Hope for the Broken: Recent Episodes
Trinity Baptist Church
The focus in this passage is the Father’s love. The example that the author of Hebrews uses is the personal relationship we have with God. We are God’s children, His sons and daughters. And because of that relationship, God disciplines us. And again, we are to take the example set by our Heavenly Father in providing discipline for our kids.
When it comes to the topic of discipline, we realize that we are a family under construction. There are many different views and approaches to discipline. Some views might tend to be more controversial than others. The thing that we all share in common, those of you that are parents, is that the biggest heartaches and heartbreaks we’ve ever experienced in our lives is over our kids. And when it comes to the topic of disciplining our kids, we often feel like failures, or we just don’t know what to do. Well, the Bible gives us a framework, a construction plan, a blueprint to how we can accomplish the goal of disciplining our kids and the next generation. And today we are going to look at that framework by looking at Hebrews, chapter 12.
A healthy marriage is like walls in a home. Walls protect the home from the outside elements. They also provide structure and support inside the home. God gave us the design for a healthy marriage in Genesis chapter 2. As we look at The Blueprint, God's design for family, we should aim to build walls of healthy marriages.
We are going to look at an amazing story in Matthew chapter 15. It is a story about the incredible faith and prayer of a mother. It illustrates the power of praying parents and grandparents. And her faith will serve as an example to us to make use of the power tool of prayer for our families.
We're launching a new teaching series this week called Blueprints: Building Families by God’s Design. Over the next several weeks, we are going to look at God’s design and purpose for the family, the power of prayer, investing in a healthy marriage, developing discipline with your kids, instilling a positive self-esteem in your family, how to counter the culture we live in, principles for healthy communication, encountering challenges, and leaving a lasting legacy. In part one of the sermon series, we are going to press into God’s design for family, the foundation on which we are to build our families. Understanding that the structure that is built will not look the same for all of us, but the foundation must be solid and established according to God’s design.
There is so much to The Prodigal Son, often called the pearl and crown of all parables. It’s probably the most familiar of all of Jesus’ parables. Even if you don’t call yourself a Christ Follower, chances are you probably know this story. There are three main characters in this parable: the younger son, the one we call the prodigal, the older son, who is often overlooked (both of the sons are wayward for different reasons), then there’s the father. While it is called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, this really is more about the father than either of the sons. And while the sons’ attitudes are outlandish, the father’s love is extraordinary.
We all have situations when we ask God for the same thing over and over again. "God, my job." "God, my diagnosis." "God, my marriage." "God, my kids." "God, my finances." Yet, He seems unmoved. We even turn to God’s Word and say things like, “But God, You said...." "I’ve brought this to You for years.” Yet, you’re not getting an answer. You’re left wondering, “What am I to do?” What do you do when it seems like God is not answering your prayers? Maybe you’re at a crossroads and you feel like giving up. Well, Jesus gives us an incredible answer. He tells a parable, illustrating how we are to navigate one of the sources of great frustration in our faith journey.
It's not enough to say we love our neighbor unless we've been transformed by the saving grace only Jesus can give us. This week we'll see that loving our neighbor is more than just doing; it's something we can't do on our own. We need a Savior to change our perspective to God's perspective.
God gives us life, and each day is filled with opportunities. And we can choose to either use and invest those opportunities in eternal things or allow our life to drift by without taking advantage of the opportunities we have. God expects us to leverage the life He has given us.
When we fail to forgive, we forfeit nearness to God. Because we are so preoccupied with and holding onto an offense, it consumes our thoughts and occupies our minds. And when heart and mind space is taken up by unforgiveness, there’s no room for The Lord to move in those spaces. Unforgiveness will torture you. It is to our benefit to forgive others. There is freedom in forgiveness. Letting go of hurts is like running free. Forgiveness is the key to unlocking the chains and baggage that weigh us down.
Those who would obtain the kingdom must give up all other treasures. Now be careful here, lest we mistakenly assume that Jesus describes what we must do to earn the kingdom. It is not bought but experienced by giving up everything else. We do not earn heaven by selling all else but receive the reward when we do so. Jesus is not asking what you are willing to lose to get the kingdom; he asks how we value what we gain. Do we treasure Christ?
God accomplishes significant things from insignificant beginnings. The smallest of all garden seeds produces the largest of garden plants. Just a little bit of yeast works its way through the whole dough. And what was just a few people gathered in an upper room became The Church of Jesus that now has billions of believers all over the globe. Significance from insignificant beginnings.
Jesus says that one reason He teaches in parables is to reveal and yet conceal. In other words, it’s a tangible way to deliver a spiritual revelation. But it requires The Holy Spirit to discern. That is to say that Jesus’ true followers will understand because of the work of The Holy Spirit, but the unresponsive to Jesus, will not understand. Jesus chose this method because He is teaching about the kingdom of heaven. The parables are about the reign and rule of Jesus. Today we are talking about the Parable of the Sower, also called the Parable of the Soils.
Once someone is in God’s hand, no one, or nothing can change that status. That’s an unshakable eternity. And that kind of security has some amazing results.
Peter shifts to the structure of the church and how it is to operate in chapter 5. The external stress of persecution is leading to internal stress in the church. God has gifted the church with leadership that can help shepherd and disciple us even in our own stressful environments, but leadership in the church comes from a place of humility.
Peter says that we, as followers of Jesus, will experience a blessed suffering, a joyful affliction. His point is that we have a joy so deeply seeded, that it rises above even the challenging circumstances we might face in our lives. An unshakable kind of joy.
Peter tells us that as believers we are to be different than the culture around us. That it should be obvious that we stand out from the rest of the world. And he’s going to say that we need to prepare our minds, our attitudes, as we navigate being different and all that comes along with that. We are going to see that an unshakable mind is armed, is wise, and considers eternity.
Today’s passage is an announcement to us that our enemy, the Devil, has been defeated. By way of our victorious warrior, Jesus, we have victory, an unshakable victory.
One thing that we pray for often these days is peace in the Church. And not just maintaining peace in our own churches, but peace across the Big C Church. And that is the focus for Peter: that even in the midst of surrounding chaos, Peter’s desire is that the Church would be a testimony of true peace.
One of the things that is common to all people in our day and time is the desire to have a solid family, to build an unshakable family. But when we look across our culture, it seems like marriage and family is on shaky ground. Peter is going to address the family by talking about marriage. And specifically, he talks about The Roles, The Responsibilities, and The Results.
Peter is telling us that as Christians, we are being watched. People are looking at the way in which we approach our lives. Sometimes they are watching us to see if we will slip up in certain situations. And sometimes people watch us as Christians to see what being a follower of Jesus is all about. But either way, as believers in Jesus, people are watching us. And Peter’s point is that the way we honor key people in our lives provides a testimony to Christ.
1 Peter 2:4 is where Peter encourages believers by reminding them of their foundation, their identity, and purpose as the church!
This message is going to be a little different. We are working our way through the study of 1 Peter in a teaching series we’ve called, “Unshakable.” But we are going to press pause on that this as we are led to share with you a message that is birthed out of the ongoing conflict in Israel. Recent escalations have reignited questions and concerns.
Jesus says in John 13:34 and 35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Can you imagine what would begin to happen in our neighborhoods and schools and marriages and our politics and in our community and nation and around the world if Christians were to say, “It doesn’t matter what the world is doing or teaching, we are going to love with the love of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit?" It would be transformative!
When it comes to the darkness of our world, we often find ourselves having to navigate the dark, to walk in dark times. Maybe it’s a challenge you are facing that you would describe as a time of darkness, or a season in your life that is filled with disappointments. Those are seasons of darkness. How do we navigate those times and seasons in our lives?
The greatest game changer of all is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not only the most remarkable event in history, it also is the most profound. As we talk about developing an unshakable hope, we are going to see four things the resurrection changes. Jesus’s resurrection changes people, changes hope, changes perspective, and changes eternity.
David was on the rise. But Saul continued on a downward spiral. The comparison between the two culminates in chapters 28 through 30. King Saul steps outside of God’s design and consults a medium in a moment of crisis. While David, on the other hand, when he faced a crisis, turns to God and renews his faith. And those choices led to different endings. We are going to examine that today and then look at three life lessons to apply to our lives.
David makes a shift. He was on the run escaping the threats of king Saul, David found himself living among the Philistines, about the fight in a War against his own people, the Israelites. David is rejected by the commanders on the basis of him being a Hebrew. He was sent back home. And when David comes upon his hometown, he sees a crisis. He makes a shift, he returns back to The Lord, and began to process and do things God’s Way.
Have you ever been rejected for your faith? Have you ever felt the sting of judgment in being labeled a Jesus freak? Have you ever been excluded because of biblical convictions you hold? If so, count yourself among good company.
Have you ever been in a situation where you feel desperate because God hasn't answered your prayers? Where it seems like you are wanting direction from God, but He doesn't seem to be speaking? Where your anxiety and worry get the best of you, and you need God to speak? What do you do in that situation? What you don't do is bypass God.
We live in a very here-and-now culture where any want or desire that we have is practically available at the exact moment it is desired. Because of this we are often tempted to try and force our sanctification and walk with Christ into the same mold and expect His will to fit into our timing when in reality His will is never subject to our timing.
When we feel offended by someone, our natural reaction is to seek revenge as David tried to do when he felt offended. In this week's Life Lesson, we'll learn how God provides the ultimate solution in dealing with people who have offended us.
When it comes to receiving direction from The Lord, we would prefer the GPS version. God, just tell me what to do and where to go. But often He desires for us to consult the map, His Word, and determine our course from there. In 1 Samuel 23 and 24, we are going to see how The Lord leads David. David is going to have to consult the map to determine his actions. And we will also contrast that with king Saul. Saul makes up his own map and we are going to discover that when you do that, disaster is sure to follow.
Have you ever felt like you were living life on the run? Maybe you’re not running from someone trying to hunt you down. But you feel like the enemy is just after you? Like he won’t relent? You feel like you can’t gain any ground because just as soon as you move forward in your spiritual journey, you run into roadblocks and hurdles and difficulties? We are going to be able to identify with David as he is living life on the run, and how he ran to the Lord.
After David’s great victory over the giant named Goliath, David and Jonathan become great friends. Their friendship is a model for biblical friendships. God knew that David was going to need a friend like Jonathan because he was going to go from obscure shepherd boy to a national hero.
If we allow it to stay with us, jealousy can keep us from thinking clearly, and even drive us to resent our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It's part of our sin nature. Only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can help us overcome the dangers of jealousy.
You know, there comes a time when we all need a true friend. Whether it be a crisis that hits, or challenge that comes, or advice that is needed, we all need someone we can turn to. And it is God’s desire that we not only turn to Him in those times, but that we also surround ourselves with others that can support us. Friendships like that are developed. And God orchestrates the events in our lives to place us in a place that we can develop those friendships.
This week, we pick up where we left off in our Life Lessons teaching series in chapter 17 of 1 Samuel. The Israelite army is shanking in their armor because of Goliath, but God has a champion in a shepherd boy named David. We are going to work our way through this popular story, look at the spiritual reality, and then look at a few life lessons in finding courage.
This is not a message about the different end time positions or when Jesus will come back. However, we will uncover the most impactful truth and the whole point Jesus mentions his second coming – which is to prepare his people to be a faithful witness in our world for His glory!
The best gift ever given is Jesus. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave, His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” Christmas is about God giving us His Son, salvation. The King of all kings has saved.
There are two natures of Jesus. He was fully man, and He was also fully God. The incarnation is Jesus taking on of flesh, and the hypostatic union is Jesus being fully God and fully man. This is an absolute important doctrine. Because if Jesus is just man, then He is a liar because He claimed to be God. And if Jesus is just God, then He was not born of a virgin and the Gospel accounts are invalid. But Jesus was born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and therefore He was fully man and fully God.
Announcements evoke a wide range of feeling and emotion. And the announcement of Jesus's coming did the same. We are going to be examining the components of the announcement of the King, the announcement that Jesus was coming: the Person that is Jesus, the people surrounding His birth, the prophecy foretelling of His birth, and the posture we take surrounding the King's announcement.
Here at Trinity, we are launching a new teaching series called "Let Earth Receive Her King." The Christmas season is an opportunity for us to focus on the reason for celebrating the birth of Jesus, who is King of kings. During this series our desire is that the familiarity and events surrounding the season would not drown out the significance of it, but rather, we would leverage this time of year to bring special attention to the work of God in our lives.
This week, we will look to God's Word to understand what it means for God to be faithful as we see how He keeps His covenants with us.
As Jesus lays out the principles of His Kingdom, we see that we are to give all things generously. Because that characterizes the Kingdom of Heaven, it characterizes us, citizens of Heaven. In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches that generosity marks a believer, benefits the believer, and focuses the believer.
It has been God’s desire, since the birth of the Church, to unite a diverse people around key purposes and tenants. To carry our His mission in the world. We are to love one another and love others. As a result, we must allow these values to drive everything we do. Because we all have differing preferences. But we all share the same mission, vision, strategy and values. We all share the same love that is in Jesus. And that is what unites us and drives us to see God work in and through us.
There is something powerful about modeling. And when we think about our core value, it is vitally important that we seek to model The Lord Jesus to our world.
Pastor Jeff Julian begins a new sermon series called The Core, in which we will look to God's word to define Trinity's vision of being a Gospel-center community redeeming brokenness through hope in Jesus Christ. This week Pastor Jeff challenges us to share the Gospel relentlessly.
One of the major reasons God asks His people to remember things is so that key truths and traditions can be passed down to future generations. And that’s exactly what the Deuteronomy 6 passage is all about. It is a call to remember God’s faithfulness and to challenge the next generation to carry the torch. And we can leave a legacy by the way we live our lives that will echo for many generations.
What Joshua says is so powerful, many have etched his words and displayed them in their homes: “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Parents, families, in order to be a biblical family in our modern world, we have to realize it is our house, and therefore our choice.
For marriage to be the way God designed it, good and fulfilling, it must be something we work at. It requires effort and attention. Learning to develop good communication in our marriages will help us experience what God has gifted us in marriage.
The Bible has a lot to say about intimacy in marriage. And as a whole, the church has been kinda quiet on the subject matter. Culture has hijacked God’s design and has perverted it. Satan is winning a battle here because the church silent. It’s time to reclaim it. God created marital intimacy and He knows the benefit it brings to the marriage relationship. If the church doesn’t talk about it, the world will continue to teach a false narrative. But because God talks about it, we talk about it. And we align our thoughts here according to God’s Word because it is for human flourishing.
According to a recent study, money is the number one issue married couples fight about. Jesus spent more time talking about money than any other topic. That is because He’s more about your heart above anything else. And nothing more reveals our heart than how we approach money.
When it comes to parenting, you can do everything right, follow all the right instructions, which in itself is an impossibility, but even in the perfect environment there is no guarantee that your kids will turn out the way you want. Every kid is different and parenting them has to be different. There is no formula that guarantees a certain outcome. As a result, we are all dependent on God to fill in the gaps of our failures.
If we wrap our minds around the correct teaching of the wife's role in marriage, we find freedom and contentment. In the Christians marriage, the husband's role is headship and love, and the wife's role is submission to her husband's lead. And this is out of mutual submission.
So far, we have discussed God’s design for marriage and what it means to build a godly home. Today we begin a two-part approach to the different roles of husband and wife. In this, the first part, we will be talking about a husband’s role in a godly marriage.
Are you building a house or a home? There is a difference. It's far too easy for us to build houses and never build our home. We live in a demanding world that requires so much of us and and what expense? We must give attention to that which will outlive us, that being our future generations. And there is no more important task that we should give our lives to other than building a home.
God has created marriage and the family. And God’s Word, the Bible, is an instruction manual illustrating how the family is to be put together and how it is to work. In many ways, our culture has hijacked and twisted what God has invented. We have allowed others to speak louder than God’s voice on this matter, and that has resulted in frustration and confusion.
Trinity Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant, TX not only has a vision for being a Gospel-centered church redeeming brokenness though hope in Jesus, we have a strategy for achieving that vision:Trusting Jesus through Worship, Transforming Lives in Community, and Telling Others by Living on Mission.
In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul is warning us of a spiritual attach: an invasion by a spiritual enemy. He is wanting believers in Ephesus and all over the world to be ready because the reality is that our enemy is already at work on us.
The Christian life is often referred to as a walk. That’s because, here in Chapter 5 of Ephesians, Paul likens life with Christ as a walk with Christ. And he outlines ways to not be hindered in our walk.
We all have different kinds of relationships, but Jesus is concerned about the relationship we have with Him, and how we relate with the world. Today, we're going to see what it means to take off the old nature and put on the new, Christ-like nature in order to abide in Christ in a world that would rather reject Him.
Up to this point Paul has been talking about the theology surrounding the fact that we are in Christ. Now he is going to answer the question of how being in Christ affects the way we live. He is going from principle to practice, from orthodoxy to orthopraxy. How is this truth lived out in our lives?
We are to pray with humility, pray for supernatural strength and understanding, and we are to pray with great expectation from a great God.
It was the great author, Robert Burns, that once said, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” While the plans of mice and men don’t always pan out, the plans of God always do. The plan isn’t new to God, but when we come to faith in Jesus as Lord, God’s plan becomes our new plan.
Ultimately what we are going to see is that we have a new body, we belong to a new body of believers, in which our vertical relationship with God affects our horizontal relationship with others. Paul is going to teach about what brings the church together and what makes the church so special and dynamic.
Good works is the outcome of salvation. Good works do not do the saving, but they are evidence that we are saved. We should walk in a way that reflects our new life in Christ. Jesus said that people will know that we are His disciples by the love that we have for one another. We should walk, be defined by, the good works that God prepared us to do.
Because of our new life in Christ, we ought to have a new focus. Our focus should shift from our old identity to our new identity. Our focus should shift from what we can do in our flesh to what we can do in the Spirit. We no longer focus on the trials and tribulations we endure, but we focus on the power at work in and through us.
One of the major themes throughout Paul’s writing to the Church in Ephesus is the idea of being made new, that we have new life in Christ and that has a profound impact on the way in which followers of Jesus operate. This week we are going to look at the fact that in Christ, we have a new identity.
Today we wrap up a teaching series where we’ve been looking at the 7 “I AM” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Today, Jesus says to us, “I am the vine.” And one of the key teachings is when Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing.” The metaphor that Jesus uses in this I Am statement is a vineyard, in particular a vine and branches. He will also introduce us to a vinedresser. And the point that Jesus is going to make is that apart from Him we are not just ineffective, but rather we are dead.
To truly believe Jesus and take Him at His word when He says,“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," is to hold to a biblical, Christian worldview. But we live in a society that labels such a worldview as intolerant and narrow minded. Those holding this view are criticized. if we are going to hold to a biblical conviction, we should expect to encounter intimidation and the of many in our culture. It’s where we are in our society.
Have you ever prayed a prayer and God didn't answer it the way you wanted, or in the time you wanted? People get angry with God. They would say that they tried to pray to God but nothing happened. We get focused on the wrong things thinking that changing our circumstances will take away the hurt. But Jesus can change that focus an can bring hope when we are the most disappointed or hurt. When we allow Jesus to change our focus, we will find hope.
Many times, we tend to come to this passage and look at it from the perspective that we are sheep. Sheep are not smart animals, so we need a shepherd. Now, while that is true, that’s not the main idea behind this text. The heart behind this passage is that Jesus is good, that is, He is perfect and worthy, therefore, we should want to follow Him. It’s not about the foolishness of the sheep, but the faithfulness of the shepherd.
Doors, gates and alarms are important. They serve a purpose for our safety and protection. They are for our sheltering. They offer peace of mind. In a world that presents many different dangers and would-be intruders, doors are very important. Jesus says, "I am the door." And just as we realize the importance of doors in our day and time, Jesus is using this statement to draw us into a deeper understanding of who He is and what He provides.
There's something unsettling about the dark that is unsettling to all of us. We don't like the darkness. And Jesus says that He has come to be the light of the world. Now, there is so much wrapped up in this claim that Jesus makes. And we are going to address it in the way Jesus lays it out for us. We are going to look at the Source, the Scattering, and then the Sharing.
We are going to press pause on our study through 1 Samuel and study each of the 7 sayings of Jesus that begin with the phrase, “I AM.” Throughout the Gospel of John, we find 7 “I Am” statements of Jesus. These are statements that Jesus made about Himself. And in each of these statements He reveals who is truly is. And what He reveals is both surprising to His audience and encouraging to His followers. In these statements, we see who Jesus is and what it is that He came to accomplish.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ displays the very divine nature of Jesus. In other words, Jesus is no ordinary man. His resurrection proves that. And as we are going to see in a moment, the resurrection claims prove the power and authority Jesus has over sin, death, and the grave.
All of the attributes of God's selfless love are illustrated throughout the Bible. This week we will look at these attributes of God's selfless love in the relationship between Jonathan and David, and how they are the embodiment of our Lord Jesus.
Something about chapter 16 of 1 Samuel that is important to know before studying it is it's not so much about Saul, or Samuel, or even David. It's more about God. It will communicate the fact that The Lord's wisdom is far superior to human wisdom.
We are going to cover chapters 11-15 in 1 Samuel. We are going to look at the climb, the compromise, and the collapse of a leader, the first appointed king of Israel.
In today's sermon, we'll see how God is actively working in our world today though unexpected and unseen influences, and how we can be sensitive to His work in our everyday routines and well-planned events.
Chapter 8 is a turning point in the book of 1 Samuel. In this chapter we see the transition from Samuel's leadership to king Saul. The nation of Israel will change forms of government, from a theocracy to a monarchy, and the people's demands for this change will bring about more heartache.
God desires every bit of us, but sometimes we have a tendency to think He's too big for our issues. That's when He wants us to be the closest to us, when we feel spiritually defeated. God wants to revive our spirits and draw us closer to him.
What we are learning about the Israelites in our study is how they’ve gotten to a place of complacency. They are just going about their everyday lives as they see fit. They are seeing the results of spiritual drifting into darkness that have led to a significant defeat and the capture of their most sacred symbol, the Ark of the Covenant.
The Israelites leaning more on superstition instead of a relationship with God created a mess. They lost more than 34,000 soldiers in two battles. They lost every priest as Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas died. They lost the ark of the covenant, the most sacred object! The Israelite army ran for their lives. The glory of the Lord had departed Israel. Utter surrender. Sometimes God has to get us to rock bottom before we can see what He has for us. Because when we are rock bottom, we lose trust in ourselves and can begin trusting God. That’s why I say surrender is actually a good place to be. When we reach the point at which we surrender everything to The Lord, blessings are sure to follow.
Today, we are going to look at one of the most famous stories in 1 Samuel as we look at the calling of Samuel. I think of the questions every human has in common is, "How can I hear God speak to me?" We've most likely all heard testimonies from others about how God speaks to them, and maybe we've even had someone come up to us and say "God told me to tell you..." How do they know that? Have you ever wanted to hear god speak to you about a situation, a circumstance, or a decision you've had to make? Of course, we all have.
This week, Trinity Baptist Church celebrates its 40 year anniversary. Trinity's founding Pastor Dr. Reggie McNeal challenges us to continue to be the blessing to others that God has called each of us to be and to demonstrate to a broken world that God wants to have a relationship with each of us.
Today, we turn our attention to Eli, the priest, and his two sons. The passage of 1 Samuel has some strong judgment cast down as a result of Eli's sons' refusal to listen to instruction. The overarching lesson for us is that danger lies ahead when we choose not to listen to God.
Today we are going to see the fulfillment of Hannah's vow as God did giver her a son. As we study our passage, we are going to look at Hannah's answer to God's work and her adoration of God.
Today we will study one of the godliest women mentioned in the Bible. Her name is Hannah. She is Samuel's mother. And in these verses, she cries out to God with a gut-wrenching prayer. I think we will all find ourselves relating to Hannah as we look and her pain, her prayer, and her promise.
A New Year always presents an opportunity to start something new, or to refocus on a key priority. So, we are launching a new teaching series called "Life Lessons." We are going to begin a study working our way through the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel. There is much to learn about in this study as this Old Testament book is as relevant today as it was when it was written.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.
Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Be united what truly unites you. That is, the beauty of the cross of Jesus which is the very thing that transcends all that seeks to divide us in our culture today.
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.
And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.
Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding.
At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved.
By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand.
And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.
...but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.
A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.
But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
...Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.
And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God...
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.
That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.
O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”