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Episodes
2 hours ago
2 hours ago
Luke Looks Back Chapter 4
Luke 3:19-4:13
The Preparation of the Messiah: his baptism
Luke rather oddly records the imprisonment of John (3: 19, 20) before the baptism of Jesus by John. He does this because only Jesus is really important in the rest of the story.
He continues his account of the preparation of Jesus for his ministry with first his baptism and then his temptation.
1) Ice breaker. What was the most memorable part of your baptism (if you were old enough to remember it) or confirmation?
2) Matthew tells us why Jesus was baptised (Matt 3: 15). Luke is only concerned with what happened when he was (v 21 - 23). Which major Christian teachings are important in what happened? Why is it important for us to hear about these before we hear about Jesus starting his ministry?
Genealogies were important in those days to show who someone was. Why this one is considerably different from the one that Matthew gives is not clear. Both are carefully structured around (different) multiples of seven. Probably Luke is most interested in his last line: Jesus was the son of God.
The main purpose of the three temptations is to teach us things about Jesus. Things like the order of the temptations, different in different Gospels, are not important. We will explore five emphases of the temptations in the following questions:
3) The temptations make clear the nature of Jesus' work as the Son of God. In which verses in this story is Jesus called the Son of God? What sort of Messiah will the people have been expecting from texts like: Gen 49: 10; Num 24: 17 - 19; 1 Sam 21: 11 (an example of how a Davidic king was supposed to be); Ps 2: 6 - 12; Is 11: 1,4,10 - 14; Dan 7: 13, 14, 27; Zec 9: 9 - 17? How do the temptations show that what they were getting was very different from what they expected? Which were fulfilled then and which are still to be fulfilled?
4) Share something of how your own understanding of Jesus has changed during your Christian life as you have learned more about him.
5) The temptations of Jesus are very like some of the great events of Israel's history. Read Ex 16: 2 -4; 17: 1 - 7; 32: 1 - 4; and 1 Cor 10: 1 - 7. Which story in Exodus is like each one of the 3 temptations? What is the fundamental difference between each pair of experiences?
6) The temptations demonstrate the antagonism of Satan to the Kingdom of God. In some churches Satan is never mentioned; some talk too much about him, blaming him for every thing that goes wrong even when it is a very human fault. How would you rate our emphasis on Satan: too much, too little or just right? How does it compare with the emphasis in Luke's story?
7) The temptations emphasise that Jesus' ministry is the fulfilment of scripture. Identify how they do this. This emphasis is particularly important in the end of Luke's Gospel at Lk 24: 32. What do you find the hardest part of reading and learning from scripture? What tips can you give other people to ease the problem?
8) The temptations show Jesus' followers a way to resist temptations. The basic ideas behind the three temptations are 1) using your faith for personal gain; 2) using it to make yourself look good before other people; 3) putting God to the test in practical ways. Look at each temptation and decide whether those are the right descriptions of them. If not, what is? In what ways, often trying to hide their real motives, do people sometimes try to put God to the test? Which of these temptations do you experience most?
9) The devil left Jesus 'until an opportune time' (v 13). When, or under what circumstance, does he get a good opportunity to go after us? What can we do to discourage him?
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2 days ago
2 days ago
Luke Looks Back Chapter 3
Luke 3:1-18
Heralding the Messiah
Luke continues with his careful introduction to Jesus' ministry. He tells us all about John because John came before, and announced, Jesus. One thing he is going to make very clear throughout his book is that while John was a prophet Jesus was more than a prophet.
First we read Luke 3:1-9
Luke in 3: 4 - 6 uses Isaiah's great picture of hope in Isaiah 40:3-5, which prophesies the return of the Lord and his people to Jerusalem after the exile, as a picture of the coming of the Lord Jesus to the people of God. John is the voice. Jesus is the Lord.
An obvious first question to make you think, although it does not come directly from this passage is this:
What is your hope? How far does your hope change the way you live from day to day? Where should our hope be placed?
Obviously the first part of that question has an individual answer, not an only right one. Our hope should be placed on being with Jesus in his heavenly kingdom and then after our resurrection on being part of his kingdom when heaven and earth meet to form the new heaven and new earth that is our ultimate destination.
Second question: the basic message that John preached was 'a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins'. How does this compare with the messages you hear preached these days? Are the differences only because John was preaching before the life and death of Jesus and the preaching you hear is from long after? Or are there differences there ought not to be?
Again the answer to that question depends on your situation.
The last verse we read: ' the axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.' Is harsh.
Third question: in what ways can we see that happening in our day and in our society?
Yet another question where the answer depends on who we are and where we are. When you look at the world today and see what a mess it is in because of men's greed and lust for power it hasn't improved much since John's day.
Part B - Read Luke 3:10-18
When the people asked him how they were to live to show they had truly repented John gave them 4 practical examples in this passage. Two ways they were to look after the poor: giving tem clothes and food. Two ways they were not to be corrupt and to be good and honest in all things: the examples of the tax collectors and the soldiers.
Question 4: If he had been talking to us what examples would he have given? Were his examples, particularly the first two, really practical? (It would not be long before they ran out of spare clothes and food.) How realistic are the examples you think he might have given to you? How well can we follow these examples when we have to live in the real world we find ourselves in?
Pause.
Yet again the answers will all depend on who and where you are.
John talked about 3 things: a prophetic warning of coming judgement (flee from the wrath to come... the axe at the root of the trees ...); calling for justice and compassion in our dealings with others (sharing clothes and food ... honesty in all things ... ); and a right attitude to the coming Messiah (accepting the baptism of the Holy Spirit ).
Question 5: Different churches major on one or other of the present day equivalents of these.' Which do our churches make the most of? On which do we fall short?
Pause.
Like all the questions on this passage we have to ask ourselves how they apply to us. And I cannot tell you what your answers should be!
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3 days ago
3 days ago
Luke Looks Back
Chapter 2
Not all the stories commonly believed about the birth of Jesus are true to the actual facts. He was born before Herod died in 4 BC ,in Bethlehem, which was not his parent's home village, probably in an ordinary house (the word translated 'inn' can mean a guest room or just the sleeping area in a house; the manger would be between the family area and the livestock area).
Not all the stories commonly believed about the birth of Jesus are true to the actual facts. He was born before Herod died in 4 BC ,in Bethlehem, which was not his parent's home village, probably in an ordinary house (the word translated 'inn' can mean a guest room or just the sleeping area in a house; the manger would be between the family area and the livestock area).
Luke 1:1-20
Question 1. Luke carefully says the birth of King Jesus occurred during the reign of Caesar Augustus (v 1), who was a great and good Roman Emperor who brought lasting peace to a world in which there had been many wars. What does he want us to learn from this? One of the main themes of this, as all the Gospels, is the collision between the kingdom of Caesar and the kingdom of God. Luke was writing to Christians who might be martyred for refusing to say Caesar is Lord because they believed Jesus is Lord. Luke wants us to understand the enormous significance of what was happening.
Question 2. Why does Luke choose to focus on the low caste shepherds rather than Matthew's high caste Wise Men? As we noted in the first study Luke emphasises the poor, the weak and the lost; not the rich, the healthy and the found. The title 'Christ the Lord' appears only here in the NT. The word 'Christ' has two meanings. It is a Greek word of the New Testament equivalent to the Hebrew word 'Messiah' of the Old Testament. Here, and generally in the Gospels, it is a title meaning 'the Anointed One'; later, in the Epistles it becomes part of Jesus' name. The most recent English versions use 'Messiah' when it is a title; 'Christ' when it is a name. Here it should be "the Lord Messiah". Our nearest translation in everyday words is "King Jesus". It is important to remember that when Luke uses this title he means 'the very special God-appointed Anointed One'.
Question 3. A lot of people travelled to Bethlehem: Joseph and Mary, the shepherds, the Wise Men. Why did each of them go? What did they intend to do when they got there? Why are we told these things? What are we meant to learn from what happened? They all travelled in the purposes of God. It was important that those from both the top and the bottom of the society of those days should be there to see the baby King. They probably had only the vaguest idea of why they were there; they were there for our benefit - so we could be told about them and marvel at the stories.
Luke 2: 21-52
Question 4. What does Simeon say (v 30 - 32) which introduces a new and important idea that neither Zechariah nor Mary mentioned? Simeon relates what is happening to the lives of ordinary people. They will experience salvation and the promise made to Abraham long ago that "all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" will finally come true.
Question 5. Remembering that the Romans occupied their country, what did Anna mean when she spoke about the 'redemption of Jerusalem' (v 38)? She was probably thinking in a very practical way that the Romans would be thrown out of Jerusalem. It wasn't going to work like that! She spoke something that was a true prophecy but not in the way she thought.
Question 6. In order to emphasise that Jesus came for both men and women Luke pairs up a story involving a man with one involving a woman at least 27 times in his gospel. Identify where he does this in these first two chapters. Which is the most important member of the pair on each of these occasions? Zechariah and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, Simeon and Anna. The men and the women are about evenly balanced in importance.
Question 7. What do the episodes from the childhood of Jesus (v 40, 46 - 48, 51, 52) tell us about Jesus? What are we being told here: he was God or he was a man? Which do you find it most difficult to believe? Why? His life as a human being is being emphasised here. Jesus appears to have been a particularly bright and intelligent lad.
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4 days ago
4 days ago
Luke Looks Back
Chapter 1
Introduction
Luke 1: 1 - 80 Preparations for the Advent of the Messiah This is the first of a set of studies of the life of Jesus written by a man called Luke. The studies are in the form of sets of questions for a group, or an individual, to think over and discuss. In his first 4 verses written in different, better Greek than the rest of the book, Luke announces what he is going to do. Luke makes it clear he is writing history by emphasising the way in which he has researched the life of Jesus and the surrounding events. The other three Gospel writers write life stories more narrowly focused on Jesus. Luke was writing to a man called Theophilus who, judging by the formal way Luke addresses him, must have been someone rather important.
Study 1
Reading: (Luke 1: 1 - 4), Here is the first question: Luke wants to give Theophilus 'certainty' about the things he has been taught by Christians (v 4). Where can we get certainty about the things we have been taught? Theophilus's certainty was to come from what Luke wrote: facts of history. Our's comes from the same place: the record of how God related to his people and the world, told to us in the word of God, the Bible. Luke starts off with background information about Jesus, explaining the story of his cousin, John the Baptist. This sort of information is the way Greeks wrote history. Luke is being careful to fit in with the expected ways to write history of his day.
Study 2
First we get a description of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John in Luke 1:5-25. Second question: What were the good things about this couple that made them the right sort of people to be the parents of a prophet? There were also some things about them that were not so good. What were they? What are we meant to learn from these good and 'not so good' things? Notice here: The good things are obvious; the not so good ones less so. Childlessness was a great disgrace in their culture. We shall see that Luke keeps on drawing attention to people who were poor, of low status and generally disadvantaged. Luke, like Matthew, emphasises the very special and unique way Jesus was conceived
Study 3
Read Luke 1:v 26 - 38 Question 3 . What would the village gossips have said had happened? (note what was said in Jn 8: 41 which probably refers to this. The village gossips will have concluded that Mary was not a virgin and Jesus was born illegitimately. The "no reputation" of some of the older English translations of Phil 2: 7 will have had a very literal practical meaning for Jesus and his mother. Question 4: Why was Jesus conceived this way? What difference did it make to who he was? Jesus had to be fully human so that he could share our humanity (Heb 2: 14) and to be fully God so that his sacrificial death could be effective for more than just himself. In the early church they said "Jesus was as we are and therefore he will help; in other ways he was not as we are and therefore he can help" Although the point is never made in the New Testament it is likely that only through the virgin birth (more accurately, the virgin conception) could he be both. The angel said he was to be called the 'son of God' (v 35). That was a very special title in those days. The king of Judea was considered to be a 'son of God' (Ps 2: 7). So was the whole nation of Israel (Hos 11: 1). The Romans called their Emperor the son of a god. It does not mean that God had intercourse with Mary. That is a dreadful thing to suggest.
Study 4
Read Luke 1: 39 - 56. Mary's song is lovely. What can Mary possibly have meant by v 51 - 53? (Herod was still alive and a very dangerous man, half crazy and vicious to anybody he thought might challenge his rule.) Herod (the first Herod, Herod the Great) was a terrible man who killed many people including his favourite wife and his own sons on the merest suspicion of treason. Mary must have been speaking prophetically, going far beyond what could have been expected from the young village girl that she was.
Study 5
Read Luke 1:57 - 80. What happened (v 62,63) was very like the late change of name that seems to have been a frequent mark of someone having something very special to do. (Abram = Abraham; Simon = Peter, Saul = Paul etc.) What would those who heard the prophecy of Zechariah have thought he meant by the first part of what he said where he praised the Lord (v 68 - 75)? And how would they have understood the second part where he spoke about the future of his baby (v 76 - 79)? Which part sounds like politics and which like preaching? It is important to remember that the whole life of Jesus took place against a background of continual trouble between the people of that country and the occupying power of Rome. There were many attempted rebellions against the Romans. The Jews did not understand how they could be the Lord's people and not be in control of their own country. Even the ordinary Jewish people were desperately hoping a strong man would appear and lead them in a military campaign against the Romans. There were major rebellions against Roman rule both before and after the time of Jesus all of them unsuccessful. Those about 40 years and 120 years after the death of Jesus were particularly unsuccessful and eventually led to terrible revenge being taken by the Romans and the deaths of millions of people. This background is reflected in what Zechariah said. I hope that at the news of the coming Saviour your heart has leapt within you as the baby John leapt in Elizabeth!
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Saturday May 24, 2025
Saturday May 24, 2025
God and His church!
As Christian Disciples, we declare that we believe in God! That's what we have been doing in our praises and testimonies! Somebody asked last week what I meant by a WOWFactor of God! Just that - testimonies of how great is our God. As Christian Disciples, we declare that we not only believe in the existence of God, but that we can know God personally! We declare that we can grow in our knowledge of this great and Almighty God who is infinite and beyond our limitations of space and time! This great and awe-inspiring God we trust, obey, follow and worship, amazing as it sounds, is personable and knowable. This God we worship is a personal God and not a remote being or an un-emotive statue to place on a shelf. More than that, this God wants to be known. So with that said, just who is God?
1. Who is God?
God's Natural Attributes
God's Moral Attributes
2. Our Relational Response
God desires to bring people back into relationship with Himself! To do so, God established a New Covenant! This Covenant has four main features:
- Justification - Sins will be forgiven and removed.
- Promised Holy Spirit - God will live inside people and they will be led by Him.
- Regeneration -God will renew & restore people.
- Restoration - God will be their God, and they will be His people.
The Church
Fellowship
Worship
Evangelism
Jesus' WOWFactor
As I close, here is my own WOWFactor about Jesus, the Son of God. My Jesus is unique, majestic, tender, wise, strong, and lovely. My Jesus, whom I seek to serve and obey in every facet of life. I often don't achieve it, but I know that when I fall and fail, I can ask for forgiveness and He will grant it from His wellsprings of grace and mercy. It is this Jesus whom I depend upon and personally know to be totally reliable in every way. When people let me down, turn away from me, discourage me, think wrongly off me, or incorrectly assume my motives.
This Jesus always picks me up. He never turns me away. He always encourages and embraces me. At the end of the day, I know that Jesus has been dependable, going ahead of me throughout the day! I give Him thanks. Amazing! This Jesus who died on a Roman cross two thousand years ago was the same Jesus who was raised from the dead, without decay, into newness of life and ascended to the right hand of the Father. What is more, this Jesus is coming back to gather His followers, to Himself. Jesus is coming back, but not as a baby this time. There will be no kitchy-kitchy koo factor this time. No! Jesus the Son of God, is coming back as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Are you ready?
Amazing! This God-man, Jesus, is coming back and He will do the most extraordinary thing. We read about it in Revelation 21:4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Isn't that just the most amazing verse of Scripture? Picture the scene! Jesus Christ taking your face in His scarred hands and wiping away your tears - tears of suffering and tears of joy. You will say to yourself, it was all worth it - the trials, temptations, sufferings and experiences I have had for the sake of Jesus Christ my Master. Are you ready for Him?
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Tuesday May 13, 2025
Tuesday May 13, 2025
8. Jesus the I AM of God – All Together Now
So there we have it – Jesus the I AM of history. We saw together how Jesus loudly proclaiming he was the the living bread; the light of the world; the good shepherd and the gate; the resurrection and the life; the way, the truth, and the life; and finally declaring He and He alone was the true vine! Jesus as the long waited for Messiah or Saviour, was the reality , whereas Israel was the symbol. All the things the nation of Israel was to be but failed to do so, is embodied in Jesus Christ. All the I AM statements reflect this.
All through this, Jesus knew what his mission on earth was. Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” He knew that the cross and his being raised from the dead was his ultimate mission to defeat sin and death. If it were to be any other way, do you not think God would have done it another way? The cross and the resurrection show that Jesus’ exclusive proclamations are true, because Jesus life and actions support Jesus’ claims. No other religion, apart from Christianity, offers a guarantee of salvation and everlasting life based on faith and grace alone. This is because the offer is all down to God’s salvation work on the cross and not due to the efforts of humans to appease a God or gods.
Listen or download the mp3 to hear more about these Bible Verses and how Jesus is the I AM of God!
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Monday May 12, 2025
Monday May 12, 2025
7. Jesus the I AM of God – True Vine
"I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. (John 15:1)
All the things the nation of Israel was to be but failed to do so, is embodied in Jesus Christ. All the I AM statements reflect this. Isaiah 5 starts out as a love song between God and His chosen people, Israel. Israel was to be a vineyard, and despite all the love God had given tending to her, Israel had only produced bitter and sour fruit. This bitterly sour fruit is described in Isaiah 5:8-25. In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel was to be a vine or vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7, Ezekiel 15:1-6). Therefore, God will abandon her.
So if this vineyard is abandoned, will God raise a new vineyard? Juxtaposed against Israel’s failure to be a vine, Jesus states that he is the true vine. Jesus was the reality, whereas Israel was the symbol. The fruit of Jesus Christ’ life was and is abundant, fresh and sweet to the taste! We as Christians some 2000 years later are the result of Jesus being the true vine!
Listen or download the mp3 to hear more about how Jesus is the I AM of God – the True Vine
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Sunday May 11, 2025
Sunday May 11, 2025
6. Jesus the I AM of God – Way, Truth and Life
Jesus said to him, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
When Jesus issued this statement, the stress of the sentence automatically falls on the words “the way”. This is because Jesus is answering a question posed by Thomas (John 14:5). Jesus Christ has exposed the barrier of sin and death, which prevents a person from entering God’s presence. He explodes this same barrier when a person entrusts in Him for their eternal salvation. He is as he claims in Matthew 7:14 “the road that leads to life”. Not only is He the way, but He is also the truth and the life. All of God’s truth is embodied in Jesus Christ who as both fully God and fully human was also the ever-living God.
Listen or download the mp3 to hear more about these Bible Verses and how Jesus is the I AM of God – the Way, the Truth and the Life!
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Saturday May 10, 2025
Saturday May 10, 2025
5. Jesus the I AM the Resurrection and the Life
Jesus said to her, "I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ (John 11:26)
This exclamation by Jesus is highlight of this passage of Scripture. Lazarus has died (John 11v15) and will be raised back to life again (John 11v43-44).
Why does Jesus say that He is the Resurrection and the Life?
Come and hear about how Jesus Christ is the I AM of God and the Resurrection and the Life, and how that applies to us today, by downloading the mp3!
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Friday May 09, 2025
Friday May 09, 2025
4. Jesus the I AM of God – Good Shepherd & Gate
Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:7-11, 14-15)
Throughout the Old Testament, God is seen as a shepherd and His people are the sheep of is keeping. The sheep are always God’s even though He temporarily entrusted them to people such as Moses to care and tender them. Therefore Moses and others like him such as the true prophets, were forerunners to Jesus. Here Jesus proclaims that He is the Good Shepherd and the Gate.
Today come and hear about how Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd and the Gate, and how that applies to us today, by downloading the mp3!