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Coffee House Chapel #4

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by Dan Todd, Apr 25, 2004.

  1. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Amen.

    Thank you, Dan.

    Blessings

    Sheila
     
  2. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Thursday, May 13, 2004

    The Apostle James
    Mark 3: 17

    We will begin looking at who I call--the first of the "Dynamic Dueo's"----First, James then his brother, John and their call to Apostleship!

    James, of course was one of the sons of Zebedee and another fisherman by trade! Interestingly, also a cousin to Jesus!

    What about his calling to Apostleship??

    Look over in Matthew 4: 21-22---read it if you would and then think about the expression it MUST have left on ole Zebedee! I mean, here's his two boys in the boat with him---doing what they did best in the physical world---then suddenly---here comes Jesus and kinda sorta---what I would call---"rocks the boat" a little bit----and suddenly we see the boys in abandonment!

    Can't you just picture--what must've raced through ole Zeb's mind---when Jesus made that call??

    Two things here real quick

    Ole Zebedee---I believe for the most part---understood the "call" for his boys! As a parent who is Born Again and who is sanctified for God's use---we should understand that----the kids that we raise are "for the Lord's use!" I should be to a point in my parental life---where if a call came from Almighty God for my boy to be a preacher for Jesus---or for my girl to be a missionary for Christ---at the end of that call---there should come a big ole "AAAAAAAAMEN!" from my heart and mouth!!

    Second---the boys left Zebedee for Jesus! Simple! They loved Jesus more than their parent! More than their profession! Doesn't mean they started hateing their daddy---it just means that ole Zebedee must have raised his boys to the point where they simply loved Jesus more than anything else in the world!! They still loved Zebedee---but they loved Jesus more!! What a testamony it must have been to Zebedee---to know his boys loved Jesus more than they did himself and their momma and that boat and that business!!

    James---the Apostle

    Notice

    THE IMPLICATIONS OF HIS TITLE

    Mark 3: 17

    The word here says that Jesus "surnamed" the two brothers! Simply means that He gave them another name---sorta like a "Nickname!"

    I find it interesting---that the God of "No other names" can reach out and rename people like me and you---make us into something He sees in us---that we can't see!

    But Jesus calls the two brothers---"Boanerges"---"The Sons of Thunder!" But I wonder where Jesus thought up that name?? I wonder how He thought it up?? Maybe one of two things

    (1) James and John were fishermen---spending a lot of time on the open water!! Anybody knows that open water of a lake will somehow naturally amplify sound waves on its surface!! Sound waves bouncing off the surface of water---like a lake---can turn a whisper into a shout!!

    I believe--what Jesus told these disciples in secret---they just turned around and amplified! They turned Jesus' "Secrets" into a "Shout!"---friend---the Bible is God's "Secrets" written down---and you and I are to turn the "Secrets" into a "Shout!"

    (2) Thunder is a natural result of Lightning! Its an audible result of something visable!

    Jesus told His disciples in Mark 16: 15, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel." IOW--Go and make audible what you saw of Me!"

    And I believe that when ole James preached---people heard "spiritual" thunder!!

    Around these parts of the country(the South) sometimes we can go a while without rain---sometimes weeks at a time---and we sometimes wonder--"Is it ever gonna rain again??"

    The on a hot Summer afternoon---we hear off in the distance---Thunder!----wife looks at husband and says "Did you hear that!" Husband says, "Yea! Thunder!" That means that rain's comin'!!

    Spiritually---in James' day---and in ours---its been a while since its rained---and ole James comes on the scene and starts preaching----a "Son of Thunder" sends a signal to the listener that "Rain's comin'!!"

    THE INCIDENTS OF HIS APPEARANCES

    Look these verses up---ole James got around, folks! He made his presence known!!

    Luke 9: 51-56

    Matthew 20: 20-24

    Then in Acts 12----Herod tries to stop the Thunder! Acts 12: 1-4a But you know what?? Natural laws of nature will tell you---that once Lightning flashes----you can't stop Its "report!" Once a person gets full of Jesus(Heaven's Lightning!)----the world can't stop its "Report!"
     
  3. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    Blackbird - I like your applications!
     
  4. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Hear thunder?? the rain is comin'

    AMEN! Thanks.
     
  5. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Thank you, Blackbird and God Bless.

    Sheila
     
  6. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    May 14

    Romans 11:13-15, “ For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”

    During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus raised several dead people back to life. The ultimate in rasing the dead was when our Savior was not just raised from the dead, but was resurrected. Jesus was/and is alive, and unlike those whom He raised from the dead, He will never die again. His resurrection is the proof that those who have trusted Him as Lord and Savior will one day be resurrected as He was. With the songwriter I can sing, “What a day that will be, When my Jesus I shall see, When I look upon His face, The One who saved me by His grace, Then He’ll take me by the hand, And lead me to the promised land, What a day, Glorious day, that will be!”

    The last phrase of our text says - “life from the dead?” Paul anticipates the “salvation of Israel as a nation in the final days of world history.” (Boice) If we are to understand the resurrection part - then we must also understand the dead part. Israel in our day is spiritually dead - just as all persons are dead who have not put their trust in the life-giving work of God through Jesus Christ.

    The week prior to our Lord’s resurrection is an interesting study. After His triumphal entry, Jesus spent much of the time before the Garden and the crucifixion, teaching. John tells us of private teaching the disciples received. That teaching dealt with the coming of the Holy Spirit, prayer, persecution from the world, and His promise to care for His disciples and make them “fishers of men!”

    The Synoptic Gospels focused on Christ’s public teaching. In Matthew 21, the religious leaders were angered when Jesus cleansed the temple. Verse 17 gives us four significant words - “And he left them.” This has both figurative and literal connotations, as Jesus returned to Bethany each night with His disciples.

    The next day - Jesus cursed the fig tree because it was barren. The fig tree is a type of Israel. Israel, with it’s ornate temple ritual. She looked as alive and vibrant as that fig tree, but there was no fruit. Israel had beautiful, though dead orthodoxy, and she had no fruit. Israel today is being judged for being fruitless.

    This acted parable was followed by two spoken parables. The first was the father and his two sons. Both sons were told by the father to go and work in his vineyard. One said he would go and did not, the other said he would not go and did. When His hearers rightly answered which son was obedient, Jesus told them, “Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.” (Vers 31-32) Jesus’ point - Israel had promised to go to the vineyard (world) - but did not.

    The second parable concerned the landowner (God the Father) - Who planted a vineyard, and let it out to tenant farmers (Israel). The landowner sent servants (the prophets) to collect his share of the produce. The tenants seized the servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Finally the landowner sent his son (The Lord Jesus) - reasoning that the tenants would have respect for his son. But the tenants, thinking that all would be theirs, killed the son.

    Jesus asked His hearers, “When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?” (Ver 40) The religious leaders answered, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” (Ver 41)

    Can you just see Jesus as He tells these pseudo-pious - self-absorbed - religious hypocrites in so many words that the landowner was His Father, the servants were the prophets, and He was the Son - Whom they were about to kill? “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” (Vers 42-44)

    The religious leaders “perceived that he spake of them.” (Ver 45) Less than two months later, the church was founded on Pentecost. The kingdom of God was taken from the Jewish people and given to the Gentiles. This is exactly what Paul teaches in our text.

    Friends, the story does not stop here, as we shall see in future devotionals. God is not through with Israel yet, they will indeed be resurrected as a nation.

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  7. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    I sneak in here when I can you guys really bring the word to life! I can actually see ole Zeb sittin there with his face all lit up.

    Thank you.
     
  8. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Thanks Dan.
    "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser." John 15:1
    Israel, for the most part, could not bear any fruit suitable to God, because they were not in the Vine, that is, The Lord Jesus Christ. As such, they were taken away. What has grown in their place is the Church.
    But let us not boast of this fellow members of the Body of Christ, this chapter in Romans deals with the return of the Jews when, "They shall look upon Him whom they have pierced."
     
  9. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Thank you Dan,

    Blessings

    Sheila
     
  10. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    May 15

    Romans 11:13-15, “ For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”

    The rejection of Messiah by Israel was a great tragedy. For centuries, anytime a highly visible - extra special prophet arrived on the scene - the Jewish people wanted to know, “Are you the Messiah?” Remember the conversation between the priests and John the Baptist? John 1:19-21, “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.” Israel was anxiously awaiting the promised kingdom. When John and Jesus appeared on the scene - the Jews were especially ready for a Messiah to overthrow the Romans and their occupation forces. So, “If Jesus was the Christ, as Paul firmly preached He was, Israel’s rejection of Jesus was a rejection of the very future for which they had been hoping. It was a repudiation of their spiritual destiny. Paul was acutely aware of this and grieved for what his people had lost.” (Boice)

    When the Jews rejected Jesus - they rejected their spiritual heritage. After His rejection, the Jews still celebrated their feasts - but the significance of those feasts lost their meaning - as Jesus was the fulfillment of the feasts and the five different sacrifices that Moses had established in Leviticus. Yom Kippur, the great Day of Atonement, is the foremost example of this spiritual heritage lose. On that day - the High Priest took two goats - the first was sacrificed - and its blood was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat - picturing the atonement for sin that would come through Messiah. Note the location of the blood - on the Mercy Seat - which was between the outstretched wings of the cherubim (the place where God dwelt among His people) and the Ark of the Covenant (the container that held the broken and condemning law of God). This pictured the coming substitutionary or vicarious atonement - when Christ (God) paid for our sins with His blood. The High Priest placed his hands upon the head of the second goat - confessed the sins of the people - which pictured the transferring them to the Messiah. The goat was then driven out into the wilderness to die there.

    That symbolism - all the symbolism of the five sacrifices - was fulfilled by Jesus Christ when He went to the cross. He shed His blood - like the first goat. His blood was presented to His Father in the Holy of Holies in heaven - as an atonement for our sin. He was crucified outside the city walls - driven away like the second goat.

    What do the Jews celebrate today. The same feasts as in yesteryear! But there are no sacrifices, so the celebrations have become hollow and truly meaningless - because they rejected the real Sacrifice. Around A.D. 70 - the temple was destroyed. The temple ceremonies ceased. The nation of Israel ceased to exist. It was only in 1948 that Israel again became a national entity. That little piece of land in the middle east acts like a powerful magnet. It draws Jewish people to that land, some are orthodox, many or most of them are nonreligious Jews, some of which are agnostic and/or atheists. I suspect very few have any idea what the great attraction/drawing power of this little hunk of land is. For those who have studied the precious Word of God, we know that it is none other than God Himself drawing these folks back to their ancient homeland. Drawing them back - so that He may one day - perhaps soon - present His crucified - resurrected Son to them - as their Messiah. This time, they will accept Him with open arms.

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd

    PS - So no one is confused - brother Blackbird and his lovely wife had a home-schooling session of some sort to attend to today (Saturday). I am filling in for him today - he will fill in for me on Sunday!
     
  11. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Amen.

    Thank you Dan,

    God Bless,

    Sheila
     
  12. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    What a day that will be, when Messiah comes in all of His glory!
     
  13. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Amen. Thanks Dan.
     
  14. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Been in Israel often and amazed at the large number there who are atheist/agnostic. But they are THERE!

    God bless His people!
     
  15. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Sunday, May 16, 2004

    Thanks for filling in for me, Brother Dan! And we did have a marvelous time at the Mississippi Home Educators Convention in Starkville!

    We want to keep looking at the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. We looked at James, the son of Zebedee!

    We looked at James and the implications of his title(son of Thunder)

    Then we looked at the incidents of his appearances! His name appeared for the last time in the Blble in Acts 12: 1-4a! The word from the Word says that it was King Herod who had killed James "with the sword." The word says that ole Herod wanted to "vex" the church---so he(Herod) went straight for the church's "jugglier!"

    But---James has a brother--the other "son of Thunder and at this point in the book of Acts its the "other" son of Thunder who must, I suppose, "double up" on his thunder!

    John---the "Other" Son of Thunder!!

    What do we know about ole John?? Son of Zebedee and Silome, his mother!

    Grew up around the "fleet!" Fisherman by trade!

    He became the writer of one of the Gospels of Jesus!! That gospel focused "backward" on the life of Jesus while on Earth!

    He later wrote 3 epistles to the church---the epistles of 1-3 John! This epistle focused "inward" on the life of Jesus "in the church!"

    Then this particular "Son of Thunder"---while on Patmos, exiled for "doing everything right" wrote the book we call "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" which focused "forward" to the life of Jesus "with the Church" in Glory!!

    In our brief devotion for today---here's what I want us to do----I want us to look at several verses of scripture---and see whether or not we can evaluate John's "character"----something that should and MUST characterize every Born-again Child of God!!

    John 13: 23

    John 19: 26

    John 20: 2

    John 21: 7, 20, 24

    Did you see his character trait??

    One mark of a true disciple---is his love toward his Master! Luke 14: 25-26 says, "And there went great mulitudes with Him: and He turned, and said unt them, "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."

    Was Jesus advocating hate in this verse?? No! Not at all! What Jesus was doing was advocating the level of love we need to have toward Him! Our love for the Lord Jesus Christ ought to be so great---that when compared to the love we have toward our family and friends--our love toward family ought to be as if it were hate---when you compare it to the love we show toward the Lord Jesus! Friend, listen! My wife will tell you real quick---that as much as she loves me----she loves Jesus more!!

    In one of the texts above---the Holy Spirit "pinpoints" John leaning on the bosom of the Lord Jesus!! I mean, listen! This guy wanted to recline "close" to the Truth, didn't he??

    In fact, we can note looking at the life of John throughout the four gospel records---that---he never ventured far from the bosom of Jesus!! The "Upper Room!" Pretty close?? The "Inner Chamber"---where they took Jesus for questioning! Pretty close??? At the cross!! Pretty close??? Drawn up in a vision to Glory in Revelation!! Pretty close???

    Let us not venture far away from Jesus that people can's say about us, "He's close to Jesus today!!" Amen??
     
  16. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Amen.

    Thank you Blackbird,

    God Bless

    Sheila
     
  17. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    Thank you Blackbird - though you did make me work - having to look up all those verses! [​IMG]

    Don't you have a CD copy of the Scriptures? If you have one - copy and paste those verses in your devotionals! :rolleyes:
     
  18. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Thank you Blackbird.
    I have always been curious about those two brothers. One was the first apostle to die, and the other was the only one of the apostles to die of natural causes at a ripe old age. Is there a message there? How did John take his brother's death? Why was an apostle taken so early?
    I know, I ask a lot of questions!
     
  19. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Monday, May 17, 2004

    Phillip, The Apostle

    Certainly, ole James met a sudden death by the edge of the sword---then the other Son of Thunder was banished to the isle of Patmos "for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ."--Revelation 1: 9

    Unlike his brother, who went to glory at the "swoosh" of the sword--suddenly---I believe John, the Apostle---died a Martyr's death in slow motion.

    Lets talk a little about Phillip!

    The first three gospels don't reveal very much about Phillip, except nameing him among the Apostles. But John's gospel casts its search light on him and holds it there for the future world to see. Notice several passages spotlighting Phillip.

    John 1: 43-46, "The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Phillip, and saith unto him, Follow Me. Now Phillip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Phillip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and of the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

    Notice in verse 43 that Jesus found Phillip.

    Sometimes Jesus finds us in unusual places. He found Nathanael under a Fig Tree. He found Zaccheus in a Sycamore Tree. Can you remember where He found you when He called you to salvation? Do you remember where you where when He called you into preaching/mission ministry??

    Notice verse 45. And Philip's proclaimation to Nathanael. I believe when Jesus called Philip to "follow" Him---that it entailed MORE than just a physical following down the dusty roads of Galilee!! Inside that "Follow Me" command came a reason for the following!! In that "follow me" command and the obedience of Philip to follow---came a spiritual awakening! I believe that in that following---somewhere along the line---Jesus opens Philip's "Spiritual Eyes of Understanding" and reveals to Philip that He was who he was looking for!! And at that point in the story---Philip in turn went and announced to his buddy, Nathanael---concerning the coming Messias!

    "We have found Him!"

    Look again at the verses above!

    Verse 43 says that Jesus found Philip

    but

    Verse 45 says that Philip found Jesus

    Which verse is right??

    Both are! You see---there are two sides to the search--

    Luke 19:10 says, "The son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

    Jeremiah 29:13 says, "And ye shall seek Me and find Me when ye search for Me with all your heart.

    With all the might of Heaven---Jesus went searching!

    With all the might of Earth---Philip was searching!

    Is your heart capacitated with the search to know Jesus!

    They found each other! Jesus found Philip physically and spiritually---on that dusty road of Galilee!

    Philip had his "Head in the book" with Jesus standing in front of him---the Scripture pointed Philip to the truth! The truth told the truth about the Truth!!

    And Philip had a friend---who needed Jesus!

    What about your friends---do they need Jesus!!?? I venture to say---some of them do!!! You be a "Philip" to them---and show them in the word how they can find Jesus today!! Can we do that??! I pray so!
     
  20. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    Thankyou brother Blackbird - and for including the Scripture in your devotional! [​IMG]
     
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