04/05/09

Class: Prov 30:1-6 (3) "I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One."

Scripture reading: #640

Vespers: “Giving Hope 'For The Better'” He was called Barnabas - son of encouragement! Acts 4:34-37

· Discouragement happens naturally;

· encouragement happens with purpose.

· discouragement leads to depression

· depression literally poisons the mind and body

Wednesday evening: pp158-170 “Desire of the Everlasting Hills” A one-night look at the Book of Revelation! Please read and come prepared to discuss.

Maundy Thursday Communion Service @ 7

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth,
    and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
    born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven
    and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,

whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy *catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Palm Sunday: Great and Unrealistic Expectations –

Matthew 16:21. From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" 23. Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

24. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

27. For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

In Matthew 19:27. Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

‘What’s in it for us?’ Don’t be too hard on the disciples for their question. I think that probably everyone who makes a decision for Christ has great and unrealistic expectations as to what this is going to do for them.

Matthew 20:17. Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, 18. "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19. and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"

20. Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21. "What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."

22. "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered. 23. Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."

24. When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.

26. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27. and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- 28. just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

What’s my place in the ‘kingdom’ – and when does it start?

What’s in it for me?

If my great expectations of His kingdom deal with anything other than following the paths He presents to me for serving…denying my own ambitions to follow Him –

If my great expectations of His kingdom deal with anything other than making certain He is in possession of my soul –

If my great expectations of His kingdom deal with anything other than being willing to drink the ‘bitter cup’ of suffering –

If my great expectations of His kingdom deal with anything other than wanting to lay claim to righteousness, peace and joy in the Presence of a Holy and Righteous God Who is always there…then I have misunderstood the Kingdom for which He came, He lived, He suffered, He bled and He died.

What place do you seek in the kingdom? What are your expectations?