Looking at the background of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenes, we explore WHY Jesus warned His followers to BEWARE of the "teaching" of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt. 16:6). What "teaching" was He warning them about? What did the Essenes believe and what did/do the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) reveal about the coming Messiah? We look at a couple of fragments from the DSS, in particular, the Melchizedek Document that reveal what they believed the Messiah was coming to do and WHO the Messiah would be. We can then better understand the purpose of the Book of Hebrews. This is part 1 in a series.

A re-recorded Part 2 where I cast the vision for this Advent Season - to prepare ourselves. To ask the Lord HOW we can be more holy, something we are commanded to be. 

This Advent challenge includes a call to fast - from food for some, but from social media. 

This is the beginning of a message where I consider the idea of being a 'Remnant' in this hour. Defining the word/concept; what it means and also at least one of the dangers inherent in the term.

The 2nd part of the message, I have decided to leave off as I presented the irrefutable evidence that Christmas is NOT a pagan holiday.  I will share 2 blog links where I have presented the evidence.

Title #1: Is Christmas a 'Pagan' Holiday/ (2023)
Link #1 - https://joel2generation.blogspot.com/2023/11/is-christmas-pagan-holiday.html

Title #1 - Is celebrating Christmas on December 25th something that came from paganism? NO.
Link #2 - https://joel2generation.blogspot.com/2022/11/is-celebrating-christmas-on-december.html

Additionally, I shared an 8 minute video by Mike Winger (YouTube) where he completely dismantles the arguments that Christmas Trees are pagan.
Title:  "People are still making stuff up about Christmas Trees" 
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BionQkX2i7w 

I will follow this message with Part 2 which is the challenge of entering Advent (which begins today) with the mentality of what God would require of us to prepare for what lies ahead. 

Natalie shares a powerful message about the hour we are in and our mandate to both BUILD and BATTLE

What hour do we find ourselves in? What are God's purposes for His Church in this hour? Are we being set free from a modern-day "Babylonian Captivity"? Is God about to judge the "Babylonian System"? Is Donald Trump a type of Cyrus? Do Isaiah 45 and Isaiah 47 have something to teach us today? 

Over 20% of the Gospel of Matthew deals with the Pharisees. Is this so that we can use them as our 'whipping posts' to illustrate all the bad things religious people can do? Or, did God have those verses included because we are more like the Pharisees than we realize? I believe the latter is the case.

In this message, I share my own "pharisaical tendencies".

I begin with a play off of Tim Hawkin's, "You might be a Redneck if..."

My version - I might be a Pharisee if...

…IF I AM THE SELF-APPOINTED CORRECTOR OF EVERYONE ELSE'S DOCTRINE

IF I THINK THAT THE "SPEAK THE TRUTH" PART OF "SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE" IS THE "KEY" TO THAT VERSE… 

…IF ONE OF MY FAVORITE VERSES IS "THE SPIRITUAL MAN JUDGES ALL THINGS" (1 Cor. 2:15)

IF PRAYING THE IMPRECATORY PSALMS MAKES ME OUTRAGEOUSLY HAPPY…

…IF I THINK THE “GIFT OF DISCERNMENT” MEANS KNOWING WHAT IS WRONG IN EVERYBODY ELSE'S LIFE 

IF I AM SITTING HERE THINKING ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE WHO REALLY NEEDS TO HEAR THIS MESSAGE…

I continue in 1 Peter 3 - basically, there are 3 sections to this passage. One of them deals with suffering in the Christian's life being God's will. Not an easy topic. Thus the title. But there are some other key things in this passage - Christ's "descent to the dead" from the Apostle's Creed (2nd Century) is referenced. Part of Christ's descent was His proclamation to the "spirits in prison" which is discussed in this message. I end with the importance of baptism which is often de-emphasized in modern Christianity. That was not the case in the Apostolic age and the early church.

The word submission is not a popular word. I would say it is a despised word. But it is also a Biblical one. 

The Apostle Peter writes some of the most challenging words in the New Testament when he instructs us to submit to human institutions, unjust employers (in the 1st century it was actual "masters") and within marriage. 

How do we reconcile the commandment to submit to these things while obeying God in other areas? Peter broke laws and didn't submit at times. What about abusive situations? We get into all of these things in this message.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully. 11 They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory. 12 They were shown that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things angels long to catch a glimpse of.

13 Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 Like obedient children, do not comply with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, 15 but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.” 17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence. 18 You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed—not by perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For

all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.

And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

This is the final message in a 13-part series looking at the phenomenon of house churches in the Book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament. 

In addition to considering the house churches Paul planted, visited, and wrote to, we consider again Paul's suffering in the midst of all the ministry he was doing. Paul's vision of the Christian life was radically different than what is preached in many churches today. Who should we be following?