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Notes: September 27, 2009

Profit and Loss

What have you gained if you have everything the world offers but you’ve lost your own soul?

Matthew 16:21-28; Luke 9:22-27

  • Jesus began to reveal to his disciples that he would be put to death.
  • The disciple protested and promised to defend their master.
  • Jesus declined the offer, and explained that they, too, must suffer.
  • He who would avoid the suffering would miss all spiritual blessings.
  • But some of them would see (at least glimpses of) the kingdom of God.

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Notes: September 26, 2009

“Whom do men say that I am?”

Jesus asked that question of his disciples. What if he were to ask you?

Matthew 16:13-20

  • What are some popular ideas about who Jesus is?
  • Whom do you say that Jesus is?
  • Peter, and other disciples, believed Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God (v 16).
  • That belief is the foundation of the Christian Church—Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God.
  • That belief unlocks heaven for the one who believes it.

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Notes: September 25, 2009

Beware Bad Doctrine

Foolhardy is the man who ignores a “Beware of dog” sign. And foolhardy is the man who ignores warnings about dangerous false doctrine. The disciples learned this lesson from Jesus.

Matthew  16:1-12

  • Wicked and spiritually adulterous people require signs from God.
  • Although they can reasonably predict the weather, they have no insight into the movements of God.
  • We should be wary of such men.
  • And we should not be bound by a literal understanding of all things.

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Notes: September 24, 2009

More Miracles Of Healing And Multiplication

Jesus continues to travel and to minister to the masses in Israel. And people continue to crowd around him searching for solutions.

Mark 7:31-37; Mark 7:8:9; Matthew 15:30-38

  • On reading the gospels you get the sense that there were large numbers of folks with various disabilities. Almost every page of gospel history speaks of another healing-a blind man here, a cripple there, a deaf man here and demon-possessed one there. Yet Jesus never stops ministering to the needy.
  • He didn’t seek fame. In fact he asked men not to publicize his miracles. But the more he asked them not to tell anyone, the more they published it. While we certainly do understand their inability to remain silent, we wonder why those who consider themselves Christians today often remain silent. Can it be they’ve never seen Jesus at work in their lives or any else’s?
  • More than 4000 are fed with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish, reminiscent of the feeding of the 5000 (John 6).  And 7 baskets of leftovers were gathered thereafter. Why did this happen?  Because Jesus had compassion on those who could not provide for themselves. Is this not how he saves us? We cannot save ourselves; and he has compassion upon us and provides salvation for us.  In our need we can only accept the gift.

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