DAILY, WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

November 1: The Danger of Unwarranted Favor 1 Kings 1:1–53; Mark 1:1–34; Proverbs 1:1–7 No sooner had David assumed the throne of Israel than he began to lose sight of God’s way. As a young “warrior in the wilderness,” he had provided a beacon of hope and an ethical example for God’s people. But King David allowed emotion, rather than spiritual or even rational principles, to drive him. And David’s children made the situation even worse. Although we often look to David as an example to emulate, we can also learn from the mistakes that he made, including the disaster recorded in 1 Kgs 1:5–53 . As king, David was charged with protecting God’s people against all outside enemies. What David didn’t see coming—or so it appears from the text—was the threat from within his own family. When David’s sons began to compete for power, David should have put his love for God’s people and the calling God gave him above his love for his sons. The moment that Adonijah showed signs of laying c...

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 | AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 19 YEAR C               Psalm       Psalm 51:1–17 or Psalm 51:1–10               First Reading       Exodus 32:1, 7–14               Second Reading       1 Timothy 1:12–17               Gospel       Luke 15:1–10 The Episcopal Church. Book of Common Prayer (1979) Sunday Lectionary. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010. Print.

The Keys of Death and Hades Revelation 1:18 Excerpt ...keys are the symbol of authority, and by having been raised from death, the glorified Christ has the power over death and the world of the dead; he has the power to leave people in death or to open the gates of Hades ( see Isa 38.10; Matt 16.18 [ RSV footnote]) and let its inhabitants leave. This, of course, is a figure for the power to bring the dead to life. Bratcher, Robert G., and Howard Hatton. A Handbook on the Revelation to John. New York: United Bible Societies, 1993. Print. UBS Handbook Series.

SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2016 | EASTER SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR C              Psalm       Psalm 67               First Reading       Acts 14:8–18 or Joel 2:21–27               Second Reading       Revelation 21:22–22:5 or Acts 14:8–                                                 18              Gospel       John 14:23–29 The Episcopal Church. Book of Common Prayer (1979) Sunday Lectionary. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010. Print.

A Silver Shekel ‎Rome operated a mint in Tyre that produced silver shekels of high purity (94 percent silver or more). These and half-shekels were the only coins accepted by the temple in Jerusalem. The high priests paid Judas with silver shekels like this one to betray Christ ( Matt 26:15 ). This was also the coin Jesus told Peter to find in the fish’s mouth ( Matt 17:27 ).

Tents Song of Solomon 1:5 Excerpt ‎Tents were among the early habitations of man, though not the earliest since they apparently were not introduced until the time of Jabal, who was in the seventh generation from Adam (see Genesis 4:20 ). The first tents were doubtless made of skins, though afterward when the process of weaving became known, they were made of cloth of camel’s hair, or goat’s hair, spun by women. The latter is the material most commonly used by the Arabs, and since the goats were usually black, or a very dark brown, the tents had the same appearance. It was thus in the days of Solomon with the tents made the descendants of the Ishmaelitish Kedar. “Kedar,” which means “powerful” in Arabic and “black” in Hebrew, designates the descendants of Ishmael in North Arabia. … Freeman, James M., and Harold J. Chadwick. Manners & Customs of the Bible . North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998. Print.

Jesus Knew their Hostile Thoughts Excerpt Immediately (euthys; cf. 1:10 ) Jesus perceived in His spirit (inwardly; cf. 14:38 ) their hostile thoughts and He confronted them directly with pointed counterquestions (a rhetorical device in Rabbinic debate; cf. 3:4 ; 11:30 ; 12:37 ). The scribes expected a physical healing, but Jesus pronounced the man’s sins … forgiven. They probably thought that a pronouncement of forgiveness was easier than one of healing because healing was visible and immediately verifiable. Grassmick, John D. “ Mark .” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures . Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 2. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 112. Print.

The Significance of the Sender Galatians 1:1 Excerpt The significance of a messenger depended not on his own status, but on the status of the one who sent him. Paul claims the highest status of all, for he was sent “by Jesus Christ and God the Father.” Two propositions further emphasize Paul’s position. His apostleship is neither from ( apo ) or through ( dia ) men. Not “from men” sets Paul apart from the false apostles, who were never commissioned by God at all. Not “through men” sets him with the Twelve, directly commissioned by Jesus. Richards, Lawrence O. The Bible Reader’s Companion. electronic ed. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1991. Print.

April 28th What you will get Thy life will I give thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest. Jeremiah 45:5 . This is the unshakable secret of the Lord to those who trust Him— ‘I will give thee thy life.’ What more does a man want than his life? It is the essential thing. ‘Thy life for a prey’ means that wherever you may go, even if it is into hell, you will come out with your life, nothing can harm it. So many of us are caught up in the shows of things, not in the way of property and possessions, but of blessings. All these have to go; but there is something grander that never can go—the life that is “hid with Christ in God.” Are you prepared to let God take you into union with Himself, and pay no more attention to what you call the ‘great things’? Are you prepared to abandon entirely and let go? The test of abandonment is in refusing to say— ‘Well, what about this?’ Beware of suppositions. Immediately you allow— ‘What about this?’ it means you have not...

Robinson’s Arch ‎Arch supporting staircase of Robinson’s Arch

January 11th What my obedience to God costs other people They laid hold upon one Simon, … and on him, they laid the cross Luke 23:26. If we obey God it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the sting comes in. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything, it is a delight, but it costs those who do not love Him a good deal. If we obey God it will mean that other people’s plans are upset, and they will gibe us with it— ‘You call this Christianity?’ We can prevent the suffering; but if we are going to obey God, we must not prevent it, we must let the cost be paid. Our human pride entrenches itself on this point, and we say— ‘I will never accept anything from anyone.’ We shall have to, or disobey God. We have no right to expect to be in any other relation than our Lord Himself was in ( see Luke 8:2–3 ). Stagnation in spiritual life comes when we say we will bear the whole thing ourselves. We cannot. We are so...

The Enemy Also Speaks to Us Excerpt But while God is speaking, the enemy is also speaking (v. 42 ). We have learned that the writer of this psalm was oppressed by enemies who lied about him, slandered his name, and even threatened his life. Our main weapon against these attacks is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God ” ( Eph. 6:17 ), for only God’s truth can silence the devil’s lies ( Matt. 4:1–11 ). We need God’s truth in our hearts, not only to keep us from sin, but also to equip us to answer those who oppose us or ask us why we believe as we do ( 1 Peter 3:15 ). Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Exultant. 1st ed. Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004. Print. “Be” Commentary Series.

January 8: Judging the Time and Seasons Genesis 14–15 ; Matthew 11 ; Ecclesiastes 3:9–15 We often have difficulty judging the events in our lives and then responding appropriately. Although God has placed eternity “in our hearts,” we don’t know the reason or the outcome of our life’s events ( Eccl 3:11 ). The danger comes in being known for only one mode of operation and one response for all seasons. In Matt 11 , Jesus speaks to a generation who responds in one way—with skepticism and unbelief. Those who judge see John the Baptist as a demon-possessed man rather than a prophet. They see Jesus as a glutton, a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and sinners—not the one who has come to save them from their sins. Jesus illustrates their responses with a tale. He compares them to children who call out to each other in the marketplaces, saying, “We played the flute for you and you did not dance; we sang a lament and you did not mourn” ( Matt 11:17 ). Those who hear and fail...

Jeremiah Honored by the Babylonians ‎When the Babylonians stormed Jerusalem they found Jeremiah still confined within the prison court. At first, he was seized with the others and chained; but when the invaders knew who he was, they treated him with great honor, as well they might, for he was the one man who had most upheld their power in Jerusalem, the one who, having declared Nebuchadnezzar to be God’s destined instrument, had protested against opposing him. ‎Jerusalem itself was mercilessly ravaged. The city was burned, its chief buildings were torn stone from stone, thousands of its people slain in the streets; and all those of any importance who escaped the slaughter were carried off with King Zedekiah to be held captive in Babylon. Only a few hundred of the lowest and poorest of the inhabitants were allowed to remain among the smoking ruins. As for Jeremiah, he was bidden by Nebuchadnezzar’s captain to choose as he wished, whether to go with the army to Babylon ther...

January 7th Intimate with Jesus Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known Me? John 14:9. These words are not spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus is leading Philip on. The last One with whom we get intimate is Jesus. Before Pentecost, the disciples knew Jesus as the One Who gave them all authority to conquer demons and to bring about a revival ( see Luke 10:18–20 ). It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer intimacy to come— “I have called you friends.” Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His word, but do we know Him? Jesus said— “It is expedient for you that I go away” —in that relationship so that He might lead them on. It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes their time to step more intimately with Him. Fruit bearing is always ment...

In the Beginning... Genesis 1:1 Excerpt In the beginning refers to the time when God began to create. If the translator interprets this as a dependent clause, the opening clause may be translated, for example, “When God began to create,” “At the time when God began to create,” or “In the beginning of God’s creation.” If the traditional interpretation is followed, then the beginning refers to the time when the universe came into existence, rather than the beginning or opening of the story of creation. Reyburn, William David, and Euan McG. Fry. A Handbook on Genesis. New York: United Bible Societies, 1998. Print. UBS Handbook Series.

The King’s Birth Matthew 1:1 Excerpt ‎Genealogies were very important to the Jews, for without them they could not prove their tribal memberships or their rights to inheritances. Anyone claiming to be “the Son of David” had to be able to prove it. It is generally concluded that Matthew gave our Lord’s family tree through His foster father, Joseph while Luke gave Mary’s lineage ( Luke 3:23ff ). ‎Many Bible readers skip over this list of ancient (and, in some cases, unpronounceable) names. But this “list of names” is a vital part of the Gospel record. It shows that Jesus Christ is a part of history; that all of Jewish history prepared the way for His birth. God in His providence ruled and overruled to accomplish His great purpose in bringing His Son into the world. …

Egyptian Litter

Coin of Herod Agrippa II

God Protects Us “Protect them” ( John 17:15 ). God does not remove us from danger but protects us in the midst. We are on a mission in this world in which we live as aliens. Therefore we cannot be taken out of it. “Sanctify them” ( John 17:17 ). God’s way is not to take us out of the world, but to take the world out of us. The Gk. hagiazo means to set a person apart. Through God’s Word He sets us apart from sin and from evil, that we might glorify Him. “For those who will believe” ( John 17:20 ). Christ’s prayer was for us as well as the Twelve. Illustration. Christ is usually portrayed in Gethsemane bowed down in prayer. Here He is best portrayed standing, His commitment made. Triumphant, He looks beyond the Cross to the glory that is to be His when He returns to the Father. Jesus also prays for His disciples and for us. “ One as We are one” ( John 17:22–23 ). This verse has been misused to promote the idea that Christ prayed for the organizational union of mode...