#Jesus was not sent to the Gentiles but to the lost sheep

[readfull]

Answer to those who say "Jesus loves you" Face the truth

Answer to those who say “Jesus loves you” When they tell you that Jesus loves you and died for you, or will save you, just calmly and confidently tell them that’s a lie.  “Jesus couldn’t save himself, let alone me.” Jesus Could Not Save Himself From Crucifixion. Stop telling me such a lie anymore. I don’t believe that Jesus loves me, died for me or saves me from eternal death as you claim –…

[twiggy-in-pink]

Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!”

Matthew 10:5-8

[scribeforchrist-blog]

Hearing His Voice

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK

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+ Galatians 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

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VERSE OF THE DAY

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+ Proverbs 16:1 We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.

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** SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ; HERE’S SOME CHRISTIAN TRUTHS **

I AM HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD

I AM OBEYING

I AM STRONG

I AM SILENT

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READ TIME: 7 Minutes

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THOUGHTS:

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 We all have our plans and try to do what we want, but when we establish our plans, we must understand: did we seek God for it? Did we ask God if it was a good idea? Did we make sure he wanted this for our life? Many of us want God to follow us instead of us following God, and that’s not how it goes, friends.

  To grow in God and know his will, we put him first and allow his plans to manifest; at the start of it all, some of us don’t even care what his will is for our life, and his will is very much different when we know his will we must follow in that, look at the disciples he told them exactly what to bring what to do and what to expect.

  Matthew 10:5-8 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

 If you look at these verses here and 9-15, he told them exactly what his will was for them and clear instructions; he didn’t tell them just anything or any maybes , he told them what to expect from the mission at hand; he wanted them to be prepared, and that’s how he is even in our life he will tell us what we will expect and how's it going to happen, but it's up to us to HEAR HIM    

     That’s what happens a lot of the time: we don’t hear him, and we ignore him, but when Jesus gives us directions in our life, we must follow them to a tee; if the disciples had not listened and done what Jesus had asked them they would've been lost but because they listen they were able to come back to him and tell him what they had seen and done.

    God wants us to be prepared when we go out among people; he wants us to be prepared when we do his work, but to do his work, we must listen to God and not do what we think but do as we are told that’s when obedience comes in a lot of us don’t want to listen our life should be about God and what he wants of us and when we start walking in the right step we will walk the way he wants of us

 Proverbs 20:24: A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How, then, can anyone understand their way?

    It tells us we don’t understand our ways, so we must go through God to understand them. Sometimes, we think we know how to handle and do certain things. We don’t because we aren’t thinking clear-headed when we are clouded with the things of the flesh. When we allow our flesh to make all our decisions, we will do fleshly things, every morning when we get up. We SHOULD begin our day with the Holy Spirit.

   We are placing our best foot forward by allowing the Holy Spirit to tell us what to expect,about our day. I can remember serval times I would start my day with prayer, and the lord would tell me exactly what would happen in my day; when the enemy struck, I was prepared because I started my day off right with God.

 Psalm 139:5-6 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word, I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

    God can prepare us for our day if we let him. It’s all about if we let him do these things and we let him by listening to his voice; many of us never hear his voice because we don’t slow down and wait upon the lord. Waiting upon him is something we must always do; sometimes, I have to slow myself down so I can hear from him because our flesh wants to go, but once we hear his voice, we will start to slow down our ways

  Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him

  How many of you wait on the lord in silence? How many of you can say you do this? When we wait silently we are allowing him to be heard; we are allowing him to conduct the very moment we are speaking to him. God's words are powerful, but if we aren’t willing to sit silently for him, we aren’t willing to do what he says. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

  ***Today, we learned how important it is to hear the voice of God and how to do precisely what he says. It was a man once In the Bible, he was told not to eat anything. He was told to give the word and come back; he did everything right until the last part when another prophet told him the lord said it was okay to eat, and instead of this man listening to what the lord said to him he listens to someone else. It cost him his life(1 KINGS 13) ; at every turn, we must believe in what the lord speaks to us and not someone else; what God says is bigger than anyone else’s words. Do you believe that? Do you believe in what the lord is speaking unto you today? Trust in God and not in others, not even what you want to do, because when God speaks, it’s the most important thing you’ll ever hear.

 ©Seer~ Prophetess Lee

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PRAYER

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Heavenly Father, thank you so much; help us hear you. Help us to be obedient to you, lord. We ask you to help us be more like you, lord; give us ears to hear and eyes to see. Lord, we thank you for your word, help us to hear you, and understand you . Lord, we ask you to bless our day as we go through it. Lord, we cancel the plans the enemy has over our lives, & over our family lives; in Jesus' name, we claim the victory; in Jesus Name, Amen

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REFERENCES

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+ Psalm 37:34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

 

+ Psalm 33:20-22 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield. For our heart is glad in him because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

 

+ Psalm 25:4-5 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you, I wait all day long.

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FURTHER READINGS

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 Proverbs 15

Joshua 17

Psalm 6

Isaiah 42

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[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Mark Fulton

“Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so” (Traditional, Words by Anna B. Warner)

Most Christians assume Jesus loved anyone who accepted him; that Jesus had a personal interest in each and every individual. Yet they misunderstand their main man. Jesus did not love Gentiles (who he referred to as pagans.) He told his disciples:

“Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel”  (Matt. 10:6, NJB.)

He said:

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of  Israel”  (Matt. 15:24, NJB.)

Jesus even told his fellow Jews not to pray like pagans (non Jewish people):

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matt. 6:7–8, NJB.)

Here is Jesus’ encounter with a Greek (i.e. non-Jewish) woman:

“He left that place and set out for the territory of Tyre. There he went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not pass unrecognized. A woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him straight away and came and fell at his feet. Now the woman was pagan, by birth a Syrophonecian and she begged him to cast the devil out of her daughter and he said to her ‘the children should be fed first, because it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house dogs’. But she spoke up ‘Ah yes sir’ she replied ‘but the house dogs under the table can eat the children’s scraps’. And he said to her ‘for saying this, you may go home happy; the devil has gone out of your daughter.’ So she went off to her home and found the child lying on the bed and the devil gone” (Mark 7:24–30, NJB.)

Caesaria was the capital of Judea and Sepphoris the capital of Galilee, yet there is no record that Jesus ever visited either city, despite their size and importance, possibly because Gentiles populated them.

Jesus could have taken his mission outside Palestine. Egyptians, Greeks, Africans, and Romans might have been wowed by his words of wisdom, yet he did not bother with them either, as they too were in Gentile territories.

People who push the “Jesus loves you” line need to read their Bibles more carefully, and should try to understand the real history. It is obvious Jesus did not even like you unless you were Jewish.

The man portrayed in the Gospels was often not meek, mild or tolerant. Consider how Jesus threatened people with hell, and bad-mouthed anyone who did not worship him. The Gospels’ authors were not even consistent enough to create an attractive image of Jesus.

Yeshua, the real historical character, if he ever existed, grew up uneducated in the violent xenophobic backwater that was first century Galilee. He was executed by the Romans because he was a militant sectarian zealot. It is obvious that his image as a peace loving, benevolent, humanitarian preacher is a fiction, written by propagandists decades after his death. They were intent on creating an image of him that was the opposite of who he really was.

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The bible, like the quran and any other cult doctrine, doesn't advocate for universal love. Only for those in the author's tribe.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Devotional Hours Within the Bible by James Russell Miller

Mission to the Gentiles (Mark 7:24-30)

Much of the public life of Jesus was devoted to caring for sufferers .

The doctor’s little girl told the messenger where she thought her father could be found, as he was needed immediately, “I don’t know, sir; but you’ll find him somewhere, helping somebody.” When people sought for Jesus and could not find Him, He was usually away with someone in need, doing good, helping somebody. At this time, however, He was trying to get away from the crowd. He certainly was not trying to hide from His enemies, for He never had any fear of men. Probably He needed rest for Himself and His disciples. At least we are told “He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it.” We are sure Jesus never hides away from those who need Him in their distress. It is never true that He cannot be found. He never shuts the door upon those who pray to Him, or those who come to Him in trouble and want to find Him, refusing to see them. We will never find Him absent nor in hiding when we go to Him with any question or any need.

Try as He would, Jesus was not able to get away from the people. His attempts to have a little rest, were always thwarted. We are told here that though He wished to remain in seclusion, He could not be hidden. We cannot hide flowers their fragrance will tell where they are. Jesus could not be hid from human need there was something about His love which revealed Him to all who had any need. In this case it was a mother with a great sorrow who sought Him. Her little daughter had an evil spirit. We cannot understand how a child could be possessed by a demon but in this case it was a child. Very great was the mother’s distress. This woman had heard in some way of Jesus and of His casting out of evil spirits over in His own country. She had never expected that He would come into her neighborhood, as she was a Gentile, living outside the limits of His country. But when she learned from some of her neighbors that the Great Healer had come to the town, and was in a certain house, she lost no time in finding her way to Him. She came with strong faith. She was sure that Jesus could free her little girl from the terrible trouble. She fell at His feet, in the attitude of deepest humility.

Mothers may get a lesson from this Gentile woman. If their children are sick they should hasten to Christ with them. If they are in the power of any form of evil they should especially seek the help of Him who alone can give help in such cases. There are evil spirits besides the demons who possessed people in our Lord’s Day. Every child is exposed to constant temptations and my receive hurt. In every child there are natural evil tempers and dispositions which, if not cast out, will greatly imperil the life.

The first difficulty in this woman’s way, was the fact that she was a Gentile. Christ was not sent to her but the gospel now is for all the world. No nation has any exclusive claim to it. It is for the world. But Jesus devoted Himself only to His own people. Not until after He had died and risen again were His disciples sent to all the nations. The woman’s nationality was a barrier. Jesus was not sent to any but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew tells us that when the woman began to plead with Jesus, “He answered her not a word” (15:23). This is one of the strangest incidents in our Lord’s whole life. Usually He was quick to answer every call for help. His heart responded instantly and lovingly to everyone who came to Him. A Christ silent to the cry of a mother, pleading for her child, seems so contrary to what we know of the sympathizing and helping Christ, that the record seems almost incredible. He was never unsympathetic, unloving, indifferent, or cold. We may be sure, however, that His silence in this case did not show lack of interest in the woman. His heart was not cold to her. All we can say, is that the time had not yet come for Him to speak. The woman’s faith needed still further development and discipline to bring it to its best.

People sometimes think now that Christ is silent to them when they call upon Him in their trouble. No answer comes to their cries. He seems not to come for their distress. But they may always know that the silence is not indication of indifference. Christ’s delays are not refusals. When He does not speak to answer our pleadings, it is because He is waiting for the right time to speak.

Matthew tells us also that the disciples interfered, begging Him to send the woman away. They seem to have been annoyed by her following after them, and her continual pleading. The fact that she was a Gentile may account for this. The Jews had no sympathy for the Gentiles. It took the disciples a long time, even after the day of Pentecost, to be willing to carry the gospel to a Gentile home. Here they wanted Jesus to send the woman away and to stop her annoying cries. This is the way some people try to get clear of the calls of human need, even in these Christian days. They cannot stand the cries of those who are suffering. They cannot bear to see those who come with pleas of distress. They turn away from their doors, those who come asking for help. They do not know that they are turning away Christ Himself, for He says that in the needy who stand before us, asking for aid He Himself stands, hungry, thirsty, and sick, a stranger. “Inasmuch as you did it not unto one of the least of these, you did it not to Me” (Matthew 25:45).

When Jesus did speak to this woman at length, it was a very discouraging word that He said. “First let the children eat all they want for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” The children were the Jewish people. They were in a peculiar sense God’s family. It seems very strange to hear the word “dogs” falling from the lips of Jesus Christ, applied to Gentiles. It does not seem like Him. It would not have been surprising to have heard the disciples use this offensive designation, for they still were full of the narrow Jewish spirit. It was common for the Jews to call the Gentiles by this name. However, Jesus was different. There was never in His heart even a shade of contempt for any human being. No doubt there was something in the tone of the voice which Jesus used, or in the look of His eye as He spoke to the woman that took away from His words, the offensiveness.

Certainly she was not insulted by what He said. Perhaps she was encouraged by the word “first”, “ First let the children eat all they want.” A first implied a second. Or she may have detected in His language, a play upon words which gave her hope. There were little pet dogs in the home as well as children. She was only a dog but the dogs had a portion. They lay under the table and got what the children left. The woman with her quick wit seized upon the picture which the words of the Master suggested. She was content to be a dog and to have the dog’s share. Even the crumbs off that table would be enough for her.

There is strong faith in her reply. At last she had won her victory. Jesus said to her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” In all the New Testament, there is no other such striking illustration of the persistence of faith. Obstacle after obstacle was met and overcome. The woman believed from the beginning that Jesus had power to heal her poor child, and she determined that she would not go away without winning from Him the help which she so very much needed.

The lesson for us is that we should never be discouraged by delays in the answering of our prayers. Even God’s silence to us should not dishearten us. He before whom we stand, can do for us whatever we need to have done. Nothing is impossible to Him. He waits to draw out of faith until it reaches its fullness of power and wins its victory.

If this woman had turned away at any time, discouraged by Christ’s seeming repulse of her, by His silence, or by His seemingly scornful words she would have missed the blessing which at last came to her in such richness. No doubt many people fail to get answers to their prayers, because they are not importunate. A man spent thousands of dollars drilling for oil. At last he became weary and gave up the quest, selling his well for a mere trifle. The purchaser, in two hours after he began work, came upon one of the richest oil wells in the country. The fist man had lost heart just two hours too soon. The same lack of persistence causes failure, no doubt, often, in praying. Jesus says we should always pray and not faint; that is, not give up.

We can picture the joy of this mother as she at last went to her house and found her child well. Her home was not longer darkened by this old-time sadness. The child was no longer under the power of the demon but was happy and well and beautiful. Whatever the trouble with their children may be mothers should always find the way to Christ and should plead with Him in patience, persistence, and faith, until their children are blessed and happy.

[jfarvin]

Matthew 10:5-15

Jesus sent out the Twelve with these instructions: “Don’t go into any Gentile or Samaritan territory. Go instead and find the lost sheep among the people of Israel. And as you go, preach this message: ‘Heaven’s kingdom realm is accessible, close enough to touch.’ You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those who are sick, and make it your habit to break off the demonic presence from people, and raise the dead back to life. Freely you have received the power of the kingdom, so freely release it to others. You won’t need a lot of money. Travel light, and don’t even pack an extra change of clothes in your backpack. Trust God for everything, because the one who works for him deserves to be provided for. “Whatever village or town you enter, search for an honorable man who will let you into his home until you leave for the next town. Once you enter a house, speak to the family there and say, ‘God’s blessing of peace be upon this house!’ And if those living there welcome you, let your peace come upon the house. But if you are rejected, that blessing of peace will come back upon you. And if anyone doesn’t listen to you and rejects your message, when you leave that house or town, shake the dust off your feet. Mark my words, on the day of judgment the wicked people who lived in the land of Sodom and Gomorrah will have a lesser degree of judgment than the city that rejects you, for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah did not have the opportunity that was given to them!

On Sunday we gather for temple worship and pray for people and the rest of the week we heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons.  Anywhere!  Everywhere!  In Jesus name!!!

ToDa, Abba, Toda

Jesus & jfa

[gayleviticus]

I find it funny that from a purely naturalistic historical critical pov there is a reasonable case among historians to be made Jesus was kind of a Jewish nationalist who wasn't actively anti Gentile or anything, but all his nice stuff about love your neighbour and whatnot was really just about your own fellow countrymen, whereas with paul, so often maligned as a perverter of jesus pure historical teachings of love for all people, the one thing we know 1000% indisputably for a fact is that he was ride or die for making sure all people from every culture were invited to know God without becoming Jewish

(and even within orthodox Christian theology, before he died Jesus had v little interest in Gentiles. 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' 99.9% of Christians attacking Paul to defend Jesus are sawing off the branch they're sitting on.

and especially when people point to stuff like Paul feuding w Jesus' actual apostles to prove he was a fake - remind me, what specifically were they feuding over? Not the resurrection, not the supernatural, not ethics - it was over Gentile inclusion within the church. If you think Paul fighting Peter over Gentile inclusion proves he was a false apostle then there's no basis for you as a Gentile to be Christian)

[barbaramoorersm]

August 20, 2023

August 20, 2023

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 56: 1, 6-7

God’s words in Isaiah convey an outreach to all people including, foreigners.

Psalm 67

The Psalmists shares the same inclusive message from God.

Romans 11: 13-15, 29-32

Paul demonstrates inclusivity as he writes to the Romans.

Matthew 15: 23-28

Jesus eventually choses an inclusive gesture.

Any one of us who knew our immigrant grandparents can tell stories of the hard times they faced when they emigrated to this nation.  Prejudice existed based on their nationality and culture, and often surfaced because of their religious beliefs.  Roman Catholics faced such problems in the 19th century.  People often find it difficult to accept differences in culture, food, and customs.  Some believe their way is a superior one and others may have fear replacement or scarcity of resources when claims for help are being addressed.  Many of us can attest to this reality when we look at the numbers of cultural churches that were established in our community. They assisted folks in their transition to this nation’s culture. Inclusivity and the embrace of the “other” is a human issue.  And our Scripture readings this weekend address the same thing.

Long before the birth of Christ, the ancient Prophet Isaiah realized that the “Lord would bring foreigners who will join themselves to the Lord.”  The religious leaders did expect the foreigners to abide by the Jewish laws and customs but the acceptance of the “other” into the community is remarkable.

In the Letter to the Romans, Paul appears to have already accepted the “others,” the Gentiles, into the Christian community.  At the same time Paul reaffirms Israel’s special place in the eyes of God. He writes, “For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.”

Perhaps Paul is aware of the story Matthew shares with us today when Jesus tells the Canaanite woman requesting his help, “I was sent to only to the lost sheep of Israel.”  But her persistence on behalf of her daughter eventually has Jesus saying to her, “O woman great is your faith” and her daughter was healed.

Let us turn to a recent book by Amy-Jill Levine, a Jewish scholar who teaches the New Testament.  Her credentials help us explore the relationship between Jesus, Jews, and non-Jews as we experience them in this Gospel.  Just as an aside, when one finishes Matthew’s Gospel, we find Jesus commissioning the disciples to go out to all the nations.  Matthew now expresses a more inclusive message.  This reality causes me to remember a statement in Luke.  Jesus, after being lost in the Temple, returns home and Luke tells us that “…Jesus increased in wisdom and in years.”  Perhaps this reality was at play in this Gospel.  But during his ministry it seems Jesus is coming to grips with his ministry that is reaching more people and is expanding his horizons.

Levine in her book, “The Difficult Words of Jesus” shares that, “…thinking the Messianic age was beginning they (Jesus’ apostles) would not have the time to get to the Gentiles if they were to go to their own people first.” (79)  But Jesus could also look back into the Jew’s sacred scriptures and find examples of the prophets assisting non-Jews. 

But it is the woman, who in my mind, is a deciding factor in this story.  She understands the differences between the two cultures, and even after what looks like an insult, she presses on.  Levine writes, “She is the model for anyone, seeking aid for a child, who is told: you don’t have the right papers; you don’t have insurance; you don’t have money.” (96)

“Woman great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”  Jesus is a model for all of us as he steps outside his comfort zone and realizes the goodness and faith of the “other.”  “He grew in age and wisdom.”  May this Gospel story enlighten us to see the faith, the goodness, and the beauty in those so many call the “others.” 

Levine writes, “…Matthew recognizes that both Jewish and Gentile identities are important, and it gives us the model of not just recognizing, but even celebrating various forms of difference in our own settings.” (98)

Wouldn’t you love to meet this courageous fearless women who serves as a model for all of us?

[buggie-hagen]

Homily III on Midweek Night Prayer (12/18/24)

Primary Text | Matthew 15:21-28

Catechism Text | Small Catechism 3:19-20

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Dear People of God,

          Tonight’s focus is the seventh and very last petition of the Lord’s Prayer. Where we ask God to “deliver us from evil.” It is a summary of all the previous petitions find in the Lord’s Prayer. In this prayer “deliver us from evil we are asking God to protect and preserve us from the devil and all evil that would block us from what we are asking in the Lord’s Prayer, things like: “God’s name and honor, God’s kingdom and will, our daily bread, a good and cheerful conscience” and all the rest (LC 3:113). Let us learn from the Canaanite woman how God extinguishes all the fiery darts of our chief opponent on earth.

          Here, our Lord Jesus is not among his fellow Jews. He is in Gentile-territory—non-Jewish folk live in the district of Tyre and Sidon. At once the Canaanite woman comes shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon” (Matt. 15:22). Notice the Canaanite woman is shouting that the Lord show her this mercy. What confidence she has. If we ask something from God we ask so feebly, expecting nothing from God. But the Canaanite woman knows differently than us. To save her daughter from the demon she yells at the Lord, she doesn’t care if it’s shameful or if it offends decency. She and her daughter need help, and they need help right now. (pause) Yet the first response she gets from the Lord none of us expect. Silence. Complete silence. Jesus gave her answer to her request. But the mother doesn’t give up. She keeps shouting after the Lord and his disciples. The disciples ask Jesus to send this lady away. At this point is when he finally gave her an answer: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24). You’ll need a little bit of Bible background to understand his response to this lady. Long ago God had rescued his people from slavery in Egypt and brought them through the wilderness. Because he was the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, he had promised the children of Israel that he would bring them to the promised land—a land flowing with milk and honey. The problem for the Israelites was there were already people living in the land—and God had asked them to drive them out. This lady is a descendant of the Canaanites—a group of people who were driven out of the promised land. Canaanites were not yet given the promise hidden in Christ.

At this point in the passage from Matthew, the Canaanite woman came over, got on her knees, still pressing Jesus, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs” (Matt. 15:26). Now listen very carefully. Her reply to Jesus is super important. She said to Jesus, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” (Matt. 15:27). She did not deny that the house of Israel holds a special place in God’s heart—after all, they were the first people to hear the Word of God, they were the ones entrusted with God’s promises, especially that the Messiah, the Christ would come through them—"salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). But the Canaanite woman insisted yet that even so, God’s mercy through the Son of David, is also for her—a non-Jew. She said to Jesus, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” To which Jesus turns around and give her a promise, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly (Matt. 15:28).

This is the nature of faith in Christ Jesus. Faith is no easy thing. We must believe God is gracious and merciful even when all of our experiences in life say otherwise. Even when God himself works against us, we must hold God to his gracious promise. As Luther says, “We do not depend on our own strength, conscience, experience, person, or works but depend on that which is outside ourselves, that is, on the promise and truth of God, which cannot deceive.”

The Canaanite woman believed God is gracious in Jesus Christ—the Son of David—and that his mercy was for her and her daughter. In all humility she believed that even the crumbs of God’s goodness would heal her daughter from the demon. We too, share the same faith as this lady, dear people. The crumbs of God’s mercy. By our eyes, you wouldn’t think bread crumbs amount to much. But we do not depend on eyes. God saves us through his word even though it comes to us in a little piece of bread—like in the Lord’s Supper. By your baptism, you have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. Through the promise, God eagerly has forgiven your sin, redeemed you from death and devil, and given you an eternal life. When you pray in the Lord’s Prayer “deliver us from evil” pray with all the confidence this Canaanite woman had when she approached the Lord. In your time of need, shout it at him. Drum your need into his ears. Do not give up on your prayers. Though he may be silent, though he may attack the promise…God will yet prove himself true and deliver you. If not in this lifetime, surely, in the next.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

7th December >> Mass Readings (USA)

Saint Ambrose, Bishop, Doctor 

on

Saturday, First Week of Advent.

Saturday, First Week of Advent.

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I))

(Readings for the feria (Saturday))

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Saturday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 The Merciful One will show you mercy when you cry out.

Thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, no more will you weep; He will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will answer you. The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: “This is the way; walk in it,” when you would turn to the right or to the left.

He will give rain for the seed that you sow in the ground, And the wheat that the soil produces will be rich and abundant. On that day your flock will be given pasture and the lamb will graze in spacious meadows; The oxen and the asses that till the ground will eat silage tossed to them with shovel and pitchfork. Upon every high mountain and lofty hill there will be streams of running water. On the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall, The light of the moon will be like that of the sun and the light of the sun will be seven times greater like the light of seven days. On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people, he will heal the bruises left by his blows.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R/ Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.

Praise the LORD, for he is good; sing praise to our God, for he is gracious; it is fitting to praise him. The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem; the dispersed of Israel he gathers.

R/ Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He tells the number of the stars; he calls each by name.

R/ Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.

Great is our LORD and mighty in power: to his wisdom there is no limit. The LORD sustains the lowly; the wicked he casts to the ground.

R/ Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Isaiah 33:22

Alleluia, alleluia. The LORD is our Judge, our Lawgiver, our King; he it is who will save us. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8 At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them.

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

--------------------------------

Saint Ambrose, Bishop, Doctor 

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I))

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Saturday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Ephesians 3:8-12 To preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ.

Brothers and sisters: To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for all what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things, so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the Church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens. This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness of speech and confidence of access through faith in him.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 21-22, 25 and 27

R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

The favors of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.”

R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, That my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.”

R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and through my name shall his horn be exalted. He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the rock, my savior.’”

R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation John 10:14

Alleluia, alleluia. I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 10:11-16 The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.

Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[godshandlink]

Matthew 10: 1-6 “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them ...”

Matthew 10: 1-6 “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them ...” - https://godshand.link/video/matthew-10-1-6-and-when-he-had-called-unto-him-his-twelve-disciples-he-gave-them/?feed_id=384&_unique_id=673476171d048 God’s Hand Link - God’s Hand Link The phrase “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” in Matthew 10:1-6 is a Sky Fairy power used by Jesus from the Authority on the Heaven. It describes a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry. It marks the selection and commissioning of the Twelve Apostles, a group of disciples who would play a crucial role in spreading the Gospel message and establishing the early Christian Church. It highlights the power and authority granted to these disciples by Jesus, as well as the specific mission they were tasked with.

[bills-bible-basics]

THE TWELVE APOSTLES -- KJV (King James Version) Bible Verse List #Scriptures #BibleStudy #BibleVerses Visit https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/ to see more. "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Matthew 10:1-6, KJV "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15, KJV "And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor." Luke 6:13-16, KJV "Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:" Luke 11:49, KJV "And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him." Luke 22:14, KJV "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." John 15:16, KJV "Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen . . . But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:2, 8 KJV If you would like more info regarding the origin of these KJV Bible verse lists, go to https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/. Thank-you! https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/the-twelve-apostles-kjv-king-james-version-bible-verse-list/?feed_id=224010&THE%20TWELVE%20APOSTLES%20--%20KJV%20%28King%20James%20Version%29%20Bible%20Verse%20List

[automatismoateo]

Jesus didn't believe in the afterlife or that non-Jews would be saved. via /r/atheism

Jesus didn't believe in the afterlife or that non-Jews would be saved. In the gospel of Mark (the oldest and most "authentic"), the divinity of Jesus is never mentioned. He is only referred to as the son of god, which is a royal title, given to King David and Solomon as well. As an apocalyptic prophet, Jesus believed, like many other Jews, that all gentiles and bad Jews will soon drop dead and all the righteous Jews will resurrect from their tombs and "inherit the Earth", and that God will regenerate the Garden of Eden for them. The corpses of all the wicked will then be literally burned in the Gehenna WHICH IS A REAL PLACE in Israel. This is where they burned trash and the cadavers of the gentiles, since only Jews had the right for a proper burial. Gehenna was not "Hell" not even close. The "wicked" would simply be denied any chance of resurrection, a second life, since Jews believed that resurrection was impossible if your body was burned. If the bones are preserved and buried in sacred ground, the dead is "sleeping" not completely gone. So "Paradise" in Jesus' mind was not in some heavenly kingdom, but situated on Earth ! Jesus would then rule this new "Kingdom of God" forever. This original belief is still part of Christianity and Islam's tradition: Jesus is supposed to come back with all his angel-soldiers, kill all the wicked and establish the Kingdom of God on Earth, a perfect society which he will rule for one thousand years before the end of the world (and then everyone on Earth gets to celestial heaven this time). He said: "I have been sent only to save the lost sheep of Israel." His mission was to allow some righteous Jews to get a chance to survive the Apocalypse (a new Mass Genocide God was planning to unleash on Earth, as per tradition) and get resurrected. The wicked would simply die and disappear forever. Jesus said the Apocalypse would happen immediately after his death (this is also what Muhammad said). This is why Jesus HAD to come back from the dead, as a plot from his apostles to keep the loyalty (and money) of their thousands of followers. However, in the youngest Gospels, you can feel the cope: Jesus still hasn't come back after 80 years, and the Apocalypse still hasn't started and many first Christians died without rising up from their tombs. So they took the idea of a celestial afterlife from the Persians and Romans, as well as other popular ideas among the gentiles to stay relevant. And it worked ! People gobbled it up, and it became the successful cult we know today. Submitted September 28, 2024 at 10:48PM by UpstairsAssumption6 (From Reddit https://ift.tt/NFOtgdp)

[fordecree7]

THE BIBLE BOOK OF GOD

New Testament

Matthew 10

The Twelve Apostles

10 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Persecution Will Come

16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

Have No Fear

26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Matthew 10

Diane Beauford

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Dangers of Tradition

1-2 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came and asked Jesus, “Why do your disciples break our ancient tradition and eat their food without washing their hands properly?”

3-9 “Tell me,” replied Jesus, “why do you break God’s commandment through your tradition? For God said, ‘Honour your father and your mother’, and ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death’. But you say that if a man tells his parents, ‘Whatever use I might have been to you is now given to God’, then he owes no further duty to his parents. And so your tradition empties the commandment of God of all its meaning. You hypocrites! Isaiah describes you beautifully when he said: ‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’.”

Superficial and true cleanliness

10-11 Then he called the crowd to him and said, “Listen, and understand this thoroughly! It is not what goes into a man’s mouth that makes him common or unclean. It is what comes out of a man’s mouth that makes him unclean.”

12 Later his disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that the Pharisees are deeply offended by what you said?”

13-14 “Every plant which my Heavenly Father did not plant will be pulled up by the roots,” returned Jesus. “Let them alone. They are blind guides, and when one blind man leads another blind man they will both end up in the ditch!”

15 “Explain this parable to us,” broke in Peter.

16 “Are you still unable to grasp things like that?” replied Jesus.

17-20 “Don’t you see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and then out of the body altogether? But the things that come out of a man’s mouth come from his heart and mind, and it is they that really make a man unclean. For it is from a man’s mind that evil thoughts arise—murder, adultery, lust, theft, perjury and blasphemy. These are the things which make a man unclean, not eating without washing his hands properly!”

A gentile’s faith in Jesus

21-22 Jesus left that place and retired into the Tyre and Sidon district. There a Canaanite woman from those parts came to him crying at the top of her voice, “Lord, have pity on me! My daughter is in a terrible state—a devil has got into her!”

23 Jesus made no answer, and the disciples came up to him and said, “Do send her away—she’s still following us and calling out.”

24 “I was only sent,” replied Jesus, “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 Then the woman came and knelt at his feet. “Lord, help me,” she said.

26 “It is not right, you know,” Jesus replied, “to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”

27 “Yes, Lord, I know, but even the dogs live on the scraps that fall from their master’s table!”

28 “You certainly don’t lack faith,” returned Jesus, “it shall be as you wish.” And at that moment her daughter was cured.

Jesus heals and feeds vast crowds of people

29-31 Jesus left there, walked along the shore of the lake of Galilee, then climbed the hill and sat down. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them people who were lame, crippled, blind, dumb and many others. They simply put them down at his feet and he healed them. The result was that the people were astonished at seeing dumb men speak, crippled men healed, lame men walking about and blind men having recovered their sight. And they praised the God of Israel.

32 But Jesus quietly called his disciples to him. “My heart goes out to this crowd,” he said. “They’ve stayed with me three days now and have no more food. I don’t want to send them home without anything or they will collapse on the way.”

33 “Where could we find enough food to feed such a crowd in this deserted spot?” said the disciples.

34 “How many loaves have you?” asked Jesus. “Seven, and a few small fish,” they replied.

35-39 Then Jesus told the crowd to sit down comfortably on the ground. And when he had taken the seven loaves and the fish into his hands, he broke them with a prayer of thanksgiving and gave them to the disciples to pass on to the people. Everybody ate and was satisfied, and they picked up seven baskets full of the pieces left over. Those who ate numbered four thousand men apart from women and children. Then Jesus sent the crowds home, boarded the boat and arrived at the district of Magadan. — Matthew 15 | J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS) The New Testament in Modern English by J.B Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Cross References: Genesis 6:5; Exodus 20:12; Exodus 21:17; Numbers 22:29; 2 Kings 4:44; Proverbs 4:23; Isaiah 9:16; Isaiah 29:13; Isaiah 31:3; Isaiah 35:6; Isaiah 60:21; Isaiah 61:3; Matthew 4:18; Matthew 4:24; Matthew 5:10; Matthew 7:6; Matthew 8:2; Matthew 8:10; Matthew 9:22; Matthew 9:27; Matthew 10:6; Matthew 11:6; Matthew 11:21; Matthew 12:34; Matthew 13:18; Matthew 13:36; Matthew 14:19; Matthew 16:10; Mark 3:9; Mark 3:22; Mark 7:1-2; Mark 7:5; Mark 7:11; Mark 7:19; Mark 7:24; Mark 7:27-28; Mark 8:1; Luke 16:21; John 5:23; Acts 3:26; Acts 10:14-15; Romans 15:8; 1 Corinthians 6:13; Colossians 2:22

What does Matthew chapter 15 mean?

Key Events in Matthew 15

1. Jesus reproves the Scribes and Pharisees 7. for transgressing God's commandments through their own traditions; 10. teaches how that which goes into the mouth does not defile a man. 21. He heals the daughter of the woman of Canaan, 29. and other great multitudes; 32. and with seven loaves and a few small fish feeds four thousand men

[tj-van-heerden]

=====

Various

World English Bible (WEB)

I asked a trusted prophet to ask of the Lord which translation is best… which one should I use. Immediately the prophet received a vision in which the World English Bible was at the top of the list of translations. That is why I highly recommend the World English Bible.

The World English Bible (WEB) is a Public Domain (no copyright) Modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible first published in 1901, the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament.

Multiple formats are available for free at https://eBible.org/eng-web/ The WEB as it appears online here is available for download: choose the file eng-web_html.zip and remember to install the font.

To buy the WEB in print, see https://shop.ebible.org

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REPENT… KINGDOM

Matthew 3:1-2 [WEB] 1 In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

Matthew 4:17 [WEB] 17 From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 10:5-7 [WEB] 5 Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans. 6 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’

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GOD IS LOVE

1 John 4:7-11 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. 8 He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. 9 By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

Luke 10:29-37 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, 34 came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ 36 Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

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OTHER NAME

Acts 4:12 [WEB] There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!

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SECOND DEATH - CAUGHT UP

Second death…

Rev 2:11 [WEB] 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death. Rev 20:6 [WEB] 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years. Rev 20:14, 15 [WEB] 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 21:8 [WEB] 8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Caught up…

1Thess 4:17 [WEB] 17 then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.

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DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME

Matthew 26:26-28 [WEB] 26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, 28 for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.”

Luke 22:19, 20 [WEB] 19 He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” 20 Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

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BRIDE…

Jer 3:14 [WEB] 14 “Return, backsliding children,” says Yahweh; “for I am a husband to you. I will take one of you from a city, and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.”

Isa 54:5 [WEB] 5 For your Maker is your husband…

Isa 62:4 [WEB] …but you will be called Hephzibah, [meaning: “I delight in her”] and your land Beulah; [meaning: “married”]

Song of Solomon 4:1 [WEB] 1 Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful.

Eph 5:31, 32 [WEB] 31 “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly.

Rev 21:2 [WEB] 2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 21:9 [WEB] 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb’s bride.”

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