5/15/12

Who am I?

Many thanks to Gail Martin for sharing this with me...

http://www.youtube.com/embed/MBDwpLLXMTA

Drive thru church?


To me, this looks like picture of a drive through church; you know, the place where Christians assemble to worship God.  I say that because of the spire at the front and also because of the numerous places to dock.  Even if I am right about this (and I may not be), it seems odd to meet here.  But, then again, the first time I heard about a drive through church (for cars) that seemed strange too.  Just to be clear, when I see the word "church", I THINK OF THE ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE, NOT THE BUILDING!!!  So, one of the reasons why I use the World English Bible is its consistent translation of the Greek, ekklesia to the English word ASSEMBLY.  Most of the New Testament books open with a greeting to a group of people and here is one such example...

1st Corinthians Chapter 1
 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,  2 to the assembly of God which is at Corinth; those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:  3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I imagine that to many of you this is much to do about nothing.  However, Christianity is made up of people; buildings came much, much later.  Centuries, in fact.  Please do not misunderstand; I like to worship in pleasant surroundings, but those plain enough so as not to detract from why we meet.  Still, its fun to think about meeting places that are out-of-the-ordinary and this one sure does fill that bill!!!

May 15 Joshua 11, 12


May 15
Joshua 11, 12

Jos 11:1 It happened, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph,
Jos 11:2 and to the kings who were on the north, in the hill country, in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west,
Jos 11:3 to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
Jos 11:4 They went out, they and all their armies with them, many people, even as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots.
Jos 11:5 All these kings met together; and they came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Israel.
Jos 11:6 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Don't be afraid because of them; for tomorrow at this time, I will deliver them up all slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire."
Jos 11:7 So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell on them.
Jos 11:8 Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they struck them, and chased them to great Sidon, and to Misrephoth Maim, and to the valley of Mizpeh eastward. They struck them until they left them none remaining.
Jos 11:9 Joshua did to them as Yahweh told him. He hamstrung their horses and burnt their chariots with fire.
Jos 11:10 Joshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword: for Hazor used to be the head of all those kingdoms.
Jos 11:11 They struck all the souls who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was no one left who breathed. He burnt Hazor with fire.
Jos 11:12 Joshua captured all the cities of those kings, with their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded.
Jos 11:13 But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, except Hazor only. Joshua burned that.
Jos 11:14 The children of Israel took all the spoil of these cities, with the livestock, as spoils for themselves; but every man they struck with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They didn't leave any who breathed.
Jos 11:15 As Yahweh commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua. Joshua did so. He left nothing undone of all that Yahweh commanded Moses.
Jos 11:16 So Joshua captured all that land, the hill country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel, and the lowland of the same;
Jos 11:17 from Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon. He took all their kings, struck them, and put them to death.
Jos 11:18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
Jos 11:19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took all in battle.
Jos 11:20 For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
Jos 11:21 Joshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel: Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities.
Jos 11:22 There were none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, did some remain.
Jos 11:23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Yahweh spoke to Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. The land had rest from war.
Jos 12:1 Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of Israel struck, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah eastward:
Jos 12:2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, the border of the children of Ammon;
Jos 12:3 and the Arabah to the sea of Chinneroth, eastward, and to the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, eastward, the way to Beth Jeshimoth; and on the south, under the slopes of Pisgah:
Jos 12:4 and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
Jos 12:5 and ruled in Mount Hermon, and in Salecah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
Jos 12:6 Moses the servant of Yahweh and the children of Israel struck them. Moses the servant of Yahweh gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
Jos 12:7 These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon even to Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir. Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
Jos 12:8 in the hill country, and in the lowland, and in the Arabah, and in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the South; the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
Jos 12:9 the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
Jos 12:10 the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
Jos 12:11 the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
Jos 12:12 the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
Jos 12:13 the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
Jos 12:14 the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
Jos 12:15 the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
Jos 12:16 the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
Jos 12:17 the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
Jos 12:18 the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one;
Jos 12:19 the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
Jos 12:20 the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
Jos 12:21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
Jos 12:22 the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
Jos 12:23 the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
Jos 12:24 the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" Chapter Twenty-Seven by Mark Copeland

                        "THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

                          Chapter Twenty-Seven

Prevented by law from carrying out execution, the religious leaders sent
Jesus to Pilate who  condemned Him to be crucified (1-2,10-31).
Meanwhile, Judas returned the betrayal money and hanged himself (3-9).
Crucified along with two thieves, Jesus expired after six hours (32-56).
His body was buried in Joseph’s tomb, secured by Roman guards (57-66).

POINTS TO PONDER

   *  The events leading to the crucifixion

   *  The abuse Jesus suffered prior to His actual death

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Jesus before Pilate and his soldiers - Mt 27:1-2,10-31
   - Judas hangs himself - Mt 27:3-9
   - Jesus’ crucifixion and death - Mt 27:32-56
   - Jesus buried and tomb secured - Mt 27:57-66

2) What did Judas do when he realized Jesus was condemned? (3-5)
   - Returned the betrayal money and then hanged himself

3) What did Jesus confess to Pilate? (11)
   - He was the King of the Jews

4) Who was released instead of Jesus? (15-26)
   - Barabbas, a notorious prisoner

5) What abuse did the Roman soldiers inflict on Jesus? (26,28-31)
   - Scourged, stripped, crowned with thorns, mocked, spat upon, struck
     with a reed

6) Who helped bear Jesus’ cross?  Where was Jesus crucified? (32-33)
   - Simon of Cyrene; Golgotha (Place of a Skull)

7) Who blasphemed and mocked Jesus as He hung on the cross? (39)
   - Those who passed by, including the chief priests, elders, and
     scribes

8) What did the guards confess after seeing the events following Jesus’
   death? (54)
   - "Truly this was the Son of God!"

9) Where was Jesus buried?  Who saw where He was buried? (57-61)
   - In Joseph’s tomb; Mary Magdalene and the "other" Mary (cf. Mt
     27:56)

10) Why was a Roman guard placed at the tomb of Jesus? (62-66)
   - To prevent the disciples from stealing the body and saying He rose
     from the dead