Fellowshipmtz

Ascension, The Importance of Christ's

No particular text in today's topical (doctrinal) teaching.  Building on text from "Easter" Sunday, John 20:1-18, we are doing our best to grasp what the Bible teaches concerning Christ's Ascension -- and why it's so important.  So important that Saint Augustine said:

"The Ascension festival 'is that festival which confirms the grace of all the festivals together, without which the profitableness of every festival would have perished. For unless the Saviour had ascended into heaven, His Nativity would have come to nothing… and His Passion would have borne no fruit for us, and His most holy Resurrection would have been useless.'"
(quoted by Peter Toon, Bibliotheca Sacra, July 1983)

Resurrection -- "I am ascending"

John 20:17-18

Last week we looked at the disciples' lack of understanding.  This week we look at Mary's lack of understanding.  Jesus' resurrection is not going to be a return to the way things were; rather, there will be a progression in GOD's overall purposes of salvation -- i.e. the Ascension, and Pentecost!

Resurrection! (but lacking understanding)

John 20:8-9

Early on that first resurrection Sunday morning the terms of the investigation changed sharply.  Beginning with John and later with others of Jesus' disciples -- they "believed".  That is, they were convinced they were no longer looking for a missing body (corpse), but a risen Messiah!  Nevertheless, verse 9 tells the reader, "For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead."

Resurrection Announcement!

John 20:1-18

John's Gospel is uniquely written (inspired!) to provide details not found in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).  Today's message surveys the happenings of the first Resurrection Sunday, but we pay particular attention to Mary Magdalene's encounter with Jesus (whom she initially supposes to be a gardener!)  It is something of a mystery why Jesus forbids Mary from grasping (touching) Him.  The teaching will conclude next week, April 28.

Ezekiel 11 / God's Glory, Palm Sunday

Ezekiel 11

Sunday evening's Bible study gets bumped to "prime time" on Palm Sunday 2019.  The teaching begins by resetting the context and themes for Ezekiel.  Eventually, as chapter eleven closes, we see how the LORD's glory has incrementally departed from the Most Holy Place, from the Temple, from Jerusalem, and from the Mount of Olives.  Ichabod, the glory has departed . . . until more than 600 years later, when the glory returns from the same Mount, and riding on a donkey!

Isaiah's Psalm of Praise (chapter 12)

Isaiah 12

Chapter 12 marks the close of Isaiah's first collection of prophecies in chapters 1-11.  Isaiah's psalm is a proclamation of magnificent praise among the redeemed Israelites.  From their praise I think we can rightly extract some crucially important and universal principles concerning faith, salvation, and the gospel.

History (and Assessment) of Church Liturgy

I love history, and I especially love church history!  There are valuable lessons to be learned from the Church history that is already of tremendous benefit to us (though you may not have realized it!)  You likely are familiar with the quote: "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it" (George Santayana, 1863-1952) -- so let's consider the role of LITURGY in the Church Universal and our own local churches.

Self-Examination (contextually, in Corinthians!)

2 Corinthians 13

Paul's instruction in 2 Corinthians 13:5 -- "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" -- commonly serves as the basis for a topical sermon on assurance of salvation.  There IS some value for self-examination (in light of the Bible's teaching).  All too often salvation is presumed by persons for a wide variety of (religious and/or cultural) reasons.  In this final teaching from 2 Corinthians, we will examine (pun intended) the context and terms of Paul's command.

Paul's Warning -- "Get Ready, 'Cause Here I Come!"

2 Corinthians 12:20-21 and 13:1-6

In light of his expressed fears as to what he might find upon his third visit to Corinth, Paul offers the proverbial "word of warning to the wise is sufficient".  When he arrives, witnesses will have the opportunity to verify any wrong doings; and if necessary, Paul will use the authority given to by Christ for tearing down rather than (what he wants to do) building up (see 13:10).

A Church with a Personality Disorder

2 Corinthians 12:11-21

As we have seen throughout Paul's "second" letter to the Corinthian church, his relationship with the church is strained, less than what it ought to be.  Though Paul has expended unprecedented time and energy on the church, the church has progressed more slowly than what one might normally expect.  Nearing the end of this letter, and anticipating his third visit to the church, Paul expresses several fears -- of a church that needs sharp correction, discipline.