The Doctrine of Sanctification o The Three Entrances: The Doctrine of Worship 3. The Table of Showbread: The Doctrine of Worship 4. The Lamp stand of Gold: The Doctrine of Worship 5. The Altar of Gold: The Doctrine of Worship o The Veil Which Was Rent: The Doctrine of Incarnation 6. The Ark of Gold & Wood: The Doctrine of Christology 7. The Mercy-Seat of Gold: The Doctrine of Propitiation "The tabernacle has no fewer than three meanings, 1. In the first place, the tabernacle is a type, a visible illustration, of that heavenly place in which God has His dwelling. 2. In the second place, the tabernacle is a type of Jesus Christ, who is the meeting-place between God and man. 3. And, in the third place, the tabernacle is a type of Christ in the Church—of the communion of Jesus with all believers" (Adolph Saphir). The key to the Tabernacle, then, is Christ. In the volume of the Book it is written of Him. As a whole and in each of its parts the Tabernacle foreshadowed the person and work of the Lord Jesus. Each detail in it typified some aspect of His ministry or some excellency in His person. Proof of this is furnished in John 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us" (R. V. margin). The reference here is to the Divine incarnation and first advent of God’s Sea to this earth, and its language takes us back to the book of Exodus. Many and varied are the correspondences between the type and the anti-type. We take leave to quote from our comments on John 1:14. 1. The order in which the Tabernacle and its contents are described is most significant. The first thing mentioned is the ark (25:10) and its covering—the mercy-seat (25:17), which was Jehovah’s throne in Israel’s midst. Then comes the table (25:23) and the candlestick (25:31), Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 11

2.

3.

4.

the curtains (26:1), and boards (26:15) of the Tabernacle proper, with the separating veil (26:31). Last comes the brazen altar (27:1) and the hangings of the court (27:9). Thus it will be seen that the order is from the interior to the exterior. It is the order of sovereign grace, God coming from His throne right to the outer door where the sinner was! How this reminds us of the Incarnation; the sinner in his sins could not go from earth to heaven, so God in the person of His Son came from heaven to earth, and died the Just for the unjust "that He might bring us to God (1 Pet. 3:18). Blessedly was this emphasized by Christ in His teaching—the Shepherd going after the lost sheep (Luke 15:4), the good Samaritan journeying to where the wounded traveler lay (Luke 10:33), etc. The second description of the Tabernacle, where we have the record of its manufacture and set up, there is a notable variation. Instead of beginning with the contents of the holy of holies where Jehovah dwelt, we have described the Tabernacle and curtains of the outer court, which the common people saw. Here the order is from without to within—the experimental order, the order in which Divine truth is apprehended by the soul. This same twofold order may be seen in the Epistles to the Romans and Ephesians. In Romans, the Holy Spirit begins with man’s sinfulness, guiltiness, and ruin; goes on to speak of God’s provision in Christ, and then closes the doctrinal section by showing us the redeemed sinner in the presence of God, from whom there is no separation. In Ephesians the Spirit begins with God’s eternal counsels, choosing us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and then treats of redemption and regeneration and the consequent privileges and responsibilities flowing therefrom. In Romans it is the sinner going in to God; in Ephesians, God coming out the sinner. Such is the double teaching in the twofold order of the description of the Tabernacle. The order of the pieces that made up the Tabernacle is fascinating. Marvelous is the progressive order of teaching in connection with the various objects in the Tabernacle. o At the brazen altar sin was judged, and by blood-shedding put away. o At the laver purification was effected. o In the holy place provision was made for prayer, food and illumination. In the holy of holies the glory of the enthroned King was displayed. o The same principle of progress is also to be seen in the increasing value of the sacred vessels. Those in the outer court were of wood and brass; whereas those in the inner compartments were of wood and gold. So too the various curtains grew richer in design and embellishment, the inner veil being the costliest and most elaborate. o Again, the outer court, being open, was illumined by natural light; the holy place was lit up by the light from the golden candlestick; but the holy of holies was radiated by the Shekinah glory of Jehovah. o Thus the journey from the outer court into the holy of holies was from sin to purification, and from grace to glory. How blessedly did this illustrate the truth that "the path of the Just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Prov. 4:18). The Tabernacle was dictated completely by God. No less than seven times are we informed that Moses was commanded to make the Sanctuary after the pattern of it which was shown him in the Mount—see Exodus 25:9; 25:40; 26:30; 27:8; Numbers 8:4; Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:5. Nothing was left to man’s wisdom, still less to "chance"; everything was to be in exact accordance with the Divine model. Does not this teach us that everything concerning Christ and His people has been wrought out according to the eternal purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will! May Divine grace enable us to rest there in perfect peace and Joyous worship.

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040704AM Mark -55 The Good Heart Lives For Jesus

The Good Life – Accepts the Word Mark 4.8 & 20 Are you living the ‘good life” this morning? For many that idea of the “good life” would evoke financial security, great health, abundant pleasures, and constant freedoms. But sadly and what and what and what and what

most of those pursuing that ‘good life” never find it; they thought was lasting fades; they thought was secure gets lost; they thought was pleasure becomes pain; they thought was real turns out to be fake.

Tragic, isn’t it? To miss the real “good life” for an imitation that is broken and useless – and all the time missing what Jesus offers, the most incredible life possible for any human to possess. What is the “good life”? It is a life that flows from within. It is the original and genuine “good life”. All other varieties but His are counterfeit. Only Christ's ‘good life’ never ends. All the rest do. That is where we start in Mark 4.8 & 20 this morning. But before we hear Christ's voice this morning remember that anyone who is honest and has looked at life apart from God soon realizes that the world’s pleasures only offer the best at the first, and then, once you are “hooked,” things start to get worse. Last week as I tuned in to hear news at the top of the hour I was a couple minutes early. And there in my car came the music of the 60’s and 70’s and one of those voices was the voice of Roy Clark singing his 1969 hit “Yesterday”. The words his voice framed, exactly captured the fleeting pleasures of anyone who tries to live the “good life” apart from Jesus. Listen to these piercing words and think that this is all that life apart from Jesus has to offer: Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 13

1.

2.

3.

4.

Yesterday when I was young, the taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue. I teased at life as if it were a foolish game. The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame. I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out. I never stopped to think what life was all about, and every conversation I can now recall, concerned itself with me, and nothing else at all. The game of love I played with arrogance and pride, and every flame I lit to quickly quickly die. The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away, and only I am left on the stage to end the play. There are so many songs in me that won't be sung. I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue. The time has come for me to pay for Yesterday... When I Was Young

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Unlike anything this world offers, Jesus continues to offer that which is best until we one day enjoy the finest blessings in His eternal kingdom (Luke 22:18). So how do we make sure we have today this ‘good life” that is genuine? The best way to start is to listen to Him, the Author of the ‘good life” Open with me to Mark 4.8 and then 20 where Jesus explains that the “good life” is actually from a Good Heart – Accepts the Word. Note that it is that which “comes from within”. So just as a good heart has fruit that comes from within and that fruit is produced by God. So we should see from within us fruit that springs up, increases, and comes to maturity. We are the company of the unworthy, doing the impossible for the Glory of Another. Never was more asked of anyone than what Jesus Christ asks of you and me TODAY!

JESUS WANTS TO HAVE ALL OF US Stand, read, pray. In the Gospels we can trace Christ's calls to commitment. He states we can’t be His disciples unless we desire to obey these expressions of devotion to Him. Here are six ways that we evidence Christ as our Teacher, and that we are His Followers. Each of Christ's calls can be distilled down to a handful of words. Why not jot them down on a paper to remember?

1st – Jesus wants my Heart opened completely in love for Him – that means I will love Him MOST. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). In this verse, the word “hate” essentially has to do with a comparison of loves. Simply put, our love for God is to be so great that, in comparison, love for even the dearest of relations should seem as hatred. Loving God with an unrivaled love means that we will esteem nothing—family, friends, possessions, job, fame, power, pleasures, and especially ourselves—of more worth to us than He is. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you; Mark 8:34-37 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 15

his cross, and follow Me.35 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.36 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 “Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Please open to Hymn # 372. Remember this hymn is a testimony of how one man made it through life when it seemed everything was going against him, and the world around him was crumbling. And from those times come one of the greatest hymns of our time! “Living for Jesus” Living for Jesus, a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do; Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me. Chorus

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

2

Living for Jesus Who died in my place, Bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace; Such love constrains me to answer His call, Follow His leading and give Him my all.

3

Living for Jesus, wherever I am, Doing each duty in His holy Name; Willing to suffer affliction and loss, Deeming each trial a part of my cross.

4

Living for Jesus through earth’s little while, My dearest treasure, the light of His smile; Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.7

Stanza 2B describes loving Jesus most: “such love constrains me to answer His call, follow His leading and give Him my all.”

2nd – Jesus wants my Body offered completely to Him– that means I will die to SELF.

7 Eckert, Paul, Steve Green’s MIDI Hymnal, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1998. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 16

“Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27). Dying to self is a prerequisite to living for Christ. Paul wrote of this when he said, “I am crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Gal. 2:20). In spite of the cost of death to self, and whatever personal suffering that may bring, a dedicated disciple will follow after Christ, wherever He chooses to lead. Stanza 1B describes dying to self: “yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free—this is the pathway of blessing for me.”

3rd – Jesus wants my Will surrendered unreservedly to Him – that means I will OBEY. “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33). Because Christ purchased us with His blood, we belong wholly to Him (1 Cor. 6:1920). In light of this, He expects us to acknowledge His rightful ownership by not holding back anything for ourselves. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. A life given unreservedly back to God as a love offering is what stewardship is all about. Stewardship is not only about money, it is about life itself. Time and life are far greater treasures than money and possessions. First and foremost, God wants us— unreservedly! Chorus describes obeying Jesus: “I own no other Master—my heart shall be Thy throne: My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.”

4th – Jesus wants my Eyes focused eagerly on His Word – that means I will hunger for His Word. “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’” (John 8:31-32).

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Note that Jesus is addressing those who “believed Him”; belief in Christ as personal Savior and Lord is the first step of discipleship (John 3:16-18). Abiding in His Word bears witness that we have true life in Christ. In Greek, “abide” (meno) in verse 31 primarily means “to stay.” By staying in His Word, becoming not only a “hearer” but also a “doer,” we show that His love is in us (James 1:22-25; John 15:10-11). Eyes focused upon Christ's word will find what Jesus wants me to be: Mark describes the life by Christ's words captured. •

FOLLOWS JESUS: Mark 1:17 Then Jesus said to them, make you become fishers of men.”

•

DOES THE WILL OF GOD: Mark 3:35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

•

YIELDS A CROP: Mark 4:8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

•

ACCEPTS THE WORD AND BEARS FRUIT: Mark 4:20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

•

UNWORTHY, PERSISTENT, AND HUMBLE: Mark 7:24-30 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

•

TAKES UP THE CROSS: Mark 8:34-38 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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“Follow Me, and I will

Oh, that each of us would have this same passion for God and His Word! In light of the rich treasures to be had, it’s inconceivable that the majority of Christians today have not read the Bible through even once—especially since it takes an average reader only 15 minutes daily. If you haven’t already been doing so, I challenge you to begin reading the Bible through no less than once a year. Beyond reading the Word faithfully, we should also do word studies to pursue a theme of interest; read commentaries; do Bible study guides; memorize Scripture, and meditate upon it daily. Stanza 4A describes loving Christ's Word: “Living for Jesus thru earth’s little while, my dearest treasure the light of His smile.”

5th – Jesus wants my Actions focused on selfless love for others – that means I will love with Christ's LOVE. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). The commandment to love was not new, but the manner of love to be shown was now taking on a new dimension—to love as Christ has loved. What type love had His disciples experienced from Christ up to that point? John 13:12-17 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. Matthew Henry writes: He spoke kindly to them, concerned himself heartily for them, and for their welfare, instructed, counseled, and comforted them, prayed with them and for them, vindicated them when they were accused, took their part when they were run down, and publicly owned them to be dearer to him than his mother, or sister, or brother. He reproved them for what was amiss, and yet compassionately bore with their failings, excused them, made the best of them, and passed by many an oversight. Thus he had loved them, and just now washed their feet [vv. 12-17]; and thus they must love one another, and love to the end.8 8

Matthew Henry, MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY, Vol. V.- Matthew to John (McLean, VA: MacDonald Publishing Company), p.1104.

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Our wives and children need to see Calvary love compelling us to live sacrificially for Christ’s sake and theirs. This is how the world will distinguish us from Satan’s crowd, they will know we are clearly Christ’s disciples. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Stanza 4B describes loving with Christ's love: “seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

6th – Jesus wants my Life spent intentionally on fruit bearing for His glory – that means I will Walk in the SPIRIT. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:7-8). The ultimate goal of discipleship is this: “. . . be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Eph. 5:1-2). This is an ongoing, lifelong process by which the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God, to conform the child of God, into the image of God, for the glory of God. In so doing, He produces in us the fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22). That fruit is manifested in a true disciple’s life as an: Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Stanza 2B describes walking in the Spirit: such love constrains me to answer His call, follow His leading and give Him my all. So what is the genuine good life? Simply stated, it is a life “Living for Jesus”. How do we get that? Jesus told us, it is welcoming Him into more and more of our lives. Let me read each of these six calls Christ made and you respond with the way we can choose today to welcome Christ's Word into our lives by saying “I Will…”:

• 1st – Jesus wants my Heart opened completely in love for Him that means -- I will love Him MOST. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 20

• 2nd – Jesus wants my Body offered completely to Him that means -- I will die to SELF. • 3rd – Jesus wants my Will surrendered unreservedly to Him that means -I will OBEY. • 4th – Jesus wants my Eyes focused eagerly on His Word that means -- I will hunger for His Word. • 5th – Jesus wants my Actions focused on selfless love for others that means -- I will love with Christ's LOVE. • 6th – Jesus wants my Life spent intentionally on fruit bearing for His glory that means -- I will Walk in the SPIRIT. Thirty one words that frame the genuine “good life”! COMMUNION With the bread in our hands, lift it up to Jesus and with your eyes closed SAY from your heart to Him the words of that chorus. Chorus

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

Now hold the cup up before Him and SING to Him as a sacred consecration that chorus again like it was the first time and the last.

040627AM Mark -54 The Good Heart Accepts The Word

The Good Heart – Accepts the Word Mark 4.1-20 Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 21

Open with me to Mark 4.20 where Jesus explains that the Good Heart – Accepts the Word. With the death and burial of our 40th President there has been a national resurrection of discussions about the greatness of Ronald Regan’s life. Perhaps the single greatest event he is remembered for is breaking down the walls of Communism and opening freedom to so many. The Iron Curtain enslaved millions largely because of the incredible dedication of the few. Those devoted followers of this atheistic philosophy were able to captivate much of the world in one generation. Communism rapidly conquered much of the world because of the total dedication of a few. In 1903, one man with a handful of followers began communism. His name was Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924). In 1917 he overthrew the Russian government with only 40,000 Communist Party members. His movement became the fastest growing system in the history of the world. By the 1950’s his followers controlled about 62 percent of the world—and brutally held on to their power. Communism triumphed largely because of the complete devotion of its followers. Their dedication was typified in an actual letter written by a young communist to his fiancée, breaking off their engagement. The girl’s pastor sent the letter to Billy Graham, who referred to it in a crusade message a number of years ago. The communist wrote: There is one thing, which I am in dead earnest about, and that is the communist cause. It is my life, my business, my religion, my hobby, my sweetheart, my wife, my mistress, and my bread and meat. I work at it in the daytime and dream of it at night. Its hold on me grows, not lessens, as time goes on; therefore, I cannot carry on a friendship, a love affair, or even a conversation without relating it to this force which both drives and guides my life. I evaluate people, looks, ideas, and actions according to how they affect the communist cause, and by their attitude toward it. I’ve already been in jail because of my ideals, and if necessary, I’m ready to go before a firing squad.9 That is total dedication. Without divine help, God’s Grace, the Spirit’s power, or Christ's love – look at the intense devotion humans can produce. Can you imagine what God does when He finds this level of dedication in our hearts, minds, and wills as His children? To answer that question, turn with me to the life of another man. In 1917 as Lenin was master to his deeply devoted revolutionaries, God was at work in the heart of one of His servants – drawing him to deeply devote himself to Jesus. This man was being mastered by the Master of Heaven and Earth – at the very same time Lenin was starting his destructive revolution.

9

William MacDonald, True Discipleship (Kansas City, KS: Walterick Publishers, 1975), p. 33.

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Please open to Hymn # 372. The words of this hymn were written when the author was 51, unable to finish the career he studied to do, weak and sickly, unemployed, and trying to make ends meet selling things door to door. This hymn was his testimony of how he made it through life when it seemed everything was going against him, and the world around him was crumbling. Look at the bottom of page 372, what year did he write these words? 1917. What was happening in the year 1917? Lenin was conquering Russia and World War I was grinding on across Europe. Hundreds of miles of trenches oozed with millions of fighting men in a river of death, gas warfare, and plagues.10 Now look at those words written in some of the darkest hours of human history. And from those times come one of the greatest hymns of our time! “Living for Jesus” o

Living for Jesus a life that is true, striving to please Him in all that I do, yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free—this is the pathway of blessing for me.

o

Living for Jesus who died in my place, bearing on Calv’ry my sin and disgrace— such love constrains me to answer His call, follow His leading and give Him my all.

o

Living for Jesus thru earth’s little while, my dearest treasure the light of His smile, seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

o

Chorus: O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, for Thou in Thine atonement didst give Thyself for me. I own no other Master—my heart shall be Thy throne: My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

Where did such a confession come from? A 1st Century saint? No, just from a man who was too weak and sick to do he wanted to do in life. He had to leave full time vocational ministry and do a door-to-door sale job just to stay alive and eat. His name was Thomas Obadiah Chisholm. Born in a humble log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky, on July 29, 1866; without the benefit of high school or advanced training, he began his career as a schoolteacher at the age of sixteen in the same country schoolhouse where he had received his elementary training. Because of a weak body, poor health, and limited finances – Tom spent most of his long life indoors seated at a writing table. Writing, however, was always Mr. Chisholm’s first love, and he wrote more than 1,200 poems, of which 800 were published. In 1917 alone 2,676 ships would be sunk in the warfare and hundreds of thousands would die. America had sat out much of the war, but then came April 6th and America entered the War as we declared war on Germany and later on Austria-Hungary. By July waves of boys that would end up totaling 4.3 million American soldiers began to start their journey toward the front where 57,476 would die. World War I saw 65 million soldiers fight, 8 ½ million killed, and 21 million returned home without the health and body they had before the war because of being wounded. And in the lands to which they stumbled back they found them ravaged by war and 10 million of their own relatives dead as civilian casualties. 10

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At 51 Tom wrote out his personal testimony of consecration in song. This poem, prayer, and consecration hymn has been the pathway of thousands who have sought to deepen their devotion to Jesus. “Living for Jesus” was published that same year in a hymnal, in 1917. Mr. Chisholm concluded a long and fruitful ministry on February 29, 1960, at the Methodist Home for the Aged in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. How do we cultivate that level of dedication to Jesus? In Mark 4.20 Jesus calls this “accepting” the Word – welcoming into our hearts and lives His Word and His way as our own. Stand and Read What does a heart look like that accepts the Word? How is a life lived that welcomes as its own Jesus Christ the Word of God? The Gospels capture six elements from the very lips of Jesus. Listen to Him. Accept His Word. Desire this depth of devotion, and welcome Him by giving yourself to Him. Pray

JESUS WANTS TO HAVE ALL OF US In the Gospels we can trace Christ's call to commitment. He states we can’t be His disciples unless we desire to evidence these characteristics.11 Here are six ways that we evidence Christ as our Teacher, and that we are His Followers.

1st - Hearts opened completely in love for Christ – that means we love Him MOST. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). In this verse, the word “hate” essentially has to do with a comparison of loves. Simply put, our love for God is to be so great that, in comparison, love for even the dearest of relations should seem as hatred. This is based upon His first and greatest commandment: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37-38). In both the good times and the bad, we will continually be confronted with whether we are going to obey Christ and His Word—or buckle under to pressures to compromise our faith and “go with the crowd.” Each opportunity to serve God represents this test: Who

11

For an excellent exposition on these points, see: J. Oswald Sanders’ SPIRITUAL DISCIPLESHIP [with Study Guide], (Moody Press, 1994), p. 19.

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do we love most? If we do not give Christ the preeminence He deserves, He says that we are not worthy of Him (Col. 1:18; Matt. 10:37). Loving God with an unrivaled love means that we will esteem nothing—family, friends, possessions, job, fame, power, pleasures, and especially ourselves—of more worth to us than He is. In so doing, we demonstrate His “worthship” to us by choosing to do things His way, and not our own. This is the essence of true worship. By losing our lives in that manner for Christ’s sake, we will find them (Matt. 16:25). Stanza 2B: “such love constrains me to answer His call, follow His leading and give Him my all.”

2nd -- Bodies offered completely – that means we die to SELF. “Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27). This verse is related to Luke 14:26 in that to “bear [our] cross” means hating our own life enough for Christ’s sake that we voluntarily crucify self daily. In Mark 8:34 Christ states, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” That word “deny” has the strongest meaning possible—to utterly deny, totally separate from self. Taking up our cross by denying self is imperative because it’s impossible to serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). The following testimony by George Mueller beautifully describes the heart of such a life. “There was a day when I died, utterly died to George Mueller; . . . to his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame of even my brethren and friends. Since then I have studied to show myself approved only unto God.”12 Dying to self is a prerequisite to living for Christ. Paul wrote of this when he said, “I am crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Gal. 2:20). In spite of the cost of death to self, and whatever personal suffering that may bring, a dedicated disciple will follow after Christ, wherever He chooses to lead. To not bear the cross of self-denial pits our will against God’s, which is prideful. Pride is the root of all sin because self competes with God for control and glory. In contrast, humility is the root of all virtue because humility denies self and says, “Not my will, but Yours be done!” Such humility produces deep and abiding joy as the result of knowing— and truly pleasing—Almighty God, our Savior and Lord (John 15:10-11). Living a life that

12

Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, Springs in the Valley (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1939), p. 13.

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is uncompromising when it comes to bearing the cross of self-denial is a mark of a true disciple. Stanza 1B: “yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free—this is the pathway of blessing for me.”

3rd -- Wills surrender unreservedly to Christ – that means we will OBEY. “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33). Because Christ purchased us with His blood, we belong wholly to Him (1 Cor. 6:1920). In light of this, He expects us to acknowledge His rightful ownership by not holding back anything for ourselves. As our Master, Christ has the right of disposal of all our possessions (Matt. 19:21). Christ is the Owner; as His stewards, we are only employees. Consider the testimonies of such godly disciples as Martin Luther, John Wesley, and David Livingstone. • Martin Luther once said, “I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” • “I value all things,” said Wesley, “only by the price they shall gain in eternity.” • Similarly, Livingston stated, “I place no value on anything I possess except in relation to the Kingdom of God.” These men truly forsook everything for the cause of Christ! Christ says to us likewise, “Out of love for Me, forsake all you own—and your life will be truly blessed!” We should be so captivated with the Lord that we invest all we have for Him, letting nothing take higher priority than obedience and worship of Christ. A life given unreservedly back to God as a love offering is what stewardship is all about. Stewardship is not only about money, it is about life itself. Time and life are far greater treasures than money and possessions. First and foremost, God wants us—unreservedly! The essentials of discipleship aren’t easy. We must desire to evidence an unrivaled love for Christ, an uncompromising life of self-sacrifice, and an unreserved surrender of all to Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ says that the following characteristics will be manifested in true disciples, and that others will notice that allegiance to Him because of it. Chorus: “I own no other Master—my heart shall be Thy throne: My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.”

4th -- Eyes focused eagerly on God’s Word – that means we hunger to see Him in His Word. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 26

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’” (John 8:31-32). Note that Jesus is addressing those who “believed Him”; belief in Christ as personal Savior and Lord is the first step of discipleship (John 3:16-18). Abiding in His Word bears witness that we have true life in Christ. In Greek, “abide” (meno) in verse 31 primarily means “to stay.” By staying in His Word, becoming not only a “hearer” but also a “doer,” we show that His love is in us (James 1:22-25; John 15:10-11). As we know Truth experientially, we too, like the psalmist, ought to cry out to our awesome Lord: “Oh, how l love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. . . . I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way” (Ps. 119:97; 101-104). Oh, that each of us would have this same passion for God and His Word! In light of the rich treasures to be had, it’s inconceivable that the majority of Christians today have not read the Bible through even once—especially since it takes an average reader only 15 minutes daily. If you haven’t already been doing so, I challenge you to begin reading the Bible through no less than once a year. Beyond reading the Word faithfully, we should also do word studies to pursue a theme of interest; read commentaries; do Bible study guides; memorize Scripture, and meditate upon it daily. If all we do is hear the Word preached, we’re like a person trying to grasp a softball with just our little finger. Adding hearing plus faithful reading is better, and adding study is better still. But we cannot get much of a hold on the ball with only three fingers. We need all four fingers and an opposing thumb to firmly grasp a softball, and we need to hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate upon God’s Word in order to firmly grasp the Scriptures. Thus when the storms of life assail, our foundation is secure because it’s grounded in the Rock (Matt. 7:24-25). We will never become genuine disciples without having an unbounded passion to read, study, and obey His precious Word. This is what will inspire us to truly love Christ and others as He has commanded, all relationships are centered in fulfilling these two loves (Matt. 22:37-40). Stanza 3A: “Living for Jesus thru earth’s little while, my dearest treasure the light of His smile.”

5th -- Actions focused on selflessly on love for others – that means we love with Christ's LOVE. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 27

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). The commandment to love was not new, but the manner of love to be shown was now taking on a new dimension—to love as Christ has loved. What type love had His disciples experienced from Christ up to that point? Matthew Henry writes: He spoke kindly to them, concerned himself heartily for them, and for their welfare, instructed, counseled, and comforted them, prayed with them and for them, vindicated them when they were accused, took their part when they were run down, and publicly owned them to be dearer to him than his mother, or sister, or brother. He reproved them for what was amiss, and yet compassionately bore with their failings, excused them, made the best of them, and passed by many an oversight. Thus he had loved them, and just now washed their feet [vv. 12-17]; and thus they must love one another, and love to the end.13 And love to the end Christ did—all the way to Calvary—a final example of what it means to love “as He has loved us.” He loved us unconditionally, and that is the way He wants us to love one another: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Our homes are the basic testing grounds for learning how to love Christ’s way. It is much easier to fool others who don’t know about all our weaknesses, but it is the day-today relationships within our families that reveal our true character. Personal relationships should not be guided by whether we feel like loving at any particular moment. Loving as Christ loves involves commitment: With a voluntary act of our wills, we choose, by God’s grace, to always act in the best interest of others, regardless of their responses to us . (Rom. 13:10). Our wives and children need to see Calvary love compelling us to live sacrificially for Christ’s sake and theirs. This is how the world will distinguish us from Satan’s crowd, they will know we are clearly Christ’s disciples. (2 Cor. 5:14-15 Stanza 3B: “seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, bringing the weary to find rest in Him. 13

Matthew Henry, MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY, Vol. V.- Matthew to John (McLean, VA: MacDonald Publishing Company), p.1104.

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6th -- Lives spent intentionally on fruit bearing for God’s glory – that means Walk in the SPIRIT. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:7-8). The ultimate goal of discipleship is this: “. . . be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Eph. 5:1-2). This is an ongoing, lifelong process by which the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God, to conform the child of God, into the image of God, for the glory of God. In so doing, He produces in us the fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22). That fruit is manifested in a true disciple’s life as an: Stanza 2B: such love constrains me to answer His call, follow His leading and give Him my all.

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020804PM ASGOTB-12 Tab

A STRATEGIC GRASP OF THE BIBLE-12 PORTRAITS OF CHRIST IN THE TABERNACLE WALKING HOLY GROUND

This evening I would like to invite you to walk with me on holy ground. That Holy Ground is the verses in which we find our Lord Jesus Christ in all His glory. Our goal is to have a strategic grasp of the Bible. That strategic grasp comes as we find that ALL THE Scriptures speak of Him. In John 5:39 that is exactly what Jesus said, and that is what we aim to see. First join me in a quick overview of how God laid out the plan of salvation so clearly in the detailed plans for the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle portrays a seven-step plan of salvation: 1. A sinner is outside the Tabernacle, kept away by a 7 ½ foot high white fence, set of posts held up by 60 solid brass sockets. There is only one way or gate into the enclosure, which opened directly in front of the Brazen Altar. That altar is the Cross of Jesus, which is where our spiritual life begins at salvation. 2. The next step after salvation is the regular cleansing at the Brazen Laver. 3. After being cleansed the next door leads to the Holy Place [about the size of a large living room (30 x 15)] where we find the Golden Table of Bread as we fellowship with Jesus through His Word. 4. Then guided by the light of the Golden Lamp stand we are able to walk confidently as I John 1:7 says. 5. Then and only then can we understand the power of prayer as portrayed by the Golden Altar of incense. 6. Through prayer we enter the Holy of Holies of God’s very presence. 7. In that Holiest Place we find the peace and security of the Ark of the Covenant, the blood sprinkled mercy seat and the glow of the Shekinah of God’s presence. A 450-foot long fence made of white linen surrounded the Tabernacle. This wall that was higher than anyone could see over had a strong message “stay out”. The posts that held the fence were set in solid brass post holders called sockets. The brass always speaks of judgment. This pure white fence Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 30

set in sockets of brass says be perfect or God will judge you, and spoke of our inability to qualify on our own to come to God, and represented the law which says: o Romans 3:9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. o Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. o James 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. The Gate into the Tabernacle was very wide, 30 feet to be exact speaking of God’s Grace and loudly saying “come in”. o Exodus 38:18 The screen for the gate of the court was woven of blue (Eagle/Son of God/ John), purple (Lion/King of Jews/Matthew), and scarlet (Ox/Servant of the Lord/Mark) thread, and of fine woven white linen (Man/Son of Man/Luke). The length was twenty cubits, and the height along its width was five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the court. o Through Isaiah He made the appeals “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth” (45:22) and “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near” (55:6). Through Ezekiel He warned, “Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!” (Ezek. 33:11). During His earthly ministry, Jesus said to the sinful multitudes, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28) and, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). From heaven, through the apostle John, Jesus said, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Rev. 22:17). So there was not only one way into the Tabernacle, but also one attitude. The only way a sinner might enter was with a sacrificial substitute to die in that sinners place. Hebrews 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. By coming to that gate a sinner admitted his sinfulness, and accepted the only hope, a substiture to die in his place. There was no other way in. All else inside that tent was based on that contrite admission. God’s Word14 says that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, and upon this Brazen Altar, back in the Old Testament days sacrifices were consumed by fire. This teaches us that sin is punishable by death. The soul that sinneth shall surely die. It also teaches us that an innocent substitute must die in the sinner’s place. The slain lamb, the goat, the bullock were Israel’s substitutes that shed their blood typical of Christ’s atoning death on the Cross. So in the New Testament we find these words, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” Jesus Christ, God’s sacrificial lamb, died for your sins, for mine died in your place, in my place. If you would go home to be with the Lord, you must needs go by the way of the Cross. Yes, if you come by faith, God will accept you. He will cast your sins behind His back, never to remember them against you, forever. Take God at His word. That sin question must be settled, either the sinner must die for his sin or an innocent substitute die in his place. Jesus came and died for you, He gave His life a ransom for you (John 1:12). Wherever you are, and look up into the Father’s face and say, “Oh God save me, I believe.” God will hear you.

14

Charles E. Fuller, The Tabernacle In The Wilderness. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Fleming H. Revell Company, No Date, pp. 24-25, 34-36.

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The Brazen Laver is the next once we get inside the fence, and finish at the Brazen Altar or in the picture of the Tabernacle are saved. As we are confronted by the next piece of furniture called the Brazen Laver we are reminded of one of the most striking things about the Tabernacle was that it had no floor. The priests walked every day of their ministry on the dirt of the earth. Becoming a priest or getting saved for that matter, doesn’t immediately isolate us from the dirt of the world. There was no raised floor to keep them up and off the dirt, rather they were to be ever washing their hands and their feet. No baths were necessary because they didn’t dive into the dirt only worked around it. What a picture for us as believers to ponder. Living on the earth they often had to go to the laver and be cleansed again and again. That is why the laver had no measurements, it was as big as needed to cleanse away all the defilements that ever would come. What a picture of Christ's love, cleansing and forgiveness. o 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. o 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. o 2 Corinthians 12:20-21 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; 21 lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced. o 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. o Hebrews 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? o Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. o 1 John 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. o Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

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010325 AM Mark-49 Masters Message in Luke-9

THE MASTER’S MESSAGE SERIES LUKE-9 RECEIVING THE WORD This morning we are looking at one of the foundational truths of our salvation. True Christians are those who have received God's Word. Think of the verses you know so well: John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. James 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 1 Peter 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, But so few have received God's Word, right? Have you been reading the news this week? Another school shooting in California, more terrorist bombs in Russia, and the daily rates of evil in America with 54 individuals murdered every day in America and 16,939 assaulted. That makes 19,810 who are killed and another 6.1 million that are injured in fights and attacks HERE in the USA. So we live in a land overflowing with violence, greed, and suffering. So what do crime statistics have to do with the Gospel? And what does God expect from us who live in these last days? God wants everyone to receive His Word and be changed from their sinful ways. To see this turn with me to 2 Timothy 3 and follow along as I read these timely verses. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! Listen to a paraphrase: Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 33

contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.15 God's Word shows that the unsaved, the lost, the worldlings to the very end of time are unwilling to “receive the Word” and be changed. Remember the sky is falling down literally in the Tribulation and the lost cling to their stuff! Revelation 9:20-21 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Or in modern English: The remaining men and women who weren’t killed by these weapons went on their merry way—didn’t change their way of life, didn’t quit worshiping demons, didn’t quit centering their lives around lumps of gold and silver and brass, hunks of stone and wood that couldn’t see or hear or move. There wasn’t a sign of a change of heart. They plunged right on in their murderous, occult, promiscuous, and thieving ways.16 And to start join me in Luke 16:8-13. Please stand as we read these verses. 1. JESUS SAID THAT THREE EVIDENCES OF SALVATION ARE: LIGHT LIVING, GOD SERVING, AND WORD RECEIVING Luke 16:8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. PEOPLE OF LIGHT Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” DEVOTED TO ONLY ONE MASTER 16:31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” RECEPTIVE TO GOD’S WORD 2. A TRUE BELIEVER REALIZES THEY ARE MERCY NEEDING Luke 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ SEEKING GOD’S MERCY 3. A TRUE BELIEVER REALIZES THEY ARE HELPLESSLY COMING Luke 18:17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” HELPLESS CHILDLIKE RECEPTION 4. A TRUE BELIEVER IS LOST-KNOWING AND GOD-OBEYING Luke 18:19-27 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God 15 Peterson, Eugene H., The Message, (Colorado Springs: NavPress Publishing Group) 1997. 16 Peterson, Eugene H., The Message, (Colorado Springs: NavPress Publishing Group) 1997.

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alone. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” KNOWING YOU ARE LOST-KNOWING GOD IS BOSS 5. A TRUE BELIEVER REALIZES THEY ARE FOUND BY CHRIST Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” FOUND BY CHRIST 6. A TRUE BELIEVER IS REPENTANT AND FORGIVEN Luke 24:47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. REPENTANT AND FORGIVEN v.22 1) Only body died 2) God escorted Lazarus to bliss 3) Rich man to discomfort v.23 4) Recognition intuitive – he never had seen Abraham before “seeth Abraham” 5) Recognition was over all distances, these are eternal areas ‘afar off” v.24 6) Selfish desires still present and would be forever “cool my tongue” v.25 7) Memory unimpaired 8) Righteous are comforted v.26 9) Separation forever of good and evil 10) Beyond help v.27 11) No communication of dead to living! 12) Dead have no influence on spiritual world v.29 13) God’s Word determiner of destiny – all else passes away! 14) Still want to help those still here but to no avail So that is the content of the parable, but I think there is more. If you step back ask yourself, so what made the rich man so bad? Did he harm Lazarus? Did he commit gross moral sin? Was he a murderer, liar, or anything like that?

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If we look carefully at these 13 verses we see that every word, every phrase is chosen to communicate such depths of meaning. Jesus contasts two characters. First, there is the rich man, usually called Dives, which is the Latin for rich. Each new phrase builds a picture of this man. The point Jesus is making is about the luxury in which he lived. His clothing was purple and fine linen. If you remember our series in Exodus you know that is exactly the elements God chose for the robes of the High Priests. In modern terms those robes would cost about $75,000 to $100,000. Even today a normal person would never be able to afford a wardrobe in which each outfit would require an average person to spend his entire earnings from 6-8 years of full time labor per outfit! But Jesus goes on, this Dives or rich man ate a luxury feast every day. Infact, the Greek word Luke uses denotes a gourmet feeding on exotic and costly dishes. And Jesus emphasizes that he did this every day. Think of Bible times where normal people felt very fortunate to get to eat meat once in the week. And that was only after laboring for the other six days. But Dives not only didn’t have to work it seems, but he also was feasting. This paints a picture by Christ of indolent self-indulgence. When Lazarus waited for the crumbs that fell from Dives’s table it is another insight into the Biblical world.. In Christ's time most people had no knives, forks or napkins. They usually ate food with their hands. But in very wealthy houses, the rich would clean their hands by wiping them on chunks of bread, which would then be discarded by the servants into the trash. Now enters Lazarus. He sat by the trash thankfully getting any chunk of used hand cleaner bread. Consider Lazarus. Because Lazarus is the only character in any of Christ's parables who is given a name we are led to ponder whether this may be a true life account. Lazarus is the Latinization of the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means God is my help. So Eleazar or Lazarus was a totally helpless, sick, and starving beggar, covered with ulcerated sores; and so helpless that he was unable to keep the dogs that roamed the street from bothering him. So life passes for both and the scene in the after life shows a drastic switch in their conditions. Jesus tells us that Lazarus is in the glory of Heaven’s waiting room and Dives is in the torment of Hell’s waiting room. Again I ask, what can we find was the sin of Dives? It wasn’t cruelty, the text doesn’t say he ordered Lazarus to be carted away from his gate. It wasn’t hatred, the text doesn’t say he locked his garbage cans. It wasn’t murder, the text doesn’t say he wounded Lazarus as he drove through the gate. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 36

It wasn’t violence, the text never implies Dives was harming Lazarus at all. The only sin we can see from God's Word is that Dives seems to never have even noticed Lazarus. To Dives the Rich Man, this poor, dying beggar was just another clump of the landscape. To Dives the Rich Man, it was “perfectly natural and inevitable that Lazarus should lie in pain and hunger while he wallowed in luxury. As someone said, It was not what Dives did that got him into heaven; it was what he did not do that got him into hell.” So let me emphasize this, Jesus paints us an unforgettable picture. In it we see a man who could look on the world’s suffering and desperate needs and simply never feel the conviction of God. This Rich Man would look at a fellow human who was starving and deathly ill, and do nothing about it. So Jesus paints the punishment of those who never noticed. When God's Word is not received, Christ's compassion is also absent. But why was the part added that Jesus told about refusing to send a warning to Dive’s family? Could it be Jesus is saying that to those who are exposed to God's Word and yet when they see the pain, sorrow, and dying of this world, and it moves them to no feeling and to no action, nothing will change them? The terrible warning of the sin of Dives is not that he did wrong things, but that he did nothing.17 What happened to him? The word of God was never received, it never pierced the heart. When God's Word is received the life begins to change. Self-centeredness begins to die Self-indulgence begins to be disciplined away Self-sacrifice begins to be pursued Compassion, kindness, caring, and love take root and grow. Ezekiel 16:44-50 says that worst that Sodom’s sin were the refined sins of God’s People. What can possibly be worst than sodomy? Listen to what God said: Pride, Fullness of food, Abundance of idleness.

17 Adapted from Barclay, William, Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Luke (Revised Edition), (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press) 2000, c1975.

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020224AM Masters Message in John-1

THE MASTER’S MESSAGE SERIES JOHN-1 DO YOU BELIEVE AND HAVE THIS LIFE? What happens when you preach the gospel from the Gospels to lost sinners? Does it work any more? I mean does the gospel impact lives like it did in the world of Christ and the Apostles? Sometimes it seems that the Roman World of Bible times that Jesus and Paul lived in 20 centuries ago -- is so far removed from us. And we may think that our sins today, and the power of the world is stronger. Whenever I have those thoughts, especially when I see folks unwilling to turn from their sins and see the freedom Christ offers – I stop and look back again at our recent history. Modern history testifies to what will happen to those who hear the Bible preached. To illustrate that go back with me just 70 years ago to a living legend named18 CT Studd. After serving 15 years in China and 6 in India, he invested his final 21 in the heart of Africa's vast, dark jungles among the fierce, cannibal, head-hunting pygmies. Once19 a lean and fit professional athlete, C.T. is now gaunt and emaciated. He is hunched over, halting with each step. But in July 1931 he is surrounded by thousands of glistening black bodies wearing banana leaves. The pygmies of the heart of Africa’s jungles have come to hear their beloved Bwana for the last time. He speaks to them only after over two hours of singing the songs he had so lovingly taught them: “Wounded for me, wounded for me, there on the cross He was wounded for me, gone my transgressions and now I can sing, all because Jesus was wounded for me!” There in front of his cot sit 5,000 former headhunters.  Once their bodies were the habitation of dark, foul fiends from the pit – now they are temples of the Living God.  Once they were naked and grossly immoral lovers of darkness, now they are not only clothed in Christ but also modestly clothed in banana leaves.  Once they lived as a continuation of generations of murderer, years of darkness, and lives of savagery – now before their beloved father in the faith they sit in an immense sea of whitetoothed smiles.  Once they were all mortal enemies, never without the weapons of war. But no weapons of war are left, only the bond of love. With faces turned heavenward these former enemies sit 18

Born 1858, and went on after salvation to serve in China 1885-1900; then to serve in India 1900-1906; returning to organize a mission in England 1906-1908; and finally to expend his life in Africa from 1910-1931. His beloved wife Mrs. Studd died in 1929. And finally C.T. died July 1931. 19 Norman Grubb, CT Studd, p. 216-217.

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shoulder to shoulder, singing of the sweet by and by and that beautiful shore they will someday see. That congregation of saints were converted and transformed by the Lord through the simple, passionate preaching of the truth of God's Word in the Bible. Why have believers all through the ages seen lives transformed by the preaching of the gospel? Because they simply obeyed what Jesus left them and us to do. That is why we are beginning the 4th and final phase of our look at the Master’s Message. 1st we saw The Master’s Message In Matthew, then The Master’s Message In Mark, then the The Master’s Message In Luke.

Now we come to John. The Master’s Message In John is watching Jesus, the One who sent us to go and preach the gospel, through the eyes and ears of the Apostle John. Jesus is the best One to summarize the message He wants us to share in His name. What is the Gospel? Christ Jesus answers through the eyes and ears of the Apostle that He loved – John. Last August we began an overview of the Gospel by John in what I like to call the JESUS IS ALL I NEED SERIES. I would like to summarize that series this morning. And as we remind ourselves what Jesus offered then, we should pause to ask ourselves the simple question, “Am I enjoying this great salvation Jesus offered?” And if there is any doubt, or if my life is any less than the way Jesus described it, how about making this morning another one of those new beginnings? Remember what I started this series with? The overcoming, or victorious Christian life is nothing more than a series of new beginnings. The blessed privilege Christ's grace offers us is to be able to start over -- clean and fresh and new, each time we run to Jesus and simply take what He offers! Now the summary. Jesus inspired John the Apostle to write this gospel around a seven sign frame. We learned that in chapter one Jesus is introduced by a seven-titled “calling card”. What are the seven titles, and their significance as recorded in John chapter one? Jesus is recorded as being: The Word (John 1:1– 3, 14), The Light (John 1:4–13), God the Son (John 1:15–28, Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 39

49), God the Lamb (John 1:29–34), The Messiah (John 1:35–42), The King (John 1:43–49), and the Son of Man (John 1:50–51) or the “living link” between heaven and earth. Christ is God’s “ladder” between heaven and earth. “No man cometh to the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). The Jewish people knew that “Son of man” was a name for their Messiah (John 12:34). By this seven-titled “calling card” Jesus reveals to them and to us that God is here! THE FIRST THREE SIGNS SHOW SALVATION’S RECEPTION BY THE BELIEVER: 1. 2. 3.

HE TURNS water into wine (2:1–11)— Christ's salvation is ALWAYS MIRACULOUS; HE HEALS the nobleman’s son (4:46–54)— Christ's salvation is ONLY BY FAITH; HE HEALS the paralytic (5:1–9)—salvation is ONLY BY GRACE;

THE LAST FOUR SIGNS SHOW SALVATION’S RESULTS IN THE BELIEVER: 4. 5. 6. 7.

HE FEEDS the 5,000 (6:1–14)—salvation brings INEXHAUSTIBLE SATISFACTION; HE STILLS the storm (6:16–21)—salvation brings COMPLETE PEACE; HE HEALS the blind man (9:1–7)—salvation brings LIGHT TO OUR SOULS; HE RAISES Lazarus (11:38–45)—salvation brings THE POWER OF AN ENDLESS LIFE; Now what else does it mean to find Jesus as all I need? That was the next lesson in this book. By seven clearly described miraculous signs, Jesus describes the wonders of the salvation all who come to Him experience. This is the best part of the book in my opinion. John wrote in 20:31 “These (seven miraculous signs) are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (the living link, the only ladder, or way to the God of Heaven) and that believing you may have life (the overflowing joy filled life of endless new beginnings) in His name.”

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE (6:35, 41, 48, 51) – JESUS IS ALL I NEED TO BE SATISFIED; apart from Him is only unsatisfied hunger.  Jesus alone feeds our soul and satisfies our hungers, all else is emptiness, hopelessness and empty mirages.  Jesus said I am your food that satisfies; I am the Bread you need. I have settled the longings of your soul, I can satisfy all the hungers of your life. What do you really hunger for?  Moses endured and overcame all the temptations of Egypt and the backside of the desert seeing Him Who is invisible. David confessed he would be satisfied to awake in Christ's likeness.  A believer HUNGERS FOR JESUS AS MY BREAD OF LIFE.

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I AM THE LIGHT OF WORLD (8:12) - JESUS IS ALL I NEED TO LIGHT MY PATH; apart from Him is only impenetrable darkness.  Jesus said I am the Light, I have settled the darkness of fear, the darkness of death, the darkness of dying, it is all settled by Me!  Jesus promises He will direct our paths (Prov 3.5-6); Jeremiah 6 says He would be the Voice behind us guiding our steps. Jacob (Genesis 48.15-16) confessed that the Good Shepherd had led him all of his days. David says you will show me the path of life (Ps.16.11)  A believer WALKS WITH JESUS WHO LIGHTS MY PATH OF LIFE. I AM THE DOOR OF LIFE TO MY SHEEP (10:7,9) - JESUS IS ALL I NEED TO GET INTO GOD’S FAMILY, apart from Him is only hopeless exclusion.  Jesus said I am the Door of Life, all your security and access needs are settled, by Me! We can’t wander out without stumbling over Him and no predator could slip in without stirring Him. So Jesus says I keep you safe from harm and secure from wandering away from my salvation!  A believer ENTERS THROUGH JESUS WHO IS MY DOOR TO LIFE. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD (10:11, 14) - JESUS IS ALL I NEED TO MAKE IT THROUGH LIFE AND GET HOME, apart from Him is only aimless wandering.  Jesus said I am the Good Shepherd who died; I have settled the issue of the unknown.  I am your companion through life and death.  Jesus gives us the perfect example of how to live and how to die!  A believer FOLLOWS THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHO FEEDS AND PROTECTS THEM. I AM THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE (11:25) - JESUS IS ALL I NEED TO CONQUER DEATH, but apart from Him is only endless dying.  Jesus says I am the Resurrection; I am the Life so I have settled the issue of Hope.  You can count on me, hope in me all through life and into death!  A believer RESTS IN JESUS WHOSE RESURRECTION ASSURES THEIR ENDLESS LIFE. I AM THE WAY, TRUTH & LIFE (14:6) - JESUS IS ALL I NEED TO NOT GET LOST, but apart from Him is only endless lost ness.  Jesus said I am the way, I have settled the issue of your home.  I am making it, your very own room, and the minute that it is ready I am coming to get you!  Hebrews 11 describes Old Testament saints as, “These all died in faith…having seen…afar off…a city God has prepared for them.”  A believer TRUSTS THE WAY OF JESUS, BELIEVES THE TRUTH OF JESUS, AND LIVES THE LIFE OF JESUS. I AM THE TRUE VINE (15:1) - JESUS IS ALL I NEED TO BE FRUITFUL TO THE LAST DAY OF MY LIFE, apart from Him is only continual withering.  Jesus says I am the Vine, your source of life and health. The state of your health is all in my hands.  I will provide for you living grace, enduring declining life grace, and dying grace. Each just when you need them!  If the vine speaks of all of life as one growing season, then we should get more fruit filled the older we get (Psalm 92); if life is many growing seasons then life is a succession of growing /pruning /bearing /resting and then growing/pruning…  A believer ABIDES IN JESUS WHO IS THE SUPPLY OF ALL THEY EVER NEED. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 41

1. LESSON ONE: COME TO CHRIST FOR SALVATION. If you are empty, call out to Christ. Do not let yourself go through another day without coming to him. Be born again, receive life, be filled, be delivered, and join the victory parade! If you are spiritually dead—without resurrection life—under sin—under guilt—empty, Christ invites you to come to him: Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (Isaiah 55:1, 2) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17) 2. LESSON TWO: LOOK ONLY TO CHRIST FOR SATISFACTION. Cultivate human relationships, but do not look for ultimate fulfillment in them because they will disappoint you. Energetically pursue your career, but do not imagine that you will find transcending fulfillment in it. In Christ we have everything. May our prayer be: I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. (Philippians 3:10) 3. LESSON THREE: BE FILLED WITH CHRIST'S SPIRIT. Our lives can be victorious. Jesus has been there before us; He has met the worst Satan can give and has been victorious. The most important factor in victorious Christian living is to be filled with the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). Christ is the victor over temptation and sin. His very words to us are, “Take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). When Martin Luther was asked how he overcame the Devil, he replied, “Well, when he comes knocking upon the door of my heart, and asks ‘Who lives here?’ the dear Lord Jesus goes to the door and says, ‘Martin Luther used to live here, but he has moved out. Now I live here.’” When Christ fills our lives, Satan has no entrance. 4. LESSON FOUR: STAY FILLED WITH CHRIST'S WORD. The other factor in the victorious Christian Life is to be filled with God’s Word. In response to each of the three temptations, Christ answered with Scripture (Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16, and 6:13). He knew the truth of, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). Why is this so? God’s Word reveals God’s mind, and God’s mind cannot be subject to sin. Therefore, if we fill our hearts with his Word, sin and temptation cannot dominate.

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010311 AM Mark-47 Masters Message in Luke-7

THE MASTER’S MESSAGE SERIES LUKE-7 “ARE YOU IN?” Do you know if you are “in” yet? Are you assured of eternal life? Who is really going to Heaven? Those may well be the most urgent question of our earthly existence. We live is a religious world that is by and large made up of multitudes who are either unconcerned or misguided as to their eternal soul. The only guidebook to Heaven is God's Word. The only Guide is God’s Son who died on a Roman Cross as a Sacrificial Substitute for sin. Dr. Berry was one of the first of the so-called New Theology men, who preached salvation by character rather than by the atoning blood of Christ, salvation by ethical culture rather than by personal faith in the Lord Jesus, salvation by reformation rather than by regeneration. Popular, eloquent and personally pleasing, he attracted large audiences, who hung upon his words and depended upon him as their spiritual mentor. But a great change was seen in his preaching, which resulted from a new experience with God which revolutionized his thinking. He said that late one stormy night, as he was preparing to retire, the doorbell rang. When he went down and opened the door, there stood a poorly dressed young woman who asked if he was the minister. Upon being assured that he was, she begged him to go with her at once to get her mother in. He thought that she meant that her poor mother was out in the storm and the darkness in an intoxicated condition; so he demurred, saying he could hardly be expected to go out and get her mother in and suggested that she see a policeman who might give the help required. The girl explained that her mother was not drunk and added, “You must come with me. My mother is dying, and she is afraid to die. She wants to go to heaven, but she doesn’t know how to get in. I told her I’d get a preacher to take her in. Do come sir, and get my mother in” He now understood that the dying woman needed someone who could show her the way of salvation, but he hesitated, thinking it was hardly a case for him. He urged the girl to go to a missioner living near the wretched locality in which she lived. But she refused. She insisted she wanted a real minister and begged him to go with her. “Do come, sir. I want you to get my mother in before it’s too late. Please sir, do come with me.” At last, he consented to go, and the girl led the way to one of the worst sections of the city. In this miserable neighborhood, she took him into a tenement house and up a rickety flight of stairs to a poverty-stricken room. Down stairs many men and women were drinking and carousing, and the air resounded with horrid oaths and vile language. The minister found the poor woman lying on a miserable makeshift of a bed, evidently near to death. “I’ve brought him!” exclaimed the daughter. “I’ve got the minister from the big church where the swells go. He’ll get you in, Mother. Just do what he says.” “What can I do for you, my poor woman?” he inquired as kindly as he could. “Why sir, I’m dying, and I want you to get me into heaven. I’ve been a great sinner, and I don’t know how to get in.” The minister began to speak of the necessity of a good life, of building a noble character, and how goodness always paid in the end. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 43

“You don’t understand, sir!” she cried. “That won’t do! I’m dying and I’ve lived a bad life. It’s too late for me. Oh, can’t you get me in?” He tried again and gave some good advice and endeavored to comfort her by expressing the hope that all would be well if she would only seek to lead a Christian life. “That won’t do!” she exclaimed. I’m a poor sinner! I’ve no time to lead a Christian life. I’m dying and I want to go in. Oh, can’t you tell me how I may get into heaven?” Dr. Berry did not know what to say or how to comfort her. At last he thought, “Why not tell her what my mother used to tell me? Why not give her some of the simple texts and Gospel stories I learned as a child?” With this in mind he began to repeat some of the precious Gospel verses telling of God’s love for sinners and of the Savior who had died to redeem. The woman listened eagerly. “That’s it! That ought to get me in, shouldn’t it! Did he die for sinners? Then that should get me in.” Stirred to the depths of his own being, he told the story of the cross as he had not preached it for years. Like a thirst soul, she drank in the living water. Finally, he knelt and prayed with her. She trusted Christ for herself. Her fears were allayed and she entered into peace. “Jowett,” said Dr. Berry years afterward, “I helped get her in that night, and while I was helping to get her in, I got myself in also20!” Jesus talked more about HELL than He did about Heaven for a reason, “many will say to Me in that day – LORD, LORD…and I will say DEPART FROM ME!” (Matthew 7:21ff). Be sure while you can that you are born again and Heavenward Bound! This morning we continue what will be perhaps one of the greatest studies we have ever taken. We will look at each of Christ's presentations of the Gospel. Each way Jesus described salvation to both His Twelve and to the world. And to start join me in Luke 13:5-6. Please stand as we read these verses. 7. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOSPEL OF ETERNAL SALVATION Luke 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ETERNAL SAVATION 8. SALVATION IS LIGHT, LIFE, AND PEACE Luke 1:47-79 v. 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 1:52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. v. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. v. 68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, v. 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, v. 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, v. 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, v. 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven. SINNERS, SAVED AND FORGIVEN BY GOD’S MERCY 9. SALVATION IS A PERSON Luke 2:30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation SALVATION IS A PERSON 10. JESUS PREACHED - BEAR FRUIT OR BE CAST INTO THE FIRE Luke 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 20

H. A. Ironsides message reprinted in DECISION February 1989.

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FRUIT SHOWING REPENTANCE Luke 3:9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” FRUIT OR FIRE 3:17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” 11. SALVATION IS HEARING CHRIST'S VOICE AND FOLLOWING HIM Luke 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” SINS FORGIVEN BY FAITH 5:27 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” HEARING VOICE AND FOLLOWING JESUS 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” BY REPENTING SINNERS 12. BELIEVERS ARE ENGAGED TO CHRIST REGENERATED AND INDWELT Luke 5:34 Jesus answered, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? ENGAGED TO CHRIST 5:38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. WITH NEW WINE INSIDE NEW BOTTLES 13. GENUINE BELIEVERS ARE CHRISTLIKE, GOODHEARTED, AND LORD OBEYING Luke 6:35-47 v. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. LOVING SONS OF MOST HIGH v. 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. CHRISTLIKE 6:43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. BEARING GOOD FRUIT 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 6:47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: LORD OBEYING from cathedral in Lubeck, Germany: You call me Master, and obey me not; You call me Light, and see me not; You call me the Way, and walk me not; You call me the Life, and live me not; You call me wise, and follow me not; You call me Fair, and love me not; You call me Rich, and ask me not; You call me Eternal and seek me not. If I condemn thee, blame me not! 14. JESUS CALLS US TO AGREE WITH GOD ABOUT OUR SIN Luke 7:29-30 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified (homologeo said same thing as God does) God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” FORGIVEN SINNERS 7:50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” BELIEVING AND PEACEFUL 15. JESUS TAUGHT A GOSPEL OF ENDURING FRUIT BEARING Luke 8:1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, RECIPENTS OF THE GOOD NEWS Luke 8:8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” HEARTS WITH GOOD SOIL – SEED WHICH GREW – LIVES THAT WERE FRUITFUL 8:13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. ROOTED TRUTH 8:14-15 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. UNCHOKED RIGHTEOUSNESS 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. GOOD – HEAR – RETAIN – BEAR FRUIT 16. SALVATION IS DESIRING JESUS Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 45

come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. SALVATION EQUALS FOLLOWING CHRIST 17. TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN REGISTERED IN HEAVEN BY GOD Luke 10:20-22 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 22 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Check Hebrews 12:22-24. 18. THE EVIDENCE OF CHRIST'S CHILDREN IS THEY SEEK: Luke 11:2-4 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: • Our Father in heaven (GOD AS FATHER), • Hallowed be Your name (WORSHIPING HIM). • Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (SUBMISSIVE TO HIM) v. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, (DEPENDING ON HIM) For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us (LOVING OTHERS). • And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one (SEEKING HOLINESS). 19. JESUS CALLED FOR INSIDE OUTEDNESS Luke 11:28,34,39 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” 11:34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 11:39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. INSIDE OUT LIVING. This is shown by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. And then in 1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. 20. YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF HEAVEN IF YOU ARE: CHRIST CONFESSING, GOD WEALTHY, KINGDOM SEEKING, AND HEAVENLY HEARTED Luke 12:8,21, 31, 34, 37-38 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 12:21 “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” RICH TOWARD GOD 12:31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. HEAVENWARD HEARTS 12:37-38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. WATCHING The unsaved, the lost, the worldlings to the very end of time are exactly opposite this. Remember the sky is falling down literally in the Tribulation and the lost cling to their stuff! Revelation 9:20-21 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Or in modern English: The remaining men and women who weren’t killed by these weapons went on their merry way—didn’t change their way of life, didn’t quit worshiping demons, didn’t quit centering their lives around lumps of gold and silver and brass, hunks of stone and wood that Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 46

couldn’t see or hear or move. There wasn’t a sign of a change of heart. They plunged right on in their murderous, occult, promiscuous, and thieving ways.21 21. JESUS DESCRIBES THOSE HEADING TO HEAVEN AS: SIN REPENTING, FRUIT BEARING, GATE ENTERING, GOD KNOWING, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS DOING Luke 13:56 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. REPENTANT and FRUITFUL 13:24-27 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ WALKING NARROW ROAD – KNOWING GOD – DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS. Note the contrast of the two ways first God’s Way in James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Then the way of destruction in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! Listen to a paraphrase: Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.22 22. SALVATION IS WHEN WE IMPOSSIBLY COME TO CHRIST Luke 14:26-27, 33 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. COMES TO CHRIST – LOVES CHRIST – IDENTIFIES WITH CHRIST – FOLLOWS CHRIST– GIVES UP ALL TO CHRIST. 23. GENUINE CHRISTIANS ARE SIN REPENTING Luke 15:7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” REPENTING SINNERS 24. JESUS SAID THAT THREE EVIDENCES OF SALVATION ARE: LIGHT LIVING, GOD SERVING, AND WORD RECEIVING Luke 16:8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in 21Peterson, Eugene H., The Message, (Colorado Springs: NavPress Publishing Group) 1997. 22Peterson, Eugene H., The Message, (Colorado Springs: NavPress Publishing Group) 1997.

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dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. PEOPLE OF LIGHT Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” DEVOTED TO ONLY ONE MASTER 16:31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” RECEPTIVE TO GOD’S WORD 25. A TRUE BELIEVER REALIZES THEY ARE MERCY NEEDING Luke 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ SEEKING GOD’S MERCY 26. A TRUE BELIEVER REALIZES THEY ARE HELPLESSLY COMING Luke 18:17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” HELPLESS CHILDLIKE RECEPTION 27. A TRUE BELIEVER IS LOST-KNOWING AND GOD-OBEYING Luke 18:19-27 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” KNOWING YOU ARE LOST-KNOWING GOD IS BOSS 28. A TRUE BELIEVER REALIZES THEY ARE FOUND BY CHRIST Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” FOUND BY CHRIST 29. A TRUE BELIEVER IS REPENTANT AND FORGIVEN Luke 24:47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. REPENTANT AND FORGIVEN MESSAGE ONE: The time has come. So here it is, here is Gospel Presentation number ONE in Acts chapter 2. Peter preaches the first sermon after Christ's death, burial, resurrection, and sending the Holy Spirit down to indwell the Church. What does he say? Many things, all-important in ACTS 2:37-39: Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” So, what was the summary of the first message? One word, REPENT. MESSAGE TWO: Let's go to the SECOND gospel presentation in ACTS 319. Again it is Peter preaching after the wonderful healing of the man who had been unable to walk for over 40 years (Acts 4:22). What is the gospel message? Listen to Acts 3:19 and then v. 26: v. 19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, v. 26 “To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” So, what was the summary of the 2nd message? REPENT and TURN AWAY FROM INIQUITY. MESSAGE THREE: Now to the THIRD gospel presentation in ACTS 4:12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved23.” So what is saved? Saved from sins. Thus we can say in summary after the 3rd Gospel message? REPENT and TURN AWAY FROM INIQUITY, and BE SAVED FROM SIN. MESSAGE FOUR: The FOURTH Gospel Message comes in ACTS 5:31-32 as Peter is again speaking, declaring the way of salvation: “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.32 “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” The FIFTH Gospel Message is no longer directed just to Jews, now Samaritans, half Jew and half Gentile, are getting the message. Now we see for the first time a false believer. Jesus warned of this in the Gospels, now we see it. Note ACTS 8:13: Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs, which were done. So he believed and was baptized, but something was missing. When the Apostle Peter who has given every recorded Gospel Message on this videotape so far shows up to confirm the veracity of this evangelistic outreach he declares something was lacking24 from this man's conversion. Listen and note the report in Acts 8:21-23: “You have neither part nor portion in this matter (what matter? Salvation), for your heart is not right in the sight of God. (Wow, what makes a heart right in God's sight Peter?) 22 “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.23 “For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

There is a common description we use today. Peter said again, the third description of salvation: be saved. From what we might ask? Well when the name of the Messiah was given as Jesus it was stated in Matthew 1:21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 24 Simon believed and was baptized but did not receive the Holy Spirit, which was the seal of true conversion and New Birth. This means that belief and baptism without repentance was insufficient. He never repented of his sin so he was never saved! Salvation again is stated by Peter to involve a turning from sin, which is called repentance. 23

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MESSAGE SIX: Look now at the SIXTH Gospel Message in Acts 8:35-37: Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” The SEVENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 9:4-6 which records the Conversion of Saul of Tarsus into Paul the Apostle, where the Gospel Message is described as Turning to God in Acts 26:18-20. The EIGHTH Gospel Message in Acts 10:35 to 11:18 where the Gospel Message is described as believing, receiving remission of sins, and God granting repentance. The NINTH Gospel Message is in Acts 11:20-21 where the Gospel Message is described as believing and turning. The TENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 10:38-39, 48 where the Gospel Message is described as forgiveness to all who believe, who do so at the appointment of God. The ELEVENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 14:27-15:9 where the Gospel Message is described as God opening the door of faith and purifying the heart. The TWELVTH Gospel Message is in Acts 15:19 where the Gospel Message is described as turning to God and away from what offends God's Word and people. The THIRTEENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 16:14 where the Gospel Message is described as the Lord opening the heart to heed His Word. The FOURTEENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 16:31 where the Gospel Message is described as believing. The FIFTEENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 17:1-7 where the Gospel Message is described by pagans who observed the process as getting a new King of your life. The SIXTEENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 17:30 where the Gospel Message is described as God commanding all to repent. The SEVENTEENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 18:8-13 where the Gospel Message is described as believing, when God draws one to worship Him. The EIGHTEENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 19:8-26 where the Gospel Message is described as a Kingdom, following a Way, which people follow instead of their own way. (Isaiah 53:6) The NINTEENTH Gospel Message is in Acts 20:21-25 where the Gospel Message is described as repentance, faith, to the Gospel of Grace (Titus 2:11), and into God's Kingdom (only need a King!). The TWENTIETH Gospel Message is in Acts 24:14-25 where the Gospel Message is described as a Way, of Worship, that involves righteousness, self-control, and averts judgment that makes the lost to fear. Thus not an easy to believe, try Jesus message! The TWENTY-FIRST Gospel Message is in Acts 26:14-20 where we see the Gospel Message directly from Jesus, soul winning in Acts. Jesus describes salvation as opened eyes, turning, receiving, and being sanctified. Hoe did Paul sum up what he heard? He told the LOST to "repent, and turn to God, and do works befitting repentance" The TWENTY-SECOND and final Gospel Message is in Acts 28:31 where the Gospel Message is described as coming into God's Kingdom (only need a King!). The starting message is repent and the concluding message is God's Kingdom, both rarely if ever used in our new way of doing God's business. Should we go back and check out the way we are doing God's Work, to be sure it is God's Way?

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970910wednesday

Surveying Christ in all the Gospels THE FOUR GOSPELS25. The four Gospels record the eternal being, human ancestry, birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Christ, Son of God, and Son of Man. They record also a selection from the incidents of His life, and from His words and works. Taken together, they set forth, not a biography but a Personality. These two facts, that we have in the four Gospels a complete Personality, but not a complete biography, indicate the spirit and intent in which we should approach them. What is important is that through these narratives we should come to see and know Him whom they reveal. The twenty-nine formative years are passed over in a silence which is broken but once, and that in but twelve brief verses of Luke's Gospel. It may be well to respect the divine reticencies. But the four Gospels, though designedly incomplete as a story, are divinely perfect as a revelation. We may not through them know everything that He did, but we may know the Doer. In four great characters, each of which completes the other three, we have Jesus Christ Himself. The Evangelists never describe Christ -they set Him forth. They tell us almost nothing of what they thought about Him, they let Him speak and act for Himself. This is the essential respect in which these narratives differ from mere biography or portraiture. "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." The student in whom dwells an ungrieved Spirit finds here the living Christ. For the Gospels are woven of Old Testament quotation, allusion, and type. The very first verse of the New Testament drives the thoughtful reader back to the Old; and the risen Christ sent His disciples to the ancient oracles for an explanation of His sufferings and glory (Lk. 24. 27, 44, 45). One of His last ministries was the opening of their understandings to understand the Old Testament. The Gospels present Christ in His three offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. Special emphasis rests upon that to which all four Gospels bear a united testimony. That united testimony is sevenfold: 25

Old Scofield, p. 930-32.

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1. In all alike is revealed the one unique Personality. The one Jesus is King in Matthew, Servant in Mark, Man in Luke, and God in John. But not. only so: • for Matthew's King is also Servant, Man, and God; • and Mark's Servant is also King, and Man, and God, • Luke's Man is also King, and Servant, and God; • and John Is eternal Son is also King, and Servant, and Man. The pen is a different pen; the incidents in which He is seen are different incidents; but He is always the same Christ. 2. All the Evangelists record the ministry of John the Baptist. 3. All record the feeding of the five thousand. 4. All record Christ's offer of Himself as King, according to Micah. 5. All record the betrayal by Judas; the denial by Peter; the trial, crucifixion and literal resurrection of Christ. And this record is so made as to testify that the death of Christ was the supreme business which brought Him into the world that all which precedes that death is but preparation for it; and that from it flow all the blessings which God ever has or ever will bestow upon man. 6. All record the resurrection ministry of Christ; a ministry which reveals Him as unchanged by the tremendous event of His passion, but a ministry keyed to new note of universality, and of power. 7. All point forward to His second coming. WHY FOUR GOSPELS? It is very important to realize that the Synoptic Gospels were written to the three great national powers of that day. The laws were the great religious power; the Romans were the great military, governmental power; the Greeks were the great cultural power. It is in interesting to realize that the Gospel offer was made in the book of Acts in the same order in which the first three Gospels are now arranged: First to the Jews, then to the Romans and then to the Greeks. I. II. III.

REFLECTION: To give four different photographs of the Lord Jesus. Just as a photographer takes different poses of a person, the Holy Spirit takes four different snapshot pictures of Christ, as King, Servant, Man and God. PERFECTION: To emphasize His life and work by repeating it four times. The Holy Spirit uses repetition to drive home great cardinal facts about the earthly life of the Lord Jesus. ATTRACTION: To show that there is far more than enough in the Lord Jesus to attract all different types and races of men. Matthew shows that there is far more than enough in Christ to attract the Jews; Mark shows that there is far more than enough in Him to attract the Romans; Luke shows that there is far more than enough in Him to attract the Greeks; John summarizes by showing that there is far more than enough in Christ to attract people in all the world. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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IV.

V.

COMPLETION: To show how He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy which had pictured Christ as King, Servant, Man and God. A. In this connection it is interesting to remember that our Old Testament Prophecies of Christ as "the Branch" correspond to the four Gospels: 1. Jeremiah 23:5 "Behold, [the] days are coming," says the LORD, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. (NKJV) 2. Zechariah 3:8:"For,behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch." This corresponds to Mark. 3. Zechariah 6:12 "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch." This corresponds to Luke, 4. Jeremiah 23:6 "And this is His name whereby He (the Branch) shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness." This corresponds to John. B. It is also interesting to remember that four Old Testament prophecies of Christ which use the word "behold" correspond to the four Gospels: 1. Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He [is] just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. (NKJV) This corresponds to Matthew. 2. Isaiah 42:1 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One [in whom] My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. (NKJV). This corresponds to Mark. 3. Zechariah 6:12:"Behold the man, whose name is the Branch." This corresponds to Luke. 4. Isaiah 40:9:"Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! This corresponds to John. Date And Place of Writing A. Matthew: between 50 and 60 AD, from Judea, possibly from Jerusalem. B. Mark: between 66 and 70 AD from Rome. C. Luke: between 60 and 70 AD, probably from Caesarea. D. John: between 90 and 100 AD from Ephesus. (You will notice that John was written between 20 and 30 years after the three Synoptics. E. It must be remembered that there are differences of opinion among orthodox scholars about the relative dates of the three Synoptics. Some assign a very early date to Mark, making it the first of all four Gospels to be written. However, if we accept the above dates as correct, it is rather easy to remember that the four Gospels were written in approximately the same chronological order in which they Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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are now arranged in our English Bibles: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. THE GOSPELS The Lord promised that David would never lack a son to sit on the throne, and the next one thousand years present an uninterrupted, generation-by-generation list of male descendants-the longest known. None of the gospels are chronological histories or biographies in our modern sense. The Gospels record what Jesus did. The Gospel of John records what Jesus said. The Gospels record Christ's ministry to the four groups of people then and now in the world. The Jews who loved the Scriptures and the prophecies of God. They would only listen to one of their own. So Matthew speaks to the Jews and the deeply religious of our day. Mark spoke to the Romans. These were the leaders and leadership and action impressed them. They knew nothing of Scriptures but everything of power. So to this group comes the action packed Gospel of the powerful ministry of Christ. Mark uses the word “and” 1,375 times to tie together the endless actions of Christ. Like our modern successful business man and woman, they want a God who can powerfully meet their deepest needs. Luke was a Greek speaking to the Greeks. The Greeks loved culture, beauty and ideas. Happiness could be found in the pursuit of truth. Luke fills his book with insights, interviews, songs and details that fascinate the inquiring mind. So today the truth seekers find Jesus in Luke! John wrote to everyone, because everyone needs to meet God and only Jesus can reveal Him. In this book we meet an absolutely powerful God in human flesh who controls and rules the Universe He created. So the best known verse is the best of all offer that God loves all and offers all -- His Son as their only hope! Let’s survey the Gospels by noting a key verse for each book! MATTHEW “CHRIST OUR KING” Matthew 2:2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." (NKJV) Worship Christ the King! Outline: The Birth and Preparation of the King 1:1 - 4:11; The King Speaks and Serves 4:12 - 25:46; The King Suffers and Triumphs in Passion Week 26:1 28:20. In a gospel written for Jews, Jesus is presented in His royalty; his Jewishness is very evident. Matthew opens with the declaration that Jesus is the "Christ Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 53

the son of David, the son of Abraham." In fact, eight of the twelve references to Jesus as the son of David are in Matthew, who so clearly pictures Jesus as the ideal Israelite and the ideal King of Israel. MARK “CHRIST OUR SERVANT” Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (NKJV) Worship Christ the Servant! Outline: The Birth and Preparation of Servant Jesus 1:1 - 13; Servant Jesus Speaks and Serves 1:14 - 13:37; Servant Jesus Suffers and Triumphs in Passion Week 14:1 - 16:20. In a gospel written from Peter’s words to the fast paced Roman Empire, Jesus is constantly in action! Mark, perhaps the first gospel account written, opens with: The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God." God Himself ratifies the declaration in 1:11: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." LUKE “CHRIST OUR SAVIOR”. (19:10) Luke 19:10 "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (NKJV) Worship Christ the Savior! Outline: The Birth and Preparation of Savior Jesus 1:1 - 4:13; Savior Jesus Speaks and Serves 4:14 - 21:38; Savior Jesus Suffers and Triumphs in Passion Week 22:1 - 24. In a gospel for the Greeks, we find the perfect man comes to earth. Luke talks as a physician, and describes medically how much Christ was a man -- tired and touched with the feelings of those about Him. Like Matthew, Luke proclaims the miraculous, virgin conception of Jesus (1:26-38). He alone writes of the glory of God that was manifested at the birth of Jesus (1:9). Luke reinforces Jesus' identity with humanity by using "son of man" twenty-five times, second only to Matthew. One reflection of the Perfect Man Christ our Savior was is found in Luke’s record of nine occasions when Jesus prayed: (1) at His baptism (Luke 3:21); A PRAYER FOR CONSECRATION (2) after a day of miracles (Luke 5:15-16); A PRAYER FOR STRENGTH (3) before choosing His disciples (Luke 6:12); A PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE (4) before the first prediction of His death (Luke 9:18); A PRAYER FOR ENCOURAGEMENT (5) on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:29); A PRAYER FOR WORSHIP (6) before teaching the disciples to pray (Luke 11:1); A PRAYER FOR WISDOM (7) when the seventy returned with their report (Luke 10:21); A PRAYER FOR INSIGHT (8) in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46); A PRAYER FOR VICTORY Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 54

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on the cross (Luke 23:34, 46). A PRAYER FOR OBEDIENCE

I.

JESUS PRAYERFULLY SOUGHT GOD'S

Protection while facing the great crises of His life was found during prayer: A. His baptism (Lk. 3:21-22) B. Choosing the twelve (Lk. 6:12-13) C. Preparing for the cross (Lk. 9:18, 21-22) D. His transfiguration (Lk. 9:28-36) II. JESUS PRAYERFULLY SOUGHT GOD'S Preparation for the great events - challenges of His ministry A. Feeding the 4,000 (Matt. 15:36) B. Feeding of the 5,000 (Jn. 6:11) C. Walking on the water (Matt. 14:23-33) D. Healing the insane boy (Mk. 9:14-29) III. JESUS PRAYERFULLY SOUGHT GOD'S HELP IN Maintaining a proper focus in success was strengthened by prayer: A. After feeding 5,000 (Matt. 14:23) B. After raising Lazarus (John 11:41) IV. JESUS PRAYERFULLY SOUGHT GOD'S Direction for facing the stresses of life was found in prayer: A. Multitudes (Lk. 5:15-16) B. Sick folks (Mk. 1:35 [wilderness, v. 33 - whole city at door, so....] C. Ministry needs (Lk. 4:42) D. Urgent situations (Jn. 6:15) [human efforts and ambitions vs. God within] V. JESUS PRAYERFULLY SOUGHT GOD'S COMFORT. His Emotions were sheltered by resorting to prayer: A. Uncaring friends (Matt. 26:36-46) B. Discouragement at misguided disciples (Jn. 6:15) (their v. 39 lack faith C. Unbecoming attitudes and words of friends (Jn. - confident in God) D. The pain of His calling -- the cross (Jn. 12:28) VI. JESUS PRAYERFULLY SOUGHT GOD'S WILL IN the consummation of His life. It was met in prayer: A. His last breath on the cross (Lk. 23:46) VII. JESUS PRAYERFULLY SOUGHT GOD'S goals. His earthly prayer life may be seen as: A. Harmony with God’s plan was His passion (Jn. 17:4) B. Thankfulness was a part of all His life (Lk. 10:21) C. Perfection was His for He never confessed sin (I Pet. 2:22; Jn. 8:29) D. God’s glory, not His personal needs, was primary (Jn. E. Confidence: He always had a confidence in God’s hearing and answering (Jn. 11:42) F. Submission: Every part of His life demonstrated submission (Lk. 22: G. Intercession was always on His heart: 1. For His disciples’ growth (Lk. 23:31) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 55

H.

2. For His enemies needing saving grace (Lk. 23:34) In all truly selfless (Jn. 17:11)

Is prayer a priority? Talking to God. Is the word a priority? Doing God’s will. JOHN “CHRIST OUR GOD ” (20:31) John 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (NKJV) Outline: The Birth and Preparation of Divine Jesus 1:1 - 2:11; Divine Jesus Speaks and Serves 2:12 - 12:50; Divine Jesus Suffers and Triumphs in Passion Week 13:1 - 21. In a gospel written to the whole world, John presents us with the Divine Jesus. He is the Son of God -- his Divinity -- the Divine nature of God is very clearly seen. We have already seen John's incredible introduction of Jesus as the Word, the Dwelling Presence and the Glory of God. He lists seven self-descriptions of Jesus as "I am" (6:35; 8:12; 9:5; 10-7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1-2). John reveals Jesus as God's unique ("only begotten," KJV) Son, and refers to God as His Father more than any other book of the Bible. The Old Testament refers to God as Father only 12 times, John 120 times! The perfection of Christ our God is seen in the seven “I AM’S” in John’s record of Christ's life and ministry. 1. BREAD OF LIFE (6:35) - He sustains us, apart from Him is only unsatisfied hunger. 2. LIGHT OF WORLD (8:l2) - He illumines us, apart from Him is only impenetrable darkness. 3. DOOR OF SHEEP (l0:7,9) - He admits us to life, apart from Him is only hopeless exclusion. 4. GOOD SHEPHERD (l0:ll) - He cares for us, apart from Him is only aimless wandering. 5. RESURRECTION AND LIFE (ll:25) - He provides us life, apart from Him is only endless dying. 6. WAY, TRUTH & LIFE (l4:6) - He guides us, apart from Him is only endless lostness. 7. TRUE VINE (l5:l) - He makes us productive, apart from Him is only continual withering. There is a final portait of the divine perfection of Jesus. This is reflected in the seven “Signs” John records from Christ's life. John built his whole Gospel as bridge with seven successive sign posts that transport you to the ultimate sign of chapter 20 - The resurrection of Christ. John notes the ministry of Christ in Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 56

light of its impact on the hearts of those who saw these signs. What were the signs Christ performed to bring those who saw His ministry to belief? Sign #1 = WATER TO WINE [John 2:1-11] He Is The Lord Of Creation Sign #2 = HEALING NOBLEMAN’S SON FROM AFAR [John 4:46-54 He is the all powerful LORD of all sickness and disease, as well as Lord of time and space. Sign #3 = FEEDS 5000 [6:1-14] Note v. 14 The Prophet. HE IS THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN Sign #4 = WALKING ON THE WATER [6:15-25]. HE IS LORD OF NATURE Sign #5 = HEALS MAN BORN BLIND [John 9:1-7]. HE IS LORD OF SIGHT v. 16, also Note v. 32 Sign #6 = RAISES LAZARUS [John 11:1-44]. HE IS LORD OF LIFE Sign #7 = The Resurrection [John 20]. He is Alive Forevermore! John wrote to everyone, because everyone needs to meet God and only Jesus can reveal Him. In this book we meet an absolutely powerful God in human flesh who controls and rules the Universe He created. So the best known verse is the best of all offer that God loves all and offers all -- His Son as their only hope! 970205WE BOOKS HISTORY

SURVEY OF THE SCRIPTURES-01 WORSHIPING OUR CHRIST IN ALL THE BOOKS OF HISTORY

I.

THE BOOKS OF HISTORY ARE FOUNDATIONAL TO THE BIBLE (951025we) Tonight , may I impress upon your heart that the book you hold in your hands is unlike any other in the Universe? And with that truth deeply upon our hearts, in the days ahead, shouldn’t we treat it differently, read it diligently, wait before it expectantly and from it learn to live triumphantly? There are three reasons why I believe the Bible is truly like no other book anywhere: Because The Bible is Unique; Because The Bible is Powerful; Because The Bible is Divine. Tonight we are going to examine these three components of the Bible’s Character, that make the Bible so precious. A. THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE There is no other book like the Bible: The Bible contains.. 3,566,480 letters; 810,697 words; 31,175 verses; 1,189 chapters Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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B.

C.

and 66 books. It is, therefore, a “divine library,” and demands not only spiritual illumination, but also the practical application of reverent and diligent study methods in order to master its diversified subjects, as well as its unified message. There was no other book written like the Bible. THE BIBLE IS POWERFUL in seven wonderful ways, because it is a : 1. REVEALER -- It discovers and convicts us of sin in our lives John 16:7-10 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; (KJV) 2. REMOVER -- Through it God's Spirit cleanses us from sin John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (KJV) 3. RESTORER -- It imparts strength to our spiritual man Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. (KJV) 4. REMINDER -- It instructs us in going God's way Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (KJV) 5. RESISTOR -- It provides us a sword for victory over sin and temptations Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (KJV) 6. REFINER -- It shapes us into a life that glorifies Him 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (KJV) 7. REVIVER -- It drives us to prayerful dependence Psalm 119:25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word. (KJV) John 15:7-8 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (KJV) THE BIBLE IS DIVINE There are many Books in the Bible that reveal truths about our beautiful Lord Jesus. But there is only one that has as its theme Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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II.

III.

and central purpose to unveil and reveal JESUS CHRIST THE LORD. Note Revelation 19:10, John 5:39 and Luke 24:27. THE SCRIPTURES ARE CHRIST CENTERED (951108WE) We have found the Scriptures are Unique, Powerful, and Divine. Now we want to see how Centered the Scriptures are upon Christ. Then we can see the content of the Scriptures. A. JESUS SHINES FROM EVERY BOOK OF THE BIBLE. Each reveals some truths about our beautiful Lord Jesus. And, there is one that has as its theme and central purpose to unveil and reveal JESUS CHRIST THE LORD. To see the central theme of Christ in all the Scriptures look at these verses: Revelation 19:10, John 5:39 and Luke 24:27. B. CHRIST IS SEEN IN THE BOOKS OF HISTORY: 1. In GENESIS He is Creating the Universe. The Scriptures are the only reliable source of information on the origin and purpose of: universe, man, sin, nations, covenant and curse. Key Word = GENERATIONS [used 10x in book as outline]. 2. In EXODUS He is Delivering His People. He is the Way out: of Egypt, of sin, of Earth. Key Word = DELIVERANCE. 3. In LEVITICUS He opens the Approach to a Holy God, Who is present with His people[1:3 before the Lord 60x in book]; Who demands holiness in His people [11:44; 19:2; 20:7]. Key Word = HOLINESS occurs 93x in the book. 4. In NUMBERS He is the Faithful One Dealing with His Unfaithful People. Key Word = CHASTENING 5. In DEUTERONOMY He is Seeking Loyalty from His chosen people as their PROMISE KEEPER. Key Word = COVENANT which occurs 27x. 6. In JOSHUA He is Commander of the Lord’s Army, Leading His People in Conquest. Key Idea = OBEDIENCE. 7. In JUDGES He is Chastening His wayward people who follow seven specific sin-salvation cycles though this book. Key Idea = DISOBEDIENCE 8. In RUTH He is Kinsman to His needy people. Key Word = LOYALTY 9. In I SAMUEL - II CHRONICLES He is the Perfect King. IN Samuel God Seeks for a Man; In Kings God Sees All; in Chronicles God Saves, Preserves, Rewards His Own. Key Words = EYES OF THE LORD used 13x. 10. In EZRA He is our Peg in the Holy Place. Key Word = RETURNING 11. In NEHEMIAH He is our Sure Foundation. Key Word = RESTORING. 12. In ESTHER He is our Unseen Defender. Key Word = PROTECTING. THE SCRIPTURES ARE VERY SYMMETRICAL. It starts with 17 books of history. Five Major books (Gen-Deut) then 12 historic books (9 pre-exilic and 3 postexilic). Then 5 books of poetry. These are in the middle of the Old Testament and deal with the heart of Jewish worship (Pain, Worship, Living, Life and Love). Then 17 books of prophecy. Five are major (Isaiah to Daniel) and 12 are Minor (of these 9 are pre-exilic and 3 are post-exilic). Thus the Pentateuch is the designation for those first five Old Testament books of history. Moses was the author of all of Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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these crucial books. We are sure of that because Jesus said so in His ministry here on earth. The five books lay a foundation for the rest of the Word of God. Note with me the unifying theme each book is built around: Genesis “Calling into Being”; Exodus “Calling out of Bondage”; Leviticus “Calling unto Consecration”; Numbers “Calling from Confusion”; Deuteronomy “Calling back to the Covenant”. GENESIS “CHRIST CALLING THE UNIVERSE INTO BEING” The Book of Genesis [Greek for ‘origin, source or beginning’] starts with the Hebrew word bereshith which means ‘in the head of all things’. This speaks of the absolute beginning, before which is nothing as we know it -- but God in Three Persons. This book introduces in the first eleven chapters, most of the major doctrines of Christianity. These are, the Doctrines of: God, creation, man, sin and the coming redeemer, divine love, judgment, consequences of sin, fellowship with the Creator God, worship and the family. These ten areas are enlarged upon throughout the Scriptures. The book of Genesis covers more time than all the rest of the Bible. Genesis starts at Creation [at least 4000 BC] and continues to the death of Joseph [1915-1805BC], which is about 2,195 years. The rest of the Bible is covering about 1,900 years, from 1805BC to AD 95. The entire book revolves around Four Great Events and Four Great People. The EVENTS are: The Creation [1-2], The Fall [3-5], The Flood [6-8] and the Tower at Babel [10-11:9]. The PEOPLE are: Abraham [11:1025:18] whose life is one of faith and failure, covenant and promise. Isaac [25:19-26:35] who is a link for the covenant. Jacob [27:1-36:43] a man God transforms and who fathers the Twelve Tribes. Joseph [37-50] who is a tool in God’s hand. I.

GENESIS YEILDS GREAT LESSONS TO LIVE BY. To close look at just two events and the practical application of both. A. THE FACTS OF THE FALL 1. The Search by God of the fallen: God wants Voluntary Worship 2. Availability of God before the Fall: God wants Personal Fellowship 3. The Promise of God: God wants to Save us B. THE LESSONS OF THE FALL 1. Eve’s Choice: Our vulnerability to Temptation 2. Adam and Eve’s Fall: Our susceptibility to do our own thing, thus selfrule. 3. Adam and Eve’s Response: Our inability to accept responsibility, blame shifting. C. THE FACTS OF THE FLOOD 1. The Heart of God: He Grieves for Fallen Man 2. The Wrath of God: He Destroys by Holy Judgment 3. The Love of God: He Saves by Sovereign Choice 4. The Truth of God: He Reminds by Divine Revelation D. THE LESSONS OF THE FLOOD 1. The Sin of Mankind: Reminds us we are sinners 2. Deafness to the Message: Warns us to Listen 3. Response of Noah: Challenges our Availability 4. Second Chance for Mankind: Offers Hope for All Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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E.

THE 1. 2. 3.

LESSONS OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS: God is HOLY, He will judge sin. Gal. 6:7 God is LOVING, He will seek out individuals.Luke 19:10 God is GRACIOUS, He will transform fallen sinners First Peter 5:5

EXODUS “CHRIST CALLING HIS OWN OUT OF BONDAGE” Tonight join me in the Dark splendors of ancient Egypt. Stand with me amid Moses and Egyptian Plagues. Before him stretched the wonders of the Nile. The forest of 50 to 70 foot red granite and limestone pillars ornately carved and painted with cartooshes and hieroglyphics was impressive. To stand before the living god-Pharaoh himself was threatening. To be eighty years old [as Moses was] and to face the most powerful King of the Ancient Near East World of that time would be overwhelming! But God wanted to give His people a special message. He wanted them to know the way out. We need the same truths today. I. EXODUS HAS A THREE PART MESSAGE ABOUT - THE WAY OUT... He showed them how to get out of Bondage, Ignorance and Earthliness. We can follow the same paths! A. THE WAY OUT... OF BONDAGE [1-12]INTO FREEDOM, SHOWS GOD IS POWERFUL 1. A Prepared Servant [1-6] 2. A Powerful Display [7-11] = Plagues 3. A Permanent Reminder [12] = Passover B. THE WAY OUT... OF IGNORANCE [13-24] INTO GOD’S LAW AND PROGRAM, THIS SHOWS GOD IS HOLY 1. God Protected Them [13-15] = Red Sea 2. God Provided for Them [16-18] = food & water 3. God Prepared Them [19-20] C. THE WAY OUT...OF EARTHLINESS [25-40], INTO GOD’S PRESENCE, THIS SHOWS GOD IS FRIENDLY 1. THE TABERNACLE POINTS TO GOD: a) Articles Point to Christ: b) Brazen Altar = total devotion Christ c) Laver = Christ the Eternal Cleanser d) Lamp Stand = Christ the light of the world e) Show Bread = Christ the Bread of Life f) Altar of Incense = Christ constant Intercessor and Priest g) Holy of Holies 2. THE COLORS SPEAK OF CHRIST: a) White = perfection, parallel to Luke, Christ the Perfect Man . b) Blue = Heaven, parallel to John’s Gospel of the Deity of Christ. c) Scarlet = sacrifice, parallel to Mark’s Gospel as Christ the Perfect Servant. d) Purple = Royalty, parallel to Matthew’s Gospel of Christ the perfect King. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 61

II.

MOSES AND THE FINGER OF GOD (EXODUS 7-11). Ancient Egypt at its Zenith fifteen centuries before Christ was awesome. The Pyramids were over a thousand years old, and stood towering ominously over this proud and powerful people. The ‘God-Kings’ or Pharaohs as we call them, were sons of Khnum, descendants of RA and the bearers of divinity to the masses. Astride the Mighty Nile, Egypt knew prosperity, fertile and productive agriculture and great peace. But, a nation had grown up in their midst for 400 years. It had started with just an old man and his twelve boys. Jacob and his twelve sons, his daughters and their families had flourished. In Goshen they now numbered nearly three million. As God had promised to his grandfather Abraham, his descendants would be as numberless as the sands of the sea. From one man to three million is a vast multiplication. And so, the stage is set: THE GREATEST ANCIENT EMPIRE: EGYPT vs. THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE OF GOD: ISRAEL In lightning fast flashes, we have a succession of TEN POWERFUL imprints upon the fabric of Egyptian Society. A land of mystery and false worship of false gods -- brought face to face with the TRUE God of the UNIVERSE. Turn to Exodus 6:1-7; 7:3 A. NILE PLAGUE [7:14-25] This plague was an unmistakable message. It was to drive a wooden stake into the very heart of the worship of Egypt. Simply stated, God is powerful and you are impotent. B. FROG PLAGUE [8:1-15] All this was a death blow to the closed system of their worship. God was true and powerful, their gods were not. HEQT was hit to show who really created Egypt. God is very concerned that all know the CREATOR. C. GNAT/LICE PLAGUE [8:16-19] GOD alone is holy. No priests are or could make anyone holy! D. FLY PLAGUE [8:20-32] Only GOD can protect from pestilence. E. CATTLE PLAGUE [9:1-7] MNEVIS was hit to show that even the union of the sun god and the sacred APIS bull was powerless to keep the sacred bull on display at the Heliopolis alive! This plague was devastating to Pharaoh who had vast herds of cattle [Gen. 47:6, 17] The economy was so dependent on oxen for plowing and carts, cattle for milk and worship. Camels, donkeys and horses for transportation. F. BOIL PLAGUE [9:8-17] SEKHMET was hit to prove he could not regulate epidemics and diseases. The magicians of Pharaoh’s court, Jannes and Jambres, found that when they withstood Moses his god was REAL! SERAPSIS was hit to demonstrate that only GOD is the One who is the god of healing. G. HAIL PLAGUE [9:18-35] ISIS and SETH were not really responsible for the crops, they were as all else, under the TRUE GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH! H. LOCUST PLAGUE [10:1-20] GOD alone can marshals his creatures to do His bidding. I. DARKNESS PLAGUE [10:21-29] GOD, who is light, struck the heart of all Egyptian religion , the worship of the sun god, RA. GOD alone gives the true light to guide individuals to the way, truth and life. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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J. III.

IV.

DEATH OF FIRSTBORN PLAGUE [11:1-12:32] What is it about the Passover we must remember? Two main areas are presented in the Bible, God’s Word. THERE WAS A FINAL, DARK PLAGUE TO FEAR: A. AN UNSPEAKABLE PLAGUE - to even imagine a supernatural messenger of doom was to hunt and kill the first born, was beyond words. That anyone could pick out the first born of man and livestock in the unlit blackness of an Egyptian night, is imperceivable. And to know it was tonight, was beyond words to express. B. AN UNAVOIDABLE PLAGUE - there was no place he would not visit. Each family would be noticed and examined from poorest to the richest. From the huts of farming peasants to the ivory halls of palaces, all would see the dark shadow of the Death Angel. C. AN UNSTOPPABLE PLAGUE - there was no power on earth then or now that could have stopped that stalking death. Nothing to deflect his sword of death. D. AN UNEXPECTED PLAGUE - life was moving along as expected. Business as usual. Yes, that old fanatic was still crying judgment. But, we live in a real world, not some God we can’t see who can judge us. Remember, the god’s of Egypt were put to bed each night in their temples by the priest. Awakened each day, fed, clothed and put on display... E. Sounds just like Hell and the wrath of God facing unrepentant sinners today. Remember that Jesus says! THERE WAS A FULL SALVATION TO SEEK: A. GOD’S OFFER WAS SALVATION - He gave the ones who would listen the only solution to avert the disaster of the Death Angel’s sword. B. GOD’S PLAN WAS SUBSTITUTION - He detailed a simple act of taking an innocent, spotless lamb to die in the place of the family members. C. GOD’S METHOD WAS THE SPRINKLING OF BLOOD - in the dark, a sprinkle of blood on the door posts was all it took to find protection. D. GOD’S PROMISE WAS SUFFICIENT - it included deliverance from death, provision of all needs for life, and the hope of a land of promise flowing with milk and honey. All this with a personal guide to assure safe arrival!

LEVITICUS: “Christ Calling His own to Consecration” (951129we) The book of Leviticus has been rightly called ‘the most NT of all the OT books. It reveals in an incredible way the work of Christ on the Cross. Divine Inspiration is more clearly stated in Leviticus than in any other book. Twenty chapters start with ‘and the Lord said...’ as well as other places totals 38 times the ‘Lord spoke...’. The dual theme of ATONEMENT [48x] kaphar in Hebrew and HOLINESS [100x] qodesh, qadesh, qadosh in Hebrew, set the stage for this incomparable book. The atonement of the OT sacrifices was a kaphar “covering”, they were not removing sin [Hebrews. 10:4]. Only the Coming One could offer a perfect sacrifice for sin [Hebrews. 9:15]. The holiness of Leviticus is basically “separateness”. When SEPARATENESS is referring to God it implies that He is unique and separate from all that is earthly and wrong. A simple definition26 of holy comes from 26

Haddon Robinson, Biblical Preaching, p. 140.

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looking at why certain things are called holy. The Bible is called ‘HOLY BIBLE’, he land of Israel is called the ‘HOLY LAND’ and the city of Jerusalem is called the ‘HOLY CITY’. Why? There is a quality about all three which they share in common. THEY ALL BELONG TO GOD. The Bible is God’s book; Israel is God’s land; Jerusalem is God’s city- they are God’s property! That is why they are HOLY; they belong to God! When referring to man kaphar speaks of a life of purity and obedience. As a sacrifice was made, there were three distinct aspects that had to be accomplished: 1. IDENTIFICATION: the offerer pressed his hands on the sacrifice to identify himself with it. This is paralel to personal faith in the substitutionary death of Christ. Baptism is a picture of a believers identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. [Rom. 6.3-11] 2. SUBSTITUTION: the innocent animal bore the sins of another, a picture of the perfect Lamb, Christ Jesus. [Rom. 5:8; II C 5:21; I Pet 2.24, 3.18]. 3. PROPITIATION: the blood was a visible evidence that a life had been offered. It is only the blood of Jesus that can satisfy the righteous wrath of a Holy God. [Lev. 17.11; Rom. 3.25; Heb. 9.22]. Because we are a Kingdom of Priests 1 Peter 2:9 But you [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (NKJV) in the NT Church where Christ is our High Priest [Hebrews 8:1; Revelation 1:6] we are to be offering to God: 1. OUR LIFE AS A SACRIFICE [Romans. 12:1; 15:16] 2. OUR DEVOTION AS A BURNT OFFERING [Mark 12:33] 3. OUR SERVICE POURED OUT AS A DRINK OFFERING [II Tim. 4:6; Phil. 2:7] 4. OUR DEEDS AS CONTINUAL SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES [I Peter 2:5; Hebrews 13:16] 5. OUR PRAYERS AS A SWEET SMELLING INCENSE OFFERING [Revelation 8:3-4; Psalm 141:2] 6. OUR WORSHIP AS A HEAVEN SENT PRAISE OFFERING [Hebrews 13:15] NUMBERS: “Christ Calling His own from Confusion” (951206WE) This Book speaks of the SEVERITY of GOD [He destroys the old generation in chapters 1-25] and the GOODNESS of GOD [He works with the new generation in chapters 26-36] as described in Romans 11:22: Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. (KJV). It also warns of two sins: PRESUMPTION [I Corinthians 10:1-12] and UNBELIEF [Hebrews 3:7 - 4:6]. This book illustrates that unbelief defeats the unbeliever. It is an epic on the halting progress of unwilling followers. It took them only 40 hours to get out of Egypt in Exodus, 30 days to learn of God’s HOLINESS in Leviticus, but nearly 40 years to get out of the Wilderness of Egypt -- within them. They went up a mixed multitude [Exodus 12:38] who wanted a Savior [Exodus] but not a Lord [Sinai]. I.

GIVING TO

GOD IN CHAPTER 7 = FREEWILL OFFERINGS Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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A. B. C.

II.

God loves SPONTANEITY, these gifts were not commanded. God is pleased even with UNIFORMITY, these gifts were all the same. God expresses His delight with PARTICULARITY [God who possesses all things, loves and cherishes each individual’s gift .And he called [unto him] his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: (Mark 12:43 KJV) Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, [this] also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. (Mark 14:9 KJV) FOLLOWING GOD IN CHAPTER 9 = THE PILLAR AND CLOUD. This which most likely overshadowed the Camp as a shield from the desert Sun in the day and a light for the people by night, speaks of the UNFAILING GUIDANCE of GOD. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (Psalm 32:8 KJV) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12 KJV) A. THE LORD’S WORK IS PERFECT, SO REST IN IT! B. THE LORD’S WORD IS PERFECT, SO LIVE BY IT! C. THE LORD’S WILL IS PERFECT, SO WALK IN IT!

DEUTERONOMY: “Christ Calling His own to the Covenant”(951213WE) When Jesus was face to face with the Devil in the Wilderness of Temptation, what weapon did He choose to use against this old foe? The Scriptures, yes, but specifically where? DEUTERONOMY! All three of Satan’s attacks were met by the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Remember that moment in Matthew 4? Thus, Deuteronomy is a book about Dedication to God. Key Word: Covenant occurs 27x in this book. As we study this word, we find four components of God’s Plan revealed by His Covenant: His Character, His Expectations, His Blessings and His Warnings. Lets examine these briefly. I. HIS CHARACTER: GOD IS UNIQUE Deuteronomy 4:35 Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he [is] God; [there is] none else beside him. (KJV) II. HIS EXPECTATIONS: TOTAL OBEDIENCE Deuteronomy 11:27-28 "the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you today; 28 "and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known. (NKJV) III. HIS BLESSINGS: VICTORIOUS LIVES Deuteronomy 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee (KJV) The book of Deuteronomy may best be seen as three sermons by Moses. Look Back, God has been Faithful; Look Around, God is watching; Look Ahead, God is Leading! Lets do just those three things. Through the words of Moses, inspired by God, look and learn what Israel failed to see. I. LOOK BACK, GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL! Deuteronomy 1-4 Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 65

II.

III.

LOOK AROUND, GOD IS WATCHING! Deuteronomy 5:1-26:19. In these chapters there are three categories of the Law explained. A. God has Moral Expectations [5-11]. These are His “Testimonies”. B. God has Ceremonial Expectations [12:1-16:17] These are His “Statutes”. C. God has Societal Expectations [16:18-20:20]. These are His “Ordinances”. LOOK AHEAD, GOD IS LEADING! Deuteronomy 27-33

JOSHUA: (960110we) Joshua stands at the gateway to the Land of Promise. Where Moses [the Law] could never go, Joshua [a type of Christ] enters and conquers. In Hebrews 11 a forty year gap between the Red Sea and the Jordan marks this period of no faith leading up to the faithful Leader Joshua was. The book of Joshua divides into two halves. The first fourteen chapters describe the conquest of Canaan, about 14061400 B.C., whereas 15-24 relate the division of the land among the tribes. Contrary to Numbers [God chastening His disobedient people], which precedes it, and Judges [God judging His wayward people], which follows it, Joshua emphasizes God [YAHWEH] blessing His people when they obey Him. God fulfils His promises by bringing His people to the land. They are to conquer and settle this land.As long as they obey He will fight for them. If they disobey they must serve the nations around them. Thus the Book of Joshua portrays the unchanging truths that lead us to Victory. There is TRIUMPH for those who: I.

II. III.

WALK BY THE WORD [Joshua 1-5] Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (NKJV) WIN BY FAITH [Joshua 6-22] Joshua 10:8 And the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you." (NKJV) WAIT FOR GOD [Joshua 23-24] Joshua 24:14-15 Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! 15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (NKJV)

JUDGES: (960117we) The Deadly Danger of Compromise! The Book of Judges stands as the seventh book of the Scriptures. The message of this book sobers our hearts. All of us have the potential to fail as grievously as they failed. Sin is an ever present enemy to be hated and avoided at all costs. Compromising the Word of God or the walk of faith brings disastrous results. God commands us to steer clear of all worldly entanglements and pursue Him. In the book of Judges we meet 12 judges, view 7 tragic cycles where Israel sinned, served, supplicated and were saved and 2 appendices portraying the deadly danger of compromise. As we turn to Judges, we enter a book covering four Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 66

hundred years of biblical history. Several other important periods span 400 years in the Scriptures. Remember these Four Hundred years segments? • From Abraham’s birth to Joseph’s death is 400 years. • From Joseph’s death to the Exodus is 400 years. • From the Exodus to King Saul is 400 years. • From King Saul to the Exile is is 400 years. • From the prophet Malachi to John the Baptist is 400 years. I. II.

III.

WALKING IN OBEDIENT FAITH REAPS DELIGHTS [1:1-18] A life of blessing, victory and conquest is offered by God and taken by them. FORSAKING GODLY OBEDIENCE REAPS DISASTERS [1:19-16:31] A life of defeats, bondage, servitude and captivity. We may ask how and why did they forsake godly obedience? What may we learn from their steps down? A. They TOLERATED the enemies of God and did not drive them out! [1:19, 21, 27] They left remnants of the Canaanites lodged among them. Slowly the influence of sin pervaded their lives.That would be like Christians today holding on to cigarettes, alcohol, rock music and pornography. B. They CYCLED downward in disobedience away from the Lord. Starting in 2:11 they sinned, in 2:14 God sold them to oppressors and they served, in 2:15 they cried to or supplicated the Lord and 2:16 He saved or delivered them. This pattern goes on for six more times. Each servitude is more fierce and harsh upon them. C. They NEGLECTED pursuing the knowledge of God. [2:10] That would be a lack of prayer, Scripture reading and study, memorization and ministry. Do you read, pray, study, memorize and serve the Lord? D. They MINGLED by intermarrying with the pagans [3:6]. They shared life with those who denied their Master and learned their evil ways. This would show up in our lives as modern dancing, bars, wild parties, exposure to indecent movies, compromising dating relationships, immodest clothing and a basic hunger for holy living. E. They ABANDONED the exclusiveness of God by following other gods. [3:7]. This direction taken by Israel is known as syncretism, the blending together of various religions. The idols of the pagans were actually demons doing Satans bidding. F. They HARDENED is what their consciences became. They had lived so long with defiled minds sin no longer pained them [17:6]. We see this in the growing insensitivity to sin all around us and even in the church. G. They DEPARTED from their true King and Ruler, the Lord! [21:25]. Defeat always lies before those who do what is right in their own eyes. REMAINING IN DISOBEDIENCE REAPS DESTRUCTION [17-21] Continuing in ungodliness results in a life of destruction, declension, defilement, darkness and despair. There are two horrible illustrations of this in the closing chapters.

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RUTH: (960124we) In the beautiful little book of Ruth we meet “The Woman who would not turn back”! The book of Ruth opens during the period of the Judges when apostasy, decadence, violence, anarchy and warfare were the norm. Famine strikes Bethlehem which means a house of bread. In this time of need, Elimelech which means my God is King, seems to depart from the plan and desires of God. He takes Naomi which means pleasantness and favor, away from the land of promise and the covenant people of God into the land of Israel’s enemies, Moab. With them go their two sons Mahlon which means joy or song, and Chilion which means ornament or perfection. These men seem to have stepped out of the revealed will of God in His Word, by marrying pagan, gentile women of God’s enemies. Away from the land of promise in Moab [descendants of Lot who worshiped Chemosh a god of human sacrifice by burning], Elimelech [my God is King] dies and so does Mahlon [joyful song] and Chilion[ornament of perfection]. After ten years of hardship Naomi [pleasant sweetness] becomes Mara [bitterness]. With all those she ever loved buried beneath the sod of Moab [her husband and two sons]. She finally looks back at the land of promise because food is available in Bethlehem. As she sets off to return home she asks her daughter-in-laws to go back to their families and find a new life. In one of the most touching moments of the Scriptures, Ruth [satisfied, fullness] clings to Naomi and the God of Israel. Orpah [stiff necked, double minded] departs for her people in Moab. The two main sources of extra biblical history on this period are the widely respected references Encyclopaedia Judaica and the Jewish Encyclopedia both record the historical note that Orpah and Ruth were descendants of Eglon King of Moab. When Orpah left Naomi forsook the God of Israel, embraced the gods of Moab, married and bore a child and from her descendents came Harafu the mother of the four Philistine giants, one who was named Goliath. It is fascinating to think that David, Ruth’s grandson met and destroyed Goliath, Orpah’s grandson. The result of a simple turn in the path of life. What a great difference small decisions make. I. II. III.

EVEN IN THE SMALLEST TEXTS WE FIND ARE FULL OF GOD! EVEN IN THE DARKEST TIMES WE CAN SHINE FOR GOD! EVEN THE REMOTEST PLACES YEILD FRUIT FOR GOD!

A.

B.

We can find hidden blessings in otherwise boring genealogies: Noah was the 10th generation and we see in him a God who saves by grace [Gen. 6:8]. Abraham the 20th generation and we see in him a God who calls by election [Gen. 12:1]. Boaz the 30th generation and we see a God who offers hope [Ruth] What does this mean? Love that doesn’t falter or change is the message of Ruth. Hope for Jews and Gentiles may be found in the love of a God who takes in a gentile Ruth. We can find powerful challenges for dedicated Christian: 1. Following the Lord takes definate choices. [Ruth clings to Naomi] 2. Following the Lord often means we must leave behind things that were once dear. [Ruth leaves behind her old family] Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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3. 4.

Following the Lord demands constant discipline. [Ruth could see her old home in the hills of Moab every day in the fields of Bethlehem] Following the Lord offers incredible rewards. [Ruth is invited into the family of Boaz, the line of David, the lineage of the Messiah Jesus Christ]

I SAMUEL: (960207we) Life in the flesh or Spirit would be an apt title of this first book of Samuel. The striking contrasts between Hannah and Peniah, Samuel and Eli, David and Saul attest to this truth. We read some of the great stories of the Bible in First Samuel, like the persistent love of Hannah [1], the wicked sons of Eli [2], the calling of Samuel [3], the humiliation of Dagon [4-6], the disobedience of Saul [13-end], David’s calling from the flocks [16], David and Goliath [17], the friendship of Jonathan [18], Saul and the witch [28] and so many more. This book also marvelously introduces to three key doctrines: the Doctrine of God, the Doctrine of Prayer and the Doctrine of Worship. We can briefly examine each. I. II.

III.

THE DOCTRINE OF GOD IS FULL OF RICHES TO GROW BY. THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER IS FULL OF WISDOM TO PRAY BY. A. GOD GIVES OUR HEARTS DESIRE THROUGH PRAYER. Hannah prays for a son and is given Samuel [1:10, 12, 26, 27; 2:1]. B. GOD GIVES US VICTORY THROUGH PRAYER. Samuel prays for Israel and they are led to victory by God [7:5-10]. C. GOD GIVES US COMFORT THROUGH PRAYER. Samuel comes in sorrow to God for Israel that has rejected Him as their King [8:5-6]. D. GOD GIVES INSIGHT THROUGH PRAYER. God reveals secrets to Samuel while he is praying [9:15]. E. GOD GIVES US ACCESS THROUGH PRAYER. Samuel declares that a lack of prayer is sin [12:19, 23]. F. GOD GIVES NO EAR TO A REBEL. Saul finds his rebellion and rejection of God means God will not listen to him [28:6]. THE DOCTRINE OF WORSHIP CENTERS ON THE PSALMS OUT OF THE HARD TIMES IN THE LIFE OF DAVID.

II SAMUEL: (960214WE) The book of Second Samuel records the rise, fall and finish of a great man of God. We can learn so much from him as we look into the Scriptures. I.

II.

DAVID SERVING: : THE MAN AFTER GODS OWN HEART (II Samuel 1-10) A. Honors God’s Servants [1:14] B. Expresses God’s Forgiving Love [1:17-27] C. Keeps in touch with God [2:1] D. Portrays Genuine Grief [3:33-39] E. Gives God the Glory [5:12] F. Prays to God [7:18-29] DAVID SINNING: : THE GIANT THAT KILLED DAVID (II Samuel 11-12) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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III. IV. V.

DAVID SURVIVING: : FACING PERSONAL DISASTERS GOD’S WAY (II Samuel 13-17). David portrays a life entrusted to God’s care. He gives each care to the Lord. Watch him as he: DAVID SINGING: DAVID’S LAST SONG (II Samuel 23) DAVID SPEAKING: LESSONS FROM THE MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART: A. GOD IS THE AUTHOR OF PROSPERITY AND PROTECTION.1 Chronicles 29:12 Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all. (NKJV) B. GOD WARNS NO ONE IS BEYOND THE REACH OF TEMPTATION. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (NKJV) C. GOD KNOWS FAMILY LIFE IS A REAL CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US. Genesis 18:19 "For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him." (NKJV) D. GOD WAITS TO RESTORE US WHEN WE FALL [Psalm 51]

I KINGS: (960221WE) The book of Kings is about kings. There are 19 Kings [all bad] in the Northern Kingdom and 19 [8 good and 11 bad] in the Southern. As Saul who had no heart for God , David who had a whole heart for God and Solomon who only had half a heart for Him - these 38 are a mixture of all three. The book of First Kings records the lives of the people of Israel as they lived “In the Eyes of the Lord”[11:6; 14:22; 15:5, 11, 26, 34; 16:7, 19, 25, 30; 21:20, 25, 22:43, 52]. This expression is repeated 14x in this book. We all need to ponder the theme of this book: to live IN THE SIGHT OF GOD! I. Solomon: Forty Years A. Good Start 1-4 B. Great Choices 5-8 C. God Given fame and fortune 9-10 D. Grievous Ending 11 II. Divided Kingdom: Eighty Years A. Reheboam Complex: forsake wisdom 12 B. Two new kingdoms, two old problems: idolatry and disobedience 13-16 C. Elijah: God’s Man stands alone 17-19 D. Ahab: the worst 20-22 III. FOUR GREAT TRUTHS GLEANED FROM THIS BOOK: A. GOD KEEPS HIS WORD SO WE SHOULD SEARCH IT DAILY. 1. GOD WILL JUDGE THE APOSTASY [I Kings 8:46; 12:25-33] 2. GOD HATES FALSE WORSHIP 1 Kings 11:33 I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 70

B.

C. D.

Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molech the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in my ways, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my statutes and laws as David, Solomon's father, did. (NIV) 3. GOD PUNISHES DISOBEDIENCE 1 Kings 13:21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, "This is what the LORD says: `You have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. 1 Kings 13:34 This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth. (NIV) 4. GOD DOESN’T FORGET HIS WARNINGS 1 Kings 16:34 In Ahab's time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken by Joshua son of Nun. (NIV) Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (NIV) GOD REWARDS OBEDIENCE SO WE SHOULD OBEY HIM ALWAYS! 1. REMEMBER SOLOMON: HIS WISDOM FROM GOD WAS KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD. [4:29-34] 2. REMEMBER ELIJAH ELIJAH: STANDING ALONE BY FAITH I Kings 17-18 a) In I Kings 17:7 Elijah finds the place of Faith: Faith emerges from Real Need b) In I Kings 17:10-12 Elijah finds the Test of Faith: Faith challenges our deepest Fears c) In I Kings 17:15-16 Elijah finds the Product of Faith: Faith enables us to experience Real Blessings. GOD SEEKS DEVOTION SO WE SHOULD WORSHIP HIM WHOLEHEARTEDLY! 1. He wants our Hearts [9:4]. 2. He wants our Trust [18:21] GOD EXPECTS PRIORITY SO WE SHOULD SEEK HIM FIRST! David wanted a house for God [5:3] more than his own wealth. He became a man after God’s own heart. Solomon wanted a house for both God and himself. He built God’s first. His house was five times larger than the Temple, and took twice as long to build! [6:38-7:1] Solomon defected from God in the end. As God looks around the earth, does He find you looking at Him with all your heart? Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

II KINGS: “Serving God” (960228WE) During the period covering the last 130 years of Israel and the last 250 years of Judah, II Kings records the response of the people to these prophets in the order they spoke and wrote: Elijah [*875-855 BC], Elisha [*855795], Obadiah [840-825], Joel [825-810], Jonah [*785-770], Amos [*765-755], Hosea Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 71

[*755-715], Isaiah [740-692], Micah [735-700], Nahum [650-620], Zephaniah [635623], Jeremiah [625-575], Habakkuk [620-608], Daniel [605-535], Ezekiel [595-560]. The sad truth remains -- few listened to God speaking through them. God’s servants listen to His Words. Second Kings stands as a book about Servants. God has good servants and bad servants. He rewards the good and punishes the bad. Life is all about who we will serve. In this book we see portraits of failed opportunities to serve God as well as beautiful lives of service for Him. Who are you serving today? God or yourself? We can draw an incredible wealth of lessons on servanthood from this small book. Here are no less than ten powerful components of those who serve God. I. II. III. IV.

V. VI. VII.

A SERVANT OF GOD IS EMPOWERED FOR MINISTRY : There must be Absolute Surrender. Elisha showed this at his calling in I Kings 19:19-21. He patterned it in his daily life. A SERVANT OF GOD FOCUSES ON THE SOURCE OF PROBLEMS. [2:19-22] A SERVANT OF GOD KNOWS THE SECRET OF HUMILITY [3:15-25] because the way God sent water to aid Israel in the battle against Moab has a lesson on the way the Spirit of God works. A SERVANT OF GOD SERVES BY SUFFICIENCY OF THE SPIRIT [4:1-7] as is portrayed in the Widow’s oil miracle. A. IMPOSSIBLE DEBT: She had a humanly impossible situation [4:1] one only God can fix. So we are impossibly indebted to the lost world around us. Romans 1:14-15 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. (NIV) B. INEXHAUSTIBLE RESOURCES: Oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit and as she poured into empty vessels the oil never ran out. So the Holy Spirit will flow out of us like rivers of water into empty dry and thirsting lives around us. John 7:38-39 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (NIV) C. INCREDIBLE SUPPLY: The provision was for more than just the debt, it covered the daily supply also [4:7] A SERVANT OF GOD HAS GENUINE POWER [4:8-37] as demonstrated in the inability of Gehazi. A SERVANT OF GOD DECLARES THE GOSPEL OF A HUMBLE AND CONTRITE APPROACH TO GOD [5:1-27] as demonstrated in Naaman’s healing. A SERVANT OF GOD WILL REPENT AND RETURN WHEN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT DEPARTS THEIR LIFE [6:1-7] as illustrated in the miracle of the restored ax head. A. BEWARE: Christians can lose the cutting edge for ministry by quenching the Holy Spirit. B. STOP: No work can proceed without the axehead. The self generated service does nothing more than chopping with an ax handle accomplishes in felling trees. John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (NIV) C. GO BACK: The prophets went back to where the axehead was lost [6:6]. We need to go back to where we lost the blessing and get it back! Revelation 2:5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. (NIV) VIII. A SERVANT OF GOD IS AWARE OF GOD’S PROTECTION [6:8-23] as illustrated by the opening of the servants eyes and the blinding of the Syrian army. A. Elisha lived with an awareness he was surrounded by God’s powerful army. B. When God intervenes He renders our enemies Helpless [6:18], Hopeless [6:21] and Powerless [6:22-23]. IX. A SERVANT OF GOD SEES THE LORD IN ALL OF LIFE. A. GOD IS THE LORD OF HISTORY -- SERVE HIM! He shaped Judah and Israel’s future. He directed Naaman and Hazeel of Syria [5; 8:7-15]. B. GOD IS LORD OF THE UNIVERSE -- TRUST HIM! His armies are present on earth though invisible [6:15-17]. C. GOD IS LORD OF THE INEXHAUSTIBLE RESOURCES -- DRAW UPON HIM [4:1-7 oil; enemy army 19:35; etc.]. I CHRONICLES: (960228WE) The Book of First Chronicles is a retelling of the history of God’s people from the vantage point of the TEMPLE and the Worship of the True God. This emphasizes their relationship to God. The first 9 chapters give 3,500 years of continuous human genealogical history. This is unparalleled in all the history of the world. The sacred line of redemption and promise is very important to God. And each individual had an opportunity to serve God. The three elements of a right relationship deal with their INWARD, OUTWARD and UPWARD response to God. They were to WORSHIP [upwardly], they were to OBEY [inwardly], they were to BE GOD’S LOYAL PEOPLE [outwardly]. I. A general outline of the book could be: A. The People of the Lord [1-9] B. The Anointed of the Lord [10-12] C. The Ark of the Lord [13-16] D. The Covenant of the Lord [17-21] E. The Temple of the Lord [22-29] II. There are three elements of a right relationship illustrated in this book. A. THE UPWARD RELATIONSHIP OF WORSHIP 1. SCRIPTURAL WORSHIP IS FILLED WITH GODLY JOY: First Chronicles 13:8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets. (NIV) 2. SCRIPTURAL WORSHIP IS FILLED WITH GODLY MUSIC. Notice the instruments in 13:8; 15:16, 28. 3. SCRIPTURAL WORSHIP IS FILLED WITH GODLY FORM. David learned God is Serious about Proper Worship: 1 Chronicles 15:2 Then Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 73

III.

IV.

David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever." B. SCRIPTURAL WORSHIP IS FILLED WITH HOLINESS. CONSECRATION IS NEEDED: 1 Chronicles 15:12 He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. C. SCRIPTURAL WORSHIP IS FILLED WITH HUMILITY. GOD ALONE IS WORTHY: 1 Chronicles 16:29-30 ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. (NIV) THE INWARD RELATIONSHIP OF OBEDIENCE A. Saul was removed because of Disobedience 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 B. Uzzah was killed for Irreverence 1 Chronicles 13:9-10 C. David is blessed for Obedience 1 Chronicles 14:10-14 THE OUTWARD RELATIONSHIP OF LOYALTY A. They were to TRUST GOD. HE KEEPS HIS WORD First Chronicles 11:2-3 In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD your God said to you, `You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.'" When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the LORD had promised through Samuel. (NIV) B. They were to SERVE GOD. SERVICE TO HIS GLORY First Chronicles 22:5 David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death. (NIV)

II CHRONICLES: (960313WE) From Solomon [970 BC] to the collapse of the Judean Monarchy, the exile of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 586 BC, this book trace 384 years of people living in the sight of God. As a Divine Documentary the life of each king is exposed. Prosperity or Adversity came from their relationship with God. The interesting feature of this book is that each life has a lesson to be learned. More than just a narrative, powerful warnings and challenges abound. In the light of such a gloomy era of history, God gives His people hope in their godly kings, in their Gracious God and in His Sovereign hand in history as the last verses of this book point out. If any one verse could capture what God was saying to His people it would be in 2 Chronicles 15:2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. (NKJV). Some good Kings: Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 74

1. ASA - Although he destroys foreign altars and idols, conquers Ethiopia against great odds through his trust in God, and restores the altar of the Lord, yet he fails to trust God when threatened by Israel. 2. JOASH - Although he repairs the temple and restores the worship of God, when Jehoiada the priest dies, Joash allows the people to abandon the temple and return to idolatry. 3. UZZIAH - He begins well with the Lord and is blessed with military victories. However, when he becomes strong, he proudly and presumptuously plays the role of a priest by offering incense in the temple and therefore is struck with leprosy. 4. HEZEKIAH - He repairs and reopens the temple and puts away the altars and idols set up by his father, Ahaz. Judah is spared destruction by Assyria because of his righteousness. His reforms are given only a few verses in Kings but three chapters in Chronicles. 5. JOSIAH - A leader in reforms and spiritual revival, he centers worship around the temple, finds the law and obeys it and reinstitutes the Passover. I.

II.

III.

GOD IS HOLY: 2 Chronicles 19:2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Therefore the wrath of the LORD is upon you. (NKJV) A. LIVE AS TEMPLES FOR HIM B. LOVE LOYALTY TO HIM C. LIVE SEPARATED UNTO HIM GOD IS SOVEREIGN: 2 Chronicles 18:33 Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded." (NKJV) A. WORSHIP KNOWING HIM. HE IS AWESOME: II Chronicles 2:6 But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him? (NKJV) II Chronicles 6:18 But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! (NKJV) B. WALK FEARING HIM. He holds our very BREATH: Daniel 5:23 GOD IS OMNIPOTENT; 2 Chronicles 20:6-12. HOPE only in Him Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. (NKJV) Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)

EZRA: (960320WE) While Gautama Buddha was living and teaching in India [c. 560480 BC], Confucis in China [551-479 BC] and Socrates in Greece [470-399 BC] the One True and Living God sent His servant Ezra. As the Lord’s chosen messenger he was to stir up the Remnant to return to their God. From 457 BC [the dates of the events in Ezra 7-10] and 444 BC when Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem this book was written by Ezra. Tradition ascribes two of the great spiritual events of the past to Ezra. He is credited Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 75

with the collection of all the Old Testament into one unit and with the founding of the first synagogue. Other traditions credit him with leading the gathering that defended the spurious writings from being put into the Scriptures. All told he was a great servant of the Lord! A brief sketch of history can help us fit many biblical events into a proper sequence. 538-515 BC

483-473 BC

457 BC

Zerubbabel Ezra 1-6 1st return

Esther Esther -

Ezra Ezra 7-10 2nd Return

444-c. 425 BC Nehemiah Nehemiah 3rd Return

We can outline this book into two clear sections: I. II.

The Return under Cyrus by Zerubbabel 1:1-6:22 and the Rebuilding of the Temple The return under Artaxerxes by Ezra 7:1-10:44 and the Rebuilding of the People.

God had told the Jews they would return in the writings of Jeremiah 70 years before it happened. Isaiah had also written 170 years before, that the one who would accomplish the bidding of God was not even a believer. He would be a pagan king named Cyrus! God names him before he even was born . . . The two themes that run throughout this book are: Consecration and Separation. I. GOD WANTS CONSECRATED SERVANTS! Consecration is seen in the desire the people and their leaders had to restore the true worship of the Lord. The people of God faced great opposition, their adversaries were half breeds from the time of II Kings 17. Pagans imported by the Assyrians to hold the land for the kingdom of Assyria. These semi-heathen Samaritans were the chief of problems in 4:1, 9, 10. They were taught to fear God and serve idols, and that they did. They are Consecrated at the Altar = Cross of Christ Ezra 3:2 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as [it is] written in the law of Moses the man of God. (KJV) II. GOD WANTS SEPARATED SERVANTS! Separation = no intermarriage Ezra 9:1 When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. (NKJV). Separation is seen in the work of Ezra. He was earnest in his desire to purify the people of God and never turned back. He found 112 cases of intermarriage in direct disobedience to Mosaic law and dealt with every one of them. A. WORLDLINESS BLOCKS! 1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that [is] in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 76

III.

IV.

eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (NKJV) James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (NKJV) B. PILGRIMHOOD BRINGS! Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced [them] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (NKJV) C. ONE MASTER BLESSES! Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (NKJV) EZRA TEACHES PRECIOUS TRUTHS ABOUT GOD, WORSHIP AND SIN. A. THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH CAN BE KNOWN: Ezra 1:2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which [is] in Judah. B. THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH CAN BE WORSHIPED: Ezra 3:11-13 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD: "For [He is] good, For His mercy [endures] forever toward Israel." Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' [houses,] old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off. (NKJV) Ezra 6:16 Then the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. (NKJV) C. THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH CAN BE SINNED AGAINST: Ezra 9:3-4 So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captive, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice. (NKJV) EZRA TRACES THE MAJOR STEPS IN THE VICTORIOUS CHRISTIANS LIFE. These are traced through the steps the Remnant of Israel had to take in following God. A. THEY HAD TO RETURN TO THE LAND [1-2] This is confession and obedience, back to a proper relationship with God. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NKJV) B. THEY HAD TO REBUILD THE ALTAR [3:1-6] This is the renewal of their position as the chosen sons and daughters of God. This speaks of our consecration as we return to the foot of the cross and reaffirm His ownership. 1 Corinthians Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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C.

D.

E.

F.

6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit [who is] in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (NKJV) THEY HAD TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE [3:8-13] This was their service and witness in action. This speaks of the need we have to a proper role and relationship with worship in their lives. Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' " (NKJV) THEY HAD TO RESIST AND OVERCOME ADVERSARIES [4] This is learning how to deal with TEMPTATION- 2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (NKJV) THEY HAD TO LISTEN TO THE PROPHETS [5:1-6:14] This has to do with our relationship to the Word and the Spirit Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (NKJV) THEY HAD TO FINISH THE TEMPLE [6:15-22] This speaks of the walk of the believer in fullness of the Spirit and in constant worship. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJV).

NEHEMIAH: (960327WE) Nehemiah models sainthood. Sensitive and yielded he serves God. Faithful and transparent he shows godliness. His characteristics read like the want ads for biblical ministry in the 90’s - “Powerful Team Builder”, “Fervent Man of Prayer”, “Humble Servant”, “Godly Politician” and so on. What can we learn from him? More than could be shared in one study. We can survey his life and the book that bears his name and glean three practical insights, treasures from his legacy. Nehemiah models: Godly Character, Godly Prayers and Godly Leadership. I.

NEHEMIAH: GODLY CHARACTER A. HE GRIEVED WHEN GOD'S NAME WAS NOT HONORED: Nehemiah 2:2 so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid, (NIV) B. HE MODELED DEPENDENCE UPON GOD: Nehemiah 2:4 The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, (NIV) C. HE PRACTICED GLORIFYING GOD: Nehemiah 2:8-9 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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upon me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. (NIV) D. HE SHARED GOD’S WORK IN HIS LIFE: Nehemiah 2:18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, Let us start rebuilding. So they began this good work. (NIV) E. HE FEARED GOD: Nehemiah 5:15 But the earlier governors -- those preceding me -- placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. (NIV) NEHEMIAH: GODLY LEADERSHIP. He demonstrated elements of Godly Leadership. Nehemiah lives out proper ways to deal with obstacles and opponents.

ESTHER: (960403WE) The God who is in control ! As long as man has been on earth Satan has sought to derail the plan of redemption. Cain kills Abel. God has to exterminate the contaminated race except for Noah and kin. Babel unites the world against God. Abram is chosen. The Jews are persecuted first by Egypt then by Amalek. Nowhere is the drama of God’s plan and Satan’s attack more clearly seen than in the backdrop of Esther. • Haman [mentioned 45x in the Scriptures; literally "magnificent", chief minister of Ahasuerus, enemy of Mordecai and the Jews, who plotted to kill the Jews but, being foiled by Esther, was executed, with his family, on the post he had made for Mordecai]. Haman was the last descendent of the Jew killing Amalekites [3:1] poised to at last exterminate the people of the Covenant. • Mordecai [mentioned 60x in the Scriptures; literally "little man" cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim; a Jew who returned from exile with Zerubbabel] a faithful and obedient descendent of Saul [2:5] is the tool God uses to complete His plan for the Amalekites. I.

II.

III.

Outline: A. The Selection of Esther as Queen 1:1-2:21 B. The Elimination of the Jews planned by Haman 2:22-5:1 C. The Exultation of Mordecai over Haman 5:2-8:4 D. The Emancipation of the Jews from their death threat 8:5-10:3 The book of Esther is a skillfully crafted book demonstrating the unfailing control of God. Our Lord is seen in the seemingly insignificant coincidences of life that together form the tapestry of His providential directing all things together for good. Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose. (NASB) God’s sovereign rule is assumed though never stated throughout the book. This makes His power even more vivid because it is seen but never mentioned. Esther Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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IV.

V.

4:12-16 And they related Esther's words to Mordecai. Then Mordecai told [them] to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews. "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" Then Esther told [them] to reply to Mordecai, "Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish." (NASB) The Major themes of the Book of Esther A. GOD HAS PROMISED DELIVERANCE FOR HIS PEOPLE ! B. GOD HAS PROMISED CONFLICT FOR HIS PEOPLE. 1. God is our Victory. Jehovah-nissi, our Banner as He fights the enemies of His Kingdom for us. Exodus 17:8-10, 14-16 2. We need to seek His intervention in the battles of life. Exodus 17:11 3. God commands them to destroy their enemies completely. As we are to also through Christ. a) The flesh is our foe. Colossians 3:5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. (NASB) b) The Holy Spirit is jealous for our whole hearted devotion. James 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? (NASB) C. GOD HAS PROMISED REST FOR HIS PEOPLE! The Conclusion A. GOD IS AT WORK GUIDING HIS PLAN FROM START TO FINISH. Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ: (KJV) B. GOD WILL DEFEAT HIS ENEMIES WHOEVER THEY MAY BE! HE ALWAYS WINS 1. His Sovereign plans are never frustrated . . . 2. Human hatred and bitterness always lead to personal destruction as in Haman. 3. God uses regular people like us who will obey Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. (KJV)

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970219WE X IN PROPHETIC BOOKS

WORSHIPING OUR CHRIST IN ALL THE BOOKS OF PROPHECY

The Scriptures are all about God revealing Himself to His creatures. The ultimate expression of God's nature and character is Christ. Note the words of Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (KJV). Since the Word of God reveals God, and Jesus is the image of the Invisible God, then we can find and worship our Lord Jesus Christ in every part of the Bible! 1. In the Books of History we see God's servants Following the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the Creator in the Garden, the Rock in the Wilderness, the Angel of the Lord and so on! 2. In the Books of Poetry we see God's servants Worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Suffering One, the Good Shepherd, the Redeemer and so on! 3. In the Books of Prophecy we see God's servants: • Seeing Christ (Major prophets) as Ruler, Prince of Peace and so on. • Trusting Christ (Pre-exilic prophets) as the Judge, One from Everlasting and so on. • Hoping in Christ (Post-exilic prophets) as the Sun of Righteousness, the Coming King and the Lord of All. I.

A SURVEY OF CHRIST IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES A. ISAIAH (740-681 BC) contemporary with: Hosea (753-715 BC) and Micah (742-687 BC). “Worshiping our God of SALVATION. Key verse: 53:5-6. B. JEREMIAH (627-586 BC) contemporary with: Habakkuk (612-588 BC) and Zephaniah (640-621 BC). “Worshiping our God of REPENTANCE”. Key verse: 2:19. C. LAMENTATIONS (by Jeremiah 627-586 BC) contemporary with: Habakkuk (612-588 BC) and Zephaniah (640-621 BC).“Worshiping our God of HOPE”. Key verse: 3:22-24.

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D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q.

EZEKIEL (593-571 BC) contemporary with: Daniel (605-536 BC), Habakkuk (612-588 BC) and Jeremiah (627-586 BC). “Worshiping our God of THE NEW HEART”. Key verse: 36:26-27. DANIEL (605-536 BC) contemporary with: Jeremiah (627-586 BC), Habakkuk (612-588 BC) and Ezekiel (593-571 BC) “Worshiping our God WHO RULES”. Key verse: 4:17. HOSEA (753-715 BC) contemporary with: Jonah (793-753 BC), Amos (760-750 BC), Micah (742-687 BC) and Isaiah (740-681 BC).“Worshiping our God of FAITHFULNESS”. Key verse: 3:1. JOEL (835-796 BC) contemporary with: Elisha (848-797 BC) and Jonah (793-753 BC). “Worshiping our God of WRATH”. Key verse: 1:15. AMOS (760-750 BC) contemporary with: Jonah (793-753 BC) and Hosea (753-715 BC). “Worshiping our God of JUSTICE”. Key verse: 5:24. OBADIAH (853 BC) contemporary with: Elijah (875-848 BC), Micaiah (865-83 BC) and Jehu (855-840 BC). “Worshiping our God in HUMILITY”. Key verse: 1:3. JONAH (793-753 BC) contemporary with: Joel (853-796 BC) and Amos (760-750 BC). “Worshiping our God of MERCY”. Key verse: 4:11. MICAH (742-687 BC) contemporary with: Hosea (753-715 BC) and Isaiah (740-681 BC). “Worshiping our God of RIGHTEOUSNESS”. Key verse: 6:8. NAHUM (663-612 BC) contemporary with: Zephaniah (640-621 BC). “Worshiping our God of JUDGMENT”. Key verse: 1:7-9. HABBAKUK (612-588 BC) contemporary with: Jeremiah (627-586 BC), Daniel (605-536 BC) and Ezekiel (593-571 BC). “Worshiping our God of SOVEREIGNTY”. Key verse: 3:17-19. ZEPHANIAH (640-621 BC) contemporary with: Jeremiah (627-586 BC). “Worshiping our God of HOPE”. Key verse: 3:17. HAGGAI (520 BC) contemporary with: Zechariah (520-480 BC). “Worshiping our God of SACRIFICE”. Key verse: 1:4. ZECHARIAH (520 BC) contemporary with: Haggai (520 BC). “Worshiping our God of JEALOUSY”. Key verse: 1:3. MALACHI (430 BC) contemporary with: Ezra?. “Worshiping our God of First Love”. Key verse: 1:2.

ISAIAH “WORSHIPING OUR GOD OF SALVATION” (960828)

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From 27the revolt of Satan to the rule of the Savior-all is told by Scripture's most eloquent prophet Isaiah He was the Shakespeare of the prophets and the Paul of the Old Testament. Isaiah has more to say about the greatness of God (40,43), the horrors of the Tribulation (24), the wonders of the Millennium (35), and the ministry of Christ (53) than any other book in the Bible. Isaiah 53 is probably the most important and far-reaching chapter in the Old Testament, as it is quoted from or alluded to 85 times in the New Testament. Jesus said that Isaiah saw His glory and spoke of Him (John 12:41). This book is an extended commentary on Jonah 2:9, when that prophet exclaimed from the fish's belly, "Salvation is of the Lord" The word salvation appears 33 times in the writing of the prophets, and of these, 26 instances occur in Isaiah. I. II.

JUDGMENT BY THE LORD 1:1 - 39:8 [with 39 chapters, this first section of Isaiah is like the O.T. declaring the holiness, righteousness and justice of God] COMFORT IN REDEMPTION AND RESTORATION 40:1 - 66:24 [with 27 chapters this concluding section of Isaiah is like the like N.T. declaring the grace, compassion and glory of God]

The Book of Isaiah has three major themes. These may be summarized as: 1. CONVICTION: The overwhelming sense of sin and the wrath of God against sin. This is clearest in the 21x Isaiah uses the word “woe”. In God’s sight our good deeds are “filthy rags” [64:6-7]; 2. CONFESSION: The all pervading awareness of the Power, Majesty and Holiness of God. And 23x he uses the Divine Name of “THE HOLY ONE OF GOD”, a name nearly unique to Isaiah except for 5 other passages. 3. CONFIDENCE: The crystal clear sight of the Salvation and Coming Victory of Christ.

JEREMIAH “WORSHIPING OUR GOD OF REPENTANCE” (960904) Jeremiah28 must have had an incredible childhood. The Scriptures tell us God had chosen him before his birth to be a prophet. His family was notable in their service for the LORD. Life was exciting for the son of a high priest. Jeremiah 1:1. Jeremiah’s woes were unimaginable to our relatively peaceful lives. He lived through the death throes of the nation of Judah. In his lifetime he saw the decay of God’s chosen people, the horrible destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of the nation to Babylon. He preached for 40 years and saw no 27

Adapted from Willmington's Visualized Study Bible, 1984 Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton. Other sources used are: The Word of God; Baxter, Explore the Book; Scroggie, The Unfolding Drama; Christ in all the Scriptures; The Criswell Study Bible; Walk through the Bible; The Compact Guide to The Bible, Lehman Strauss, CHM. 28

Sources used are: The Word of God; Baxter, Explore the Book; Scroggie, The Unfolding Drama; Christ in all the Scriptures; The Criswell Study Bible; Walk through the Bible; The Compact Guide to The Bible, Lehman Strauss, CHM, MacArthur, Ashamed of the Gospel, p. 76-77, Sanders, Spiritual Discipleship, P. 129-136.

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visible result among those he served. Instead those countrymen he warned for God sought to kill him if he wouldn’t stop preaching doom (Jer. 11:19-23); his own family and friends were involved in plots against his (12:60; God never allowed him to marry, and thus he suffered incredibly agonizing loneliness (16:20; there were plots to kill him in secret so no one would find him (18:2023); he was beaten severely and them bound in wooden stocks (20:1-2); his friends spied on him deceitfully and for revenge (20:10); he was consumed with sorrow and shame and even cursed the day he was born (20:14-18); finally, falsely accused of being a traitor to his own country (37:13-14), Jeremiah was arrested, beaten, thrown into a dungeon, and starved many days (37:15-21). If an Ethiopian Gentile had not interceded on his behalf he would have died there. In the end, tradition tells us he was exiled to Egypt, where he was stoned to death by his own people. He had virtually no converts to show for a lifetime of ministry. Perhaps the most striking feature of this book is the fact that despite the terrible woes of the life Jeremiah was called to (1:5), he saw that it was all at the Master Potter’s Hand (18:1-6). At the point of near despair over his failed ministry, God asked Jeremiah to go to the Potter’s house and there he would get a message from the Lord (18:2). Although Israel had failed so grievously, the heavenly Potter was able to bless them again if they would but repent and yield to his Perfect Touch.

LAMENTATIONS “WORSHIPING OUR GOD OF HOPE” (960911) Jeremiah29 sits down and looks over the smoldering ruins of his beloved Jerusalem. His voice rises into the wail of sorrow - a lament. His funeral dirge over the city of God, inspired by the Spirit of God is a message for all the people of God. This book is a master crafted poem with five stanzas. Chapters 1, 2, 4 and 5 each start with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, 22 in all. This form of poetry called an acrostic ic beautiful in form and powerful in communication. Chapter 3 is the centerpiece of this poem, with three 22 verse acrostics making it 66 verses long. The theme of the book and this middle chapter agree, as Jeremiah discovers - GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS our Great Lord! I.

The A. B. C. D.

Outline: First Dirge: Jerusalem’s Desolation because of Her Sin (chap. 1) Second Dirge: God’s Punishment of Jerusalem’s Sin (chap. 2) Third Dirge: Jeremiah’s Response (chap. 3) Fourth Dirge: The Lord’s Anger (chap. 4)

29

Sources used are: The Word of God; Baxter, Explore the Book; Scroggie, The Unfolding Drama; Christ in all the Scriptures; The Criswell Study Bible; Walk through the Bible; The Compact Guide to The Bible, Lehman Strauss, CHM, .

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II.

E. Fifth Dirge: The Remnant’s Response (chap. 5) The Message: Chapter one contains an astounding commentary on Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” There is no SECURITY apart from the LORD. Jerusalem the city portrays the state of Jerusalem the people chosen by God. Note these grim reminders: A. NO COMFORT In v.2 “none to comfort” yet the Lord offered comfort continually to His people. 1. Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (KJV) This is the very same word as Lam. 1:2. Isaiah 40:1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. (KJV) 2. Jesus always has offered enduring comfort. John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (KJV) B. NO REST In v. 3 “no rest” was found by Jerusalem, yet the Lord offered and promised His rest: 1. Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. (KJV) 2. Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. (KJV) C. NO REFRESHMENT In v. 6 “no pasture” yet the Lord promises to feed His people: 1. Psalm 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (KJV) 2. Psalm 81:16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee. (KJV)

EZEKIEL “WORSHIPING OUR GOD OF THE NEW HEART” (960918) In 598 BC Ezekiel30 was taken captive with 10,000 other fellow Judeans by Nebuchadnezzar. He arrive in Babylon at the age of 25 (II Kings 24:8-16; Ezekiel 1:1-2). He had a lovely wife (16:2) who died (24:16-18). He lives in a house during the exile to which numerous captives come and seeking counsel of him (8:1; 14:1; 20:1). After five silent years, he begins 20 years of speaking for God. Ezekiel like our Lord Jesus Christ began his ministry by a river at the 30

Sources used are: The Word of God; Baxter, Explore the Book; Scroggie, The Unfolding Drama; Christ in all the Scriptures; The Criswell Study Bible; Walk through the Bible; The Compact Guide to The Bible, Lehman Strauss, CHM, Jensen, Biblical Viewpoint, Cawood .

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age of 30. In an astounding vision he sees cherubim portraying the Divine attributes of God. Ezekiel is God’s man. He saw God and it changed his life. I.

II.

GOD’S SERVANTS SUBMIT TO HIM. A. THEY ARE OPEN TO GOD'S WORD Ezekiel 1:3 the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him. (NASB) B. THEY ARE LISTENING TO GOD'S VOICE Ezekiel 1:3 the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him. (NASB) C. THEY ARE WAITING FOR GOD'S HAND Ezekiel 1:3 the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him. (NASB) D. THEY ARE FOLLOWING GOD'S LEAD Ezekiel 1:20 Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. (NASB) GOD’S SERVANTS SEE HIM! Ezekiel 1:22-28 A. HIS GLORIOUS MAJESTY v. 22, 27 “awesome gleam of crystal . . . glowing metal . . . like fire . . . like a rainbow” all of these sights were given to Ezekiel to remind him of how awesome, how glorious and how indescribably magestic God trult is! As Psalm 29:2, 10 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in holy array. 10 The LORD sat as King at the flood; Yes, the LORD sits as King forever. (NASB). Our first crop of asparagus made me unable to ever eat that formaldehyde laced, canned and limp mummified green stuff sold as asparagus in the store! Is it any less true about God? Once you see Him nothing else satisfies! The question is have you ever seen Him? O Worship the King, all glorious above, And gratefully sing His wonderful love; Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. O tell of His might, O Sing of His grace, Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space! His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, And dark is His path on the wings of the storm. Author: Sir Robert H. Grant B. HIS FINAL AUTHORITY v. 26a “throne” seeing this throne taught Ezekiel that God was in control. The exile, the enemies of God and all the fears of life melt in the radiance of His Sovereign Throne. By the way, that still is true. Ezekiel was a POW. He was surrounded by Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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murerous enemies who had vandalized his home, dragged him away and savagely ended the lives of thousands of his people . . .yet in the midst of even that, God showed him, He was still on the throne! When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like the sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well with my soul.’ Author: Horatio G. Spafford C. HIS ABSOLUTE SUPREMACY v. 26b “high up” speaks to Ezekiel. The throne of God is atop all else. Nothing is beyond it or above it. God reigns! While Jeremiah (41 years of ministry, 627 - 586 BC) played the funeral dirge of doom over Jerusalem, a lonely exiled prophet named Ezekiel (20 years of ministry, 592 - 572 BC) was watching the gathering storm God would use to sweep Judah into Captivity. Deported to 200 miles north of Babylon Ezekiel was 600 miles from Jeremiah in Jerusalem for the last 12 years of Jeremiah’s ministry. And for 26 years Ezekiel was 200 miles north of Daniel (606 - 533 BC) who was in Babylon for his 73 years of ministry. These three prophets overlapped parts of their prophetic ministries. Ezekiel learned as he lived away from his home and his people, he never was far from his God. God taught him that His presence was not limited to the Temple in Jerusalem. As Ezekiel saw the destruction of his nation he learned God is not thwarted by our disobedience. Though He is grieved and saddened, His plan will not fail. D. HIS UNVIELED GLORY IN CHRIST v. 26c “like a man” this sight God gave Ezekiel was that the. It was the reminder that our Lord Jesus Christ is as Hebrews 1:3 declares, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; (NASB)”. E. HIS UNCHANGING PROMISES v. 28 “like a rainbow” this reminder created by God as a sign that He keeps His Word. Whatever He says He will do!

DANIEL: “WORSHIPING OUR GOD WHO RULES” (960925) In God's opinion of History, the Kingdom of Babylon was the richest and most glorious of all in character. Babylon was the head of gold in the image God revealed to NEBUCHADNEZZAR. As its realm spread across the then known world, it left in its wake the dust of crushed opponents foolish enough to challenge God's chosen instrument of judgment. To the helm of that incredible Empire rose an incredible young man of God -- Daniel. But have you ever Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 87

considered what it must have been like to be prime minister to the greatest empire in the world in its time? Untold streams of decisions, meetings, conferences, banquets, clay tablet work (Like our paper work), holdups on the freeways in your chariot as well as all the everyday needs of life. Like going to the sandal shop, stopping at the repair shop to have new wheels put on the chariot and the needs of the horses ... ALL that considered, Daniel was a very responsible man, committed and most of all BUSY! How did he cope with life at the top. He knelt on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks to his God -- AS HE ALWAYS DID! In the midst of his cabinet position in a world wide empire and all the pressures that came with such a position, DANIEL FAITHFULLY PRAYED. Not just at a meal, no, he found a way to stop it all, go to a quiet, private chamber, KNEEL and come into the presence of God in thanksgiving. When life is tough, when it seems like the bad guys are winning, remember there is a God in Heaven Who Rules! When you are spied upon, attacked and cast into the lion’s den by your adversaries, remember there is a God in Heaven Who Rules! I. A God in Heaven Who Rules should cause each of us to be: A. PEOPLE OF CONVICTION (Present Holiness) 1:8 B. PEOPLE OF CONFIDENCE (Past and Future Confidence) 1. OUR GOD RULES Daniel 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; (KJV) 2. OUR LORD CARES Daniel 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. (KJV) 3. OUR GOD MOVES HISTORY ALONG! Daniel 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. (KJV) C. PEOPLE OF COMMUNION (Constant Prayerfulness) 1. OUR LORD WANTS US TO BRING IT ALL TO HIM! Daniel 2:1718 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. (KJV) THREE MEGATHEMES (present in all 12 Minor Prophets) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 88

I.

II.

III.

The Minor Prophets declare GOD IS IN CONTROL. Indeed, they do more than merely declare it; the Sovereign hand of God is everywhere visible. Overriding the words of these twelve writers is the reality that God is the sovereign Lord of history. They affirm that nothing happens, either to Israel or to the gentile nations, that is not the result of His direct determination. The destruction by locusts in Joel was God's doing. Nineveh’s ups (revival with Jonah) and downs (complete destruction in Nahum) was sent -from the Lord. When Assyria decimated Israel and Babylon wiped out Judah, it was God who did it. Any doubts these prophets had over the precise purpose of God's actions-Habakkuk is one who had great problems-evaporate the moment they remember the Almighty God is in control. The minor Prophets declare GOD IS HOLY. A comprehension of His utter holiness was the impetus for their scathing indictments of sin. Wherever the sin was found, among God's people or in foreign lands (Edom, as in Obadiah; Assyria, as in Nahum) -it was still an affront to the Lord and must be dealt with. As nowhere else in the Scriptures, sin is denounced and repentance is ardently and earnestly demanded. They declare that with genuine repentance, the judgment of God falls. The minor Prophets declare GOD IS LOVINGLY JUST. God's love and justice appear so harsh that liberals verses dealing with God's love. Such actions betray a basic misunderstanding of the perfections of our Lord. The great love of the Lord for His people (even His love for Nineveh) caused Him to send messengers with His message. They warned of coming judgment. And in time the judgment falls. Sin is always an affront to God. Sin always destroys. Sin is always judged. But for His own, judgment is to turn them from sin to their Rightful Master. These truths must be emphasized as much today as they were 28 hundred years ago. Individuals are still sinning and running away from God just as Israel did. Nations are still offending the righteousness of a Holy God just as Israel did.

HOSEA “WORSHIPING OUR FAITHFUL GOD” (961023) Hosea had a life of grief. His only beloved wife Gomer was persistently unfaithful to their marriage. This sorrow gave Hosea a unique perspective with which to speak about the parallel unfaithfulness of Israel for their Lord. The compassionate heart of God with no diminishing of His holy standard is seen in this book. Hosea paints a powerful portrait of the coming revelation of the love and holiness of God perfectly revealed in Christ. There is moral and spiritual bankruptcy. Sin is unashamedly practiced. God is abandoned. Worship of the True and Living God is replaced by false and lifeless idols. Hosea depicts the inward decay of a collapsing nation. Ultimately Assyria captured and deported the Northern Kingdom in 722 BC. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 89

I.

Worshipping the Beauty of Christ in Hosea: A. As the Promised Messiah Hosea 1:10 B. As the Prince of Life Triumphing over the Grave Hosea 6:2 C. As a Child protected by God Hosea 11:

D.

II.

As our Wonderful Savior: 1. He Drew us to Himself Hosea 11:4 2. He is our only Hope Hosea 13:4 3. He is our Redeemer Hosea 13:14 GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IN HOSEA God Faithfully Warns His People: Israel forgot their Maker (8:14) but God never forgot them, rather He: Israel Faithlessly lives apart from God: By their deeds (Hosea 7:2) Israel Faithlessly Neglects God's Word: Israel stumbled into sin (4:5; 5:5) and didn't even know it (7:8,9) because she became satisfied and forgot God (8:14; 13:6). Israel Faithlessly Compromised God's Plan: Mixing with the nations (7:8) caused them to stray and rebel (7:13) and ultimately to be led astray by a spirit of harlotry (4:12; 5:4). God Faithfully Disciplines His Disobedient Children: Since Israel has stumbled into sin, God will surely chastise them (4:1; 5:2) for they have transgressed His covenant (6:6,7; 8:1; 13:4). God Faithfully seeks His People: Hosea urges Israel to ACKNOWLEDGE their guilt (5:15) and then RETURN to (6:1), KNOW (6:3) and WAIT for Him (12:6).

SEEING

A. B. C. D. E. F.

961030we

Joel Our God of Wrath The book31 of Joel tells of a great plague of insects which came upon the land of Judah as a judgment from God against sin. In the law, God had promised material prosperity to His people for obedience, and adversity for disobedience. The period described in the opening prophecy was one of famine and suffering because an enormous hoard of insects had eaten much of the vegetation. The distress in Judah because of this judgment is seen as a foreshadowing of greater distress in a coming day of greater judgment. That yet future period is described as "the day of Jehovah". This phrase may be considered as the theme of the book. "The day of Jehovah" is the time of God's judgment upon the earth in connection with the second coming of Christ. A simple, basic outline of the book is as follows: 31

Moody Monthly, May, 1965.

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I.

II. III.

GOD SEEKS REPENTANCE (ch. 1) Repentance always refers to a "turn

about". As someone once said, “God whispers to us in our joys, but shouts to us in our sorrows”. The Lord wants to use disasters and tragedies to refocus our hearts upon Him. So often the scientific explanation neatly blinds the eyes of people to God's hand behind the scenes! In the Scriptures repentance and forgiveness are always tightly bound together. If we repent we will be forgiven. And if we won’t repent we can’t be forgiven.! Joel is comissioned to declare the lesson needing to be learned from the locust plague. GOD GIVES REVELATION (ch. 2) GOD PLANS RESTORATION (ch. 3) A. Portrait of universal judgment (1-17) Moral declension; Physical disaster. B. Picture of eternal age (18-21) Millennial blessing following the judgment of the Day of the Lord. The land freed from wickedness is again blessed of God. C. But what is the benefit of such a study? 1. ESCHATOLOGY POINTS TO CHRISTLY LIVING Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (KJV); 1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (KJV) 2. ESCHATOLOGY PRODUCES HOPEFUL LIVING Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (KJV) 3. ESCHATOLOGY PROMOTES CONFIDENT LIVING 1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. (KJV); 1 John 5:19-20 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (KJV). 961106we

Amos Our God of Justice

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Amos prophesies during a period of national optimism in Israel. Business is booming and boundaries are bulging. But below the surface, greed and injustice are festering. Hypocritical religious motions have replaced true worship, creating a false sense of security and a growing callousness to God's disciplining hand. Famine, drought, plagues, death, destruction-nothing can force the people to their knees. Amos, the farmer-turned-prophet, lashes out at sin unflinchingly, trying to visualize the nearness of God's Judgment and mobilize the nation to repentance. The nation, like a basket of rotting fruit, stands ripe for Judgment because of its hypocrisy and spiritual indifference. The name Amos is derived from the Hebrew root amas, "to lift a burden, to carry." Thus, his name means "Burden" or "Burden-Bearer." Amos lives up to the meaning of his name by bearing up under his divinely given burden of declaring Judgment to rebellious Israel. The Greek and Latin titles are both transliterated in English as Amos. Amos ministered after the time of Obadiah, Joel, and Jonah and just before Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah. At this time Uzziah reigned over a prosperous and militarily successful Judah. He fortified Jerusalem and subdued the Philistines, the Ammonites, and the Edomites. In the north, Israel was ruled by the capable King Jeroboam II. Economic and military circumstances were almost ideal, but prosperity only increased the materialism, immorality, and injustice of the people (2:6-8; 3:10; 4: I; 5:10-12; 8:4-6). During these years, Assyria, Babylon, Aram, and Egypt were relatively weak. Thus, the people of Israel found it hard to imagine the coming disaster predicted by Amos. However, it was only three decades until the downfall of Israel.

I.

OUTLINE A. B.

C. D.

PROLOGUE (1:1-2) PEOPLE JUDGED (1:3-2:16) 1. Sledges of Torture - Damascus (1:3-5) CRUELTY (human rights violations) 2. Slave Trafficking - Gaza (1:6-8) SLAVERY (selling people for money) 3. Severing Treaty - Tyre (1:9- IO) DISHONESTY (breaking promises) 4. Sword of Terror - Edom (1:1 1-12) VENGEFULNESS (hated her brother) 5. Sadistic Triumphant - Ammon (1: 1 3-15) VIOLENCE (cruelty to defenseless) 6. Spoiling Tombs - Moab (2:1-3) DISRESPECTFULNESS (spiteful to the dead) 7. Spurning the Torah - Judah (2:4-5) DISOBEDIENCE (unfaithful to God) 8. Social Transgressions - Israel (2:6-16) HARDHEARTEDNESS PURPOSE OF THE JUDGMENT (3:1-6:14) PICTURES OF JUDGMENT (7:1-9: 1 0) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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E.

II.

PROSPERITY AFTER JUDGMENT (9:11-15)

The Judgment of God Explained: A.

A number of lessons can be learned from this prophecy. 1. First, God is overly patient with nations, giving time to repent before Judgment falls. 2. Second, God is no respecter of nations; all will be judged for their sin. 3. Third, when the cup of sin within a nation is full, Judgment will be irrevocable. 4. Fourth, God is sovereign over all nations, choosing the time of their rise and fall. 5. Fifth, nations are held accountable for brutal abuse shown to countries captured in war. 6. Sixth, God's standards for judging nations are similar but the results differ. 7. Seventh, God brings Judgment on leaders and nations who perpetrate fraud, oppression, and violence against its people. 961113we

OBADIAH Our God of Humility Between32 the Gulf of Akaba and the Dead Sea lies a range of precipitous red sandstone heights, known as Mount Seir. Here Esau settled after he had despised his birthright, and his descendants, having driven out the Horites (Gen. 15:. 6), occupied the whole of the mountain (Dent. 2:. 12). The capital city Selah, or Petra, " Rock," was a city unique of its kind amid the works of man. Perched like an eagle’s nest (ver. 4) amid inaccessible mountain fortresses, the dwellings were mostly caves, hewn out of the soft rock (ver. 3, 6), and placed where you could scarce imagine a human foot could climb. The story of Esau33 and Jacob is that of twin brothers, sons of Isaac and Rebekah. They were not identical twins, actually they were opposites (see Gen. 25:24-34). Esau despised his birthright. The man who had the birthright was in contact with God, he was the priest of his family, he was the man who had a covenant from God, the man who had a relationship with God. In effect Esau said, "I would rather have a bowl of soup than have a relationship with God. "Having seen Esau in the first book of the Old Testament, look now at the last book of the Old Testament and read this strange language: I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, In what way hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD; yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau... [Mal. 1:2,3a]. This is a strange thing for God to say - "I loved Jacob and I hated 32 33

Christ in all Scriptures. J. Vernon Magee, p. 268.

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Esau." The explanation is in the little book of Obadiah. It was pride. "Pride hath deceived you," God says to Edom.

I.

Christ the Model of Humility A.

B.

C.

But34 there is this to add. It is true that the sin of Edom, long indulged, worked itself into the very character of the people and therefore inevitably flowed on in history. But that same flow of history also brought one who lived by an entirely different standard. There was a day in history when two kings confronted one another for the first time. One was an earthly king. He sat that day at the pinnacle of power. His name was Herod Antipas. Herod was a son of Herod the Great, who was an Edomite or (as the New Testament had it) an Idumean. Herod the Great had slaughtered the babes of Bethlehem in his desire to exterminate Christ. His sutcessor, Antipas, with whom we are concerned, was no better. He had beheaded John the Baptist and had been called "that fox" by Jesus (Luke 13:32). Antipas had everything he wanted. His income, expressed in American money, would be in excess of 6 million dollars a year. All the pleasures of life were his. If anyone stood in his way ... well, the life of that person meant as little to him as the lives of the innocents of Bethlehem had meant to his father. The motto of his reign was: "What will it profit me?" The other king was Jesus. He was the King of Kings, one who, according to the flesh, was the natural heir to David's throne and who, according to His divine nature, was the supreme King over all the kings of this earth. But He did not look like a king. He stood in humble clothing. He had been rejected. Within hours He was to die a felon's death. ff Jesus had wished, He could have called forth legions of angels who would have vindicated His cause instantly and have swept the usurper Herod from the throne. But Jesus did not want the throne in that way. He did not want the throne until you and I could share it with Him. To make that possible He would die. Herod said, "What does it profit me?" Jesus said, "What can I do that will be the greatest possible benefit to My brethren?" God vindicated Jesus! Jesus went to the cross. He died. But His death was followed by a resurrection, and today He lives to enable those who believe on Him to behave as He did and bring a true, supernatural brotherhood to this world. For his part, Herod went on with his revelry but soon was banished to Lyons, France, where he died in misery35. This is the choice before you: to go Herod's way or Jesus' way. You cannot do both!

34

J. M. Boice, Minor Prophets, I, 201. I am indebted for this comparison to a small tract written years ago by Joseph Hoffrnan Cohn for the American Board of Missions to the Jews, entitled "The Man from Petra," No. 65 in the series "What Every Christian Should Know About the Jews" (revised 1961, no original date of publication). 35

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II.

God: Breaker of Pride A. B.

C.

Actions that promote the growth of humility: REFOCUS: James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (KJV) REMOVE: Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (KJV) REQUEST: 1 Peter 5:5-6 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (KJV)

Jonah Our God of Mercy I.

(961120we)

Our Merciful God Chastening (1) A. He is a God WHO SEEKS (1:1-2a)

Our Lord God Almighty is such a God of Mercy and Grace! Out of the countless lives that have crossed the pages of time we find two small dots, blips on the radar screen of eternity. Seemingly insignificant to all but God. A great storm that swirled around that nameless boat somewhere in the Mediterranean eight centuries before Christ. By all counts it should have swamped that boat and sent the nameless mariners to the black depth of the sea to await judgment day. As Criswell said, “The mystery of God is seen in these thousands of years in which sin and death run riot. There is no village and there is no hamlet without its raging, and there is no human heart without its dark, black drop. There is no life without its tears and its sorrows. There is no home that ultimately does not break up, and there is no family that does not see the circle of the home dissolve in the depths of the grave. There is no life that does not end in death. The pages of history, from the time of the first murder until this present hour, are written in blood, tears and death.” But this black night a light breaks forth. Amazingly, these sinking sailors do not perish. They rather are miraculously rescued from harm by the Master of ocean and earth and skies. Of all things, sleeping in the dark, creaking hold is an evangelist. Shaken awake by the terrified captain, questioned by shouted words over the fury of the storm, he speaks. In Jonah 1:9 the disobedient rebel shows his heart. Asked to go east he turns west. Told to rescue inland Ninevah, he seeks the Sea route to the furthest western city known in his day - Tarshish in western Spain!

B.

THE FOLLY OF RUNNING FROM GOD (1:3) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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C.

THE POWER OF SPEAKING FOR GOD (1:4-9)

D.

THE GOD WHO WILL NOT LET GO (1:10)

It is amost humorous that, in spite of his persistence in disobeying the Lord and the breach of divine fellowship that must have produced, Jonah gave a powerful testimony. Though Jonah’s actions are wrong, his heart can’t hide the Word of God for long, it just comes out. And in all His power God will speak to them. You see, the Scripture are God speaking. When you share them, the Voice of God is unleashed. The Bible is the unsheathed sword of the Spirit. So he said to them, "I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." (NKJV) NINE WORDS that strike harder than the gale howling about them. It penetrates deeper than the cold sea spraying their faces and stinging their eyes. For you see, the Word can penetrate the very soul of mankind. He may have been endeavoring to resign his commission, but he could not change his heart, which remained that of a true prophet. So he pointed these mariners to the only Lord God.36 James Boice adds this insight: Logically, he might have been able to tell just the bare facts and let it go at that. Verse 10 says that he rehearsed his story, culminating in his running away. But Jonah could not stop at that point, it seems. So even in his state of disobedience and in the trauma of the moment, Jonah told of his background and indicated that he was a servant of the Creator and covenant-keeping God, Jehovah. 37 An interesting phrase appears here, for, having been told of Jonah's testimony, we are immediately informed that the sailors were "terrified." We have already been told once that the men were afraid; they were afraid of the storm. We will be told once more that as a result of God's act in calming it they "greatly feared [that is, reverenced] the LORD" (v. 16). But why, we might ask, were the men exceedingly afraid at this point, more afraid apparently than they were of the storm itself? The reason was that they knew about Jonah's God. These were men who had traveled from port to port around the Mediterranean Sea, hearing many stories of other people and their gods. Are we to think they had never heard of the Hebrew people or of the Hebrew God, Jehovah? Of course, they had heard of Him! 1. He was the God who had brought down the plagues on Egypt so that His people might be led out. 2. He was the God who had parted the waters of the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to escape into the desert 3. He was the God who had then closed the waters on the pursuing Egyptian forces.

Gaebelein, Four Minor Prophets, p. 78. Boice, Minor Prophets, p. 223.

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4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

E.

He had led the Hebrews in the wilderness for forty years, protecting them by a cloud that spread out over their encampment during the daytime to give them shade but which turned into a pillar of fire by night to give them light and heat. He had provided manna to eat and water to drink. He had parted the waters of the Jordan River to enable them to cross over into Canaan. He had leveled the walls of Jericho. He had caused the sun to stand still at Gibeon so that Joshua would have time to achieve a full victory over the fleeing Amorites.

Why our DISOBEDIENCE HURTS God (1:11)

The great God of the Hebrews and not a weak god, was pursuing this boat and its hapless mariners for the sake of Jonah. And how they were terrified! "What have you done?" they asked. "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?" was their next question (v. 11). F.

Our Merciful GOD WHO SAVES(1:16)

What happens? The same incredible result that 5 words spoken later (3:4) by the same prophet would have on Ninevah. The mariners are gloriously converted!

Our Merciful God Restoring: A WHALE OF A JOURNEY (2) III. Our Merciful God Reviving (3) IV. Our Merciful God Responding (4) A. THE DANGER OF ANGER (4:1-4) B. THE DANGER OF HASTY DECISIONS (4:5) When we get angry II.

at God we often make the same serious mistakes Jonah made. What were they? He QUIT. He MADE A PRIVATE RETREAT. He BECAME A SPECTATOR. C. D.

THE DEPTHS OF GOD'S MERCY (4:9-10) THE HEIGHTS OF GOD'S MERCY (4:11) What God is going to do, He will do. If He has determined to save Mary Jones, God will save Mary Jones. If He has determined to save John Smith, God will save John Smith. Moreover, those whom He saves will never perish, neither will anyone pluck them out of Christ's hand (John 10:28). But notice, God can do this through the obedience of His children, as He does later with Nineveh through Jonah, in which case they share in the blessing. Or He can do it through His chidren's disobedience, as here, in which case they miss the blessing. Either way, God Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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blesses those whom He will bless. But the one case involves happiness for His people while the other involves misery. Which will it be in your case? Will you resist Him? Will you refuse His Great Commission? Or will you obey Him in this and in all matters? Perhaps you are not yet a Christian. If not, then learn from God's grace to the sailors. You have not yet perished in your godless state because God, who made the sea around you and the dry land on which you walk, preserves you. Do not remain indifferent to Him. Turn to Him. Approach Him on the basis of the perfect sacrifice for sin made once by His own Son, Jesus Christ, and follow Him throughout your days. E.

The Danger of Forgetting God

: Read the Book of

Nahum.

Micah Our God of Righteousness (961204) Micah was contemporary with the prophet Isaiah38. But while Isaiah was a court poet, Micah was from a small village. Isaiah was a statesman, a herald to kings. But Micah was an evangelist and social reformer, God's messenger to the misfortunate, oppressed common people. Micah's message, however, like Isaiah's, is one of hope. Both speak of the birth of the coming Messiah and the salvation He would bring. And in two of the most remarkable passages in all of Scripture, both speak, almost word for word, of Israel's future and the coming glorious earthly reign of the Messiah (Isa. 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-3). Only seven chapters long, Micah's message contains some of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture. For example, the prophet announces the place of the Messiah's birth: "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity" (5:2). I.

38

WORSHIPPING CHRIST IN MICAH: A. LESSON ONE: LIVE THE TRUTH. One deeply impactful truth Micah points out is that as the leaders go, so go the people. He says Jerusalem's leaders "pronounce judgment for a bribe, her priests instruct for a price, and her prophets divine for money" (3:11). B. LESSON TWO: LOOK TO JESUS. Micah points to Jesus Christ as the only answer to the world's problems. The poor, the oppressed, and the misfortunate have the "breaker [who] goes up before them" (2:13). The Messiah breaks through the obstacles in the path ahead. In the future He will do this for Israel, when the remnant is gathered into the fold. Today He helps us through our perplexing paths as we trust in Him.

Edgar C. James, Moody Monthly, pp. 58ff.

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C.

D.

LESSON THREE: PARADISE CHRIST’S PROMISED PEACE IS RETURNING. Messiah's kingdom will come (4:1-8), and Jerusalem will be its center (4:1,2). Peace will reign. Nations "will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war" (4:3). Prosperity will abound, each will "sit under his vine and ... fig tree" (4:4). God will be central as "we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever" (4:5). The same God who brings heaven to earth can bring solutions to our problems today. LESSON FOUR: CLOTHED WITH CHRIST IS GOD’S EXPECTATIONS What does God want from us? Micah answers that, too: "to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God" (6:8). No one is exempt. 961211we

NAHUM: Our God of Judgment There is one inescapable fact of the Universe: the wrath of God may not be evaded. It is so great that it hunted down and sacrificed no less than the Son of God, Christ Jesus! And if God spared not His Son, what will happen to the rebels at the Day of Judgment? The Assyrian monarch39 may have been checked by God in 701 B.C., but these were still great days for Nineveh. Sennacherib more than doubled the city's size, making it the world's largest city for that time. The inner city was surrounded by a wall eight miles in circumference. It was one hundred feet high and so wide that three chariots could race around it abreast. It had twelve hundred towers and fourteen gates. Beyond this was a much longer, outer wall. There was an inner city, an outer city, and what we would call extensive suburbs beyond that. In Jonah this wide expanse was termed a "three days' " journey (Jonah 3:3). The Prophecy is in three main parts: 1. Judgment on Nineveh Determined (ch. 1) 2. Judgment on Nineveh Described (ch. 2) 3. Judgment on Nineveh Deserved (ch. 3) I.

WORSHIPPING THE CHARACTER OF GOD (ch. 1) A. HIS VENGEANCE Nahum 1:2 God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; (NKJV) Nahum 1:2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging

39

Boice, p. 59.

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B.

C.

D.

E.

God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies. (NIV) HIS PATIENCE Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. (NKJV) HIS OMNIPOTENCE Nahum 1:6 Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him. (NIV) HIS GOODNESS Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (NKJV); Nahum 1:15 Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off. (NKJV) HIS JUSTICE Nahum 1:8-14 961218WE

HABAKKUK OUR GOD OF SOVEREIGNTY God watches us tonight as we live in a nation suffering very much the same disease that ancient Israel suffered. Its a collective societal amnesia about our spiritual heritage. In ancient Israel it had to do with closing the Temple down, hiding the Law of God and neglecting His worship. In America its found in the growing skepticism about objective truth. It is the dismantling of language, texts and history ... to the point that history is eroded, society has no tradition (and disintegrates)! Now listen to the mighty prophet Habbakuk: In chapter one he says - God raises up Adversaries; in chapter 2 he says, the righteous live by faith but the wicked have no hiding place; in chapter 3 he says, hope in God despite any hopeless situation. However, when a nation turns from its spiritual heritage, Judgment is Inevitable and Inescapable. I. II.

III.

THE BURDENED PROPHET TALKS TO A SOVEREIGN GOD (ch. 1): Why does God allow evil to continue? Habbakuk asks seven questions: THE BENDED PROPHET LISTENS TO A SOVEREIGN GOD (ch. 2): A. THE PATIENT WAITING (2:1-4) He took his problem to the Lord, and waited. B. THE PERILED WICKED (2:5-20). Five woes are pronounced against sins. THE BLESSED PROPHET PRAISES HIS SOVEREIGN GOD (ch. 3): Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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IV.

A. GOD'S PERSON (3:1-2) IS GREAT. B. GOD'S POWER (3:3-15) IS GLORIOUS. C. GOD'S PLAN (3:16-19) IS GRACIOUS. APPLICATION A. TREMBLE AT HIS WORD Habakkuk 3:16 When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, That I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops. (NKJV) B. PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME. The Scriptures teach us to praise God by two special activities: 1. ECHOING HIS ATTRIBUTES. 2. ECHOING HIS ACTIONS. C. FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF HABAKKUK 1. WHEN BURDENED TALK TO GOD. 2. WHEN BENDED LISTEN TO GOD. 3. WHEN BLESSED PRAISE GOD.

ZEPHANIAH “OUR GOD OF HOPE” (970108) The Minor prophets often seem to have a despairing tone. Evil appears to run unchecked. The wicked die apparently unaccountable for their deeds of cruelty and greed. God's people fail to obey. Death takes them all away. But there is a light in the distance. Rays of hope stream from the promise that the Righteous Judge will make all things right. And on the horizon is a world brand new. Impossible? No, God has already planned the ending. Zephaniah traces a bit of it in his closing words. Remember, because Zephaniah is a summary of the previous prophets, his content and style are very similar to the other eight. So, no matter what your burden and struggle, come to the perfect Hiding Place in Christ! To best learn from Zephaniah, lets back into his book. Turn to the third chapter and discover with me - THE LORD IN THE MIDST. This chapter contains a beautiful lesson, taken spiritually. It describes the sinful condition of a soul apart from Christ (v. 1-2). Those who should have been leaders in righteousness are leaders in iniquity-princes, judges, prophets, priests. Then the Lord Himself takes the place of these leaders, and we see Him " in the midst," fulfilling each office in turn. I.

WORSHIPING CHRIST IN ZEPHANIAH A. CHRIST OUR PERFECT JUDGE. First He comes to our hearts as judge, and convicts us of all that is sinful there, bringing His judgment to light (5-7). B. CHRIST OUR PERFECT PROPHET. Second, He comes as Prophet, teaching us with pure lips to call upon His name-still "in the midst," dealing with Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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II.

the pride of heart, and bringing us low into the place of blessing, in the presence of His holiness (8-13). C. CHRIST OUR PERFECT KING. Third, He comes "into our midst" as King, to reign in undisputed sway in the heart that is surrendered to Him. When the Lord reigns thus the song begins (14-16). D. CHRIST OUR PERFECT HIGH PRIEST. Fourth, He is "in the midst " as our Great High Priest, bringing us into the place of communion with Himself. TRUSTING GOD IN ZEPHANIAH. This chapter closes with the six beautiful “I wills” of what the Lord will do for us. Zephaniah 3:18-20 A. GOD LOOKS FOR GENUINE CONTRITION OVER SIN. (3:18) "I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, Who are among you, To whom its reproach is a burden. B. GOD DEALS WITH OUR ADVERSARIES IN HIS TIME. (3:19a) Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; C. GOD IS THE DEFENDER OF THE WEAK AND PERFECTS THEIR WEAKNESSES. (3:19b) I will save the lame, And gather those who were driven out; D. GOD WILL GIVE BACK TO US A THOUSAND-FOLD ALL WE HAVE LOST FOR HIM. (3:19c) I will appoint them for praise and fame In every land where they were put to shame. E. GOD HAS HIS KINGDOM PLANS ALL IN ORDER - TIMING, SEQUENCE AND ALL. (3:20a) At that time I will bring you back, Even at the time I gather you; F. GOD HAS CHOSEN TO RESTORE ISRAEL TO THE HEAD OF THE NATIONS IN THE MILLENNIUM. (3:20b) For I will give you fame and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I return your captives before your eyes," Says the LORD. (NKJV)

Haggai “Our God of Sacrifice”

(970115)

There are defining moments that shape the course of history. We remember many of them. When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River (taking his legions inside the line of no crossing) he set the stage for the Roman Empire as we know it. Young Martin Luther’s hammer on the Wittenburg church doors rang out a message that altered the course of the church to this day. When Hitler invaded Danzig at the end of August, 1939 it was England’s response that has shaped Western history for the past nearly 60 years. Likewise, in redemptive history (the history of God's work in people) the response of the Jews to a message they heard on September 1st, 520 BC shaped the course of biblical history. In 23 short days what had not happened in 16 long years took place. The Second Temple was started. The First Temple (Solomon’s) was destroyed in 586 BC. Herod later would not build a new temple but expand and embellish the second (Zerubbabel’s temple). So this was the beginning of the Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 102

temple of Christ, the Apostles and of AD 70’s destruction. A great turning point in history.

MESSAGE ONE: A Present Need of Completing the Temple (1:1-11) 9/1/520

BC. While the people were waiting before the Lord this first of four messages came. I. Before we examine each division of this book, we need to look at the big picture. There are SEVEN TIMELESS TRUTHS about God we can trace from the pages of Haggai. A. THE LORD IS POWERFUL. The Lord is 14x called by His name of power in this short little book. The Lord of Hosts is Haggai favorite name for God. In using this name our Lord God Almighty reveals the vastness of His control! B. THE LORD IS JEALOUS In Haggai God expect the place of priority no matter what is going on in their lives! Haggai 1:2-3 "Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: 'This people says, "The time has not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built." ' " 3 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, (NKJV). JEALOUS is a name the Lord describes Himself by often. C. THE LORD IS DEMANDING Haggai 1:9 "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. D. THE LORD IS TRUSTWORTHY Haggai 2:5 'According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!' (NKJV) E. THE LORD IS CHANGELESS Haggai 2:9 'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts." (NKJV). The Lord is the same Hebrews 13:8 . . . yesterday, today, and forever. (NKJV). He is not tied to our museums of past greatness! He wants to live powerfully in and through us TODAY! F. THE LORD IS LOVING Haggai 2:19 'Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.' " (NKJV). Though He had to judge their past sins, there is blessing on the horizon! G. THE LORD IS PERSONAL Haggai 2:23 'In that day,' says the LORD of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says the LORD, 'and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,' says the LORD of hosts." (NKJV). After the word of wrath coming on the nations, the Lord assures an individual named Zerubbabel, he will be specially used of the Lord. God has big plans for each of us. Don’t miss them!

ZECHARIAH Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 103

“OUR JEALOUS GOD” (970122) The second of the final three prophets of the Old Testament is Zechariah. His name means “God remembers”. Because each word of God's Word is inspired, this presents the theme of the book. Unlike the thunder of Haggai his contemporary, Zechariah gives comforting messages of encouragement! Born as the son of a priest during the Babylonian exile, he seems to have been an orphan. He was called the son of Iddo who was his grandfather. Returning with the faithful remnant numbering 42,360 individuals under Zerubbabel, he joined those who came to restore the Temple worship of the Lord. His ministry dates to the second year of the King of Persia names Darius Hystapses (521-520 BC). This dates his ministry to 2 months after Haggai stood at the ruins of the Temple and preached his first prophetic sermon. Just as Haggai, God burdened Zechariah for the neglected repair of the Temple. However, God extends his prophetic view far beyond the Jews of his day. God sends him on a prophetic voyage that travels to the very end of redemptive history. He is given such detailed insights surrounding the events of the coming Messiah, the Tribulation, the Golden Millennial Age of Israel and the Reign of Christ that bible teachers of the magnitude of Martin Luther would not even write on some parts of this book. They just couldn’t figure it out. Of course they believed God was through with the Jews and all of this had to be describing the church . . . I.

PRACTICAL TRUTHS TO CONSIDER: To maximize our learning, we may begin by gleaning four broad applications from this great Old Testament prophet: A. SIN WILL BRING GOD'S JUDGMENT. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (NKJV) B. GOD'S PAST DEALINGS WITH SIN SHOULD CAUSE US TO TURN FROM SIN. Matthew 12:41 "The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah [is] here. (NKJV) C. TURNING FROM SIN BRINGS BLESSING. Look at Zechariah 1:3 "Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Return to Me," says the LORD of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. (NKJV). Even the most wicked (Ahab) found mercy in turning. Even the wicked Manasseh was forgiven (II Chr. 33:9-13). D. GOD LIKE HIS WORD CAN NEVER BE EVADED FOR LONG! See what God said in Zechariah 1:6 Yet surely My words and My statutes, Which I commanded My servants the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? "So they returned and said: 'Just as the LORD of hosts determined to do to us, According to our ways and according to our deeds, So He has dealt with us.' " ' " (NKJV) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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Malachi “Our God of Love”

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Last words are very important. Christ's last words contained His legacy for us, His Body. In Malachi we find the last words from God in the Old Testament. His last words are words of His Love! Our God is a God of LOVE. He has shown His love since He came on a search and rescue mission to the Garden of Eden. As soon as Adam and Eve had fallen God came to the rescue. He is the same today. Because the Last book of the Old Testament opens with God declaring His LOVE. Malachi is a book about Loving God and what He expects from His special people. In just a glance at the book we can see there were many problems among those special people. The Lord points out and questions them about seven key areas of lacking in their lives. I. II. III. IV.

FIRST LESSON: RESPONDING TO THE LOVE OF GOD (1:1-5) SECOND LESSON: HONORING THE LOVE OF GOD (1:6-2:9) THIRD LESSON: EXPOSING GOD'S UNLOVING PEOPLE (2:10-16) FOURTH LESSON: TRUSTING THE LOVE OF GOD (2:17-3:6) A. God promises blessing (3:10-12). Note the elements of a blessing from Numbers 6:24-27. Be sure to often seek ways to ask God's Divine Favor to rest upon those you come upon in Christ. Sharing a blessing helps others, shows love and models true Christian love! 1. HIS SHELTERING BLESSING v. 24 "The LORD bless you and keep you; (this is God's favor and protection.) 2. HIS SHINING BLESSING v. 25a The LORD make His face shine upon you, (this is showing His pleasure at their actions.) 3. HIS SHOWERING BLESSING v. 25b And be gracious to you; (this is God showing His compassionate mercy.) 4. HIS SMILING BLESSING v. 26a The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, (this was a way of saying He approves of their way.) 5. HIS SANCTIFYING BLESSING v. 26b And give you peace." ' (this is the gift of God for the righteous only.) Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked [are] like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. (NKJV). 6. HIS SIGNING (OUR SOULS) BLESSING v. 27a "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, (this is Divine Ownership, see II Cor. 1.) 7. HIS SECURING BLESSING v. 27b and I will bless them." (this is a promise.) V. SIXTH LESSON: FEARING OUR LOVING GOD (3:13-4:3) VI. CONCLUSION: GOD IS COMING (4:4-6) VII. FIFTH LESSON: ACKNOWLEDGING GOD'S LOVING OWNERSHIP (3:7-12) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 105

God calls it Theft (3:8-9). WHY ARE YOU DISREGARDING GOD'S OWNERSHIP? Malachi 3:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. (NKJV) The whole tithe was an expression of God's ownership. Anything less would be denying His complete title deed to us. Because He bought us at such a high price (I Cor. 6.19-20) we should give all of ourself back to Him! The Lord is saying if you give all and hold nothing back (unlike Annanias and Saphira of Acts 5) He will pour out such blessings as we could never have experienced. He will shower us with blessings from Heaven. We will not be able to contain all that He has to pour upon us! Think about some of the words we have said to God: All for Jesus, all for Jesus! All my being’s ransomed pow’rs: All my thoughts and words and doings, All my days and all my hours. Let my hands perform His bidding, Let my feet run in His ways; Let my eyes see Jesus only, Let my lips speak forth His praise. Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus, I’ve lost sight of all beside, So enchained my spirit’s vision, Looking at the Crucified. O what wonder! how amazing! Jesus, glorious King of kings, Deigns to call me His beloved, Lets me rest beneath His wings. A.

970226WE Walk Between the Testaments We have just finished our study of the last 12 books of the Old Testament. In that study we found the people of the Lord fluctuating between listening and refusing to listen to the Prophets of God.Then comes the Intertestamental Period, the 400 years between Malachi and Matthew. Many call this the “silent period” however, it is far from silent. The Word of God maps out the events of the entire period in advance. A study of this period provides a fascinating insight into the world of the Bible. Powerful lessons showing the weaknesses of God's people when they take their eyes off the Lord and His Word. The Jews were triumphant as they kept the Word. Defeated when they lost sight of the Word. We would do well to remember the lessons these centuries provided.

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Some of the valuable insights from this period beyond the practical warnings are: the development of the four main religious groups of Christ’s day (Essenes, Pharisees, Sadducees and Zealots), an insight into the life and times of Joseph and Mary’s world, Simeon and Anna’a world, Elizabeth and Zacharius’ world and so on. Additionally, the Apocrypha and the conclusion of Nehemiah, Ezra and Malachi’s ministry is clearly recorded. And finally, we can see the fulfillment of the most explicit and detailed of all the Old Testament prophecies Our next step in understanding this period is to lock these 400 years into the Scriptures. To do this turn with me to Daniel 11.

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1. Daniel 11:3 The “mighty king” is none other than Alexander the Great (336-323). 2. Daniel 11:4 The “four winds” correspond to Daniel 7:4-7 ("four heads"). 3. Daniel 11:5 The “king of the South” from history is Ptolemy I Soter (323-285 B.C.) of Egypt. one of his commanders. Seleucus I Nicator (311-280). his own kingdom. Initially Babylonia, to which he then added extensive territories both east and west. 4. Daniel 11:6 The “daughter of the king of the South” is Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 B.C.) of Egypt.

41

king of the North. Antiochus 11 Theos (261-246) of Syria. alliance. A treaty cemented by the marriage of Berenice to Antiochus. she will not retain her power, and he ... will not last. Antiochus's former wife, Laodice, conspired to have Berenice and Antiochus put to death. her father. Berenice's father Ptolemy died at about the same time. 5. Daniel 11:7 One from her family line. Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes (246-221 B.C.) of Egypt, who did away with Laodice. king of the North. Seleucus 11 Callinicus (246-226 B.C.) of Syria. his fortress. Either (1) Seleucia (see Ac 13:4), which was the port of Antioch, or (2) Antioch itself. 6. Daniel 11:8 their gods. Images of Syrian deities, and also of Egyptian gods that the Persian Cambyses had carried off after conquering Egypt in 525 B.C. 7. Daniel 11:10 His sons. Seleucus III Ceraunus (226-223B.C.) and Antiochus III (the Great) (223-187), sons of Seleucus II. his fortress. Ptolemy's fortress at Raphia in southern Palestine. 11:11 king of the South. Ptolemy IV Philopator (221-203 B.C.) of Egypt. 41

NIV Study Bible, p. 1319.

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king of the North. Antiochus III. defeated At Raphia in 217. 8. Daniel 11:12 slaughter many thousands. The historian Polybius records that Antiochus lost nearly 10,000 infantrymen at Raphia. 9. Daniel 11:14 king of the South. Ptolemy V Epiphanes(203-181 B.C.) of Egypt. 10. violent men among your own people, Jews who joined the forces of Antiochus. 11. without success The Ptolemaic general Scopas crushed the rebellion in 200, 12. Daniel 11:15 fortified city. The Mediterranean port of Sidon : 13. Daniel 11:16 The invader. Antiochus, who was in control of Palestine by 197 B.C. Beautiful Land. See note on 8:9-12. 14. Daniel 11:17 he will give him a daughter in marriage. Antiochus gave his daughter Cleopatra I in marriage to Ptolemy V 194 B.C. 15. Daniel 11:18 he. Antiochus. coast lands. Asia Minor and perhaps also mainland Greece. commander. The Roman consul Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, who defeated Antiochus It Magnesia in Asia Minor in 190 B.C. 16. Daniel 11:19 stumble and fall. Antiochus died in 187 B.C. while attempting to plunder a temple in the province of Elymais. 17. Daniel 11:20 His successor. Seleucus IV Philopator (187-175 B.C.), son and successor of Antiochus the Great. tax collector. Seleucus's finance minister, Heliodorus. he will be destroyed. Seleucus was the victim of a conspiracy engineered by Heliodorus. 18. Daniel 11:21 contemptible person. Seleucus's younger brother, Antiochus IV Epiphanes (I 75-164 B.C.). 19. not been given the honor of royalty. Antiochus seized power while the rightful heir to the throne, the son of Seleucus (later to become Demetrius 1), was still very young. kingdom. Syro-Palestine. 20. Daniel 11:22 prince of the covenant. Either the high priest Onias III, who was murdered in 170 B.C., or, if the Hebrew for this phrase is translated "confederate prince," Ptolemy VI Philometor (181-146) of Egypt. 21. Daniel 11:23 he. Antiochus. 22. Daniel 11:24 richest provinces. Either of Palestine or of Egypt. fortresses. In Egypt. 23. Daniel 11:25 king of the South. Ptolemy VI. 24. Daniel 11:26 his army. That of Ptolemy. 25. Daniel 11:27 two kings. Antiochus and Ptolemy, who was living in Antiochus's custody. 26. Daniel 11:28 against the holy covenant. In 169 B.C. Antiochus plundered the temple in Jerusalem, set up a garrison there -A massacred many Jews in the city. 27. Daniel 11:30 Ships of the western coast lands. Roman vessels under the command of Popilius Laenas. those who forsake the holy covenant Apostate Jews (see also v. 32). 28. Daniel 11:31 abomination that causes desolation. See 9:27; 12:1 1; the altar to the pagan god Zeus Olympius, set up in 168 B.C. by Antiochus Epiphanes and prefiguring a similar abomination that Jesus predicted would be erected (see note on Mt 24:15; see also Lk 21:20). 29. Daniel 11:33 Those who are wise. The godly leaders of the Jewish resistance movement, also called the Hasidim. fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered See Heb 11:36-38. 30. Daniel 11:34 a little help. The early successes of the guerrilla uprising (168 B.C.) that originated in Modein, 17 miles northwest of Jerusalem, under the leadership of Mattathias and his son Judas Maccabeus. In December, 165, the altar of the temple was rededicated. 31. Daniel 11:35 time of the end See v.40;12:4,9. Daniel concludes his predictions about Antiochus Epiphanes and begins to prophesy concerning the more distant future. 32. Daniel 11:36 From here to the end of ch. 11 the Antichrist (see notes on 7:8; 9:27) is in view. The details of this section do not fit what is known of Antiochus Epiphanes. See 2Th 2:4; cf. Rev 13:5-8. 33. Daniel 11:37 the one desired by women. Usually nterpreted as either Tammuz (see note on Eze 8:14) or the Messiah. 11:40-45 Conflicts to be waged between the Antichrist and his political enemies. He will meet his end at the "beautiful holy mountain" (v. 45), Jerusalem's temple mount, doubtless in connection with the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:13-16).

The next step in understanding this section of Bible History is looking at a timeline of the Period from Malachi to Christ.

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443 (C.)

Nehemiah and Ezra read the Scriptures to the Jews; the first roots of the.,Vidrash begin to sprout; the Sopherim (scribes) flourish. 436 (C.) Malachi begins to prophesy. 429 Death of Pericles. The Acropolis is finished. Plato is born. 342 Epicurius teaches his philosophy. 336 Darius III Codomannus becomes king of Persia. Alexander the Great becomes king of Greece. 332 Alexander destroys Tyre. 331 Alexander seizes Babylon. 327 Alexander invades India. 323 Alexander claims to be the son of Zeus. • Alexander dies. • Alexander's empire divided among his four chief generals. 300 Rome becomes a major world power in the western Mediterranean. Seleucus I adds Syria to his realm. 285 Ptolemy II Philadelphia becomes king of Egypt. Between 285 and 130 the Septuagint translated. 274 (C.) Hinduism codified in India. 214 Construction of Great Wall of China begins. 168 The Romans interfere in Antiochus's war with Egypt and prevent his capturing Alexandria. Antiochus pollutes the Temple in Jerusale?n and suspends the sacrifices of the Jews. 166 Matthias leads the Jetvs in revolt agaimt Antiochus Epiphanes. 165 The Jerusalem Temple repaired and cleansed. 164 Antiochus Epiphanes dies. 133 Rome begins to expand her empire eastward. 130 (C.) The Pharisees begin to emerge as a sect. 73 Spartacus leads a revolt of slaves and gladiators, which is crushed Pompey and Crassus. 64 Pompey captures Jerusalem,- leaves the Maccabean high priest Hyrcanus in pou)er with Antipater as civil adviser. 60 The first Triumvirate at Rome (Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey). 59 Julius Caesar becomes proconsul. Pompey marries Julia, daughter of Caesar. 58 Caesar conquers Gaul. 54 Caesar invades Britain. 49 Caesar crosses the Rubicon. 44 Caesar assassinated. 42 Caesar deified; temple to him erected in the Forum where his murder had taken place. Battle of Philippi fought. 40 Herod appointed king. 37 Herod captures Jerusalem. 27 Octavian assumes the title of Augustus. 20 Herod begins to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple. 4 The birth of Jesus.

AD 14 26 Judea. 30

Jesus crucified and raised from the dead. The Christian church is born at Pentecost.

Literature42 During these unhappy years of oppression and internal strife, the Jewish people produced a sizable body of literature that both recorded and addressed their era. Three of the more significant works are the Septuagint, the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

I.

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Augustus dies.Tiberius becomes Roman emperor. Jesus begins to teach,- He characterizes rabbinic teaching (the Mishna) as "vain tradition.” Pilate becomes procurator of

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A.

B.

C.

Septuagint43. Jewish legend says that 72 scholars, under the sponsorship of Ptolemy Phfladelphus (c. 250 B.C.), were brought together on the island of Pharos, near Alexandriai where they produced a Greek translation of the OT in 72 days. From this tradition the Latin word for 70, "Septuagint," became the name attached to the translation. The Roman numeral for 70, LKX, is used as an abbreviation for it. 1. Behind the legend lies the probability that at least the Torah (the five books of Moses) was translated into Greek c. 250 B.c. for the use of the Greek-speaking Jews of Alexandria. The rest of the OT and some noncanonical books were also included in the LXX before the dawning of the Christian era, though it is difficult to be certain when. 2. The Septuagint quickly became the Bible of the Jews outside Palestine who, like the Alexandfians, no longer spoke Hebrew. It would be difficult to overestimate its influence. It made the Scriptures available both to the Jews who no longer spoke their ancestral language and to the entire Greekspeaking world. It later became the Bible of the early church. Also, its widespread popularity and use contributed to the retention of the Apocrypha by some branches of Christendom. Apocrypha44. Derived from a Greek word that means "hidden," Apocrypha has acquired the meaning "false," but in a technical sense it describes a specific body of writings. This collection consists of a variety of books and additions to canonical books that, with the exception of 2 Esdras (C. A.D. 90), were written during the intertestamental period. Their recognition as authoritative in Roman and Eastern Christianity is the result of a complex historical process. 1. The canon of the OT accepted by Protestants today was very likely established by the dawn of the second century A.D., though after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in 70. The precise scope of the OT was discussed among the Jews until the Council of Jamnia (c. 90). This Hebrew canon was not accepted by the early church, which used the Septuagint. In spite of disagreements among some of the church fathers as to which books were canonical and which were not, the Apocryphal books continued in common use by most Christians until the Reformation. During this period most Protestants decided to follow the original Hebrew canon while Rome, at the Council of Trent (I 546) and more recently at the First Vatican Council (I 869-70), affirmed the larger "Alexandrian" canon that includes the Apocrypha. 2. The Apocryphal books have retained their place primarily through the weight of ecclesiastical authority, without which they would not commend themselves as canonical literature. There is no clear evidence that Jesus or the apostles ever quoted any Apocryphal works as Scripture (but see note on Jude 14). The Jewish community that produced them repudiated them, and the historical surveys in the apostolic sermons recorded in Acts completely ignore the period they cover. Even the sober, historical account of I Maccabees is tarnished by numerous errors and anachronisms. 3. There is nothing of theological value in the Apocryphal books that cannot be duplicated in canonical Scripture, and they contain much that runs counter to its teachings. Nonetheless, this body of literature does provide a valuable source of information for the study of the intertestamental period. Dead Sea Scrolls45. In the spring of 1947 an Arab shepherd chanced upon a cave in the hills overlooking the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea that contained what has been called "the greatest manuscript discovery of modern times." The documents and fragments of documents found in those caves, dubbed the "Dead Sea Scrolls," included OT books, a few books of the

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NIV Study Bible, p. 1431-33. NIV Study Bible, p. 1431-33. 45 NIV Study Bible, p. 1431-33. 44

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Apocrypha, apocalyptic works, pseudepigrapha (books that purport to be the work of ancient heroes of the faith), and a iiu@i of books peculiar to the sect that produced them. 1. Approximately a third of the documents are Biblical, with Psalms, Deuteronomy and Isaiah-the books quoted most often in the NT-occurring most frequently. One of the most remarkable finds was a complete 24-foot-long scroll of Isaiah. 2. The Scrolls have made a significant contribution to the quest for a form of the OT texts most accurately reflecting the original manuscripts; they provide copies 1,000 years closer to the originals than were previously known. The understanding of Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic and knowledge of the development of Judaism between the Testaments have been increased significantly. Of great importance to readers of the Bible is the demonstration of the care with which OT texts were copied, thus providing objective evidence for the general reliability of those texts. II. Social Developments46 The Judaism of Jesus' day is, to a large extent, the result of changes that came about in response to the pressures of the intertestamental period. A. Diaspora. The Diaspora (dispersion) of Israel begun in the exile accelerated during these years unit a writer of the day could say that Jews filled "every land and sea." Jews outside Palestine, cut off from the temple, concentrated their religious life in the study of @e Torah and the life of the synagogue (see below). The missionaries of the early church began their Gendle ministries among the Diaspora, using their Greek translation of the OT. B. Sadducees. In Palestine, the Greek world made its greatest impact through the party of the Sadducees. Made up of aristocrats, it became the temple party. Because of their position, the Sadducees had a vested interest in the status quo. Relafively few in number, they wielded disproportionate political power and controlled the high priesthood. They rejected all religious writings except the Torah, as well as any doctrine (such as the resurrection) not found in those five books. C. Synagogue. During the exile, Israel was cut off from the temple, divested of nationhood and surrounded by pagan religious practices. Her faith was threatened with extinction. Under these circumstances, the exiles turned their religious focus from what they had lost to what they retainedthe Torah and the belief that they were God's people. They concentrated on the law rather than nationhood, on personal piety rather than sacramental rectitude, and on prayer as an acceptable replacement for the sacrifices denied to them. When they returned from the exile, they brought with them this new form of religious expression, as well as the synagogue (its center), and Judaism became a faith that could be practiced wherever the Torah could be carried. The emphases on personal piety and a relationship with God, which characterized synagogue worship, not only helped preserve Judaism but also prepared the way for the Christian gospel. D. Pharisees. As the party of the synagogue, the Pharisees strove to reinterpret the law. They built a "hedge" around it to enable Jews to live righteously before God in a world that had changed drastically since the days of Moses. Although they were comparatively few in number, the Pharisees enjoyed the support of the people and influenced popular opinion if not national policy. They were the only party to survive the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 and were the spiritual progenitors of modern Judaism. Essenes. An almost forgotten Jewish sect until the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Essenes were a small, separatist group that grew out of the conflicts of the Maccabean age. Like the Pharisees, they stressed strict legal observance, but they considered the temple priesthood corrupt and rejected much of the temple ritual and sacrificial system. Mentioned by several ancient writers, the precise nature of the Essenes is still not certain, though it is generally agreed that the Qumran community that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls was an Essene 46

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group. Because they were convinced that they were the true remnant, these Qumran Essenes had separated themselves from Judaism at large and devoted themselves to personal purity and preparation for the final war between the "Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness." They practiced an apocalyptic faith, looking back to the contributions of their "Teacher of Righteousness" and forward to the coming of two, and possibly three, Messiahs. The destruction of the temple in A.D. 70, however, seems to have delivered a death blow to their apocalyptic expectations. Attempts have been made to equate aspects of the beliefs of the Qumran community with the origins of Christianity. Some have seen a prototype of Jesus in their "Teacher of Righteousness," and both John the Baptist and Jesus have been assigned membership in the sect. There is, however, only a superficial, speculative base for these conjectures. THE ROMANS SET THE STAGE47 As those and similar sects were developing among the Jews, history was hurrying on its way. The Romans had come and were hammering loudly at the door of Empire. Three Punic wars had reduced Rome's ancient enemy Carthage to rubble, making Rome mistress of Africa and Spain. Four Macedonian wars had added Greece to the growing empire; the Mithridatic wars had brought in the Seleucid kingdom, and, with the annexation of Egypt and Palestine, the whole Mediterranean became a Roman lake. Gaul and Britain were conquered, and Europe became one great community bound together by Roman law, Roman roads, and Roman troops. The republican form of government in Rome gave way to the imperial government as the day of the Caesars dawned. And, most important of all, in a tiny corner of the spreading empire of Rome, in a little Judean town called Bethlehem, Jesus was born. JESUS AND THE JEWS The greatest single tragedy in the story of the Jew is his national rejection of Jesus as Messiah, Savior, and Lord. The throne rights of Jesus ran back to David both through His mother, Mary, who miraculously conceived Him, and through His foster father, Joseph, who adopted Him (Luke 3; Matthew 1). He was Israel's true Messiah, the only Messiah she will ever have. His claims to be both Messiah and Son of God were substantiated by the sinlessness of His life, by the countless miracles He performed, by the pungency and purity of His teachings, and by His clear fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies. The religious Jewish establishment, however, wanted no part of Him. The rabbis were jealous of the teaching of Jesus, which was so memorable and authoritative and which was so enthusiastically hailed by the common people. The Pharisees were infuriated by the way He attacked their precious oral law, their entrenched and cumbersome traditions, and their evident hypocrisy (for example, Matthew 12:1-14). The Sadducees saw their vested interests in the Temple threatened by Jesus, and they took umbrage at His teaching concerning the spirit world and the life to come (Matthew 22:23-32). The priests feared that His messianic teachings would bring down on the nation the wrath of Rome. The scribes and the Levites were scalded by His exposure of their insincerity. The common people flocked after Him, thrilled by His miracles, astonished at His preaching, delighted with the forthright way He exPosed error, hypocrisy, and pride. A crowd, however, is never anything else but a crowd-fickle, unstable, and easily swayed. Jesus never committed Himself to crowds. The Jewish establishment became increasingly hostile to Jesus. The various factions stopped their fighting long enough to make common cause against Him.

The Apocrypha 47

Phillips, Exploring the World of the Jew, p. 34-36.

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There are about 13 recognized books in what is known as the Apocrypha. During the years of growth the Greek culture enjoyed in Palestine, many books were written by the Jews. These books were never considered as Scriptures by Christ or the Apostles. The early church saw lessons that were profitable in some of these books. However, there is such a mixed character about these books, they have always been treated with care by the church. The great Bible teacher Harry Ironside explains the difference. “But all of these were written ere the voice of prophecy was suspended; all the books now in our Bibles, and none other, were in the Bible loved, quoted and honored by the apostles, and endorsed as divinely-given by the Lord Jesus. He expressly refers to "Daniel the prophet," and "the sign of the prophet Jonah," in language that admits of no doubt as to the high plane on which He placed their writings. But in the Maccabean age and later there were other books of instructive character, making no claim of inspiration, which the Jews have always valued, and which the early Christians sometimes read in their meetings for the sake of the lessons they contained, though with no thought of putting them on a level with the Hebrew Scriptures or the Greek New Testament.” 48 The first book of the Apocrypha is known as: 1. I Esdras, which is the Greek for Ezra. It consists of a copy of Ezra with quite a bit of questionable materials added. This books seems to have been composed as a “PR” for Jews in oppression. It shows how God cares for His people. 2. II Esdras is completely different. No doubt it comes from another author. Abounding with inaccuracies and flaming with Apocalyptic themes this book shows the flavor of Daniel and Zechariah. The author was obviously enraptured with Tribulational and Millennial promises and weaves a story around them. Much of this book contradicts the Scriptures. 3. Tobit is proportedly an Israelite of the tribe of Naphtali, carried away by the Assyrians. As a religious romance, full of absurdities, incantations and magic this book is totally unreliable. It does teach lessons of morality and true piety. It is in this book that we find an angel called Raphael. The only two angels actually named in Scripture are Michael and Gabriel. Much like fairy tales and stories for children in our day this book was used by Jews teaching character to their children in a attention getting way. 4. Judith is a woman who surrenders to the Babylonians. Her beauty attracts the general. He invites her to his tent. As he sleeps she kills him and delivers the Jews. With the exception of 1 Maccabees, the book of Judith is the finest narrative-work of the Apocrypha. 5. "The rest of Esther," was an attempt by someone to add chapters that mention the name of God. Although Esther does not mention the name of the Lord, it is so clearly a book tracing His Sovereign hand. The added chapters are deplorably lacking the elevated character of the Holy Scriptures. 6. The Wisdom of Solomon is an anonymous work attributed to David’s son. Although not inspired nor as well written as the next book, it is of some value. 7. "The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Siracb, or Ecclesiasticus." It is “generally conceded that this choice collection of proverbs and wise sayings is, as it professes to be, the production of Jesus (the Greek form of Joshua) the son of Sirach, who lived in the land " almost after all the prophets," and who has here embodied the sound instruction he received as a youth from his grandfather Jesus, who wrote in Hebrew, and died, " leaving this book almost perfected." The grandson translated, edited, and arranged it, making no claim to inspiration; he sent it forth hoping thereby to edify his nation, confessing his liability to error, but craving an unbiased reading of the work he had prepared in Greek from the Hebrew records left by the elder Jesus. The date given is in the years of Ptolemy Euergetes; and the praise of Simon the Just, in chapter 50, shows that the writer lived during his pontificate.” 48

Ironside, 400 Silent Years, p 96.

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8. Baruch. This book proports to be the words of Jeremiah’s scribe. The inferior quality of writing and the dubious 6 chapters to the captives from Jeremiah make this a book of little worth. There are three tales which were added to the book of Daniel, and are given in order in the next section of the Apocrypha. The first is entitled: 9. “The Song of the Three Holy Children," gives a good insight into the piety of the Jews in the time between the testaments. The words of this book are supposed to be inserted after Daniel 3:23. They were supposedly the song the 3 sang as they went unhurt through the flames. 10. The History of Susanna “was published as a preface to the canonical prophecy of Daniel. Shylock's exclamation, "A Daniel come to judgment! " upon listening to Portia's wisdom, finds its explanation here. It tells the story of the attempt of two lecherous elders, first to rob a young Jewish wife of her virtue, and upon being repulsed successfully, to blackmail the object of their vile but defeated purpose. Daniel, a mere youth, appears upon the scene, and by examining each of the villains separately, causes them to contradict one another in such a way as to establish both the innocence of Susanna and their own wickedness.” 11. The third tale was added at the end of Daniel, and is called, " The History of the Destruction of Bel and the Dragon." Is a fictional, fairy tale-like story of Daniel defeating a dragon with pitch, fat and hair. It is a reflection of Babylonian magic, superstition and incantations. Totally opposite the purposeful miracles of God this is a legend tale of no value. 12. The Prayer of Manasses purports to be the prayers of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, seeking God's favor through repentance. Although fictional it does reveal Jewish devotional thought for the period. 13. First Maccabees is the historical annals recounting the wars of the Jews from the death of Alexander the Great to the pontificate of Simon the brother of Judas Maccabeus. Most current knowledge of the Jewish wars of independence traces from this book. The unknown author carries along the story with such drama and action that the whole book is quite moving. Quite evident is the author’s desire to exalt the God who forgives, defends and restores His people as they return to Him in faith. As one who loved Israel's God , the writer makes no claim to being inspired of God to record this book. 14. Second Maccabees is far less valuable. There is a great deal of legendary material woven into the historical record. The Roman church especially esteems this book for its reference in 12:43-45 of a sinoffering for the dead. If this event happened it is not Scriptural for anyone to follow such an improper act for anothers salvation. 15. 3rd Maccabees is an incomplete book filled with more of the unacceptable legendary matters. 16. 4th Maccabees, doesn’t even make it into the Apocrypha by the Council of Trent. It is basically no more than a lengthy, religious novel. There are other works of little value (many are lost from the present) such as the Book of Enoch; the Secrets of Enoch; the Book of Jubilees; Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs; Psalms of Solomon; Sibylline Oracles; Assumption of Moses; the Apocalypse of Elijah; the Apocalypse of Zephaniah, and some others, of which early Christian Fathers make mention, but which are no longer extant, so far as is now known. Some of these were begun during the days of the Hasmoneans, and only completed in the Christian era; thus partaking of a mixed Jewish and Christian coloring. The Sibylline Oracles and the Book of Enoch are of this character. Ironsides concludes: “It is a significant fact that in all the long years of the four silent centuries we have had before us, not so much as a psalm or any other literary product has come down to us that is worthy to be compared with the precious treasures of the Old Testament. Some, it is true, have attempted to assign Maccabean dates to some of the books of the Prophets and to several of the more recent psalms, but their guesswork theories are of no real value, and there can be little doubt that all were written when the last line of Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 115

Malachi had been penned. The canon of the Jewish Scriptures was then complete. No desultory fragments were to be added in after years. When again the prophetic voice should be heard, it would be to announce the coming of Him who was the object and theme of " all the Scriptures," and whose advent in grace would be the occasion for the production of a New Testament completing the written revelation of God to man.”49 Lessons from the Four Hundred Silent Years50 The reader will have little difficulty in realizing why the Saviour was not received by the covenant people. Their long years of declension had rendered them unable to recognize their Messiah when He appeared in accord with the scriptures of the Prophets. Their eyes had become blinded; their ears heavy; their hearts hardened, and their consciences seared; and so, not knowing the Scriptures, they fulfilled them in condemning the Prince of Life. Yet they were in Immanuel's land and the Holy City; gathered to the place where Jehovah's Name had been set of old. They were punctilious about the services of the temple; f)bnd of reasoning about the Scriptures; proud octheir descent from the patriarchs; and in their self-righteous complacency, despising their Gentile neighbors. But all this availed nothing when spiritual discernment was gone and religion a matter of ritual rather than of life. It is not necessary to press the lesson for our own times. He who sees it not himself would not heed it if another urged it upon him. Abiding truths from these 400 years: 1. BLESSING: Out of dark days come some bright saints: Joseph, Mary, Simeon, Anna, Elizabeth and Zachariah are wonderful examples of this. 2. BATTLING: When we leave God behind we fail. 3. BLINDING: When we leave God out we can’t even see what is right in front of us from the Lord. GOD ALWAYS HAS HIS SERVANTS IN EVERY GENERATION. GOD'S SERVANTS ALWAYS SPEAK FOR HIM. SPEAKING FOR GOD ALWAYS BRINGS BLESSINGS!

Mary “The Magnificat” Luke 1:46-55 1. v. 46 Praising God 2. v. 47 Rejoicing in Salvation 3. v. 48 Displaying a true servantheartedness 4. v. 49 Magnifying the Lord 5. v. 50 Remembering the Mercy of the Lord 6. v. 51 Humbling before God 7. v. 52 Yielding to the Sovereignty of God 8. v. 53 Extolling the Graciousness of God 9. v. 54 Exhibiting Loyalty to God 10. v. 55 Trusting the Enduring Committment of God to His own

Zacharius’ Benedictus Luke 1:68-79 49 50

Ironside, 400 Silent Years, p. 103. Ironside, 400 Silent Years, p. 94.

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1. v. 68 Worshiping God's Redemption 2. v. 69 Praising the Lord’s Salvation 3. v. 70 Seeing God's Revelation of Himself 4. v. 71 Rejoicing in the Deliverence of the Lord 5. v. 72 Resting in the Mercy of the Lord 6. v. 73 Remembering the Covenant Loyalty of God 7. v. 74 Serving the Lord 8. v. 75 Living a Holy Life to God 9. v. 76 Tracing the Fulfillment of God's Promises 10. v. 77 Extolling the Forgiveness of God 11. v. 78 Hoping in Christ as the Sunrise 12. v. 79 Experiencing the Peace of God

Simeon’s Nunc Dimitis Luke 2:25-32 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

v. 25: Holy Life, Patient Life, Consecrated Life (“Holy Spirit”) v. 26 Spirit Illumined Life v. 27 Spirit led life v. 28 Worship Energized Life v. 29 Rejoiced in Bondslavery to God v. 30 Trusted in Salvation through Christ v. 31 Saw the Message of Good News to the world v. 32 Understood Christ was the Light of the world

Anna’s Holy Service Luke 2:36-38 Anna had a Spirit Led Walk, all her life was in God's Hands: 1. Her age: The Duration of Life 2. Her Husband: The Decisions of Life 3. Her Widowhood: The Deprivations of Life 4. Her Temple Ministry: The Destination of Life 5. Her Time was God's: she served 6. Her Feet were God's: she came that instant 7. Her Heart was God's: she gave thanks 8. Her Lips were God's: she spoke for God

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970319WE.DOC

Walk through the Gospels A Jet Tour Overview As we begin our overview of the New Testament tonight let’s first step back and see the big picture. Someone has written an: AN ARCHITECTS VIEW OF THE SCRIPTURES The Bible is like a majestic palace constructed with precious oriental stone comprising 66 stately chambers, each an individual room, yet a part of the whole ediface: incomprehensible, majestic, glorious and sublime. As we go into the vestibule, the book of Genesis, and find recorded the mighty works of God in creation this vestibule, has access to the law courts. Which, when passing thru come to the picture gallery of the historical books in which hung wall scenes, battles, portraits of men of valor. Battles and valiant heros line the walls. On to the philosophers chamber Job. Then into the music room (Psalms) where we linger to hear the grandest harmonies ever that fell on human ears. Pressing on into the business office of Proverbs where very center hangs the motto "Righteousness exalts a nation", sin reproach any people. Then, the research department Ecclessiastes, into the conservatory of Song of Solomon where the fragrant aroma of the sweetest fruits and flowers and sweetest songs of birds greet us. On to the observatory where we find prophets busy with strong telescopes looking for the appearing of the bright and morning star, the Son of Righteousness. Walking across we enter the audience chamber of the King, the Gospels, where hang four lifelike portraits of the King himself in the perfections of His Beauty. On to the workroom of the Holy Spirit - Acts, then into the correspondence room where we find Peter, James, John, Paul and Jude bending busy over their writing tables under the supervision of Holy Spirit of truth. Finally into the throne room where echo the grandest praise and honor to the King enthroned fills vast chambers with portraits of solemn scenes of doom on walls but all associated with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. From creation to culmination. THE NEW TESTAMENT begins and ends with Christ. It opens with His arrival, moves to His ministry of three years, His death, His glorious resurrection, His ministering for 40 days. (We know this because it says in Acts that he remained alive after His passion for 40 days). His ascension, and then ten days the apostles were left along, fearful, waiting for the promise that Christ gave; that promise Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 118

does come in the day of Pentecost, which "pentecost" means 50 days -- after 50 days Christ sent His Spirit as he promised. Just as He promised, the Spirit came and poured out His Spirit on the fiftieth day. After the day of Pentecost was fully come, the birth of the church. Acts - l-8 deals primarily with Peter. Then starting in Acts 9 Saul comes on the scene. Paul is the focal point as God moves his redemptive program out to the Gentile world in particular. Then after letters (Epistles) of comfort and instruction, Jesus closes the book of history as He takes back His wayward creation in the Revelation. I.

THE GOSPELS The Lord promised that David would never lack a son to sit on the throne, and the next one thousand years present an uninterrupted, generation-bygeneration list of male descendants-the longest known. None of the gospels are chronological histories or biographies in our modern sense.

They are rather a representation of the four groups of people then and now in the world. The Jews who loved the Scriptures and the prophecies of God. They would only listen to one of their own. So Matthew speaks to the Jews and the deeply religious of our day. Mark spoke to thr Romans. These were the leaders and leadership and action impressed them. They knew nothing of Scriptures but everything of power. So to this group comes the action packed Gospel of the powerful ministry of Christ. Mark uses the word “and” 1,375 times to tie together the endless actions of Christ. Like our modern successful business man and woman, they want a God who can powerfully meet their deepest needs. Luke was a Greek speaking to the Greeks. The Greeks loved culture, beauty and ideas. Happiness could be found in the pursuit of truth. Luke fills his book with insights, interviews, songs and details that fascinate the inquiring mind. So today the truth seekers find Jesus in Luke! John wrote to everyone because everyone needs to meet God and only Jesus can reveal Him. In this book we meet an absolutely powerful God in human flesh who controls and rules the Universe He created. So the best known verse is the best of all offer that God loves all and offers all His Son as their only hope! II.

Let’s survey the New Testament Books by noting 27 verses. A key verse for each book! A. MATTHEW “Christ our King” Matthew: King Jesus (2:2) Matthew 2:2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." (NKJV) Worship Christ the King! Outline: The Birth and Preparation of the King 1:1 - 4:11; The King Speaks and Serves 4:12 - 25:46; The King Suffers and Triumphs in Passion Week 26:1 28:20. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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In a gospel written for Jews, Jesus is presented in His royalty, his Jewishness is very evident. Matthew opens with the declaration that Jesus is the "Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham." In fact, eight of the twelve references to Jesus as the son of David are in Matthew, who so clearly pictures Jesus as the ideal Israelite and the ideal King of Israel. B. MARK “Christ our Servant”. Outline: Mark: Servant Jesus (10:45) Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (NKJV) Worship Christ the Servant! Outline: The Birth and Preparation of Servant Jesus 1:1 - 13; Servant Jesus Speaks and Serves 1:14 - 13:37; Servant Jesus Suffers and Triumphs in Passion Week 14:1 - 16:20. In a gospel written from Peter’s words to the fast paced Roman Empire, Jesus is constantly in action! Mark, perhaps the first gospel account written, opens with: The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God." God Himself ratifies the declaration in 1:11: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." C. LUKE “Christ our Savior”. (19:10) Luke 19:10 "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (NKJV) Worship Christ the Savior! Outline: The Birth and Preparation of Savior Jesus 1:1 - 4:13; Savior Jesus Speaks and Serves 4:14 - 21:38; Savior Jesus Suffers and Triumphs in Passion Week 22:1 - 24. In a gospel for the Greeks, we find the perfect man comes to earth. Luke talks as a physician, and describes medically how much Christ was a man -- tired, and touched with the feelings of those about Him. Like Matthew, Luke proclaims the miraculous, virgin conception of Jesus (1:26-38). He alone writes of the glory of God that was manifested at the birth of Jesus (1:9). Luke reinforces Jesus' identity with humanity by using "son of man" twentyfive times, second only to Matthew. D. JOHN “Christ our God ” (20:31) John 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (NKJV) Outline: The Birth and Preparation of Divine Jesus 1:1 - 2:11; Divine Jesus Speaks and Serves 2:12 - 12:50; Divine Jesus Suffers and Triumphs in Passion Week 13:1 - 21. In a gospel written to the whole world, John presents us with the Divine Jesus. He is the Son of God -- his Divinity -- the Divine nature of God is very clearly seen.We have already seen John's incredible introduction of Jesus as the Word, the Dwelling Presence and the Glory of God. He lists seven selfdescriptions of Jesus as "I am" (6:35; 8:12; 9:5; 10-7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1-2). John reveals Jesus as God's unique ("only begotten," KJV) Son, and refers to God as His Father more than any other book of the Bible. The Old Testament refers to God as Father only 12 times, John 120 times! E. ACTS “Christ our Mission” (1:8) Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 120

Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (NKJV) This book is the bridge taking Christ to the whole world. In it we see the lessons Christ taught His disciples in secret now proclaimed in Holy Spirit empowered boldness. The key verse outlines the book: witnesses in Jerusalem (1-8:3); Judea and Samaria (8:4-12:25); and to the ends of the earth (13-28). Within the book come the epistles of I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon (prison epistles); F. ROMANS “Christ our Righteousness” (1:16-17) Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." (NKJV) From about AD 57-58 written looking out the window at Corinth on Paul’s 3rd journey. Paul's letter to Rome is better known in the church than any other, and is probably the singly most important book in the N.T. because it lays down the great doctrines of justification by faith alone. The key verse outline the message of the entire book as : the person of the gospel is Christ; the power is God; the purpose is salvation; the people are all; the plan is belief and the result is living by faith! Paul uses the expression "in Christ" to describe the new life of a believer. This term is found no less than 164 times, as justified in Christ " (Gal. 2:17), " God's righteousness in him " (2 Cor 5: 21). This blessed, life-penetrating secret is central to all his letters. Thus: in Romans -justification in Christ; in Corinthians -sanctification in Christ; in Galatians -freedom in Christ; in Ephesians-oneness in Christ; in Philippians-joy in Christ; in Colossians-fulness in Christ; in Thessalonians glorification in Christ. G. I CORINTHIANS “Christ our Solution to Spiritual Problems” (2:6-8) 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden [wisdom] which God ordained before the ages for our glory, (NKJV) This letter comes about AD 57 from Ephesus on Paul’s 3rd journey. At Corinth, Paul spent one-and-one-half years developing the church. His longest letters and most impassioned correspondence were to those trouble believers. Their affluent and fast-growing port town brought them an inordinate amount of contact with immorality, pagan religion, and philosophy. Their problems with arrogance, leader-worshiping cliques, immorality, divorce, and misunderstandings of spiritual gifts are systematically addressed in response to their questions. There were probably four letters written to the Corinthians. We have two; the other two the Spirit of God didn't choose to leave for us. We know this scripturally because Paul says in I Corinthians, the letter I already wrote unto you. Then he talks about in II Corinthians the letter which made you grievous. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 121

H.

II CORINTHIANS “Christ our sufficiency” (3:5) 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as [being] from ourselves, but our sufficiency [is] from God, (NKJV) In AD 57 Paul writes again to his beloved Corinthian church from Macedonia just after leaving Philippi. I. GALATIANS “Christ our liberty” (5:1) Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (NKJV) AD 45 from Jerusalem Council. Galatians was written to counter false teaching about Christianity and the law and the relationship between faith and works. When the grace of God through His Spirit is rooted in our lives we find His fruit. This fruit reaches into our walk with God (love, joy and peace), our walk with others (gentleness, goodness and patience), and finally into our personal walk (faith, meekness and self-control). J. EPHESIANS “Christ our source of all” (3:20-21) Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (NKJV) Shortly after Paul returned to Jerusalem from his third missionary journey (A.D. 57), he was arrested in the Temple courtyard, imprisoned in Caesarea for two years, and tried by Felix and Festus. He then appealed to Agippa to be sent to Rome for trial before Caesar. Though Agippa comments to Festus that Paul might have been freed except for that appeal (Acts 26:32), Scripture indicates it was clearly in God's plan to send him to the empire's capital, as yet untouched by the apostles. While under house arrest in rented quarters in Rome (about A.D. 59 to 61 or 62), Paul wrote four letters known as the prison epistles. Of those, Ephesians is the best known for its tremendous theological content, which seems to drift in long, flowing statements of praise for God's work in Christ. K. PHILIPPIANS “Christ our Source of Joy” (1:6) Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete [it] until the day of Jesus Christ; (NKJV) Paul and Silas visited Philippi, their first Macedonian contact, on their second missionary journey in A.D. 52. To the saints and leadership of the church, Paul writes of joyful submission to the will of God, regardless of the circumstances, and uses the aweinspiring example of Christ Jesus as the model of humility and mutual submission within the church. L. COLOSSIANS “Christ our life” (2:10) Colossians 2:10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (NKJV) Paul never ministered in nor even visited Colossae as he had Ephesus, though one of his converts, Epaphras, had planted the church (1:7-8). Unique to Colossians, is Paul's attack against a local heresy that depreciated the person of Christ and promoted ritualism, asceticism, and special, hidden knowledge. To counter that, Paul praises Jesus as the center and substance Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 122

of the universe. He presents the “deeper” life (1:22-23), the “higher” life (2:6-7), the “inner” life (3:12,16) and the “outward” life (4:5). M. I THESSALONIANS “Christ our Hope” (3:13) 1 Thessalonians 3:13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. (NKJV) Addressed to one of Paul's first churches in Greece, 1 Thessalonians encourage the young believers to endure persecution, resist false teaching, and live full and productive lives as they await Christ's certain return. In fact, each of 1 Thessalonians' five chapters ends with encouragement based on the Rapture. N. II THESSALONIANS “Christ our Security” (1:11-12) 2 Thessalonians 1:1112 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (NKJV) (The return of Christ is mentioned 318x in the 260 chapters of the New Testament). To these troubled saints Paul presents Christ as our Security when Suffering (1), when doubting (2) and when serving (3). O. I TIMOTHY “Christ our Leader” (4:12) 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (NKJV) Timothy was a special disciples in whom Paul invested much time and to whom he entrusted great responsibility. His letters to him are usually dated after the events of Acts 28; tradition tells us Paul was then released from prision and that he embarked on further missionary ventures from A.D. 62 to 67, until his final imprisonment, trial, and execution. P. II TIMOTHY “Christ the Goal” (4:7-8) 2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (NKJV) Q. TITUS “Christ our Model to Follow” (2:10-11) Titus 2:10-11 . . . adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, (NKJV) R. PHILEMON “Christ our source of Forgiveness” (1:18) Philemon 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. (NKJV) One of the shortest New Testament letters was written to a member of the Colossian church, Philemon, to encourage him to act more like a Christian than a Roman in accepting back his runaway slave. S. HEBREWS “Christ the Best of ALL” (12:2) Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NKJV) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 123

Sometime in the AD 60’s before the Temple was destroyed, some was inspired by God to write Hebrews. Who? We cannot be sure. But the anonymity of the author does not detract from the letter`s authority. Hebrews speaks powerfully of the superiority of Christ, exalting Him over the angels (1-2), Moses (3-4) and the Aaronic priesthood (5-7), as well as the superiority of His New Covenant and sacrifice over the old (8-10). Chapters 11 to 13 plead for lives of faith in light of Christ's work and examples from the faithful of old. T. JAMES “Christ makes our Faith Work” (1:22) James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (NKJV) The earthly brother of Jesus who grew up with the boy Jesus was saved after the resurrection of his brother. He becomes one of the key leaders of the church. In about AD 45 as a pastor, he writes from Jerusalem. Some read James as a counter to Paul when he says, "Faith, if it has no works, is dead (2:17, NASB). But far from contradicting Paul, James was talking about lifestyle. He draws from a rich heritage of wisdom, the prophets, and his halfbrother's Sermon on the Mount, to write about the life of faith that looks theologically correct. U. I PETER “Christ our Victory over Suffering” (1:3) 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (NKJV) Some time around AD 61 Peter writes his letter encouraging all Christians to live holy and faithful lives and to be willing to suffer unjust persecution after the example of Christ. Peter challenges wives, husbands, elders, and young men to exercise humility, service, and self-control. V. II PETER “Christ the Victory over Error” (1:16) 2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. (NKJV) Second Peter and Jude are so alike many have wondered why both are needed in the New Testament. Because the Spirit inspired both they require careful study. Both deal urgently with an insidious and dangerous heresy that threatens the very lives of believers. Peter says the key to stability and growth is knowing God (1:5-11). W. I JOHN “Christ our Fellowship” (1:3) 1 John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (NKJV) John exhorts believers to show God's love Christ, by individually and sacrificially meeting the needs of others. He also commands us to turn from the world to love the Father. He stresses the danger of false teachers and false (anti-) christs. He emphasizes the apostles' teaching and the witness of the Spirit.

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II JOHN “Christ our Source of Separtion” (1:10-11) 2 John 10-11 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. (NKJV) Y. III JOHN “Christ our Prosperity” (1:2-3) 3 John 2-3 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth [that is] in you, just as you walk in the truth. (NKJV) Z. JUDE “Christ our Salvation” (1:3) Jude 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (NKJV) Jude was a second brother of Joseph and Mary in the earthly family of Jesus, who wrote a New Testament book after coming to Christ. Jude uses images stretching from before the Flood to the depths of the Pit where imprisoned fiends of unholy service wait in chains. He gives insight into colorful Old Testament personages like Lot, Balaam, Korah, Enoch and Michael. Ending with one of the strongest verses on our secure salvation, this book is a must read! AA. REVELATION “Christ Unveiled to Worship” (19:10) Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See [that you do] not [do that!] I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (NKJV) From the exile of Patmos, John gives a revelation of the character of the Lamb and the sovereignty of God, both of which should encourage believers of all ages-not just the last-to "overcome the world" with their faith and faithfulness toward God. Revelation contains more hymns of praise, more words of adoration to the Lamb, the Father, and the Spirit than any other New Testament book. Rather than try to identify the dragon and his beast, adore the true Trinity, sovereign over space and time. The book is also outlined by Revelation 1:19 "Write the things which you have seen (the vision of Christ in His glory- chapter 1), and the things which are (the vision of Christ and His church - chapters 2-3), and the things which will take place after this. (the vision of Christ and the Universe, chapters 4-22). BB.

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970409WE.DOC SEVEN DAYS FROM THE LIFE OF CHRIST Jesus lived the perfect life. Amazingly with such a full and demanding life, our Lord made it a habit to retreat to quiet places. There alone Christ expressed His absence of self-sufficiency by PRAYER. Look at Mark 1 to examine a couple of days in His life. Mark 1:21 starts one of the fullest days of His life. He had just returned Luke 4 tells us from the attempt on His life by the mob at Nazareth. Now He heals and teaches all day . . . note the next morning v. 35. No well deserved sleep in. No His spiritual life reigned! What a monitor of our spiritual condition prayer is. Without prayer we run on our own course, in our own strength and for our own glory. Through prayer we run on God's course, in the Sprit’s power and for the glory of Christ ! What is your prayer habits revealing about self-sufficiency in your life tonight? If you read closely the New Testament record you find a reference to specific days in the ministry of Jesus. By comparing the four gospel accounts we find there are 52 “days” chronicled in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. We will study just seven of them tonight. The first one was one of the most celebrated. We call it Christmas. On that night God sent a celestial sound and light show to herald the birth of the King of the Universe into human affairs. The Eternal One became an infant, and was born in a stable! The last day is His ascension to heaven. The Life of Christ may be divided into seven key days’ events which together frame the entire earthly life of Christ !

A summary I.

II.

HIS BIRTH A. This Introduction of the King of the Universe to only the Humble, shows the only way to His Presence B. The childhood of Christ was a sinless childhood, boyhood, youth and manhood. Those days were invested as an example to all humans of humility, hard work, obscurity, submissiveness, contentedness, prayerfulness and Scripture mastery. He endured the scorn of singleness as all were normally wed by 18 HIS BAPTISM. In Matthew 3 we find the second key day of the Life of Christ. A. Jesus was identifying with us the fallen human race Hebrews 2:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like [His] brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (NKJV) B. John was introducing the Promised Savior. John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (NKJV) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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God was approving of the Prepared Christ. Psalm 2:7 "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You [are] My Son, Today I have begotten You. (NKJV) The Spirit of God was empowering the work of redemption. Hebrews 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (NKJV)

III.

HIS TEMPTATION A. THE ARENA WAS THE WILDERNESS (Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4) How unlike the 1st Adam is this last Adam. “The Devil challenged the first man. The Last Man challenged the Devil. The Devil ruined the first Adam. The Last Adam spoiled the Devil. The First Adam involved the Race in his defeat. The Last Adam included the Race in His victory. The First Adam stood as the head of the race and falling, dragged the race down with him. The Last Adam stood as the Head of the new race, and being victorious, lifted that race with Him. B. THE ADVERSARY WAS SATAN. C. THE ACCOUNT IS CHRIST’S PERSONAL AND PRIVATE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT. D. THE ATTACK WAS TEMPTATION TO SIN. E. THE ANSWER OF CHRIST F. This was the Battle of the King, and in it the Word is the only means of Victory.

IV.

HIS TRANSFIGURATION A. Sharing the Exodus. 1. MOSES: Led the people of God from Egypt. 2. ELIJAH: Led the people of God from Idolatry. 3. JESUS: Led the people of God to Heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:16a For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. (NKJV) B. Showing the King. The Son is the only key to Worship. C. A Strengthening for the Horrors of His Cross. Luke 9:31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (NKJV) HIS CRUCIFIXION (#183 “Beneath” I take o cross thy shadow) A. The Work of the King at the Cross is the only door to Heaven. B. The Seven words from the Cross C. The Crowds at the foot of the Cross mirror the people of all time. HIS RESURRECTION. A. The Triumph of the King because the Empty Tomb is the only key to Hope/Confidence. B. Conclusion: Why? Jesus Christ our Lord, declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. 1. John 20:11-18 He came to save the: THE DEFILED like Mary He gives purity when they come to Him.

V.

VI.

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2.

VII.

John 20:19-23 He came to rescue THE DEPRESSED like the disciples who were in hiding. 3. John 20:24-31 He came to save the: THE DOUBTERS like Thomas and He patiently gives them Faith when they doubt? 4. John 21:1-14 He came to restore THE DESERTERS like James and John He gives them Humility when they ask Him. 5. John 21:15-25 He came to save THE DENIERS like fearful Peter and gives them forgiveness when they fail Him! C. Evidences: 1. Four eyewitness accounts in the Gospels. They all agree! 2. The Tomb is empty. Then and to this day no body ever found! 3. The abandoned Grave clothes. 4. The witnesses who saw Him alive. 5. Transformed lives of disciples. 6. The New day of Worship for Christians. HIS ASCENSION. The last day was the day He went home. How the hosts of heaven had waited. He whose glory fills the heavens now was coming home in triumph. Crown him w/many crowns #234 A. The Exaltation of the King B. His entrance into Glory

VIII. HIS BIRTH A. This Introduction of the King of the Universe to only the Humble, shows the only way to His Presence. Who missed out on His arrival ? Remember them: 1. First there was AUGUSTUS: “Mr. BIG” Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days [that] a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. (NKJV) a) Augustus was too big to notice the significance of this event b) GOD COMES IN SMALL THINGS. LISTEN TO PAUL: I Corinthians 1:26-27 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called.] ; (NKJV) 2. Second, there was QUIRINIUS: “Mr. Somewhere Else” Luke 2:2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) (NIV) a) Quirinius was too far away to notice thge significance of this event. b) GOD COMES IN THE THINGS THAT ARE CLOSE. LISTEN TO PAUL: Romans 10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: (NIV) 3. Third, there was the INNKEEPER: “Mr. Busy” Luke 2:7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (NIV) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 128

a)

IX.

The Innkeeper was too busy to notice the significance of this event. b) GOD COMES TO THE SIMPLE. LISTEN AGAIN: I Corinthians 1:27-28 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things -- and the things that are not -- to nullify the things that are, (NIV) 4. FOURTH, there was Herod: “Mr. Earthly Minded” Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem (NIV) a) Herod was to earthly minded to notice the significance of this event. b) GOD CAME TO THE SPIRITUAL . LISTEN AGAIN TO PAUL: I Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (NIV) 5. Fifth, there were the RELIGIOUS LEADERS: “Mr. Self Righteous” Matthew 2:4-5 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: (NIV) a) The Religious Leaders were too SELF-RIGHTEOUS/GOOD [God's word isn't for me here and now, its something for out there or something] to notice the significance of this event. b) GOD COMES TO THE LOST SEEKERS. They knew it, but didn't care enough to go five miles south of town and experience it. They pointed others to seek out the Savoior but never went to worship themselves. LISTEN TO GOD: Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. (NIV) 6. WELL HOW ABOUT IT: ARE YOU: a) TOO BIG? GOD WANTS YOU SMALL b) TOO FAR? GOD WANTS YOU CLOSE. c) TOO BUSY? GOD WANTS YOU TO STOP. d) TOO EARTHLY MINDED? GOD WANTS YOU TOO LOOK UP. e) TOO SELF-RIGHTEOUS? GOD WANTS LOST SEEKERS. B. The childhood of Christ was a sinless childhood, boyhood, youth and manhood. Those days were invested as an example to all humans of humility, hard work, obscurity, submissiveness, contentedness, prayerfulness and Scripture mastery. He endured the scorn of singleness as all were normally wed by 18 HIS BAPTISM. In Matthew 3 we find the second key day of the Life of Christ. It was the day the small door leading to the carpenter’s shop closed for the last time. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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Gone would be the hours of wonderfilled talks the local folks had enjoyed with the kindest man they ever had met. No more would the wide eyes of children be seen looking wistfully off as stories from the Scriptures of David and Elijah and Moses were shared seemingly with an eye witness aura about them. As the meek and lowly Carpenter headed toward the Jordan, He had to wind His way through the crowds. His cousin John was preaching at thr River’s edge. A group of scowling Pharisees were standing off to the side as the Baptist fiery words aimed at them told of their utter viperlike lack of contrition was excluding them from his baptism of repentance. Looking back at the crowds John was struck by the serenity of One confidently striding to the waters edge. As he looked into the eyes of Jesus he saw for the first time in any man such purity, holiness and truth that the same lips that denied the wicked false religionists now were disqualifying himself. In the presence of Jesus John saw his own sinfulness. But today after a protest, John yielded to the Master that day and baptized the Christ. A. Why did Christ seek baptism? 1. Jesus was identifying with us the fallen human race Hebrews 2:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like [His] brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (NKJV) 2. John was introducing the Promised Savior. John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (NKJV) 3. God was approving of the Prepared Christ. Psalm 2:7 "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You [are] My Son, Today I have begotten You. (NKJV) 4. The Spirit of God was empowering the work of redemption. Hebrews 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (NKJV) B. The Spirit is the only power for Ministry C. The Authentication of the King HIS TEMPTATION A. THE ARENA WAS THE WILDERNESS (Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4) Christ was with wild beasts (Mark 1:13) ; He was 40 Days without food ( Matthew 4; Luke 4) How unlike the 1st Adam is this last Adam. “The Devil challenged the first man. The Last Man challenged the Devil. The Devil ruined the first Adam. The Last Adam spoiled the Devil. The First Adam involved the Race in his defeat. The Last Adam included the Race in His victory. The First Adam stood as the head of the race and falling, dragged the race down with him. The Last Adam stood as the Head of the new race, and being victorious, lifted that race with Him. B. THE ADVERSARY WAS SATAN. Christ met the Devil, that Dragon and slandererous fallen Lucifer, the father of sin, lies, murder, death and hell. The very powerful King of Darkness. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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D.

THE ACCOUNT IS CHRIST’S PERSONAL AND PRIVATE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT. It is so special because only He was there. The fact that we have it speaks to His personal desire that we have it to help us as we face the same adversary. May we likewise conquer in His power! God approving of those 30 silent years of patient preparation. God approved of the life investment of Christ. Are we living in a way that God has approved? The baptism of Jesus by John was the Holy Spirit accomplishing God’s purposes through His yielded life. From the manger to the Tomb the Holy Spirit empowered Him to do the will of God. Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (KJV) All Jesus did was through the Spirit. Christ accomplished a life of devoted obedience in the power of the Spirit. WHAT HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH YOU? The Holy Spirit asks: Have you met Him? Identified with Him? Been approved by Him? Accomplished His plan? THE ATTACK WAS TEMPTATION TO SIN. In the Gospels we have Satan tempting Christ. The 40 days were filled with a spiritual struggle. The climax of Satan’s attack is given in Matthew and Luke 4. In Matthew 4 we have the chronological order. 1. Physical Attack: a) APPETITE = The Desire to Enjoy (Mt. 4:2-4; Luke. 4:2-4; I John 2:16 ‘lust flesh’. (1) In the Bread into stones temptation Satan attacks Christ at the point of submission to the will of God. Would Christ submit and obey the Father at all costs or not. (2) This attack was the temptation to satisfy a legitimate desire by illegitimate means. (3) This is the whole realm of sensual things, drugs, alcohol. Trying to get what only God can give. Filling that God shaped vacuum in our lives with pleasure over worship. b) THE ANSWER: Deuteronomy 8:3 "So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every [word] that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. (NKJV) 2. Mental Attack: a) AMBITION = The Desire to Achieve Mt. 4:5-6; Luke. 4:9-11; I John 2:16 ‘pride of life’ (1) In the jump temptation the Devil was attacking Christ and His reliance upon God and His timing. Stunts, dazzling displays and presumption are all contrary to God’s plan. (2) This attack was according to J. Oswald Sanders the temptation to produce spiritual results in an unspiritual way. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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E.

F. XI.

This is the whole realm of rivalry, externalism, pride, haughtiness and self-reliance. b) THE ANSWER: Deuteronomy 6:16 3. Spiritual Attack: AVARICE = The Desire to Obtain Matthew 4:8-11; Luke 4:5-7; I John 2:16 ‘lust of eyes’ a) THE TEMPTATION (1) In the bow down temptation the Devil was offering the possibility of Christ circumventing the Cross and Calvary. This was the escape pain and suffering route. (2) Again this was the temptation to obtain a godly heritage in an ungodly way! (3) This is the whole realm of materialism, greed, possessiveness, trust in riches and worldliness b) THE ANSWER: Deuteronomy 6:13 "You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. (NKJV). As Augustine said: “We all have a god and we look more like who or whatever it is every day.” THE ANSWER OF CHRIST 1. His answer was Simple: Christ used a simple method when facing temptation: a) His response was not clever, novel or sophisticated. b) Even a child could understand exactly what He said. 2. His answer was Scriptural: Christ used a scriptural method when facing temptation: a) For each temptation He had discovered an appropriate Scripture. b) For each temptation He quoted an appropriate Scripture. 3. His answer was Successful: a) In relation to Christ = TOTAL TRIUMPH He is absolutely seen as pure and empowered by the Spirit. He goes on in ministry enables and strengthened. b) In relation to Satan = TOTAL DEFEAT he is absolutely exposed as being in line for his final defeat and destruction in the lake of fire forever. 4. In relation to Believers = TOTAL ASSURANCE because x met and conquered Satan, through Jesus we are more than conquerors. No temptation but God is able to give us an exit! This was the Battle of the King, and in it the Word is the only means of Victory.

HIS TRANSFIGURATION A. Sharing the Exodus. Both Moses and Elijh in a special way shared in Christ’s decease. Both had seen a special manifestation of God's glory passing before them (Ex. 33:17-23 and I Kings 19:9-13). Both had unusual ends to their earthly lives: Moses, a personal graveside death and burial by God and Elijah a death defying fiery chariot ride to heaven. 1. MOSES: Led the people of God from Egypt. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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a)

XII.

The Lawgiver comes to the Land of Promise at last. God said the Law could never lead to the rest of Heaven only grace. Romans 8:2-3 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. b) 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God [did] by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, (NKJV). c) He is a picture of the dead in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4:16b And the dead in Christ will rise first. (NKJV) 2. ELIJAH: Led the people of God from Idolatry. a) The Prophet sees the the Lord of Promises at last 1 Peter 1:11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. (NKJV). b) He is a picture of the Raptured saints. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (NKJV) 3. JESUS: Led the people of God to Heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:16a For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. (NKJV) B. Showing the King. The Son is the only key to Worship. 1. A Glimpse at His Glory: John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (NKJV) 2 Peter 1:17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (NKJV). 2. A Preview of our Powerful Second Coming King. Matthew 24:30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (NKJV) 3. A Peek at the Eternal Glory always in Christ. John 17:5 "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (NKJV) 4. A Promise of the glory we will share with. John 17:22, 24 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 24 "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. (NKJV) C. A Strengthening for the Horrors of His Cross. Luke 9:31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (NKJV) HIS CRUCIFIXION (#183 “Beneath” I take o cross thy shadow) Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org

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A. B.

The Work of the King at the Cross is the only door to Heaven. The Seven words from the Cross 1. The first three speak to the deepest needs of humanity a) “Father forgive” His mercy upon sinners. b) “Today . . . Paradise” His love for seekers. c) “Woman . . . thy son” His care for sharers. 2. The second four to the deepest woes of His agony a) “My God” a cry of spiritual aguish. The net result of sin is to be forsaken by God. So Jesus experienced that horror for us! b) “I thirst” a cry of physical anguish. c) “It is finished” a cry of triumphant certainty. d) “Father” a cry of eternal fellowship. C. The Crowds at the foot of the Cross mirror the people of all time. 1. Observers: some were sorrowing disciples who knew and loved Him so. Others were spectating bystanders who never came to faith inspite of all they witnessed. 2. Objects: one repenting and one resisting were the thieves, one descends to darkness the other ascends to light. Both were sinners, both faced Jesus but only one repents. 3. Officials: what a contrast between the mocking and celebrating religious leaders, and meditating and moved to faith centurion. XIII. HIS RESURRECTION. What a shock it was. The Destroyers hold upon death was destroyed (Hebrews 2:14 - Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,). And from the grave by the power of the Father no corruption could touch Him, He broke the bars and walked out in Triumph. By His resurrection He confirmed all the promises of God, He assured all who had died in faith and He empowered all who would follow Him. The Resurrection and the Life was forever our Risen Lord! “Arise my soul” #199 (Five bleeding wounds he bears) A. The Triumph of the King because the Empty Tomb is the only key to Hope/Confidence. B. Conclusion: Why? Jesus Christ our Lord, declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. 1. John 20:11-18 He came to save the: THE DEFILED like Mary He gives purity when they come to Him. 2. John 20:19-23 He came to rescue THE DEPRESSED like the disciples who were in hiding. 3. John 20:24-31 He came to save the: THE DOUBTERS like Thomas and He patiently gives them Faith when they doubt? 4. John 21:1-14 He came to restore THE DESERTERS like James and John He gives them Humility when they ask Him. 5. John 21:15-25 He came to save THE DENIERS like fearful Peter and gives them forgiveness when they fail Him! C. Evidences: Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 134

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Four eyewitness accounts in the Gospels. They all agree! The Tomb is empty. Then and to this day no body ever found! The abandoned Grave clothes. The witnesses who saw Him alive. Transformee lives of disciples. The New day of Worship for Christians. XIV. HIS ASCENSION. The last day was the day He went home. How the hosts of heaven had waited. He whose glory fills the heavens now was coming home in triumph. crown him w/many crowns #234 A. The Exaltation of the King B. His entrance into Glory 1. The Perfect One. Others came by the Mercy, this One came on His own merits! Heb better than Abel 2. The Triumphant One: Psalm 24:8-10 Who [is] this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He [is] the King of glory. Selah (NKJV) 3. The Exalted One: God gave Him a name. Phil 2 What name? The name promised Mat 1, the name placarded on the Cross, the name scoffed by the lsot, the name loved by His own, the name of Jesus! C. The Savior is the only Sign we look for. 1. He is our Wounded God the Son Revelation 5:6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (NKJV). 2. He is our Wrathful God the Son 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 and to [give] you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NKJV) D. Wounded for me, Wounded for me, There on the Cross He was wounded for me, Gone my transgressions and now I can sing, all because Jesus was wounded for me. (W.G. Ovens)

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010107 AM Mark-44 Masters Message in Luke-4

THE MASTER’S MESSAGE SERIES LUKE-4 This morning the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most wonderful message ever conceived, and the most powerful formula ever devised. What do I mean? Well when someone hears and believes God's Word their life is revolutionized. What can this Gospel do? As you turn back towards Romans 1:16-17, listen to this testimonial of the power unleashed by the Gospel proclaimed by the Book you hold in your hands! During51 Ravi Zacharias’s ministry in Vietnam in 197I, one of his interpreters who traveled with him was Hien Pham. Within four years Vietnam fell, and Hien's fate was unknown, until seventeen years later, in 1988. Shortly after Vietnam fell to the Communists, Hien was arrested. Accused of aiding and abetting the Americans he was in and out of prison for several years. During one long jail term, the sole purpose of his jailers was to indoctrinate him against the West-and especially against democratic ideals and the Christian faith. He was cut off from reading anything in English and restricted to communist propaganda in French or Vietnamese. This daily overdose of the writings of Marx and Engels began to take its toll on him. One of the books he was given to read pictured the communist man as a bird in the ironclad cage of capitalism, throwing itself against the bars of "capitalist oppression" and bloodying itself in the process. Yet still it continued to struggle in its quest for freedom. Hien began to buckle under the onslaught. Maybe, he thought, I have been lied to. Maybe God does not exist. Maybe my whole life bas been governed by lies. Maybe the West has deceived me. The more he thought, the more he moved toward a decision. Finally, he made up his mind. He determined that when he awakened the next day, he would not pray anymore or ever think of his Christian faith again. The next morning, he was assigned to clean the latrines of the prison. It was the most dreaded chore, shunned by everyone, and so with much distress he began the awful task. As he cleaned out a tin can filled to overflowing with toilet paper, his eye caught what he thought was English printed on one piece of paper. He hurriedly washed it off and slipped it into his hip pocket, planning to read it at night. Not having seen anything in English for such a long time, he anxiously waited for a free moment. Under his mosquito net that night after his roommates had fallen asleep, he pulled out a small flashlight and shining it on the damp piece of paper he read at the top corner, "Romans, Chapter 8." Literally trembling with shock, he began to read: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.... What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us -how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ... 51

Ravi Zacharias, Deliver us from evil, p. 191ff.

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Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:28, 3I, 32, 35, 37-39)

Hien wept. He knew his Bible, and he had not seen one for so long. Not only that, he knew there was not a more relevant passage of conviction and strength for one on the verge of surrendering to the threat of evil. He cried out to God, asking for forgiveness, for this was to have been the first day in years that he had determined not to pray. Evidently the Lord had other plans. The next day, Hien asked the camp commander if he could clean the latrine again. He continued with this chore on a regular basis, because he had discovered that some official in the camp was using a Bible as toilet paper. Each day Hien picked up a portion of Scripture, cleaned it off, and added it to his nightly devotional reading. In this way he retrieved a significant portion of the Bible. The day came when, through an equally providential set of circumstances, Hien was released, and years later Hien arrived on American soil where today he is a businessman-forever grateful for America and praying that she would open her heart as a nation to Christ. Now join me as we stand and read Romans 1:16-17; and then 8:37-39. Note with me how the Apostle Paul describes the Powerful Gospel of Christ we have been studying these past weeks. That is the powerful message of Christ's Gospel in Luke. We find again this morning Jesus Christ on every page as our compassionate Savior, who came to live among sinners, love them, help them, and die for them. Luke is a book with a message for everybody, because of the universality of Jesus Christ and His salvation: “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10) 52. The Lord of glory Jesus, has come down to our level, Jesus our Savior entered into our conditions (sin excepted), Jesus our Lord subjected Himself to our circumstances, and Jesus our Master lived His life on the same plane as ours is lived. Jesus our God was born as none other ever was,

JESUS OUR EXAMPLE LIVED AS NONE OTHER DID, AND Jesus our Redeemer died as none other ever could. This morning we continue what will be perhaps one of the greatest studies we have ever taken. We will look at each of Christ's presentations of the Gospel. Each way Jesus described salvation to both His Twelve and to the world. 30. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOSPEL OF ETERNAL SALVATION Luke 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ETERNAL SAVATION 52

Quoted from Wiersbe, Warren W., The Bible Exposition Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books) 1997.

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31. SALVATION IS LIGHT, LIFE, AND PEACE Luke 1:47-79 v. 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 1:52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. v. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. v. 68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, v. 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, v. 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, v. 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, v. 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven. SINNERS, SAVED AND FORGIVEN BY GOD’S MERCY 32. SALVATION IS A PERSON Luke 2:30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation SALVATION IS trusting the right PERSON Jesus is The one and only True God who saves eternally and exists in Tri-unity (Three Persons) – beware of any doctrine about God that doesn't have three persons; The True Jesus is God the Son, the Creator, who is Infinite and Eternal – beware of any doctrine that has Jesus as a created being. The True Gospel is an unmerited Gift through a substitutionary atonement – beware of any gospel that has a system of good works and a needed baptism etc 33. JESUS PREACHED - BEAR FRUIT OR BE CAST INTO THE FIRE Luke 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. FRUIT SHOWING REPENTANCE Luke 3:9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” FRUIT OR FIRE 3:17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” 34. SALVATION IS HEARING CHRIST'S VOICE AND FOLLOWING HIM Luke 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” SINS FORGIVEN BY FAITH 5:27 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” HEARING VOICE AND FOLLOWING JESUS 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” BY REPENTING SINNERS 35. BELIEVERS ARE ENGAGED TO CHRIST REGENERATED AND INDWELT Luke 5:34 Jesus answered, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? ENGAGED TO CHRIST 5:38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. WITH NEW WINE INSIDE NEW BOTTLES 36. GENUINE BELIEVERS ARE CHRISTLIKE, GOODHEARTED, AND LORD OBEYING Luke 6:35-47 v. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. LOVING SONS OF MOST HIGH v. 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. CHRISTLIKE 6:43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. BEARING GOOD FRUIT 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 6:47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: LORD OBEYING from cathedral in Lubeck, Germany: You call me Master, and obey me not; You call me Light, and see me not; You call me the Way, and walk me not; You call me the Life, and live me not; You call me wise, and follow me not; You call me Fair, and love me not; You call me Rich, and ask me not; You call me Eternal and seek me not. If I condemn thee, blame me not! Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 138

37. JESUS CALLS US TO AGREE WITH GOD ABOUT OUR SIN Luke 7:29-30 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified (homologeo said same thing as God does) God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” FORGIVEN SINNERS 7:50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” BELIEVING AND PEACEFUL Do not confuse this event with a similar one involving Mary of Bethany (John 12:1–8), and do not identify this woman with Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2) as many continue to do. The woman admitted she was a sinner and gave evidence that she was a repentant sinner. If you check a harmony of the Gospels, you will discover that just before this event, Jesus had given the gracious invitation, “Come unto Me... and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28–30). Perhaps that was when the woman turned from her sin and trusted the Saviour. Her tears, her humble attitude, and her expensive gift all spoke of a changed heart. Jesus proved that He was indeed a prophet by reading Simon’s thoughts and revealing his needs. The parable does not deal with the amount of sin in a person’s life but the awareness of that sin in his heart. How much sin must a person commit to be a sinner? Simon and the woman were both sinners. Simon was guilty of sins of the spirit, especially pride, while the woman was guilty of sins of the flesh (see 2 Cor. 7:1). Her sins were known, while Simon’s sins were hidden to everyone except God. And both of them were bankrupt and could not pay their debt to God. Simon was just as spiritually bankrupt as the woman, only he did not realize it. Forgiveness is a gift of God’s grace; the debt was paid in full by Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18–19). The word frankly means “graciously and freely.” The woman accepted God’s free offer of salvation and expressed her love openly. Simon rejected that offer and remained unforgiven. There are two errors we must avoid as we interpret our Lord’s words. First, we must not conclude that this woman was saved by her tears and her gift. Jesus made it clear that it was her faith alone that saved her (Luke 7:50), for no amount of good works can pay for salvation (Titus 3:4–7).53 38. JESUS TAUGHT A GOSPEL OF ENDURING FRUIT BEARING Luke 8:1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, RECIPENTS OF THE GOOD NEWS Luke 8:8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” HEARTS WITH GOOD SOIL – SEED WHICH GREW – LIVES THAT WERE FRUITFUL 8:13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. ROOTED TRUTH 8:14-15 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. UNCHOKED RIGHTEOUSNESS 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. GOOD – HEAR – RETAIN – BEAR FRUIT 39. SALVATION IS DESIRING JESUS Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. SALVATION EQUALS FOLLOWING CHRIST 40. TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN REGISTERED IN HEAVEN BY GOD Luke 10:20-22 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 22 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the 53Wiersbe, Warren W., The Bible Exposition Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books) 1997. Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 139

Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Check Hebrews 12 41. THE EVIDENCE OF CHRIST'S CHILDREN IS THEY SEEK: Luke 11:2-4 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: (GOD AS FATHER) Our Father in heaven, (WORSHIPING HIM) Hallowed be Your name. (SUBMISSIVE TO HIM) Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 3 (DEPENDING ON HIM) Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, (LOVING OTHERS) For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. (SEEKING HOLINESS) And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.” 42. JESUS CALLED FOR INSIDE OUTEDNESS Luke 11:28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” 11:34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 11:39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. INSIDE OUT LIVING 43. YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF HEAVEN IF YOU ARE: CHRIST CONFESSING, GOD WEALTHY, KINGDOM SEEKING, AND HEAVENLY HEARTED Luke 12:8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 12:21 “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” RICH TOWARD GOD 12:31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. HEAVENWARD HEARTS 12:37-38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. WATCHING and 44. JESUS DESCRIBES THOSE HEADING TO HEAVEN AS: SIN REPENTING, FRUIT BEARING, GATE ENTERING, GOD KNOWING, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS DOING Luke 13:56 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. REPENTANT and FRUITFUL 13:24-27 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ WALKING NARROW ROAD – KNOWING GOD – DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS 45. SALVATION IS WHEN WE IMPOSSIBLY COME TO CHRIST Luke 14:26-27, 33 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. COMES TO CHRIST – LOVES CHRIST – IDENTIFIES WITH CHRIST – FOLLOWS CHRIST– GIVES UP ALL TO CHRIST 46. GENUINE CHRISTIANS ARE SIN REPENTING Luke 15:7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” REPENTING SINNERS 47. JESUS SAID THAT THREE EVIDENCES OF SALVATION ARE: LIGHT LIVING, GOD SERVING, AND WORD RECEIVING Luke 16:8 “The master commended the dishonest Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 140

manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. PEOPLE OF LIGHT Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” DEVOTED TO ONLY ONE MASTER 16:31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” RECEPTIVE TO GOD’S WORD 48. A TRUE BELIEVER REALIZES THEY ARE MERCY NEEDING Luke 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ SEEKING GOD’S MERCY 49. A TRUE BELIEVER REALIZES THEY ARE HELPLESSLY COMING Luke 18:17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” HELPLESS CHILDLIKE RECEPTION 50. A TRUE BELIEVER IS LOST-KNOWING AND GOD-OBEYING Luke 18:19-27 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” KNOWING YOU ARE LOST-KNOWING GOD IS BOSS 51. A TRUE BELIEVER REALIZES THEY ARE FOUND BY CHRIST Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” FOUND BY CHRIST 52. A TRUE BELIEVER IS REPENTANT AND FORGIVEN Luke 24:47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. REPENTANT AND FORGIVEN

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971119 WE Matthew

MATTHEW “CHRIST OUR KING” Matthew’s gospel is the presentation of Christ our King. Matthew points to Christ's kingship in every chapter as clearly as John points to His Deity. In this first gospel God is revealing King Jesus, the Jews are rejecting King Jesus and Jesus is promising that He will be returning as King and every eye will see Him. One Bible scholar who spent an entire decade studying every word of Matthew’s Gospel over and over wrote this summary: Jesus is painted in royal colors in this gospel as in none of the others. His ancestry is traced from the royal line of Israel; his birth is dreaded by a jealous earthly king; the magi bring the infant Jesus royal gifts from the east; and John the Baptist heralds the King and proclaims that His kingdom is at hand. Even the temptations in the wilderness climax with Satan offering Jesus the kingdoms of this world. The Sermon on the Mount is the manifesto of the King, the miracles are His royal credentials, and many of the parables portray the mysteries of His kingdom. Jesus identifies Himself with the king’s son in a parable and makes a royal entry into Jerusalem. While facing the cross He predicts His future reign, and He claims dominion over the angels in heaven. His last words are that all authority Yet Matthew also focuses most uniquely on the rejection of Jesus as King. In no other gospel are the attacks against Jesus’ character and Jesus’ claims so bitter and vile as those reported in Matthew. The shadow of rejection is never lifted from Matthew’s story.  Before Jesus was born, His mother, Mary, was in danger of being rejected by Joseph.  Soon after He was born, Herod threatened His life, and His parents had to flee with Him to Egypt.  His herald, John the Baptist, was put in a dungeon and eventually beheaded.  During His earthly ministry Jesus had no place to lay His head, no place to call home. In Matthew’s gospel no penitent thief acknowledges Jesus’ Lordship, and no friend or loved one is seen at the foot of the cross-only the mockers and scorners. Even the women are pictured at a distance (27:55-56), and in His death Jesus cries out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (27:46). Only a Gentile centurion speaks a favorable word about the crucified One: “Truly this was the Son of God!” (27:54). When some of the soldiers who had stood guard over the tomb reported its being empty, the Jewish authorities paid them to say that Jesus’ body was stolen by His disciples (28:11-15). Yet Jesus is also shown as the King who ultimately will return to judge and to rule. All the earth one-day “will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory” (24:30), His coming will be “at an hour when you do not think He will” (v. 44) and He will come in glory and in judgment (25:31-33).

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No reader can fully immerse himself in this gospel without emerging with a compelling sense of both the eternal majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ and the strong power that sin and Satan held over the apostate Israel that rejected Christ. No gospel is more instructive to those who are the Lord’s disciples and who are called to represent Him in the world. The lessons on discipleship are life changing for the committed reader, as they were for the eleven who were Jesus’ first followers. Thus, with all its great themes of majesty and glory, rejection and apostasy, the book of Matthew lacks no practicality. Woven through all that is the constant thread of revealed instruction for those who are His 54 representatives among men .

Let’s start by looking at the Gospel Accounts found only in Matthew: Passage 1:2O-24 2:1-12 2:13-15 2:16-18 27:3-10 27:19 27:52 28:11-15 28:19, 20

Subject Joseph's dream* The visit of the wise men Escape to Egypt* Slaughter of the children* The death of Judas* The dream of Pilate's wife The other resurrections The bribery of the guards The baptism emphasis in the Great Commission*

 Matthew records nine special events that are not mentioned in any of the other Gospels.  In each case, the most apparent reason for Matthew's choice has to do with his purpose in communicating the gospel to Jewish people.  Five cases are fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies (marked with asterisks above). The other four would have been of particular interest to the Jews of Matthew's day. MATTHEW records no less than 40 different names of

GOD THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT: 1. Jesus Christ: Mt. 1:1 2. Son of David: Mt. 1:1 3. Son of Abraham: Mt. 1:1 4. Jesus: Mt. 1:16 5. Christ: Mt. 1:17 6. Holy Ghost: Mt. 1:18,20 7. Lord: Mt. 1:22 8. Emmanuel: Mt. 1:23 (God With Us) 9. King of the Jews: Mt. 2:2; Mt 27:11 10. Governor: Mt. 2:6 11. God: Mt. 2:12 12. Spirit of God: Mt. 3:16 13. Son: Mt. 3:17 14. Spirit: Mt. 4:1; Mk. 1:10 54

MacArthur, Intro to Matthew.

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15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

Son of God: Mt. 4:3 Lord Thy God: Mt. 4:7,10 Father: Mt. 5:16 (in heaven) Great King: Mt. 5:35 Father In Secret: Matthew 6:4-6 Master: Mt. 8:19 (Rabbin 1:38) (Rabboni Jn. 20:16) Son of Man: Mt. 8:20 Bridegroom: Mt. 9:15 Lord of Harvest: Mt. 9:38 Spirit of Your Father: Mt. 10:20 Father Lord of Heaven & Earth: Matthew 11:25 Father: Mt. 11:26 Lord of Sabbath: Mt. 12:8 Greater than Jonah: Mt. 12:41 Greater than Solomon: Mt. 12:42 Carpenters Son: Mt. 13:55 Prophet: Mt. 13:57 (The Prophet) Jn. 7:40 God of Israel: Mt. 15:31 Son of the Living God: Mt. 16:16 Beloved Son: Mt. 3:17; Mk. 1:11 Good Master: Mt. 19:16 God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: Mt. 22:32 Living God: Mt. 26:63 Jesus of Galilee: Mt. 26:69 Jesus of Nazareth: Mt. 26:71 King of Israel: Mt. 27:22

Now, look at how Matthew works in the Messiah’s Kingship into every chapter of the book. OUTLINE Key theme: The King and His kingdom Key verses: Matthew 2:2; 4:17 Matthew records God's presentation of His Perfect King. In each chapter Jesus is seen in His beauty and power as King:

God's King Revealed Matthew 1-10 (Note: The message during this period of His ministry was, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” [3:2; 4:17; 10:7].) 1. God presents His King by a Royal Ancestry 2. God presents His King Arriving Royally 3. God presents His King by a Prepared Ambassador 4. God presents His King Defeating the Rebel Leader Satan 5. God presents His King Describing the Character of His Subjects. 6. God presents His King Describing the Conduct of His Subjects 7. God presents His King Describing the Consistency of His Subjects 8. God presents His King Displaying His Power over the natural world: disease (v. 1-15); demons (v. 16-17, 28-34) and men (v. 18-22). Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 144

9. God presents His King Displaying His Power over the Spiritual world: forgiveness (v. 1-8); religion (v. 10-17); Death, darkness and dumbness (v. 18-34) 10. God presents His King Commissioning His Apostles

God's King Rebelled against Matthew 11-13 11. God presents His King’s messenger and message rejected 12. God presents His King attacked personally 13. God presents His King through His Kingdom Mysteries

God's King Retreating with His Apostles Matthew 14-20 14. God presents His King’s Compassion (death John, feeding 5,000 and walking to disciples on the sea) 15. God presents His King’s Convictions (defilement, Syro-Phonecian, feeding 4,000) 16. God presents His King by a Confession of His Deity (First mention of the cross—16:21) 17. God presents His King by a Glimpse of His Glory (Second mention of the cross—17:22) 18. God presents His King’s Humility (children, 99 sheep, etc.) 19. God presents His King by His Absolute Authority (Word, Way and rewards) 20. God presents His King’s Position (Judge, Son & Messiah) (Third mention of the cross—20:17– 19)

God's King Rejected and Slain Matthew 21-27 21. God presents His King Presenting Himself 22. God presents His King Answering Skeptics (heaven, money and the Law) 23. God presents His King Rebuking Religious Hypocrisy 24. God presents His King Revealing the Future 25. God presents His King Returning in Glory 26. God presents His King Preparing to Die 27. God presents His King Offering His Life

God's King Raised from the Dead Matthew 28 28. God presents His King Conquering Death If we look closely at some of the individual verses of this book we can see how much like a King He Was! 1. HE HAD THE NAME OF A KING “They shall call his name Emmanuel” (1:23). 2. HE HAD THE PLACE OF A KING “Out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (2:6). 3. HE HAD THE FANFARE OF A KING “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight (3:3). 4. HE HAD THE CORONATION OF A KING “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (3:17). 5. HE HAD THE RESPECT DUE TO A KING “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shall thou serve” (4:10). 6. HE HAD THE AUTHORITY TO SPEAK AS A KING “And he opened his mouth, and taught them” (5:2). “He taught them as one having authority ...” (7:29). Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 145

7. HE HAD THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THE DEMANDS OF A KING: What characterizes those seekers of God’s kingdom or ruling in life? Matthew 6:33  Every desire of life must be tested in relation to the King.  Every decision must be made in the interest of the King. Prov 3:5-6  Every duty must be performed for the pleasure of the King. I Cor 10:31  Every difficulty must be faced by trusting the King. Lk 9.23  Every danger must be braved for the honor of the King. 2 Tim 3.12  Every dishonor must be endured for the sake of the King. Mat 5.11-12  Every distraction must be ignored for the claims of the King. Heb 12.1-2 8. HE HAD THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE THE DESTINY OF HIS SUBJECTS AS A KING: Remember Matthew 7:13-23:  True believers are those who ENTER GOD’S WAY [v. 13-15 it is narrow, small and they are few]  True believers are those who BEAR GOD’S FRUIT [v.16-20]  True believers are those who DO GOD’S WILL [V. 21]  True believers are those who KNOW GOD INTIMATELY [v. 22-23]  True believers are those who ACT ON THE WORD OF GOD [v.24a if God says it they believe and obey]  True believers are those who BUILD THEIR LIVES UPON THE ROCK [v. 24b 9. HE HAD THE EXPECTED LOYALTY AS A KING “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad” (12:30). 10. HE HAD THE ENEMIES OF A KING “From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes (16:21). 11. HE HAD THE LOVE OF A KING The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many (20:28). 12. HE HAD THE AUTHORITY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE AS A KING: Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. (NKJV)  For nation [ethne] will rise against nation, BOSNIA  and kingdom against kingdom. CHECHNYA  And there will be famines, SAHARA and SOMALIA  pestilences, EBOLA  and earthquakes in various places. JAPAN 13. HE HAD THE PROMISED GLORY TO RETURN SOMEDAY AS A KING When the Son of man shall come ... then shall the King shall say unto them ... Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom (25:31,34). Parables of Matthew 25 speak to elements of preparation for Christ's return.  The 10 virgins (25:1-13) teaches us we each have a personal responsibility to be ready in the proper spiritual condition for Christ.  The Talents (25:14-30) teaches us that we need to use the talents God has given us.  The Sheep and the Goats (25:31-46) stresses the necessity God's children have of compassion and care for the needy around us. 14. HE HAD TO DIE AS A KING And they crucified him ... and set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS (27:35,37). 15. HE HAD THE ULTIMATE VICTORY, AS A KING He is not here: for he is risen, as he said (28:6).

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Lessons from the Days of Christ's Life in Matthew If you read closely the New Testament record you find a reference to specific days in the ministry of Jesus. By comparing the four gospels accounts we find there are 52 “days” chronicled in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. We will study just seven of them tonight. The first one was one of the most celebrated. We call it Christmas. On that night God sent a celestial sound and light show to herald the birth of the King of the Universe into human affairs. The Eternal One became an infant, and was born in a stable! The last day is His ascension to heaven. The Life of Christ may be divided into seven key days’ events which together frame the entire earthly life of Christ! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

his Birth = WE SHOULD BE WATCHING GOD'S WORD (1-2) HIS BAPTISM = We should be obeying God's Word (3) HIS TEMPTATION = We should be nourishing on God's Word (4) HIS TRANSFIGURATION = We should be reflecting God's Glory (17) HIS DEATH = We should be following God's Plan (26-27) HIS RESURRECTION = We should be Trusting God's Way (28) HIS ASCENSION = We should be Waiting God's Reward (28

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980225wed-mark.doc

DISCOVERING CHRIST IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK MARK “CHRIST OUR SERVANT” Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (NKJV) Worship Christ the Servant! Outline: The Birth and Preparation of Servant Jesus 1:1 - 13; Servant Jesus Speaks and Serves 1:14 - 13:37; Servant Jesus Suffers and Triumphs in Passion Week 14:1 - 16:20. In a gospel written from Peter’s words to the fast paced Roman Empire, Jesus is constantly in action! Mark, perhaps the first gospel account written, opens with: The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God." God Himself ratifies the declaration in 1:11: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." One of the clearest pictures of Jesus can be found in the Gospels. Tonight trace three lines that together give us a snapshot of Christ as seen through the eyes of PEOPLE AROUND Him. Christ in Mark outlines this beautiful portrait of Jesus.

CHRIST IN MARK HIS ACTIONS: What He did. 1. Mark 2:5 when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” HE FORGIVES

HIS SELFDESCRIPTION: What He said. Mark 2:19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. HE IS OUR BRIDEGROOM

HIS REPUTATION: What others said. Mark 1:7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. HE IS DIVINE

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2. Mark 2:11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” HE HEALS

3. Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. HE MASTERS THE WEATHER 4. Mark 6:51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. HE CALMS STORMS 5. Mark 9:3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. HE SHINES WITH GLORY 6. Mark 9:33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the

Mark 2:28 “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” HE IS LORD OF THE LAW, SABBATH

Mark 1:24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” HE HAS DIVINE TITLES KNOWN IN SPIRIT WORLD Mark 3:14-15 Then He Mark 3:11 And the appointed twelve, that unclean spirits, whenever they might be with Him they saw Him, fell down and that He might before Him and cried out, send them out to saying, “You are the Son preach,15 and to have of God.” HE TERRIFIES power to heal DEMONS sicknesses and to cast out demons: HE CALLS A NEW PEOPLE AND EMPOWERS THEM Mark 8:38 “For Mark 5:7 And he cried whoever is ashamed of out with a loud voice and Me and My words in said, “What have I to do this adulterous and with You, Jesus, Son of sinful generation, of the Most High God? I him the Son of Man implore You by God that also will be ashamed You do not torment me.” when He comes in the HE HAS THE POWER glory of His Father with OF ETERNAL the holy angels.” HE IS DESTRUCTION THE JUDGE OF ALL Mark 9:31 For He Mark 8:29 He said to taught His disciples them, “But who do you and said to them, “The say that I am?” Peter Son of Man is being answered and said to betrayed into the Him, “You are the Christ.” hands of men, and HE IS VERIFIED BY they will kill Him. And CLOSEST FRIENDS AS after He is killed, He SUM OF ALL OLD will rise the third day.” TESTAMENT HE EXACTLY KNEW PROPHESIES THE FUTURE Mark 13:32 “But of that Mark 16:6 But he said to day and hour no one them, “Do not be knows, not even the alarmed. You seek Jesus angels in heaven, nor of Nazareth, who was

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house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” HE READS MINDS 7. Mark 14:36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” HE UNIQUELY RELATES TO GOD 8. Mark 15:37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. HE CHOOSES WHEN TO DIE

the Son, but only the Father. HE IS LIMITED IN HIS INCARNATION

crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. HE IS VERIFIED BY ANGELS AS IMMORTAL

Mark 13:35 “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— HE DETERMINES DESTINY AS MASTER Mark 14:24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. HE INAUGERATES THE GREATEST COVENANT Mark 14:62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” HE IS MESSIAH

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980520 WED JOHN

THE
ULTIMATE
SIGN
 SEVEN
SIGNS
FROM
THE
GOSPEL
OF
JOHN

John’s whole Gospel is a building to a climax in chapter 20 = believe. Note SIGNS v. 30 and the singling out of THESE in v. 31. John built his whole Gospel as bridge with seven successive signs that transport you to the ultimate sign of chapter 20 - resurrection of Christ. John notes the ministry of Christ in light of its impact on the hearts of those who saw these signs. What were the signs Christ performed to bring those who saw His ministry to belief? You know them -1. Sign #1 Start in John 2:1-11. WATER TO WINE; HE IS LORD OF CREATION 2. Sign #2 Go to John 4:46-54 HEALING NOBLEMAN’S SON FROM AFAR; HE IS ALL POWERFUL (LORD OF TIME & SPACE) Note v. 54 supernaturally empowered 3. Sign #3 Now 5:1-15 THE WITHERED MAN AT BETHESDA HE IS LORD OVER SICKNESS 4. Sign #4 6:1-14 FEEDS 5000; Note v. 14 The Prophet HE IS BREAD FROM HEAVEN 5. Sign #5 6:15-25. HE IS LORD OF NATURE 6. Sign #6 Ch. 9:1-4 HEALS MAN BORN BLIND; HE IS LORD OF SIGHT v. 16 Note v. 32 7. Sign #7 Finally the last sign of His ministry, 11:1-44 RAISES LAZARUS; HE IS LORD OF LIFE Thus in rapid succession, John builds the case of this man, Jesus:  LORD OF CREATION,  SUPERNATURALLY EMPOWERED  WHO COMMANDS DISEASE,  OPENS EYES,  CONTROLS NATURE,  MULTIPLIES FOOD AND DISPELS DEATH... Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 151

But the ultimate sign is Chapter 20! Back to Chapter 20 -- it’s Sunday, early, in the mist come the faithful to say farewell to dead. They, as we, are faced with seven indisputable PROOFS -- EVIDENCE. RESURRECTION EVIDENCE Let’s note them and concentrate on perhaps the greatest of them all - the seventh. What were those 7 evidences of Christ’s resurrection? They are all in verses 1-15. 1. THE STONE IS GONE, v. 1 2. THE TOMB IS EMPTY , v. 2 that was sealed and guarded 3. JESUS IS ABSENT, v. 3 4. THE GRAVE CLOTHES ARE UNDISTURBED, v. 5 5. THE FACE CLOTH IS BY ITSELF, v. 7 6. THE TESTIMONY OF ANGELS, v. 12 7. PERSONAL, FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS WITH JESUS v. 15 Let’s just pause over each of them briefly -1. THE STONE IS GONE, v. 1 Mark relates in chapter 16 - concerned - who roll away? It was very large...Matthew 18 – an angel rolled it away and sat on it to show the world He is risen! God confirmed it was done. Christ was alive and gone! 2. THE TOMB IS EMPTY , v. 2 Notice they were SHOCKED. Note that they didn’t expect it. Also -- in all history no one claimed He was there. People said He was – stolen, - moved, - rescucitated, but not in the tomb! In fact there is an amazing absence of ANY reference to the tomb: 3. The third indisputable proof was: JESUS IS ABSENT, v. 3 His body was gone and they didn’t have it and the Jews didn’t either! 4. THE GRAVE CLOTHES ARE UNDISTURBED, v. 5 They are lying = in orderly arrangement, undisturbed. He had left them. No robber, no hoax. Note v. 5 BLEPI = GLANCED; v. 6 Theorao = LOOKED; v. 9 EDON = PERCEIVED AND BELIEVED 5. THE FACE CLOTH IS BY ITSELF, v. 7 He took it off and folded it. 6. THE TESTIMONY OF ANGELS, v. 12. They confirmed. But those aren’t the ultimate signs:  THE STONE IS GONE, v. 1  THE TOMB IS EMPTY , v. 2 that was sealed and guarded  JESUS IS ABSENT, v. 3  THE GRAVE CLOTHES ARE UNDISTURBED, v. 5  THE FACE CLOTH IS BY ITSELF, v. 7  THE TESTIMONY OF ANGELS, v. 12 7. That’s nothing compared to the LAST PROOF -- We see Christ personally and face-to-face meeting His own! John only records 3 of the 10 meetings Christ had, each so purposeful! Resurrection Appearances of Christ - At the empty tomb outside Jerusalem, early Sunday morning (Mt. 28:1-10; Mk. 16:1-8; Lk. 24:1-12; John 20:1-9). A. EARLY SUNDAY MORNING: To Mary Magdalene out of whom He cast 7 demons, who had no role in leadership, to show His personal, loving faithfulness first! And to show the other women His gratitude for their faithfulness at the cross. (Mk. 16:9-11; Jn. 20:11-18). Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 152

B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J.

SUNDAY MID-DAY: To the two travelers on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24: 13-32) to stimulate personal study in the Scriptures. DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY: To Peter in Jerusalem (Lk. 24:34; I Cor. 15:5) to strengthen his faith. SUNDAY EVENING: to the 10 disciples in the Upper Room (Mk. 16:14; Lk. 24:36-43; Jn. 20 19-25) to commission their post-resurrection ministry . ONE WEEK LATER: to the 11 disciples in the Upper Room (Jn. 20:26-31; I Cor. 15:5) to confirm the doubting Thomas. ONE DAY AT DAYBREAK: to the seven disciples fishing on the Sea of Galilee (Jn. 21:1-23) to restore them to ministry. SOME TIME LATER: to the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee (Mt. 28:16-20; Mk. 16:15-18) to send them out as disciple makers. SOME TIME LATER: to more than 500 believers (I Cor. 15:6) to verify His resurrection to them and us! SOME TIME LATER: to James (I Cor. 15:7) to confirm His brother a future great leader in the church! FORTY DAYS AFTER THE RESURRECTION: At His Ascension from the Mt. of Olives (Lk. 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8) to conclude His earthly ministry and give the marching orders for His church as they waited for Pentecost.

Some have said Christ only swooned and the cool mist revived Him. At best the idea is absurd -- Note Strauss: “It is impossible that a being who had stolen half-dead out of the sepulcher, who crept about weak and ill, wanting medical treatment, who required bandaging, strengthening, and indulgence, and who still at last yielded to his sufferings, could have given to the disciples the impression that he was a conqueror over death and the grave, the Prince of Life: an impression which lay at the bottom of their future ministry. Such a resuscitation could only have weakened the impression which he had made upon them in life and in death, at the most could only have given it a loud voice, but could by no possibility have changed their sorrow into enthusiasm, have elevated their reverence into worship.”55 Others say they imagined the resurrection: “But difficulties not less insuperable present themselves when we try to think of them uniformly and without exception coming under the influence of a complete delusion. Somehow the rugged fisherman Peter and his brother Andrew, the characteristically doubting Thomas, the seasoned and not too sensitive tax gatherer, Matthew, the rather dull Philip, intensely loyal but a little slow of apprehension, do not fit easily into the conditions required for an absolutely unshakable collective hallucination. The terrors and the persecutions these men ultimately had to face and did face unflinchingly, do not admit of a halfhearted adhesion secretly honeycombed with doubt... (p. 114) Now the peculiar thing about this phenomenon is that, not only did it spread to every single member of the party of Jesus of whom we have any trace, but they brought it to Jerusalem and carried it with inconceivable audacity into the most keenly intellectual center of Judea, against the ablest dialecticians of the day, and in the face of every impediment a brilliant and highly organized camarilla could devise. And they won. Within twenty years the claim of these Galilean peasants had disrupted the Jewish church and impressed itself upon every town on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean from Caesarea to Troas. In less than fifty years it had begun to threaten the peace of the Roman Empire.” 55

Strauss, New Life of Jesus, I, 412(tr).

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If it wasn’t a dream, and it wasn’t... If it wasn’t a hoax, and it wasn’t... What changed that whole party of 16 “whom are known to have belonged to the inner circle or Christ’s personal supporters: The eleven surviving apostles. Mary the mother of Jesus. Mary, the wife of Cleophas. Salome, the wife of Zebedee. Mary Magdalene. Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward.” What took the fleeing, fearful band like  a habitual doubter like Thomas,  a rather weak fisherman like Peter,  a gentle dreamer like John,  a practical tax gatherer like Matthew,  a few seafaring men like Andrew and Nathanael,  the inevitable women, and at most two or three others.” And made them such a dynamic force? ONE THING: THEY SAW HIM! V. 18, I HAVE SEEN THE LORD V. 25, WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD V. 28, MY LORD AND MY GOD!! So greatest proof of all was in the FACE-TO-FACE CONFRONTATION WITH THE UNEXPECTED. It changed the course of history -Soon Christ’s own brother, James, believed. Then monumentally the greatest foe, Saul, ...and on to us.... ----------------Do you see the tomb? IT’S EMPTY Do you see the linen clothes? THEY WERE ORDERLY Do you see the face cloth? IT WAS FOLDED Do you see the stone? IT WAS THROWN ASIDE Do you see the crucified one? HE IS ABSENT! Do you see the weak and fearful? Believing and bold? The doubting? Confessing. He met the seekers on their own ground. But not one skeptic, hard heart! Discover the Book Ministries 5200 S. Yale, Suite 300, Tulsa, OK 74135 866.815.2601 | [email protected] | www.DTBM.org Page 154

TODAY, DO YOU HEAR HIM??

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