From Gary... Pal, Karate, and the fairness of God

It is quite unusual for me to post a picture twice, but this one deserves it. This is true because I know how merciful God is and that he answers prayer.  When we decided to adopt Pal  (who someone had named Starman- what a name is that for a dog?) we asked for prayers for him.  And he is improving!!!  The two dogs are inseparable.  Pal copies what Buddy (again, the white dog) in many many things.  Because he has never been around humans very much, he doesn't know how to act.  And he still is very, very wary of any sudden movement, sound or dog.  But, he has started taking treats from my hand, going through doors (he refused to do that for the first couple of days- I had to carry him) eating from a dish outside his cage and best of all- playing.  He lives in the same house as Buddy, eats the same food, drinks the same water, but he is different. Yet, in such a short time, both Linda and I have grown to love the little guy. Believe it or not, I think what we love the best is what he does after he poops.  Like most dogs, he scratches his feet on the grass (to clean them?) but, Pal does it with style.  He does it with a flair that reminds us of a Karate fighter breaking a board.  And sometimes he does it with a little growl, as if he is mad at the grass for daring to soil his feet.  Once in awhile he will do this dance even after he pees.  Strange, very strange- but entertaining.  I guess this is just one of the things that endears him to us.  Both dogs are individuals and we love them.  God must feel the same way about humans.  Consider this passage from the book of Acts that is part of the planned reading schedule for today.

Acts, Chapter 10

  34  Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism;  35 but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.  36 The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all— 37 you yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;  38 even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.  39 We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they also^*n5 killed, hanging him on a tree.  40 God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed,  41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.  42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead.  43 All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.” 

  44  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. 45 They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.  46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. 

Then Peter answered,  47 “Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.”  48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days. 

God treats us all the same!!!  We all have the same opportunity to obey him and be blessed.  Even the Jews who had became Christians recognized that Gentiles who had "received the Holy Spirit" had every right to be baptized and become Christians.  We are all individuals (just like our two dogs are) but thank God that we ALL are treated fairly by God.  Remember the verse from the Gospel of John Chapter 3...

 16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 

One more thing- I wonder if God laughs at the things that we do???  Humm, I guess I will have to work on that bathroom etiquette thing....

From Laura Dayton... RESTORE ONCE MORE WALKING IN GOD’S WAYS

RESTORE ONCE MORE WALKING IN GOD’S WAYS

As God’s creation, mankind has been placed upon earth for a purpose. Life here is a training ground for eternal life. The thoughts, decisions, and goals we set every day on our journey to eternity truly matter. Our heavenly Father desires for His children to be near to Him and to include Him in everyday life. Our lifestyle reflects how close we are to our God and how much we desire to be like Him. To walk in God’s ways implies faith and trust in the God who is leading us. This pleases Him and opens a floodgate of heavenly blessings!

In Deuteronomy 10:10-13 one of the marks of one who desires to please God their Father is to honor Him by WALKING through life As He directs. There is no greater example of this than our Lord and Savior who demonstrated exactly how this was to be done.

The Scripture warns us that “there is a way that SEEMS right to man, But its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12. Jesus explained that there are only two ways to choose from, the narrow way and the broad way! (Matthew 7:13-14) Man is so easily distracted and tends to take matters into his own hands but God is offering a better way!

 Is God’s way easy? Hardly! God’s way is narrow but it brings freedom, peace, joy and every good thing God intended for His creation to experience. Each step of faith strengthens us for the next. Let’s walk in the light God’s way! You will never regret it! 

From Jim McGuiggan... The Gospel of Nicodemus

The Gospel of Nicodemus

The Gospel of Nicodemus, a NT apocryphal book, just won't do but somebody put together a great series of images. The written form has been dated the 2^nd or 5^th century AD though the story is said certainly to have been around in the 2^nd. "The Descent of Christ into Hell" is what I find particularly interesting (Ante-Nicene Fathers, volume 8).

Matthew 27:53 tells us of some people who were raised from the dead in connection with the resurrection of Jesus and the "Gospel of Nicodemus" takes off from there. Jewish leaders find some who were raised from the dead and in a locked room they put them on oath to tell what they knew and who raised them. The men asked for pen and paper and wrote their testimony.

They made no bones about it—Jesus was "the resurrection and the life of the world" and when he came to Hades, the realm of the dead, these men had seen and heard all. The darkness of Hades was banished and filled with light and Abraham and the prophets were filled with joy and the Baptist assured them the light was the prelude to the arrival in Hades of the Son of God.

Satan comes to Hades, the devourer of the dead, and tells him of the trouble Jesus had made for him in earlier days, making the diseased well and raising the dead that Satan had slain. Hades accuses Satan of stupidity in doing what would cause Jesus to come to this realm and he fears he will lose his entire dominion for he now recollects that a certain Lazarus whom he had swallowed was dragged up out of his stomach by some irresistible force. If this was the work of Jesus, the last thing Hades wanted was for Jesus to enter his realm.

But while those two are arguing and lamenting a great voice, like the sound of thunder, cried out, "Lift up your gates, O ye rulers; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates; and the King of Glory shall come in." Hades urges Satan to go out and stand against Jesus to keep him from entering and he set demonic guards at the mighty gates.

All to keep Jesus out!

David and Hosea deride lord Hades and remind him that in prophecy they had spoken of his defeat and at that point the thunderous voice comes again, "Lift up your gates!" Hades, pretending he doesn't know, asks, "Who is the Lord of Glory?" and angels respond, "The Lord strong and mighty. The Lord mighty in battle!"

And at these words the massive copper gates are shattered and the iron bars are fragmented and a man entered—Jesus, the Lord of Glory, and the darkest parts of Hades became as bright as in the noon-day sun. What follows is a picture of Jesus emptying the Hadean kingdom, from Adam who was in the lowest dungeon and who thanked his majesty Jesus for the gift, to a lowly man who carried a cross and who identified himself as a thief who had died alongside the Lord! This one tells Michael the archangel that Jesus told him to take his cross with him and ask the way to Eden. On his approach, at the sight of the cross, the flaming sword gave way but he was urged to wait until Adam and all the righteous would arrive and enter with him.

A great "sermon" about a glorious Lord.

The message that fills our hearts with joy and hope today has been doing just that for all these centuries. Someone or some ones in the 2^ndcentury were so enthralled by the truth of Jesus Christ that they simply had to preach their version of "the harrowing of Hades".

Mmmm, love the very thought of it!

Death—to hell with you!

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from your website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Second Gospel Sermon (Ac.3:1-26)

                          "THE BOOK OF ACTS"

                   The Second Gospel Sermon (3:1-26)

INTRODUCTION

1. In "The First Gospel Sermon", we learned the apostle Peter...
   a. Proclaimed the death, burial, resurrection and exaltation of
      Jesus Christ - Ac 2:22-35
   b. Called for a response of faith, repentance, and baptism for
      remission of sins - Ac 2:36-41 

2. We will now consider "The Second Gospel Sermon", also preached by
   Peter...
   a. Found in chapter three of the book of Acts
   b. Which took place at Solomon's porch in the temple

[Let's begin by reviewing the circumstances that provided the opportunity
for the sermon...]

I. THE SETTING

   A. PETER AND JOHN WENT TO THE TEMPLE...
      1. Christians had been gathering daily in the temple - Ac 2:46
      2. Peter and John arrived at the "hour of prayer, the ninth hour"
         (3 p.m.) - Ac 3:1

   B. MAN LAME FROM BIRTH WAS HEALED...
      1. Who was left daily at the gate of the temple called
         "Beautiful" - Ac 3:2-3
         a. Perhaps the Nicanor Gate made of Corinthian bronze
         b. At the East entrance to the Court of Women
         c. To ask alms from the people entering the temple, who asked
            Peter and John for alms
      2. Peter healed him in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth - Ac 3:4-8
         a. The lame man expected alms, but Peter gave him something
            better silver and gold!
         b. Peter took him by the hand and lifted him up
         c. His feet and ankles received strength, the miracle was
            immediate and total!

   C. A CROWD GATHERED...
      1. Drawn by the scene of the man walking, praising God - Ac 3:9-10
         a. Who was walking, praising God
         b. The people were amazed, wondering, for they knew he had
            been lame from birth
      2. They gathered in the porch called "Solomon's" - Ac 3:11
         a. A colonnaded area along the eastern wall of the temple area
            - ESVSB
         b. With double columns 38 feet tall, spanning 49 feet,
            supporting cedar ceilings - AYBD

[Note the similarity to the events in Acts 2:  a miraculous event
occurred, it attracted the attention of the people.  As before, Peter
used the opportunity to preach the gospel...]

II. THE SERMON

   A. JESUS PROCLAIMED AS MIRACLE EXPLAINED...
      1. The miracle was not by the power or godliness of Peter and
         John - Ac 3:12
      2. It was through faith in God's Servant, Jesus - Ac 3:13-16
         a. Whom the God of their fathers had glorified!
         b. Whom they had delivered up and denied in the presence of
            Pilate!
         c. Whom they denied, asking for a murderer to be released in
            his stead!
         d. Whom they killed, but God raised from the dead and seen by
            eyewitnesses!
         e. Whom Peter describes as the Holy One, the Just, the Prince
            of Life!
      3. Through faith in His name the lame man was healed - Ac 3:16
         a. Note well: it was Peter and John's faith in Jesus, not the
            lame man's faith
         b. For the lame man had not expected a miracle, but silver or
            gold - cf. Ac 3:4-7

   B. REPENTANCE COMMANDED AS IGNORANCE ACKNOWLEDGED...
      1. Peter acknowledges that they and their rulers acted in
         ignorance - Ac 3:17
      2. What occurred was foretold and fulfilled by God - Ac 3:18; cf.
         Ac 2:23
      3. Yet ignorance was no excuse, so they must "repent and be
         converted" - Ac 3:19
         a. Repent - change their minds their minds regarding Jesus and
            their sinful ways
         b  Be converted - turn back to God, which may imply baptism 
            - cf. Ac 2:38; 1Pe 3:21
      4. Reasons to repent and turn to God are given - Ac 3:19-26
         a. That their sins may be blotted out (remitted) - cf. Ac 2:38;
            22:16
         b. That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the
            Lord (possibly referring to the gift of the Spirit)- cf. 

            Ac 2:38; Jn 7:37-39; Ga 4:6; 5:22-23
         c. That God may send Jesus Christ (a reference to His second
            coming) - cf. 2Pe 3:12
            1) Who was preached to them before (via the prophets)
            2) Whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration
               of all things (of which the prophets had also spoken)
         d. Lest they be utterly destroyed
            1) For Moses spoke of this Prophet (Jesus) - cf. Deu 18:15
            2) Those who will not Him, God will require it of them - cf.
               Deu 18:18-19
         e. They were sons of the prophets, and of the covenant God
            made with their fathers
            1) A covenant made with Abraham, to bless the world in his
               seed - Gen 12:3; 22:18
            2) A promise fulfilled by God through His Servant Jesus,
               Whom He raised
               a) Who was sent by God to bless them
               b) To bless them by turning them away from their sins

CONCLUSION

1. The response to "The Second Gospel Sermon" proved two-fold...
      a. A negative response by the religious leaders - Ac 4:1-3
      b. A positive response by many who heard (2000 believed) - Ac 4:4

2. Again we see that gospel preaching involved... 
   a. Proclaiming the death, burial, resurrection and lordship of Jesus
      Christ
   b. Calling on people to respond with repentance (with faith and
      baptism implied)
   c. Offering the remission of sins and refreshing gift of the Spirit

3. We also learn that it included proclaiming...
   a. The character of Jesus (Servant, Holy, Just, Prince of life,
      Christ, Prophet)
   b. The return of Jesus (i.e., His second coming)

How have you responded to the gospel preaching?  In faithful obedience,
or have you been hardening your heart by refusing to obey God's Prophet
and His apostles in faith, repentance and baptism...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2012