Thursday, June 23, 2022

What does this mean?

 

These are verses about John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus. He was the baby in Elizabeth's womb who jumped when Mary, the Mother of Jesus, spoke to Elizabeth. As an adult John began preaching that the Messiah was coming. 



Matthew 11:10-11


“This is he of whom it is written,


   “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, 

           who will prepare your way before you.’ 


Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”



What does THAT mean, the least of you is greater in the kingdom of heaven than he? How and why can we be (I assuming we are the least) greater than John the Baptist?


Thoughts?



Monday, June 13, 2022

The Good Shepherd


Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

Matthew 11:29


Saturday, June 11, 2022

The Meaning of Life

 

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. 

Yet he is actually not far from each one of us...


Acts 17:22-27




Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Us Too

 

And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul 

as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them 

among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, 


“Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, 

to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of 

the prophets agree, just as it is written,


“‘After this I will return,

and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;

I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,

that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,

and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,"

says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.'"


Acts 15:12-17

Amos 9:11-12



Saturday, June 4, 2022

Did you know?


Jesus was the Passover Lamb. 

He died during Passover and was resurrected 3 days later.


At the close of Passover the Jews begin to count the Omer which is 50 days. 

Do you know what that leads up to?


The 50th day after Passover is Shavuot, a biblical observance that marks 

the harvest and the revelation of the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai.


Did you know Pentecost occurs on Shavuot? 

That's what Jesus' disciples were gathered for in the 

upper room when the Holy Spirit was given to them. 

The word pentecost means 50th.


Sometimes in our Christian churches we kick the Jews out. But we are 

grafted into the Vine. God has not forgotten the Jews or replaced them with us.


Happy Pentecost, Everyone, and a joyous Shavuot!


When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, 

and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Acts 2:1-2 ESV


In the TLV version, it reads:

When the day of Shavuot had come, they were all together in one place.

Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, 

and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.