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Steve continues his series on the women of Luke, this week looking at Elizabeth

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WOMEN OF LUKE: Elizabeth [pt 2]

Last week: Mary Mag, Joanna, Susanna fr Lk 8

The Streets, the Palace, the Nobodies

Luke: Women & the Spirit, a New Creation, Union as the Perfect Man [individually & corporately]. No more Separation.

Today: ELIZABETH [Lk 1]

Not mentioned in any other Gospel, Mother of John the B, who is in all 4.

Lk 1:1-4, the Prologue. 3 Things:

“many (things) fulfilled among us (which) eyewitnesses delivered to us …”

“(I have) perfect [exact] understanding of all things from the very first [‘from above’ like Jn 3:3] … “ Divine Direction

“an orderly [in order] account … (to) know the certainty [be secure] … you were instructed” Something about Zach & Liz Luke considers the first thing to write about.

Vss 5-7: Zach & Liz

Both of Priestly lineage [the Religious order by birth]: Zach 2x/yr for a week at a time served in

the Holy Place, at the Golden Altar of Incense 2x a day – Prayer.

Both are Righteous ‘before God’, Walking in His commandments, Blameless! GOOD people!

But Liz is barren [public shame]. OT: Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, et al., a String of Shame.

‘Advanced in years’ – Like Sarah [Gen 18, Gal 4]! The Flesh & the Spirit, Ishmael & Isaac.

The Promise! Read Lk 24:49 (Acts 1:8)! The Promise of the Spirit, not Performance of the Flesh! The Birth of the Promise of a New Covenant is coming!

Vss 8-20: Zach’s Encounter

Read vs 13 ‘prayer is heard [faithful ministry] … Liz will have a son and you will call him

John’ which means ‘grace & mercy of the Lord, God’s favor’. Let’s not forget, father Abraham laughed at the same news.

Read vss 14-20. Three Points:

Personal & Corporate ‘Joy & Gladness’ compared to their current state of Shame.

Description of John’s Ministry: ‘Great, Nazirite vow of Holiness, Filled with the Holy Spirit (OT not ‘in’ from birth), Elijah Ministry of Restoration prophesied in Mal 4, Forerunner ‘in the Spirit (pneuma) and power (dunamis, Acts 1:8) of Elijah’!

The MAIN Point: This is the Beginning of the Time of the Promise, the end of the Old & beginning of the New! See Matt 11:11-15.

Liz is going to birth the first ‘voice’ Israel has seen/heard for 400 years [wilderness]! A PROPHETIC VOICE [of the Spirit]:

Goes before Jesus arrives

Restoration of Relationship with God [vertical] & Generations [horizontal]. Reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-20)

Repentance of the Disobedient to the Wisdom of Righteous Ones: Preparation of People for the Lord Jesus!

Read vs 18, again. Zach sees their condition [old age] as a good reason for the Word of Promise to be rejected, ‘did not believe’ (vs 20), like Abe & Sarah [Ishmael], i.e., when actually, it is what God will use to reveal & prove it is HIM! The Impossible!

This is what Shame looks like when it’s allowed to hang around too long: Unbelief. The opposite of the Prophetic is ‘mute and not able to speak’ [no Word], Israel did not enter the Promised Land [Word + no Faith], Doing religious things [good people] for the wrong reasons [fear, shame, guilt, family]. Does NOT BELIEVE there can be a ‘JOHN’, the GRACE of God. Unbelief: Grows from Experience & False Doctrine.

Vss 21-25: Elizabeth’s FIRST Words

On to Liz! Read vss 24-25.

Liz’ conceives and hides 5 mos. Why? Her FIRST words are re: Reproach (disgrace, John means ‘grace’), but she says He ‘takes away’. John’s message of Repentance & Removal, “Behold! The Lamb of God who TAKES AWAY the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29). John has already seen & experienced it in his parents! GRACE!

Liz will only speak 2 more times: Vss 42-45 [preceding Mary’s song] & vs 60.

Vss 26-80: Elizabeth’s SECOND & THIRD Words

Mary visits Liz. Read vss 41-45. Liz is out of hiding (6th month). The Spirit (Liz) & the Word (Mary) meet & greet! The result? The SECOND time Liz speaks, filled with the Holy Spirit as the ‘babe leaped for joy’ [like Abraham in Jn 8:56!], Prophesies fulfillment of the Word! Element of Faith [vs 45].

The first Person in the NT to be filled with the Holy Spirit is a WOMAN, a Person! Shame is removed! She comes out by conceiving the Spirit of Grace, the Promise by the Word, entering into the Promise!

This is the 3rd time Luke refers to the Holy Spirit:

To Zach re: John [the Gatekeeper], to Mary re: conceiving Jesus [Gen 1, Lk 24, Acts 1:8], filling Liz at the ‘sound’ of the ‘Word made flesh’ [Acts 2 + Gen 1]!

Mary’s Song, vss 46-56. She remains with Liz for 3 mos, then returns home

Liz gives birth, Gabe’s prophecy is fulfilled re: Joy [vs 14].

The THIRD time Liz speaks. Read vss 57-64. “NO! He shall be called John!”

Not like our fathers who did not enter the Promise. A New Pattern!

A New name! ‘John’, Grace!

A Name given by God Himself (Matt 1:21)!

This is Luke’s ‘orderly account’, ‘IN ORDER’, the FIRST thing!

It’s funny, “how the Lord had shown great mercy” (vs 58) but they’re surprised when Liz announces his Name will be and represent what the Lord has said & done instead of what they’ve always done, what they’ve always said. Revelation, the Word and Spirit of Grace & Truth, John & Jesus, is often rejected & not allowed to ‘become flesh’, to be ‘great’!

Zach’s break from the ‘Old’ causes them to marvel, Looses his tongue, he gets Filled with the Holy Spirit [vs 67] and Prophesies over and above Gabe’s Word. The Word is built and grows in and on the Spirit. Read vs 80. A NEW VOICE!

NO MORE SHAME.

NO MORE SEPARATION.

Steve continues his series on the fruits of the Spirit, this week looking at the kindness of Sarah, Rahab, and Hannah

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The Spirit of Meekness & Moses (Gal 6:1) led us to the Fruit of the Spirit: Love & Ruth, Joy & David, Peace & Solomon, Longsuffering & Joseph.

Today: ‘Kindness of 3 Women: Sarah, Rahab, & Hannah’

One Harvest with much fruit. We can discuss the Fruit individually, as we have, but each fruit contains elements of all the others [like today, Kindness, Goodness & Love]. Each OT saint we’re looking at contains elements of various fruits of the Harvest.

Kindness

Various translations: ‘Gentleness’, ‘kind acts’, benignity (kind & gentle). Primarily Kindness.

Chrestotes [#5544] means moral goodness, integrity, goodness of heart manifested in an outward working of a good, gracious, heart; not a ‘state’ of being, but useful.

Interesting: Christos & Chrestos sounded exactly the same in Acts [see Acts 11:26].

Love: Mercy for the Guilty, Grace for the Undeserving, Kindness for the Innocent

1 Cor 13:4 Kindness is next to Longsuffering [last week], just like Gal 5’s Fruit.

Read Eph 2:7 & 4:32. Like last week re: the Characteristics of God (Longsuffering) as an example of what our Characteristics should be, which the Spirit of God gives us. ‘Longsuffering’ to get others through! Kindness shows the riches of His Grace & Love!

Read Titus 3:4-5, “When the Love of God for mankind [philanthroopia], His Kindness appeared … according to His mercy He saved us”. The emphasis is Goodness. Acts 28:2

Paul, “The goodness [chrestotes] of God leads people to repentance’ (Rom 2:4; in 2 Cor 7:10 ‘godly sorrow’ leads people to repentance]

Jesus, “My yoke is easy [chrestotes, Matt 11:30], ‘goodness made known in kindness’

Lk 6:35, ‘He (our Father) is kind to the unthankful and evil’ (Matt 5:45 parallel)

SARAH [NT: Gal 4, Heb 11]

A lot of chapters with Abraham (Gen 12-23). A lot of stories! We’ll look at two:

Gen 18 [nearly 25 yrs into their journey]. Tell the story. In vs 9 while Sarah is preparing the meal

in the tent, they ask where she is & A tells them. Read vs 10 [the result of 17:17]. Sarah

laughs ‘within herself’ for the same reason as A did in Gen 17!

Read vss 13-15. Sarah does not throw Abe under the bus. A does not come to her defence.

1 Pet 3:1-6 re: Wives, ‘submissive, gentle & quiet spirit, holy women trusted in God’

Vs 6, “as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror”. Gen 18:12 is the only place Sarah refers to Abe as her ‘lord’. But more than ‘referring’, it is ‘doing good’.

Kindness [doing good] can be seen or unseen externally; the absence of [retaliation, retribution, or defending yourself at the expense of another].

Gen 20. Tell the story [like 12:12-13 in Egypt; here in vs 11].

Read vss 3-7. Abimelech challenges Abraham.

Read vss 11-13, “This is your kindness [checed] that you should do for me: in every place”

Checed is like a trinity of ‘goodness, kindness, faithfulness’. Lot claims it was God’s checed that spared him S & G’s destruction ‘in saving my life’ [Gen 19:19]. Many times, checed is translated Mercy.

Kindness does 2 things simultaneously: Delivers from & Restores to [Titus 3 above]. Q: What would the world be like if the Kindness of God were shown among Mankind?

RAHAB [Josh 2-6, Matt 1, Heb 11, Jas 2]. Tell the story.

Read Josh 2:11-13. The spies agree to these terms, to ‘deal kindly and truly’ with her and she lets them down the wall by a rope. The plan: The Scarlet Cord [Gen 39].

Sowing & Reaping of Kindness, the Heart of the Golden Rule. Read Matt 7:12. But more! One act of Kindness has the Potential of bringing a much greater Harvest (vs 13), ultimately births Jesus! Rahab becomes the mother of Boaz [Matt 1:5].

HANNAH [only found in 1 Sam 1-2]

Hannah means ‘gracious, merciful’. Mother of Samuel, but with much Longsuffering demonstrated with Kindness. Tell the story.

Provoked by Penny but does not retaliate or throw Penny under the bus [earlier ‘the absence of R, R & D’]. ‘She wept and did not eat’ (vs 7). Personal cost of Kindness.

Last week Vine’s def for Longsuffering, ‘self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish; it is the opposite of anger and is associated with mercy’.

False accusations by Eli. Vss 9-11 in an awful place, ‘bitterness of soul’, ‘wept in anguish’, praying ‘Remember me’ and commits her son to the Lord with a Nazirite vow (Samson was their Judge at this time).

She simply Bears her soul and he Blesses her. Read vs 17. Kindness always walks in Peace, Overcomes misunderstandings, and brings a Blessing.

Read vs 18. Kind is what we were created to be, like our Father!

Jabez verse (1 Chron 4:10, “keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”). The Blessing releases her to BE who she IS (‘favor’ of vs 18 comes from the same wd Hannah), “went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad”.

Rom 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Final Thought

Sarah gets her Isaac, the Promise!

Rahab gets her Boaz!

Hannah gets her Samuel and nurses him until he is ready to be released into the service of

the Lord, fulfilling her Vow.

Again, last week we said it is easy to stop short of the Dream when you’re in the Palace relieved of Longsuffering. It’s easy to be consumed by the Kindness instead of nurturing it to be kind to others in the service of God.

For mother's day, Steve discusses four characteristics of love as demonstrated by the story of Ruth

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Last week: ‘The Spirit of Gentleness’ (Gal 6:1), Reconciliation & Restoration, the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ from Gal 5:22-25, led us to Moses, a man of Intercession.

Next few weeks: The Fruit seen in OT Saints, who ‘walk, are led, live in the Spirit’.

Today: LOVE, on Mother’s Day. RUTH

Who (together) can tell the story?

LOVE of Ruth: 4 Points

Read 1:14 ‘Orpah kissed, Ruth clung’, what’s lacking in Marriages today. Elisha & Elijah (2

Kgs 2:2), Mary & Jesus (Jn 20:17).

It’s not the ‘clinging’. Love is Unconditional (vss 16-17 at weddings), nothing to gain (11-13), not in it for self, Loves even when it’s Mara (vss 20-21).

Read 2:2. Love Works, ‘goes & gathers’, then ‘rests in the house’ (vs 7). Love & Grace work

Together ‘out’ and ‘in’!

Boaz in the field, “Stay close, keep your eyes on the field, (stay under His) wings” (vss 8-9, 12) as you work. ‘Wings’ of cherubim [mercy seat]; or. ‘mother hen’ (Matt 23:37)

Naomi in the house, “Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” (vs 20). Heb 12:2, ‘Author & Finisher’, Phil 1:6-7, “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it … you all are partakers with me of grace.”

Read 3:3, ‘wash yourself, anoint yourself, (you) put on your best garment, and (you) go’

[reminds me of Rev 19:7 & 21:2]. Love is Faithful & Obedient: Accepts Responsibility.

Boaz at the threshing floor, where the harvest is ground. Read vss 10-11, a Witness as a Virtuous Woman. She was working among ‘young women’, but the ‘young men’ were around, ‘drew the water’; and she did not go after them. Prov 31:10, “Who can find a virtuous woman?” Faithful to Boaz. Obedient to Naomi. Accepts Responsibility for herself, known as Virtuous (seen as forceful, resourceful, valor, strength).

Read 4:13-15. Love Blesses (praises & pleases) the Lord! Love redeems! ‘Love never fails!’

(‘to fall away’ without influence). Everyone wins! ‘Brings together’, ‘bears together’!

Q: So what do these 4 Traits of Love have to do with Mothering?

They made Ruth the mother she became.

But more than that, they revealed the mother Naomi had been!

Chap 1 – Selfless love, not Gehazi. Releasing the girls when she ‘could use’ [needs] them.

Chap 2 – Lets Ruth learn, go to work in building both a Reputation and being Responsible

‘Follows up’ in vs 19, “How’d it go?” (paraphrased). “Stick to what he said, ‘no other field’” (vs 22), like Dinah (Gen 34). She Confirms the Word [Boaz] of Authority.

Chap 3 – Instructs when Ruth is going into the unknown (a Moabitess in Bethlehem) and needs

Wisdom & Knowledge. Read Prov 1:8 & 6:20 (10:1 & 29:15 are not so good)

Chap 4 – Read vss 13-17. Names of vs 17:

Naomi – ‘pleasant, a delight’ wants to be called Mara in chap 2 when she returns to the House of Bread, contrary to her name based on circumstances [like Jabez] BUT 2:20!

Obed – ‘to work, serve’

Jesse – ‘still exists, not destroyed or lost’

David – ‘loving’, the Beloved

Vs 16, Naomi nurses her grandson, the generations to come beyond herself! She’s been nursing the line of Jesus, of Love, all along without knowing it!

The conclusion to "The Seven Ps of Comfort" looking at the last two Ps in John 16

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‘The 7 P’s of Comfort’, John 14-16 [conclusion]

The Holy Spirit Comforter = another ‘Helper [parakletos ‘called to one’s side’, an Advocate, Intercessor = to strengthen by encouraging + consoling, alleviating grief!].

John 14: Promises, Spirit of Truth. Prayer, Spirit of Supplication. Presence [Paternally],

Spirit of Adoption. FAITH.

John 15 [on the road]: Producing [Vine & Branches], Spirit of Life. Persecution [suffering],

Spirit of Glory. LOVE. Both Producing Fruit & Persecution are a matter of LOVE.

TODAY: JOHN 16

Chap 16

Last week, we left off with Persecution (Jn 15:18-16:6; we read 15:18-20, 26-27 & 16:1-2).

Vss 5-16: The Work of the Parakletos. Go back and read Jn 14:16 & 26 [‘another’, first mention] & 16:5-13. His Word + the Work of the Spirit.

Vs 7 ‘expedient’, ‘profitable’, ‘advantage’: sumphero = to bring together & bear together. A HELPER [like Eve]!

Marriage of Convenience: Get/help me get what I want

Expedience: Help us get what He wants, what we & the world need, together

Jn 14-16: He will Reprove, Guide, Speak, Teach, Reveal & Glorify!

Comforts in PREPARATION

“I go to prepare a place for you” – Holy Spirit comes to prepare you for that place!

Jesus: Our Advocate in Heaven (1 Jn 2:1, Heb 7:25). HS is our Advocate on Earth!

Our Parakletos Comforter

Emotions: Can be ‘grieved, vexed, offended, quenched, tempted, lied to, defrauded, resisted,

rejected, disobeyed, ignored & blasphemed’; can also be ‘believed, yielded to, obeyed, honored, heard, pleased & delighted’

Mind: Convicts, Counsels [teaches], Communion [7 kinds of Prayer], Compassion [feels

burdens], Cleanses, Commands & Conquers over!

‘Sanctification of the Believer’ [becoming like Jesus, ultimate ‘holy’ union]: Holy Spirit

Strengthens & Prepares us --- not just for Heaven [a place unlike earth]! But for today!

Sanctification: Word, Spirit, Faith, Prayer, Name, Blood (which was shed through His suffering) and Trials & Tribulation (see 1 Pet 1:6-7). He is the HOLY Spirit.

Spirit of Holiness

‘Testify, bear witness’ during persecution [15:26-27] is one of Holiness! UNIQUE.

The early Church had nothing! No buildings, no Bibles, no tech – just people who were not discriminated against, who lived & loved together as the Holy Spirit Helper brought them together to bear one another reminding them of His Word. This was Unique [Holy]! Romans stuck together. Jews stuck together. Social status. Gender. etc. Holy Spirit brought together fishermen, tax collectors, men & women, free & slaves, the poor, lepers, Samaritans, Gentiles, etc.

Ex 19:5-6 ‘holy nation’, 1 Pet 2:9 repeats. But read 1 Pet 1:15-16, ‘conduct’! 1 Pet 3.

Read p. 136 from ‘The Bigger Table’

Read Rom 1:4-5. Relationship between ‘power’ & ‘holiness’. Read Jn 12:31 & 14:30.

Preparing us for Each ‘unique’ day (the ‘rest’) & Eternity!

Vss 17-end. Let’s read 33, then back 14:27-28.

Comforts with PEACE. Jn 20:19, 21, 26, every time He arrives or ‘reveals’ Himself?

Jn 14:27 + Jn 20:19. Was He there all the time?

Chap 14-16: Faith, Love, and HOPE throughout [never says it] in the form of JOY!

JOY is something we can experience in HOPE, not just from results! Faith in Love that brings PEACE releases us to Rejoice in Hope!

Central Thought: The Holy Spirit Strengthens & Comforts [“Let not your heart be troubled”] by receiving Peace [Jesus!] through His Promises, through Prayer [Phil 4], His Presence, in Producing, in Persecution [‘all experience’, 2 Tim 3] & in Preparation ---

Know Peace: With the Father/Himself, within ourselves [soul & spirit], among ourselves, together! And know Joy in Hope! “In the world … “ (vs 33) due to vss 8-11

BY HIS GRACE in the SPIRIT of GRACE!

Spirit of Grace. Read Rom 5:1-2!

Prophecy of Zech 4:6 (“Not by might, nor by power”) & 12:10 “poured out” GRACE!

Note: In Grk, ‘GRACE’ & ‘JOY’ come from the same word, chara. 6 Times Jesus refers to ‘joy’(Jn 14:28, 15:11, 16:20, 22, 24, 33); and in the middle of His High Priest’s prayer, Jn 17:13, He prays for His joy to fill us!

7 P’s of Parakletos: Promises, Prayer, Presence, Produce, Persecution, Preparation, Peace.

Spirit of: Truth, Supplication, Adoption, Life, Glory, Holiness, Grace.

The Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Supplication, Adoption, Life, Glory, Holiness & Grace longs to strengthen/comfort us through the Word & Prayer, fill us with His Presence to Bear Fruit through Suffering, in Preparation for today and Eternity!

Title: “The Seven P’s of Comfort”

Day of Pentecost, 50 days after Easter [Feast of Weeks, Sinai] is May 20, ’18.

Pentecostals & Charismatics (‘Spirit-filled’ terminology) stress 3 points:

Acts 1:8 ‘poured out, power, filled, baptized in,’ Acts 2 manifestations

Witnesses [martus] in 4 Spheres; spoke to them in Jn 15:27, in Jn 20:22 they receive the Holy Spirit. Abiding Presence & ‘coming upon’ receive power.

Read Jn 18:37. Not just ‘telling’, living the Truth for others to see & hear. This was one of our Incarnation points, revealing the Truth.

‘Gifts of the Spirit’ (not Acts 1-2, but resident in the Holy Spirit, i.e., He arrives with them upon conversion [1 Cor 12:11, ‘as He wills’]. Matt 25 Talents “according to his own ability [born with]”, Matt 25:15)

The ‘Anointing’, used only by John in 1 John 2; OT for priests & kings (Rev 1:6), consecrated for Office or Service.

There’s a lot to all of this . . . too much for this morning!

JOHN 14-16, the Holy Spirit is a central thought = another ‘Helper, Comforter’ [Advocate, Intercessor, parakletos, ‘called to one’s side’ = to strengthen by encouraging + consoling, alleviating grief!]. ‘Another’, like He was, not different.

Jesus: Trying to ‘comfort’ them in a way they can comprehend & appreciate . . .

Ex: Like trying to explain the addition of another child in a family.

Chap 14: First 3 P’s

Read vss 1-6: Comforts with His Word = PROMISES!

Jn 18:37 above, ‘bear witness to the truth’. Read vs 38. Jn 14:6, ‘I AM’ & Jn 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your Truth. Your Word is Truth”.

Truth changes/sanctifies US, not necessarily our circumstances.

Spirit of Truth: Jn 14:6 followed by ‘Spirit of’ in vs 17, 15:26 (just before ‘bear witness’ in vs 27 above) & 16:13. Read Rom 15:8!

Read vss 5-16: Comforts in PRAYER (in all 3 chapters, then He prays in Jn 17).

Jn 13-16, they ask at least 8 questions, ‘praying’, and Jesus responds to all! Jn 16:18, “We do not know what He is saying!”

We focus on ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘when’ and miss the essence of what Jesus is saying: He is approachable! ‘Ask’ anything! We have a relationship.

People do not ‘ask’ due to pride, unbelief or bad doctrine. Jas 4:1-3.

“Whatever you ask in My name, I will do (ask the Father). Ask anything, and I will ask! And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, the Spirit of Truth. He will show you what to ask!”

Spirit of Supplication [prayer]: Remember Lk 9:51-56, “You know not what spirit … “? Read Rom 8:26-27 (1 Cor 14 ‘prayer language’).

Read vss 15-18, 21-23, 25-26: Comforts with His PRESENCE, both Abiding & ‘Manifest’ Paternally

‘Another’ [vs 16], who ‘dwells with … will be in’; ‘I will manifest Myself to’.

Illustration: Giving a very special gift to a very special person ---

Context: “Another, as I”, the Father and your Brother.

“I will not leave you comfortless [orphanos]” [vs 18], “I will come to you”. The Comfort of a Parent, from ‘born again’ to ‘sonship’, every age on earth’ never leave you and come in greater measure/manifest as needed.

Spirit of Adoption (earlier in Jn 1:12)

Read Rom 8:14-15, ‘bondage in fear’, Abba – Love, Trust, Confidence

What are some of the feelings a childless person may have?

How about an orphan, no mother or father?

What 2 things does Jesus stress? Love & Keep, Me & both My Commandments & Words [Past & Present Paternal Presence]:

Commandment [entale, an injunction, ‘prescription’] “Love one another”, Principles.

Words [logos], Promises, Prophecies & Words of Comfort, Truth, “If you continue (live) in My logos … you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free” (Jn 8:31-32)

Read Gal 4:4-6, Eph 1:4-5 & Rom 8:23!

Conclusion

Chap 14: FAITH is a key, in vss 1, 10-12 & 29. He will end in 16:30-31, “Do you now believe?” and the entire Gospel in Jn 20:31, “written that you may believe”.

For Easter Sunday, Steve looks at four questions at the tomb on the day of His resurrection

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Easter!

So many different Messages & Topics, as well as Doctrine [Resurrection].

All 4 Gospel accounts run in parallel but are quite different with different emphases.

Today: The 4 Questions at the Tomb, based on 3 of the Gospels.

MARK

Read 16:1-5. “WHO”. They ask themselves as they walk to, not away. Faith & Love.

We ask ‘ourselves’ and those around us so many questions at the tomb that holds our Hopes & Dreams. All 3 saw Him crucified & buried, with a large stone over the door.

Jn 11: “I AM the Resurrection and the Life.” Vs 34, “Where have you laid him?” Read vs 37, the question. That is usually the question. Read vss 38-40.

“WHO” will? YOU will! “Believe!” We come out stinky, needing to have our grave clothes removed by others who have come out by His Word & Spirit! We are on one side or the other of the Resurrection, of Faith & Love, inside or outside of the tomb.

LUKE

Read 24:1-8. “WHY”. Asked to them, not ‘among themselves’, but inside from the ‘outside’, like the Hope of Heb 11:1!

Later, on the Rd to Emmaus. Read Lk 24:21-24, “we were hoping”!

Key: “Remember what He said?” The Word, the Spirit. Q: Is it Truth?

‘Dead Things’: Religion, Entertainment, Systems [Gov’t, ‘methods’], Philosophies, Education, Drugs & Alcohol, et al! Why?! Faith & Hope. Read Col 2:20-3:3.

JOHN: Last 2 Questions

Read 20:11-13. “WHY”, again. Not ‘why do’ we but ‘why are’ we. Being.

Psychology. ‘Are/Be’ is at the root of ‘do’, which is why Religion fails.

‘What’ causes us to weep in sorrow? What causes a lot of our emotions? Love & Fear.

But, ‘WHY’? Answers: “I am … “, or “Because … “

Whether sound or unsound, “He restores my soul” either way! Read Psa 34:18, 51:16-17, Isa 57:15. Later in Isa 61:4, WE the Anointed ones, restore each other! “Loose him!” (Jn 11). They were coming to anoint Him and get anointed to loose!

Read 20:14-16. Jesus, the Life, Love, Truth, and Light speaks. “WHY + WHO!” They asked each other in Mark ‘Who will’, John 11 says, “YOU will”. Jesus leaves no room between ‘Why’ and ‘Who’ because they are intrinsically connected. Read 1 Pet 3:15.

“WHO”. Whatever stone is rolled across the door to our Hearts is removed by Him & us! HE’s the One I’m looking for!!! That’s my part! Read 1 Cor 13:13.

The tomb can become a womb … of Life, Love, Light, and Truth! Faith & Hope, our part. The greatest is LOVE! LOVE rolls away the stone!

WHO will? WHY do I seek any other? WHY is my soul disturbed?

WHO am I seeking [the first question in John, exact same words, Beginning & the End].

The conclusion to Steve's series on The Glory of God

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The Glory of the Lord – conclusion [part 4, but 5th week]

Our Journey: The Revelation of the Glory of the Lord is Progressive & Present

From: The ‘Hand’ to the ‘Face’, the Veil to Possession, Moses to Jesus, and more!

Review of the Revelation

In Scripture, on Earth. ‘On earth’ from Eternity. Read Psa 8:1, 19:1, 113:4, 148:13, Jn 17:5!

First ‘Appearance’: In the Wilderness

Ex 16, Manna from Heaven: The Glory of God the Father, “Our Father, who art in Heaven … Give us this day, our Daily Bread” Read Jn 3:16, 6:32 & 41.

When Paul writes about the Exaltation of Jesus Christ, he ends, “to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:11).

Ex 24, Law (Word) from Heaven: The Glory of God the Son. Jn 1:1-5, 14 ‘Word’; Jn 14:6 & 17:17 ‘Truth’

Ex 34, The Glory of God in the Indwelling Spirit. Read Ex 34:5-6 & 34-35 and 2 Cor 3:12-18.

Unveiled face. To ‘Mirror’ [verb ‘to reflect like a mirror’], but Transformation ‘into the same image from glory to glory’ is taking place, from within!

The Mirror: Read 1 Cor 13:12. James likens the Word to a mirror (1:22-25. Read 1 Jn 3:1-3, “We shall be … (because) we shall see Him!”

Moses ‘radiated’ from within (vss 29-35, qaran), repeatedly! Read Isa 60:1-5 [Note: ‘Wealth’ is not necessarily ‘material wealth, rich’; but ‘strength, force, virtue, valor’, i.e., whatever they’ve relied on]. ‘Every knee shall bow … to the Glory of God the Father’

Last Wilderness Revelation of the Glory in Exodus

Ex 35-40, they complete the building program, erecting the Tab [Ex 25-31; Heb 8:5], making all the furniture & artifacts, etc. Read Ex 40:16, 33-38.

Exodus began in Suffering [‘dark times’] & ends in Glory [Light]! What’s the emphasis?

Vs 33: ‘Finished work’ is like Gen 2:1-3; and like, “It is finished” (Jn 19:30)!

Vs 35: ‘Was not able’, not called? Cloud so thick he could not see? 34 + 35 = 1 thought.

The Cloud & the Glory, ‘On’ & ‘In’: Encounter & Abiding Presence!

Jn 1:14, “The Word became flesh and ‘dwelled, lived, took up residence, made his home’ among us” = ‘pitched His tent as a tabernacle among us’ (and we beheld His, of the Father’s glory), of Grace & Truth … Law was given through Moses, Grace & Truth came through Jesus Christ”

Numbers records other instances of the Glory of the Lord (Num 14, 16, 20, times of unbelief, rebellion, and complaining); but once we get to Joshua, the Glory is not mentioned until 1 Sam 4:21, “The glory has departed from Israel!”. Solomon’s Temple [1 Kgs 8:10-11] over 500 yrs after Ex 40, we see the Glory of the Lord. 500 yrs later Hag 2:6-9 prophesies ‘latter house’ [Isa 56:7, Jn 2 & Palm Sunday], which Heb 12:27-28 verifies is currently happening.

‘With’ – Externally & Internally, Encounter & Abiding Presence

All along it’s been about Habitation, not visitation. A Tent, Tabernacle, Temple. A House! Read Psa 26:8 & 27:4.

The Wilderness Journey was always about a Cloud (‘on’, encounters, His ways, of Witnesses & Community) & the Indwelling Abiding Glory, from Eternity to Earth, Jesus Christ!

MORE!

From Eternity to Earth to Eternity

Read Jn 17:24 & Rev 1:4-6, the Glory of the Godhead!

A lot happens in Heaven & on Earth in Rev 4-19, a Revelation of His Glory (worship, the Lamb revealed, the 7 Seals, the 7 Trumpets, the 7 Bowls, etc.). In Rev 19, we get to the Marriage of the Lamb. Read Rev 19:7-8 [‘wife’ gune, ‘a woman’], “prepared herself”. Psa 45:13, “all glorious within”, has turned her ‘face’ … toward the Glory!

The King of Kings & Lord of Lords wraps everything up in Rev 19-20 (first & second death, great white throne judgment). Read Rev 21:1-5 & 9-11 [‘bride’ numphe, ‘betrothed bride, or young wife, by implication ‘a son’s wife’, from nupto, a verb, ‘to veil as a bride’].

Living in the House God has created for Himself to live in, His Glory fills and transforms! Rom 12:1-3 is about ‘presenting’ ourselves to be ‘prepared’

[a pic of the shewbread in the Temple]. 

Palm Sunday: HOPE (Rom 8:24-25)

Steve continues his series on the glory of God this week focusing on Moses relationship with God

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‘The Glory of the Lord’ part 3

Review parts 1-2

Refreshing of the Soul in Ex 16 & Jn 6, Manna & the Glory come down.

Restoring Righteousness & Removing Separation in Ex 24 [Ex 19-20 ‘fear’, pulled back, from

pillar to dark cloud], the Word & Glory come down in the form of the Law. Read Phil 3:6-9.

The Lawgiver (our Father) gives the Law (not ‘stone’; Deut 4:11-14) to His children (Gal 3), that they might Know Him & His Love (Gal 3:21-25, Rom 13:8-10, Jas 2:8). Mt of Transfiguration, “Hear Him!”, the Sermon on the Mount.

Today: “Show me Your glory!” (Ex 33:18). Two emphases: Me & Your glory [personal]!

In Part 1, we ref “All My goodness … “, ended the Incarnation series with this, “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:6).

After all the Miracles, Deliverance & parting of the Red Sea, the Pillars, Manna & Quail, Waters sweetened & Water coming from a Rock, the Cloud on Mt Sinai, 40 days, “I want to know YOU more! Show me YOU!” We cannot Know God without a Personal relationship that grows, from ‘hand to face’, what He’s ‘done’ to who He IS.

First words of Jesus in John, “What do you seek/want?” “Where … Come and see!” (1:38-39). ‘We beheld His Glory … full of grace and truth!’ From ‘hand’ to ‘face’.

We cannot Know Ourselves without a Personal relationship with God that grows, from ‘hand to face’, from what He’s ‘done’ (signs) to who He IS.

“SHOW ME YOUR GLORY!”

The Context of “Show me Your glory”: Exodus 32-34

EXODUS 32: The Golden Calf debacle (which Moses reminds them of in Deut 9, et al)

Moses [their ‘god’ figure] was gone for weeks [40 days] ‘in the 3rd month’. Lost? Maybe dead? They had only been in the wilderness 4-5 mos and they create another ‘god’ from the spoils of Egypt [Ex 3:22, 11:2, 12:35], give it credit for their deliverance, to ‘go before us’ [vs 1].

Read vss 6-8 [1 Cor 10:7]. The ‘Lifestyle’ of ‘your people, you brought out, from the way’

Read vss 9-10, “Leave Me alone! I will make of you (not this ‘people’) a great nation!”

Stiff-necked: A farming term for animals who don’t turn the way they should due to a stiff neck; you can’t people can’t see in the various directions, particularly UP.

Not a temptation … a Love test. Hand or Face?

Moses intercedes (vss 11-14, “Your people”) and the Lord ‘relents/repents’: A change of Mind, of Purpose & Emphasis, moved by the Heart, by sorrow. The Lord changes His mind re: the Discipline He was going to administer. HUGE subject.

Q: Who is this about, Moses? ‘The people’? The situation? “Love one another as I … “

Moses & Joshua go down with the Tabs: Josh hears ‘war cries’, but Moses already knows vs 7, and hears them ‘singing’ about their idolatry. Moses breaks the Tabs in anger [vs 19], destroys calf, and takes issue with Aaron about bringing a ‘great sin’ upon the people.

Note: ‘great sin’ [Heb] is a legal term for Adultery. Moses uses it again in vss 30-31. The ‘people’ have committed adultery. The essence of the Law was Paternal, for raising His children [Ex 4:22]. The Covenant He made of His Presence was to His Wife, Israel.

Moses asks, “Who’s on the Lord’s side?” The Levites [Mose’s family] respond and kill 3000 of their brothers. This is the first official act of the Levitical priesthood [est Ex 28].

Moses intercedes again. Read vss 31-33. This is beyond intercession. Read Jn 15:12-13 & Rom 9:1-5. Laying down his life for ‘the people’.

Moses: Deliverer, Prophet, Interceder [Priest], the Sacrificial Lamb for Sin.

EXODUS 33:

God tells Moses to go to ‘the land’ He promised, He’ll send an Angel before them, drive out their enemies, but “I will not go up in your midst … a stiff-necked people”. The people grieve.

Moses pitches his ‘tent of meeting’ outside the camp. Read vss 9-11, ‘face to face as a man speaks to his friend’, an expression, not ‘the face of God no man can see and live’ (vs 20).

NUM 12: The Dissension of Aaron & Miriam. Read Num 12:4-8! Nothing between, no dreams or visions, direct, no ‘go between’ (Levitical ministry), ‘face to face’ with the “FORM of the Lord”, Jesus. PERSONAL. More than a Voice or Cloud!

Form: Job 4:16, David in Psa 17:15!

DEUT 4: Moses reminds them of Mt Sinai. Read vss 11-12, 15-17 etc., 23, “the work of men’s hands” (vs 28). First 2 Commandments! No other ‘gods’. No graven images! No other glory!

Moses intercedes again, taking issue with God like Ex 3-4 re: the Angel, Grace, the Way [back in 32:8], and “Your people”. Read vss 13-18. “My Presence”, paniym, ‘face’, like in Gen 1:2. Also, that which ‘goes before’. Read Phil 3:8-10 (“Be found”)!

“Show Me Your Glory!”

The Essence & Nature of Your Glory!

I want to KNOW YOU more!

At the heart of this 3rd Appearance is our Lifestyle, i.e., Worship: Soul & Separation dealt with, Refreshed & Restored, what & who will be at the center of our lives, our worship?

The Nation turns to Idolatry [Egypt, though their ‘gods’ were revealed by the plagues]: Graven images or ‘likenesses’, worshiping the ‘works of our hands’, forms, making God in our image, the biggest problem the Church has today! Paul & John warned the Church of their day: 1 Cor 10:14 (‘flee from’) & 1 Jn 5:21 (‘keep yourselves from’).

“Show me Your glory!”

LIFESTYLE

The Q: What demonstrates and manifests God’s grace [Eph 2:7]? People who worship the works of their own hands, their own glory? Or, those who ‘Christ is (being) formed in’ [Gal 4:19, Rom 8:29; Phil 2], His ‘form’ being seen as we are not ‘conformed’ to this world [Rom 12] but are ‘interceding’ to the point of ‘laying down their own lives’, who are not moved by the ‘hand’ as much as the ‘face’ of God?