Awake Us Now

The Shroud of Turin is a relic housed in the cathedral in Turin Italy and claimed to be the burial cloth of Christ.

The Gospels give us some details:

• Matthew 27:59-60 ESV "And Joseph (of Arimathea) took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away."
• Mark 15:46 ESV "And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking Him (Jesus) down, wrapped Him in the linen shroud and laid Him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb."
• Luke 23:53 ESV "Then he (Joseph) took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid Him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid."
• John 19:40 ESV "So they (Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus) took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of Jews."

Shroud of Turin

• A linen shroud approximately 14 feet long, 3 1/2 feet wide.
• Pastor shares a picture of the shroud. It's very hard to discern what shows on the shroud.
• But on May 28, 1898 Secondo Pia (1855 - 1941) received permission to take a picture of the shroud. The photographic negative ended up being an image of a man's brutalized face. He said "I think I may have been the first person in centuries to see the face of Jesus!"
• In the following years many others have used developing technologies in photography to take photos of the shroud.
• Pastor shares his pictures and how it shows the person has been crucified and brutally whipped with over 300 lacerations.
• Many people have asked the last 100+ years if this is indeed Jesus.

Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) a group came to examine and test the Shroud

• 1978 - 40 U.S. scientists, multiple institutions and laboratories.
• Went to Turin Italy - 5 days, 122 hours, to study the shroud, fully expected to find a forgery
• Tests- large variety of tests and equipment
• And in the following years 1978-1981 they spent an additional 100,000 - 150,000 hours of intensive study on the results of their testing. And made their final report in 1981.

1981 STURP Report Findings

• Image is on the top surface of linen fibers. The image is only .2 - .7 microns - that's several hundred times thinner than a human hair)
• Identity - it is the image of a scourged and crucified man. Approx 5' 11" tall around 178 lbs.
• Origin - No evidence of paint of pigment
• Bloodstains were found of hemoglobin + serum albumin - which is evidence of a person having been horrifically tortured.
• 3D data - used a VP8 Image Analyzer (developed for the space program) and discovered that what is recorded on the shroud had 3 dimensional properties.
• Mechanism - how was it produced - unknown

For an insider's view of the study "Report on the Shroud of Turin" published in 1983 by John Herbert Heller. (A member of the Shroud team). The book caused many questions to start emerging. Pastor shares an article "On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ" from the JAMA Journal of the American Medical Association from March 21, 1986, Volume 256 and the impact that article had on him.

Pastor goes further into the continued testing over the years. Here are the latest results:

• 2013 - (FTIR) Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy indicated the Shroud was 2,000 years old
• 2013 - Raman Spectroscopy also reported the Shroud to be 2,000 years old
• 2022 - (WAXS) Wide-Angle X-Ray Scattering was used and it showed the Shroud to be 2,000 years old.

Research continues: Physicist Paolo di Lazaro and team at ENEA Labs, after 5 years and hundred of failed attempts to reproduce an image like the shroud, concluded that to make the imprint on the Shroud it would take 34 trillion watts of radiant energy for 1/40 billionths of a second. (An energy level greater than all the energy plants in the world combined)

Final Observations:

• 2000 year old Linen Shroud
• Crown of Thorns
• Abrasions on shoulders from carrying Crossbeam
• Nailed to the cross, not tied
• Has a side wound, no broken bones
• Rushed burial - as body was not washed
• Brief entombment

Could this be the burial shroud of Jesus? Pastor shares an interesting quote from the book by Heller and then shares that he believes it is certainly possible that this is the burial shroud of Jesus!

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This message focuses on the question: "How are minds opened today?", which is part of our ongoing series: "What's the answer?"

Pastor explores how people's lives are changed and what changes their attitudes about God, about Jesus, the resurrection, and about the power of God's Word.

Pastor takes us through Luke 24:36-47, an encounter with Jesus that His disciples have with Him after His resurrection. Jesus tells them: "This is what I told you while I was still with you; Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Luke 24:44. He tells them everything written there points to Him.

Then next verse says, "Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." How did Jesus do that? Let's look at Luke's clues …

Law of Moses

• Passover Lamb - Exodus 12. As protection from the tenth plague God told them He would passover their homes if they would take a lamb without spot or blemish, kill it, spread its blood on the doorposts of their homes, then roast and eat the lamb.
• In Luke 22:15-16 Jesus tells His disciples: "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." What He is saying about the Passover is that HE is the one that will fulfill it as The Passover Lamb. The Passover is a preview of God's redemption through the shed blood of Jesus.

• Blood of the Covenant - Exodus 24. Moses built an altar at the foot of Mt. Sinai and the Israelites pledged to follow God. Moses took the blood of bulls, sprinkled it on the altar and the people saying, "This is the blood of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you…" Exodus 24:8. What this is, again, is a preview of the coming Christ and the fulfillment being found in Him.
• Luke 22:20 Jesus says, "This cup (passover meal glass of wine) is the New Covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you." This is just what Moses was showing was coming in Jesus.

Prophets

• New Covenant - Jeremiah 31:31. God said that the days were coming when He would make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah and put His law in their minds and hearts and change them from the inside out! A Heart change!"
• Jesus says, "This cup is the New Covenant!" Luke 22:20 Meaning He is the New Covenant.

• Suffering Servant - Isaiah 53. "He was despised… He was pierced for our transgressions… the punishment that brought us peace was on Him… by His wounds we are healed… the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all… it was the Lord's will to crush Him… to make His life an offering for sin… He will see the light of Life (raised)… He poured out His life unto death and numbered with the transgressors."
• In Luke 22:37 Jesus says, "It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors' and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me." He is the fulfillment of the Old Testament words.

Psalms

• Crucified Victim - Psalm 22. "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?… hands pierced… lots cast for his clothing…"
• Jesus speaks these very words from the cross: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me."
• Luke 23:34 we read, "and they divided up His clothes by casting lots." Jesus is the fulfillment of the words in the psalms.

• David's Lord - Psalm 110. David wrote of the Messiah, "The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand while I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."
• Luke 20:41-44 We see Jesus using these very words to describe Himself.

How are minds opened today? The same way today they were then:

• Encountering Jesus and seeing Him as the Risen Christ. The risen Jesus transforms people minds and brings relationship with the Living God.
• Encountering the Scriptures and seeing Jesus as the fulfillment of everything written about the Messiah in the Law, Prophets and Psalms. Encountering the scriptures changes us as we read them.
• Encountering the Holy Spirit. No one can believe without the Holy Spirit.

Luke 24 concludes with "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Today those words of Jesus continue to be fulfilled!

God our Father desires we repent and turn to Him so that our minds may be opened and our lives renewed forever.

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Pastor gives us a look at the story, "On the Road to Emmaus," found in Luke 24:13-27.

We don't know the actual location of Emmaus, nor do we know the names of those walking with Jesus in this story.

The story takes place later in the day on the day of Jesus' resurrection. Those Jesus walks with do not recognize Him. They are trying to figure out everything that had happened with Jesus and thinking about what the women had said about Jesus being alive and about the disciples having gone to the tomb and found it empty.

Then Jesus begins to explain the scriptures to them concerning Himself. What Jesus shared is not recorded, but wouldn't it be fascinating to hear what was shared during that multi-mile walk!

What did Jesus tell them?

Pastor shares the idea of Jesus, starting with the story of Abraham and Isaac in the book of Genesis:

• Genesis 22:1-18 - this is the story of Abraham and Isaac at Mt. Moriah. Pastor shares some overwhelming details of this prophetic event.
• God tells Abraham He is going to test him and tells Abraham to sacrifice his son. And Abraham steps into obedience.
• Pastor explores several phrases found in Genesis 22 "only son," "whom you love, "Moriah." (Moriah is where the temple wold be built in Solomon's day.)
• Abraham travels to Moriah and "on the third day" they arrive at Moriah and Abraham and Isaac leave the servants and head out the rest of the way alone. Isaac carries "the wood" for the offering.
• Isaac asks Abraham "where is the lamb?" And Abraham replies that "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son."
• Isaac willingly allowed his father to place him on the altar. As Abraham raises the knife, an Angel of the LORD calls out, "Abraham, Abraham, don't lay a hand on the boy. I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
• Isaac comes off the altar and the LORD provides a lamb for the sacrifice.
• In verse 14 we read that Abraham called the place "The Lord Will Provide."
• What Abraham saw was a picture of the sacrifice of God the Father in giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
• The story ends with, "and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." The fulfillment to that promise to Abraham is found in Christ alone.

Jesus is the Living Hope of all the world.

First use of "love" in the Gospels…

Matthew 3:17 - at the baptism of Jesus "this is my Son, whom I love."

Mark 1:11 - at the baptism of Jesus "You are my Son, whom I love"

Luke 3:22 - at the baptism of Jesus "you are my Son, whom I love"

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

As Jesus talked to the disciples, these are the kinds of things He would have reminded them of: He is the only One who is the Savior of the world. The only One who brings forgiveness, life and hope. The only One who brings life forevermore. He is Risen!! He is risen indeed! He is alive! And He is returning!

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We delve into Acts 8:9-12 about a man named Simon who boasted that he was someone great and so people paid attention to him thinking he had the power of God because he amazed people with his sorcery.

However....

When people believed what Philip was saying as he proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, people were baptized.

THEN…

Acts 8:13 tells us that Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip everywhere astonished by the miracles he saw.

But then the arrival of Peter and John…

Acts 8:14-17 - Peter and John show up to support and bless what Philip is doing and proclaiming. As Peter and John laid hands on the new believers the Holy Spirit came on them because the Spirit is for ALL people.

That message that it was for all also had an impact on Simon…

We read in Acts 8:18-19 that when Simon saw the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered John and Peter money asking them to give him the ability to have people receive the Holy Spirit from his hands.

Simon was a sorcerer - magician - it is obvious Simon is still walking in his old ways. We see the danger of greed.

And then we read…

Acts 8:20-21 that Peter tells Simon, "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God."

The message of Jesus is not about how can I get rich.

It is about how can I share the riches of God with others.

The gospel message is not about what's in it for me.

It's about what God has done for me and what He desires to do for others.

The Call to repentance…

Acts 8:22-23 Peter continues by saying, "Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that He may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin."

But then…

Simon doesn't articulate repentance, instead he asks Peter to pray to the Lord for him so that nothing Peter has said would happen to him.

In closing…

Simon does not show up in the New Testament scripture again. But Simon does shows up in many stories written by early Christians in the 2nd 3rd and 4th centuries. 2 early dependable christian authors:

Justin Martyr Samaritan believer

Irenaeus

Are two who share more about Simon.

Twenty Centuries Later…

Simony - is the buying or selling of a church office or ecclesiastical privileges.

Another way money was used was in the buying of indulgences. (Paying for forgiveness) But it is ONLY the blood of Jesus that saves us. Redemption cannot be purchased, it is something God paid for in full and it is a gift offered to each one of us.

The question..

If you have not yet received this most precious gift of forgiveness and life forever through faith in Jesus, the question is… will you? He's waiting with open arms! And it's ALL FREE!

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Happy Resurrection Sunday - Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!

Today's question is "Why do you believe He is risen?"

Pastor starts today's class with a personal testimony in which the Bible changed the direction of his life at the age of 15.

Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:14 "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith."

Pastor shares the Evidence Trail of Jesus' Resurrection on the bases of writings from believers, unbelievers, recorded data, and old and new studies.

The Evidence Trail will encourage believers and will challenge those who are skeptics.

1. Resurrection was a scandalous message in the ancient world.

a. The CROSS was foolishness (1 Cor 1:18,23) Sources beyond the Bible record Christ's crucifixion - this was a scandalous way to die. If it was made up they would have chosen a more honorable way to die for Jesus.

b. The CROSS as stumbling block (1 Cor 1:23) yet many gave their lives for faith in Christ

c. The RESURRECTION story was nonsense (Lk 23:11) yet they proclaimed the truth of His resurrection

1. Painful Honesty

a. All 4 gospels declare that women were the first eyewitnesses to Jesus' resurrection. We nowadays have no problem with this. But in the ancient Middle East and the ancient mediterranean world, people of that time were skeptical about anything told by woman. Example - Women could not testify in court trials. In that day women were considered untrustworthy. Yet the writers of the Bible honestly reported the truth saying that women were first irregardless of perceived credibility. (Mt 28:1ff; Mk 16:18, Lk 24:1ff; Jn 20:1ff)

b. Gospel "heroes" were flawed (Mt 26:60ff; Lk 22:54ff; Jn 7:5; Jn20:25ff) The writers of the New Testament told of their flaws and failures and did not hide the truth of their actions. They didn't "clean up" the stories, instead they boldly told the truth in painful honesty.

1. Strategic Locale

a, Jerusalem as the center of Judaism

b. Unsilent witnesses of the empty tomb - even the enemies of Jesus admitted the tomb of Jesus was empty.

1. Multiple Witnesses

a. Jesus' chosen Apostles - boldly shared the story of Jesus' resurrection

b. Significant doubters - Jesus' brother James, for example, did not believe Jesus was who He said He was, but after the resurrection James did believe and was later martyred for His faith in Jesus. (1 Cor 15:7-10)

c. 500 eyewitnesses (1 Cor 15:6)

d. Vocal opponents against Jesus freely conceded that Jesus did amazing things, was crucified by Pontius Pilote, that many believed He rose from the grave, and that the message was spread throughout the ancient world.

1. Sacrificial lives

a. Being a believer in that day was not the popular thing, as many of those ancient early believers suffered heinous deaths and yet, were unwilling to change their minds and recant and willingly died for their faith in Jesus. They died for what they knew as truth (as one would not die for a lie.)

1. Early documentation

a. Unparalleled Gospel accounts - many copies discovered - from across the ancient world

b. Early New Testament sources - the evidence shows believers and unbelievers agreeing that copies were written during the lifetimes of eye witnesses.

c. Non-Christian writings (Tacitus, Suetonius, et al) Roman officials concede the fundamentals of the Christian faith. People did believe Jesus was raised from the grave.

d. Jewish rabbinic sources (Sanhedrin 43a)

1. Shocking Conclusion

a. Those living in the year of Jesus' death and into the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60's of the first century, boldly proclaimed Jesus' death, deity and resurrection.

b. The New Testament authors and the early believers, both testified to the Old Testament pointing to Jesus and that He fulfilled what was foretold about a Savior.

c. Clear declaration in the New Testament that Jesus is none other than the Living God come to earth.

The Evidence Trail gives us strong, rational, historical, biblical, and literal evidence for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Let us give thanks for the evidence and be prepared to share it!

If you are not a believer, check out this evidence and we encourage you to pick up a Bible.

Christ is risen, He is risen, indeed!

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Today's question is one that Pastor has heard most often from young people. The questioning of the Gospels seems to center around miracles, especially the resurrection.

Atheistic Materialism Worldview ⁃ No God - universe is by chance ⁃ Matter only - Life came from non-life ⁃ No Miracles - Life is meaningless

Bible's Worldview ⁃ There is a Creator ⁃ He created life ⁃ Life has a purpose

These two worldviews are in conflict with each other but careful analysis of the Bible shows the Biblical worldview to be trustworthy.

No matter your worldview - there is evidence of the Biblical worldview.

THE FOUR GOSPELS: ⁃ The Gospels are Jewish in both their content, background and details ⁃ Matthew - Genealogy + 55 quotations ⁃ Mark begins with Old Testament quote ⁃ John: "In the beginning…" just like Genesis starts ⁃ Luke: Priesthood + "deathbed prayer" Luke 23:46 + Psalm 31:5 (Jesus spoke this prayer "into your hands…") ⁃ Geographical knowledge - written by people familiar with the territory ⁃ 26 different towns; Sea of Galilee, etc. ⁃ Up to/Down from Jerusalem ⁃ John: 2 pools - Bethesda + Siloam (archeological proof has been found) ⁃ 2 Gardens - Gethsemane + Golgotha ⁃ Details ⁃ Common Jewish names in Israel ⁃ Clarification: e.g. frequently used names: Simon…Mary… thus the need for the clarity given in the Gospel around common names ⁃ Dill and cumin dispute (Mt 23:23) things known at only a specific time in history ⁃ Tax Collectors in Capernaum/Jericho ⁃ Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic languages ⁃ Identity - not the most likely candidates to have written the Gospels ⁃ Interesting names of Gospel authors ⁃ Matthew = former tax collector ⁃ Mark = not one of the original 12 ⁃ Luke = physician, Gentile(?) ⁃ John = Jesus' closest friend ⁃ Dating - when were they written? Everything that we have suggests that these books were written early and are accurate ⁃ The Gospels reflect the "early days" of the Jesus movement. Jesus is Jewish, the 12 disciples were Jewish, the early believers were Jewish - The Gospels speak from a Jewish view ⁃ Passover within Jerusalem's walls ⁃ Best documented texts from antiquity ⁃ Paul quotes Luke's Gospel (1 Tim 5:18 from Lk 10:7 and 1 Cor 11:24-25 from Lk 22:19-20) ⁃ But this verse is a stumbling block for acceptance to the gospels because it is "productive prophecy": Jesus said, "Jerusalem will be destroyed…"

And that brings us back around to the word: MIRACLES.

If your worldview is that of atheistic materialism, a miracle / predictive prophecy would seem impossible.

But if you believe there is a God and that He is the Creator then He does these things.

If Jesus is…. who He claimed to be… who the Gospels declare Him to be…. who the Old Testament said He would be…

Then that Good News in the Gospels changes everything the Gospels deserve to be observed they call us to believe it is not irrational it is not foolish the Gospels make perfect sense it is rational it is reasonable and Jesus alone offers life forever and He invites you and me to receive what He freely gives.

May we each respond to His Word of truth as we see it proclaimed by those early eye witnesses. Pick up a Bible and read it today!

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Acts 8 begins with the day of Stephen's death:

Then + Now - What we learn

• All things - work together for good (God used the persecution for His purpose in spreading the Gospel)
• We read in Acts 8:1 that starting that day (of Stephen's death) a massive persecution broke out against the believers in Jerusalem and especially against those like Stephen, Greek speakers, who were not native to Jerusalem. And the believers (except the apostles) fled throughout Judea and Samaria and still they talked about Jesus everywhere they went.
• Gospel Peace - that the message of Jesus changes people and brings divine peace between us and God.
• Philip and the Samaritans Acts 8:5-8. Philip proclaimed the Messiah in Samaria and when people heard him and saw the signs he performed, that paid close attention to what he said as he proclaimed the risen Savior to them.
• Spirit Guided - As followers of Jesus we cannot believe in Him without the Holy Spirit. And we are called to listen to the Holy Spirit, go where the Holy Spirit leads, and to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.
• Philip and the Ethiopian Acts 8:26-27a. Philip is told by the Holy Spirit to take the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. He simply obeys God. So from Samaria he heads to that road.
• Prophetic Word has power. When we share with others, Jesus story, that story has power! To change people, to change lives!
• Philip meets an Ethiopian eunuch along the road. Acts 27a - 34. This man worked for the Queen of the Ethiopians. The man was reading the Book of Isaiah while riding in his carriage on the way back to Ethiopia. Then the Holy Spirit told Philip to go to the carriage and stay near it. He could hear the Ethiopian reading Isaiah. Philip asks if the man understood what he was reading and is invited into the carriage to explain the verses. The verses were, verses 32-35: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth." These are verses all about Jesus' trial, crucifixion and death. And the man pleads with Philip to tell him who is being talked about. And Philip tells him all about Jesus the Messiah.
• Christ's witnesses - we are to be God's witnesses to the world as we fallow Him using the gifts He has given us.
• Philip baptizes the Ethiopian Acts 8:36 - 40 we read that they came to some water and the Ethiopian says that nothing is standing in the way of him being baptized, because after hearing of Jesus, his life was changed. They stop the carriage and he is baptized. As they came up out of the water the Spirit suddenly took Philip away while the Ethiopian continued rejoicing in Jesus. Verse 40 tells us that Philip continued to preach the gospel in all the town along the way to Caesarea.

FLASHBACK to Acts 1:8 Jesus says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth." We see Jesus' words being fulfilled in Philip's story.

We to can be part of that story! Our testimonies can have a ripple effect in spreading the Good News of Jesus.

Set aside excuses and recommit to the Lord Jesus and the Father. Listen to the Holy Spirit and allow God to do amazing things with our lives for His kingdom. Using us is just what He desires to do in winning the world to Himself!

This week's READING ASSIGNMENT:

Acts chapter 8-9 (read and reflect on these two chapters together).

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Today's question is one that Pastor says has been the question asked with the most fear. Other ways this question is asked: ⁃ What is the unforgivable sin? ⁃ What is the sin against the Holy Spirit? ⁃ How can I be sure I haven't done this? ⁃ If I have done this is there any hope? ⁃ How do I avoid the unforgivable sin?

Matthew 12:31-32 Jesus says, "And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."

What is that sin? Let's start by looking at the context … ⁃ Jesus was preaching and healing. Religious authorities saw Jesus as a threat. Jesus heals a paralyzed man and the religious leaders say Jesus is blaspheming because He told the man your sins are forgiven, take up your mat and walk. And the religious leadership are angry and they continue to get angrier. Matthew 9:3 ⁃ Matthew, one of Jesus' disciples, hosts a dinner, invites his tax collector friends and Jesus attends too. The religious leaders accuse Jesus of "eating with tax collectors and sinners." Matthew 9:11 ⁃ Jesus heals a demon possessed man and the religious leaders say Jesus was able to heal the man through demonic powers. Matthew 9:34 ⁃ Jesus and disciples are walking in the grain fields on the Sabbath Day, picking and eating grain and the religious leaders say they are working on the day of rest, which is unlawful. Matthew 12:2 ⁃ Jesus heals a demon possessed man and now the religious leaders plot to kill Jesus. Matthew 12:14 ⁃ Jesus heals a man and they say that Jesus healed by the power of Beelzebul (the devil) Matthew 12:24

It is at this point that we continue with the verses just before our text for the day on the unforgivable sin. We read in Matthew 12:25-28 "Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? (Meaning how can I be healing from demons by using demons?) And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."

What Jesus is saying is look at what you see. Stop judging on the basis of your own anger and bitterness and look at what the Bible has said along. God's healing is being brought to people. The Holy Spirit is testifying that the Messiah has arrived!

Then Jesus speaks the words we started with this morning. Note that the first words are "EVERY KIND OF SIN AND SLANDER CAN BE FORGIVEN."

Jesus goes on and what He's saying is if we continually refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit and actually go so far as to call what the Spirit does as demonic then we are setting ourselves up for the unforgivable sin. (Note: Jesus is not saying they have done this, but He is calling them to search the scriptures, to search their hearts.)

The Holy Spirit always testifies to Jesus. Jesus is saying do not sin against the Spirit because if you persist in that you are cutting yourself off from the only One who can save. The Holy Spirit leads us to faith and to Jesus, who opens our eyes to see the goodness and grace of God.

What is the sin against the Holy Spirit? IT IS THE CONSCIOUS, DELIBERATE AND PERSISTENT REJECTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S TESTIMONY TO THE IDENTITY AND SAVING POWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Jesus speaks these words of warning to them to lead them to repentance and faith. God is merciful. His desire is for ALL.

Classic example: ⁃ Saul of Tarsus - the persecutor of believers who becomes a transformed man - Apostle Paul. Pastor shares Saul's story of transformation. Paul understood the sin of the Holy Spirit because that was the path he had been on in his life. But then Saul has an encounter with God that changes him and he understands the immense patience of God and His amazing grace.

Pastor closes with Romans 10:9-10 "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

God is good! So let us listen to the Holy Spirit's voice who leads us to Jesus our only Hope.

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Pastor opens with a prayer for God to build unity among believers especially in the areas where we have differing opinions, that we would show grace to one another and humility before God.

Pastor begins with the "rapture" passage in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will be with the Lord forever."

"Will be caught up." This caught up is the rapture. "Will be caught up" is one word in Greek: harpazō (Latin was used to translate the Greek work and in Latin the word is rapiemur from which we get "rapture")

Let's check out 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 where Paul answers the question about Christian believers who have died, "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord's word we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God and the dead in Christ will rise first."

These are encouraging words for believers, giving them the assurance of Jesus' Second Coming and the assurance of the resurrection of the dead, the gathering of the living and all going with Jesus in the air and of being with Him forever.

If we take Paul's powerful words of summary of the Second Coming in these verses - it seems to be saying that the rapture occurs when Jesus returns, when the dead are raised and when we are all caught up in the air with Him.

Paul goes on to say in verse 18: "Therefore encourage one another with these words."

In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 we read that Christ comes at a time no one knows, and He comes not only to bring His people to Himself, but to bring judgement. Verses 4-6 goes on to tell us that we belong to the Light and not to the darkness and Paul calls us to understanding that Jesus can come anytime and that we should be ready and looking forward to His return.

Common questions: What is all this talk about the Rapture - its referring to believers who have died in Christ and those who are alive when He returns and the risen dead and the alive will be united with Christ Will there be a rapture - Yes!!! Where is the rapture found in the Bible - In 1 Thessalonians 4 When will the rapture take place - at the Second Coming of Christ Will Christians go through the Tribulation - The word for tribulation is the Greek word thlipsis. It is used 45 time in the New Testament. (Suffering, persecution, tribulation) Pastor takes us on an exploration of the ways thlipsis is used in the New Testament by looking at: John 16:33 Matthew 24:21-22 Romans 5:3 1 Thessalonians 3:7 2 Thessalonians 1:4 Revelation 7:14 We see in these verses that tribulation is a reality, we read of the tribulation of others, of Jesus saying that in this world we will have tribulation, that there will be tribulation, and we read about glorying in our tribulations.

Pastor shares the tribulation of the apostles, disciples, and early believers, and that throughout the centuries there has been tribulation of Christian people and in our day the tribulation that is attacking many believers around the world (kidnapped, raped, captured, hunted down, killed, ridiculed, put down, in fear of losing jobs, etc). Tribulation is real, it's a reality. the Bible doesn't say we will escape it, instead it says we will be persecuted. Our hope is not based on being taken out of tribulation, our hope is on the second coming of Christ. And the assurance that we will be raised on the last day and will live with Him forever.

Believers have differing opinions - Pastor encourages us with what the Bible says: to maintain the peace of the Holy Spirit. To search the scripture to not get caught up in details that cause controversy to focus on the mission of bringing others to Christ

Jesus is the only message of reconciliation and eternal life. That is our focus, labor, prayer and service.

Bottom line …. The entire New Testament points to the Second Coming of Christ and urges us to live in such a way as to be always ready for His return.

Pastor's closing prayer speaks of thanks to God for the Scriptures, while in them we don't find everything we want to know, the Scriptures do provide ALL that we need to know.

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The answer? EVERYONE!

The Holy Spirit is found in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament the Spirit came mainly to specific people for specific purposes, but there was the foretelling of the Spirit being poured out in abundance - an age of the Holy Spirit ushered in by Jesus. Jesus the Messiah ushers in the Age of the Holy Spirit.

Mark 1:7-8 John the Baptist tells us, "And this was his message: "After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Acts 1:8 Jesus tells us, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Acts 2:16-17 "this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."

One of Jesus' teachings on the Holy Spirit is found in Luke 11:9-13: A.S.K.: Ask - for the Holy Spirit and you will receive Seek - the Holy Spirit and you will find it Knock - and the door will be opened

Jesus' desire is that the Holy Spirit is moving in each of our lives.

Then Jesus ends this teaching with Luke 11:13 "So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

Jesus is not rebuking us - He's inviting us to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. His desire is to have the Holy Spirit poured out on all of us.

The Holy Spirit in the disciple's life: 1. Romans 8:5-6. "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." We are to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and direct our lives. We are invited to let go and let the Spirit of God take control of our thoughts, behaviors, prayers and lives. 2. 1 Corinthians 3:1 "Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ." We do not want to remain spiritual babies. We need to rely upon God through the power of the Holy Spirit in us. We are called to new life through the Holy Spirit governing how we think, behave and live. 3. Galatians 5:22-25 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." We can ask ourselves if we see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Since the Holy Spirit brings us to Christ, changes our minds, changes our behavior as we listen to Him so let us keep in step with Him and allow the fruit to blossom in our lives. 4. Ephesians 5:18-20 "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." We are to be filled with the Spirit, and to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.

We are called to a God-focused life, to a life of purpose, meaning, joy and peace. We are called to go through this life with the assurance of what lies ahead. And what lies ahead for the believer is life with God forever when Jesus returns! We are called to live in the light of that truth, to make music in our hearts to God, to sing praises and to live a life that matters and to live in a what that reflects the Lord Jesus. THAT is a life empowered by the Holy Spirit!

Pastor closes with a prayer stating in faith the desire to be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit and to be empowered by the Spirit to call others to knowing Jesus.

Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.

Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer

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