May I have a WORD with you?

References: The Transfiguration of Jesus Mt 17:1-9; Mk 9:2-10; Lk 9:28-36 μεταμορφόω (met-am-or-fo'-o) Moses and Elijah The Law and the Prophets They discussed His exodus (departure) Law & Prophets Mt 7:12 - the golden rule Mt 22:37-40 - the greatest commandments John 1:45 - Philip to Nathaniel - the One of whom the OT (Moses in the Law and also the Prophets) tells Rom 3:21 - Paul uses th...

References: Reading the Psalms - came across Ps 14 Compare vs 2&3 with 4-6 Footnote to Romans 3:10-12 The Rom passage has footnote that brings in Ps 53 Compare Ps 14 with Ps 53 Psalm 14 primarily uses "the Lord" (Yahweh), while Psalm 53 uses "God" (Elohim). Ps 14 God's deliverance of the righteous.  Ps 53 the defeat of the wicked. vs 4 - the evil doers, evil workers, t...

References: Luke 6:27-36 The “Golden Rule” - v 31 Reciprocity v 35 - be like Jesus Grace - give freely, even to those who are unthankful Acts 11:15-18 The gifts of repentance and faith δίδωμι (did'-o-mee) to give, to give something to someone of one's own accord to give one something, to his advantage to bestow a gift to grant, give to one asking, let have Grace and reciprocity can only...

References: Blessed are those who mourn… (Mt 5:4) πενθέω (pen-theh'-o) This is not something to strive for in order to be blessed Rather, an example of the power of the Kingdom of God. Isa. 25:6-9 - swallowing up death - בָּלַע  (baw-lah') Prov 1:10-14 - the dark side engulfing the innocent Ex 7:10-13 - Illustrative of God’s Kingdom engulfing the kingdom of darkness  God will swallow up...

References: … you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven! Mt 5:20 - exceed the righteousness περισσεύω - (per-is-syoo'-o) -  to exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain number or measure a thing which overflows unto one, something falls to the lot of one in large measure Mt 14, Mk 6, Lk 9, Jn 6 - feeding miracle Exceeding abundance - left over bread and fish Exces...

References: “Repent …, for the Kingdom … is near. (Mt 4:17) Kingdom - βασιλεία (bas-il-i'-ah) Of heaven (Mt) - 45x Of God (Mk, Lk, [Jn]) - 51x & 2x What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “the Kingdom of God?” Heaven - #1 answer Think first not in terms of place Think in terms of the function of ruling over… The reign of the king The reign of THE King Wherever the KING re...

References: The @ 30 hours of travel as a sort of death Jet lag or sheol - שְׁאוֹל (sheh-ole') the underworld Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead place of no return 1 Sam 28 - Saul & Samuel wicked sent there for punishment righteous not abandoned to it Job 14:13-20 v 13 - the grave is sheol v 19 - you destroy people’s hope - תִּקְוָה (tik-vaw')  Job didn’t have the w...

References: Why pray? This week at camp in Kenya The relationship of prayer The work of prayer The structure of practiced prayer The HOME of prayer The vision of prayer SPIT Prayer - 1 Tim 2:1-4 Suplications - δέησις (deh'-ay-sis) need, indigence, want, privation a seeking, asking, entreating Bringing to God whatever is on your heart Prayers - προσευχή (pros-yoo-khay') prayer addressed t...

References: Somewhere, over the Swiss Alps… Lessons from “Oz?” or… My year starts with a trip to Kenya. Drowning in guilt - כִּי־תַעֲבֹר בַּמַּיִם  “when you pass through the waters…”  Isa 43:2 and Wm Faulkner’s “As I Lay Dying” Ps 38 - v 4 - “For my iniquities have gone over my head.” - עָבַר (aw-bar') - pass over, by or through   Abraham and the covenant ceremony of Gen 15 The Exodus - Ps 6...

References: Isaiah 6:1-13 v 3 - holy: קָדוֹשׁ  (kaw-doshe') - sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart Ex 19 - the people of God are holy (see 1 Peter 2:9) 1 Sam 2 - Hannah’s song of praise (see Luke 1:49) Holy, holy, holy - a trinitarian designation vs 5-7 - The consuming fire of God’s holiness Who can stand? Malachi 3:2 v 8 - the call “Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord.” I will go, Lord, where...

References: A New Year is upon us! Again?!? I resolve to … Lose Weight and Get Fit Travel to New Places Get Out of Debt and Save Money Be Less Stressed Learn Something New OR… Philippians 4:8 - fix my thoughts on what is … true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Psalm 1 vss 1-3 - meditating day and night.  הָגָה  (haw-gaw') - to moan, gr...

References: Christmas is a time to marvel at the mystery of God who came among us. John 1:1-3, 14 ESV ἀρχή (ar-khay') - beginning, the first person or thing in a series, the leader, that by which anything begins to be, the origin Gen 1:1 (LXX) Mark 1:1; John 1:1; 1 John 1:1 μονογενής (mon-og-en-ace') - single of its kind, only Of others Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-56; 9:37-43 Heb 11:17-19 Of Jesu...

References: Col 4:2-6 v 2 - προσκαρτερέω (pros-kar-ter-eh'-o) to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing, built on a word that means “endure.” Acts 1:14; 2:42; Rom 12:12 (see esp. MSG) v 3 - God’s mysterious plan (Part 2, Ep 60) v 5-6 - having a heart for the “world” ἐξαγοράζω (ex-ag-or-ad'-zo) to redeem, by payment of a price to recover from the power of anoth...

References: Revisit Col 3:17 as an intro into this next section Col 3:18-4:1 - Relationships under the Lordship of Christ Wives - ὑποτάσσω (hoop-ot-as'-so) Lk 2:51 (Jesus to parents); Eph 5:21 (husbands and wives to each other); 1 Pet 2:13 (to all in authority over you) Husbands - not bitter -  πικραίνω (pik-rah'-ee-no) James 3:11, 14 Children - ὑπακούω (hoop-ak-oo'-o) Fathers, prov...

References: Colossians 3:3-9 Resurrection life is a stripping away of the old nature v. 5 - νεκρόω (nek-ro'-o) - “put to death the sinful nature.”  Early onset rigor mortis of the flesh for the sake of the spirit in faith Rom 4:19 - And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead Heb 11:12 - a whole nation came from this one...

References: Colossians 2:4-12 v 4 - “so no one will deceive you” παραλογίζομαι  to cheat by false reckoning, to deceive by false reasoning, to deceive, delude We can even deceive ourselves (Jas 1:22 v 7 - “Let your roots grow down into him…” neg. Isa 40:21-25; Jer 12:1-3 pos. Eph 3:16-19 v 8-10 - not a mystical polytheistic context v 11-12 - not a Jewish legalism Colossians 2:13-17 v 14 - χειρόγρα...

References: Colossians 1:15-2:3 The Christ Hymn - vs 15-20 Visible image - εἰκών (i-kone') Invisible - ἀόρατος (ah-or'-at-os) - unseen v 16 seen and unseen (visible & invisible) v 17 hold together συνίστημι (soon-is'-tay-mee) vs 18-20 - ἀποκαταλλάσσω (ap-ok-at-al-las'-so) ἀλλάσσω - 1 Cor 15:50-57 “We shall all be changed” mystery Word going out - vs 21-23 Modeling Christ’s...

References: Intro: Paul, Epaphras, Onesimus, Philemon Tradition has Epaphras as 1st Bishop, Philemon 2nd (?) The church at Laodicea, their letter, Rev 3:14-22 Colossians 1:1-8 Faith Love Hope v 5 ἀπόκειμαι (ap-ok'-i-mahee) - reserved to be laid away, laid by, reserved for one, awaiting him Check out MSG translation of v 5 Recall Heb 6:19 - anchor Colossians 1:9-14 Paul’s prayer: complete know...

References: The Apostles Creed Article 3 - The Holy Spirit Article The holy catholic church, the communion of saints Eph 2:11-22 Jews and Gentiles as one people (one communion) v 12: ἀπαλλοτριόω (ap-al-lot-ree-o'-o)  [ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι] - to alienate, estrange, to be shut out from one's fellowship and intimacy ἀλλότριος - Heb 11:9 “he was like a foreigner” Rom 8:35-39 Never separated – not...

References: Reformation Text - Romans 3:9-18ff Luther posted his 95 theses on the 31st possibly so that all the people coming to church on All Saints Day would see it. 2 Cor 4:1-7 (esp. v 2) The follower of Christ is like a jack-o-lantern Eph 4:11-16 (esp. v 14) God gifts His people so that we will not be tricked, but be a treat to the world around us. πανουργία (pan-oorg-ee'-ah) - NLT “trick...

References: David selected five smooth stones to fight Goliath. 1 Sam 17 Our fifth “smooth” Biblical stone for fighting the giants Exit, way out - ἔκβασις (ek'-bas-is) 1 Cor 10:13 He who fights and runs away... Context - 1 Corinthians 10 OT examples The way out God provides is not cowardice. It preserves purity of faith through orthodoxy koinonia (the faith community) The meal and prayer 1 Ti...

References: David selected five smooth stones to fight Goliath. 1 Sam 17 Our fourth “smooth” Biblical stone for fighting the giants Fight - Resist, oppose - ἀνθίστημι (anth-is'-tay-mee)  Eph 6:10-12, 13 , 14-18 withstand & stand (ἀνθίστημι & ἵστημι) To stand - ἵστημι Acts 12:6-17 - great story, not the usage as our smooth stone 1 Cor 10:12-13 - we’ll come back to this passage next wee...

References: David selected five smooth stones to fight Goliath. 1 Sam 17  Our third “smooth” Biblical stone for fighting the giants Rebuke - ἐπιτιμάω (ep-ee-tee-mah'-o)  To honor (non-biblical), to adjudge in the sense of merited penalty, to censure severely, rebuke We need rebuking - from the Lord When we are right with the Lord, rebuke becomes a tool for the good of His Body,  And a weapon...

References: David selected five smooth stones to fight Goliath. 1 Sam 17  πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων - “pulling down strongholds” (2 Cor 10:4) Our second “smooth” Biblical stone for fighting the giants Opportunity - τόπος (top'-os), place, quarter Mat 14:13 - Jesus made a discipline of going to solitary places (ἔρημον τόπον) Silence, solitude - disciplines of spiritual warfare The battle: Eph...

References: David selected five smooth stones to fight Goliath. 1 Sam 17  ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν - “weapons of our warfare” (2 Cor 10:4) Our first “smooth” Biblical stone for fighting the giants Thoughts - νόημα (no'-ay-mah), mind The peace of God keeps our νόημα in Christ - Phil 4:7 The battle: 2 Cor 3 & 4 Our preconceived notions about what is “right” The brilliance of the covenant and...