On Proverbs 2:6-8

For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.

I think it is important to understand what "success" means in v7. God's definition is often quite different than our society's definition. While wisdom may bring fine homes and fast cars, the verses following v7 more accurately show the success that wisdom will bring. And those successes are so much better than the material comforts and pleasures that seem to be so valued these days.

On Proverbs 1

Key verse - 7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

As a professor, I see students who are hungry for knowledge and I see those who are more interested in getting by with minimal effort. I really like being around those students who want to learn and share my interest in technology. For me, it's the same way in my spiritual life. I really especially enjoy being with fellow believers who are seeking to better understand scripture and how to live the Christian life. 

Entertaining Angels Heb 13

Entertaining Angels

Today we are going to look at some of the ways angels are described in their interaction with man in the new testament. The writer of Hebrews drops a reference to angels in as a side note, in the middle of a list of do’s and don’ts.

As we read this passage look for the 6 or 7 things he is saying about how we should live and about the reference to angels.

Hebrews 13:1-6 ”

Love of the brethren

Hospitality to strangers

Remember the Prisoners

Hold Marriage in honor

Don’t love money / be content

-I will never leave you/The Lord is my helper

If we weren’t studying angels, we could spend the morning on this passage, picking one another’s brains about how we could be better at loving one another, showing hospitality etc. But today we are looking at the “Angels” part of the passage.

Has anyone here ever shown hospitality to someone, and later wondered if it could have been an angel? Why would God send an angel to us in need of hospitality?

Ephesians 2:10 

What good are good works? For us, for others, for God’s kingdom?

The writer of Hebrews talks about some areas where we should strive for holiness, and mentions that angels have a part in helping us achieve what we need to be, but just like the angels, the writer ultimately points us to the Lord (v6) – The Lord is my helper.

God can use angels to help us in ways such as developing our faith by helping someone else.

Let’s look at another way that God uses angels. We get a substantial portion of what we understand about death and heaven from a parable that Jesus told in Luke 16.

Luke 16:19-22 

According to this parable, what happened to Lazarus when he died?

What does this say about Angels?

Do you think they might be sitting around the hospital room or at the intersection of an eminent car crash just waiting to transport a saint’s soul into God’s presence?

We have another hint that angels may be all around us, unseen, in 1 Timothy 5:21. Paul is writing concerning elders and says:

1 Timothy 5:21

Challenge

In looking at all the verses in the Bible it is amazing how many times angels are mentioned, and we just pass them by. But angels are important beings and their existence, presence, and mission is highlighted all through scripture.

I wonder if we might be overlooking them in the same way that we overlook other spiritual things. It is easy to get involved in this world and miss the spiritual things going on because we are focused on what we can see, touch, and smell.

I want to challenge you to let angels serve as a reminder of the spiritual nature of everything that God orchestrates and allows. Think of your workplace and imagine two or three angels are hanging out there. They might be waiting to help you by kicking something out of the way so you don’t trip, or figuring out a way to put you into the middle of an opportunity to do a good work. They might also be on standby to carry you into God’s presence. In any case, that mental image can be a reminder that what is going on around you has a spiritual context and impact.

Feeding the 5000

Feeding the Five Thousand: John 6: 1-15

Miracles so far - Recap

1. Changing water into wine: John 2: 1-11 – Jesus Power over physical matter and time
2. Healing the Nobleman’s Son: John 4: 43-54 - Power over physical illness and space (distance)
3. Healing the Man at the Pool of Bethesda: John 5: 1-15 Jesus revealed that He was the Son of God
4. Feeding the Five Thousand: John 6: 1-15 Ability to meet physical needs, Sustainer of life

  

Why did John record these miracles?

John 20:30-31  Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

This miracle is recorded in all 4 Gospels.

John 6:1-14 

Map http://gregoryblvdcoc.org/Bible%20Maps/129.jpg

Philip takes the spotlight in this event. Jesus was testing Phillip, and teaching him along with the other disciples. Phillip was from Philip was from Bethsaida, the nearest sizable town, and he was the most likely to know the area.

Jesus knew how Philip (and the others) would try to solve this problem because it is just like we would probably try to solve it.

• ·         How did Philip respond to Jesus question about buying food? (it would take a lot of money. 200 Denarii was about 8 months wages, and it wouldn’t be enough).
• ·         Matthew 14:15 records that the hour was getting late and the disciples had suggested that they solve the problem by sending the crowd away so that they could buy food in the surrounding villages.

·         Both of these ideas are perfect examples of how we might attempt to solve this or any problem.

o   First – Let’s see if we can solve it with money!

o   Next – Let’s see if we can make it just go away.

·         What are some other ways we attempt to solve problems without bringing Jesus into the equation? Work at the solution or try harder, blame someone else, get the government to solve the problem.

What did Andrew suggest? Loaves and fishes. Do you think Andrew suspected what Jesus might do?

Jesus had enough of whatever it took to meet the needs of those followers. 

How does that ability to meet physical needs translate to us today?

****************Miracle for next week *************

John 6:26-40 I am the Bread of Life

1^st of 7 I Am statements in John – the Bread of Life

Manna and Jesus: The bread of life

Manna	Jesus
Came and night	Came when men were in darkness
Met physical need	Meets spiritual needs
A gift from God	God’s gift to the world
Had to be picked up and eaten	Must be received and appropriated

Why did Jesus say that the crowds were following him? Because he was feeding them.

What did Jesus mean by not hungering and thirsting in V35?

Look down to V41 and 42. Why were the Jews questioning Jesus’ deity?

I think we sometimes fall into the trap of trying to make Christianity sound like an answer to problems that it is not intended to answer. Faith in Christ is a spiritual matter. It results in actions, lifestyle choices, and values (yes), but at its core it is a relationship with God, who may choose to feed and clothe us in style, or otherwise allow us to suffer for his glory or eternal purposes. The bread of life that Jesus is presenting offering will satisfy something much deeper than physical hunger. It satisfies our desire for forgiveness, righteousness, and fellowship with the creator.

The Sabbath Conroversy at Bethesda

Do any of you old folks remember the Ed Sullivan show? Favorite act?

1970 Flip Wilson - The devil made me do it!

Review:

Why did John record these signs?

John 20:30-31  Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

Miracles

1 Water to wine at Cana - Power over physical matter and time

2 healing of the Nobleman’s child at Cana - Power over physical illness and space (distance)

As we read through this passage, let’s look for the thing that shows more about who Jesus is.

Textual Criticism http://www.kjvtoday.com/home/should-john-54-angel-at-the-pool-be-in-the-bible

John 5:1-17

Why do you suppose that Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed?

Now the man who had been afflicted had been that way for 38 years. One day Jesus comes by and heals him. What an amazing miracle!

How did the Jewish leaders plan to celebrate the healing?

They were highly offended and wanted to bring someone to justice under their rabbinic law.

According to the prevailing Jewish interpretation of the law, it was not legitimate to carry anything from one place to another on the Sabbath (cf. Neh. 13:15; Jer. 17:21-27). Doing so constituted a capital offense that could result in stoning. (Constable, p. 105)

When the healed man was questioned about what he was doing, what was his explanation?

Jesus made me do it!  The healed man passed off the responsibility, for his disobeying the rabbis'

rule, by blaming Jesus.

In John 5:18-23 Jesus makes it very clear for the Jews.

What do these verses tell us about Jesus? He was God in the flesh.

What kind of reaction do you see today when people assert that Jesus is Lord, that he has saved us, and that He is the only way to Heaven?

Healing the Nobleman’s Son- John 4

Why did John record these signs?

John 20:30-31  Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

John recorded two miracles in Cana as bookmarks to Jesus early ministry. Between these recorded miracles John records Jesus cleansing the temple (an example of the Jew’s hostility toward Jesus, His interaction with Nicodemus, then the Samaritan woman (or the woman at the well) which led to many in Samaria accepting Him, then the second sign that we will talk about today.

Background Information

·         Capernaum was about 13 miles Cana

·         The Nobleman was probably a Jew

·         The "royal official" (Gr. basilikos) was, going by his title, a man who served a king, in either a civil or a military capacity.

John 4:43-54

What did the Royal Official evidently believe going in?

                That Jesus could heal his child

                That Jesus had to come to him to do it

                That if he didn’t hurry, it would be too late

In Jesus’ miracle of turning water into wine he demonstrated power over time and matter (the water didn’t need to be fermented over time, it was instantly changed). What kind of power did this miracle demonstrate? (power over space, sickness)

Bringing it home today. It is abundantly clear in scripture that Jesus has the power to heal. His spoken word healed this child 13 miles away. Restoring a sick body is amazing. We also know that Jesus loves us beyond what we can ever comprehend. But there is something that is hard to understand, given God's total power over sickness. Even though we all prayed for healing for Allen, God didn’t heal him from his brain cancer. 

How can we answer the question, “Why not?”

God is sovereign Psalm 115:3 and has our ultimate good and His glory in mind.

His purpose for us ends with a perfect blessing in heaven Revelation 21:4 

God does not always heal sickness, even when we (or even Paul) asks 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

His ways are different and higher than what we can understand Isaiah 55:8

We are nevertheless encouraged to pray, asking God for the desires of our heart.Psalm 37:4

Miracles Recorded in John - Water into Wine

Miracles in John - List

1. Changing water into wine: John 2: 1-11
2. Healing the Nobleman’s Son: John 4: 43-54
3. Healing the Man at the Pool of Bethesda: John 5: 1-15
4. Feeding the Five Thousand: John 6: 1-15
5. Walking on the Water: John 6: 16-21
6. Healing the Man Born Blind: John 9: 1-12
7. Raising Lazarus from the Dead: John 11: 1-46

8^th – Christ rising from the dead

http://soniclight.org/constable/notes/htm/NT/John/John.htm

Summary of Gospel Introductions
Gospel	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
Date	40-70 probably 40s	63-70 probably 60s	57-59 probably 50s	65-95 probably 90s
Origin	Palestine	Rome	Caesarea	Ephesus
Audience	Jews	Romans	Greeks	Gentiles
Emphasis	King	Servant	Man	God

John is different than the synoptic gospels. Different events, different purpose, different audience.

John 1:1-5  

Thomas Constable (see reference above)

Obviously the word "Word" (Greek - logos; Aramaic - memra, used to describe God in the Targums), to which John referred, was a title for God. The Targums are Aramaic translations of the Old Testament. Later in this verse he identified the Word as "God." John evidently chose this title because it communicates the fact that the Word was not only God, but also the expression of God. A spoken or written word expresses what is in the mind of its speaker or writer. The Greeks used the world logos to describe the reason or mind of God. Likewise Jesus, the Word (v. 14), was not only God, but He was the expression of God to humankind. Jesus' life and ministry expressed to humankind what God wanted us to know. The word "word" had this metaphorical meaning in Jewish and Greek literature when John wrote his Gospel.

Why This Gospel Was Written

John 20:30-31  

Water into wine – Early in Jesus “Public” ministry

John 2:1-11 

Wise is that couple who invite Jesus to their wedding! Wiersbe

What does this event tell us about Jesus social life? He was involved in regular human affairs.

What does this exchange show about Jesus relationship with his mother?

What do you think Mary expected Jesus to do?

6 Waterpots – The waterpots were used for the jewish ritual of purification. The number 6 is just short of the number that represented completion or perfection. 1 more thing was needed and the wine later came to symbolize the blood of Christ, that thing that perfectly replaced the jewish ceremontial system of sacrifice for sin. (Shepherd’s Notes, Holeman Reference, John, p.18)

What is the meaning of the Headwaiter’s comments about the sorry wine first then the good wine?

"The world (and Satan also) gives its best first, and keeps the worst for the last. First the pleasures of sin—for a season—and then the wages of sin. But with God it is the very opposite. He brings His people into the wilderness before He brings them into the promised inheritance. First the Cross then the crown." – Pink

How did this sign affect His disciples? They believed in Him.

How does this (and other miracles/signs that Jesus did) affect your faith in Jesus?

As we study the miracles that Jesus did in the book of John I hope our faith will grow stronger and we can become even more confident in his power over everything in heaven and on earth.