Dimensions

What is really important?

Is Jesus really the Lord and Master?

Who owns your life?

What were Christ's priorities while he was on the Earth?

(Philippians 3:1-21 ESV) Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh-- though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Are we disciples of Christ?

What does that mean?

What resistence has been encountered?

Remember -

(John 1:5 ESV) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

(Luke 6:1-49 ESV) On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?" And Jesus answered them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?" And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come and stand here." And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?" And after looking around at them all he said to him, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. "Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. "Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. "Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye. "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."

Dimensions of Christ's focus:

Jesus has an "upward" dynamic in his relationship with his father. He has an "inward" dynamic with his twelve disciples. He has an "outward" dynamic with those who are among the lost. These are not mutually exclusive modes of being, they are entangled with each other and enhance each other.

Jesus' decisions and wisdom come from his relationship with his father through the long sessions of prayer. This is his upward focus.

Choosing his disciples was a act of inward reflection and he purposed to spend a lot of focused time with these men. He chose to drive off the crowds when necessary. His purpose was not to win a world-wide following directly, but through his discipes.

His purpose for his disciples is to be outward focused, building relationships with the world as well as having a deep relationship with the Father through Christ.

We are created in God's image, he gave to us generously; therefore, we should give generously. What are the needs of the people around you? Ask God how to fill these needs. Be intensional about asking God and moving toward how he is leading you.

Starting questions:

"Upward"

Do I make enough space for prayer?

Am I noticing God's strength and power more and more in my life?

Am I afraid or nervous?

Am I obedient to God's prompting?

"Inward"

Am I experiencing intimacy/closeness in my friendships?

How easy is it for me to trust people?

Is my family happy?

Am I resting enough?

Am I making myself vulnerable to others? (Am I willing to be known?)

"Outward"

Does my heart hurt when I see people not living with Jesus?

Do I find ways to regularly serve others?

Am I generous with my finances to those who don't have enough?

Do I regularly share what Jesus has done for me?

Ask God to grow you in these areas and show you opportunities to grow in these areas.

Gospel Harmony - Daily posts from The Bridge on Facebook

Cherish

Who cherished the treasure they were given?

Mary, Anna, Simeon, The Wise Men

What do the gifts of the Wise Men represent? Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

Matthew 2

[Mat 2:1-23 ESV] 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 "'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son." 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more." 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

What we offer to God should be motivated to receive acceptance by God. We have been loved when we are at our worst. What can we bring before God to earn His attention or acceptance? God loves us when we are at our worst and most deserving of His ignorance of us.

However, we are created for good works through faith in Christ.

Romans 12

[Rom 12:1-21 ESV] 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 20 To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

What are you thankful for due to God's grace in your life?

Where are you not grateful to God?

Are you honoring God with what He's asked you to give? Look at the doctrine of "First fruits"

Are you giving the best of what you have been blessed with?

Are you ready to release your treasures to bless others around you? How can that be a form of worship?

Is there anything you possess that would be hard to let go of? Should you consider surrendering this thing and letting it go, giving it away in order to bless someone else?

How do we express our worship of God?

• Helping others
• Being outside
• Cooking
• Eating together
• Meditation

If your first thought while doing something that blesses you or others is not of God, why does this happen?

Have you believed a lie?

Myrrh - Bitterness

Heb 5

[Heb 5:1-14 ESV] 1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"; 6 as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. 11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

How is bitterness part of worshiping God?

It is not that we despise God, it is that we honor Him even through the trials that we face in this life.

Have you had a time where you shouted, yelled, pleaded, groaned at God?

Even Paul suffered a "thorn" in his flesh and even though he pleaded with God to remove it, he accepted that God chose to allow it to remain and praised God through the pain and discomfort that he endured.

Whether or not God removes us from a painful situtation, we must recognise that Christ came to be the salvation from eternal separation from God through a painful death. Like Jesus, we must be obedient through our suffering so that His salvation can be released through us. Christ is the ambassador of God pleading with us to be reconciled. We should be pleading with those around us for the same thing. We should be crying out to God, be angry if needed, trust God, lay the hard things at his feet and move on in his blessing. Allow yourself to mourn and weep over the things that have hurt us, laying it at the foot of the throne.

Romans 12:1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Obedience in Exile

1 Peter 2:13 -

13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Sin impacts every aspect of creation - even the systems that we have in place - family, work, government. In their nature, they are good, but they are affected by sin and therefore, imperfect. We cannot hope in our government, our spouses, our work place, or anything that is governed by man. We live is broken and fractured world that we are just existing in as exiles of Heaven our true home. Being sojourners means that we do not live with the hope of the present, but we live in a foreign culture for a time with the hope of being called to our true home. We live in the hope that we are called by Christ into His body to serve Him and His purposes.

Jesus prayed in John 17:16-18 that the disciples are not of the world and He is asking His Father to sanctify His disciples and reveal himself to them. He wants them and us to understand that there is more to reality then what they can see. This verse explains that this world in not our home, and that we are being sent into the world, called by God. We should
ask ourselves how we are supposed to live in the world according to God's plan.

1 Peter 2:16 - Live as though you are free, not using freedom to excuse evil, but live as though we are servants of God.

We are called to make disciples of all nations. We are called to be the revelation of the kingdom of heaven to those around us. Expect that living this way will cause conflict just as it did when Jesus came to the world.

Obedience to Government

The institutions of government are imperfect due to the sinful nature of the leaders in the government.

During the time that Peter was written, Rome ruled the world. In a lot of ways, the government of Rome was abusive by way of taxes and general oppression. Toward the end of the empire, Nero was the Caesar who took delight in crucifying his political enemies and lighting them on fire as lamp posts through out the city.

Consider David before he was crowned king. King Saul pursued him relentlessly and tried to murder him multiple times.

Consider Daniel's respect for King Nebucanezzar causing the king to turn from his persecution of Israel.

Consider Jesus' interaction with Pilate during his mock trial.

Jesus' goal was not to supplant the current government, but to call his followers to live within the confines of where they find themselves on this earth. He calls them to give a testimony of the goodness of the Kingdom of God. He provides his followers with opportunity to give testimony to those that would receive it. He call us to be faithful - "by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people." He calls us to serve - "living as servants of God." He calls us to honor those around us - "17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor." At this time, this meant to honor Nero. In the current day, it means to honor even those who would seek to destroy us.


Isaiah 9:6-8

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Treasure

We should ponder the wonders of Christ like Mary did as she was ready to give birth to the savior of the world.

"Mary treasured all these things" - Starting at v. 10 - The angel comes to the shepards and announces the good news of the coming of the savior into the city of David. The shepards go and find Mary and tell her the story of this encounter. Mary had an idea of what was coming because she had been visited by the angel. The shepards affirm this revelation. This Christ is the long watched for hope of all Israel. Her life is destined to be tainted by her pregnancy because she was not yet wed to Joseph.

In Luke 1:48, Mary responds to the revelation with the understanding that she is a humble servant and yet blessed for all eternity.

We, like Mary, are in need of redemption and we, like here are a part of the plan of redemption. 2 Corinthians 5:17 - If anyone is found is Christ, they are a new creation...

What are you treasuring in your life right now?


[Luk 2:1-52 ESV] 1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel." 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." 49 And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.


[2Co 5:1-21 ESV] 1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened--not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.



22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel." 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

What are some commonalities between Simeon and Anna?

* Prayer
* Worship
* Advanced in years

They did not waste the end of their lives.

* They were patiently waiting, anticipating the coming of Christ
* They were both lead in the Spirit. God's spirit had lead them to that place and time. They had ears to hear what God was saying to them.

Could you read or hear those words and sense God's plan for your life?

What positioned this experience here was Mary and Joseph's obedience to carry out God's commandment concerning their child. Mary and Joseph were obedient with what they knew to be obedient with. We don't always get to see big things without being obedient in the small things. Small steps of obedience are important to God.

Anna treasured God's presence and everything else in her life came second to her time with God.

1 Thes 5 - Rejoice always, pray without ceasing.

[1Th 5:1-28 ESV] 1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. 25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.


Anna embodied 1 Thess 5:16-18

The death of her husband, the loss of her life partner opened the door for her to constantly live in the presence of God. The moments where we loose the most, are when God can fill those voids the most. He can restore our loss, even though the emptiness is unquenchable.

Question - Does anything in me need to die so that I can have more of Christ?

Fasting is a common method to deny the flesh and move toward relationship with Jesus. Whatever we give up is space for Jesus to come in and fill us. We need to place our loss into the hands of Christ.

Simeon's life is a bit different from Anna. He treasures God's promise of the coming Christ. He is excited to see the messaiah with his own eyes. Knowing the other stories in the Bible, it was probably decades that Simeon was waiting to see the fulfillment of this promise. Waiting is never easy; however, the Spirit of the Lord provided the strength to wait. Simeon came in the spirit into the temple to see Mary, Joseph and Jesus. He witnessed God's salvation personally and God's promise was fulfilled. Simeon's promise has more of a calling or a mission for his life.

Promises of God:

* Abraham - Child of the promise - Isaac
* Paul - Vision of his journey to see Caesar. To declare the gospel to the leaders of the known world.
* Our common needs being met - Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you as well. God provides for his children.

John 15 -

[Jhn 15:1-27 ESV] 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another. 18 "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: 'They hated me without a cause.' 26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

Abide in Me and you will bear much fruit...
Your calling is not to be sufficient for the task in front of you, but to be a branch in the vine and be connected to God. He will bear fruit through you.

Do no forget the reason for God's promises - His purpose is that Jesus would be revealed to those around us through us.

Do not take the promise and forget the reason for the promise. Do not forget to be a blessing to the world around you.

Exiled

[1Pe 1:1-25 ESV] 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5  guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

Peter is one of the most influential people in the Gospel story. In this letter, Peter is reviewing the trials that he has gone through and is communicating to the churches that they too shall endure trial until the end. Over the next few months, we will be studying these letters he wrote and reflect on how our lives intersect with the context of these letters.

How would you act differently if you lived like you are living in a foreign land? Peter is writing to the ones who have been exiled from Israel and are experiencing trials and troubles because of their exile from the main body of the church. They are living away from their home that they have always known.

Throughout history, God's people are known to be nomadic and aliens in the world. The reason for this is the affect of sin and the affects of the fall of Adam and Eve. Remember, Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden for agreeing with the serpent and eating the forbidden fruit. From that moment on, we are disconnected from our true home and will not know peace. Even though Christ has redeemed us, we are still not home.

Israel failed to enter the promised land and they were deemed to wander. Once they entered the land, they fell away and were scattered. Through all this failure, God works through and among his people. In the New Testiment, there is a new oppressing nation, Rome, that is occupying Israel and God's people are oppressed.

God hears our cries for freedom and yet, we will never be at home here in this life. We operate as exiled ambassadors waiting for our savior to arrive and claim the whole world for his own. We operate within the kingdoms of the world while operating by the Kingdom of Heaven.

These letters are generally written 25 years after Stephen was put to death by the zealots which included Saul. This subject is hard for those in the US to comprehend due to the comfort that we have experienced throughout our lives. Even though the US is known as a "Christian" nation, it never really, truly was. Many Americans are only nominally Christian and live more secular lives than Holy lives.

We are the
* Elect
* Chosen
* Exiles
* Born again

Questions -

* Is God in charge of your salvation?

* Do you have a choice in your salvation?

God has positioned The Bridge in a way that we yearn to see the Body united. We long to see the Bride of Christ united, thus we are "The Bridge." We come from various beliefs and interpretations of whether or not we believe in choice or predetermination. Amazingly, we can honor both lines of thought because, no matter the belief, in Christ alone through his holy spirit, we are saved. As one body, through the light of God's revelation, we should focus on walking with God all of our days.

It is good to examine our faith -

"Timeless salvation"

Savlation is described as
* Past
* Present
* Future

ALL AT ONCE

Romans 8:29

[Rom 8:29 ESV] 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

In seeing the elect before time began, he planned that they would be transformed into his image.

Even in this letter from Peter, talks about God's foreknowledge of our salvation.

John Wesley called this prevenient grace - in that God sets us up to come to know him.

We do not have anything to do with this plan, but that eventually we recognize this grace that has been extended to us. Our salvation occurs long before we exist on the earth. The moment we are saved happens without our foreknowledge and yet we are covered by the blood of Christ because He knew us first. There is a moment in our life that we realize the grace of Christ has intersected our lives. We live in that salvation moment for eternity, and our salvation continues to happen as we live out the rest of our lives.

Even now, we live in a moment of salvation because of God's grace. We are continuously being rescued and guarded through faith.

In the future, we will be finally rescued in "the last time". (1 Peter 1:5 guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time). This is described as being removed from the stain of sin and being justified before God. There is an ongoing moment were we are being cleansed from our sin. We believe that God wants to place Christ's spirit in us. He calls us "more than conquerers" and that we will, one day be free from the burden of sin.

We should long to experience the fullness of God.

When are we saved? Yes. We are saved in the past, present and future. God is "Yes" and "Amen"

How are we saved? Through Grace. Eph 2:8-10 - You are saved through grace by faith, not of yourself. We are God's workmanship created for good works.

[Eph 2:8-10 ESV] 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

It's all about what Christ has done, salvation is part of his being. All of him, the spilling of his blood, the breaking of his body, the revealation of his glory in the coming kingdom is Salvation.

Christ is not created, He was with God in the beginning, we was the Word, He IS with God from the beginning, He IS the Word.

What now? How big is the salvation? Are we just Saved??

NO IT'S MUCH BIGGER!!

Our response is -

REPENT
BELIEVE

Every time we have an encounter with the Spirit, we are led to REPENT, and to BELIEVE deeper than we could have imagined.

By believing in Christ, we live with more fullness everyday of our lives.

One man speaks and collectively we hear Him, but individually, God calls us to follow His leading.

At the end of the day -

Will you deny everything else, and give yourself whole heartedly to Christ???

What does this even look like?

We believe Christ and want to follow him.

My fears and unbelief prevent me from completely following Him. Oh, GOD, break down the fear and unbelief in me!!

The Choice

Joshua: Strong and Courageous

[Jos 1:9 ESV] 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Review - we have been discovering what strong and courageous looks like. Today, we are looking at Joshua's final words.

What do Joshua and the Lord think are the most crucial things to remember. These final chapters cover what happened 25 years after the conquest of the promised land. Joshua is about 110 years old. He purposes that Israel will transition well into the next season after he passes.

[Jos 23:1-16 ESV] 1 A long time afterward, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, 2 Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, "I am now old and well advanced in years. 3 And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you. 4 Behold, I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. 5 The LORD your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you. 6 Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, 7 that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, 8 but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. 9 For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. 10 One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. 11 Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. 12 For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 13 know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you. 14 "And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. 15 But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the LORD your God has given you, 16 if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you."

Joshua reviews what God did for the families of Israel through Moses in the first part of the next chapter.

[Jos 24:1-33 ESV] 1 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. 4 And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. 5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out. 6 "'Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time. 8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. 11 And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. 12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.'

14 "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond 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." 16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, 17 for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18 And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God." 19 But Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good." 21 And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the LORD." 22 Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." 23 He said, "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel." 24 And the people said to Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey." 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God." 28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

God is jealous. We must choose whom we will serve, God or ourselves. God is faithful to follow through with his promises. Not making a choice is the realm of satan, we need to make a choice, we cannot sit on the fence else our choice for evil will be made for us. We are called to remember - remember what God has done for you and those before you. This happens many times throughout the Bible. Specifically, here, there is a history of what Israel has experienced within the lives of everyone who heard Joshua. We are called to repent - depending on whether or not we are currently worshiping something besides God, to reject the temptations of idols. We are called to renew - we should continually renew our covenant with God. We should be surrenduring to God daily regardless of whether we are being blessed or going through trials. This time of year (Fall) typically causes a change in life. Our response should be to say "YES" to God and "NO" to things that would take us away from God's will. Jesus warns his disciples on the last night of his time on earth, that while their flesh is weak and weary, their spirit is strong. We cannot follow God in our own strength. When the law was given on Mount Sinah, God warned the nation to not come to the mountain because they would be consumed because of their wicked ways. They agreed to do everything that God commanded through Moses, but they made this commitment without realizing they could not hold up the law in their own strength. When Moses was with God on the mountain, they asked Aaron to build them an idol to worship. They could not even wait for Moses to return before sliding back into their old ways. Even on these chapters, as soon as Joshua was gone, the nation of Israel began to fall. Even Peter failed to keep his promise to not abandon Jesus or not deny him. Peter FAILED because he made his promises in his own strength and he had not received the power of the Spirit. Jesus' blood speaks of a better, more faithful Word that we need to accept and embrace. We must realize that there is nothing we can offer to the Lord that is righteous or worthy of God.

Paul states, "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."

We make empty promises of following Jesus out of our own strength. True strength comes from the realization that we cannot come to Christ without His strength. When we realize that our efforts are fruitless, we can begin to trust the Lord. We cry out to God out of the desperation of our weakness, our nothingness, our ugliness. We are wretches that Christ has chosen to make Holy through His Righteousness. We must realize that our lives have to be wholly God's for him to direct.

Heb 12:25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken--that is, things that have been made--in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

This same warning that Joshua gives is echoed in Hebrews. We don't do anything out of our wretcheness, we totally forfeit our lives to God's purposes out of reverence and awe for God's greatness.

Misunderstandings

What is some of the motivation behind the responses of the leaders of the tribes across the river?

When we encounter Jesus, there is an opportunity for growth. Take the opportunity to turn toward Jesus today and everyday.


[Jos 22:10-34 ESV] 10 And when they came to the region of the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of imposing size. 11 And the people of Israel heard it said, "Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel." 12 And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them. 13 Then the people of Israel sent to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14 and with him ten chiefs, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, every one of them the head of a family among the clans of Israel. 15 And they came to the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they said to them, 16 "Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, 'What is this breach of faith that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away this day from following the LORD by building yourselves an altar this day in rebellion against the LORD? 17 Have we not had enough of the sin at Peor from which even yet we have not cleansed ourselves, and for which there came a plague upon the congregation of the LORD, 18 that you too must turn away this day from following the LORD? And if you too rebel against the LORD today then tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. 19 But now, if the land of your possession is unclean, pass over into the LORD's land where the LORD's tabernacle stands, and take for yourselves a possession among us. Only do not rebel against the LORD or make us as rebels by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God. 20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah break faith in the matter of the devoted things, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he did not perish alone for his iniquity.'" 21 Then the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said in answer to the heads of the families of Israel, 22 "The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows; and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today 23 for building an altar to turn away from following the LORD. Or if we did so to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings on it, may the LORD himself take vengeance. 24 No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, 'What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? 25 For the LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad. You have no portion in the LORD.' So your children might make our children cease to worship the LORD. 26 Therefore we said, 'Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, 27 but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the LORD in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, "You have no portion in the LORD."' 28 And we thought, 'If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we should say, "Behold, the copy of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you."' 29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD and turn away this day from following the LORD by building an altar for burnt offering, grain offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the LORD our God that stands before his tabernacle!" 30 When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation, the heads of the families of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh spoke, it was good in their eyes. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh, "Today we know that the LORD is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the LORD. Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the LORD." 32 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs, returned from the people of Reuben and the people of Gad in the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the people of Israel, and brought back word to them. 33 And the report was good in the eyes of the people of Israel. And the people of Israel blessed God and spoke no more of making war against them to destroy the land where the people of Reuben and the people of Gad were settled. 34 The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, "For," they said, "it is a witness between us that the LORD is God."

What was the motive of the tribes on the West of the Jordan? Fear - The fear that they would be considered rebellious for building an altar. The altar of witness was built on the western side of the Jordan.

The eastern side?
They don't want to be forgotten and excluded from the blessings of God. They don't want to be left out of the nation of Israel. They were concerned that future generations would be rejected by the 10 tribes across the Jordan. They didn't want to be excluded from worshipping God.


Touch point:
- Bob Ruble's necklace to Alex.
[Pro 27:17 ESV] 17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Sometimes we need a reminder of what we have with each other and with God.

We do things to make sure that we keep these relationships strong.

This is a story that you can celebrate for both sides in that they did not go to war with each other. They decided that the unity of Israel was worth it.

Think about Personal Holiness:

[1Jo 1:9 ESV] 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We are going to sin from time to time; however, God is faithful to forgive our sins. Many of the commands that God gives us are corporate commands. We have to think larger than ourselves.

[2Ch 7:14 ESV] 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

[Eph 5:25-27 ESV] 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Christ cleans His Church as well as each one of us individually. What we do affects those around us. We have a direct effect on the community of people around us even if they never find out what we did.

Christ considers us part of a body, people see us collectively because we are a reflection of Christ.

[1Co 12:26-27 ESV] 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

We received Christ's blessing or curse together collectively. When one person does something (Achin) that causes destruction, that person affects so many.

Challenge - Being accountable and devoted to each other.
1. Get rid of all excuses - When there's conflict with someone else, excuses come up.
* It's not worth it, I am offended, means that I am lazy and don't want to do the hard things in life. What God wants is for you to come along side each other.
* They won't listen anyway. God is constantly making plans to guide each of us. It's not our job to convince anyone.
* There's no hope.

Get rid of the excuses in Jesus name.

Show us who we are to move along side and be a blessing to.

In this situation, there was a misunderstanding and the tribes on the west of the Jordan explained their motive. Nothing was done wrong and what was done was good. The tribes blessed each other and the representatives went back to their perspective tribes.

Be humble enough to receive each other and be willing to put aside differences to make reconciliation a priority. Count each other worth the cost so that we can be whole and stand in front of God as restored and Holy before Him.

Throughout the whole of scriptures, there are stories of God's mercy and restoration; however, there are also warnings where these things do not happen, but it is God's right to deal with those situations.

Consider how to deal with unrepentant sin:

[Mat 18:1-35 ESV] 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 "Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. 10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 11 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. 15 "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." 21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."


God wants us to examine ourselves. What is he saying to you right now?

Is there someone who you are holding at a distance?
Have you caused offense against someone?
Do you have some heart issues to work out?
What is God's plan?
Is there something that you need to share with your spouse?

Reflect on these questions and consider how you should respond.