4/14/11

Surprise, Surprise?


Some things are a complete surprise, like the vehicle that just crosses over into your lane without warning.  But, if you are sick, many times your body tells you something is wrong.  If your first-grader comes home with a sniffle and complains their head is hot, its no surprise if the next day you begin to feel a little "out-of-sorts".  Like that, there are warning signs for cancer too and this chart lists ten of them.  Warning signs can save your life and here are some from Jesus himself.....


Matthew 24:1-44 (WEB)


1) Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.

2) But he answered them, “You see all of these things, don’t you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.”

3) As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4) Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

5) For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.

6) You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.

7) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.

8) But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.

9) Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake.

10) Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.

11) Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.

12) Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.

13) But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.

14) This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

15) “When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

16) then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

17) Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out things that are in his house.

18) Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes.

19) But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days!

20) Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath,

21) for then there will be great oppression, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.

22) Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.

23) “Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There,’ don’t believe it.

24) For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

25) “Behold, I have told you beforehand.

26) If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ don’t go out; ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ don’t believe it.

27) For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

28) For wherever the carcass is, there is where the vultures gather together.

29) But immediately after the oppression of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;

30) and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

31) He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

32) “Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near.

33) Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

34) Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished.

35) Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

36) But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37) “As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

38) For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship,

39) and they didn’t know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

40) Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left;

41) two women grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left.

42) Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.

43) But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

44) Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.


Jesus was at the temple, talking about the temple and the judgement soon to come upon it.  He spoke to his disciples and told them that their generation would not pass away until the judgement of which he spoke happened.  Did it?  Yes, Jerusalem fell to the Romans in 70 a.d..  Just as judgement came upon the Jews, so it will eventually come upon us all; someday there will be a penalty for evil and a reward for good.  Look at your life; what is it like?  People are not stupid (at least not the vast majority)!  Change what needs to be changed and get ready for any little surprise that may come your way. 

NT Reading 4/15, 4/16

Apr. 14, 15


Luke 9



Luk 9:1 He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.

Luk 9:2 He sent them forth to preach the Kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Luk 9:3 He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey-neither staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats apiece.

Luk 9:4 Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there.

Luk 9:5 As many as don't receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them."

Luk 9:6 They departed, and went throughout the villages, preaching the Good News, and healing everywhere.

Luk 9:7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him; and he was very perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead,

Luk 9:8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.

Luk 9:9 Herod said, "John I beheaded, but who is this, about whom I hear such things?" He sought to see him.

Luk 9:10 The apostles, when they had returned, told him what things they had done. He took them, and withdrew apart to a deserted place of a city called Bethsaida.

Luk 9:11 But the multitudes, perceiving it, followed him. He welcomed them, and spoke to them of the Kingdom of God, and he cured those who needed healing.

Luk 9:12 The day began to wear away; and the twelve came, and said to him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and farms, and lodge, and get food, for we are here in a deserted place."

Luk 9:13 But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." They said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people."

Luk 9:14 For they were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each."

Luk 9:15 They did so, and made them all sit down.

Luk 9:16 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to the sky, he blessed them, and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.

Luk 9:17 They ate, and were all filled. They gathered up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.

Luk 9:18 It happened, as he was praying alone, that the disciples were with him, and he asked them, "Who do the multitudes say that I am?"

Luk 9:19 They answered, " 'John the Baptizer,' but others say, 'Elijah,' and others, that one of the old prophets is risen again."

Luk 9:20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God."

Luk 9:21 But he warned them, and commanded them to tell this to no one,

Luk 9:22 saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up."

Luk 9:23 He said to all, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

Luk 9:24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it.

Luk 9:25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?

Luk 9:26 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels.

Luk 9:27 But I tell you the truth: There are some of those who stand here, who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Kingdom of God."

Luk 9:28 It happened about eight days after these sayings, that he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray.

Luk 9:29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling.

Luk 9:30 Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

Luk 9:31 who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

Luk 9:32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him.

Luk 9:33 It happened, as they were parting from him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let's make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah," not knowing what he said.

Luk 9:34 While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.

Luk 9:35 A voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!"

Luk 9:36 When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

Luk 9:37 It happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met him.

Luk 9:38 Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.

Luk 9:39 Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams, and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely.

Luk 9:40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldn't."

Luk 9:41 Jesus answered, "Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."

Luk 9:42 While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

Luk 9:43 They were all astonished at the majesty of God. But while all were marveling at all the things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples,

Luk 9:44 "Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men."

Luk 9:45 But they didn't understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Luk 9:46 There arose an argument among them about which of them was the greatest.

Luk 9:47 Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side,

Luk 9:48 and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great."

Luk 9:49 John answered, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn't follow with us."

Luk 9:50 Jesus said to him, "Don't forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us."

Luk 9:51 It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem,

Luk 9:52 and sent messengers before his face. They went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, so as to prepare for him.

Luk 9:53 They didn't receive him, because he was traveling with his face set towards Jerusalem.

Luk 9:54 When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky, and destroy them, just as Elijah did?"

Luk 9:55 But he turned and rebuked them, "You don't know of what kind of spirit you are.

Luk 9:56 For the Son of Man didn't come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." They went to another village.

Luk 9:57 As they went on the way, a certain man said to him, "I want to follow you wherever you go, Lord."

Luk 9:58 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

Luk 9:59 He said to another, "Follow me!" But he said, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father."

Luk 9:60 But Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce the Kingdom of God."

Luk 9:61 Another also said, "I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to bid farewell to those who are at my house."

Luk 9:62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God."

OT Reading 4/14

Apr. 14


Numbers 19, 20

Num 19:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Num 19:2 This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without spot, in which is no blemish, and on which never came yoke.

Num 19:3 You shall give her to Eleazar the priest, and he shall bring her forth outside of the camp, and one shall kill her before his face:

Num 19:4 and Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle her blood toward the front of the Tent of Meeting seven times.

Num 19:5 One shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

Num 19:6 and the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

Num 19:7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.

Num 19:8 He who burns her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.

Num 19:9 A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside of the camp in a clean place; and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water for impurity: it is a sin offering.

Num 19:10 He who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be to the children of Israel, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them, for a statute forever.

Num 19:11 He who touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days:

Num 19:12 the same shall purify himself with water on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he doesn't purify himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.

Num 19:13 Whoever touches a dead person, the body of a man who has died, and doesn't purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of Yahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet on him.

Num 19:14 This is the law when a man dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.

Num 19:15 Every open vessel, which has no covering bound on it, is unclean.

Num 19:16 Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

Num 19:17 For the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin offering; and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:

Num 19:18 and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the persons who were there, and on him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave:

Num 19:19 and the clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify him; and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.

Num 19:20 But the man who shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of Yahweh: the water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean.

Num 19:21 It shall be a perpetual statute to them: and he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until even.

Num 19:22 Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the soul that touches it shall be unclean until evening.

Num 20:1 The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

Num 20:2 There was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

Num 20:3 The people strove with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would that we had died when our brothers died before Yahweh!

Num 20:4 Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals?

Num 20:5 Why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in to this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

Num 20:6 Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them.

Num 20:7 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 20:8 Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink.

Num 20:9 Moses took the rod from before Yahweh, as he commanded him.

Num 20:10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring you water out of this rock for you?

Num 20:11 Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.

Num 20:12 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, Because you didn't believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.

Num 20:13 These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with Yahweh, and he was sanctified in them.

Num 20:14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has happened to us:

Num 20:15 how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and our fathers:

Num 20:16 and when we cried to Yahweh, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt: and behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of your border.

Num 20:17 Please let us pass through your land: we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go along the king's highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border.

Num 20:18 Edom said to him, You shall not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you.

Num 20:19 The children of Israel said to him, We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then will I give its price: let me only, without doing anything else, pass through on my feet.

Num 20:20 He said, You shall not pass through. Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

Num 20:21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border, so Israel turned away from him.

Num 20:22 They traveled from Kadesh: and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

Num 20:23 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying,

Num 20:24 Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.

Num 20:25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor;

Num 20:26 and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there.

Num 20:27 Moses did as Yahweh commanded: and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

Num 20:28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

Num 20:29 When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.