Bible Commentaries

Matthew 20:1-16 — selfish and grasping, our what work will suffer. PAYROLL (8-12) ​​​​​​​(8) According to the law, hired workers had to be paid at the end of the day (see Lev 19:13). Deut 24:15 Each day you shall give him his wages, and not let the sun go down on it, for he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to the Lord, and it be sin to you. As the sun was setting in the west, the hour to pay the workers

Matthew 20:17-34 — Intro: We remain on the theme of serving. Last week Service or Serve Us? This week A Love That Serves. Dying to Serve (17-19) Coming to Serve (20-28) Compassion that Serves (29-34). Jesus’ journey began in Galilee. Travelers on this route would start uphill at Jericho. From there, it was about a 10-mile ascent to Jerusalem. In vs.28 we have the key to the life of Christ...answering why He came. It’s what

Mark 11:1-11 — to get that treatment. He came on with 2 other guys & they sat in the not so prestigious front row. People started pointing & whispering something about him. I asked a gal Slide#7,8 who is it, she said the president (Fatmir Sejdiu/Fat-Meer Say-dyoo). 4 months before Kosovo’s Independence, here was the president. Besides getting to drive right up to the plane & board...I felt bad...I don’t even think he got an extra bag a peanuts. This morning we look at Jesus’ not so triumphal

Luke 11:1-4 — Yeshua could teach them how to pray. Q: Do you have any desire this morning for Jesus to teach you how to pray right? better? Why did he redeem us again? Oh yeah, so we might have fellowship with Him! J THE DISCIPLES PRAYER! (1-4) As He was praying – Again we are introduced to Jesus’ habitual prayerfulness! Yet, they dare not break in upon His sweet communion with His Father…but waited till He ceased praying! Teach us to pray – The

Luke 11:5-13 — Yeshua could teach them how to pray. Q: Do you have any desire this morning for Jesus to teach you how to pray right? better? Why did he redeem us again? Oh yeah, so we might have fellowship with Him! J THE DISCIPLES PRAYER! (1-4) As He was praying – Again we are introduced to Jesus’ habitual prayerfulness! Yet, they dare not break in upon His sweet communion with His Father…but waited till He ceased praying! Teach us to pray – The

Luke 15:11-32 — God’s presence, love, & ways. We become restless when we can’t find satisfaction in God. (13) Prodigal – wasteful. No thought of responsibilities. So, sin always wastes; living for self is waste. (14) Fortune goes & Famine comes. Life within & circumstances without often agree! (15) If you don’t attach to God, you can be sure you’ll attach to someone/something It may be drugs, alcohol, money, illicit sex, an employer,

Luke 17:11-19 — million. Q: How does that make you feel when you here a story of ungratefulness, ingratitude, unappreciativeness, thanklessness? Let’s hear how Jesus felt about it! HEALED BUT NOT WHOLE! (11-19) THE REQUEST OF THE TEN! (11-14) THE CIRCUMSTANCES(11,12). Leprosy - a disease of a slow lingering death. They died “inch by inch!” Ken Gire writes, “There he lives. W/o love. W/o hope. W/o the simple joys & dignities of life: being smiled at…being

Luke 22:54-71 — may eat & drink on your own} See Poem back page. Father/Son fishing trip–3 baptized! [Eric 2 of Georges Escalante nephews, & George baptized his father] Outline: [1] Friends Deny Him! [2] Foes Debase Him! FRIENDS DENY HIM! (54-62) (55) The high priest house – Jesus was taken to Annas’ house because it was closer to Gethsemane. Annas(Caiaphas’ father-in-law) had actually been set aside by Rome, but allowed to retain his title. So he’s “called”

John 10:22-42 — situations. Prayer: Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine..Filled with His goodness, lost in His love! Q: Are you sure you know where you are going? Some one said, Man's life is made up of: 20 years of his mother asking him where he is going; 40 years of his wife asking him where he has been; and 1 hour at his funeral when everyone wonders where he is going. Don’t just wonder, KNOW! Q: Do you know w/out a doubt where you will spend your eternity? You can! Golden

John 2:13-25 — living room! Q: This morning many of you showered, shaved, dressed up,…but what’s going on Inside? (In your Temple/body?) A LION IN THE TEMPLE! THE FATHER’S HOUSE! (13-17) TO FATHER’S HOUSE! (13) All 4 gospels tell this Temple Cleansing Story. There was 2 temple cleanings in Jesus ministry: The other 3 accounts tell of the one at the end of His ministry. This one at the beginning of Jesus ministry. Judgment begins in the house of

John 4:31-54 — to the high task of being co-laborers with God in His harvest. In so many nations, it is ripe to be gathered. It is a harvest for which God gave heaven’s best. He is not about to let it rot in the fields. SOUL WINNING IN SYCHAR! (31-42) PICNIC! (31-33) (31-34) Meantime the disciples have their minds in a more pressing matter...food! While they’re passing the falafel’s & pita Jesus teaches them a vital lesson about another kind of food. Jesus is saying,

John 5:1-15 — watching the water at the rt. time, for they wouldn’t hear the rush for the pool; The lame had to rely on a friend to lift them over & drop them in; The sick hoped they’d just feel good enough to even get up when it was time. (3,4) Note: Not in some manuscripts. (yet, doesn’t change story see vs.7) Legend? - A ripple from a subterranean spring at bottom stirring water(thus the placebo effect)? - Or, once a person was in when this took place & they were healed…poof

John 6:1-21 — God. This is a time of testing for the disciples. Jesus asks: How can we address the problem of hunger? How can we deal with popularity? THIS IS A TEST! FEEDING 5000! (1-15) The one miracle, besides the resurrection, that is in all 4 gospels. On the banks of the Sea of Galilee [Galilee=circle; 13mi. long; 8mi. Wide; 700’ below sea level] Test Questions! (5,6) What do you see when a big crowd shows up (fame, success, glory? Or maybe you get overwhelmed w/a swelling

Acts 8:1-25 — tried to destroy it. (Gal.1:13) Saul the persecutor, “entering every house” as Satan’s instrument; Later… Paul, the pastor, teaching “from house to house” as Christ’s servant. (20:20) MESSIANIC SAMARITANS! (4-8) (4) And…“the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church!” (Swindoll) Such persecution could have smothered the flame of Christ. Instead, like pouring gasoline on a burning match, the suffering fueled a fire that exploded

Romans 8:12-17 — a son who is not a son by birth. 3 Biblical ways it’s used: Natural - Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses, Ex.2:10; Mordecai adopted Esther Es.2:7 National - God adopted Israel, Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My firstborn Ex4:22 Spiritual - (our text) An act of God’s grace by which he brings men into the # of his redeemed family & makes them partakers of all the blessings He has provided for them Adoption represents the new relations into which the believer

1 Corinthians 12:12-31 — go of the string, then the kite will come down! Each has a part to play. Can you tell me which part of the Kite is more important? Let’s keep in mind that the main theme through this chapter is Unity in Gifting! (Read vs.4-6) 1 BODY, WITH DIRECTION! (12-14) (12) Plato had pointed out that we do not say, “My finger has a pain,” we say, “I have a pain.” There is an I, a personality, which gives unity to the many & varying parts of

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 — Unmindful, he bends to kiss her crooked mouth and I am so close I can see how he twists his own lips to accommodate to hers, to show her that their kiss still works. (Richard Selzer, M.D., Mortal Lessons: Notes on the Art of Surgery, 1978, pp. 45-6) Pray: Ps.2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,...blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. We long for a day when the abstract will be made concrete; where narrative will boldly illustrate the didactic(teaching). (adapted from

1 Corinthians 4:1-21 — Jesus Christ. Its entrusting someone else to steer the direction you are going. You just row. I think the greatest imagery of this...was the Epic 1959 film, Ben Hur. Ben-Hur or Charlton Heston was a galley slave for 3 years, as slave "Number 41." Watch 3 min. Clip! ​​​​​​​Battle Speed; Attack Speed; Ramming Speed. Rest. Steward - an Estate Manager, a House Keeper. This figure is that of a steward

2 Corinthians 1:12-24 — Aggression & lash out Passivity leaves the lie unanswered – Aggression only complicates things. Which do you usually lean towards? Paul simply uses wisdom & truth! WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET! (12-14) ​​​​​​​Here they misjudged Paul by his Actions! [Paul you’re insincere!] (12) Paul brings 3 things to the witness stand: (simplicity; Godly sincerity; & the Grace of God) Simplicity –

2 Corinthians 2:1-17 — church? Many times it might be said of “any” type of church discipline, that someone doesn’t like. But here before us is an example of a church doing exactly that. Outline: Feelings; Forgiveness; Fragrance. FEELINGS! (1-4) ​​​​​​​Quick refresher on why Paul didn’t come to Corinth, but wrote them instead. He wrote hoping the church would get some matters straightened out before he visited them. Paul’s