Who is God?

God is spirit. The spirit is a person. The spirit is not you or me. It is it's own being.

Isaiah 63:8-9

The spirit is not an "it". The spirit is not a thing. The spirit is a entity of its own. The sin of the people that God has chosen to be his, left the holy spirit grieving! The spirit can grieve and has feelings.

Genesis 1:1-2 the spirit went forth ahead of God!

Exodus 28:3; 31:3; proverbs 1:20-22; 1:31-33; james 3:17

The spirit is wisdom. Wisdom is found in the spirit. The spirit goes before us and creates a straight path. Proverbs 3:5-6. It matters more who is leading you than where you are going. Regardless of the path or challenge if you are lead by the spirit God goes before you!

Luke 4:15-19 the spirit went ahead of Jesus and lead him. In the book of Acts the spirit went before the church and the apostles. They were in-tune with what the spirit was doing. Acts 10

Philippians 2:13 the spirit works in us! Through the spirit we are adopted as sons in Gods family! Romans 8:15

Eating together

Sharing a meal together or eating together has a significant place in scripture. From the beginning Eve ate the fruit in the garden with a serpent. Abraham shared a meal with angels that came to him. Jacob stole a birthright with Esau over a meal. There are many more examples like this in scripture.

Shared meals becomes a big theme in his ministry. Jesus constantly breaks bread with people. He reclines at many tables and enjoys sharing food with people so much that they called him a gluten.

Jesus invites us to His table. Jesus is always at the table! Jesus begins his ministry at the table of a wedding feast and ended his ministry at the table of the Lords supper!

Luke 10:1-6 Jesus used the table to heal and teach. Over a meal his disciples healed and taught the people that were willing to invite his disciples into their homes! This is how the gospel is supposed to be shared.

Jesus used the table in many of his parables! In luke 14 Jesus is at a table telling a story about a table that represents another table! His parable is also about how to truly love! Luke 14:1-24

Jesuses table is for everyone! Luke 7:36-37 Jesus table is for sinners. Are there any exceptions? Jesus invites "all people" to his table! Even Judas and unrepentant sinner was invited to eat at Jesus table! Jesus disagreed with their sinful lives and challenged them to be different but nonetheless he still ate a meal with them.

The Final Table!

All four gospels give the account of the last super! This not the case for many other events in Jesus life. The last super was a significant event in Jesus ministry! The last super was during Passover which was meant to have meaning in the context of passover!

Mark 14:22-24

What happened at this meal mattered. What happen could not be forgotten and needed to be remembered.

Mark 14:12-15

Do we prepare for the Lords supper? Do we consider it a moment to prepare? Jesus had prepared ahead of time and it was an event that he gave priority.

Matthew 26:30

Singing a hymn was what Jesus did before he went to the garden to plead with God. Music was a powerful element in Jesus's life! Song worship is a great way to connect us emotionally and creates a heart to mind connection!

Luke 22:14-16

Jesus looked forward to the meal!

Matthew 26:23-24

Jesus statement about Judas shows he was not happy with Judas betrayal but he loved and showed grace regardless. If we believe God judges justly it is easier for us to let go of justice ourselves and surrender our anger and emotions to God.

Every time Jesus sat at a table with his followers he pointed to the kingdom of heaven. The last supper was no different.

Luke 22:24-30

World changer

Hebrews 10:11-14

Could you imaging never knowing whether you were forgiven by God? Jesus sat down because he was done. He paid the price once and for all. There is nothing left for him todo so he sat down next to God.

Hebrews 10:15-18

When something is so hard to believe you want a 2nd witness. The Holy Spirit testifies as a witness to the truth that we have been sanctified!

Hebrews 10:19-22

Not one priest in the holiest place but now all of us can go into Gods presence with full confidence! There is no more fear in approaching God.

Hebrews 10:23-25

We need each other to do good works. Meeting together allows for us to be spurred on and encouraged to stay faithful!

Hebrews 10:26-30

Gods warning for those who don't live the way God intended for us to live.

Hebrews 10:32-39

Gospel of Mark

Mark questions us on who are you really following. Will you follow Jesus?

Mark 1:1-15

John the baptist was a herald that was announcing the arrival of a new king. Mark sets out this question, "will you follow Jesus?" Jesus is a new king, a different king. He comes to disrupt the status quo! He appoints a new 12, not the standard 12 tribes. He redefines the meaning of family. He defines the law in ways that are counter to the religious leaders.

Mark 4:21-26

Are you blind and deaf spiritually or do you see and hear the message of Jesus? Mark goes on to show several examples of people that were blind or deaf and are able to see and hear clearly through Jesus! Mark 8:18

Mark 8:27-35;9:30-35

Following Jesus cost you something. Mark ask the question again, "will you follow Jesus?"

Mark 10:35-38

Jesus was leading the disciples to places they did not want to go. Following Jesus requires you to follow regardless of where Jesu is leading you.

Mark 13; 15:21-38

Will you follow Jesus even to the cross?

Mark 16:1-8 Will you follow Jesus?

Ephesians 6 — Ready for a fight!

Ephesians 6:10-20

The idea of Armor for the first century church would have conjured up real images that were relevant in their day. The sight of a roman solider! Spiritual armor for a spiritual solider! Paul says be strong in the Lord before you put the armor on. Spiritual training as you pick up and cloth yourself in each piece of armor!

Understand Satan's schemes! You study and know your adversary. You develop a battle plan. You don't go into to battle with out knowing what you will encounter. Satan try's to trick us into forgetting who the real battle is with. Our battle is not against flesh and blood. It is a spiritual battle.

The order of how you put the amor is important. There's a logical reason for the order we put on the amor. The first it truth. The second is righteousness. There is no righteousness with out truth!…etc.

Our armor is made of defensive equipment and offensive equipment. At some point you have to pick up the sword and put to death the temptation or sin. When will you pick up the sword and fight?

The sword is the only weapon we have. Gods word was meant to be used offensively and defensively.

Sermon on the mount

Matthew 5

The gospel means good news. Anytime we share about Jesus we need to make sure that is "Good news!" to those that hear us.

True repentance in God is starts with a pure heart! We must move from, "not doing" something into "doers" of something good. Repentance is not just stopping something but doing something else!

Jesus never addressed sinful culture as a way to change anything. He addressed the sinful heart in the individual!

Let the things that break God's heart break my heart!

Do the beatitudes have a significant order to them? The first one, "blessed are the poor in spirit" is a foundation that one needs to have. It is important to understand that you are poor in spirit; you are not rich in spirit without God!

Mark 1

Mark 1

Jesus led his disciples into places of worship. It is common today to want Jesus and dislike the church. Early on in Jesus ministry there was a focus on community of worship.

Questions on demons:

What kind of trouble do they cause.

Who are they?

Where do they come from?

Do demons possess people today?

Can a true christian be demon-possessed?

Examples: scripture on not letting the sun go down on your anger!less the devil get a foot hold. Jesus says to Peter get behind me Satan.

Jesus often touches the unclean when he heals. The OT law stated that the unclean made the clean unclean. Jesus changed the unclean to clean.

Mark 2

Jesus healed many times based on the faith of a person. In the story of the paralytic Jesus noticed "their" faith, referring to the paralytic's friend! Our faith has can have an impact on our love ones and the people around us!

Jesus constantly upset the religious groups of the day. In this chapter he is being accused of being a drunk and sinner because of who he ministered too. If Jesus came today to our town what would our religious groups get up set over? Would Jesus stand in contrast to us?