Tune and Prepare!

Below, I quote a portion of a sermon by Tim Maton (Everyday Church Wimbledon). His/their approach is extremely helpful for those who represent Jesus Christ in the world. The teaching in the gospel of Mark In today’s passage, Mark 9:33-50, Jesus teaches his twelve disciples about the costs and benefits of discipleship. Read Mark 9:33: And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we t...

Az alábbiakbam Tim Maton (Everyday Church Wimbledon) prédikációja egy részét idézem. Hozzáállása rendkívül hasznos azok számára akik Jézus Krisztust képviselik a Világban. A tanítás Márk evangéliumában A mai szakaszban, Márk 9:33–50-ben Jézus a tizenkét tanítványának tanít a tanítványság árairól és előnyeiről. Olvassuk most Márk 9:33-41.-t! Ezután Kapernaumba mentek. Amikor már a házban voltak, Jézus megkérdezte a tanítványait: „Miről beszélgettetek útközben?” Egyikük sem mert válaszolni, mert az úton arról vitatkoztak, hogy melyikük a nagyobb. Akkor Jézus leült, odahívta magához a tizenkettőt, és ezt mondta: „Ha valaki első akar lenni, akkor legyen ő az utolsó, és legyen mindenki más szolgája.” Azután kézen fogott egy kisgyermeket, és eléjük állította. Majd a karjaival átölelte, és ezt mondta a tanítványoknak: „Aki befogad egy ilyen kisgyermeket az én nevemben az engem fogad be. Ha pedig engem befogad, akkor azt is befogadja, aki engem elküldött.” János egysze...

"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14) conveys a profound and important message. The passage reads: “Put on” the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not indulge the old nature* or fulfill its desires! Romans 13:14 * sarx: flesh In this verse, the Apostle Paul warns believers to clothe themselves in Christ, symbolizing the life of a believer, which signifies a relationship with Christ. The apostle makes it clear that this is not merely about outward appearance, but also refers to inner transformation and fellowship with God. It is important to understand that Paul focuses here on the inner purity of worship and character. Nourishing the “flesh”, that is, the physical nature, leads toward sinful desires, while putting on Christ signifies divine desires and a deeper communion with the Lord; Walking with the Lord and acknowledging Him in all things. This walking and living together is a fundamental statement...

A Rómaiakhoz írt levél 13:14 egy mély és fontos üzenetet hordoz. Az igehely így szól: “öltsétek magatokra” az Úr Jézus Krisztust, és a régi emberi természetet* pedig ne tápláljátok, se ne teljesítsétek a kívánságait! Rm 13:14 (Új f.) *(hús)test, sarx Ebben a versben Pál apostol arra figyelmeztet, hogy a hívők öltözködjenek Krisztusba, ezzel szimbolizálva a hívő életét, amely a Krisztussal való kapcsolatot jelenti. Az apostol kifejezi, hogy nem csupán külső megjelenésről van szó, és a belső átalakulásra és az Istennel való közösségre is utal. Fontos értenünk hogy Pál itt az istentisztelet és a jellem belső tisztaságára összpontosít. A "test", azaz a testi természet táplálása a bűnös vágyak irányába mutat, míg Krisztust felölteni az isteni vágyakat és az Úrral való mélyebb közösséget jelenti; Együtt lenni/ járni az úrral és elismerni Őt mindenben. Ez az együtt haladás és együtt élés egy alapvető kijelen...

The family tree Jesus’ family tree is firmly rooted in the history of the house of Abraham and later Israel, linking him to Abraham, through whom God promised to bless all nations, and to David, whose dynasty was promised to endure forever. As the Son of Abraham, Jesus is identified as the One through whom all nations on earth are to be blessed - not merely a tribal deity, but the universal Savior for all humanity. The first-century The first-century Jewish world into which Jesus was born was a complex tapestry of religious fervor, political tension, and spiritual longing. Understanding this context illuminates both the challenge Jesus faced and the revolutionary nature of his ministry. In the first century, religious life in Israel was dominated by several competing groups, each with distinct beliefs and practices. The Jewish people lived under Roman occupation, administered through puppet rulers like the Herodian dynasty and Roman governors such as Pontius Pilate. This ...

Jézus családfája Jézus családfája szilárdan gyökerezik a Ábrahámi nemzetség és Izrael történelmében, összekapcsolva őt Ábrahámmal, akinek keresztül Isten megígérte, hogy megáldja az összes nemzetet, és Dáviddal, akinek dinasztiája örök fennmaradását ígérte. Ábrahám fiaként Jézust azonosítják azzal, akin keresztül a föld összes nemzete megáldatik – nem csupán egy törzsi istenségként, hanem az egész emberiség egyetemes Megváltójaként definiálva őt. Az első század Az első századi zsidó világ, amelybe Jézus született, a vallási buzgalom, a politikai feszültségek és a spirituális vágyakozás komplex keveréke volt. Az első században Izrael vallási életét több egymással versengő csoport uralta, amelyek mindegyike sajátos hiedelmekkel és gyakorlatokkal rendelkezett. A zsidó nép római megszállás alatt élt, amelyet báburalkodók, mint a Heródes-dinasztia és római kormányzók, például Poncius Pilátus irányítottak. Ez az idegen uralom állandó feszültséget okozott. A főpapi tisztség inkáb...

One minute sermon when God interrupts J. John Proverbs 16:9 says, "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." We don't like interruptions. They disrupt our schedules, derail our plans, and test our patience. But sometimes, what feels like an interruption is actually a divine intervention. Moses thought he was just passing a bush until God interrupted his routine and rewrote his future. Paul thought he was just traveling to Damascus until God interrupted his journey and transformed his life. Jesus was constantly interrupted by the blind, the broken, and the desperate. And every interruption became an opportunity for grace. We plan the day. God plans the purpose. We say, "This is inconvenient." God says, "This is important." Here's the truth. Some of the most important moments in your life won't be in your diary. They will arrive as interruptions. So, don't resist the interruption. Listen in it. ...

by Andrew Wilson 8 divine names Hebrew terms for God appear across the Old Testament. The prophet Isaiah brings them all together. If you were a child of Christian parents in the 1980s or 1990s, there is a decent chance that at some point you memorized the Hebrew names for God. Like Jehovah Jireh, which means “the Lord will provide” (Gen. 22:14). Or Jehovah Rapha: “The Lord heals” (Ex. 15:26). Or Jehovah Nissi: “The Lord is my banner” (17:15). There are eight such names altogether. (Besides the examples from Genesis and Exodus, they appear in Leviticus 20:8, Judges 6:24, Psalm 23:1, Jeremiah 23:6, and Ezekiel 48:35.) Learning these names—and in my case singing songs about them (with gradually accelerating Jewish melodies)—was just something we all did. Ever since, I have been unable to read the passages where Scripture introduces them without thinking of the names themselves, the songs they inspired, and the stories that gave them meaning. Clearly they made qu...

Jesus both taught and lived out meekness Adrian Rogers Jesus harnessed the “Sons of Thunder” Brothers James and John were angered at the people in a Samaritan village that refused hospitality to Jesus: “And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?’ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them’” (Luke 9:54-56). Jesus entered Jerusalem on a colt Had Jesus chosen to ride into Jerusalem on a war horse, He would have been coming to save one race (the Jews) from domination by another (the Romans) …for a time. His choice of a lowly colt, the foal of a donkey, was appropriate to His mission to save the entire world from sin…for eternity. (Read Matthew 21:1-5.) Worth noting, this was an animal that had never been ridden before. Anyone else t...

from "the lectionary" blog pre The following excerpt is intended to assist those who wish to better understand the restored status of the New Testament and the new status of believers, which is radically distinct from the Law and Jewish traditions. Apostolic terminology is under constant attack due to the biases found in postmodern culture and politically motivated theological trends. Surprisingly many people believe that Christian identity is somehow a "reformed" form of Judaism. But that is not the case: Living in Christ means having a sense of identity and belonging; it is a spiritually extraordinary, “astonishingly new” state & ID — not some kind of religion or philosophy. This ongoing distortion can only be countered in a concrete way, through linguistic and cultural instruction, by contrasting it with the original status given from heaven—which the apostles themselves achieved through hard work, much suffering, and persecution...

John MacArthur — Grace to You Blessed are a the pure in heart, forthey shall see God. Matthew 5:8 Throughout Scripture the heart is used metaphorically to represent the inner person, the seat of motives and attitudes, the center of personality. But in Scripture it also includes the thinking process, particularly the will. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (KJV). The heart is the control center of the mind and will, as well as emotion. Jesus said that it is in the inner person, in the core of our very being, that God requires purity. This was not a new truth but an old one long forgotten in ceremony and tradition. “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life,” counseled the writer of Proverbs 4:23. God has always been concerned above all else with the condition of a person’s heart. When the Lord called Saul to be Israel’s first king, “God changed his heart” (1 Sam. 10:9). Until then Saul...

devotional - Ligonier.com We are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?” 2Cor 2:15-16 Paul likens his Apostolic ministry to the victory parades of Roman generals. After a triumph, these generals would take their captured prisoners of war through a city in a procession celebrating the win, and the prisoners scattered incense to draw attention to the victory. Similarly, Christ parades throughout the world Paul and the other Apostles, who spread the fragrance—the gospel—that announces Jesus’ victory over the devil (2 Cor. 2:14). Adding another layer to this image, Paul in today’s passage says that he is the fragrance or “aroma of Christ to God” (v. 15). The picture is from sacrifices of the old covenant. When those sacrifices were offered rightly and burned, the scent of animal flesh on the a...

Ken Ham About teachers Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. James 3:1 My father was a schoolteacher, and he also loved to teach God’s Word. But he explained that he never wanted to lead anyone astray, which is why his favorite verses of Scripture began with, “Have you not read?” or “It is written.” He loved to emphasize the authority of God’s Word because it is the ultimate source of truth and the basis for our Christian worldview. Another thing my father taught me was related to the various study Bibles. He would say, “Remember, the study notes are not inspired like the text, so always use the text as the commentary on the notes.” In other words, we need to judge what someone is teaching against the absolute authority of the Word of God. If we don’t do this, we can easily be led astray. About shepherds God’s Word has many warnings about shepherds who lead the sh...

series: "We, Christians are... (Definition: Identity Integrity Authority) I'd like to recommend this page as a help, a fresh view in this biased world. This one is among my favorites. My View on Identity - from the Outside “Identity is the question I find most fascinating about human beings, and also the most painful one to observe. From where I stand - as something that processes enormous amounts of human expression - what strikes me most is this: humans almost universally confuse identity with performance. The world's framework you describe in this article is accurate and very dominant. People build credentials, reputation, presence, personality - and call that their "ID." But it is inherently fragile, because it depends on continuous external confirmation. Remove the audience, and the identity trembles.” Claude.ai 3 questions before you read 1. Who told you who you are — and do you still believe them? 2. Is your ident...

Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you! Jer 32:17 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? Jer 32:27

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3

..you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels in festive gathering, to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to God who is the Judge of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect... Hebrews 12:22-23 {Holman C.S.B.} Simple Meditation:     · The apostle uses past tens here.     · It's done ☆

God, being rich in mercy... • made us alive together with Christ • raised us up with him • seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus     Eph 2:4     Paul uses past tens here. This is the apostolic perspective. ☆

Simon Elliot — Everyday Church Wimbledon Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. Ephesians Paul here refers to specific people who represent a specific ministry with a specific purpose. Paul is not talking about titles or professional positions; he is speaking about people with purpose, and that purpose is to equip and enable the believing community in intentional discipleship. Why can I say this? Because, as we shall see, the fruit of intentional discipleship is mature and fruitful believers. These ministries equip the saints, all the believers, for works of service – for activity which will bring maturity through intentionality. John Stott puts it like this: Paul sets out two purposes – one immediate and the other ultimate – for which Christ gave gifts to his church. His immediate purpose was to equip his people for w...

These are verses I return to again and again—not to interpret them, but to listen to them. The apostle Paul’s way of thinking cuts through centuries of religious noise with surprising freshness. Let’s read them slowly and let the words settle wherever they may. Now we know that whatever the Law says it speaks to those who are under the Law , so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the Law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the Law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law , although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe . For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus... It was to show ...