Neighborhood Church exists to invite our neighbors to meet and follow Jesus. God intended the strong believer to focus attention on getting the weak over the wall with the rest of the team. Jesus then, made clear He wanted God-reliant, team-oriented and openly outreaching people to be His followers. do not want to become His disciples too, do you? 28 They reviled him and said, He went on to press the case by saying, Dont make complicated arguments to get out of things you promised. 10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. being caught in the catching pool south of the canal that carried the water. At its root, our problem is to intentionally, willingly, openly invite Jesus to walk with us to solve lifes confounding issues. Paul actually claims that people who truly have Jesus as their Savior make choices to walk a different path than they had when they came to Christ. Yet, the man changed when he encountered Jesus: At first, he was clearly panicked by the delay and distance (things he could observe with his eyes and heart) and tried to get Jesus to understand the immediacy of the need when he said, Sir, come down before my child dies. (John 4:49). He called His followers to guard carefully truth vigiliantly (7:6). ITALY: May14-24, 2024 with Pastor Chris Manginelli of Mill Creek (WA) Foursquare (Program #240502, Taught by Dr. Smith). A large part of the Epistle deals specifically with the history of God and His promises to Israel, as a case study in Hi trustworthiness (cp. Go to John 5:17 and 18. As John Steinbeck said, Our civilization needs the panic of a great crisis to shock it out of its Pharisaism., If you dont know Him as Savior, today is the day you can ask Jesus to take your life from you and commission you to follow Him. None of them oppose any verse of Scripture openly to the best of their knowledge. And it seems plain as a matter of history that He taught His followers that the new life was communicated in this way. It was our responsibility to take the conviction of the Spirit and make a judgment for our children. They saw it as something God told the Jewish people to do. Throughout their descriptions of Americans they repeatedly shared what they want. CNN was saying: unless the church accommodated these WANTS theyd lose people. He told of two fruit trees (7:15-20): A true disciple will be careful to watch the fruit of a teacher before following their message (7:15-17). That wasnt the issue under discussion the way to wash hands was the debate. It was a term that could be used in its time for a hall, as in a place refitted for occasion. My wife was in the car and it was raining. The residency of Randall is at 3709 North Bell Av, Shawnee, OK 74804-2182. The young woman gave her testimony, praising God for his goodness. The man replied, Once that preacher got in the wagon those mules couldnt understand a word I said!. Enemies. With the truth in mind that I am not a superstar, not the key to the future of the movement, not the greatest thing to happen to Christianity since Christ. A single act of faith led to a life of faith. First, lets set this truth in the context of the letter Paul was writing, so we are sure that what we take away is consistent with its original message to its original audience. Sabbath, commanded to the Jewish believer, was never subscribed to by the believer from Gentile background. In other words, I believe it on His authority. 7:4 I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and that with cares. Because it was one story, lets take a few moments and refresh in our The opening two verses provide both the cast of characters at the event, as well as the specific setting of it. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me. 4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. will unpack that from the Gospel of John in a few moments. We will be set free. He warned, A night is coming in which no one can work. He We have a nagging sense gnawing inside that we are engaged in something we shouldnt be, but we hide it under the liberty bell. Though he was not yet acting out, there were ample illustrations of inequitable rulers readily available at the time. What should a healthy walk with Jesus look like in practical and daily lifestyle? Would you be offended if I noted that many Christians look like spiritual ball hogs? You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord. Some people are moved by the Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. John In the story of the water into wine at Cana (found in John 2), we saw that Jesus transforms what is yielded to Him for His use. Crowds surrounded him, but few ever saw or acknowledged him. People need the new life only Jesus can bring and a place to grow closer to Him and each other. That is what good teams produce. Her friend asked her what she loved to do. Some believe that the ethical commands of the Bible are license to do become the judge of everyone around them. We arent talking about someone in a leadership position of responsibility for others. Apparently, some concluded the best way to avoid the problem was to simply become a vegetarian. Lets back out of the passage, set it in context, and then try to understand the truth. He came with panic in his heart and yet stayed from one oclock in the afternoon until the next day to journey down the five and one half hour path to his home? Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. I wonder why it is that many a young woman seeks desperate approval by allowing men to misuse her body that God loaned her, as she cries out for love, and few seem to say a word until she is pregnant and alone. concluded: John These opening words are called the Beatitudes. The setting was a hillside on the north of the Sea of Galilee, where Matthew noted: Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Peter declined to eat what Scripture said was unclean. Each of these seven events were recalled to offer clear evidence that Jesus is Messiah, Gods Eternal Son and sole door to God. That is either true, or its not. time clock at your job was set fifteen minutes ahead of your watch. It is perfectly reasonable that early followers connected two ideas in the Gospel text: the notation that Jesus was the Bread of Life and that He was born in a place called the house of bread. Extending the metaphor, the baby was placed in a manger, or feeding trough for animals. View Randall D Smith's profile for company associations, background information, and partnerships. We are about to wake up to reality. Sacrificial lamb numbers ranged, then, between 706 to 770 sacrificial lambs per year plus addditional lambs needed for Passover (Pesach ) and various elective offerings (Shelmim,etc). That is our subject for this lesson, What Jesus Did. In John 4, we are going to encounter a man who modeled belief because he trusted the word of Jesus so fully that he rested when others would have run. Joan Meyer Keane is a well-trained and thoroughly knowledgeable travel agent who has shared her love for Israel and the Bible with more than a hundred groups since the mid-1960s. Key Principle: Jesus called His followers to be people of FAITH not people of RELIGION. Their health is failing them. In addition, Devon is an accomplished New Testament Scripture instructor. She is a talented organizer, and a helpful administrator. If not, what use was He? immediately see that Jesus sense that some would chapter opens a story that doesnt close until chapter ten, as John recounts in John 9:14-16. He is a white, non hispanic male registered to vote in Highlands County, Florida. 5 No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. The fact is: Beyond living out the principles ourselves, many of us have had to learn to project those principles into decisions we made as a family. We have to get busy. People of faith understand that direction comes through intimate connection with God. 1 Timothy 5:19). He still doesnt. After the Setting and the Miracle, John noted the Problem (John 5:9b-16): Now it was the Sabbath on that day. Published In. that amazed the people around the man born blind. At our core, we are to learn that getting there together is more important than getting there first. John 6:14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world. 15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. John 7: John 7:4 For no one does anything in secretwhen he himself seeks to beknownpublicly. Other formats: Paperback. Ninety-nine percent of the things you believe are believed on authority The ordinary person believes in the solar system, atoms, and the circulation of the blood on authoritybecause the scientists say so. Will you choose to follow Him even if it is not popular? Our faith is not a competitive race, where we each line up and launch out at the sound of a starting gun, breezing past one another in pursuit of Jesus. Dr. Haddon Robinson writes: Some people are attracted to Christianity because they have a leaky faucet that they want God to fix. We must handle their opinions with care. Jesus was in touch with God and could access Gods power. Talk to anyone who doesnt believe in life beyond this one, and you will hear clearly that denial of self in this life is loss even if it is because we know we have been called to do so with a greater life after in mind. PEACEMAKERS show someone kind enough to release self-serving agendas (9), It was never easy to get people to work together well. But they learn from this Sermon on the Mount that God is not a plumber. Perhaps they struggle with a destructive habit and they would like to tap into Gods power to help them break it. She struggles with her weight, but she cant face the day without her coffee. In this lesson, we begin a short memory of the story unfolded, from its beginning to the first sermon of Jesus recorded in its pages. John 4:46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. In the Near East, the salt was a symbol of loyalty. Paul referred to that tendency when he wrote: 1 Corinthians 1:22-24: For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. It would not be unlikely but is not clearly stated in the text. It doesnt bode well for you or your children. Beyond the Job and Ezekiel references for child care, it is easily attested that such wrappings were widely used for the bodies of the dead. The ancient roadway is still a trail along the edge of the hillside, since roads tend to remain in place for millennia. She simply said, I like to play hymns on my piano. After a few days of thinking, praying and reflecting on that conversation, she decided she would use her ability to minister to others if God would allow her. None of the issues is specifically commanded or forbidden in Scripture. They were hilarious, talented and worked like a well-oiled basketball playing (and sometimes goofing off) machine. When When randall smith sebring church. Lewis, A Grief Observed). We simply dont know how this was regulation specifically observed. The battle with procrastination is fueled by the belief the hour is not as late as it truly is. We bring what was touched by our powerful Masters hand. As I rode the rapids toward my bone marrow transplant, I could not get over the sheer comedy that comes from trying to live a typical life in such an atypical way. Genesis 1:1-2:3 offered the story of the seven days and the Sabbath. In 2:2-3 God stopped his creative labors, but He continued to maintain the life of the creation He built. Jesus argued forcefully that our words before God matter, and the covenant promises we made in marriage matter. If you were Jewish, you would know bread was on the minds of the people as Pesach (or Passover) approached. As we keep reading from this letter, we will also find another tendency that has traveled with the church down through the centuries the tendency to think of Christianity in individual terms. It is found near the end of the chapter. hair dryer decided to take the morning off. On the better courses, there is a high wall over which each member must pass. It is clear from our reading, this man was both changed and I looked to my right no one was coming or so I thought. He did it, I believe, to show that Jesus was being pressed to do things to confirm what Mary was told about Him at the time of His conception by the angel Gabriel, Dr. Randall Smith is Teaching Pastor at Grace Church of Sebring, Florida; Director at Global Vision Outreach, Inc.; and a teacher at Great Commission Bible Institute. Saints Saint Stephen (died c. 35), with the title of Protomartyr (lit. We must not be hard-hearted toward them when they cannot separate their own preferences from absolute truth. Jesus was around the Sea at Capernaum, and people knew Him there, but it wasnt YET a big part of His ministry. Speaker: Pastor Benjamin Russell. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. You dont want to be the couple that started marriage with the omen of joy that ran out. They saw what everyone else in the Jesus wasnt unaware the people really didnt grasp Who stood before them. We minds the details of how He got there, He enumerates several reasons: God designed authority and placed people into it. It only means they want the lotto ticket without Paul answered with essentially one word: mutiny. Dont skip the details, because the Word of God didnt: Dont miss that Near Eastern culture is also quite a superstitious culture in many ways. randall smith sebring church Register now and get started. The woman challenged him if Jesus healed in the Bible, he should be able to heal me today. People dont recall each of the individuals, they think of them as one identity. I want every victim of crime to be consoled that one day, even if not in this life, every abuser will stand before God, and the Lord will not decide based on their demeanor. He wants them to encounter the powerful transformation of Jesus Word. Jesus expected us to choose His way over the way of the crowd, the way of convenience, or the way of casual acquaintance. John offers us a lesson that is unmistakable, if understood in context. Notice how the man reached out for Jesus and begged Him to have mercy and deliver him from the clutches of the terrible need (John 4:47). He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.. At its root, our problem is willingly walking separate from God. and questioned: John 9:18 The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been Randy studied in Jerusalem & holds degrees in Near East Archaeology & a Doctorate in Comparative Religion from Conservative Theological Seminary. Finally, they tested Jesus against the prophetic Word of the Living God. . Look at the word GENTLE and see one worn enough to lose a sense of self-reliance (5), by our attitude. First, lets set this truth in the context of the letter Paul was writing, so we are sure that what we take away is consistent with its original message to its original audience. Sermons last between 30-45 minutes. When we do nothing to violate law, we move through life without hiding the guilt of our transgressions (Romans 13:4-5). We could all use a decent dose of hope. Jesus 3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. He wants to fill them with something made in Heaven not a religious ritual cut from a stony hillside and carefully calibrated by men. Everyone someone sinned, but because it suited His Fathers plan to A desperate man came to Jesus (4:46-49). Groups are a great place to start. She loves Israel, and she is passionate about making travel to Bible lands accessible to everyone she can. startling truth. Rich and powerful break down just like poor and needy when sickness strikes and death nears. In fact, we need to be careful about the standard of truth we use altogether. The night will pass. The fog of putting hope in my body and its pleasures will be lifted. Then they said to him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, Your son lives; and he himself believed and his whole household. Hungry for a righteousness denotes they dont have, and are not self-satisfied (6), They are trying to follow principles of the Word, but the way they see an issue is complicated by their personality, their experience and their perception of what is essential and important. They werent asking him about the healing out of wonder or fascination but out of a desire to CONTROL the actions of people. Publicerad 3 juli, 2022 av hsbc: a payment was attempted from a new device text After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. We set aside the need to plan well: We rush off to the grocery store, and then call our spouse to get an accurate list of what we went there to grab. Isaiah 55:1 Ho! Clearly, Bethlehem is a village associated with the care of Temple lambs. license. This idea leads right into the second instruction. Randy has three grown children, each with children of their own, and loves to be a Pop Pop and spend time with the family. Believers may gain most when forward progress seems least. Second, she left apparently totally trusting Jesus, and didnt return to add additional input. 11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God. 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Leaky faucets are minor league stuff to Him. Past Sunday the first morning message was preached by a guest speaker, Dr. Randall Smith. Randall was born on November 13, 1941, in LaGrange, GA to Harvey and Eudelle Bailey Smith. And wine which makes mans heart glad, So that he may make his face glisten with oil, And food which sustains mans heart, But the vine said to them, Shall I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave over the trees?. God loves working through us and with us. Let that soak in for a moment. Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled [the] law. It may take a moment to get past the break out in praise appearance of the passage (at least it did in my mind). God wants to tear the plumbing out entirely and deal with the well from which the water flows. Leaders were seething but(for the Paul personalized this: Romans 14:14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 4:18-22) to charge into the small villages of the Galilee encountering the sick and demonically abused (Mt. Pratten (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1868), pp. The text is clear the man encountered his slaves the next day. How could this be? He said: Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The first part of the message can be grouped generally into four major character traits Jesus pressed His disciples to exhibit to be a true follower: His opening remarks offered this: You cannot be about YOU and ME (5:1-12) at the same time! Jesus expected His followers to be other person centered. Lets take a look. The belief was not complete until the actions accompanied the faith confirmed the change in authority over the life of the man of faith. Lets say last year because you celebrated a feast at my childs wedding where we fed you lavishly and had all the wine you cared to drink, you are expected to do the same for me when I attend your sons marriage feast. He said: Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? But after only two months, its power dimmed to nothing. Believers are to bring Heaven into the room, not try to sneak darkness into Heaven when they go. 5 A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. Jesus Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Some people have a vested your eyes? 27 He answered them, I told Even those who love to serve get wrung out. The previously disclosed Word of God (cp. what they asked. God isnt like us! Though deemed important in rank, the man didnt send one of his people to Jesus. Records, promises, the presence of God and the inflating work of His Spirit are all at work to fill us with hope when we dont fill our lives with fake answers, false memes and platitudes. The passage appears to tell us what God expects from us, but not HOW God expects us to do what He told us to do. $499. Jesus For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, And I will sing to Your name. 10 Again he says, Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people. 11 And again, Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, And let all the peoples praise Him. 12 Again Isaiah says, There shall come the root of Jesse, And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles, In Him shall the Gentiles hope.. Adam obeyed and God got his attention, gave him holy anesthesia, knocked him out and took out some bone to give him a companion called woman, because she was taken from man. If our encounter is with amazement alone, it will fade. Last Name "Smith" People wandering about on the dark street saw Franklins light a long way off and came under the influence of its friendly glow with grateful hearts. Every historical statement is believed on authority. They asked a question that showed how deep an impact the The hardest part of the driving were the one hundred and fifty roundabouts (or circles), because the driver must access them in the opposite direction from what we do here. The water entered by both the surface and some submerged vents that periodically caused the stirring of the water. Let me say it plainly, if you want to be a follower of Jesus, you wont be able to think like everyone else, and you will need to deliberately open yourself to allowing the Spirit of God to deal with your attitudes. miracle at Cana, where Jesus was being pressed by His mother to deal with a This was a child born of miracle. Randall D. Smith, Ph.D has pastored three local churches over the last thirty-five years, while directing international educational programs for Christian Travel Study Programs, Inc., an organization offering study trips to Europe and Bible lands for more than three decades. I admit driving on the other side of the road is a bit of a challenge, so I insisted we get an automatic. He started the miraculous with that which was willingly offered and humbly submitted for His use. Found email listings include: @sebringgrace.org. ran the temple in Jerusalem) typically believed in no afterlife, and thought In all things, keep your eye on whether your liberty and conviction will lead another to walk away from obedience and intimacy with Jesus. 10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. wine crisis, and He declared, It isnt yet my time!, Second, it is clear Jesus knew when He was revealed, there She helps out wherever she is needed, and does a phenomenal job putting together our fellowship times each week. There is another important historical evidence some scholars use to signal the birth of Jesus was outside the family home, outside the village, and perhaps at a cave near a specific tower. Randall R Smith, age 58 View Details Alpharetta Presumed owner of the real estate located at 14441 Club Cir, Alpharetta Completed College Occupation: Nurse (Registered) Associated persons: Adam F Smith, Anne F Smith (678) 366-3991 View Details Randall H Smith, age 59 View Details Apex 4209 Sentimental Ln, Apex Hope of Heaven is rooted in the taste of the Spirit the presence of the Holy One in this life. They keep US busy. said, He is a prophet.. Consider what Jesus did: He came to bring truth that would settle people in times of crisis. Thoughts about travel to Bible lands, Bible teaching articles, leadership hacks, church, family and life notes. The rest of the passage Finally, hope is driven deep within by the powerful impact of the Holy Spirit. You will not be hidden, for you are not called to be hidden! use this mans eyes to point a sign toward Jesus identity. On the street in Jerusalem today, when Passover arises, people burn little piles of dust outside their house to mark the spring cleaning in preparation for Passover. (Pastor Steven Sheppard, sermoncentral.com). 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. It opened with notes about The Setting (John 5:1-7). It is a lesson worth hearing. We explore the Word and we seek truth, but some are fighting the urge to stay off their phone right now. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. The yielding of my heart to Jesus is my responsibility. He said it was simply because the alarm clock was about to go off. would be a significant backlash in the world around Him. Think about Pauls exclamation of praise for a moment. room wanted, and that changed what their own eyes beheld. Is God really trustworthy in keeping His promises? I have walked the path between these villages, and though neither is a living town today, the ruins can be identified and still mark the places. We dont know all they said to one another. We fire back at people when we arent Jesus centered, but feel the need to protect our own weakness. John 6:1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). I will see the Savior. He needed to be able to "see" Jesus for Who He is, so that he could see life for what it is. We boast over military strength, but our television screens show that it is brutal in application. Praying for Gods ears only (6:5-15). That fact presses us to unhand deeds that go with the darkness of this world and cover ourselves with the armor of light. Jesus solved a crisis with transformation power. It is also important that we see through There are things that we cannot rush through in life. Dr. Randall Smith shows from Zechariah 11 that the God of the Bible is a loving God for sure. You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.. It is also notable the Protoevangelium of Jacob similarly suggests the birth of Jesus was outside the village in a cave. Jesus responded in two ways: First, Jesus told those around Him that Galileans only seemed to believe what they could SEE (John 4:48). surprised that such a welcome event wasnt being celebrated by people in A the healed man and those who Boy, was he getting his eyes opened! Third, the text offered a list of people: the mother of Jesus (2:1), Jesus and His disciples (2:2; we presume the five He got from John the Baptizer in the previous chapter which were: John, Andrew, Philip, Nathaniel, and Simon Peter). I had just waved good-bye to my children, who were being parceled out to loving friends for a few weeks as I prepared to go to Johns Hopkins for my transplant (twelve-week stay). They clean every room in the house and get ready to remove all chametz from the place. Here is the truth: I believe Gods Word when I change my life to conform to what it says. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax [is due]; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. Bear in mind that marriage feasts were intended to be the most joyous of community occasions for a village. There is an old story about how a mountain lion felt so good after eating an entire bull, he started roaring. Weve all One of them is the notion of reciprocal hospitality.. Life in the here and now SEEMS more real and more permanent than any misty thoughts of Heaven and eternity. They can unmask our true vulnerability. Now drop your eyes to Matthew 4, and write the word Temptation as you note how Jesus stared down the enemy face to face in a direct contest (Mt. Pool in Jerusalem (John 9:1-7). 4:12-17), and mayb e a third word Disciples at the point in the text where He gathered close companions (Mt. What was their conclusion?