The Genealogy of Jesus is listed in two books. Both books affirm that Jesus is a descendant of Abraham and David. This is important because the Messiah was prophesied to be within this family line.
Matthew begins with Abraham and works his way up to Jesus. Luke begins with Jesus and works his way down to Adam. A problem arises as we read these genealogies because they are different. There are two main theories for this difference:
1) Matthew listed the legal genealogy of Joseph; whereas Luke listed the physical genealogy of Mary.
2) Both list the genealogy of Joseph, but Matthew listed the official succession line from the David throne (the first born sons who would have succeeded the kingly throne); while Luke traces the actual physical ancestors.
Both theories work and both are legitimate genealogical lists. What is important to know is that Jesus fulfilled prophecy by being a direct descendant of Abraham and David. In fact, it looks like both parents were descendants. God is great & He has a great plan!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
John 1:1-18
The Word Became Flesh ~
I love these verses, it's like reading poetry.
First, the Word (big W - this is Jesus) is the Creator of the Universe & everything in it. He has been there since the beginning. He exists outside of time. And yet, this ultimate Creator lowered Himself to earth, took on a human body, & suffered for us. Incredible!
Second, John the Baptist fulfilled a very important role - he proclaimed the coming of the awaited Messiah.
Finally, Jesus Christ is the one whom John foretold.
This is the thesis of John's gospel. What was foretold from the beginning has taken place. Prophecy has been fulfilled. The Messiah has come. The remainder of John's book will detail exactly how & why the Messiah has come, but for now glory in the fact that God has been made known.
I love these verses, it's like reading poetry.
First, the Word (big W - this is Jesus) is the Creator of the Universe & everything in it. He has been there since the beginning. He exists outside of time. And yet, this ultimate Creator lowered Himself to earth, took on a human body, & suffered for us. Incredible!
Second, John the Baptist fulfilled a very important role - he proclaimed the coming of the awaited Messiah.
Finally, Jesus Christ is the one whom John foretold.
This is the thesis of John's gospel. What was foretold from the beginning has taken place. Prophecy has been fulfilled. The Messiah has come. The remainder of John's book will detail exactly how & why the Messiah has come, but for now glory in the fact that God has been made known.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
A Harmony of the Gospels
Since we have finished reading the epistles, or letters, in chronological order, I thought we would attempt to read the Gospels in chronological order also. Reading will be a little tricky, as we will be flipping through four books - Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Some days we will only read from one book, some days from all four, other days from two or three. My study Bible divides the harmony into 250 events - so it will take us almost a year to complete this project, as we will focus on one event each day. However, I am a big believer in chronological order. I love the history, love knowing when events happened and why, love following the progression of God's plan. Jesus Christ didn't do anything by chance - He followed His Father's will.
As we read, you will notice that the events in some books are out of order. Is this a mistake on the author's behalf? No! The writers of the Gospels each had a purpose and an audience. Sometimes they linked certain events together, for instance the betrayal of Jesus happened over several days. Judas Iscariot sought out the religious leaders, a plan was formed, that plan was later carried out, and then Judas attempted return the money, and eventually killed himself. Some of the books link these events together to give us a better overview of what happened. Others list them in the order they happened, and still others omit certain parts of the story because it wasn't important to them. Anytime you question an eyewitness, this will happen. People remember what is important to them. Some things will stick out as more important to one person, yet another will completely overlook that detail. As we read the Gospels, you will get a feel for the authors, their motivations and intents, their character. You will also get a fuller picture of who Jesus is & what His message was all about.
I am going to list the first 22 events. These are known as the birth and preparation of Jesus Christ.
1. Luke 1:1-4 - Luke's purpose in writing
2. John 1:1-18 - God became a human being
3. Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38 - The ancestors of Jesus
4. Luke 1:5-25 - An angel promises the birth of John to Zechariah
5. Luke 1:26-38 - An angel promises the birth of Jesus to Mary
6. Luke 1:39-56 - Mary visits Elizabeth
7. Luke 1:57-80 - John the Baptist is born
8. Matthew 18:25 - An angel appears to Joseph
9. Luke 2:1-7 - Jesus is born in Bethlehem
10. Luke 2:8-20 - Shepherds visit Jesus
11. Luke 2:21-40 - Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple
12. Matthew 2:1-12 - Visitors arrive from eastern lands
13. Matthew 2:13-18 - The escape to Egypt
14. Matthew 2:19-23 - The return to Nazareth
15. Luke 2:41-52 - Jesus speaks with the religious teachers
16. Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18 - John the Baptist prepares a way for Jesus
17. Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21,22 - John baptizes Jesus
18. Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12,13; Luke 4:1-13 - Satan tempts Jesus in the desert
19. John 1:19-28 - John the Baptist declares his mission
20. John 1:29-34 - John the Baptist proclaims Jesus as the Messiah
21. John 1:35-51 - The first disciples follow Jesus
22. John 2:1-12 - Jesus turns water into wine
Let's start today with event #1 found in Luke 1:1-4. Luke provides a reason for writing his gospel: to write an orderly account of the events of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Luke was a gentile. He was a doctor, missionary who traveled with Paul, and a writer. It does not state that he traveled with Jesus. However, his travels with Paul and work with the other apostles allowed him to interview eye witnesses of Jesus' life to provide a full account of Jesus' ministry. His gospel, "the Gospel according to Luke" has been called the most beautiful book ever written. It is highly detailed and intelligently written. Luke later wrote the book of Acts, chronicling the establishment and spread of the Christian faith.
As we read, you will notice that the events in some books are out of order. Is this a mistake on the author's behalf? No! The writers of the Gospels each had a purpose and an audience. Sometimes they linked certain events together, for instance the betrayal of Jesus happened over several days. Judas Iscariot sought out the religious leaders, a plan was formed, that plan was later carried out, and then Judas attempted return the money, and eventually killed himself. Some of the books link these events together to give us a better overview of what happened. Others list them in the order they happened, and still others omit certain parts of the story because it wasn't important to them. Anytime you question an eyewitness, this will happen. People remember what is important to them. Some things will stick out as more important to one person, yet another will completely overlook that detail. As we read the Gospels, you will get a feel for the authors, their motivations and intents, their character. You will also get a fuller picture of who Jesus is & what His message was all about.
I am going to list the first 22 events. These are known as the birth and preparation of Jesus Christ.
1. Luke 1:1-4 - Luke's purpose in writing
2. John 1:1-18 - God became a human being
3. Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38 - The ancestors of Jesus
4. Luke 1:5-25 - An angel promises the birth of John to Zechariah
5. Luke 1:26-38 - An angel promises the birth of Jesus to Mary
6. Luke 1:39-56 - Mary visits Elizabeth
7. Luke 1:57-80 - John the Baptist is born
8. Matthew 18:25 - An angel appears to Joseph
9. Luke 2:1-7 - Jesus is born in Bethlehem
10. Luke 2:8-20 - Shepherds visit Jesus
11. Luke 2:21-40 - Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple
12. Matthew 2:1-12 - Visitors arrive from eastern lands
13. Matthew 2:13-18 - The escape to Egypt
14. Matthew 2:19-23 - The return to Nazareth
15. Luke 2:41-52 - Jesus speaks with the religious teachers
16. Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18 - John the Baptist prepares a way for Jesus
17. Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21,22 - John baptizes Jesus
18. Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12,13; Luke 4:1-13 - Satan tempts Jesus in the desert
19. John 1:19-28 - John the Baptist declares his mission
20. John 1:29-34 - John the Baptist proclaims Jesus as the Messiah
21. John 1:35-51 - The first disciples follow Jesus
22. John 2:1-12 - Jesus turns water into wine
Let's start today with event #1 found in Luke 1:1-4. Luke provides a reason for writing his gospel: to write an orderly account of the events of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Luke was a gentile. He was a doctor, missionary who traveled with Paul, and a writer. It does not state that he traveled with Jesus. However, his travels with Paul and work with the other apostles allowed him to interview eye witnesses of Jesus' life to provide a full account of Jesus' ministry. His gospel, "the Gospel according to Luke" has been called the most beautiful book ever written. It is highly detailed and intelligently written. Luke later wrote the book of Acts, chronicling the establishment and spread of the Christian faith.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
3 John 1-13
The third letter of John was also written around A.D. 85-90. It was addressed to Gaius, a leader in a church that John had helped to establish. This is a more personal letter, yet it deals with many of the same issues of 1 & 2 John. Let's take a look -
John starts by commending Gaius on his Christian attitude. It seems that Gaius walks the walk, he doesn't just talk the talk. And this is our lesson - live every day as if you are directly serving the Lord, because really, you are. Treat everyone, friend and stranger, with love.
John then compares Gaius with Diotrephes. While Gaius is living out Christ's commandments & serving out of love, Diotrephes seems to be motivated by selfish ambition. Watch out dear children, for there are many, many people in the church that have no real relationship with God. They are simply there for what they can get. Their actions will point them out & their deeds should not be tolerated. John, as an elder, is willing to put a stop to this man's bullying ways. If you are having difficulty with someone, go to an elder. Let someone wiser who is outside of the situation decide how to properly resolve the issue.
Above all, seek to walk the walk! Go deep in your relationship with God and wide in your relationship with others - serving out of love & not selfish ambition. Remember, it's not about you, it's all about HIM.
John starts by commending Gaius on his Christian attitude. It seems that Gaius walks the walk, he doesn't just talk the talk. And this is our lesson - live every day as if you are directly serving the Lord, because really, you are. Treat everyone, friend and stranger, with love.
John then compares Gaius with Diotrephes. While Gaius is living out Christ's commandments & serving out of love, Diotrephes seems to be motivated by selfish ambition. Watch out dear children, for there are many, many people in the church that have no real relationship with God. They are simply there for what they can get. Their actions will point them out & their deeds should not be tolerated. John, as an elder, is willing to put a stop to this man's bullying ways. If you are having difficulty with someone, go to an elder. Let someone wiser who is outside of the situation decide how to properly resolve the issue.
Above all, seek to walk the walk! Go deep in your relationship with God and wide in your relationship with others - serving out of love & not selfish ambition. Remember, it's not about you, it's all about HIM.
Monday, April 23, 2012
2 John 1:1-13
The second letter of John was written by the apostle John around 85-90 A.D. This short letter is written to "the chosen lady and her children." This could be actual people, or a code name for the church. There was a lot of persecution going on around this time & John may have been purposefully cryptic for safety reasons. The purpose of the letter is to warn against false teachers.
This is a common purpose for letters to the early church. There were many people spreading false messages. Not much has changed today. John emphasizes the "truth" in the first part of this letter. What is the "truth"? It is laid out for us in the Gospels through the words of Jesus Christ. John sums up this truth in one phrase, "walk in love." Oh, that is such a hard thing to do, walking in love. People can be irritating, they can hurt our feelings, they can make poor choices that leave messes behind. Yet, we are called to love, to treat others the way we want to be treated. If you mess up, you hope for grace and forgiveness. If you are making a poor choice, you hope those who care about you will step in and stop you. If you are being irritating, you hope for mercy. God gives us these things & He calls us to treat others the same way.
John then speaks of deceivers in the second part of this letter. Do not listen to teachings that conflict with the message of the Bible. There were, & still are, people who believe that Jesus was not fully a man. They think He was a spirit, that His death wasn't real. If you call yourself a Christian, if you have faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you must believe what Jesus said about Himself. To deny the Gospel is to call Jesus a liar. And really, why would you have faith in a liar? Test a teaching against Scripture. If it doesn't line up, stop listening! God has given us His Word, live by it!
This is a common purpose for letters to the early church. There were many people spreading false messages. Not much has changed today. John emphasizes the "truth" in the first part of this letter. What is the "truth"? It is laid out for us in the Gospels through the words of Jesus Christ. John sums up this truth in one phrase, "walk in love." Oh, that is such a hard thing to do, walking in love. People can be irritating, they can hurt our feelings, they can make poor choices that leave messes behind. Yet, we are called to love, to treat others the way we want to be treated. If you mess up, you hope for grace and forgiveness. If you are making a poor choice, you hope those who care about you will step in and stop you. If you are being irritating, you hope for mercy. God gives us these things & He calls us to treat others the same way.
John then speaks of deceivers in the second part of this letter. Do not listen to teachings that conflict with the message of the Bible. There were, & still are, people who believe that Jesus was not fully a man. They think He was a spirit, that His death wasn't real. If you call yourself a Christian, if you have faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you must believe what Jesus said about Himself. To deny the Gospel is to call Jesus a liar. And really, why would you have faith in a liar? Test a teaching against Scripture. If it doesn't line up, stop listening! God has given us His Word, live by it!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
1 John 5:13-21
That you may know:
1. Pray according to His will, meaning praying in accordance with what pleases God as found in the teaching of Scripture. Remember - this is all about relationship. Prayer is simply communicating with God. So, praying for a million dollars just to be rich probably won't be answered. For God's scripture tells us that we should work hard with our hands, the love of money is the root of all evil, and that greed/covetness is sin.
2. What is sin that does not lead to death? Isn't the wages of sin death? Yes, BUT when we become part of God's family, He forgives us of our sins. So, if you see a fellow Christian sinning, pray for them and your own forgiveness. Sin that leads to death is unrepentant sin, rejection of Christ, lack of love for fellow believers - these are issues John spoke of in this letter.
3. When we become members of God's family, Jesus Christ protects us from satan. Does this mean that we no longer have a responsibility to make good choices? No! Remember just a few verses ago, pray for forgiveness. Remember earlier in this letter that we are to obey God's commandments. Jesus is our advocate! Listen to Him, follow Him, keep reading about Him!
4. Finally! Make God first! Don't let anything or anyone else become more important to you than Him.
1. Pray according to His will, meaning praying in accordance with what pleases God as found in the teaching of Scripture. Remember - this is all about relationship. Prayer is simply communicating with God. So, praying for a million dollars just to be rich probably won't be answered. For God's scripture tells us that we should work hard with our hands, the love of money is the root of all evil, and that greed/covetness is sin.
2. What is sin that does not lead to death? Isn't the wages of sin death? Yes, BUT when we become part of God's family, He forgives us of our sins. So, if you see a fellow Christian sinning, pray for them and your own forgiveness. Sin that leads to death is unrepentant sin, rejection of Christ, lack of love for fellow believers - these are issues John spoke of in this letter.
3. When we become members of God's family, Jesus Christ protects us from satan. Does this mean that we no longer have a responsibility to make good choices? No! Remember just a few verses ago, pray for forgiveness. Remember earlier in this letter that we are to obey God's commandments. Jesus is our advocate! Listen to Him, follow Him, keep reading about Him!
4. Finally! Make God first! Don't let anything or anyone else become more important to you than Him.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
1 John 5:1-12
Life in Jesus begins with faith, faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. His birth, resurrection, and the Holy Spirit proclaim that He is the Son of God. Anyone who believes is part of the family of God. Being part of that family means obeying God's commandments. Basically it comes down to this: if you believe that Jesus is who He says He is, then you believe that He knows what is best for you. His commandments are there to keep you and others safe. They are easy to obey because they are put in place for your best interest. So, love God & obey Him.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
1 John 4:7-21
Love - what is it? God is love. Think about God - He does what is best for us . . . even if it's hard, or uncomfortable. Love reaches out to the poor, the sick, the sinners. Love turns over tables in the temple & raises men from the dead. Love calls out hypocrisy, corrects prideful thinking, and forgives, always forgives.
John tells us there is no fear in love. Love requires trust. We don't need to fear the love of God, because we can trust that God's love will always seek our best. It will always push us toward righteousness, joy, and peace.
We watched the Passion of Christ on Wednesday night. What really stuck with me this time was Jesus asking God to forgive the very people who were nailing Him to a cross. That is love. And that is the same love we are to have for others.
John tells us there is no fear in love. Love requires trust. We don't need to fear the love of God, because we can trust that God's love will always seek our best. It will always push us toward righteousness, joy, and peace.
We watched the Passion of Christ on Wednesday night. What really stuck with me this time was Jesus asking God to forgive the very people who were nailing Him to a cross. That is love. And that is the same love we are to have for others.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
1 John 4:1-6
Test the Spirits ~
First we need to identify who or what John refers to when he uses the word "spirits". This word in Greek is "pneuma" - "to breathe" If you remember in Genesis, God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." (2:7b) That breath is what links us to God, what makes us His. It differentiates us from the animals by giving us a spirit. We can accept the spirit of God, or we can deny it and take up the spirit of the devil. It's your choice, but know that you not just a body and a mind, you are a body, mind, and spirit. Your spirit will either belong to God or to the devil. In this passage, pneuma refers to "a person or teacher who acts or professes to act under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, by divine inspiration." Once again, if you have given your spirit over to the devil, your inspiration will come from him. And he is the greatest deceiver - he will lead you astray & inspire you to lead many more astray.
So, this passage is telling us to test what others say, especially when they state that their words come directly from the Holy Spirit. This is why it is so important for you to know your Scriptures. If someone says they are speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but their words don't line up with Scripture - they are false prophets. Anyone who denies Jesus as our living Lord and Savior, anyone who states that He did not live as a human, die on the cross, and rise three days later is a false prophet. Do not listen to them. Anyone who tells the world what they want to hear, but does not listen to the Word of God is a false prophet. Do not listen to them.
Test the teachings you are receiving. Get yourself a good study Bible & look it up for yourself. I use the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible NIV version published by AMG Publishers. It provides commentary, notes, Scripture references and most importantly - exact definitions of words & meanings. It helps keep things in context.
In conclusion: Read, read, read the Word of God! Know what it says! Do not blindly follow the words of man, but Know the Words of God! They will change your life.
First we need to identify who or what John refers to when he uses the word "spirits". This word in Greek is "pneuma" - "to breathe" If you remember in Genesis, God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." (2:7b) That breath is what links us to God, what makes us His. It differentiates us from the animals by giving us a spirit. We can accept the spirit of God, or we can deny it and take up the spirit of the devil. It's your choice, but know that you not just a body and a mind, you are a body, mind, and spirit. Your spirit will either belong to God or to the devil. In this passage, pneuma refers to "a person or teacher who acts or professes to act under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, by divine inspiration." Once again, if you have given your spirit over to the devil, your inspiration will come from him. And he is the greatest deceiver - he will lead you astray & inspire you to lead many more astray.
So, this passage is telling us to test what others say, especially when they state that their words come directly from the Holy Spirit. This is why it is so important for you to know your Scriptures. If someone says they are speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but their words don't line up with Scripture - they are false prophets. Anyone who denies Jesus as our living Lord and Savior, anyone who states that He did not live as a human, die on the cross, and rise three days later is a false prophet. Do not listen to them. Anyone who tells the world what they want to hear, but does not listen to the Word of God is a false prophet. Do not listen to them.
Test the teachings you are receiving. Get yourself a good study Bible & look it up for yourself. I use the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible NIV version published by AMG Publishers. It provides commentary, notes, Scripture references and most importantly - exact definitions of words & meanings. It helps keep things in context.
In conclusion: Read, read, read the Word of God! Know what it says! Do not blindly follow the words of man, but Know the Words of God! They will change your life.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
1 John 3:13-24
Love One Another ~
So, yesterday we learned that we are to seek righteousness. How do we do that? By loving our neighbor. Who is our neighbor? Everyone! So, what is love?
Love is action. It's a willingness to put other's needs ahead of our own, to treat others the way we want to be treated.
You mission today, and every day, is to put love into motion.
So, yesterday we learned that we are to seek righteousness. How do we do that? By loving our neighbor. Who is our neighbor? Everyone! So, what is love?
Love is action. It's a willingness to put other's needs ahead of our own, to treat others the way we want to be treated.
You mission today, and every day, is to put love into motion.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
1 John 2:28-3:10
Children of God
"How great is the love that Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" I love this verse! Can you believe that you are not only a child of God, but that He lavishes His love on you? How awesome is that!
Does the rest of this reading mean that I am not a child of God if I sin? Because, honestly, I make mistakes daily! "Does what is right" means "the one habitually doing." It does not mean perfection. God understands that we don't always make the right choices. However, if you are deliberately or maliciously choosing to do what is wrong - if you are telling God, "I know what is right, I know what you want, and I refuse to do it" - well, that is deliberate & malicious. A child of God should be looking to the Father for guidance. A child of God should be making an attempt at habitually doing what is right. You should constantly be working on making good choices. And you should repent and seek forgiveness when you mess up.
"How great is the love that Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" I love this verse! Can you believe that you are not only a child of God, but that He lavishes His love on you? How awesome is that!
Does the rest of this reading mean that I am not a child of God if I sin? Because, honestly, I make mistakes daily! "Does what is right" means "the one habitually doing." It does not mean perfection. God understands that we don't always make the right choices. However, if you are deliberately or maliciously choosing to do what is wrong - if you are telling God, "I know what is right, I know what you want, and I refuse to do it" - well, that is deliberate & malicious. A child of God should be looking to the Father for guidance. A child of God should be making an attempt at habitually doing what is right. You should constantly be working on making good choices. And you should repent and seek forgiveness when you mess up.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
1 John 2:18-27
Couple of things going on here.
First, it is the last hour. This is the church age. The time between the death and resurrection of Jesus and His second coming. Many may wonder why the last hour has been going on for so very long - 2000 years now. Well, "last hour" is a term. If you look at the Bible, we have the creation & the fall, the covenant made with Noah, the covenant made with Abraham, the giving of the law, and the new covenant. These events took place over many thousands of years. Now we are in the "last hour," the last period before the final judgment and the establishment of the New Heaven and New Earth.
Secondly, this time is marked by those who willingly turn away from the truth to seek their own way. These people are considered to be antichrists - those against Christ. THE Anti-Christ is still coming. His appearance will mark the end times. Until then, stay firm in your faith. Don't let those who oppose Christ lead you astray. Reading your Bible, knowing the Word are your best save-guards against being lead astray. So, get in that Word & get to know your Heavenly Father.
First, it is the last hour. This is the church age. The time between the death and resurrection of Jesus and His second coming. Many may wonder why the last hour has been going on for so very long - 2000 years now. Well, "last hour" is a term. If you look at the Bible, we have the creation & the fall, the covenant made with Noah, the covenant made with Abraham, the giving of the law, and the new covenant. These events took place over many thousands of years. Now we are in the "last hour," the last period before the final judgment and the establishment of the New Heaven and New Earth.
Secondly, this time is marked by those who willingly turn away from the truth to seek their own way. These people are considered to be antichrists - those against Christ. THE Anti-Christ is still coming. His appearance will mark the end times. Until then, stay firm in your faith. Don't let those who oppose Christ lead you astray. Reading your Bible, knowing the Word are your best save-guards against being lead astray. So, get in that Word & get to know your Heavenly Father.
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