Who do you say that I am?
Good Shepherd
Theme Verse: "Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:15
Readings: Psalm 23, John 10:1-18, Micah 2:12-13 and 5:2-5a, Isaiah 40:9-11
Optional: Ezekiel 34
Memory Verse: "The LORD* is my shepherd, I shall not want." Psalm 23:1 (Pre-K to grade 3)
A word received: How have you experienced Jesus as your good shepherd?
Probably most of us encountered Jesus as Shepherd either when we heard and perhaps learned the 23rd Psalm or when we saw a picture of Jesus the Shepherd holding a lamb in his arms. I remember when our 3 year old son, Jonathan, sat staring at that picture and all of a sudden announced, "I'm Jesus' little lamb." Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." Prayer: Lord, help our children to know you as their shepherd and help us as adults to come to you in trust as a little child.
So the first thing we need to learn is that Jesus IS (still, right now) the Good Shepherd and he wants to be your Shepherd and mine. He wants to shepherd his flock and bring back the lost and the strays. Jesus says the Shepherd "calls his own sheep by name."(John 10:3) Jesus knows your name. He calls you by name and he wants you to know his voice(vs.4), to hear his voice(vs.3), and follow him.
If you have read about sheep you know they need to be taken care of and protected. They are pretty good about getting into trouble--just like people. The sheep in the Middle East in Jesus' time and today are lead by a shepherd, not driven ahead of him.
A writer, recently in Israel, talked about several shepherds meeting and talking while their sheep swirled around them, all mixed together but when the shepherds left and called their sheep, the sheep knew their own shepherd's voice and followed him.
Sheep need protection, food and guidance. That's why the shepherds carried a rod (big stick to kill anything coming after the sheep) and a staff, a stick with a hook on the end like the one the Bishop carries ( to grab and rescue or sort out the sheep). At night when the sheep were in a safe pen the shepherd slept lying across the gate ("I AM the Door"). Anything that wanted to get at his sheep had to get past him! Ann Spangler in the book "Praying the Names of Jesus" tells a story on pg.318 of a neighbor who invited a homeless man to his house to spend the night and began to worry that the man might not be as harmless as he looked so he spent the night lying on the floor at the top of the stairs to protect his children!
Israel was a good land but a lot of it was pretty dry so the shepherd had to lead his flock to places where there were good pastures and "still waters" (sheep won't drink from actively flowing water). The sheep had to be led. They couldn't find these places on their own, that might change frequently.
Jesus loved children and loved to take them in his arms and bless them and like a shepherd carry them in his arm and gently lead expectant mothers and mothers of small children (Isaiah 40:11)
Part of what the shepherd was prepared to do was defend his sheep with his life. One of the important things Jesus says as the Good Shepherd was that he "lays down his life for the sheep" (John10:11) "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." (vs.18 ) Jesus died for us on the cross and rose again both as the "Lamb of God" and as the "Good Shepherd".
There are several other important ideas connected to the idea of a Shepherd. We see in Psalm 23 that GOD (the LORD) is my Shepherd. *Note: (When LORD is in capital letters it refers to God's Name ("I AM") which a religious Jew thought too holy to pronounce.) See Isaiah 40:9-11. In Ezekiel 34 God has strong words of rebuke for the false shepherd of Israel (many of the leaders) and God speaks of a time coming when "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep…I will seek out the lost, and I will bring back the strays, and I will bind up the crippled and I will strengthen the weak…"(vs.15-16).. Then God points forward to the time of the Messiah, the "anointed" one who will be a shepherd-ruler like King David. (v.s23) Part of the role of the Messiah was to be a shepherd to God's people. This Messiah-Shepherd will be a king in the line of David.
Ordinary shepherds were quite lowly but kings were also to be shepherds. Isaiah 44:28 refers to the foreign king Cyrus as a shepherd whom God had appointed. David is the Shepherd-King in Psalm 78:70-72.
Micah 5:2 talks about where the future king, the "anointed" one, will come from (Bethlehem) but it also talks about how this Messiah-King will shepherd his flock in the Name of his God. Micah 2:12-13 speaks of a time when God will bring together his scattered flock. He will also be their king and lead them.
By saying that he is the Good Shepherd, Jesus is also saying indirectly that he is the Messiah-Shepherd-King. He is also linking himself with God who is the Shepherd of Israel who will one day shepherd his people himself (Ezekiel 34). This Shepherd-King will also judge between the good sheep and the bad ones, the good shepherds and the bad ones. Remember Jesus teaching about the Day of Judgment in Matthew 25:31-32 where the Son of Man will separate the sheep and the goats.
Sometimes ordained ministers are called "pastors" which means shepherds. God calls some of his sheep to shepherd others. After Jesus' resurrection Jesus told Peter to "Feed my lambs", "Tend my sheep", "Feed my sheep".(John 21:15-17. God calls some to be official shepherds of his flock but God also calls some, children and adults, to function as shepherds for others. Is the chief Shepherd asking you to do that for someone, perhaps even a younger child?
At the end of time we will stand in front of the Throne in heaven and the Lamb of God will be there on the Throne and the Lamb will be our Shepherd and lead us to springs of living water and wipe away every tear. (Revelation 7:17)
The 23rd Psalm says "even though I walk through the valley of deep darkness (or the shadow of death) I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me."(vs4) God has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." Hebrew 13:5 (See Joshua 1:5)
Now look at some words the teachers got in response to Psalm 23. How is God speaking to you in these verses?
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1) A word received: I AM your provider.
Do we really believe this? Do we ask for it? Do you have any experience to share of God's provision?
"He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters." (Psalm 23:2) A word received: Look to me and I will guide you for your own good.
Has the Lord ever given you times of green pastures, rest and still waters?
"He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23:3) A word received: My name is holy and I want you to do those things which will bring honor to my name.
How often do we consider the impact on the honor of God's Name of the things we do and say? Pray for help?
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4) A word received: That is my heart's desire -- to comfort you, my people. Look to me; seek me out; I will guide you through to victory over sin and death.
Jesus longs to comfort us (comfort meaning both comfort in the usual sense and strengthening). We need to constantly look to him and seek him out to carry us through to victory over sin and death. Do you have an example to share?
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over." (Psalm 23:5) A word received: I will anoint your head with the oil of my Holy Spirit if you invite me to do that.
Have we invited the Lord to do that recently?
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." (Psalm 23:6) A word received: I will come between you and every past evil if you will invite me into those places.
Thank you Jesus for coming between me and all that is past.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 06, October 25, 2009
Who do you say that I am?
Messiah/Christ
The "Anointed One"
Theme Verse: "Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:15
Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-17, Luke 4:14-30, Luke 7:18-23, John 12:1-16
Optional: Luke 19:28-40
Memory Verse: "Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.'" Matthew 16:16(Pre-K to grade 3)
The name we are looking at today is "Messiah"(Hebrew), "Christ"(Greek) which means "Anointed One". It is necessary to look in the Old Testament to see what this means. Anointing describes the process of consecrating priests and kings. The ingredients for making "sacred anointing oil" are listed in Exodus 29 and 30. They were NOT to be used like ordinary oils and perfumes. There was a death penalty for using them for ordinary purposes! (Exodus 30:32-33) Kings and priests were to have a different smell. The scent of these perfumed oils lasted a long time. Guests were normally anointed with ordinary oil. Remember how the Wise Men brought gifts fit for a king which included frankincense and myrrh. Anointing oil and its fragrance was to be unique to the priests and kings who were anointed and set apart by God.
The kings were referred to as the Lord's anointed, "Here I stand in the presence of the LORD and his anointed." (1 Samuel 12:3). In 1 Samuel 10:1, Samuel anointed Saul as king and in 1 Samuel 16:1&13 Samuel anointed David to be king in the presence of his family. Remember how David when he was running for his life from King Saul, refused to kill Saul when he had a chance because he refused to lift his hand against God's anointed. David was prepared to wait for God's time to become the ruling king. (When our Bishop was murdered in Liberia, I remember the absolute scandal that was felt because he was God's anointed. (This was in a corrupt society too.)
A really important event takes place in 2 Samuel 7:1-17. After King David had "rest from his enemies", he decided it was time to build a temple, "a house", for God instead of the tent (Tabernacle) where God had been worshiped since the years in the wilderness. The prophet Nathan thought that was fine till God spoke to him that night and said David was not the one to build the temple BUT God promised to give David a "great name" and a "house" (dynasty/descendents) and a kingdom that would last forever! "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever."(vs.16). King David went and sat before the LORD in awe and praise!
So the coming king, Anointed One, (Messiah, Christ) became part of the expectation and hope of Israel. Some terms referring to this "Anointed One"/Messiah/Christ were: "Son of David", "Root of Jesse", "Righteous Branch", "Servant of the Lord". Daniel 7 also refers to a king and kingdom that will never end. (vs. 13-14). "Son of Man" is the term used there.
Another important part of the hope and expectation for a Messiah was the idea that God was King over Israel. When the Israelites demanded a king like everybody else (!!) had, God told Samuel, "It is not you they have rejected as their king, but me." (1 Samuel 8:7) Psalm 22:3 refers to God as "enthroned on the praises of Israel".
Centuries later, by the time of Jesus the nation had been suffering from cruel foreign rulers and the idea of the Messiah had taken on strong political tones. A lot of people longed for their coming Messiah/King to be like David and drive out the hated Romans. Even after the resurrection but before the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples asked Jesus if he was going to restore the Kingdom to Israel. This idea about the Messiah was an important reason Jesus sometimes told people not to tell others. The Jewish leaders used this idea of a worldly conqueror to accuse Jesus before Pilate. They said, he "claims to be Christ, a king." Pilate asks Jesus if he is a king and Jesus replies, "Is that your own idea or did others talk to you about me?" (John 18:33-34) and in vs.36 Jesus says, "My kingdom is not of this world". Then Pilate decides Jesus is innocent but Pilate is afraid they will report him to Caesar. He gives in but puts a sign over Jesus' cross, "The king of the Jews" (19:19) (as his excuse).
Some of the "Servant Songs" of Isaiah had other ideas about what the coming Messiah would be like, like the one Jesus read in Nazareth. Of course there is Isaiah 53 about the Suffering Servant. After Jesus' baptism (and being anointed with the Holy Spirit) (Matthew 3:13-17) and after his testing in the wilderness, he went to his home town, Nazareth, where he was asked to read the Scriptures in the Synagogue. He chose to read from Isaiah 61:1-2 which talks about God's anointing: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me" (vs.18 ). Look at the kinds of things he is anointed to do--miracles of healing and preaching good news. (Compare Acts 2:22).
Now look at what Jesus said and did when John the Baptist was in prison and had begun to doubt whether Jesus was the promised Messiah or not. Look at Luke 7:18-23. Jesus healed many diseases, delivered some from evil spirits, raised the dead and good news was preached to the poor!
Now reflect on some questions the Lord has given the teachers about Isaiah 61:1-3
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me," (Isaiah 61:1a) A word received: I received the anointing of the Holy Spirit and I want you to receive the anointing of my Holy Spirit.
Have you asked for this?
"Because the Lord has anointed me" (Isaiah 61:1b) A word received: My father anointed me for this ministry; I want to anoint you for ministry.
Are we ready to ask and receive this calling and anointing?
"To preach good tidings to the poor;" (Isaiah 61:1c) A word received: The poor are all around you: those poor in purse and poor in spirit. Share the good news with all of them.
How are we doing with this command of Jesus? Remember the Great Commission. How might Jesus want you and me to do this?
"He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted," (Isaiah 61:1d) A word received: Comfort, comfort my people.
The root meaning of comfort is to strengthen.
"To proclaim liberty to the captives," (Isaiah 61:1e) A word received: I want to bring those who are captive to sin and addiction into the freedom of my Spirit.
Do you have an example to share of being set free from one of these captivities?
"And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;" (Isaiah 61:1) A word received: Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be lifted up you everlasting doors; that the King of Glory may enter in. (From Psalm 24)
What kind of bondages does Jesus want to break? Have we brought those bondages to the cross of Jesus, repented of them, given them to Jesus and asked for his saving work???
"To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," (Isaiah 61:2a) A word received: Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.
Do we procrastinate about obeying the call/invitation of the Lord? What other time do we have besides NOW?
"And the day of vengeance of our God;" (Isaiah 61:2b) A word received: There will be a day when I settle accounts.
God is patient but he will deal with unrepented sin and evil. Keep short accounts with God. See John 12:47-48
"To comfort all who mourn," (Isaiah 61:2c) A word received: I want you to speak words of comfort to those who mourn.
Do we hang back or reach out to those who mourn for whatever reason?
"To console those who mourn in Zion," (Isaiah 61:3a) A word received: Pray for all those who mourn.
Finally, look at the story of the anointing at Bethany and the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem just days before Jesus' passion. Six days before Passover his friends in Bethany gave Jesus a dinner. Mary took a pint (a pint!-very expensive stuff!) of pure nard and anointed Jesus' feet. Jesus says in John 12:7 that she was anointing him for his burial. The book by En-Gedi, "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus" is all about understanding more of the Jewish background of Jesus in the first century. Many things changed in later Judaism. Many things would have been common knowledge and didn't need any comment to be understood by everyone. As we saw earlier, those expensive special perfumes were reserved for anointing kings and priests. "By anointing him (Jesus) with this expensive fragrance, Mary may well have been making a statement about who she believed Jesus was, proclaiming him as Messiah."(pg.16). In ancient Israel the aroma of a king was expressed not only by what he wore but by his royal aroma.
The next day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the ordinary people hailed him: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Luke 19:38 ) which hugely upset the religious leaders. Also there is a prophecy in Zechariah 9:9: "See your king comes to you , righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey". (A king on a donkey was peaceful. Horses were for war.) When Solomon was made king he rode to his anointing on David's own mule. (1 Kings:38-40) Jesus was not only entering as a king but he smelled like one!
What does it mean to call God "King"? What does it mean to recognize Jesus as our King? Peter announced in his sermon on Pentecost that God had made Jesus both Lord and Christ! (Acts 2:36)
Note: "Lord" means one who has both power and authority and can be used for human beings. "LORD" is a way the Jewish people avoided using the holy personal name of God ("I AM").
Messiah/Christ
The "Anointed One"
Theme Verse: "Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:15
Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-17, Luke 4:14-30, Luke 7:18-23, John 12:1-16
Optional: Luke 19:28-40
Memory Verse: "Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.'" Matthew 16:16(Pre-K to grade 3)
The name we are looking at today is "Messiah"(Hebrew), "Christ"(Greek) which means "Anointed One". It is necessary to look in the Old Testament to see what this means. Anointing describes the process of consecrating priests and kings. The ingredients for making "sacred anointing oil" are listed in Exodus 29 and 30. They were NOT to be used like ordinary oils and perfumes. There was a death penalty for using them for ordinary purposes! (Exodus 30:32-33) Kings and priests were to have a different smell. The scent of these perfumed oils lasted a long time. Guests were normally anointed with ordinary oil. Remember how the Wise Men brought gifts fit for a king which included frankincense and myrrh. Anointing oil and its fragrance was to be unique to the priests and kings who were anointed and set apart by God.
The kings were referred to as the Lord's anointed, "Here I stand in the presence of the LORD and his anointed." (1 Samuel 12:3). In 1 Samuel 10:1, Samuel anointed Saul as king and in 1 Samuel 16:1&13 Samuel anointed David to be king in the presence of his family. Remember how David when he was running for his life from King Saul, refused to kill Saul when he had a chance because he refused to lift his hand against God's anointed. David was prepared to wait for God's time to become the ruling king. (When our Bishop was murdered in Liberia, I remember the absolute scandal that was felt because he was God's anointed. (This was in a corrupt society too.)
A really important event takes place in 2 Samuel 7:1-17. After King David had "rest from his enemies", he decided it was time to build a temple, "a house", for God instead of the tent (Tabernacle) where God had been worshiped since the years in the wilderness. The prophet Nathan thought that was fine till God spoke to him that night and said David was not the one to build the temple BUT God promised to give David a "great name" and a "house" (dynasty/descendents) and a kingdom that would last forever! "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever."(vs.16). King David went and sat before the LORD in awe and praise!
So the coming king, Anointed One, (Messiah, Christ) became part of the expectation and hope of Israel. Some terms referring to this "Anointed One"/Messiah/Christ were: "Son of David", "Root of Jesse", "Righteous Branch", "Servant of the Lord". Daniel 7 also refers to a king and kingdom that will never end. (vs. 13-14). "Son of Man" is the term used there.
Another important part of the hope and expectation for a Messiah was the idea that God was King over Israel. When the Israelites demanded a king like everybody else (!!) had, God told Samuel, "It is not you they have rejected as their king, but me." (1 Samuel 8:7) Psalm 22:3 refers to God as "enthroned on the praises of Israel".
Centuries later, by the time of Jesus the nation had been suffering from cruel foreign rulers and the idea of the Messiah had taken on strong political tones. A lot of people longed for their coming Messiah/King to be like David and drive out the hated Romans. Even after the resurrection but before the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples asked Jesus if he was going to restore the Kingdom to Israel. This idea about the Messiah was an important reason Jesus sometimes told people not to tell others. The Jewish leaders used this idea of a worldly conqueror to accuse Jesus before Pilate. They said, he "claims to be Christ, a king." Pilate asks Jesus if he is a king and Jesus replies, "Is that your own idea or did others talk to you about me?" (John 18:33-34) and in vs.36 Jesus says, "My kingdom is not of this world". Then Pilate decides Jesus is innocent but Pilate is afraid they will report him to Caesar. He gives in but puts a sign over Jesus' cross, "The king of the Jews" (19:19) (as his excuse).
Some of the "Servant Songs" of Isaiah had other ideas about what the coming Messiah would be like, like the one Jesus read in Nazareth. Of course there is Isaiah 53 about the Suffering Servant. After Jesus' baptism (and being anointed with the Holy Spirit) (Matthew 3:13-17) and after his testing in the wilderness, he went to his home town, Nazareth, where he was asked to read the Scriptures in the Synagogue. He chose to read from Isaiah 61:1-2 which talks about God's anointing: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me" (vs.18 ). Look at the kinds of things he is anointed to do--miracles of healing and preaching good news. (Compare Acts 2:22).
Now look at what Jesus said and did when John the Baptist was in prison and had begun to doubt whether Jesus was the promised Messiah or not. Look at Luke 7:18-23. Jesus healed many diseases, delivered some from evil spirits, raised the dead and good news was preached to the poor!
Now reflect on some questions the Lord has given the teachers about Isaiah 61:1-3
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me," (Isaiah 61:1a) A word received: I received the anointing of the Holy Spirit and I want you to receive the anointing of my Holy Spirit.
Have you asked for this?
"Because the Lord has anointed me" (Isaiah 61:1b) A word received: My father anointed me for this ministry; I want to anoint you for ministry.
Are we ready to ask and receive this calling and anointing?
"To preach good tidings to the poor;" (Isaiah 61:1c) A word received: The poor are all around you: those poor in purse and poor in spirit. Share the good news with all of them.
How are we doing with this command of Jesus? Remember the Great Commission. How might Jesus want you and me to do this?
"He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted," (Isaiah 61:1d) A word received: Comfort, comfort my people.
The root meaning of comfort is to strengthen.
"To proclaim liberty to the captives," (Isaiah 61:1e) A word received: I want to bring those who are captive to sin and addiction into the freedom of my Spirit.
Do you have an example to share of being set free from one of these captivities?
"And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;" (Isaiah 61:1) A word received: Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be lifted up you everlasting doors; that the King of Glory may enter in. (From Psalm 24)
What kind of bondages does Jesus want to break? Have we brought those bondages to the cross of Jesus, repented of them, given them to Jesus and asked for his saving work???
"To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," (Isaiah 61:2a) A word received: Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.
Do we procrastinate about obeying the call/invitation of the Lord? What other time do we have besides NOW?
"And the day of vengeance of our God;" (Isaiah 61:2b) A word received: There will be a day when I settle accounts.
God is patient but he will deal with unrepented sin and evil. Keep short accounts with God. See John 12:47-48
"To comfort all who mourn," (Isaiah 61:2c) A word received: I want you to speak words of comfort to those who mourn.
Do we hang back or reach out to those who mourn for whatever reason?
"To console those who mourn in Zion," (Isaiah 61:3a) A word received: Pray for all those who mourn.
Finally, look at the story of the anointing at Bethany and the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem just days before Jesus' passion. Six days before Passover his friends in Bethany gave Jesus a dinner. Mary took a pint (a pint!-very expensive stuff!) of pure nard and anointed Jesus' feet. Jesus says in John 12:7 that she was anointing him for his burial. The book by En-Gedi, "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus" is all about understanding more of the Jewish background of Jesus in the first century. Many things changed in later Judaism. Many things would have been common knowledge and didn't need any comment to be understood by everyone. As we saw earlier, those expensive special perfumes were reserved for anointing kings and priests. "By anointing him (Jesus) with this expensive fragrance, Mary may well have been making a statement about who she believed Jesus was, proclaiming him as Messiah."(pg.16). In ancient Israel the aroma of a king was expressed not only by what he wore but by his royal aroma.
The next day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the ordinary people hailed him: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Luke 19:38 ) which hugely upset the religious leaders. Also there is a prophecy in Zechariah 9:9: "See your king comes to you , righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey". (A king on a donkey was peaceful. Horses were for war.) When Solomon was made king he rode to his anointing on David's own mule. (1 Kings:38-40) Jesus was not only entering as a king but he smelled like one!
What does it mean to call God "King"? What does it mean to recognize Jesus as our King? Peter announced in his sermon on Pentecost that God had made Jesus both Lord and Christ! (Acts 2:36)
Note: "Lord" means one who has both power and authority and can be used for human beings. "LORD" is a way the Jewish people avoided using the holy personal name of God ("I AM").
Sunday, October 11, 2009
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 05 October 18, 2009
Who do you say that I am?
Redeemer/Savior
Theme Verse: "Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:15
Readings: Matthew 20:28, Romans 8: 1-4, Romans 3:23-26
Optional: Revelation 5:1-14
Memory Verse: "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last upon the earth, and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God. I myself shall see him and not as a stranger."* Job 19:25-27 (Pre-K to grade 3)
What do we mean by the words "redeem", "redemption", "ransom"?
1. We have a "Redemption Center" down the street from the church. When you bought sodas, you had to pay a deposit on the bottle which you can redeem (get back) when you turn in the empty bottles.
2. The pirates off the coast of East Africa keep capturing ships and holding them for ransom. In order to set the captive ships and people free and get them back the owners have to pay a huge ransom (millions of dollars) in order to ransom/redeem them.
3. In the Old Testament your relatives were supposed to ransom/redeem/buy back a relative who had sold himself or family into slavery for debt or who had had to sell family land. In the story of Ruth, Naomi tells Ruth that Boaz was a "kinsman-redeemer". Later he bought back the land that Naomi was having to sell and married Ruth to maintain the family line.
4. In the Old Testament, God says to the Exiles-"For the LORD will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hands of those stronger than they." (Jeremiah 31:11)
5. In Exodus 6:6 when the Israelites were still slaves in Egypt, God told Moses, "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm…I will take you as my own people." The story of the Exodus is history. It is also metaphor or picture of what God would do later in Jesus death and resurrection.
6. A story from Dave Carlson: a boy made a wonderful, carved toy boat that he lost at the beach. He looked and looked but he couldn't find it. Several months later he was walking by a pawn shop and saw his boat in the window. He went in and told the owner, That's my boat! The owner of the pawn shop said, well maybe, but if you want it back you will have to buy it back--and he did. Think about it. God made us and we wandered away from him and got lost in sin, far away from God. God sent his Son, his own Word-made-man to earth to pay the ransom for us from the slavery of sin so we could be adopted as his sons and daughters.
How is this related to last week's name for Jesus as the "Lamb of God"? In Matthew 20:28 Jesus tells his disciples, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many". Hebrews (7:27) says, "He (Jesus) sacrificed for their sins, once for all, when he offered himself."
Why do we need redeeming??? Paul tells us in Romans 3:23-26, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified (set right) freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood." "Grace" is God's free mercy to those who don't deserve it- but it wasn't free for him! We are not able to ransom/rescue ourselves from sin--only God can do that--and he did it in Jesus by his death on the cross and resurrection. Because God is both just and holy he had to deal with sin. Because he is merciful and loved his rebellious creatures, he paid the ransom from sin and death himself in his Son Jesus. (Remember Jesus and his Father are one.) "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). God paid the ransom but we have to accept and choose it for it to be effective for us.
We need redeeming/rescuing/saving because the human beings that God made "and it was good" but they rebelled against God in order to go their own way. The result is that the whole human race and world is infected with sin. We inherit both a damaged likeness to God and a fallen, sinful human nature. God knew this would happen so he had a plan to rescue and restore those who were willing to be rescued. Isaiah 53:6 says simply, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the LORD (the I AM, the Father) has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Paul echoes this in Romans 3 that we just looked at.
Paul in Romans 8(1-5, 14) talks about Christ "setting us free" from slavery to sin. Christ has "set me free from the law of sin and death." The Law showed people what was sinful but it couldn't set them free. God did in Christ what the Law could not do. God also set us free to live a life controlled by His Spirit. Then Paul talks about what we SET our minds on. Is it the desires of our sinful nature or do we "set our minds" of what the Spirit of God requires? Our choices matter. God gave us the freedom and ability to choose but when we keep choosing the wrong things it gets harder and harder to choose the right. That's why we need God's help.
"Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons (children) of God" (vs.14) God wants to adopt us but we must choose to accept the ransom Jesus paid for by repenting (turning away) from our own way and asking for his free gift of salvation, and power, trusting and following him.
Revelation 5:1-14 has some of the songs of joyous praise and thankfulness that those God has redeemed are singing to him and about him. Praise and thankfulness is the appropriate response to all that Jesus has done and what he will yet do when he comes next time--in glory. We see a glimpse of Jesus in heaven--on the throne, both as the Lion of Judah (King of Kings and the one who rules and judges) and the Lamb, who still bears the marks of his sacrifice for us. The Bible talks about "the honor DUE to his name"
Have you accepted Jesus gift to you? He gave his life for you and me, have you taken your life back? How are you giving him thanks and showing gratitude to him? Let's reflect on the songs of praise they sing to him in Heaven and see what we can learn from them.
"'You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,'" (Revelation 5:9) A word received: I have redeemed you by my blood shed for you on the cross. "Without shedding of blood there is no remission." (Hebrews 9:22b) I paid the price for your sins by my blood. There is no other price sufficient to cover your sins.
"'And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.'" (Revelation 5:10) A word received: I have called you to be a holy nation, a people I have marked out as my own, a royal priesthood, beloved by me.
"'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!'" (Revelation 5:12) A word received: Look to me for a model of righteousness; look to me for guidance in the storm. Look to me: I was slain and behold, I live.
"'Blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!'" (Revelation 5:13) A word received: Come to me, worship me. Join the throng around the throne who sing praises to my name.
Note* In Job 19:27 the word "another" can be translated "stranger".
Redeemer/Savior
Theme Verse: "Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:15
Readings: Matthew 20:28, Romans 8: 1-4, Romans 3:23-26
Optional: Revelation 5:1-14
Memory Verse: "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last upon the earth, and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God. I myself shall see him and not as a stranger."* Job 19:25-27 (Pre-K to grade 3)
What do we mean by the words "redeem", "redemption", "ransom"?
1. We have a "Redemption Center" down the street from the church. When you bought sodas, you had to pay a deposit on the bottle which you can redeem (get back) when you turn in the empty bottles.
2. The pirates off the coast of East Africa keep capturing ships and holding them for ransom. In order to set the captive ships and people free and get them back the owners have to pay a huge ransom (millions of dollars) in order to ransom/redeem them.
3. In the Old Testament your relatives were supposed to ransom/redeem/buy back a relative who had sold himself or family into slavery for debt or who had had to sell family land. In the story of Ruth, Naomi tells Ruth that Boaz was a "kinsman-redeemer". Later he bought back the land that Naomi was having to sell and married Ruth to maintain the family line.
4. In the Old Testament, God says to the Exiles-"For the LORD will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hands of those stronger than they." (Jeremiah 31:11)
5. In Exodus 6:6 when the Israelites were still slaves in Egypt, God told Moses, "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm…I will take you as my own people." The story of the Exodus is history. It is also metaphor or picture of what God would do later in Jesus death and resurrection.
6. A story from Dave Carlson: a boy made a wonderful, carved toy boat that he lost at the beach. He looked and looked but he couldn't find it. Several months later he was walking by a pawn shop and saw his boat in the window. He went in and told the owner, That's my boat! The owner of the pawn shop said, well maybe, but if you want it back you will have to buy it back--and he did. Think about it. God made us and we wandered away from him and got lost in sin, far away from God. God sent his Son, his own Word-made-man to earth to pay the ransom for us from the slavery of sin so we could be adopted as his sons and daughters.
How is this related to last week's name for Jesus as the "Lamb of God"? In Matthew 20:28 Jesus tells his disciples, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many". Hebrews (7:27) says, "He (Jesus) sacrificed for their sins, once for all, when he offered himself."
Why do we need redeeming??? Paul tells us in Romans 3:23-26, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified (set right) freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood." "Grace" is God's free mercy to those who don't deserve it- but it wasn't free for him! We are not able to ransom/rescue ourselves from sin--only God can do that--and he did it in Jesus by his death on the cross and resurrection. Because God is both just and holy he had to deal with sin. Because he is merciful and loved his rebellious creatures, he paid the ransom from sin and death himself in his Son Jesus. (Remember Jesus and his Father are one.) "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). God paid the ransom but we have to accept and choose it for it to be effective for us.
We need redeeming/rescuing/saving because the human beings that God made "and it was good" but they rebelled against God in order to go their own way. The result is that the whole human race and world is infected with sin. We inherit both a damaged likeness to God and a fallen, sinful human nature. God knew this would happen so he had a plan to rescue and restore those who were willing to be rescued. Isaiah 53:6 says simply, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the LORD (the I AM, the Father) has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Paul echoes this in Romans 3 that we just looked at.
Paul in Romans 8(1-5, 14) talks about Christ "setting us free" from slavery to sin. Christ has "set me free from the law of sin and death." The Law showed people what was sinful but it couldn't set them free. God did in Christ what the Law could not do. God also set us free to live a life controlled by His Spirit. Then Paul talks about what we SET our minds on. Is it the desires of our sinful nature or do we "set our minds" of what the Spirit of God requires? Our choices matter. God gave us the freedom and ability to choose but when we keep choosing the wrong things it gets harder and harder to choose the right. That's why we need God's help.
"Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons (children) of God" (vs.14) God wants to adopt us but we must choose to accept the ransom Jesus paid for by repenting (turning away) from our own way and asking for his free gift of salvation, and power, trusting and following him.
Revelation 5:1-14 has some of the songs of joyous praise and thankfulness that those God has redeemed are singing to him and about him. Praise and thankfulness is the appropriate response to all that Jesus has done and what he will yet do when he comes next time--in glory. We see a glimpse of Jesus in heaven--on the throne, both as the Lion of Judah (King of Kings and the one who rules and judges) and the Lamb, who still bears the marks of his sacrifice for us. The Bible talks about "the honor DUE to his name"
Have you accepted Jesus gift to you? He gave his life for you and me, have you taken your life back? How are you giving him thanks and showing gratitude to him? Let's reflect on the songs of praise they sing to him in Heaven and see what we can learn from them.
"'You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,'" (Revelation 5:9) A word received: I have redeemed you by my blood shed for you on the cross. "Without shedding of blood there is no remission." (Hebrews 9:22b) I paid the price for your sins by my blood. There is no other price sufficient to cover your sins.
"'And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.'" (Revelation 5:10) A word received: I have called you to be a holy nation, a people I have marked out as my own, a royal priesthood, beloved by me.
"'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!'" (Revelation 5:12) A word received: Look to me for a model of righteousness; look to me for guidance in the storm. Look to me: I was slain and behold, I live.
"'Blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!'" (Revelation 5:13) A word received: Come to me, worship me. Join the throng around the throne who sing praises to my name.
Note* In Job 19:27 the word "another" can be translated "stranger".
Thursday, October 8, 2009
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 04, October 11, 2009
Who do you say that I am?
The Lamb of God
Theme Verse: "Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:15
Readings: John 1:29-39, Exodus 12:1-7,12-14, Isaiah 53:3-9
Optional: Isaiah 53, Romans 5:6-8,10
Memory Verse: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 (Pre-K to grade 3)
In order to understand what calling Jesus, the "Lamb of God" means, we have to look at the events in the Old Testament, centuries before Jesus. First, when God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt where they were slaves, the King of Egypt, called the Pharaoh, refused to let them go. God warned his people what to do to escape the last plague and escape from Egypt. Now look at Exodus 12:1-7, 12-14. It was the first Passover, when God "passed over" the homes of the Israelites who had the blood of a lamb they had sacrificed painted on their door posts so no one would die when the first-born of the Egyptians did. The lamb had to be a perfect, male lamb a year old. (Jesus was without any sin.) Exodus continues (vs.26-27) when you repeat this in the future and "your children ask what does this mean, tell them, "'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD (God's name), who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.' "
This event is a fore-shadowing of the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, shed for us for the forgiveness of our sins. In 1 Corinthians 5:7, Paul talks about "Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us."
Jesus deliberately picked the festival of Passover to link his death on the cross to the Passover Lamb. That is why the reference to the cup of wine at the Last Supper (and in Communion) is to Jesus' blood. "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:28 ). Another time in the Old Testament when blood was central was the Covenant God made with Moses and the Children of Israel at Mt. Sinai. In Exodus 24:8 Moses sprinkled the blood on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you." Hebrews 9:22 in the New Testament echoes this understanding. "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."
When Jesus knew the authorities had decided to kill him, he always managed to escape or stay away till he chose to come to Jerusalem at Passover time. They arrested and tried him at night. The first most people knew about it was the next morning when he was on the way to the cross.
The other thing we need to know about lambs is that before the coming of Jesus and during his lifetime is that the Israelites were to sacrifice animals as a part of their worship of God. Perfect lambs were offered daily to God, but the lamb of Passover was a special sacrifice linked to a meal remembering the deliverance from Egypt. God used their animal sacrifices to teach his people the cost of forgiving their sins. The animal's life was a substitute for their lives till the cross of Jesus.
Now look at Isaiah 53:3-12. In the prophecies of Isaiah, centuries after the Exodus but also centuries before Jesus' time, God told the Israelites about a future Servant of God who would be despised, rejected and yet was (vs.3) wounded and killed for their transgressions (rebellious sins) (vs.5). His suffering and death was like a quiet, gentle lamb (vs.7) and was to be used by God to make many righteous and healed.
This was part of God's plan from the before the Creation (Revelation 13:8 ) "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world". In the end, after he made himself an offering for sin (vs.10), he would live again and "see the travail of his soul and be satisfied" (vs.11). A few thought it might refer to the Messiah, others had other ideas but it was not till after the death and resurrection of Jesus, that his disciples recognized that it referred to him.
WHY was this necessary? Isaiah 53 says, "We all like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way." That is the core/essence of sin against God--choosing to go our own way rather than the way of life that God calls us to choose. We cannot undo the damage by just feeling sorry, although that is the beginning. Psalm 49:7-8 tells us, "No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough." God is holy and hates all wrong doing, but loves the sinners. The consequence of sin is death. God wanted to rescue us. God knew from the time he created people about the wrong choices they would make. Yet he wanted them to CHOOSE and LOVE him freely so he had to allow them to make bad choices. So before creation God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, had this plan for dealing with sin and its results--a perfect sacrifice that God himself paid in Jesus. Jesus and the Father (one God) were absolutely united in this and that is why Jesus came.
Remember what Jesus said in John 10. He is both the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God. He is both the person offering the sacrifice and the sacrifice. Jesus said, "I lay down my life for the sheep (us)…No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord…I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
When we turn away (repent) from our own way (sins) and ask for God's forgiveness through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and ask him into our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, we receive God's gift of new life, but we have to choose to keep on choosing to live in him and asking him to live in us.
Go look at the carving on the front of the altar in the sanctuary of Christ Church and think about what Jesus did 2,000 years ago as being offered to YOU and me NOW in Holy Communion (Eucharist).
God showed both his holiness, righteousness and love in Christ's death and resurrection. Romans 5:8-10 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of is Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"
Let us praise and thank God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ for his incredible gift!.
Now think about some words the Lord gave the teachers about Isaiah 53:4-9.
"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted." (Isaiah 53:4) A word received: I bore your sins and your burdens on my way to the cross. I carried them to the cross -- leave them there.
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5) A word received: Let me bear your bruises and your wounds.
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6) A word received: I have to gather up my lost sheep -- come to me, I AM the Good Shepherd.
"He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7) A word received: Be prepared to trust me -- be prepared for the day of testing; be prepared to leave your burdens in my hands.
"He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare his generation? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people he was stricken." (Isaiah 53:8 ) A word received: I was cut off so that you may live.
"And they made his grave with the wicked--but with the rich at his death, because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth." (Isaiah 53:9) A word received: Listen to me -- my words are true and faithful.
The Lamb of God
Theme Verse: "Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:15
Readings: John 1:29-39, Exodus 12:1-7,12-14, Isaiah 53:3-9
Optional: Isaiah 53, Romans 5:6-8,10
Memory Verse: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 (Pre-K to grade 3)
In order to understand what calling Jesus, the "Lamb of God" means, we have to look at the events in the Old Testament, centuries before Jesus. First, when God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt where they were slaves, the King of Egypt, called the Pharaoh, refused to let them go. God warned his people what to do to escape the last plague and escape from Egypt. Now look at Exodus 12:1-7, 12-14. It was the first Passover, when God "passed over" the homes of the Israelites who had the blood of a lamb they had sacrificed painted on their door posts so no one would die when the first-born of the Egyptians did. The lamb had to be a perfect, male lamb a year old. (Jesus was without any sin.) Exodus continues (vs.26-27) when you repeat this in the future and "your children ask what does this mean, tell them, "'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD (God's name), who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.' "
This event is a fore-shadowing of the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, shed for us for the forgiveness of our sins. In 1 Corinthians 5:7, Paul talks about "Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us."
Jesus deliberately picked the festival of Passover to link his death on the cross to the Passover Lamb. That is why the reference to the cup of wine at the Last Supper (and in Communion) is to Jesus' blood. "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:28 ). Another time in the Old Testament when blood was central was the Covenant God made with Moses and the Children of Israel at Mt. Sinai. In Exodus 24:8 Moses sprinkled the blood on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you." Hebrews 9:22 in the New Testament echoes this understanding. "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."
When Jesus knew the authorities had decided to kill him, he always managed to escape or stay away till he chose to come to Jerusalem at Passover time. They arrested and tried him at night. The first most people knew about it was the next morning when he was on the way to the cross.
The other thing we need to know about lambs is that before the coming of Jesus and during his lifetime is that the Israelites were to sacrifice animals as a part of their worship of God. Perfect lambs were offered daily to God, but the lamb of Passover was a special sacrifice linked to a meal remembering the deliverance from Egypt. God used their animal sacrifices to teach his people the cost of forgiving their sins. The animal's life was a substitute for their lives till the cross of Jesus.
Now look at Isaiah 53:3-12. In the prophecies of Isaiah, centuries after the Exodus but also centuries before Jesus' time, God told the Israelites about a future Servant of God who would be despised, rejected and yet was (vs.3) wounded and killed for their transgressions (rebellious sins) (vs.5). His suffering and death was like a quiet, gentle lamb (vs.7) and was to be used by God to make many righteous and healed.
This was part of God's plan from the before the Creation (Revelation 13:8 ) "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world". In the end, after he made himself an offering for sin (vs.10), he would live again and "see the travail of his soul and be satisfied" (vs.11). A few thought it might refer to the Messiah, others had other ideas but it was not till after the death and resurrection of Jesus, that his disciples recognized that it referred to him.
WHY was this necessary? Isaiah 53 says, "We all like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way." That is the core/essence of sin against God--choosing to go our own way rather than the way of life that God calls us to choose. We cannot undo the damage by just feeling sorry, although that is the beginning. Psalm 49:7-8 tells us, "No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough." God is holy and hates all wrong doing, but loves the sinners. The consequence of sin is death. God wanted to rescue us. God knew from the time he created people about the wrong choices they would make. Yet he wanted them to CHOOSE and LOVE him freely so he had to allow them to make bad choices. So before creation God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, had this plan for dealing with sin and its results--a perfect sacrifice that God himself paid in Jesus. Jesus and the Father (one God) were absolutely united in this and that is why Jesus came.
Remember what Jesus said in John 10. He is both the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God. He is both the person offering the sacrifice and the sacrifice. Jesus said, "I lay down my life for the sheep (us)…No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord…I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
When we turn away (repent) from our own way (sins) and ask for God's forgiveness through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and ask him into our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, we receive God's gift of new life, but we have to choose to keep on choosing to live in him and asking him to live in us.
Go look at the carving on the front of the altar in the sanctuary of Christ Church and think about what Jesus did 2,000 years ago as being offered to YOU and me NOW in Holy Communion (Eucharist).
God showed both his holiness, righteousness and love in Christ's death and resurrection. Romans 5:8-10 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of is Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"
Let us praise and thank God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ for his incredible gift!.
Now think about some words the Lord gave the teachers about Isaiah 53:4-9.
"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted." (Isaiah 53:4) A word received: I bore your sins and your burdens on my way to the cross. I carried them to the cross -- leave them there.
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5) A word received: Let me bear your bruises and your wounds.
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6) A word received: I have to gather up my lost sheep -- come to me, I AM the Good Shepherd.
"He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7) A word received: Be prepared to trust me -- be prepared for the day of testing; be prepared to leave your burdens in my hands.
"He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare his generation? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people he was stricken." (Isaiah 53:8 ) A word received: I was cut off so that you may live.
"And they made his grave with the wicked--but with the rich at his death, because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth." (Isaiah 53:9) A word received: Listen to me -- my words are true and faithful.
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