Bible Commentaries

Ezekiel 14:1-23 — There’s nothing wrong with enjoying these blessing; It’s only wrong when they begin to take God’s place! ​​​​​​​Hideyoshi, a Japanese warlord who ruled over Japan in the late 1500s, commissioned a colossal statue of Buddha for a shrine in Kyoto. It took 50,000 men 5 years to build, but the work had scarcely been completed when the earthquake of 1596 brought the roof of the shrine crashing down and wrecked the statue. In a rage

Ezekiel 14:1-23 — There’s nothing wrong with enjoying these blessing; It’s only wrong when they begin to take God’s place! ​​​​​​​Hideyoshi, a Japanese warlord who ruled over Japan in the late 1500s, commissioned a colossal statue of Buddha for a shrine in Kyoto. It took 50,000 men 5 years to build, but the work had scarcely been completed when the earthquake of 1596 brought the roof of the shrine crashing down and wrecked the statue. In a rage

Matthew 21:23-46 — Son. This leads us to the next parable. (same theme) GOOD OWNER, WICKED TENANTS (33-46) Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers ​​​​​​​Jesus draws on imagery from Isaiah’s parable of the vineyard (Is.5:1-7). In Isaiah, the problem is the lack of fruit, and the solution is the destruction of the vineyard. In Jesus’ parable, the problem is the tenants, who refuse the owner His fruit. The solution is replacing the tenants. GOD’S

Matthew 21:23-46 — Son. This leads us to the next parable. (same theme) GOOD OWNER, WICKED TENANTS (33-46) Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers ​​​​​​​Jesus draws on imagery from Isaiah’s parable of the vineyard (Is.5:1-7). In Isaiah, the problem is the lack of fruit, and the solution is the destruction of the vineyard. In Jesus’ parable, the problem is the tenants, who refuse the owner His fruit. The solution is replacing the tenants. GOD’S

Matthew 26:17-30 — & the smallest of cups w/cheap grape juice? By meal we mean, not like a physical 7 course meal, but a simple spiritual meal] Here Jesus takes a major Jewish celebration, called the Passover, one that the Jews had observed each year for over 1500 years since the time of Moses, and converted it and elevated it into what we know now as communion. (Spurg) The Jewish Passover was made to melt into the Lord’s Supper as the stars of the morning dissolve into the light of the sun. ​​​​​​​The

Matthew 27:1-26 — Him. Nothing to say to stop the slaughter of His sacred body. The best apologists for Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. PILATE ARRESTED By Jesus’ Purity (15-26) ​​​​​​​(15) One more scheme up Pilate’s sleeve…the tradition of Releasing a prisoner. [something California has adopted & perfected, our catch & release program of prisoners because of jail

Mark 10:1-12 — John’s same fate. Condone divorce – Lose the confidence of devout people. A yes or no & He’d be in trouble (at least the Pharisees thought!!!) 2 Schools of rabbinical thought in Jesus’ day: Rabbi Shammai (50bc-30ad) – Very Strict. Only if a man married a woman & then found out she wasn’t a virgin. Rabbi Hillel (100bc-10ad) – Very Liberal. One of Hillel’s followers said a man could divorce his wife simply if he found another woman

Mark 2:23-28 — retire up to the Mountains for some much needed R&R! Outline: [1] Jesus’ Common Sense [2] Jesus’ Courage [3] Jesus’ Compassion [4] Jesus’ Call. Did you know that odds against bowling a perfect 300 in the game are about 225,000 to one! One bowler appropriately collapsed when he qualified to join that brotherhood of 300. Yet another bowler just couldn’t bring himself to play the final ball of an otherwise perfect game. Instead he silently packed his shoes

Mark 7:1-23 — Washing hands or washing hearts? Keep in the back of your minds a few questions: What is holiness any ways? Does Jesus ever ditch church, & if so when? Outline: The Delegation; The Degradation; The Defilement. THE DELEGATION (1-5) Pharisees & Scribes from Jerusalem (1) A delegation of religious leaders from Jerusalem travel about 100 miles to check Jesus out. Jesus ministry is front page news & has reached all the way down to Jerusalem. These men didn’t come

Luke 12:1-12 — the University of Glasgow, Ed.). The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed.) Jesus charged the Pharisees w/hypocrisy because they tried to hide what they really were behind masks of outward religious practices. (Shepherd’s Notes; pg.45.) Often when you fear people, you start to hide the truth, & this leads to hypocrisy. When we fear people, then we are in danger of compromising in order to please them. And then there we are “playacting” again! Hypocrisy

Luke 16:14-31 — the veil of death. A global study reveals an overwhelming wealth gap! I was sent this article(by Todd Cernetic) that was reported and written by Thomas Kostigen for MarketWatch. The 3 richest people in the world: Bill Gates(53 bill); Warren Buffett(46 bill); & Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helú(37.6 bill) - have more money than the poorest 48 nations combined. The richest 2% of the world's population owns more than half of the world's household wealth. Assets

Luke 24:13-27 — & never gotten rid of their disappointment. They lacked the key that unlocks the OT. Messiah must suffer & die before entering his glory. So who was the other disciple? It very much could have been his wife! John in 19:25 tells us, “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene”. [we’re not sure] JESUS JOURNEYING WITH THEM! (15,16) (15) We note…that Jesus drew

Acts 18:1-28 — Thes. ​​​​​​​He actually wrote 10 books in the span of the book of Acts. (3) Tentmakers – “cloth worker” a course fabric from thick goats hair of his native Cilicia. [They made curtains, rugs, clothing, as well as tents from it] (5) Relief comes from Silas & Timothy, probably through Philippi (Phil.4:15) (9) Fear seems to do it’s best haunting at night! What are your late night fears telling you? Which area of your life do you need to hear “Do not be afraid?” (10)

Romans 12:14-21 — against a Hitler] Paul is speaking Attainable not Idealistic. [These are not just words to aspire to but as something to really live by. i.e. w/Spirits help!] Like when Paul told Timothy Be diligent to present yourself approved to God. 2Tim2:15 Also, be honest, we all have enemies! When Paul said, our struggles are not against flesh & blood, he didn’t mean we wouldn’t have enemies here on earth. He was trying to help us keep a proper perspective, that whenever

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 — Christian life or 2 classes of Christian people: Both are brethren(1); both are babes in Christ (1); both are born in the spirit (2:12); Yet one is Carnal & one is Spiritual. God, help Your church today! [stats: 3,500 churches close or die every year in US. 80% of churches plateau. The average church in the US has between 40-60 people in them. An even bigger problem is that when polled about attendance, churches lie & say they have 70/80] Often they close

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 — One God be a tool not a weapon! Don’t use your knowledge as a wrecking crane! So is it right for a Christian to eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols? There are many idols, all of which represent gods which do not exist (4b,5). There is only one true God, the creator of all things and the giver of life (6). In light of the above, there is no connection between food and spirituality (8). Since, idols weren’t real & the sacrifice to an idol was meaningless,

Ephesians 2:11-22 — people. Gentiles you’ve been called the UNcircumcision, by a group with a very clever handle, #theCircumcision. [lit. the so-called circumcision] They’re trying to exclude based on that mark. Saying, you’re not part of us. But in vs.15,16 there is an act of hostility that ended hostility...the cross There He absorbed all hostility. You who were once separated. You who once had no reason to ever sit next to each other. You who couldn’t enter each others house. You Jews,

Hebrews 10:1-18 — sin. Heavenly Lamb - Frequency (just once for all) & Fulfillment (for by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified). So, Jesus had Mastery/Superiority over this old system/old cov/shadow/copy. HIS MISSION (5,6) ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Would you like to be apart this morning of a brief conversation that took place, between Jesus & the Father, when He had elected to come into our

2 Samuel 8:1-18 — render the animal incapable of speed. Taking out the horses is the exact same strategy we use in warfare today. First thing you do is take out their military equipment. In Libya just last week on March 19th, French Fighter Jets flew over at 6:45pm & took out what? armed vehicles, tanks, & trucks loaded with RPG’s & ammunition. On March 23rd British Military Air Vice Marshall said, “Libya's air force no longer exists as a fighting force". David was doing the same thing

2 Samuel 8:1-18 — render the animal incapable of speed. Taking out the horses is the exact same strategy we use in warfare today. First thing you do is take out their military equipment. In Libya just last week on March 19th, French Fighter Jets flew over at 6:45pm & took out what? armed vehicles, tanks, & trucks loaded with RPG’s & ammunition. On March 23rd British Military Air Vice Marshall said, “Libya's air force no longer exists as a fighting force". David was doing the same thing