Embedded Files
Ash Wednesday Vespers
Ash Wednesday Vespers
What did you have for Fat Tuesday?
We splurged and had a Pizza with Sausage, Pepperoni, & Onions, it was great, and one of the things we are giving up during Lent.
You need not give up anything for Lent, as Christ Purchase and sacrifice is complete, I just find the exercise helps me in our Lenten reflections.
Let’s run to worship
Lent Begins
Call to Vespers
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
Processional
Alleluia Sing To Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcD8r3UOMrM
St. Bartholomew’s, New York City, New York
In The Words of Boaz in Ruth Chapter 2
May The LORD Be With You
ALL May The LORD Bless You As Well
Please Take A Second To Pass The Blessing Of The LORD
Hymn
Joy To The World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHS7StIz1S8
The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter & Saint Paul, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
Scripture & Homily
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
1st Mt 16:21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
2nd Mt 17:9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."
3rd Mt 20:17 ¶ As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,
18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death,
19 and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up."
Homily
Lent Starts a 46 day period where we focus on Jesus leaving the Galilean area and turn HIS face toward Jerusalem.
Each step HE will take will place HIM more and more in danger.
As we will study during these 46 days and as our readings pointed out is this is not an unplanned trip to the Cross.
In fact as our readings point to this was always the plan and from the beginning of time the only way a HOLY and Righteous GOD can be rescue us from our sins.
Whether you give something up for Lent or not is something for you to personally decide, there is NO Scripture to demand this. I have chosen since we supported a fellow worker at Warren Lumber in 2002 who was giving up something and we all decided to give up the same thing as not to tempt.
I found that during this period I became more focused on Jesus turning toward Jerusalem and HIS appointment with the Cross, and the deeper study on this amazing price HE would pay to redeem a Chief Sinner like me!
If someone asks you “What Do you think Jesus should have done to have had his Ministry be successful? This was asked of a prominent Nationally known Pastor and sadly I think he was caught off guard as He fumbled and did not answer.
Our answer is this was a totally successful ministry, and fulfilled all that was required of HIM.
We will be looking at this path through out Lent.
May the LORD Richly Bless You In Christ Jesus Our LORD
The LORD’S Prayer & Apostles Creed
Matthew 6:9 ¶ And Jesus said "In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Christian What Do You Believe?
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
The Holy Catholic Church; (this is the Holy World Wide Church of Jesus Christ and not singled out to the Roman Catholic Church)
The Communion of Saints;
The Forgiveness of sins;
The Resurrection of the body,
And the Life everlasting.
Amen.
The Gloria Patri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP7BomRUnqE
The Woodside Church
Hymn
Praise To The LORD The Almighty The King Of Creation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JvCmvlm-Qg
Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England
As We Sing Please Come Forward for
The Administration of the Ashes
In The Name Of The FATHER, SON, & HOLY SPIRIT
The LORD’S Benediction
2nd Peter 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Let Us Go Forth As Those Who Love & Proclaim Our Risen LORD Jesus Christ
Response: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Thanks Be To GOD
Recessional
Crown Him With Many Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD-oubDZaIU
St. Bartholomew’s, New York City, New York
Lent Week One
Lent Week One
A thought as we enter Lent
A thought as we enter Lent
As we switch from Ordinary Time, to the Season of Lent, I come to love the Seasons of the Church, and the focus on their particular time in the Earthly Life of our LORD Jesus Christ.
As we switch from Ordinary Time, to the Season of Lent, I come to love the Seasons of the Church, and the focus on their particular time in the Earthly Life of our LORD Jesus Christ.
As many will see the Colors will go from Green (Ordinary Time) to Purple (Advent, & Lent) these colors are meant to help us visually in our Focus.
This post come as a response to a nationally known, and well published Pastor stumbling when asked if the Worlds rejection of Jesus Christ was a failure in Christ Mission.
For the record I think the Pastor was caught off guard, and my purpose is to help us all, me especially to never be caught off guard again. When we are asked this question we can say firmly, it sure was NOT a failure, in fact it was as ordained!
As we go into the period of Lent we see in Scripture Jesus turning HIS face toward Jerusalem and will not be turned away from the Cross.
Be very sure the Cross is NO accident, as the purchase price of our salvation was that a perfect substitute would have to be accursed in our place.
The trip to Jerusalem is marked with danger, and yes can be concluded as a one way mission, John 11:7 Then after this He *said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." 8 The disciples *said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?"
Thomas will say John 11:16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him." (the MAY in this statement is meant the suggest that so we can die with him as the Greek simply says “that we die with Him”)
Jesus knew the where they were going, as part of the Trinity HE ORDAINED IT!
Matthew 16:21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
Matthew 20:19 and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up."
John 3:14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
John 12:34 The crowd then answered Him, "We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?"
Are just examples of Jesus telling his Apostles that he was going to be killed and in Matthew 20:19 crucified, so it is clear the Cross was accident, NOR WAS IT a Failure, and in fact for you and I would become Good Friday.
Alternate Lesson and Service Posted during 2021 Pandemic
First Week of Lent
First Week of Lent
“Jesus Tells the Apostles Bluntly What It Is All About”
“Jesus Tells the Apostles Bluntly What It Is All About”
You might checkout some of my previous thoughts on Lent at my Web Page “It’s Really All About Jesus”
This is the Link https://sites.google.com/d/1XduG_h5q3SlQotRP786xKwLRI-L_gcYS/p/1Xq4bhE1dylGIuAZbsaroGwmBN4ByyVMA/edit
Today we continue the 40-day Lent reflection as we ask the HOLY SPIRIT to open our eyes more and more to the True Preordained Mission of our LORD and Savior Jesus who IS the Christ.
Our Reflection for this lesson takes us to the Transfiguration with the focus on the conversation Jesus has with the Apostles Post Transfiguration.
This lesson will set the table and our week two lesson will go deeper into Jesus now revealing to the Apostles the point of HIS Preordained Earthly Ministry.
Call To Worship: Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Processional
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7c6c6pK1YQ
This may be a unique use of this Processional, but when we take a second to think of the oneness of Jesus Mission to Rescue Sinners from themselves, it actually makes sense that this promotes this thought.
Passing of the Peace of Christ:
May The Peace of Christ Be With You
Response: And Also with You
Hymn: Oh For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx0rCabJ16c
First Reading
Isaiah 53:1 ¶ Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 ¶ Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
10 ¶ But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
(NAS95)
This Is the Word Of The LORD
Response: Thanks Be To GOD!
The LORD’S Prayer & Apostles Creed
Though your Churches Tradition my use the acceptable words Sins or Trespasses, for Debts, I have chosen to use the text of Matthew’s Account of Our LORD’S prayer so that it will not be a controversy.
Matthew 6:9 ¶ And Jesus said "In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Christian What Do You Believe?
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
The Holy Catholic Church;
The Communion of Saints;
The Forgiveness of sins;
The Resurrection of the body,
And the Life everlasting.
Amen.
Doxology: Praise GOD From Whom All Blessings Flow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD9wTAG8oWs
Second Reading and Lesson
Matthew 16:13 ¶ Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."
15 He *said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.
21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You."
23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
24 ¶ Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
25 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.
28 "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
(NAS95)
The Holy Gospel Of Our LORD Jesus Christ
Response: All Glory To YOU LORD Christ
“Jesus Tells the Apostles Bluntly What It Is All About”
1 It Was Never A Secret, Our Eyes Were Just Not Opened
2 It’s Exactly According To Plan
3 I AM Going Through With MY Mission
1 It Was Never A Secret, Our Eyes Were Just Not Opened
As a Child I was told in Church about the two sides of the Bible, the Old Testament and the New Testament, and though that was not novel, what was and is seemly the predominant understand of these two Testaments they seem to tell two separate accounts of the Biblical point.
After all the Old testament is about Israel and their constant struggles and failures to obey the Law, isn’t it???
Before we answer this question, lets ask the next Implied question, as Israel’s failure to obey GOD’S Commandments forced the LORD to send HIS Only SON Jesus Christ to save us from ourselves, in other words Since Plan A didn’t work, Let’s tear it up and go to a Plan B as the first plan failed right?
Well, if you have been following the Lessons, and The HOLY SPIRIT has indeed opened your eyes to the True Biblical you would know the Answer to both is a firm NO!
The Bible truly tells One Story, and there is NO two or three or four plans for GOD’S people, but exactly ONE Plan Cover to Cover.
I was assured also as a youth of the Jewish Bible, another term used for the Old Testament, and the Churches Bible found in the Pages of the New Testament.
This is what gives birth to the Special Dispensation Camp suggesting somehow there are two accepted paths to Heaven, and this version is the prevalent view in today’s religious clubs.
I hopefully have taught kindly and clearly that the Bible Is ALL about the Rescue Mission Of Our LORD and SAVIOR Jesus Christ, and talks of ONE Plan cover to cover.
Genesis 3, and for that matter the whole Book of Genesis actually is key to the whole Story, and, how Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
The SEED Of The Woman Will Win the Day, though Die for us doing it.
So, when Jesus comes on to the Scene in the Gospels, it is NOT HIS first appearance, and in HIS Appearances as the ANGEL Of The LORD, or The CAPTIAN of the Army of The LORD, Jesus is constant in HIS Mission, and building to the point of the Incarnation and perfecting to the Mission.
2 It’s Exactly According To Plan
It is exactly according to plan, and before we beat up today Churches, Synagogues, and Mosques one might at least be kind to them as It has always been the mistaken view.
The Messiah or Allah was coming to vanquish “our enemies”, and HIS enemies, as if WE were NOT in our Sins and Yes Treason, HIS True Enemies!
So, in this point lets look at Jesus coming down and announcing to HIS Apostles what will be soon happening to HIM, and here is our question to honestly answer;
Does Jesus Hide what is about to happen Or is HE being vague?
Verse 21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
I know we all know our answer is, HE is by NO means vague, and details what is about to happen to HIM.
It also goes to our point that the Cross was a preordained plan and NOT an accident, nor a surprise to our Triune GOD, and went exactly as needed and planned.
The Serpent will indeed strike the SEED of the Woman (The Christ) and That IS a lethal Blow and can be even today.
I stress this as so many teachers teach the Cross as preventable, and NOT as the Preordained Collision that Christ accepted from the Start, in fact Had planned as our rescue.
Our next question asks us, did they understand the clarity of Jesus pronouncement?
21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You."
23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
What was Peter’s reaction, and was it an unnatural reaction or natural?
I want you to be honest here as I have not heard many Pastors speak well of Peter, nor how He responds, but instead they disparage Him for not reacting as He should, when in fact His reaction is honest and should actually have been our reaction based on the lousy religious teaching we get even up to today week to week.
This takes us to the final point
3 I AM Going Through With MY Mission
We will not belabor our third point as we will be digging deeper on it next week, but Jesus will NOT be dissuaded from the Mission HE ordained to save us our wretched souls from ourselves.
I really wish my fellow Pastors believed this with all of the heart, that We are NOT able to save ourselves NOR Choose the LORD Jesus Christ, as We are truly Dead in our trespasses and Sins and cannot choose NOR would we, by the Mercy of the FATHER alone through the Mind-blowing Love of Jesus Christ alone, and the Awakening of our Dead Souls by the HOLY SPIRIT alone, were we saved, and Jesus KNEW this from the Time our TRIUNE GOD Created the Heavens & the Earth.
Jesus Knew it and Ordained it as HE knew it Ephesians 2:1 ¶ And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Colossians 2:13 ¶ When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
Romans 3:10 as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
So, when Jesus and Peter have this exchange, 22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You."
23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
24 ¶ Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
We can insert our name in the role of Peter, and Jesus then reminds us until we really Die to self through the HOLY SPIRIT we really never really Live, as Life is in Christ alone.
Next time our Second Week Lesson in Lent and we go deeper into the Preordained Mission of Jesus Christ.
As We Approach The LORD’S Feast
Hymn : While we partake in the Feast of Our LORD Jesus Christ
Ah Holy Jesus How Has Though Offended
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7MpWAKltos&t=17s
We use Raised Bread for a reason, as we purchased by Jesus Christ are indeed at rest and asked to be seated in HIM alone.
The LORD’S Benediction
Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
(NAS95)
Let Us Go Forth As Those Who Love And Serve By The Grace Of GOD Our LORD And SAVIOR Jesus Christ
Response By All: Thanks Be To GOD, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen
Recessional
Crown HIM With Many Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD-oubDZaIU&list=RDxrLz8QwgF3I&index=4
Lent Week Two
Lent Week Two
Lent Week two
Lent Week two
Let ME Tell You What’s Going To Happen, and It Has Been Planned
Let ME Tell You What’s Going To Happen, and It Has Been Planned
Lesson
Let ME Tell You What’s Going To Happen, and It Has Been Planned
Video Introduction: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3u-hISumd-/?igsh=MXN6bWNxZHR6M3l5cA%3D%3D
The background of our message today is to have us never trip over the question “what could have Jesus done differently to make HIS Ministry a success?”
This real question was asked on MSNBC one Easter, and a New York Pastor actually fumbled the question as his answer was to make suggestions, instead of saying as I hope this lesson empowers us all through the HOLY SPIRIT’S leading to say “What are You talking about, Jesus Ministry was a total Success and according to HIS Careful Plan!!!”
So let’s look quickly at
The Mission was Preplanned
The Mission was Dangerous
Nothing will Keep Jesus from Completing HIS Mission
The Mission was Preplanned
What did you notice in our reading today?
A tiny hint will be that next week and Holy Week we will focus on Isaiah 53
Does Jesus tell his Disciples “ When we go to Jerusalem, this and that may happen so be aware?”
Or did HE say “This is my mission and if I am killed the Mission will be a total failure?”
NO of course NOT!!
Jesus plainly says in verse 21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
For the Record Matthew recalls Jesus telling this to HIS Apostles 3 Times and all as bluntly.
What does trouble me is how can such a question be formulated and how can a Doctor of the Church fumble the ball on such a question when Jesus HIMSELF said what to HIS Apostles?
I must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
It was right on script and according to Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
As This was the Preordained plan before the beginning of time, and Since the Trinity Created ALL things HE did plan this.
That takes us quickly to our second point
The Mission was Dangerous
Jesus tells HIS Apostles HE Is Going to be KILLED!!!!
I don’t know how a person can be clearer on how dangerous HIS Mission was and the outcome of it.
I am going to Jerusalem to be Killed is blunt, it causes a reaction by Peter that tells us they knew what HE was saying.
Peter for the record get a totally Bum rap as He reacts like many we hope should;
Imagine for a second you are in a room and your Pastor says I am going to the next town over where two weeks ago they shot at him, and threw bottles and Stones, and then he says and they are going to Kill me.
I would hope some of us would say, Well then we are going to prevent you from going!
Or and we have seen this the President is going on a trip where His security cannot be Guaranteed the Secret Service would advise strongly to cancel the trip, so Peter is only saying what many of us would.
Jesus’s rebuke of Peter is telling us plainly “Get out of the way, this IS my Mission!”
We also know this is dangerous and our passage next week will show that the Disciples will even address the fact “they tried to Kill you last time you were there” telling us that they DID know of the danger.
This walks us to the third point
Nothing will Keep Jesus from Completing HIS Mission
As we will see next week as well, NOTHING will keep Jesus from HIS preplanned rescue of we Sinners, and HE really knows what will happen in detail as HE Ordained it so NO it was NOT a failed Mission and EVERY Christian should be able to say so.
I have given the Pastor Interviewed a pass only on that He may have been caught off guard, but still He should have quickly refuted the Failed Mission claim with “This was totally successful and if you followed the Bible even in an Elementary way you would have seen this”.
Jesus had one plan, there will be no OOPS, and NO GOD the FATHER did not ever say “Well we have to go through with the rescue plan”
In fact if you actually think there was any other way to be saved, you are reading the Bible like a Pharisee.
An easy way to caution yourself from reading the Bible like a Pharisee is to remember “If you read it like you are doing Fair at keeping the law, and You See others as worse than you, well you actually are a Fair U See”(Pharisee).
All this finishes our point Jesus Christ alone through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT WILL cause us to read our Bibles more, and Love as HE has loved.
And NO we can’t do Better, but take this comfort Christ alone gives you a new life.
Next week we will look at A Dangerous Mission and the Apostles Knew It!
As we walk the Preordained path to the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus
First Reading
Isaiah 6
1 ¶ In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
3 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."
4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
5 ¶ Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.
7 He touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
9 ¶ He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.'
10 "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed."
11 Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered, "Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people And the land is utterly desolate,
12 "The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
13 "Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, And it will again be subject to burning, Like a terebinth or an oak Whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump."
(NAS95)
This Is The WORD Of The LORD
ALL: Thanks Be To GOD
2nd Reading
Matthew 16:13-28
13 ¶ Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."
15 He *said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.
21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You."
23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
24 ¶ Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
25 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.
28 "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
(NAS95)
The HOLY Gospel Of Our LORD Jesus Christ
ALL: All Glory To You LORD Christ!!
Lesson: The Annunciation Of The Birth Of Jesus
Lesson: The Annunciation Of The Birth Of Jesus
Lesson: The Annunciation Of The Birth Of Jesus
What is this, in the middle of Lent we are talking about the Announcement of Promised Birth of the Messiah??
YES! If we look at the calendar we will notice we are 9 months from December, and yes this would be the point in the Calendar year when Gabriel visits Mary and announces that this 12 or 13 year old virgin pledged to be married to a poor Carpenter, meaning yes Mary too is from a poor family.
It is also my attempt to get the Church of Jesus Christ to remember Her Calendar and realize the events of the Bible really happened and in real time.
So today we will look at
1 The Annunciation Of The Birth Of Jesus
2 The Promised Emmanuel Child To Be Born
3 The Mind blowing promise
1 The Annunciation Of The Birth Of Jesus
To suggest this Annunciation was out of the Blue, is to have a poor knowledge of the Entire Bible of the Time, in fact the only thing that can be deemed as a surprise would be just who from the line of David would give Birth to the Messiah, and When.
So when this Poor 12 to 13 year old Girl from the Line of David through David’s Son Nathan, Joseph too is from David’s Line through David’s Son Solomon, it is indeed a Shocker for Her.
As Gabriel talks to Mary we reread the exchange;
Lu 1:26 ¶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."
34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"
35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
Gabriel is not Promising this will be easy, in fact the laws and traditions suggest downright dangerous.
She will be Subject to Stoning, and as we are aware from Matthew’s recall of Jewish tradition Mt 1:18 ¶ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Joseph is taking the kind path when He wants to quietly put Mary out of his life.
According to the law indeed Mary and the Father Should Be Stoned, and now Joseph is also visited with what is going on here.
What is so unique is the LORD allows both Mary and Joseph to do something amazing, can you guess what it is?
They accepted their assignments without argument nor debate of the possibility!
We can look more at this during Advent, as I would like to take us to the Second point
2 The Promised Emmanuel Child To Be Born
How was the Emmanuel promise to come, and this is important and Yes Matthew and Luke’s point??
Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
The Virgin will conceive and bear a Son.
I don’t want to shock you, but the fact that a Virgin will get pregnant and bear a SON who will be GOD With Us, was as stunning then as it would be today.
Next it was indeed according to plan, and Levi (Matthew) was easily able to connect this, and obviously thought EVERYONE should have connected the dots.
The meaning then as now for Emmanuel in the Greek or the Hebrew Immanuel is ONLY one thing GOD With us, and that’s all it ever has been.
3 The Mind blowing promise
So the mind blowing promise is going according to plan, and Matthew the Levite is laying out and will throughout his Gospel the full path as each prophecy is fulfilled as PROMISED.
If Israel was able to have their eyes Opened buy the LORD, Matthew is telling us crystal clearly that the Old Testament is Screaming to us that Jesus is the Christ (The Messiah) as he bluntly tells us in the first line!
I know this point is short, but it needs to Be, as the whole point of the Bible is the Rescue Mission of Jesus Christ!
The Earthly portion of Jesus mission starts here with Gabriel visiting this daughter of the line of David, and announcing
"Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."
And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave (doule, doo'-lay a female slave) of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
Next week our Lesson will be on “HE Always Was Going To Be Sacrificed for Us And Had To Be Our Only Hope!
The Annunciation Of The Birth Of Jesus
You may have noticed the Blue vestments one of 3 Sundays we use them, Next will be the week of June 24th for the birth of John the Baptist, and then again in October for the Annunciation of the Birth Of John.
First Reading
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
8 ¶ The Lord sent a word against Jacob, And it has fallen on Israel.
9 All the people will know-Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria-Who say in pride and arrogance of heart:
10 "The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars."
11 Therefore the LORD shall set up The adversaries of Rezin against him, And spur his enemies on,
12 The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
13 For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor do they seek the LORD of hosts.
14 Therefore the LORD will cut off head and tail from Israel, Palm branch and bulrush in one day.
15 The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
This Is The WORD Of The LORD
Response By All: Thanks Be To GOD
Second Reading “The Annunciation Of The Birth Of Jesus
Luke Lu 1:23 And so it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."
26 ¶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."
34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"
35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
37 "For with God nothing will be impossible."
38 Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
39 ¶ Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
The Holy Gospel Of Our LORD Jesus Christ
Response By All: All Glory To YOU LORD Christ
Again this was one of the 3 Sundays of the Year I use the color Blue, you perhaps not see these in any other Church setting by I do think they are an important reminder of the these Historical events, The Annunciation of the Birth of John the Baptist (October 24th week) Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus (March 25th week this lesson) and The Birth of John the Baptist (June 24th Week).
Fourth Sunday of Lent (for an early March Year)
Fourth Sunday of Lent (for an early March Year)
Our Video Introduction 2024
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4S-zOhu7pZ/?igsh=MnF4ejc4M2JkYXNl
2023
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cp8v3lCAKcs/?igshid=YjNmNGQ3MDY=
The Three Times Jesus Tells Of HIS Purpose In Jerusalem
The Three Times Jesus Tells Of HIS Purpose In Jerusalem
As we walk through the Gospels, it is clear that Jesus knows and makes it know just what HIS Mission is, and we will note HE is very detailed about it.
HE knows that HE is going to Jerusalem to purchase our worthless souls from our sins, though We are precious in HIS sight with HIS life.
The Mission will NOT be postponed, nor will the cosmic collision at Jerusalem be an Accident, but Preordained by the FATHER, SON, And HOLY GHOST all along.
We Remind ourselves yearly as a Prayer that we will always answer those asking it Jesus Mission failed at the Cross, with the Facts, That NO, I sure didn’t fail but was the Preordained Success It Had To Be.
Call To Worship
Psalm 95:6 Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
Processional
Alleluia Sing to Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcD8r3UOMrM
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, New York City, New York
Passing Of The Peace Of Christ
May The Peace Of Christ Be With You
ALL: And Also With You
Please Take A Moment On Facebook and Twitter To Pass The Peace Of Christ
Hymn
Praise To The LORD The Almighty The KING Of Creation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JvCmvlm-Qg
Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England
First Reading
Psalm 6
1 ¶ <<For the choir director; with stringed instruments, upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.>> O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.
3 And my soul is greatly dismayed; But You, O LORD--how long?
4 Return, O LORD, rescue my soul; Save me because of Your lovingkindness.
5 For there is no mention of You in death; In Sheol who will give You thanks?
6 I am weary with my sighing; Every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears.
7 My eye has wasted away with grief; It has become old because of all my adversaries.
8 ¶ Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.
9 The LORD has heard my supplication, The LORD receives my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed.
(NAS95)
This Is The Word Of The LORD
ALL: Thanks Be To GOD
Hymn
The KING Of Love My SHEPHERD Is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu83WQdQ7-Y
Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England
The LORD’S Prayer and Nicene Creed
Matthew 6:9 ¶ And Jesus said "In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Christian What Do You Believe?
I believe in one God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And of all things visible and invisible:
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,
Begotten of his Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
Very God of very God,
Begotten, not made,
Being of one substance with the Father,
By whom all things were made;
Who for us men, and for our salvation came down from heaven,
And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary,
And was made man,
And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried,
And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures,
And ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead:
Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost,
The Lord and giver of life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,
Who spoke by the Prophets.
And I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.
And I look for the Resurrection of the dead,
And the life of the world to come.
Amen.
The Doxology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XviwbS9jkgE
This is a treat
Covenant Christian High school, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Hymn
All People That On Earth Do Dwell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-1dQ8t03mE
Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England
Second Reading & Lesson
Matthew 16:21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
Matthew 20:17 ¶ As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,
18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death,
19 and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up."
Matthew 26:1 ¶ When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples,
2 "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion."
The HOLY Gospel Of Our LORD Jesus Christ
ALL: All Glory To YOU LORD Christ
The Three Times Jesus Tells Of HIS Purpose In Jerusalem
Let’s take a look at the three times Jesus clearly tells HIS Disciples of What is to Happen to Him in Jerusalem.
In these three accounts Jesus tells the Apostles that the plan IS a collision course with the Cross, and he does not say “When we go to Jerusalem the Chief Priest, Scribes and Elders might cause harm to me” but as we know HE says 18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man WILL BE DELIVERED to the chief priests and scribes, and they WILL CONDEM HIM TO DEATH,
19 and WILL hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and CRUCIFY Him, and on the third day He will be raised up."
The plan will be carried out to the letter, and the War between the Kingdom of Our LORD and the kingdom of Satan will have it Armageddon on the cross Road in Jerusalem.
Notice Jesus also tells us that what will happen to HIM?
Before you answer please take a second to remember Genesis 3 When the pre-incarnate Christ tells us the Serpent will strike his heel, a death blow in that day, so yes Jesus will die.
We also know that the Apostles are not completely clueless to the danger of this trip as so many “Theologians” seem to write of them, and Thomas in John 11 proclaims “Let us go with HIM (to Jerusalem) that we may what?
See the City?
Worship at the Temple?
NO, he says that we may DIE with HIM!!!
But this path to the Cross must also be seen as the collision of Genesis 3, and that the promised outcome will be the crushing of the serpents head.
It should also be a caution for all of us that no matter how many times we have seen or heard something that we can also have the tendency to rush along and not hear or read the scriptures as clearly as they are presented.
I had an example recently of a very critical person who feels it his right to criticize everyone regardless whether he is right or not to criticize something I spoke on.
He said “I listened intently, and you did not present the work of Christ until 5:30 seconds into your talk, and you might lose those listening by then”
Well the Message was only 5:37 in its entirety and the point he claimed was introduced 1:39 into the message.
But why is this so important?
The Pharisees, Scribes and Chief Priest were what?
That is correct VERY critical of Jesus and YES did not clearly read and apply the Scriptures as they pointed to ONE PERSON, Jesus Christ alone.
HIS Mission was clear, and HE said it and it NEVER Changed and we were told from Genesis 3;
Luke 2:9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Next week we will look at the
ALL of The Dress Rehearsals Are Completed, And The Stage Is Set
Let Us Race To The Feast Of The LORD
How Deep The FATHER’S Love For Us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD9-omLKwWI
Nichole Nordeman
3rd Compass.com
The LORD’S Benediction
Hebrew 13:20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Let Us Go Forth As Those Who Love And Proclaim Our Risen LORD And Savior Jesus Christ!
ALL: Thanks Be To GOD!! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, AMEN!!
Recessional
Ye Watchers And Ye Holy Ones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjBleDVU3dA
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, New York City, New York
Lent Week Three
Lent Week Three
Lent Week three
Lent Week three
Video Introduction https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4B0UdNuaOR/?igsh=MTRjcnd4MGgzdDA4Yg%3D%3D
A Dangerous Mission and the Apostles Knew It!
A Dangerous Mission and the Apostles Knew It!
Though the text would be naturally taught as Jesus and Lazarus, today we will focus on another point in the text, the point that tells us that this Mission of Jesus is known to be Dangerous, and yes the Apostles knew it and were worried.
You see NOTHING will keep Jesus from HIS preplanned appointment with the Cross, and this passage reminds us the Apostles tried to plead with HIM.
The Mission was Preplanned
Since Genesis Chapter it
The Mission was Dangerous
Nothing will Keep Jesus from Completing HIS Mission
The Mission was Preplanned
From Genesis 3 on the Mission has been about the rescue of we the Powerless and in the ONE who appears on the Scene in Genesis 3 HIMSELF as the Seed of the Woman.
When Christ in the Garden of Eden tells us Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall BRUISE you on the HEAD, And you shall BRUISE HIM on the HEEL."
To be honest, the normal reading of this passage misses that this IS a promise of mutual Death Blows!
A Serpents bite was lethal then, as it can still be today, as Well as the LORD is promising to Crush the Serpents Head, YES again a Death Blow!!!
By understanding this fact, we start at the beginning to see the Bible is a Rescue Mission and NOT about us being able to save ourselves.
In our first reading we recall
Isaiah 53: 4 ¶ Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
The Savior was going to Die in this Rescue.
It also tells us straight away that it IS NOT a book of Rules that we can possibly follow as is MISS Preached in 99% of Ten Commandment Series of Sermons, but Laws that drive us to our knees Pleading for a Rescuer who is Jesus Christ.
This takes us to our second point;
The Mission was Dangerous
Looking again at our text it is Crystal Clear that the Apostles know this trip is deadly;
John 11:7 Then after this He *said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."
8 The disciples *said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?"…
11 This He said, and after that He *said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep."
12 The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.
14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,
15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him."
16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him."
Remember they are NOT suggesting danger in their exchange, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?"…
and "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him."
The language does not suggest they might die, NO it bluntly says “THAT WE MAY DIE WITH HIM!”
And the disciples know IT!!
Nothing will Keep Jesus from Completing HIS Mission
Nothing will Keep Jesus From HIS Mission because HE Ordained His Mission before Time began.
As we also noticed from the narrative The Apostles tried to talk Jesus OUT Of going to Jerusalem.
We also remember in the account of Mt 16:15 He *said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven….
Mt 16:21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You."
23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
So for Jesus this Mission Will go according to script, it Has to and NOTHING will get in the way of HIS Completion of our only hope of Salvation.
This mission IS what the entire Bible is about, so when we get the typical Ten Commandment Series that is miss preached as something we can actually do, instead of more proof of why this Mission of Jesus was and IS our Only Hope of Salvation as HE alone is Righteous!!
Next Week we will focus on the Annunciation of the Birth Of Jesus to Mary.
Back to our Lent Series the Following week
Isaiah 53:1-10
1 ¶ Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 ¶ Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they made His grave with the wicked-But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10 ¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
(NKJV)
This Is The WORD Of The LORD
ALL: Thanks Be To GOD
2nd Reading
A Dangerous Mission and the Apostles Knew It!
John 11:1-16
1 ¶ Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.
3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."
4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it."
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.
7 Then after this He *said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."
8 The disciples *said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?"
9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
10 "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
11 This He said, and after that He *said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep."
12 The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.
14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,
15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him."
16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him."
The HOLY Gospel Of Our LORD Jesus Christ
ALL: All Glory To You LORD Christ!!
Lent Week Four
Lent Week Four
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Hey Wait A Minute, What Is This Moriah, And What’s It Doing Here In A Lent Series?
Hey Wait A Minute, What Is This Moriah, And What’s It Doing Here In A Lent Series?
Plenty!!!
Plenty!!!
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Hey Wait A Minute, What Is This Moriah, And What’s It Doing Here In A Lent Series?
Plenty!!!
Video Introduction https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHyPKBDRc6i/?igsh=MTRzcmc4bXJuNzA3dw%3D%3D
In the carefully planned rescue of our unworthy Souls, the FATHER, SON, & HOLY SPIRIT laid out a traceable Plan, that we Celebrate in Each of the Church of Jesus Christ Seasons.
Here in Lent Each Step is NO mistake, and Jesus the Christ eyes are fixed on fulfilling each step.
Here at Mount Moriah, we see one of the Many Dress Rehearsals, as Man is asked to do to a point What Jesus will fully embrace.
We will talk more about this in the lesson, and Next week in the Summation of Lent.
In Christ Alone, Pastor Paul
Call to Worship
Psalm 95:6 Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
Processional
Sing Praise To GOD Who Reigns Above
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGFZACpd5r0
Vintage Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Organist Mr. Samuel Metzger
Passing the Peace of Christ
May The Peace Of Christ Be With You
ALL: And Also With You
Please Take A Minute To Pass The Peace Of Christ On Facebook
First Reading
Matthew 16:13-28
13 ¶ Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."
15 He *said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.
21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You."
23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
24 ¶ Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
25 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.
28 "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
(NAS95)The Holy Gospel Of Our LORD Jesus Christ
ALL: All Glory To YOU LORD Christ!!
The LORD’S Prayer & Nicene Creed
Matthew 6:9 ¶ And Jesus said "In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Christian What Do You Believe?
I believe in one God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And of all things visible and invisible:
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,
Begotten of his Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
Very God of very God,
Begotten, not made,
Being of one substance with the Father,
By whom all things were made;
Who for us men, and for our salvation came down from heaven,
And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary,
And was made man,
And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried,
And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures,
And ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead:
Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost,
The Lord and giver of life,
Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,
Who spake by the Prophets.
And I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.
And I look for the Resurrection of the dead,
And the life of the world to come.
Amen.
The Doxology
Praise GOD From Whom All Blessings Flow: Tune All Creatures of Our God and King
Praise GOD From Whom All Blessings Flow: Tune All Creatures of Our God and King
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3zXtUBKqVI
Faith Presbyterian Church, Tacoma, Washington Organist Mr. Ron Bechtel
Hymn
Joy To The World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHS7StIz1S8
The Episcopal Cathedral Church Of Saints Peter & Paul, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
Second Reading
Genesis 22
1 ¶ Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
2 He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
3 ¶ So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
5 Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you."
6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.
7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 ¶ But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
12 He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
14 Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the LORD it will be provided."
15 ¶ Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven,
16 and said, "By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.
18 "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20 ¶ Now it came about after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, "Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
21 Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram
22 and Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel."
23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah; these eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.
(NAS95)
This Is The Word Of The LORD
Response By All: Thanks Be To God!
Hey Wait A Minute, What Is This Moriah, And What’s It Doing Here In A Lent Series?
Plenty!!!
Our Two Readings at the bottom of the Lesson set us up for the importance of Moriah (Jerusalem) in the careful plan of Christ.
Our first point you might remember from the series I did, “The Dress Rehearsal”, and how this was indeed the point of Genesis 3, so let’s quickly look at
1st What Is This Moriah?
2nd The Dress Rehearsal
3rd It was always going to be accomplished in Jerusalem
1st What Is This Moriah?
From Genesis 3 on when the pre-incarnate Christ meets with and explains to Adam and Eve how HE would accomplish the mission of our Rescue, and this was not conditioned on our obedience, but on the contrary in spite of our disobedience.
The LORD Christ explains that HE would indeed crush the Serpents head, but also CLEARLY Explains that and this was the TRIUNE GOD’S (HIS) Plan from the beginning of time, and there would be NO detours, that HE would indeed Die in the Process of our rescue.
By now I hope the every week reader would be already saying, why we know the LORD is clear that HE was going to die, but let’s retell it any way by allowing you to walk through this;
What would a Serpent Bite at the beginning of Time do to the person being bit?
Acts 28:3-6
3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live."
5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.
6 But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.
As this Serpents Strike would too be in the First Century, and what the People though would happen to Paul INSTANTLY, so was the thought in Eden when Christ pronounced this would happen……
Yes HE would Die, as this is indeed going to be lethal PERIOD!
It tells the Seed of the Woman, (a Virgin) would indeed die saving us from the Serpent, but where?
That takes us directly to our Reading and we see Christ HIMSELF, directing Abraham to take a journey from his home in Beersheba, to a place where of HE HIMSELF has Ordained for an Alter.
Though we will revisit this in our third point, let’s at least visit the fact that the LORD does not ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in the Back yard, but demands a 3 day journey to this place where Abraham was once before Genesis 14:14-24
14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
15 He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.
16 He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.
17 ¶ Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High.
19 He blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." He gave him a tenth of all.
21 ¶ The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself."
22 Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
23 that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, 'I have made Abram rich.'
24 "I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share."
The valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), where Abram meets Melchizedek king of Salem
2nd The Dress Rehearsal
3rd It was always going to be accomplished in Jerusalem valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley)
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High.
Hebrews 7:14-17
14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.
15 And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,
16 who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.
17 For it is attested of Him, "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."
Jeru Salem
Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High.
Luke 22:14 When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.
15 And He said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves;
18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes."
19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
The King Of Love My Shepherd Is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu83WQdQ7-Y
Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England
The LORD’S feast
1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Ah Holy Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7MpWAKltos
The Episcopal Cathedral Church Of Saints Peter & Paul, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
The LORD’S Benediction
Heb 13:20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Let Us Go Forth As Those Who Love And Proclaim Our Risen LORD and Savior Jesus Christ
Response By All: Thanks Be To GOD, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen!!
Recessional
The King Of Love My Shepherd Is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0TGpDE2FJo
St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church, New York City, New York
Fifth Week Of Lent
Fifth Week Of Lent
The Fifth Sunday of Lent The Dress Rehearsals Are Complete, The Stage Is Set.
The Fifth Sunday of Lent The Dress Rehearsals Are Complete, The Stage Is Set.
Our Video Introduction
2024 https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4k_WCPOqpZ/?igsh=aXQ5ejl3Yjk1OGU3
2023 https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cp8v3lCAKcs/?igshid=YjNmNGQ3MDY=
This Lesson reminds us of the carefully planned Rescue Mission of Our LORD and Savior Jesus the Christ that HE clearly laid out in Genesis including a Dress Rehearsal in Genesis 22 was executed with Jesus Crucifixion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.
None occurred by accident, and was according the Our TRIUNE GOD’S careful preordained Plan.
HOLY SPIRIT, In the NAME of Jesus the Christ, By the Holy Will of the FATHER We Humbly ask YOU open our eyes fully to this mind blowing display of Love for us, and awaken those not yet to Salvation in Christ alone, Amen
Call To Worship
Psalm 122:1 ¶ <<A Song of Ascents, of David.>> I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
Processional
Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiUnqqjZoWk
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, New York City, New York
Passing Of The Peace Of Christ
May The Peace Of Christ Be With You
ALL: And Also With You
Please Take a Second to Pass The Peace
Hymn
Come Let Us Sing Unto The LORD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-V__s5MOzA
Faith Presbyterian Church, Tacoma, Washington, Organist Mr. Ron Bechtel
First Reading
Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.
5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,
7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.
12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
This Is The WORD Of The LORD
ALL: Thanks Be To GOD!
The LORD’S Prayer & Apostles Creed
Matthew 6:9 ¶ And Jesus said "In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Christian What Do You Believe?
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
The Holy Catholic Church;
The Communion of Saints;
The Forgiveness of sins;
The Resurrection of the body,
And the Life everlasting.
Amen.
The Doxology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XviwbS9jkgE
This is a treat
Covenant Christian High school, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Hymn
Thine Be The Glory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDS5sg2qBzM
Faith Presbyterian Church, Tacoma, Washington, Organist Mr. Ron Bechtel
Second Reading & Lesson
Matthew 20:17 ¶ As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,
18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death,
19 and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up."
20 ¶ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.
21 And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She *said to Him, "Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left."
22 But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They *said to Him, "We are able."
23 He *said to them, "My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father."
24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers.
25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.
26 "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,
27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave;
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
The Holy Gospel Of Our LORD Jesus Christ
ALL: All Glory To YOU LORD Christ
Lesson The Dress Rehearsals Are Complete, The Stage Is Set
If we have read the Bible Carefully we would have noticed that each step toward the Cross was also first demonstrated in a careful Dress Rehearsal.
Genesis 22 Tells us of the selection of Moriah, that will become Jerusalem, the Sacrifice of the Only Son, and as it clearly points to the ONLY SON’S sacrifice, the Lamb caught in the thicket, or in Jesus, HIS Surrender in the Garden of Gethsemane.
It also allows to see the heartbreaking journey on a Donkey to Moriah, and the heartbreaking journey into Jerusalem by Jesus.
Genesis 14 Gives us the introduction of the Offering of Bread and Wine when Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. Jesus the Prince Of Peace (Salem) (Isaiah) and Priest in the Order of Melchizedek (Hebrews), in the Valley of the Kings (the Valley of Jerusalem). As we know the Bread and Wine will be reintroduced by Jesus in the Last Supper and to be done in remembrance of HIM.
Where does He reintroduce the Bread and the Wine?
Yes Jerusalem again.
We Also know that the unblemished Lamb after though inspection must be slaughtered, and this Important Passage tells you of the Unblemished Lamb in the Dress Rehearsal and The LAMB without Blemished who is inspected and found without blemish THREE Times.
Exodus 12:5 'Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
6 'You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.
7 'Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
8 'They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
9 'Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails.
10 'And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.
11 'Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste--it is the LORD'S Passover.
12 'For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments--I am the LORD.
13 'The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 'Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.
We Also need to see the two postures of these meals, and Jesus fulfills and satisfies ONCE and for all the Blood Sacrifice.
We will discuss these items more in depth during Holy Week, but in the Passover notice the they are Standing with Belts around their waste, while in the LORD’S Supper we see them asked to relax or rest in Christ for the meal.
Also note in the Dress Rehearsal the Lambs blood on the head and door post of the door, that will indeed be fulfilled in the blood stains on the cross, yes the Head and two sides.
Our next Dress Rehearsal is in the Genesis 3 piercing by the Serpent a death Blow to the SEED OF THE WOMAN, and HIS Crushing of the Serpents head.
In Jerusalem this is plaid out in the piecing of the Cross, and the full victory over Satan at the Cross and Resurrection.
Time will only allow us one more Dress Rehearsal, but there sure are more, and the one we will leave our Lesson on is Genesis 49’s Blessing on the Lion of the Tribe Of Judah, that will be fulfilled in Jesus Christ the TRUE LION of the Tribe of Judah.
These Dress Rehearsals are Crystal clear, and yet the Synagogues (and yes most of today’s Churches) don’t see these for what they ALL are!!!
As we enter Holy Week we will of Course look at Isaiah 53,62, Psalm 22, and more depth.
This lesson will be giving Homework as we go into Palm Sunday and Holy Week and your assignment is to find more Dress Rehearsals and Fulfillments by Christ, and please note these Dress Rehearsals LOVE them and know that they are pointed only to Christ and HIS fulfillment and Should been seen.
In Two Weeks we will look of course at Palm Sunday and I have two possible lessons.
One could be “How quickly we change!”
Or
“Not the Start of a loss, But the Beginning of the Ultimate War & WIN!!”
Next week we focus on the Annunciation to Mary by Gabriel of the Birth of Jesus through Her
Hymn
Shine Jesus, Shine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4hXJ9ax2FY
Big Sing, Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington, London, England
The Feast Of The LORD
1Co 11:23 ¶ For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.
In Christ Alone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gax8GL7EViE
Big Sing, Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington, London, England
The LORD’S Benediction
Romans 16:25 ¶ Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.
(NAS95)
Let Us Go Forth As Those Who Love And Proclaim Our Risen LORD and Savior Jesus Christ
ALL: Thanks Be To GOD, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia AMEN!
Recessional
Crown HIM With Many Crowns (One of my favorites)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD-oubDZaIU
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, New York City, New York
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