Exploring God’s Word with Brad Thurston

Verses for the Power of the Gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Romans 1:16 ESV

http://bible.com/59/rom.1.16.esv

“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."”

Matthew 19:24-26 ESV

http://bible.com/59/mat.19.24-26.esv

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Romans 10:9-11, 14-17 ESV

http://bible.com/59/rom.10.9-11,14-17.esv

“And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.”

Luke 7:22 ESV

http://bible.com/59/luk.7.22.esv

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”

1 John 3:8 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.3.8.esv

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1co.1.18.esv

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.”

1 Corinthians 1:21 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1co.1.21.esv

“And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1co.2.3-5.esv

“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,”

2 Thessalonians 1:11 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2th.1.11.esv

“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, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

1 Peter 1:3-5 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1pe.1.3-5.esv

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”

Ephesians 6:13-18 ESV

http://bible.com/59/eph.6.13-18.esv

“for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Matthew 26:28 ESV

http://bible.com/59/mat.26.28.esv

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

Hebrews 9:22 ESV

http://bible.com/59/heb.9.22.esv

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”

Ephesians 1:7 ESV

http://bible.com/59/eph.1.7.esv

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:7-9 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.1.7-9.esv

“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"”

Hebrews 10:10, 16 ESV

http://bible.com/59/heb.10.10,16.esv

“knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

1 Peter 1:18-19 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1pe.1.18-19.esv

“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”

Romans 5:9 ESV

http://bible.com/59/rom.5.9.esv

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Colossians 1:13-14, 20 ESV

http://bible.com/59/col.1.13-14,20.esv

“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.”

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1pe.2.24.esv

“Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”

John 6:54-56 ESV

http://bible.com/59/jhn.6.54-56.esv

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

Acts 20:28 ESV

http://bible.com/59/act.20.28.esv

“And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

Revelation 12:10-11 ESV

http://bible.com/59/rev.12.10-11.esvVerses for Power of Gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Romans 1:16 ESV

http://bible.com/59/rom.1.16.esv

“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."”

Matthew 19:24-26 ESV

http://bible.com/59/mat.19.24-26.esv

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Romans 10:9-11, 14-17 ESV

http://bible.com/59/rom.10.9-11,14-17.esv

“And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.”

Luke 7:22 ESV

http://bible.com/59/luk.7.22.esv

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”

1 John 3:8 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.3.8.esv

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1co.1.18.esv

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.”

1 Corinthians 1:21 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1co.1.21.esv

“And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1co.2.3-5.esv

“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,”

2 Thessalonians 1:11 ESV

http://bible.com/59/2th.1.11.esv

“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, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

1 Peter 1:3-5 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1pe.1.3-5.esv

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”

Ephesians 6:13-18 ESV

http://bible.com/59/eph.6.13-18.esv

“for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Matthew 26:28 ESV

http://bible.com/59/mat.26.28.esv

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

Hebrews 9:22 ESV

http://bible.com/59/heb.9.22.esv

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”

Ephesians 1:7 ESV

http://bible.com/59/eph.1.7.esv

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:7-9 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.1.7-9.esv

“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"”

Hebrews 10:10, 16 ESV

http://bible.com/59/heb.10.10,16.esv

“knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

1 Peter 1:18-19 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1pe.1.18-19.esv

“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”

Romans 5:9 ESV

http://bible.com/59/rom.5.9.esv

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Colossians 1:13-14, 20 ESV

http://bible.com/59/col.1.13-14,20.esv

“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.”

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1pe.2.24.esv

“Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”

John 6:54-56 ESV

http://bible.com/59/jhn.6.54-56.esv

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

Acts 20:28 ESV

http://bible.com/59/act.20.28.esv

“And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

Revelation 12:10-11 ESV

http://bible.com/59/rev.12.10-11.esv

Faithful Husband

Hosea 1: 2,3, 6-9

Introduction

Faithlessness is rampant. Who do we trust? People lie to protect themselves and hide their shame. In building teams, it is important that people are open and honest with one another. This helps me see the issues faced in interpersonal relationships:

The fundamental attribution error is simply this:  human beings tend to falsely attribute the negative behaviors of others to their character (an internal attribution), while they attribute their own negative behaviors to their environment (an external attribution).  Why?  Because we like to believe that we do bad things because of the situations we are in, but somehow, we easily come to the conclusion that others do bad things because they are predisposed to being bad.  (Similarly, we often attribute other people’s success to their environment and our own success to our character.  That’s because we like to believe that we are inherently good and talented, while others are merely lucky, beneficiaries of good fortune.) from Patrick Lencioni.

Read text.

What a crazy event and explain. Why was it so important for the prophet to do this? And how does this show us Jesus in the OT?

1. It demonstrates how people gradually move towards sin and get in deeper without recognizing it, and also feel justified in explaining it away.
2. It shows how far we drift from a real and vital relationship with God, and each other.
3. It shows the problems Jesus faced when he came.
4. And it shows how he patiently dealt with our blindness of heart.
5. Finally it shows his amazing love in redeeming us from the very sins that keep us captive.

Hosea 1: 2,3, 6-9

“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.””

John 8:34-47 

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.”

Ephesians 5:25-32 

“Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!””

Mark 2:8-12 

“Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.””

Matthew 15:10-20 

“This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, “I have done no wrong.””

Proverbs 30:20 

“The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and putting Jesus to the test, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but are you unable to discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation wants a sign; and so a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.”

Matthew 16:1-4 

Mark 8 – Blind man touched twice. And disciples see Jesus properly. 

“And they *came to Bethsaida. And some people *brought a man who was blind to Jesus and *begged Him to touch him. Taking the man who was blind by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting in his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, for I see them like trees, walking around.” Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And He continued questioning them: “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and *said to Him, “You are the Christ.” And He warned them to tell no one about Him.”

Mark 8:22-30 

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.”

1 Peter 2:1-3 

“For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, And the one who believes in Him will not be put to shame.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers, “A stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief cornerstone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this they were also appointed.”

1 Peter 2:6-8

The Covenant Keeper

2 Samuel 9:6-8

Introduction

Jesus in Moses and the Prophets.  We get some beautiful pictures of Jesus that help us understand who he is, and how amazing his love for us is! Seeing him demonstrated through history in so many ways, not just through prophecies, but through the lives of those who believe and trusted in God long before Jesus came.  We can trust God’s Love, God’s Word, and God’s Character.  “We can see that his love is compellingly intentional. It is not random nor sporadic. It is utterly reliable and full of purpose.”

Last week we saw in the life of David, that he foreshadowed Jesus by being a prophet, priest, and king. Today I want to look at how David was a covenant keeper.

Read Text

The Story! It all starts with a relationship between David and Jonathan. After David kills Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, David and Jonathan enter into a covenant. “Now it came about, when he had finished speaking to Saul, that Jonathan committed himself to David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. And Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his military gear, including his sword, his bow, and his belt.”

1 Samuel 18:1-4

The nature of a covenant is that all you have, all your potential, all your life, and all those who are in your seed, all you will ever be is given to your covenant partner. It was usually sealed by blood since life is in the blood. 

So, the death of Jonathan caused his son to grow up in fear of David, and believe his life was ruined by him. When he is found, he assumes he will be killed as an enemy who wants to subvert David’s kingdom.  Thus, his response is amazement.

The focus though is for us to see Jesus as the covenant keeper.  Look at what Jesus does in creating a covenant with his father, in his own blood. That means that all who are in the blood of Jesus are recipients of all he gets from his Father! 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

The sign of the covenant – includes blood! Let it be unto me like this, if I do not keep this covenant!

“It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ God raised up His Servant for you first and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.””

Acts 3:25-26 

“God said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.”

Genesis 17:9-11

“And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:29 

The faithfulness of the covenant keeper – in word, including promises:

“I will not violate My covenant, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.” Psalms 89:34 

“Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His faithfulness to a thousand generations for those who love Him and keep His commandments;” Deuteronomy 7:9 

“¶He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac.” Psalms 105:8-9

Our signs of the covenant: baptism at the start and communion to constantly remind us of who we are!

Baptism as a sign of entering the covenant. “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”” Acts 2:38-39

“And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup, which is poured out for you, is the new covenant in My blood.” Luke 22:20 

Our confidence and role in the covenant - “Such is the confidence we have toward God through Christ. Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 

Are you in Christ? You can’t fool God and you can’t pretend to be what you are not. You want the benefits of the covenant, then you must be born again.  

Prophet, Priest, King

2 Samuel 7:12-16

Introduction

The mystery of 3 – everything seems to come in threes. 

David and Jesus are keenly related in the Messianic passages. Primarily in 2 Samuel as we continue from Moses to the Prophets.

The Prophecy of Nathan that points to Jesus.

The Threefold Anointing on David as Prophet Priest and King, as pointing to the Anointing on Jesus!

They both are:

Priests

Kings

Prophets

What this means to us!

Finishing the Race

2 Timothy 4:7,8

Liberty Church Birmingham

Sunday, October 8, 2023

1. Appreciation for Liberty Church – John Snow, David and Betty McCutchen and Ferrell Maughan were my first supporters, and continued after I married Jan. Bill Stamp, Bruce, Jeff Cato, and Ferrell visited us. Many wrote encouragement. Bill introduced us to Globe International in 85 and Liberty Fellowship the next year at Norman Park. 
2. Thank you, Bruce, for helping me finish this book. He suggested we launch it here today. And will be in the back room to sign copies for those who wish to make a donation for one to reach an Unreached people group in northern Mozambique. Providing local evangelists, trained by our German missionaries, motors cycles and bicycles to reach distant villages where you follow goat paths and cross torrent rivers in a canoe. – this book includes several events from here including one of Jerry Strong. How a German youth help a WWII vet get deliverance.
3. Finishing the race – a scripture for finishing well, spiritual warfare, and funerals.  What if it applies to God and is prophetic in a way that OT scriptures are? What if Paul writes it as pertaining to himself, but God inspires it because it also applies to Jesus and his work, specifically his work by the Holy Spirit in us? It could apply to his work on the cross, as well as his work through the church until the great and glorious day when he appears, and we all enter heaven. But that is a very western mindset to this problem. Always a focus on the winner!

1. When you think of races like the Marathon, you don’t know many if any of the participants. Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya holds the world record and 2 Gold medals in the Olympic Marathon will try for a 3rd in Paris next year.  That seems to be focus of our society as we hold such accomplishments in high esteem. Selfish Ambition can easily become a downfall for anyone. But two races impress me and give me a new sense of understanding regarding Gods plans and intentions: the Iditarod race is a grueling difficult race in March in Alaska, and it is not over until the last team arrives at the finish line.  The concern is for all to reach the goal! The Dream Marathon is unique in the fact that the established runners train the new runners personally 22 weeks before the race and when the first ones reach the finish line they return to the last ones and run with them encouraging them to finish as well! Here the whole idea is that the whole group is involved in the whole group! 

1. Look at this from God’s perspective it is not over until all ethnic people groups, language groups, cultures, races, are represented at the marriage feast of the lamb! Until All who call upon the name of the Lord are saved, it is not over! Until all have heard and have had a chance to respond, the race is not over! It will not be accomplished without more dedicated career missionaries that is for sure!  Pray to the Lord of the harvest that he will cast out more into the white, ready and prepared harvest fields! But we need more than those who will sacrifice to go, we need those who will commit to do the praying, encouraging, communicating, visiting, pastoring those who have gone! We need an army who see that church is not where we go to be entertained, but where we learn how to serve, how to invest in people, how to give what is needed in the Kingdom of God.  It is not about a few doing the most, it is about us all moving together as the Holy Spirit directs us. Not listening to the myriad of voices but following the one! The task of reaching the Lost is our task together. Wherever they are found.

Jesus, Not Just Any Priest

Hebrews 7-11

What do you think about when you hear the word “Priest”?

Our picture is often marred by various movies, novels, and pictures.  Imagine Jesus being like a priest in one of those shows like Balleykissangel. 

The order of Melchizedek- righteousness and peace Gen.: 14:18-20 and Psalm 110:4

See how Jesus is a high priest from a different law! Hebrews 8:1-6 a better priest!

Jesus inaugurates a new Covenant like Jeremiah prophesied: Jeremiah 31:31-34 quoted in Hebrews 8, see last verse.

The outer sanctuary and the Holy Place Hebrews 9:1-5

The job of the high priest – replaced by Jesus! Hebrews 9:8,11,14-17

The need for blood to activate the covenant. Hebrews 9:21-28

The old law does not make perfect! Psalm 40 speaks of one to come later! Psalm 40:6-8

Hebrews 10:1,4,9,10 shows the eternal work of Jesus!

By faith the early believers were looking for a better country, an eternal one! Hebrews 11:13-16

We have come to Mt. Zion and an unshakable Kingdom! Hebrews 12:22-24;

Don’t mess it up – give him your acceptable service!  25-28!

“And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has handed over your enemies to you.” And he gave him a tenth of everything.”

Genesis 14:18-20 

“The Lord has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.””

Psalms 110:4 

““Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.””

Jeremiah 31:31-34 

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.””

Psalms 40:6-8 

The Pattern of Heaven

Exodus 25:1-9

Introduction

A trip through cathedrals – illiterate people and keeping the faith by art and sculptures.

A lot of history in these amazing structures: major events, burials, events that moved the world to remember: Luther nailing his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg that began a reformation! Or the move in Leipzig that brought down the Berlin Wall? Or the simple pastor in Timisoara, Romania that brought about the downfall of the government there. The many small chapels across England as John Wesley preached up and down the land. 

Show pictures:

Sistine Chapel at the Vatican- Italy

Cathedral in Krakow, Poland

Cathedral in Milan

Cathedral in Salisbury – a worker who loved Jesus

Cathedral in Wesel – Peter Minuit who bought Manhatten from the Indians

St. Paul’s Cathedral London – taken into the Holy of Holies

But all of these do not compare with what God gave to Moses!

Then the Tabernacle – above all the others

Read Text

The Character and nature of God is revealed

Through the blood of Jesus

The courtyard for sin, and the Holy place leading to the Holy of Holies.

46x23 meters (150 feet X 75 feet) cf Biltmore is 175,000 ft2 CFNBC 11,250 ft2

Outer Court and Inner Court

Holy Place – 10 X 5 meters 48x24

Holy of Holies – 5 X 5 meters 24ft

Worshiper could not go any further than bringing sacrifice to altar. Only priests could go farther to laver. Worth – Over 100 billion USD equivalent.

See the Revelation 21 for the New Jerusalem

Prayers of incense Revelation 5:8 and 8:3,4

Assumptions and shadows.  Solving the mystery and wanting to know all things. 

But there are issues that can develop because of this: the presence and leadership of God is replaced by dead works and dead traditions.  Where there. Is no life being infused, but the very condemnation that does not come from the Father:  ignoring him can lead to lifelessness. 

See what happens in Exodus 32.1

See what is in Cebu or in Chichicastenango. 

The tents in the wilderness were facing the tabernacle.

When we look forward to what Father intends for us both individually and collectively as a church, we can do a lot more moving forward in unity. 

“Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food and drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon, or a Sabbath day— things which are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Take care that no one keeps defrauding you of your prize by delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding firmly to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.”

Colossians 2:16-19 “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

James 1:14-17 

“For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the form of those things itself, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually every year, make those who approach perfect. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Hebrews 10:1-4