Rejoicing in Difficulties 1Peter 1:6-12

See notes in pdf document. 

-Rejoice by reflecting on life's trials.v 3-5. Suffer according to God's will. 1Peter 4.

-Rejoice as you see refinement in your life!

-Rejoice as you are reassured of your faith.

Zechariah 10

Zechariah 10

Galations 4 - why the reincarnation (birth of Jesus) matters...

Galatians 4
Pleased to dwell series

Why does the Incarnation matter?
1. Jesus entered the world:
To be human is to be "born of woman." Jesus becomes a human.

"Born under the law." Mosaic law which reflected character and holiness of God but what impossible to meet. Under the constraints of obedience to the law.  Gal 3:23...captive under the law.  He fulfills all the requirements of the law.

"When the fullness of time comes"  God sent Jesus at just the right time.

The Lord of all submits himself to our conditions to save us. Like our evangelism...go into their world to spread Gospel. Identify with them.

We have a Savior who understands our human condition.

2. Jesus redeemed our lives
Redemption means to deliver from evil or harm or buy back. Romans 6-slaves of sin. Manumision is also redemption. In Roman world had to pay a god to free a slave/redeem. Our God isn't paid off and just watched the process...Our God came to earth and became us to free us and paid His life to free us. Jesus goes everything too redeem us...That is why it is called Grace. Gal3:10,,13, 2Cor. Jesus personally bought our redemption/freedom from the dean's of sin. He prevented us from destroying our lives.

3. Jesus changed my identity.
so that we might receive adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”  So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Changed..not just freedom, but now an adopted son. Just like God adopted the Israelites as His own and watched after then. 

Receive adoption and Spirit. Romans 8:15. Spirit of God gives us spiritual empowerment, fruit, live for God, understanding of the scripture. Also, marks us as sons of God. Makes Him our Father, Abba.

Without Jesus becoming a man, there would be no ability for us to pour our hearts out to God.He made us sons and changed our identities...we are sons and heirs. 

2Peter - His precious promises give us His divine nature...we share in the glory that belongs to Jesus.

God granted us His glory and spared us His wrath.

At Christmas, we celebrate the beginning of everything we believe.

Christmas Themes

Pluroma of time. Pluroma- overflowing fullness

Carros. - time

Hebrew Mazeroth- constellations became

,Virgo - brightest star in constellation. Branch in one hand and seed in other hand

Ends with Leo the Lion.

Each constellation is associated with deacons...Virgo -the coming one, the ? One,  The ? ONE

BETHLEHEMSTAR.COM

All four gospels have genealogy of Christ in different views - see above

Luke - Helo was father of Mary not Joseph, Numbers 22,23.-girl can inherit based on this and husband is adopted by family so he is in the blood line

Birth - Gabriel is always on a mission for the Messiah. He promised Mary 8 promises. Jesus was born in late September or October. Same as great. John the Baptist - Passover timing of birth?

The Lord likes to reuse days. Resurrection of Christ same as Noah's ark resting. 

Magi is transliteration of what name sounds like. Parthenon empire, Medes, is Kurds today. Medes had elected kingship and Magi were the electorate. Daniel was president of Magi 500 years before. He probably prophesied about the star to pursue it when it showed up. Magi would have traveled with entourage and army. Star goes and hovers and goes and hovers. Jesus isn't a baby any longer when they find him. Micah 5:2. Two Bethlehems. Ruth connects David to Bethlehem.

Heavenly Hosts - hosts means an army of angels

Mary - back to Adam and Eve. Song of Mary - 8  (He has) of what God does for us.

Simon means hearing. Heard God about seeing the Messiah.

Zechariah Chapter 9

Zechariah Chapter 9

Gentle dating...times of the Gentle. Coming to a close because the day of the Lord will be soon.

Ezekiel - phrase 50 times "and then they will know that I am the Lord". Ch26.-Tyre - seige never worked against them. They just moved to an island.

Alexander destroys Tyre and scrapes the city off the rock just like Ezekiel said God would do. When Alexander went back to Jerusalem which refused to help him destroy Tyre, he didn't destroy Jerusalem because He had a dream and it included seeing the priest outside of Jerusalem.

The Lord of Hosts means the Lord of the Armies.

Double imputation - you have to have positive righteousness.

Ezekiel, Lucifer was behind Tyre, so that is why the Lord is so viscous about Tyre.

In this 70 weeks of time all the prophecies will be sealed up and done.

Jewish year is 360 days not 365 in Gentle. So 490 years in Daniel 9. Note...70x7 forgiveness is 490

Luke 19...this is the calendar day the Lord locked in.

Entrance into Jerusalem us the one time Jesus allowed praise of Himself.

Judgment begins at the House of God - us. Good allows stuff to happen to prune us. Run and not be weary. Walk and not be faint.

God's Word is good to the very day He tells about through the Bible.

Catharsis - Catherized heart - free flowing - emotional release

John 12

  Review of Mary and Martha

A)   Works versus love—(I Cor. 13:3)

B)   How are we identified as Christians?  (John 13:34, 35)

C)   How do we get love? (Hebrew Ahab and Hessed)  (II Peter 1:5-7)

II)   The 10^th of Nissan—John 12:12-26

A)   Hosanna (saved now) (Psalm 118:10-14, 19-26)

B)   The ride of a king—vs. 14 (Zechariah 9:9)

C)   The power of witness—vs. 17 (Acts 1:8)

D)   Expect opposition—vs. 19

E)   Disciples were with Him at the beginning and the end—vs. 20

F)    Grain

G)   To get real life you must give current life away—vs. 25

H)   Must be a servant to gain honor

III) The moment for resolve—vs. 27-36

A)   The hour has come

B)   The purpose of man—vs. 28 (Matt. 6:9)

1)   The voice from Heaven (thunder) (Psalm 29; Rev. 10:3-4)

2)   God will glorify His name

C)   3 kinds of people—vs 28-30

1)   Natural man—(I Cor. 2:14)

2)   Carnal man—(I Cor. 3:1)

3)   Spiritual man—(I Cor. 2:15, 16)

D)   This is the judgment of the world (the sentence will be carried out in the future)—vs.. 31

E)   The ruler of this world will be cast out—vs. 31

F)    The calling of the people (Rom. 8:30)

G)   The lifting up—vs. 32 (Numbers 21:4-9)

John 12

I. Review of Mary and Martha

A)   Works versus love—(I Cor. 13:3)

B)   How are we identified as Christians?  (John 13:34, 35) If we are loving, we will bear much fruit...we are image bearers. 

C)   How do we get love? (Hebrew Ahab and Hessed)  (II Peter 1:5-7) Virtue went out from Jesus when the woman touched his hem. Goal for a Christian, be complete. Change from a Martha to a Mary

II)   The 10^th of Nissan—John 12:12-26. Three feasts required attendance. Every Jewish male that can make it must attend. Packed.

A)   Hosanna-word for branches and Palm trees (saved now) (Psalm 118:10-14, 19-26). 15 Yeshua means salvation. Hosanna means save now.

B)   The ride of a king—vs. 14 (Zechariah 9:9). Pharisees have a problem with Jesus as king. Donkey, is the ride of a king. 

C)   The power of witness—vs. 17 (Acts 1:8)

D)   Expect opposition—vs. 19

E)   Gentiles were with Him at the beginning and the end—vs. 20

F)    Grain

G)   To get real life you must give current life away—vs. 25

H)   Must be a servant to gain honor

III) The moment for resolve—vs. 27-36

A)   The hour has come

B)   The purpose of man—vs. 28 (Matt. 6:9)

1)   The voice from Heaven (thunder) (Psalm 29; Rev. 10:3-4)

2)   God will glorify His name

C)   3 kinds of people—vs 28-30

1)   Natural man—(I Cor. 2:14)

2)   Carnal man—(I Cor. 3:1)

3)   Spiritual man—(I Cor. 2:15, 16)

D)   This is the judgment of the world (the sentence will be carried out in the future)—vs.. 31

E)   The ruler of this world will be cast out—vs. 31

F)    The calling of the people (Rom. 8:30)

G)   The lifting up—vs. 32 (Numbers 21:4-9

John 12:27-50

• V27 - Jesus prayer - Jn 2:4. Soul is the inner being of humans. 
• V28 the Father's response. 
• V29 the crowd's reaction. They hear thunder and think an Angel has answered from heaven.
• V30-32 the impact. See Romans 5, 8
• Now is the judgment of the world.
• His soul was troubled, but now He focuses on Satan being cast out. Victory over death. Gen3:15
• Now shall the ruler of this world be cast out.
•  See Jn 16:11, 14:30, Eph6:12
• And I, when I am lifted up, I will draw all (people to myself)...EVERYONE and everything to Himself and back to His Father
• 
  
• V33 John's transitional statement
• V34 ignorance as to"who is this son of man that would die?" Rom11:33-36
• V35-36a Jesus response light vs darkness. Col 1:13, Romans 13:12
• V36-41 the Resurrection
• V37 though He had done many signs before then Jn 10:38
• V38 Isaiah 53:1
• V39-40 Isaiah 6:10 note the difference between purpose and effect. Romans 10, 11
• Condition of their heart would not allow them to believe. Killed true prophets many times.
• V42 Isaiah 6:1
• V42-43 rejection not entire- man's glory v. God's glory. 
• Isaiah saw the glory of Christ and they didn't believe Isaiah. Now Christ had come, since they didn't believe the prophecies of Christ in Isaiah, they weren't going to believe Christ either.
• V44-50 the judgment of the word

Zechariah 2 - Visions 2 & 3

Zechariah means Jehovah remembers. His dad's name means ? 

Angels are always helper angels. 

Holy Spirit is really our teacher.  He teaches us ALL things.

This book is quoted frequently in NT. Like Rev. With 500 OT references.

Vision 2 - horns - meaning? Righteous? What is the Greek? Vision 1-- measuring line. V15-16 get expanded in later verses.

Selah - means consider or think about it. Joshua 1:8 word means ruminate-bring back up again and again.

Lord will make you dig when studying scripture.

Measuring line in Ezekiel. Largest temple complex in the world. Measuring line usually means an expansion. Dedication of wall starts a timeline. Daniels time. Zechariah is dated in Gentile time - Luke 21.

Biography of Jerusalem - read 

Apple of my eye - in this verse it is the pupil. focused.

Zechariah

Vision over eight parts.

Angel of the Lord is preincarnate Christ.

First part. Man is Angel of the Lord. First Angel of the Lord was to Haggar while fleeing from Sarah. Genesis c16,-18, 21,22,24. Exodus 3:6, Joshua 5:13. 1 Chronicles 21:12-17. Red horse signifies war. Represents Israel's blood. Revelation 6:4. 

There is an angel with Zechariah the whole time. Different from Angel of the Lord.

Other colored horses are looking through the earth. White horse represents victory. So, things wee happening in the world to cause change. Things are happening in the world today for the same reason...God is working on people. Yet, people are accountable for their own actions.

Myrtle trees are indicative of Israel. Angel of Lord on a red horse. Angel of Lord (preincarnate Christ) is destroying Israel. Asks how long God will punish them. 

The Exiled Life 1Peter 1 - Hope

Hope. How to survive as an exile? Hope!

V3a. Who is God? God is the Father of Jesus, His Son.

3a Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 


V3b. Who am I?  We are sons and daughters of God.

3b In his great mercy (pity or compassion) he has given us new birth into a living hope (Spiritually, God's blood goes through our veins) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (this is our hope),...

V4. What does my future look like? Hope! Inheritance is forever, and it is secure forever!

4 ...and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.

V5. How long? When God decides.  What is the inheritance? V8-Jesus

5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

John 13

I)     The Upper Room Discourse—John 13-17
A)   The Olivet Discourse is given in Matthew, Mark, and Luke
B)   It occurs on the first day of Unleavened Bread (Passover)
1)   Passover, 14th of Nissan—(Matt. 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7)
2)   The actual meal is served after dark—(Luke 22:14-23)
3)   The dispute that occurs at dinner—(Luke 22:24)
II)   The John account of Jesus’ actions—John 13:1-6
A)   Facts for the believer
1)   The Love of Christ
2)   Loved (aorist) them to the end (Telious)—Phil 1:6
3)   Jesus knew what was facing Him, no self absorption found here
4)   Do we know who we are?  Do we know where we are going?—John 13:3 - family is important (son of, son of,,etc.)
B)   The action of service
1)   He is wearing a tunic - not the outer garment but the under garment?. Garment with fringe and tassel - His rank shows with this. It is His authority. He is setting this aside.
2)   The act of foot washing - usually the lowest servants did this.
III) The teaching of this object lesson—John 13:7
A)   Like much of the rest of the Gospel of John, the disciples didn’t understand yet
1)   Know. The disciples didn’t “oida” (revealed knowledge) now, but they will “gnosco” (by experience you will know) later (by experience-in the trenches)
2)   If you do not wash, you have no part in Jesus. Washing - baths (had to take multiple nikvas to get into temple  - started at the bottom of the hill and bathed in different nikvas on the way - you had to be cleansed to be in the temple - you have to do it - no one else can do it for you)
(a) There is a once for all time washing, i.e. Heb. 10:10; 22
(b) There is a daily washing as in here—John 13:10 (Psalm 119:9; Eph. 5:26)
(c)  Jesus cleanses our daily walk
B)   Not all of the disciples were clean—John 13:10, 11, and 18. He chose Judas. Two sons of perdition in the Bible...Judas and Ahipafel (advisor to king? )- Bathsheba's grandfather?
1)   The trader was chosen
2)   This was to fulfill Scripture (compare Psalm 41:9 to John 13:18). Difference - not his friend and doesn't trust him. Dissect or divide the scriptures.
C)   The punch line--John 13:12
1)   Teacher and kurios (authority) - kurios is Lord. "Ought" means you owe this to fellow Christians. Fiduciary responsibility puts their needs above yours-foot washing
2)   Do as I do (We owe this to Him)
3)   Verily, Verily if you know this truth and obey it, it will lead to blessing—John 13:16, 17
4)   This foot washing demonstrates Jesus’ service and humility—(Phil. 2:3-8)
5)   Compare this truth with the history that is written beforehand regarding the Church (Rev. 2, 3)
(a) The Nicolaitans (Rev 2:6)
(b) It has become the doctrine of the Nicolaitans  (Rev. 2:15)

Themes from John 19

Isaiah 40-50? shows what is to come
Isaiah 55 no more thorns (acacia wood is Gopher wood family (ark) and was used to make crown of thorns-thorns have hooks).

Ark-uses pitch on outside of ark (copher-cover-
Two angels sitting at either end is the word and means atonement). Acacia used to reference Christ's crown of thorns.

Ark of Coventry is made of acacia wood and gold (medals are significant). 30 is bought out with blood. Silver -tabernacle rests on it and it means blood. Gold is associated with deity.

Mercy seat was solid gold with cherubim facing each other with wins over the top. This is a similitude or type.

Tomb - May only one who seems to understand Jesus is going to die-anointed him with oil. The body was missing but the face cloth was still there. Face cloth was folded neatly - Jews won't handle body because of blood and Sabbath, so would have been done quickly like then-so off out was folded neatly. Two angels were sitting at either end of Jesus open tomb-symbol of ark of covenant. While Bible is about Jesus Christ - prepared ahead of time.  Shroud of Turin is false because can't be a whole cloth just a face cloth???

Joseph & Jesus similarities - coat had sleeves- maybe seamless? Imprisoned with cupbearer and baker. O one sites other lives. When Jesus was crucified with two- and one saved and one lost. Both rejected by brothers. Both glorified later.

Phrophecy - Leviticus 23 outlines all of them.
  14th is Passover
  15th is unleavened bread - high Sabbath-can't have someone hanging on cross during that time.  Three days and three nights.

John 19:37 - They shall look upon Him whom they have pierced. "They shall look" is two letters (alpha and tal?) which translates to alpha and omega. Alpha is spelled out here because it is fulfilled. Omega is small because it was not fulfilled yet,,, day of atonement.

Tomb - will be a clean place - never been used- Joseph of Arimathea. Why clean? Numbers 19:9, 17 and John 2:6. Numbers- pure calf burned outside of camp completely and clean person comes along and cleans up the ashes and mixes water in it and sprinkles it. Can't purify anything without water of separation. John 2- six pots used were water of purification pots. Six is number for incomplete, but Jesus completes it. Isaiah 52 "so shall He sprinkle many nation's" and He is marred beyond recognition.-Jesus literally sprinkled us with His blood. Many nations is just the believers?

Isaiah 52 tells you they ripped our His facial hair

References for types or similitudes
JVernon Magee
Barnhouse
Misler

The Middle of Time - John 20:1-18

Scripture is truth not tradition
Die Mitte Dee Zeit means the middle of time. Author had allot of things wrong, but he was right about Jesus death being the middle of time. OT was prologue to Jesus and everything since Jesus is the epilogue. Jesus resurrection is the fact that makes everything make sense.

Reason is broken and Christ is Risen!

Why We believe the Bible

This is the sermon from College Park Church, Mark Vroegop, on August 14, 2016.

Doctrine of Inspiration. Means the foundation of life is rooted in the authority of the Bible

Inerrancy. Bible always tells the truth. Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact. Without error.

Thinking you have to have proof about how the Bible passage is correct or inerrant is doubting God. Thinking you must know better than God.


Three characteristics of the trustworthiness of the Bible:

1. The prophetic word is historical. "For" goes back to something else. 

2.  It is written. Peter is just confirming the prophetic Word in His writings. V,19, v20 prophecy. All point us to the written Word. His eye witness testimony only confirms that God's prophetic word is true.

Cling to the inerrant, trustworthy Word.
3. It is supernatural even though written by humans as all prophecy is from God.v21 men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2Peter 1:3-4 - The Sufficiency of The Bible

Pursue Godliness

Scope of God's provision. V3. All of life. God has provided everything we need.

Source of God's provision. Last part of v3. Jesus. We need to know Jesus. Through Christ's glory and excellence, we have God's promises: there will be offspring that will crush the head of a serpent, that if yout confess with your mouth, Christ will never leave you, God will not withhold anything you need. Sufficiency of God's provision. Scripture is sufficient. 2 Thes 2:13. Sufficient to convert, convict, and sustain God's people. Why do we look elsewhere?

Purpose of God's provision. V4. As we are in the Word, we are transformed and become partakers. Partakers have fellowship and communion with God. God has provided us with everything to be the image God or become more like Him.

We believe the Bible is sufficient. So how does this work in our lives or help us? Bible tells us everyone will be in either heaven or help. We need to ensure they KNOW. We need to be a picture of Jesus with mercy and grace. We need to talk about the Bible all the time and be an example of what the Bible says.

John 20:19-31

John 20:19-31

Are you feeling insignificant? Nothing seems to be going your way?

Matthew 1
2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[a] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, 15Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Luke 3
32the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon,[a] the son of Nahshon, 33the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,[b] the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, 38the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
-------------------
There you have the complete geneology of Christ! Christ is the most significant person who has ever lived! We are all able to live in heaven someday if we believe in Christ! In my opinion, that makes Him THE most important person in my life, ever! He loved me, and everyone else, enough to give up His place in heaven to come down here, to die on the cross to cover my sins, to be raised again so that I too can be raised after death to heaven! Whew! Good news!

Now, what about between heaven and now? That is the hard part! Yes, yesterday, I did what I was supposed to. I made it through the day without dropping the ball with my students. At the end of the day though, I realized I had focused on everything but God. I felt tired, worn out, negative, unsure if I had made any kind of impact on anyone, much less was a representative of Christ's love. Bummer feeling!

Then I got up this morning, realizing I was feeling the way I was because I hadn't spent the time I should have studying, praying, and talking to God. I realized if I want to be with Him all day long, to know He is in my heart and mind all day, I have to make the effort to seek Him...studying His Word, talking to Him. I feel insignificant when I forget Him throughout the day. Then I realize He has a plan for me. I don't know what it is usually, maybe it is terribly insignificant in my eyes, but is anything really insignificant when God is in charge? 

We have to remember God uses EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE  for His plans. We may be a small part, but we are a part of a big master plan. In the genealogy list above, we don't recognize all the names in Christ's genealogy. There are no books written by those people. No acknowledgement of most of them in the Bible beyond Christ's genealogy. Yet, it took all those people, and their wives, to get to Christ. That was God's plan all along.

So, however insignificant your day has been, however insignificant you feel you are right now, however unfair you feel you are to contribute to any plan you have much less God's, remember the genealogy it took to get to Christ. For thousands of years God put people in places they needed to be in order to get to Christ.

No one is insignificant...even when they are at their lowest or worst. God is using you right now for something you will probably never see and won't know about until heaven. Keep your eyes on Him, the one who owns the universe and has a plan for everyone and everything...and that includes you!