#conclusion of Jeremiah's address

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Yahweh Calls Israel to Return to Him

1 If thou wilt return, O Israel, Saith the LORD, Yea, return unto Me; And if thou wilt put away thy detestable things out of My sight, And wilt not waver; 2 And wilt swear: ‘As the LORD liveth’ In truth, in justice, and in righteousness; Then shall the nations bless themselves by Him, And in Him shall they glory.

3 For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem: Break up for you a fallow ground, And sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, And take away the foreskins of your heart, Ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Lest My fury go forth like fire, And burn that none can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings.

5 Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem, And say: ‘Blow ye the horn in the land’; Cry aloud and say: ‘Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities.’ 6 Set up a standard toward Zion; Put yourselves under covert, stay not; For I will bring evil from the north, And a great destruction. 7 A lion is gone up from his thicket, And a destroyer of nations Is set out, gone forth from his place; To make thy land desolate, That thy cities be laid waste, without inhabitant. 8 For this gird you with sackcloth, Lament and wail; For the fierce anger of the LORD Is not turned back from us. 9 And it shall come to pass at that day, Saith the LORD, That the heart of the king shall fail, And the heart of the princes; And the priests shall be astonished, And the prophets shall wonder.

10 Then said I: ‘Ah, Lord GOD! surely Thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying: Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.’ 11 At that time shall it be said of this people and of Jerusalem; A hot wind of the high hills in the wilderness Toward the daughter of My people, Not to fan, nor to cleanse; 12 A wind too strong for this shall come for Me; Now will I also utter judgments against them. 13 Behold, he cometh up as clouds, And his chariots are as the whirlwind; His horses are swifter than eagles.— ‘Woe unto us! for we are undone.’— 14 O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, That thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy baleful thoughts Lodge within thee? 15 For hark! one declareth from Dan, And announceth calamity from the hills of Ephraim: 16 ‘Make ye mention to the nations: Behold—publish concerning Jerusalem— Watchers come from a far country, And give out their voice against the cities of Judah.’ 17 As keepers of a field Are they against her round about; Because she hath been rebellious against Me,

Saith the LORD.

18 Thy way and thy doings have procured These things unto thee; This is thy wickedness; yea, it is bitter, Yea, it reacheth unto thy heart.

19 My bowels, my bowels! I writhe in pain! The chambers of my heart! My heart moaneth within me! I cannot hold my peace! Because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the horn, The alarm of war. 20 Destruction followeth upon destruction, For the whole land is spoiled; Suddenly are my tents spoiled, My curtains in a moment. 21 How long shall I see the standard, Shall I hear the sound of the horn?

22 For My people is foolish, They know Me not; They are sottish children, And they have no understanding; They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.

23 I beheld the earth, And, lo, it was waste and void; And the heavens, and they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, And all the hills moved to and fro. 25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens were fled. 26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful field was a wilderness, And all the cities thereof were broken down At the presence of the LORD, And before His fierce anger.

27 For thus saith the LORD: The whole land shall be desolate; Yet will I not make a full end. 28 For this shall the earth mourn, And the heavens above be black; Because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, And I have not repented, neither will I turn back from it. 29 For the noise of the horsemen and bowmen The whole city fleeth; They go into the thickets, And climb up upon the rocks; Every city is forsaken, And not a man dwelleth therein. 30 And thou, that art spoiled, what doest thou, That thou clothest thyself with scarlet, That thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, That thou enlargest thine eyes with paint? In vain dost thou make thyself fair; Thy lovers despise thee, they seek thy life. 31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, The anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, The voice of the daughter of Zion, that gaspeth for breath, That spreadeth her hands: ‘Woe is me, now! for my soul fainteth Before the murderers.’ — Jeremiah 4 | JPS Tanakh 1917 (JPST) The Holy Scriptures according to the Masoretic text; Jewish Publication Society 1917. Cross References: Genesis 1:2; Numbers 10:3; Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 4:30; 2 Samuel 1:23; 2 Kings 9:30; 2 Kings 25:1; 2 Kings 25:4; Nehemiah 9:31; Psalm 11:6; Psalm 42:7; Psalm 107:17; Isaiah 1:7; Isaiah 1:15; Isaiah 5:25; Isaiah 22:3; Isaiah 39:3; Isaiah 52:7; Isaiah 62:10; Jeremiah 9:10; Jeremiah 12:4; Jeremiah 12:13; Jeremiah 42:14; Jeremiah 51:1; Matthew 13:7; Mark 9:43; Romans 1:22; 1 Corinthians 1:31; 1 Corinthians 14:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; James 4:8; Revelation 6:14

[biblegumchewontheword]

Books of the Bible

Here is a detailed list of the 66 books of the Bible, divided by the Old and New Testaments, along with their divisions and categories:

**Old Testament:**

**Pentateuch (5 books):**

1. Genesis

2. Exodus

3. Leviticus

4. Numbers

5. Deuteronomy

**Historical Books (12 books):**

6. Joshua

7. Judges

8. Ruth

9. 1 Samuel

10. 2 Samuel

11. 1 Kings

12. 2 Kings

13. 1 Chronicles

14. 2 Chronicles

15. Ezra

16. Nehemiah

17. Esther

**Poetry/Wisdom Books (5 books):**

18. Job

19. Psalms

20. Proverbs

21. Ecclesiastes

22. Song of Solomon

**Major Prophets (5 books):**

23. Isaiah

24. Jeremiah

25. Lamentations

26. Ezekiel

27. Daniel

**Minor Prophets (12 books):**

28. Hosea

29. Joel

30. Amos

31. Obadiah

32. Jonah

33. Micah

34. Nahum

35. Habakkuk

36. Zephaniah

37. Haggai

38. Zechariah

39. Malachi

**New Testament:**

**Gospels (4 books):**

40. Matthew

41. Mark

42. Luke

43. John

**History (1 book):**

44. Acts

**Pauline Epistles (13 books):**

45. Romans

46. 1 Corinthians

47. 2 Corinthians

48. Galatians

49. Ephesians

50. Philippians

51. Colossians

52. 1 Thessalonians

53. 2 Thessalonians

54. 1 Timothy

55. 2 Timothy

56. Titus

57. Philemon

**General Epistles (8 books):**

58. Hebrews

59. James

60. 1 Peter

61. 2 Peter

62. 1 John

63. 2 John

64. 3 John

65. Jude

**Apocalyptic (1 book):**

66. Revelation

This list represents the traditional order and grouping of the books of the Bible in most Christian denominations.

These are the 66 books that make up the Bible.

Title: The Significance of Each Book of the Bible

Introduction:

The Bible is a collection of 66 books that together form the inspired Word of God. Each book has its own unique message, themes, and significance that contribute to the overall story of God's redemption and love for humanity. Let's explore the importance of each book of the Bible.

Lesson Points:

1. The Old Testament:

- Genesis: The book of beginnings, detailing creation, the fall, and the establishment of God's covenant with His people.

- Exodus: The story of the Israelites' liberation from Egypt and the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai.

- Psalms: A collection of songs and prayers that express a range of human emotions and provide a guide for worship.

- Proverbs: Wisdom literature that offers practical advice for living a righteous and wise life.

- Isaiah: Prophecies about the coming Messiah and God's plan of salvation.

2. The New Testament:

- Matthew: Emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the establishment of the kingdom of God.

- Acts: Chronicles the early spread of the Gospel and the growth of the early church.

- Romans: Explains the doctrine of justification by faith and the implications of salvation through Christ.

- Corinthians: Addresses issues within the church and provides practical guidance for Christian living.

- Revelation: Offers apocalyptic visions of the end times, the victory of Christ, and the establishment of the new heaven and earth.

3. Themes and Messages:

- Each book of the Bible contributes to the overarching themes of God's love, redemption, forgiveness, and salvation for all humanity.

- Together, these books provide a complete narrative of God's work in the world and His plan for His people.

Application:

- Take time to explore and study each book of the Bible, seeking to understand its unique message and significance.

- Reflect on how the themes and stories in the Bible can impact your own life and faith journey.

- Consider how the teachings and examples in the Bible can shape your beliefs and actions as a follower of Christ.

Conclusion:

The books of the Bible are not just separate entities but are interconnected parts of the larger story of God's redemption and love for humanity. Each book has its own importance and contributes to the overall message of God's plan for salvation. May we approach the study of the Bible with reverence and openness to the wisdom and guidance it offers for our lives.

[dailyaudiobible]

5/20/2023 DAB Transcript

1 Samuel 26:1-28:25, John 11:1-54, Psalm 117:1-2, Proverbs 15:22-23

Today is the 20th day of May, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I'm Brian. It is great to be here with you today as we reach the conclusion of another week, as we move through today's reading, and they just go by day-by-day, step-by-step, week-by-week, month-by-month and then all of a sudden, we find ourselves in May, or we find ourselves in some of the month and it's like the year just began. But here we are, and we’re here to take the next step forward. And the next step forward leads us back into the saga of early Israel and Israel's first King Saul and this boy who had to grow up fast, who is also been anointed to be a future king, named David, and Saul’s relentless efforts to destroy and kill David before, well before he believes that this household will be destroyed by David. And we’re learning a lot about the character of people as we watch the story and we’re learning a lot about the…the places that the roads lead by the choices that we make. And so, let's pick up the story today. First Samuel chapters 26, 27, and 28.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word and yes, what the Proverbs says is so true, a word at the right time how good and we thank You that these words come regularly from the Scriptures into our lives and how good they are. And when we become available to You and aware of Your presence and can speak a word, how good when we can say at the right time. Help us to watch out for these opportunities that You bring our way. Father, we also thank You for the territory that we are in the Scriptures as we continue this journey between David and Saul's life. We clearly see David holding on for dear life, depending on You to be the deliverer, You would to be the only Savior and his hope was in You alone. And then we watch Saul, at this point, having things having gotten so convoluted that he’s bringing up Samuel from the dead with the spiritists, trying to find out what he is supposed to do. So, we are watching these paths and they have deviated, and they are going in different directions, and we look forward to watching the story unfold and applying it to our lives. Thank You for this week. Thank You for loving us and being patient with us. We thank You for all that You have done and all that You are doing and all that You have yet to do in this year in our hearts. So, we love You and we worship You and we give word, voice to our gratitude. We pray all this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com that is home base and that is where to find out what's happening around here and so, check in. The Daily Audio Bible app will let you do all of that in the palm of your hand, so check out, like the Community Section. This is where the Prayer Wall is, this is where to get connected. The Daily Audio Bible Shop has a lot of categories with a number of resources available for our journey, so check it out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible. Thank you, humbly, we couldn’t do what we’re doing if we didn't do it together, and thankfully day-by-day, step-by-step, we’re moving forward through this year into the Scriptures, and through life together and so thank you, humbly for your partnership. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you're using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996 Springhill, Tennessee 37174.

And as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today, I'm Brian, I love you and I'll be waiting for you here, tomorrow.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Hello, this is Jeremiah. I’m calling in for prayer because I just moved to an entirely different country, and I don't fluently speak the language and I’m missing my friends back in America and it's difficult. And on top of that, I am having a very big change to my schedule whenever that happens, and everything goes crazy and I don’t know how to take it. And also, there is someone that I like back in America and my brain is possibly thinking about them a bit too much and over thinking situations and I’d like, they don't know that I like them. I’d like this. I'd like to not like them anymore or at least be able to think differently, to where I'm not consumed by it. And that I’d be able to find good friends here and form community that would be able to keep each other accountable. And that I'd be able to do more things because I feel like I'm not doing enough. I can't remember the last time, really, I preached the Gospel, or should I say I remember the last time but it was, it was years ago. And, and I'm also have been injured for about a year and 1/2 and I’m running out of time for this prayer request. There's lots of other stuff going on and I don’t even know how to talk about in the next 10 seconds so. Keep me in your prayers please. Thank you. God bless.

Hi, Daily Audio Bible. This is Christie, God’s Flower in South Carolina. I don’t normally call in, but I always hear your prayers and pray for you all. Thank you, Brian and all your family, for all that you do for us. This is a lifesaving podcast. Anyways, I’m calling today because I have been taking care of my parents for the past 7 years and I have to move out of their house due to they both have passed away. And I have to find a new house, but I don’t know what kind of money that involves, etc. And I just need your prayers for clarity to find the right home for my animals and I and for all of my mom’s plants. And I want to find a forever home. I feel so grateful that I was able to take care of my parents for the past 7 years. And see them to the end, for them to go to heaven. But I guess I’m, time for me to start a new journey and I’m scared, and I don’t know which way to turn. And I need your prayers. Thank you, guys. I really appreciate it.

Hi, Daily Audio Bible Family. I have been a long-time listener and am calling for the first time due to an urgent need in our family. I’m calling anonymously too, until we know for sure what’s going on. Our precious little girl, she’s nearly 8, her personality has suddenly changed in the last several months. There’s just something different and her grades went from excellent to falling. We got a text from a teacher at school that she was alone on the playground crying. And this is a little girl who is always surrounded by friends and so joyful. But she was alone on the playground crying and the teacher talked to her, and she said she had seen people following her and watching her and she was scared. And now she’s seeing people following her and watching her everywhere, even at home. Even in the bathroom. And we were told by a therapist that even though she’s young and it’s rare, it could be schizophrenia. And we are just, we are just devastated. So, we are coming against this, in the name of Jesus, we’re coming against mental illness. This little one, we didn’t know she was ours and we found her a couple months after, she was with her biological mother who is now in jail. Anyway, she was severely neglected and very malnourished when we got her. But she’s been doing great and now we have this. And everybody is scared, the family is scared so we just stand up against the fear and in faith and ask that you would pray with us. Thank you so much. We’re calling her Our Little Girl, thank you.

James the Teacher, this is the Road Toad. I heard you recently say that you have messed up all the gifts that God gave you. And that hit me. I want to share with you something. And that is that Hebrews 8:12 says that I will be merciful to their iniquities, our iniquities and I will hold their sins against them no more. I will not remember them anymore. So, the other day I was at a meeting and in that meeting the leader said, “I’ll explain to you what that means. When he says, I will remember your sins against you no more, he’s not gonna hold that sin against us. He’s not going to punish us for our sins, because a punishment has already been given.” Now, you and I, we can punish ourselves, we can beat ourselves up over passed sins. But God doesn’t do it and He doesn’t want us too either. This is the 17th.

[zerogate]

Irenaeus accused Marcion of “impudent blasphemy” for saying that the god proclaimed in Jewish scripture was “the maker of evils.” Yet Marcion was a student of these same scriptures. He pointed out that in the book of the prophet Isaiah, the creator announced: “I am he who creates evils” (kitizōn kaka, 45:7). These “evils” are sometimes translated by the word “woe,” an archaic term still featured in the New Revised Standard Version (1989). Other English translations opt for “calamity” (New King James, English Standard Version, New American Standard). The original Hebrew term rāʽ includes disasters like famine, pestilence, and war, but it also includes morally perverse actions. Translators bring out this moral sense of the term when they refer to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (rāʽ) (Gen 2:17). This same ambiguity between moral and physical evil is present in the Greek translation kaka (Isa 45:7). The Lord who creates kaka could be interpreted not only as the creator of pestilence and plague, but also of moral vices like jealousy, rage, and bloodlust.

Isaiah 45:7 was not the only verse Marcion(ites) used to associate the creator with evil. In Jeremiah 18:11, the creator announced to his own people, “behold I fashion evils (kaka) against you”; in Micah 1:12 it is said that “evils (kaka) have descended from the Lord against the gates of Jerusalem,” and in Amos 3:6, the prophet asks: “will there be evil (kakia) in the city which the Lord has not caused?”

It is instructive also to note that the creator sends “an evil spirit” against his anointed king Saul in order to choke him (1 Sam 18:10). From the Jewish deity’s production of “evils,” Marcionites deduced an evil creator. Their mode of thinking, I propose, was shaped by their reading of their gospel. They recalled and often repeated the saying of Jesus that a bad tree produces bad fruit (Evangelion 6:43). The principle is simple: evil doings emerge from an evil character.

[...]

A sign of the creator’s arrogance, according to Marcion(ites), was the fact that he swore by himself (Isa 45:22– 23: “I am god; there is no other, I swear by myself”). In effect, the creator lacked evidence for his uniqueness, so he appealed to his own authority, employing a kind of self- authenticating and self- deifying rhetoric.

Jewish scripture typically presented self-deifiers as horrible sinners suffering a swift demise. For instance, the personified city of Babylon proclaimed: “I am, and there is no other!” (Isa 47:10). Yahweh himself responded to this proclamation with heated words: “Destruction shall seize you, though you don’t anticipate it; there will be a pit into which you fall” (Isa 47:11). A similar oracle was addressed to Lucifer the morning star: “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven . . . I will be like the Most High,’ but now you go down into hell!” (Isa 14:12–14; cf. Ezek 28:1–10). 

The most open and stubborn form of self-deification, however, was not perpetrated by Lucifer or Babylon. The most patent self-deifier in Jewish scripture was the creator himself, who repeatedly announced, “I am god and there is no other!” (Isa 45:22); “I am god, there is no one like me!” (Isa 46:9); “Behold, behold that I am, and there is no god except me!” (Deut 32:39). When Marcionite Christians encountered these apparent boasts, they made a logical conclusion: this god was not simply asserting his authority and control over world history; he was infected with the vices of ignorance and arrogance. He did not know that the Father revealed in Christ— the true god who performed no evil— was far superior.

--  M. David Litwa, The Evil Creator: Origins of an Early Christian Idea

[jeremiahwebb]

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[lindajenni]

oct 2

justification or mea culpa (longer than usual - i apologize)

"but you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief." 1 thess 5:4

i know. i can already hear everyone proclaiming, "but of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." matt 24:36 that seems to be the one scripture everyone knows and quotes more than others.

is that to mean we aren't even to be looking? the prophet daniel didn't quit looking. "in the first year of his reign i, daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." dan 9:2 he looked and he found his answer; prayer ensued.

some are ready to throw cold water on everything. i said i would be on extra watch until the middle of october and i will. in fact, i am still believing to hear that trumpet this year, and on into the next if we must. all i can say is, "God help the one who is content with their relationship as it stands and are not longing for His return." no one can judge but Jesus and you. have you lost the passion of your first love? perhaps watchers have gone to "defcon one" too often, but if we did it was only because our arousal was peaked. do you think God despises that over the one who has become numbed to the stimulus trying to rouse the sleeper?

the signs are attempting to adjust our vision to the dark; modulating our desire to watch? (like the frog slowly cooking in heated water, desensitized) thank God for those speaking out. it all seemed to fit together so perfectly. it appeared to have been the granddaddy of all watch times. but because it didn't happen we know it was not so perfect for His ways always are. false conclusions are a result of limited human knowledge; this is true both in a physical and a spiritual sense. God is constantly revealing truths sealed for needed times, and Lord, we need them now.

Jesus fulfilled all the spring feasts to the letter, and if the calendar be right, He has obviously not fulfilled the fall feasts as many anticipated. at this point i would even like to address the whole rapture debate. not whether there will be a rapture, in that i am secure, but the pre, mid or post theory. i still see it as being pre-trib, but in honesty i must say i can understand everyone's reasoning.

i see so many watchers now going down rabbit holes and grasping at every straw trying to defend their position; as if to persuade or pressure God. this is so needless as the signs God has given are obvious and shouting their presence. while it may not be the time, the season should be visible to all. the absolute truth is that no one will know until it actually occurs. there just should not be division in the body over this.

when i used to hear people say, "they are so heavenly minded, they are no earthly good," i used to vehemently disagree that it was possible. eyes fixed firmly on Jesus is always a good thing. but has the rapture community become so "enraptured" that their eyes are not on the task before them? i know most continue their working, even more diligently because of the urgency they foresee. it's the ones who have dropped the ball, thinking they have reached the goal line.

because we, like daniel, understood by the books. we know the season is nigh and read the signs, remembering His promise, that day would not take us believers unaware. perhaps my eyes failed to read something properly because my tear filled eyes had to strain, as often happens when reading His word. but i clearly read where He told us to watch.

is "seasonal" watching all He expects or wants from us? i have heard gifted leaders say, "enough with the date setting already." we are not date setting but watch setting, noting extra watchful times. and yes, we continue watching everyday for His coming.

God, in His infinite wisdom, has set moedim - appointed times. the feasts He established are not israel's, but His set times. Jesus came to fulfill all things and fulfill them He will. some say we are not privy to His purpose but His word says, "surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." amos 3:7 i really believe that our rapture will fulfill the perfect typology God has set out in His word. we just need to dig deeper still.

has our watching made us look foolish to others? if so, know that i will gladly be a fool for Christ. the word says the whole message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. but i am not willing that Christ should look foolish by my actions. if we are misguided in anything, we know the Spirit of truth has come and He will guide us into all truth. Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear.

there is a window in my bathroom, and from my sitting chair position i can view the tops of the trees along with some sky. when i see them blowing in the wind, i always think of the scripture: "and it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly." 2 sam 5:24 in my heart i believe it to be the blessed Holy Spirit doing His might work: convicting an unbeliever, touching a precious one in their need, bringing light into darkness, bringing hope into situations even painful to contemplate.

i then think again how i should spend more time in prayer and intercession. i recall the sweetest of times when i would get on bended knee before my Lord, His holiness becoming so present i would bury my face in the floor, wishing all the while it was the dirt of the earth He had created me from. now days i must roll up to a table and bury my face there in homage to my Creator.

Jesus never gave up on me when i was lost in the darkness, and i will never give up on Him. if my heart knew that the rapture (His calling me home) would be delayed by years, would i prefer Him to take me now? it's a hard call. but do you know the thing i desire above them both? it's close, but i long to fulfill all the purpose He desires of me - to please Him. that is our purpose. we were all set in this unique time of history for a reason. to proclaim "His Story" to a lost and doomed world. we can't all do it in spectacular ways like we often imagine, but if we let our heart melt into His, we will find a simple act of love is fulfilling His purpose.

i long to see the rapture, but i long for Him more still. i suppose that's why no one know the date for sure. would the early believers have been gung-ho if they knew it would two thousand years. but we know the two thousand years (two days) are up. "after two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight." hos 6:2 that's us, friends. we know Jesus was three days and three nights in the grave.

in the last chapter of the last book, Jesus proclaims three times. "I am coming quickly." rev 22:7,12,20 the call goes forth to one and all. "and the Spirit and the bride say, 'come!' and let him who hears say, 'come!' and let him who thirsts come. whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." rev 22:17

in conclusion, we are not asked to watch, we are commanded to watch. our rapture desire is not escapism from reality but escapism into reality. it is a burning desire to be with the One we love most. even as our bodies and world are decaying, our spirits are exposed to heightened realities of our blessed hope; our ears ever attentive to the summons, come up hither. "and thus we shall always be with the Lord." 1 thes 4:17

[teresayancy]

Teresa Yancy: Empowering Transformation Through Holistic Wellness

In the realm of holistic wellness and spiritual guidance, Teresa Yancy stands as a beacon of hope and transformation. With her expertise as a holistic wellness coach and spiritual guide, she has touched the lives of countless individuals, empowering them to achieve profound personal growth and positive changes. Through her mind-body-spirit approach, Teresa helps her clients unlock their full potential and embrace a life of well-being, happiness, and fulfilment. Let's delve deeper into the world of her and the transformative services she offers to those seeking a more fulfilling life.

A Mind-Body-Spirit Approach to Transformation

Teresa Yancy's unique approach to wellness revolves around the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit. She firmly believes that true transformation can only occur when these three elements are in harmony. With this holistic philosophy, she guides her clients to explore their thoughts, emotions, physical health, and spiritual well-being in tandem. By addressing the root causes of challenges and imbalances, Teresa empowers individuals to make lasting changes that permeate all aspects of their lives.

Personalized Coaching Sessions: Nurturing Optimal Health and Well-being

One of Teresa's most sought-after services is her personalised coaching sessions. These one-on-one interactions allow her to deeply understand her clients' unique circumstances and challenges. Whether it's overcoming stress, improving relationships, or enhancing overall health, Teresa tailors her coaching to individual needs. Her approach integrates evidence-based practices with spiritual insights, creating a supportive and empowering environment for growth.

During coaching sessions, clients are encouraged to explore their aspirations, fears, and limiting beliefs. Teresa helps them gain clarity and build actionable plans to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. Through this process, clients often experience profound shifts in their perspectives and find the motivation to make positive changes in their lives.

Workshops and Retreats: Immersive Experiences for Growth

To further amplify the impact of her teachings, she conducts workshops and retreats. These immersive experiences offer participants the opportunity to delve deeper into the realms of self-discovery and personal growth. Away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, these gatherings provide a serene and nurturing space for introspection and connection.

Teresa designs these workshops and retreats to be interactive, incorporating activities such as meditation, yoga, nature walks, and creative expression. Participants not only learn from Teresa but also from one another, fostering a supportive community of like-minded individuals seeking transformation. The insights gained during these gatherings often linger long after the event ends, serving as guiding lights on their transformative journey.

Teresa Yancy's Family and Home in East Texas

Outside of her professional life, she  finds solace and inspiration in her family and home in East Texas. She shares her life with her loving husband, Jeremiah, and their four wonderful children, creating a nurturing environment that embodies the principles of love, compassion, and growth.

Their home also includes two furry companions - dogs that bring joy and playfulness, and a cat that exudes calmness and curiosity. This harmonious family dynamic reflects Teresa's holistic approach to life and the interconnectedness of all living beings.

Conclusion

Teresa Yancy, the holistic wellness coach and spiritual guide, has become a beacon of transformation for many seeking personal growth and well-being. Her mind-body-spirit approach, personalised coaching sessions, and immersive workshops and retreats have helped numerous individuals break free from limitations and embrace the life they truly desire. With her unwavering dedication and passion for empowering others, Teresa continues to inspire and create positive change in the lives of those she touches.

[dan6085]

Jeremiah 29:11 is a well-known verse from the Bible that states: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This verse offers a message of encouragement and hope to those who may be facing challenges or difficulties in their lives.

In the context of the book of Jeremiah, this verse was addressed to the Israelites who were in exile in Babylon. They had been taken from their homes and were living in a foreign land, far from their families and familiar surroundings. In this situation, they may have felt hopeless and discouraged. However, through this verse, God assures them that He has a plan for their lives and that they will not be harmed by their circumstances.

The message of Jeremiah 29:11 is relevant to us today, as many people face similar challenges and difficulties in their lives. Whether it is a personal struggle, a difficult relationship, or a financial hardship, it can be easy to feel discouraged and hopeless. However, this verse reminds us that God has a plan for us and that He is always working for our good.

The phrase "plans to prosper you" reminds us that God wants us to thrive and succeed in all aspects of our lives. He desires for us to have abundance and blessings, both materially and spiritually. The phrase "not to harm you" reminds us that God is always working for our well-being and that He will never cause us harm.

Finally, the phrase "plans to give you hope and a future" reminds us that God has a purpose for our lives and that we can have hope for the future. No matter what challenges we may face, we can trust that God has a plan for us and that He will bring us to a place of hope and fulfillment.

In conclusion, Jeremiah 29:11 is a powerful and encouraging verse that reminds us of God's love and care for us. No matter what we may be facing, we can trust that God has a plan for our lives and that He is always working for our good. This verse offers us hope and encouragement as we navigate the ups and downs of life, and it reminds us that we can trust in God's goodness and love.

[brainfingerprints]

The Death of Jeremiah Duggan

The Death of Jeremiah Duggan

Jeremiah Duggan was a British student studying at the Sorbonne in Paris who died during a visit to Wiesbaden, Germany, after being struck by several cars on a dual carriageway. Duggan’s cause of death became heavily disputed due to his behavior in the days leading up to the fatal accident. He expressed fear about his involvement in a cult-like movement organized by political activist Lyndon LaRouche. 

The Movement

The LaRouche movement is a political movement associated with the promotion of conspiracy theories, the promotion of violence against opponents, and antisemitism. The movement in Germany of which Duggan became part is represented by the Schiller Institute and the Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität party. Jeremiah was part of the Schiller Institue at the time of his death. 

Jeremiah’s initial involvement with the LaRouche Movement began when he attended a conference that he believed was in protest against the Iraq War. What he heard instead were conspiratorial views that stated George W. Bush was a drunk, Woodrow Wilson had founded the Ku Klux Klan, John F. Kennedy was killed by a domestic American operation, and Jewish Americans began the Iraq war. A document from the Metropolitan Police stated that "Jeremiah's lecture notes and bulletins showed the anti-Semitic nature of [the] ideology." 

Duggan stood out at the conference particularly because he was Jewish. When Duggan made his religion known during the conference, he was apparently grilled about his affiliation with the religion. 

Leading up to his Death

On Tuesday, the 25th of March, Duggan and his girlfriend had planned to meet in Paris, but he called her and told her that he couldn’t make it until Sunday and that “very serious things” were going on, which he would tell her about when they met up. 

On Wednesday, the 26th of March, he and other members of the institute handed out flyers in Frankfurt, then went to the Städel Museum. When one of the other members of his group asked him about a painting, he allegedly began crying, telling her he wanted to leave the group but felt he was trapped. She last saw him sitting on the steps of the museum around 8:30 p.m.

On the day of his death, Thursday, the 27th of March, around 4:00 a.m. he called his girlfriend, allegedly agitated and speaking very quietly. He stated he no longer knew what was “true” or “real” and that someone was allegedly conducting experiments on him. She told him to take a train to Paris the next morning. Around 5:00 a.m. he then called his mother saying that he was in “big trouble” and said he “wanted out.” 

According to his roommate, Duggan then went out for a cigarette and after his roommate accidentally pressed a doorbell instead of the light switch, he ran off down the street. 

The Incident

Around 6:00 a.m, Duggan allegedly ran out into the street “with outstretched arms” and was clipped by a car. He fell but appeared to get back up and run back into traffic. Around 6:15 a.m. a driver reported Duggan running in front of his car “arms raised and mouth open.” The car then ran over Duggan who was pronounced dead at the scene. 

German police concluded that Duggan had committed suicide after running several kilometers from the apartment in which he had been staying, then jumping in front of early-morning traffic. It is important to note that this highway was also close to LaRouche’s political headquarters in Germany. 

The German police did not conduct an autopsy, because the cause of death had been established as suicide with no apparent evidence of foul play. His clothes were never returned to his family. The police took no formal witness statements. 

Jeremiah’s mother, Erica, continued fighting for a proper investigation into her son’s death and in 2010, an inquest was ordered to investigate potential foul play. 

At this inquest, forensic photographic expert, Paul Canning, said after examining pictures from the scene, "the only possible conclusion is that it must have been a set-up".

Canning stated, “After making a lengthy examination of the photographs I conclude that, in examining the scene of the accident, the road, Jeremiah's body and both vehicles involved, I could find no traces of blood, hair, tissue or clothing on the vehicles or road, except round the immediate vicinity of Jeremiah's body."

Jeremiah’s father, Hugo, told the inquest a witness had informed the family about a scene at the Schiller Institute following Jeremiah’s death in which  Helga Zepp-LaRouche addressed the members present. She stated, 'Jeremiah Duggan is dead, we believe he was a spy sent to harm the organization. I would like you to pack up and go home right away. Don't talk among yourselves about this and don't talk to others."

On their official website for Jeremiah, The Duggan family writes, “There are no words to describe the amount of pain and suffering that Lyndon LaRouche caused. His work for many years ruined lives, destroyed families, broke up marriages, incited hatred, spread destructive anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and sowed the seeds of hate throughout the world.”

Lyndon LaRouche died in 2019 and the family is hopeful that with his death, more witnesses to Jeremiah’s experiences might come forward. You can find the Duggans’ website here. You can learn more about the LaRouche Movement here and here. 

[dailyaudiobible]

10/17/2023 DAB Transcript

Jeramiah 30:1-31:26, 1 Timothy 2:1-15, Psalm 87:1-7, Proverbs 25:18-19

Today is the 17th day of October, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It is a pleasure and an honor to be here with you today around the Global Campfire, as we prepare to take the next step forward in the Scriptures this year. So, we’re reading from the God's Word Translation this week and today we’ll read from the book of Jeremiah chapter 30 verse 1 through 31 verse 26.

Commentary:

Okay, so that Proverb that we just read is important because it gives language to certain kinds of behavior that shows how volatile and dangerous it can be. So, it's saying a liar, a person who gives false testimony against his neighbor right, so a person who is willing to lie, and this is way beyond like lying in court. A person who's willing to lie about someone else, whether that be through the fabrication of assumption and gossip, or just straight up telling a lie. That's like taking a club and beating them. That’s like taking a sword and swinging it or shooting a sharp arrow. That's pretty stark language that shows us just how treacherous that behavior is and to add to that, to put your confidence in that kind of a person, an undependable, unfaithful person. When you find yourself in crisis, to depend on a person like that is like having a broken tooth or a lame foot, you can't function correctly. So, I mean as stark as this is, if you are untruthful and undependable then that's what you're doing to those around you. And conversely, if you have people in your life that are like this, then this is what they're doing to you. So, the obvious conclusion from Proverbs is that to be a liar, to be willing to give false testimony, to be undependable and unfaithful, especially in a time of crisis, these…these behaviors are going nowhere, and they will only bring about wounding, injury, and destruction. So clearly, if we want to walk the path of wisdom, then these things cannot be a habitual part of our lives because they're the opposite, they're moving in the opposite direction, they’re going the wrong way.

Prayer:

And so, Holy Spirit, we invite You into the truest parts of who we are, we invite You into our identity. We ask You to surface these things in us, show us the ways in which we behave contrary to wisdom because that is not our heart’s desire, and only through the power of Your Holy Spirit, can those things be changed. So come, we invite You fully and grant You complete access to our hearts and ask for Your transformation. Come Jesus, we pray in Your mighty name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com, that's the website, homebase. It’s where you find out what’s going on around here. So, be sure to check it out. Check out the Prayer Wall at dailyaudiobible.com and pray for some people, and maybe you have some things that you want others to pray and respond to you. This is a good way to do that. Check that out. Check out the Daily Audio Bible Shop.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com. There’s a link on the homepage or if you prefer the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996 Springhill, Tennessee 37174.

And as always, if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that's it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Hello DABers. This is Angie from Texas, also Crucified with Jesus. My son Juan was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer a year and a half ago. And he’s been doing good. Of course, the doctor say it’s, you know, not curable but he was doing really good. But in his last scan it shows the cancer has advanced. So, we need to change treatment. So, of course, we are scared. He’s 34-years-old and he wants to live. He loves the Lord so that gives him peace. And we have all our hope in Jesus. It will be His will. But I ask the DABers, the DABer family, to pray for him, keep him in your prayers for strength to go through what’s coming with treatment and for all of us in his family to give him strength and for the Lord to give him wisdom and discernment and peace in his heart. We would really appreciate all the prayers coming our way from the DABer family. Thank you all.

Hello my DAB family. This is Jamie in New Jersey, Standing on the Word of God. I humbly ask you, please pray with me. Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for this beautiful day. Thank You for our families and our friends. We praise You. Among all that we have, Father, we know there are people that need help. Give us the strength to help them and always stand for the right thing. We pray for the wisdom to do things the right way. Help us not to neglect people that we have the power to help. We lift them up to You and ask that You would bless them, help them and heal them. Open our eyes, make us aware of the opportunities we have to bless others in need. We want to be Your face, hands and feet for others. Help us to serve humbly, promptly and gracefully. May we help make someone else’s load lighter. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for praying along with me, my brothers and sisters. I love each and every one of you. Have a good night.

Hi beloved family, this is Prisoner of Hope. I wanted to encourage and let all of you know that I have had two sons come to the Lord in the last two years. I’ve had my son Timothy, whose 22, give his life to the Lord last year and was baptized. And then AJ, who many of you have prayed for, I have, he has come to the Lord, and he just got baptized recently. So, I’m ecstatic about both of them. Please continue to pray for my son Robbie and his wife Shelby, our daughter Natalie and my husband Kurt. All of them desperately need salvation. With that, I’m praying for those of you who have asked for salvation for people you love. Heather of Pikes Peak, Texas, that the people of Israel would turn to God and they would be protected from Hamas. Debbie in Canada, your son Patrick, you said needs to come to Jesus, I am praying for him. Andrea, your daughter Rain. You asked that she would, that you would want her to come home to Jesus as well. And then your son Jayden and his friend Ethan, who’s dealing with bipolar. It wasn’t clear exactly what you were asking for prayer, but I am praying for salvation for both of them. If they are saved, then the Lord will know that they already are. Rifka in Tennessee, your dad doesn’t know the Lord and is at the end of his life. And then DABer Drew of the Ozarks, you’re going to visit your 82-year-old unsaved mother and you want her to come to Jesus as well. Heavenly Father, I’m lifting up each of these people that You know, that You love. We thank You that You are faithful to us. And we know that if You would do the miracle of raising Your own son from the dead, that You would raise the people we love from the dead as well. The odds weren’t good Lord, we know that, for Jesus to be raised, and yet you did it all the same. And so, Lord, would You call them. Draw them in, enable them, may they have their hardness of hearts turned to hearts of flesh. That they would know their need for You. Put people in their lives who would do this for them. We ask this in the precious, beautiful name of Jesus. Amen.

Good morning, everyone, it’s Susan from Canada, God’s Yellow Flower calling. And I want to pray for Lost in Texas and all of us who are looking for a job that would, you know, pay the bills, for sure and help us to live in society here as a productive member. So, Lord God, You see the need. You see the need and Your own word says that if you don’t work, you don’t eat. There is desire to work, it’s just the difficulty is finding a job, the right job, the right fit. So, I lift a man from Texas, Lost in Texas, and I just pray Lord God that You would just bless him with the right job at just the right time that he needs to fulfill all the needs of his life. I pray God, You would direct his path, increase his hope and trust in You. And Lord God, that You would help him to stay on the straight and narrow path while he waits for Your perfect timing. Lord, he is, he sounds so desperate. Be his hope Lord God, be his truth, be his way. And I pray for all the others who are looking for jobs as well, God. That they would remain faithful until You have opened the door that You want them to walk through. In Jesus precious and holy name, I pray. Amen.

[jeremiahwebb]

Unleashing the Power of Parent Coaching Services: A Comprehensive Guide

Parenting is a journey filled with joy, challenges, and countless decisions that can shape a child's future. In the midst of this complex adventure, many parents seek guidance and support to navigate the intricacies of raising well-adjusted and resilient children. This quest for effective parenting has given rise to the demand for parent coaching services.

Understanding the Essence of Parent Coaching

Parent coaching is not just a service; it's a transformative experience that empowers parents to overcome obstacles and build strong, positive relationships with their children. This comprehensive guide aims to shed light on the significance of parent coaching services and why they stand out in the realm of parenting support.

The Dynamics of Effective Parent Coaching

Parent coaching is not a one-size-fits-all solution; it is a personalized, collaborative process that considers the unique dynamics of each family. Professional parent coaches leverage their expertise to guide parents through challenges, offering tailored strategies to enhance communication, discipline, and overall family dynamics.

Breaking Down Common Misconceptions

In the crowded landscape of parenting advice, misconceptions often abound. Effective parent coaching dispels these myths and provides evidence-based insights. Contrary to popular belief, it's not about dictating rules but rather fostering a nurturing environment where children can thrive.

The Benefits of Parent Coaching Services

1. Enhanced Communication Skills

One of the primary goals of parent coaching is to improve communication between parents and children. By honing active listening skills and fostering open dialogue, parents can strengthen their connection with their children.

2. Strategic Discipline Strategies

Discipline is a crucial aspect of parenting, but finding the right balance can be challenging. Parent coaching equips parents with effective discipline strategies that promote positive behavior without resorting to punitive measures.

3. Building Resilience in Children

In today's fast-paced world, resilience is a vital trait for children. Parent coaching services guide parents in nurturing resilience in their children, preparing them for life's inevitable challenges.

4. Tailored Strategies for Unique Family Dynamics

Every family is unique, and parent coaching recognizes this diversity. Tailored strategies are developed to address specific challenges, ensuring that the guidance provided is relevant and effective for each family.

The Impact of Parent Coaching on Families

Families that invest in parent coaching services often experience a positive transformation. The newfound understanding and skills acquired through coaching contribute to a harmonious home environment where both parents and children can thrive.

Why Choose Jeremiah Webb for Parent Coaching Services

1. Proven Expertise

Jeremiah Webb stands out in the field of parent coaching with a wealth of experience and a track record of success. His expertise goes beyond generic advice, providing practical solutions rooted in an understanding of individual family dynamics.

2. Tailored Approach

Jeremiah Webb recognizes that each family is unique. His coaching approach is not a one-size-fits-all solution but rather a personalized strategy crafted to address the specific needs and challenges of each family.

3. Empowering Families

Jeremiah Webb's coaching goes beyond surface-level issues. He empowers families to build lasting connections, fostering an environment where both parents and children can flourish.

In Conclusion: Elevate Your Parenting Journey with Jeremiah Webb

Parent coaching services are not just about solving problems; they are about elevating the entire parenting experience. Jeremiah Webb's commitment to personalized, effective coaching makes him a standout choice for parents seeking guidance. Elevate your parenting journey today with Jeremiah Webb's parent coaching services, and unlock the full potential of your family dynamics.

[frmartinshomiliesandreflections]

23rd August >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on Matthew 16:13-20 for Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A: ‘Who do you say I am?’.

Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Gospel (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada)

Matthew 16:13-20

You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said, ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’ Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

Gospel (USA)

Matthew 16:13–20

You are Peter, and to you I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Reflections (5)

(i) Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time

There is a programme on television called ‘Who do you think you are?’ In each episode a well-known person traces their family tree. The question, ‘Who am I?’ is one of the big questions that we engage with throughout our lives. In trying to answer that question, we sometimes unearth the story of our grandparents, our great grandparents, and our great, great, grandparents. We know that who we are has been shaped by those who lived long before us. We can never fully answer the question, ‘Who am I?’ We remain something of a mystery to ourselves and to others, no matter how much delving we do.

Perhaps that is because, according to the Scriptures, we are made in the image and likeness of God, and God is ultimately mysterious. This is the conclusion that Paul arrives at in today’s second reading. He has just come to the end of a very long section of his letter to the Romans, in which he has explored God’s relationship with humanity from Adam to the coming of Christ. It is a challenging read in places, but very thought provoking. At the end of it all, he says, in the words of today’s second reading, ‘How rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods’. Even Saint Paul, the greatest theologian in the early church, had to admit that the depths of God were beyond him. Another great theologian of the church who lived over a thousand years later was Saint Thomas Aquinas. Since his early youth, when he decided to become a Dominican and defend the faith, he studied and wrote. His greatest work was called a ‘Summary of Theology’. When he came to his early fifties, he couldn’t write any more. One of the brothers asked him, ‘Master, will you not return to your work?’ Thomas replied, ‘I can write no more. All I have written seems like straw’. He died some months later. He recognized that the mystery of God he had sought to probe was, in the end, beyond him.

Great thinkers like Saint Paul and Saint Thomas Aquinas remind us that there is so much more to God than we will ever know. If the question, ‘Who am I?’ is of the big questions of life, the question, ‘Who is God?’ is an infinitely bigger question. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus asks his disciples two questions. The first was, ‘Who do people say I am?’ The answers given by the disciples were all variations of one answer, ‘Jesus is a great prophet’. If Jesus were to ask us that question today, ‘Who do people say I am?’ we too could answer that some people, such as Jews and Muslims, say that Jesus is a great prophet. Jesus’ second question to his disciples shows that he knows there is so much more that could be said about him, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ He was saying, ‘You have been my close companions. You have seen what I have been doing and heard what I have been saying. What have you to say about me?’ As so often in the gospels, Peter speaks for the other disciples, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’. Peter is a spokesperson for us all. His confession of Jesus is contained within the Creed we recite every Sunday, ‘We believe in one Lord, Jesus, Christ, the only Son of God’. These words attempt to express the mystery of Jesus, without fully exhausting it. There is so much more to Jesus than any set of words could express. The evangelists themselves who wrote the gospels were very aware that their words could not express fully who Jesus is. The fourth evangelist finishes his gospel with the statement, ‘there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose the world itself could not contain the books that would be written’.

That sense that there is more to Jesus than we could ever express in words is, ultimately, very consoling. One of the most profound statements ever made about God is to found in the first letter of Saint John, ‘God is love’, and it was Jesus who revealed God to be Love. There is a richness and depth to the love of God made flesh in Jesus that we cannot fully grasp in this earthly life. Saint Paul, who claims to have met the risen Lord, was very aware of this. In his letter to the Ephesians, he prays that we would have ‘the power to comprehend… what is the breadth, and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge’. It is a wonderful prayer, that we would know, not just with our head, but with our heart, the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. Paul then says that when we do come to know Jesus in this way, ‘we will be filled with all the fullness of God’. That sounds like our ultimate destiny, not one we will fully attain in this earthly life. It is a destiny worth journeying towards by allowing the Lord to be at the centre of our lives, here and now.

And/Or

(ii) Twenty First Sunday of the Year

 Most of us have at least one set of keys. If you are like me, you will loose one or other set from time to time. We worry until we find them again. We know that keys have the power to open and shut, and we do not like to think of that power falling into the hands of strangers. We are careful about who we give our keys to. We give them only to those we really trust. To give somebody a set of keys to our house is saying: ‘I trust you enough to give you the freedom to enter a place that means a great deal to me’.

 The first reading and gospel reading today make reference to the giving of keys to people. In the first reading, the Lord gives the key of the house of David to Eliakim. This key gave him the authority to open and to shut the palace in Jerusalem where the king, David’s successor, lived. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus promises to give the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter. The keys of a royal palace are one thing; the keys of the kingdom of heaven are quite another. Of course, Jesus was not speaking literally here. He would not hand over to Peter a physical set of keys. The kingdom of heaven is not a purely earthly kingdom; there are no keys to it in the sense in which we all have house keys. However, the language of giving keys suggests that Jesus is investing Peter with significant authority – authority not in the sense of power, but in the sense of responsibility and service. It is extraordinary that someone whom Peter had just addressed as the Christ, the Son of the living God, should give such responsibility to a human being, to flesh and blood. What was the responsibility given to Peter that was signified by the keys? The answer to that question is to be found in the phrase which sounds somewhat obscure to our ears: ‘whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven’. The language of ‘binding’ and ‘loosing’ is a Jewish expression and it refers to teaching authority. Jewish rabbis had authority to bind and loose the Jewish law, to declare which parts of the law were binding and which could be interpreted loosely. Rabbis had the authority to interpret God’s law for people’s lives. What Jesus is portrayed as doing in our gospel reading today is giving Peter responsibility for interpreting, not the Jewish law, but the teaching of Jesus. Peter is given the task of interpreting the teaching of Jesus for the lives of the members of the church.

 This is not the time or place to explore the claim of the church that this responsibility has always resided and resides today in the Bishop of Rome. What is more relevant for our life today, perhaps, is the more general point that Jesus was willing to entrust enormous responsibility to human beings. He may have given special responsibility to Peter, but he also entrusted great responsibility to all his followers. At the very end of Mathew’s gospel he called on all his disciples to go forth and make disciples of all the nations. In the Our Father we pray, ‘Thy kingdom come’. We, thereby, recognize, that the coming of God’s kingdom is primarily God’s responsibility. We look to God to see to the coming of God’s kingdom. Yet, there is a great deal in the gospels to suggest that the coming of God’s kingdom is also our responsibility. Jesus has made the coming of God’s kingdom, the promotion of God’s values, dependant on all of us - on some more than on other, certainly, but on all the baptized. You could argue that Jesus was taking a tremendous risk in doing this. Peter, who was given the greatest responsibility, left a lot to be desired. In next Sunday’s gospel reading, which follows immediately after our gospel reading today, Jesus turns to Peter and says, ‘Get behind me Satan’. The rock on which the church was built immediately became an instrument of Satan. Yet, there is no indication in the gospel that Jesus then took back the responsibility he had given to Peter. Jesus presumably knew that he was dealing with very fickle instruments, and yet he entrusted enormous responsibility to them.

 Most of us are reasonable aware of our own failings and limitations; the older we get, the more aware we become of them. I am afraid that our weaknesses do not let us off the hook. Jesus continues to entrust us with responsibility for the coming of God’s kingdom on earth. What else can he do? We are all he has. The choirs of angels cannot do the job he wants done. It is a job for flesh and blood, for flawed people who are, nevertheless, generous, and who can learn to trust the Lord as much as he trusts them. When it comes to doing the work of the Lord, whatever that might mean for any one of us, we are not on our own. The Lord is with us. We have his word for it. ‘I will be with you always until the end of the age’. The Lord will work within us and among us, if we grasp the responsibility he has given us. That is clear even from today’s gospel reading. When Peter made his marvellous confession, Jesus said to him, ‘It was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven’. Jesus was saying to him, ‘Well done, but it was not all your doing’. It is never all our doing. If we do what only we can do, God will certainly do what only God can do.

And/Or

(iii) Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time

 We often struggle to get to know each other well. If we were to ask even close friends, ‘Who do you say I am?’ they might struggle to give an adequate answer to that question. If people are to know us, we need to reveal ourselves to them, and self-revelation does not come easy to us. Even if it does, there is always more to us than we can ever reveal. We are, all of us, mysterious. Having been made in the image and likeness of God, we share in the mystery that is God. In this morning’s second reading, St Paul seems awestruck by the mystery of God. He exclaims, ‘How rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods’. This is coming from the greatest theologian of the early years of the church. Even he would have struggled to answer the question that God might have put to him, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ If Paul can say ‘How rich are the depths of God’, to a lesser extent we can say, ‘How rich are the depths of every human being’.

 We can certainly say of Jesus, ‘How rich are his depths’, because he was no ordinary human being; he was God in human form. The gospels suggest that people struggled to get to know the person of Jesus. When Jesus turns to his disciples in today’s gospel reading and asks them, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ the answer he got showed that the general perception of him was somewhat inadequate. Jesus was not John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets, even though he had something in common with all of them. When Jesus asked his disciples the more probing question, ‘But you, who do you say that I am?’ Peter’s answer on behalf of the others was much more satisfactory, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’. Here indeed was real insight into Jesus’ identity. Jesus acknowledges Peter’s insight, ‘Blessed are you, Simon’. However, he immediately declares that this insight of Peter was a God-given insight; it was not simply the result of Peter’s own natural abilities, ‘it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven’. What is true of Peter, in this regard, is true of all of us. If any of us are to come to know Jesus more fully, it is only with God’s help that we can do this; we need the light of God’s Spirit if we are to come to know God’s Son. It is above all the Spirit who leads us to the truth, who leads us to the one who said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’.

 According to the gospel reading, what singled Peter out from the other disciples was his God-given insight into the identity of Jesus. Peter knew Jesus better than any of the other disciples. It is because of this unique insight that Jesus gives Peter a unique role among his followers. He is to be the rock, the firm foundation, on which Jesus will build his church. It is an extraordinarily significant role for Jesus to give to any of his disciples. Peter’s role is further spelt out by Jesus promising him the keys of the kingdom of heaven. The image of the keys suggests authority and responsibility. Jesus spells out the nature of that authority in terms of binding and loosing. This is probably a reference to a teaching authority. Peter is responsible for discerning what aspects of Jesus’ teaching are binding and what elements can be interpreted more loosely. Peter is being entrusted with the task of authoritatively interpreting the teaching of Jesus for other members of the church. As Catholics, we believe that the teaching authority entrusted to Peter resides in a special way in the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. Later on in Matthew’s gospel Jesus will criticize the Pharisees for locking people out of the kingdom of God by their teaching. In contrast, Peter’s teaching is meant to pave the way for people to enter the kingdom of God. All Christians can look to Peter as the one to whom Jesus entrusted his own teaching role in a special way. He is, in that sense, the patron of all teachers of the faith. Peter shows us that authoritative teaching is grounded in insight into the person of Jesus. We all share that teaching role of Peter to some degree.

 This morning’s gospel reminds us that the church will always be a teaching church. Jesus intended it so from the very beginning. The church will always need teachers of the faith, teachers whose teaching, like that of Peter, is grounded in a God-given insight into the rich depths of the person of Jesus. The church, of course, is also a learning church, and all teachers of the faith are also learners. We are all learners when it comes to the ways of the Lord. None of us can ever adequately answer the Lord’s question, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ At most, we will only ever be on the way to answering that question. That is why we need, each one of us, to keep on invoking the coming of the Holy Spirit to lead us to the complete truth.

And/Or

(iv) Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time

 We struggle to know ourselves well. It is only with experience that we become aware of our strengths and weaknesses. There are probably levels to ourselves that we never fully know. If we struggle to know ourselves, it is even more of a struggle to know someone else. Even people we have been close to for years can remain something of a mystery to us. After many years they may reveal some side to themselves that we had not been aware of. We sudden realize that, perhaps, I don’t know this person as well as I thought.

 If we struggle to get to know others, even those who are closest to us, it was certainly a struggle for people around Jesus to get to know him. He was more mysterious than the average person. What Paul says of God in today’s second reading could equally be said of Jesus, ‘How deep his wisdom and knowledge! How impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord?’ When Jesus asks his disciples in today’s gospel reading what people were saying about him, they answered, ‘John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, one of the prophets’. That answer is reasonable in some far as it goes. It is the answer that Moslems and Jews would give today. Jesus was a great prophet who proclaimed God’s word. However, Jesus himself did not find that answer adequate. That is why he turned to his disciples and asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?’ He wanted to know what the people who were closest to him thought. Simon Peter answered on behalf of them all, ‘You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God’. There is an answer which shows real insight into the identity of Jesus. Yet, even that fine answer was open to more than one interpretation. When Peter gave that answer, he wasn’t thinking of a crucified Christ, a Son of God who would be rejected and put to death. Peter, even with his rich confession of faith, was only beginning to understand who Jesus really was and what that meant for the life he was being called to live.

 Jesus’ question, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ is in some sense addressed to all of us. We are each asked to give our own answer to that question. It is not just an academic question that is looking for correct knowledge. That is certainly important. As Christians, we need to understand with our minds who Jesus is. We find the core of our understanding of Jesus in a section of the Creed which we will shortly recite together. A correct understanding of who Jesus is remains important for all of us as Christians today. The early church struggled for the first three hundred years of its existence to come up with an adequate answer to the question of Jesus’ identity. The great creeds were the fruit of that intellectual search. However, the question of Jesus has another dimension; it contains within itself another, more personal, question, ‘Who am I for you?’ ‘What place do I have in your life?’ ‘Where do I stand in your life?’ There is a modern religious song which I like very much and which the parish choir sometimes sing. The chorus goes, ‘You are the centre, you are my life’. That is one answer to that second way of understanding Jesus’ question. It is the answer, perhaps, that we would all like to give, and, yet, in our heart of hearts we often know that Jesus is not always at the centre of our lives. As Peter would soon discover, there can be a great deal of self at the centre of our lives. In a sense, the whole of our lives as Christians is a journey towards putting Jesus at the centre of our lives, or allowing Jesus to place himself at the centre of our lives. We are always on a journey in that regard. That is really what we mean by conversion, the process of putting the Lord at the centre of our lives, that continuous turning from self towards the Lord.

 Because of Peter’s inspired insight into who Jesus was, Jesus gave him a momentous role within the emerging community of believers, the church. He was to be the rock, the foundation, on which Jesus would build his church. He was given keys as a symbol of authority - authority as understood within the kingdom of God, not the authority of domination, but the authority of service. That service would consist especially in binding and loosing. That language is a metaphor for teaching, for interpreting the words of Jesus for the other disciples. Peter was given this role, even though he was still at the beginning of his journey, and in the very next passage he would actually be addressed by Jesus as Satan. Yet, that is how the Lord works. Even as we struggle to grow in our relationship with him, as we try to know him better, with our heads and our hearts, he nevertheless entrusts all of us with great responsibility. He does not wait for us to be perfect before calling on us to share in his work. What he does ask, however, is that we are always open to ongoing conversion, just as Peter was.

And/Or

(v) Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time

 We know from our own experience how difficult it is to get to know someone, even someone whom we have been around or with whom we have lived for a very long time. We may think we know someone well and then we may suddenly discover something really important about them that we had never suspected. Some of you may have seen the film, the Dead, which is a film adaptation of the short story by James Joyce. At the end of the film the husband discovers something about his wife he had no inkling of up until then, her deep feelings for someone she knew as a young woman and who died tragically.

 Each of us is something of a mystery. We are all made in the image and likeness of God, and, in this morning’s second reading, Paul is very aware of the profound mystery that is God, ‘Who could ever know the mind of the Lord?’ We each reflect something of the mystery that is God. If that is true of each of us, it is even truer of Jesus, who was the perfect image of God. His own disciples, those who spent time with him, struggled to come to know him, and really only began to grasp him after his resurrection and the coming of the Spirit.

 When Jesus asks his disciples in this morning’s gospel reading - ‘Who do you say I am?’ - he was testing how well they had come to know him. The answer that Peter gave to that question was as good an answer as Jesus could have expected, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’. Here is an answer that has stood the test of time. We continue to give that same answer today. It is the faith of the church. In the creed we will be shortly reciting we say, ‘I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God’. That statement goes a little bit further than Peter’s answer because it reflects the developed understanding of Jesus gained by the church over several hundred years. Yet, Peter’s confession of Jesus contains in nucleus what we profess in the Creed. It is a reminder to us that the roots of our faith today are to be found in the faith of those who were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ life and ministry.

 Yet, even though Peter’s confession of Jesus’ identity was accurate, at the time he didn’t fully understand the implications of what he said for his life. Jesus would show himself to be the Son of the living God above all by his faithfulness to God’s mission, and this faithfulness would take him to his passion and his crucifixion. The Son of the living God was also the suffering Son of Man. To follow such a Son of God would entail being ready to travel the way of the cross with him, and it soon transpired that this was something Peter was not prepared to do. He went on to deny Jesus publicly and then to abandon him. Although Peter spoke the right words, it took some time before those words really shaped his life.

 The question ‘Who do you say that I am?’ is addressed by the risen Lord to all of us. It is a question that isn’t just looking for correct information or an accurate verbal expression. It goes deeper than that. In asking, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ the Lord is asking ‘Who am I to you?’, ‘What part do I play in your life?’, ‘How deep is your relationship with me and to what extent does it shape all your other relationships, all you say and do?’ In a sense, Jesus is asking, ‘What difference do I make in your life?’ If Jesus is asking for knowledge in putting the question, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ it is as much a knowledge of the heart than a knowledge of the mind, the kind of knowledge that is the fruit of love, that flows from a loving fidelity to Jesus and all he stands for. It was this loving fidelity that Peter lacked initially but eventually went on to attain, as he gave his life for Jesus.

 In living out that loving fidelity to the Lord, we need the support of the community of the believers, what we call the church. In this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus speaks of ‘my church’. Because it is his church, he protects it; he promises Peter that the gates of the underworld will never hold out against it. The powers of death and evil will never destroy it. The church will always be there and we will always need it. This morning’s gospel suggests that Jesus gave Peter a special teaching role in his church. The language of binding and loosing is Jewish terminology for interpretation God’s law, God’s will. Peter has a special responsibility for interpreting the teaching of Jesus for the other members of the church. As Roman Catholics we believe that this special teaching role assigned to Peter continues to reside in the bishop of Rome, the Pope. We need the Lord’s church in all its dimensions if we are to live our faith to the full; we need each other’s lived witness and we need the church’s teaching and guidance.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

[chlobenet]

– VIOLENT DELIGHTS  ☠️

Tensions were still high the morning after the ballet recital that had been held in Thomas Shelby’s grand home. Everyone was still reeling from the events of the evening; Linda’s dramatic arrival and subsequent shooting, Thomas’ less than sanitary or qualified removal of the bullet from Linda’s wound, Oswald Mosely’s rallying speech after the dramatic conclusion of the ballet and, of course, his subsequent propositioning of Genevieve Lock which struck chords of anger with just about every member of the extended Shelby family although none more so than Thomas Shelby himself.

The multitude of tensions came to a head when yet another family meeting was called - extended family included this time – at the Garrison Pub. Genevieve had been one of the first to arrive, having woken early the morning after the ballet and eaten breakfast in silence alongside Polly Gray. Although the two women had not spoken, a whole hoard of conversations had been had between the pair in glances alone. Perhaps it was the gypsy magic in Polly, the self-proclaimed gypsy queen, and perhaps it was rubbing off on Gennie Lock, but the more time she spent in the company of Shelby Company Ltd’s treasurer the less the pair spoke with actual words. They’d driven into the city together, parking directly outside the pub and relishing in the feeling of being back in the heart of Birmingham, back where they belonged, the moment they stepped foot outside the vehicle.

Other family members arrived in dribs and drabs, Charlie and Curly, Johnny Doggs, Aberama, Michael and his new American wife, Jeremiah Jesus and finally – at least twenty minutes after everyone else had been instructed to arrive – Thomas, Finn and Arthur Shelby pushed open the heavy double door and entered the pub. Arthur was already drunk, Gennie noted, or perhaps he had yet to sober from the night before. From the looks of things, he had drunk through the night, and it appeared to Genevieve as though he had no intention of stopping any time soon as he headed straight for the bar, grabbing a glass and a bottle of whiskey before pouring himself a large measure and downing it in one. He was pouring a second glass when Polly addressed him.

“Are you bearing up Arthur?” Polly asked.

“Bearing up for what?” Arthur took another gulp of whiskey and Gennie frowned. “Bearing up to be free Pol.” Arthur waggled a finger in his aunts’ direction as he polished off the last of the amber liquid from the glass. He was referring to his inevitable divorce from Linda, something that, whilst Gennie had always thought probably should happen, she never imagined that it ever would. Divorcing a Shelby man simply was not the done thing, or so it had been up until now.

Polly and Genevieve shared a glance, another of their silent conversations, before both women took a seat at the table where Michael and Gina were already seated. Arthur poured himself a third glass before he too sat down, offering Gennie a drunken smile as he did so.

“First of all…” Tommy spoke now, and all eyes shifted from his drunken older brother to Thomas himself, who stood at the far end of the room. “A welcome, to Mr Aberama Gold, he and Polly are to be married in three weeks with my blessing and so from now on, Aberama will be welcome at our meetings.” Gennie’s beaming smile stuck out like a rose amongst thorns in the dimly lit room. Despite the fact that she had already been told the news by both Thomas and Polly herself, it still filled her with such joy, an emotion that wasn’t often felt when in the company of the Peaky Blinders.

“Oh! How lovely,” Gen commented with a grin that the likes of Charlie and Johnny Doggs could not help but smile back at. How lovely indeed, they thought, to have someone as pure and innocent as little Gennie Lock around in times such as this.

“First item of business,” Thomas placed a hand on Gennie’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “A bereavement, Colonel Ben Younger, who may perhaps have become a member of this family was taken from us four days ago, by dark forced. We have made some investigations and we think we know who planted the bomb.”

Polly’s gaze was cast downwards as she reached for the bottle that Arthur had previously been nursing, she poured a small amount of whiskey into several glasses as Thomas spoke, motioning for those without glasses already to take one, which everyone did.

“In the meantime our thoughts are with Ada…and the baby inside of her, who may one day sit at these meetings but hopefully under happier circumstances.” He squeezed Gennie’s shoulder again, and she brought her hand up to rest atop of his, stroking her thumb gentle over the rough skin of his knuckles.

“Let’s drink to happier circumstances.” Polly suggested.

“Here, here.” Agreed Arthur.

“To Ada,” Gennie announced as she held her glass aloft. Around the room everyone else mirrored her movements.

“To Ada.”

Gennie threw the drink back in one gulp, grimacing slightly as the amber whiskey burned the back of her throat. Thomas drank too, though with much more ease than his wife who he watched frown as she placed her glass back down on the table.

“Item number two, an announcement,” Tommy gestured towards his cousin, “regarding Michael.”

At the sound of his name, Michael cleared his throat, placing his now empty glass on the table in front of him. “Before you go on, Tommy, there’s something I would like to say to the whole family directly. Regarding finances, and the future of this company.” Beside him, Gina did not meet a single persons gaze, instead she took a long drag from her cigarette and did her very best to look in any direction besides directly at Polly Gray who had taken to glaring so intently at her daughter in law that Gennie could swear that Pol’s eyes were boring a hole right through the petite American. “According to your own estimations,” Michael continued, “this new venture of the delivery and shipment of opium will bring into the company around two million pounds per year. Therefore, due to the amount involved, I think this company should be restructured -.”

“Michael.” Polly’s tone warned her son not to say another word. “I think this can wait until outside the family meeting.”

“Restructure in what way?” Thomas queried, his voice as calm as ever as he watched his young cousin carefully.

“Because of the amounts of money involved,” Gina spoke this time and Genevieve watched her through narrowed eyes from the opposite side of the table. “Shipment and dispatch will become the primary source of income for the company, it’s simple mathematics.” The American smiled, a small smug smile that caused a fire to erupt in the pit of Gennie’s stomach. Genevieve glanced up towards Thomas whose gaze was steely.

Michael stood, fixing straightening his suit and moving to stand behind Gina, both hands on either of her shoulders – a stance that mirrored Thomas and Genevieve on the opposite side of the table -before he spoke again. “With the help of my wife, I will organise an expansion into America where the narcotics business is just starting to grow. You see I have very good contact in Detroit…New York…Boston, who I’ve already spoken to about this. Gina has family who are very experienced in this kind of business, according to the conversations that I have had with them, with a regular supply of pure opium from China, within a short space of time, the American narcotics business will bring in twenty million dollars per annum. Enough money for you all to enjoy an easing of the burden that you now feel.” Around the room glances were exchanged, Arthur took another sip of whiskey but Thomas remained unmoving, his icy blue eyes never once faltering from his cousin who was trying his very best not to drop Thomas’ gaze. “You see I know that the scars and the wounds, they’re on the inside,” he tapped a finger against his head, “not on the outside. And as a member of the new generation, I am able to take that great burden off your weary shoulders, a new decade is coming there will be new opportunities in new territories, more money than we have ever had before. Tommy, you can still do the good work that you still want to do, you can be married, and live in that big house with your lovely wife…Gennie, you could finally start your own family.”

Thomas grip on Gennie’s shoulder tightened the moment Michael addressed her and Gennie simply frowned a response.

“Finn, you’ve proved yourself, you’re part of the new generation, you could come to New York with me.” Michael suggested, smirking at Thomas as he did so. After a moment he placed a neatly bound file of papers on the table in front of Tommy. “Here is my proposal, a full restructuring of the company, I will be managing director and you can be none executive chairman, but under an assumed name to protect your reputation. I found the name of a dead man, you will be registered as Mr Jones, you will each receive a percentage of the profits and you will no longer have to engaged in any of the associated activities.” He took a dangerous step closer to Thomas, an act which caused Genevieve to rise from her seat, partly in anticipation that Tommy might cut the younger man for his words, and partly out of sheer outrage at the complete lack of loyalty displayed by Michael Gray, despite everything the Shelby family had done for him. “Take a look at the future Tommy, at least read it with an open mind.”

Thomas retrieved the binder of papers, “It’s cold in here Michael.” He stated as he tossed the paperwork in the fire behind him, causing sparks to erupt and embers to float up the chimney, much to Curly’s delight who chuckled at the far side of the bar before being promptly silenced by Charlie. “Item number three…”

“Tell him the truth,” Gina Gray spoke coldly and both Gennie and Thomas’ gaze shifted from Michael to his wife. “Go on, he can take it.”

“Tell me the truth Michael…” Thomas’ words were a slow, dangerous, drawl.

“The American’s don’t want a deal with an old-fashioned backstreet razor gang, those days are done.”

“That same backstreet razor gang that gave you everything you have right now?” Genevieve spoke, and to her right, Arthur Shelby beamed a proud smile. “The backstreet razor gang who, without, you would be shovelling shit and working manual labour on a farm that you could never hope to inherit because you were nothing more than an orphan? That backstreet razor gang?”

“Gennie…” Michael’s use of her name was neither a caution, more a plea for her to stop talking. Instead, his words sounded confused, as though he was unsure why Genevieve Lock, a girl famed in Birmingham for her sweet nature and kindly disposition, was speaking to him in such a manner. “You know that I have no qualms with you Gen, you’re better than this family, you always have been.”

“This is my family.” Gennie spoke slowly, still dumbfounded by both her own bravery and Michael’s betrayal. “It was your family too, and you’d do well to remember that Michael.”

“Do you think John would have liked the woman you’ve become Genevieve,” there was an audible gasp in the room and Genevieve felt a lump rise in her throat so high that she thought she might choke on it. “Look at what this so-called family has turned you into.” As Michael spoke, Tommy snaked a protective arm around Gennie’s waist, instinctively pulling her closer to him, feeling her entire body trembling as he did so. He wasn’t sure if he was pulling her back, or stopping himself from lunging forward, perhaps it was both.  

“Tommy!” Isiah Jesus burst through the door, perhaps at precisely the right moment as Thomas Shelby wasn’t sure he’d have been able to restrain himself a second longer. “He’s bitten through the fucking rope, they’ve got him cornered but they need help.”

“Go and get him!” Tommy yelled, although he did not move. Around the room the various men lunged into action, standing from their seats and heading out the door to assist Isiah in restraining Barney. The pub was vacated by all by Michael, Thomas, Gina, Gennie and Polly in mere moments.

“I’m doing this for you Tommy.” Michael said slowly. “It’s time, and you know it. Mums leaving, John’s dead, Arthur needs help, Ada’s man was killed in your own back yard because you fucked up and your own wife…” In one quick movement Thomas grabbed the bottle of whiskey from the table and tossed it into the flames, the combustion of alcohol in the flames caused a small eruption and the fireplace glowed an angry orange for a second before the flames died down once more.

He squared up to Michael, despite Gennie clawing at him in an attempt to hold him back. Michael held a blade to his cousin, “Go on Tom, cut me, like the good old days.”

Thomas shook his head, no. “I gave you an opportunity Michael, you betrayed me, don’t be here when I get back.” He took a step backwards, holding a hand out to Genevieve which she gladly took. The pair didn’t spare Michael or his wife one last glance as they walked around him and towards the exit.

Gennie didn’t even look back as she heard the unmistakable sound of Polly Gray’s palm coming into contact with Michael’s cheek as she slapped her son hard across the face. 

[midnight-in-town]

Is there anything in the flashback arc of AnE that you've found particularly notable or surprising? I've been pleasantly surprised by how likable Yuri is and how successful Shiro used to be at picking up girls.

Hey Anon! And same for Yuri, I absolutely love her when I couldn’t stand her in the anime, which is why I’m really enjoying this huge flashback! 

Tbh, Yuri was a question mark I was really scared to ever see being addressed in the manga after what the anime showed us of her character. She’s barely mentioned for so long too that when she’s finally hinted at for the first time…

I remember the fandom’s huge (positive) reaction to that. 

Then we got ch89, which was the first time we saw her in the manga thanks to Shura’s flashback…

and the fact that she and Shiro seemed to have these complicated romantic subtones between them pleased me a lot, so I stopped being scared of manga!Yuri possibly being too similar to anime!Yuri. 

The current flashback presents her as a kind-hearted, strong and brave woman, which is something I will never dislike anyway, even if me loving her will just make it really harsh for my heart when she is to die. :/ 

So yeah, Yuri is amazing and I love the fact that Rin, who was so scared to know anything about her since he could guess this wouldn’t be a happy story, came to love her too almost instantly. 

But I’m scared to witness Rin witnessing everything that has yet to happen. T_T

Otherwise, besides Yuri who was really one of the biggest mysteries, I don’t think the flashback brought us anything surprising since it is all about tying the different plot points. I do think we’re in for surprising plot twists, but in my opinion it will be about how the twins came to be born and the Blue Night mainly.

Like, clearly, Shiro decided to raise the boys because he loved Yuri. He may have tried to justify it differently to other people, just like Mephisto, because presenting the boys as weapons for the Order was the only way to guarantee their survival, but this is about Yuri first and foremost and I love how the flashback is slowly building up to that…

Because I think these conclusions are something that Shiro was told by Yuri as she died, or something that he came to understand by himself after she passed away and he decided to raise the twins for her (or for both of them and as a huge ‘fuck u’ to Section 13, idk). 

And that’s why this whole flashback is killing me. Satan may be the twins’ biological dad, but the main reason the boys are who they are now is because Shiro and Yuri loved each other (and actually I have trouble understanding why some readers see Satan/Yuri in a positive light, but this isn’t the point).  

It’s @blueexorshit who made me realize that as Satan claims that Yuri belongs with him, she hesitates a second before saying okay because…

…she thinks about Shiro and I died inside when I read that.

One thing I think some readers (Satan/Yuri shippers mainly) may have gotten wrong is that Yuri didn’t go to Satan or said “okay” about staying with him because she’s in love with him. I mean, sure, she still sees him as Rinka, a precious friend

but what she’s after by literally sacrificing herself is…

saving people from him. Because for her that’s what an exorcist’s job is all about (see her argument about that with Shiro in ch102) and also because that way she can protect all the other people she cares about (like Rick and Shiro of course).

Anyway, sorry, I don’t know why I turned this answer into a Shiro/Yuri essay, but… wait actually I think that’s what I found the most surprising about the current flashback. xD I was expecting answers obviously, but of the same tones than those Mephisto gave to Lightning and Suguro before. 

Instead, Sensei decided that her answers were to be given by focusing on what sort of dynamic went on between Satan/Yuri/Shiro. So I really wasn’t expecting to have so many feelings about Shiro/Yuri or to realize that the fact they loved each other…

…basically led to the whole plot of this series, even if they were out of luck and that didn’t end happily for them.

It’s both beautiful and tragic and we’re not even there yet. ;_; Even Shiro picking up girls that you mentioned is something that we got a throwback on, since he clearly stopped doing that (maybe by the time he started to fall in love with Yuri) + years later he also advised Shura not to do the same (ch78).

Everything is being tied together and I love that and the way Sensei chose to show it to us (and Rin). Still expecting plot twists though, as I said (like Yuri running away because she realizes her sons are to become vessels or because Satan will try to kill powerless!baby Yukio, idk, anything or even how this all ties to Mephisto’s plans), so there may be more surprising answers coming towards us. We’ll have to see. :)   

Amongst other things I found particularly interesting was the focus on Shemihaza out of all the Grigoris, since I believe like many others that it is related to Shiemi’s arc, as well as the introduction of almost all the other Baals (we’re only missing Beelzebub), because this is also relevant to the current timeline that Rin left behind for a little while.

I’m also very curious about seeing Angel in the past, or what this guy…

was up to, being by Lucifer’s side to protect him, since we know Mephisto and Lightning are still after another traitor who helped/still helps the Illuminati. 

And the thing is, I don’t trust that Jeremiah dude in the slightest considering how happy he is to see Shiemi again when he’s literally robbing her of her freedom in the present timeline…

As for Arthur, I don’t believe in his amnesia explanation and that’s why I want to see what happened to him. 

If he truly was a Lucifer clone of Section 13, then he has a lot of reasons to pretend not remembering anything while plotting his revenge against Mephisto and the higher ups. His distaste of Shiro doesn’t help his case, since we know that Shiro ended up taking Mephisto’s side by choosing to raise the twins. 

It was also very interesting to understand where all the guys who helped Shiro raise the twins came from…

and finally, I’m curious to find out if Shura being “abandoned” by Shiro is pre or post Blue Night, as in:

did he really jump on the first chance he got to leave her behind?

or did he realize Yuri was right and maybe, as he got the Koma sword and the order to kill Yuri/Satan’s kids, he decided he couldn’t get her involved?

or did he decide to leave her behind because he took on raising the twins and getting Shura involved was out of question there again?

Because I do think that Shura ended up being like a daughter for Shiro, she was really like an introduction to him becoming the twins’ father, so him leaving her behind (which created a lot of resentment in her) might have a more significant side to it. Or not, we’ll see. xD

Aaaaand I think that’s it! Sorry for rambling. ^^” I hope this answers your question. 

Have a nice weekend Anon! :))

[johnchiarello]

Sunday sermon

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NOTE- Every so often some of my sites think I am Spam- or a Bot- I am not. My name is John Chiarello and I post original content [all videos and text are by me]. I do share my past posts from my other sites- but it is not spam- Thank you- John.

 [TODAY’S POST BEGINS HERE]

 Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

 Sunday sermon videos-

https://youtu.be/CEznhZchZDM

https://www.facebook.com/john.chiarello.5/videos/10204979692130228/ 

https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhDhxIxWdzx-wW5mv

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1fesn8zmu3nly9k/11-4-18%20sunday%20sermon.mp4?dl=0

ON VIDEO [ This Sunday I spoke on the verses from the Mass as well as a few verses from Rock City Church]

.The commandments SHALL be in you

.Moses and Joshua also said the people would not keep them

.Why? Even though they were given the law- yet- until the time of Christ and the New Covenant- the law would only reveal their sin

.Jesus quotes Moses- and ‘adds’ to it- the great commandment- Love God- and man

.The 4 questions in Mark 12

.Of course- Jesus wins the debate- every time

.Overview of Paul in Acts

.How does Psalm 110 fit in today's reading?

.After Jesus silences the critics- the common people loved it- why?

.Jesus ‘broke’ the religious customs of his day- and showed the true nature of the kingdom

.Some church history-

.Luther and John Hus- how did Luther fulfil the prophecy of the swan?��http://lutheranpress.com/the-swan/ 

.The Medici Popes and the Renaissance

.Erasmus- Zwingli- Calvin

Isaiah 31:4

For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.

TEACHING [Past posts below]

This day I went to rock city church and taught on some of the verses from the Mass-

There was 1 verse that a girl talked about in her testimony at Rock city Church and I decided to use that verse for this teaching as well-

Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

From the Mass we read-

Deuteronomy 6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

Deuteronomy 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

I focused on verse 6.

It is interesting when you read the Old Testament- there were many times where the people of God were told to keep the law-

Yet we also read that they could never really keep it?

These prophecies are all contained in the law itself.

We also read of promises God made to his people that there would be a day when the law would be written on their hearts-

English Standard Version For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jer. 31:33

Because of the work of Christ- his death and resurrection- the Spirit would come to all believers- and the work of the law- the actual character of God [of which the law was simply a glimpse] would then indeed be written upon our hearts.

Peter declares that we are partakers of God’s Divine nature-

2 Peter 1:4

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

I tried to teach this a Little more on the video- but this is truly the message of the Cross- the whole study of Hebrews I have been doing these last few weeks.

The reading from Hebrews for this day [ Hebrews 7:23-28] fits the theme we have been focusing on the last few weeks as well-

I’ll simply add my past commentary on that chapter below.

I also Taught from Mark chapter 12- and hit on the 4 questions that were asked- starting in verse 14 through out the end of the chapter..

Jesus himself asks the last question [of the 4 I taught] and it is in the answer to this question that all else hinges upon-

Mark 12:35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?

Mark 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Mark 12:37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

Matthew’s gospel puts it this way- 

42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. Matt, 22

Who is the Christ? How can he be the son of David- and David himself call him lord?

Of course we know the answer today- but for people in the first century- this was indeed a hard question to answer.

I’ll also add my past teaching below on Mark 12-

The conclusion is if we know Christ- the Son of the Living God- then the word- law of God is written upon our hearts.

The prophecies of Ezekiel and Jeremiah have now come true- we have been born of God- born from above-

And what the law could not do- Christ has done for us-

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8

 Psalm 110:2

The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

PAST POSTS [These are links and parts of my past teachings that relate in some way to today’s post- Verses below]

https://ccoutreach87.com/protestant-reformation-luther/

https://ccoutreach87.com/mark-links/

https://ccoutreach87.com/hebrews-updated-2015/ 

https://ccoutreach87.com/christian-recovery-from-addiction-long-version/

https://ccoutreach87.com/acts-links/

https://ccoutreach87.com/john-complete-links-added/

MARK 12 Mark 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. Mark 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? Mark 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. https://youtu.be/VJBAPuroAUY Mark 12 https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/7-6-17-mark-12.zip https://ccoutreach87.com/7-6-17-mark-12/ ON VIDEO- .Sandia .Storehouse wisdom .Kingdom to the gentiles [church] .Vineyard- wisdom- tower .Song of the vineyard .Apostles .Leadership .7 dead brothers .Married in heaven? .We are the bride- he is the groom .Burning bush- I AM .Great commandment .Beware of the religious leaders .Jesus has a question too .The common people liked it

NEW- Jesus teaches the parable of the vineyard [or tenants]- it comes from the song of Isaiah chapter 5. The parable speaks about the Jewish people- and their rejection of Jesus as the promised Messiah.

A landowner plants a vineyard- puts a hedge around it- places a wine-press in it- and sets up a tower. He then leases it out to tenants.

The Lord of the vineyard leaves- and over time he sends his men back to collect the fruit. The people who have leased the land refuse to give the fruit.

They beat and stone those who are sent. And finally the landowner sends his son- and they kill him.

The meaning is clear- God sent his prophets to speak to his people [Israel] they rejected them over time- and finally kill the Son.

Remember- Jesus is teaching this- before he is crucified. He predicts his own death in the parable. Yet- at the end- he quotes Psalm 118- Psalm 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: Mark 12:11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? He predicts his Resurrection as well. The Son who was rejected and killed- becomes the head of the corner.

In this chapter Jesus will also quote Psalm 110- Mark 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. Psalm 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

He questions the religious leaders- He asks them Mark 12:35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? Yes- Jesus did indeed come from the line of David- but as the eternal logos- he was before David- John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The chapter ends with 2 stories- about widows. It’s important that we see them both.

Jesus rebukes the religious teachers for taking advantage of widows- for financial gain Mark 12:38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the market places, Mark 12:39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Mark 12:40 Which devour widows’ houses, Then he commends the poor widow for giving into the offering- Mark 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. Mark 12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: Mark 12:44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Over the years there have been many examples of religious leaders taking advantage of the poor- many have enriched themselves by abusing their office as teachers of the bible.

Jesus strongly condemns those who do this. Yet- he commends the poor widow for giving to God.

The rich were giving out of an abundance- it seems as if they actually learned the principle of abundance in their giving to God. Yet- he sees the woman giving out of her poverty- understand- she is still poor at the time she is commended.

Yet the others were rich- and giving.

Many in today’s church would look at the rich- who had an abundance- and say they prospered because they were giving- and had a lot.

And some would condemn the poor widow- because she obviously must be doing something wrong- because she gives- and is yet poor.

But Jesus did not see it that way. The woman gave sacrificially because of her love for God.

The rich gave- yet they did it out of their wealth. Jesus honors the poor widow- not because she learned some secret of giving to get a harvest- because she had no harvest. But she loved God- she gave for the work of God- as she understood it.

Her giving was not based on the return she would get- because as of now- she has not received a return [poor widow]. Yet in the eyes of Jesus- she indeed gave more.

There are a few other things in this chapter that I taught on the video. The challenge of the Sadducees- who do not believe in the resurrection. And Jesus rebuke- Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? I have taught this before- and will try and find those past posts and add them below. Jesus also gives us the great commandment in this chapter- Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

When the common people saw Jesus put the religious leaders to silence- the bible says they loved it- Mark 12:37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

The downtrodden of society were rejected by the religious leaders of the day. Their outward religion caused them to neglect true justice- true love of fellow man.

The same things that the song of Isaiah- which Jesus used in the parable- were being rebuked for- Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. The fruit the land owner wanted- was not simply religious works- It was what the other man in this chapter saw- Mark 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. The animal sacrifices and outward religion were the things that Jesus rebuked them for. Those who seemed to use religion in order to have an abundant wealthy life- were not seen in a good light by Jesus.

The tenants wanted an inheritance and their lust for the wealth of the vineyard [financial harvest] caused them to reject the actual Son of God himself- Mark 12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his well beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. Mark 12:7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our’s.

Yes- many in the modern church have tried to seize on some material inheritance and given out of an abundance and implemented many of the principles of the bible in order to prosper.

But in doing this- they have had to reject many of the plain things Jesus taught- New International Version “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matt. 6:24

Yes- in a way- they have killed the Son- and seized the wealth.

But Jesus saw the widow- the poor widow- the woman who seemed to have never gotten a hold of the wealth building principles of those who gave out of their abundance.

Yes Jesus saw her- And in the wisdom of God- She gave more than all the others combined-

And thus the chapter ends.

PAST POSTS- http://corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com/p/john-complete-links-added.html http://corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com/p/romans-2015-video-links-included-romans.html http://corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com/p/2015-video-linksincluded-hebrews-1-3.html https://ccoutreach87.com/further-talks-on-church-and-ministry/ https://ccoutreach87.com/house-of-prayer-or-den-of-thieves/ MARK- https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/02/28/jersey-city-ride-mark-1/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/02/mark-2-north-bergen/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/04/mark-3-isaiah-61/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/14/mark-4/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/27/mark-5/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/05/mark-6/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/16/mark-7/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/30/mark-8/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/05/14/mark-9/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/06/07/mark-10/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/06/22/mark-11/

I mentioned Bultmann and the Herodians on today’s video- below are some past teachings I did on them-

During the time of Jesus you had a divided people. In 1st century Palestine the Jewish people split into 4 basic sects. 2 of them are pretty well known- the Pharisees and Sadducees- they are mentioned often in scripture.

The other 2 are less well known- the Zealots and the Essenes. The Zealots are named in the bible- but only in passing. We have no references to the Essenes.

The Pharisees were sticklers for the Torah [Jewish bible] and the Sadducees centered their life around the Temple- they were more of a political/religious type group.

They stuck to the Torah alone. That is they only received the actual first 5 books of the Old Testament- which is the Torah [also the term is used to speak of the entire Old Testament] and that’s why the Sadducees rejected miracles and angels and stuff. Most of those stories are found in the other O.T. books.

The Zealots were a group of people who hated compromise- they were actually a 1st century ‘terrorist’ group- who carried out assassinations. Not on Rome- but on their own people!

The zealots hated those who compromised with Rome- and if they felt a leader was too chummy- they killed him.

The Essenes were a separatist group who lived in ‘the hills’ [Qumran community] they simply gave up completely on any political solutions for the day- and went and lived in the hills. These are the ones responsible for hiding the Dead Sea scrolls [old bible books found in the last century] in a cave.

It’s interesting to note that Jesus had both a Zealot on his team [Simon- not Peter who also went by that name] and Matthew- a Tax collector. Tax collectors were considered the biggest sell outs of all- they actually worked for Rome and scammed their own people- it must have been hard for Jesus to lead this group [the 12 disciples] who came from such opposite ends of the political spectrum.

Yet Jesus did lead them- he was even offered earthly rule a few times [once from satan- and once from the people who heard him] he rejected it both times. His kingdom was not ‘of this world’.

In the New Testament book of Philippians- the bible says that though Jesus was in the form of God [deity] yet he became a man and humbled himself to the death of the Cross- a shameful way to die.

We have one letter written in the N.T. by a ‘family’ member of Jesus- that’s the epistle of James.

Protestants believe that Mary had other kids after Jesus was born- our Catholic friends teach that she remained a Virgin her whole life. My purpose right now is not to get into that.

James was considered the ‘half brother’ of Jesus [Mary was the mom of both boys- Joseph was the dad of James- Jesus’ father was God]. Okay- James was slow to believe in his brother- but over time as Jesus was declaring himself to be the Messiah- I’m sure James had to wonder- you know- think back ‘gee- come to think of it- I can’t’ remember a time where my brother got in trouble’.

Wait- now I remember- yeah- that time when Jesus was 12- we all went to Jerusalem for the big feast- and Jesus stayed behind while we started the trip home. Yeah- we went 3 days before we realized he was gone. Boy was mom mad that day.

So we went all the way back to get him- and when we found him- he was sitting in the temple- asking these questions- I mean questions that only theologians knew- Jesus was still a kid.

Mom said to him ‘son- why did you stay behind- we were worried’! Yeah- she was mad- if there was ever a time my brother came close to getting in trouble- this was it. But Jesus said ‘why were you worried- didn’t you know I would be doing my Fathers business’ yeah- he sure seemed different- but the Messiah- come on.

So as the ministry years of Jesus role by- there are all these reports of miracles and healings- blind people seeing- dead people coming back from the grave.

Yeah- James has got to be wondering now- but no- he could not accept that his own brother was the promised Son of God- no- too much.

Then the day came- that terrible day where mom had to watch Jesus die on that rugged Cross- on Golgotha- man the hill looked like a skull.

Yeah- it was a strange site- I mean the sky got dark- an earthquake shook the place- and even the Roman soldier who witnessed my brother die said ‘surely this was the son of God’. Wow- too much- my bother has carried this thing too far- even in his death he won’t let this obsession go.

Then James hears some disturbing reports- his friends are saying that Jesus has come back- that he pulled it off- the greatest miracle ever- the one Houdini himself couldn’t do.

But are the reports true? I mean if anyone could tell if this guy walking around is really Jesus- James would know.

We don’t read of the account- but all we know is James became a believer- a believer that his brother was indeed the Messiah- the Son of God.

I guess it went something like this- Jesus sitting there with his men- James shows up and sees his brother- the perfect one- not a spot on his record. Maybe Jesus looked up- maybe he said ‘brother- do you now see’ and yeah- he saw.

James would go on to be one of the leaders/Pastors of the church at Jerusalem- we read about him in Acts chapter 15. Most scholars believe this was the same James who penned the short letter we find in the N.T. that bears his name.

One thing James hits on a lot in his letter- is he defends the poor- the downtrodden- and he rips into the rich- the elite of the day. He warns us not to be biased- not to use ‘uneven scales’ when dealing with people.

James hit on social justice issues- he picked them up from his brother.

We need to be concerned about the world- if a raped woman is forced to marry her rapist- then we ought not say ‘she was pardoned’. When we critique one person for past failures- then we must do that to all.

But at the end of the day- Jesus never took the earthly crown- he did not see the solution to be a political one- he brought Simon and Matthew together on the same team- and he showed them what it means to lay your life down for others- to live without the praise of men- the earthly standard of success- he chose another way- and he left that path for us.

http://www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com

[1622] ARE THE JAPANESE DISPROVING FREUD? One of the narratives coming from the Japan disaster is the response of the Japanese people. In contrast to our Katrina tragedy the Japanese are very self reliant. Jack Cafferty [CNN] read an email from some elderly lady who contrasted the 2 responses. She called the Louisiana residents who looted, killed, complained and wined- she said ‘those scumbags’ [ouch!] What are we seeing in the Japanese people? The media are referring to them as Stoic’s- the philosophy [ancient Greek- one of only 2 philosophies mentioned by name in the bible- Acts chapter 17 mentions the Stoic’s and Epicureanism] that said the secret to life is living on an even plane. Don’t get too ‘up’ or too down- just ride the wave of life as moderately as you can. The other side of the coin is Hedonism- the philosophy of men like Freud- who taught that the problem with man is that he is taught to restrain himself [by religion] and that this restraint is itself a product of neurosis. Freud was a strange fellow, the father of modern Psychoanalysis; his ideas were actually quite weird. As a Jew [non practicing] he embraced the higher criticism of his day [a way of interpreting the bible as not being actually true- just good stories] and he sought to come up with an explanation for mans religious bent. So he came up with the idea of the Oedipal Complex- a strange view of man that said the real problems of man are they have this view of love and hate for the father figure- and the ‘real’ story of Moses and the children of Israel was the Jews killed Moses in the wilderness [hatred for the father figure] they then felt guilty about it- and out of this guilt they would eventually develop a ‘religion of the Son’ [Christianity] and Walla- that’s the real story. You would be surprised how many people hear silly stuff like this in life [or college!] and they never give it a second thought. Like Pope Benedict says in ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ [1st book of a trilogy on the life of Christ] he mentions the theories of the critics [men like Bultmann] and he then responds ‘and how do you know this’? Bultmann [one of the famous liberal theologians of the day] would come up with ideas like this- and he would just espouse them. The funny thing about these critics was they were trying to challenge the historical accuracy of the bible- are the gospels true- stuff like that. And in their challenge they would ‘make up’ their own stuff [Oedipal complex] and simply expect everyone to believe it. So Freud taught that we need to free man from this neurosis of religion- this thing in society that says ‘restrain yourself’ and if we teach man to do and be all that he feels like doing- then we will have healed him of this destructive religious belief that developed out of a secret love/hate relationship of father. Wow. I can think of no greater philosophy to not live your life by than that. How did the Freudian experiment turn out? It was/is a disaster- I’m not just saying this as a Christian who rejects Freud’s atheism- but many of his ideas have also been roundly rejected by the psychologists of the modern day. Freud actually taught that when you counsel a person [yes- he was the originator of the idea of the patient lying on the couch while the counselor listens] that the patient is ‘transmitting’ psychic energy from himself to the doctor- and that’s what makes him better. Freud wrote Moses and Monotheism [his fictional account of the origins of Judaism/Christianity] Totem and Taboo- the fictional idea of the primitive religion of man- and Civilization and it’s Discontents, his explanation of the conflict between mans psychic life and the demands of society. The basic view of Freud [Hedonism] is a failed system that does not work in the real world. To live your life based on the philosophy of ‘if it feels good- do it’ does not work in any area of life- for the long term. In food, shopping, family life, marriage, sexual expression- the basic principle of self restraint and discipline [the Japanese response] is in great contrast to the ‘unrestrained’ view of life [as seen in some of the Katrina response- many of the looters and rioters were raised with a welfare mentality- they were dependant on the state/govt. to do things for them. When things went bad- they blamed the govt. for it]. In the end of the day- the society that practices self discipline- that teaches their children to be self reliant- those are the ones who have the most successful lives. Those who practice Hedonism blame stuff on everyone else.

http://www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com

VERSES- New International Version As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. John 8:40 10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. Heb. 13 KJ21 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel” (which being interpreted is, “God with us”). Matt. 1:23 Proverbs 21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations 1 Peter 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. Heb. 6

Mark 12:1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. Mark 12:2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. Mark 12:3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. Mark 12:4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. Mark 12:5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Mark 12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. Mark 12:7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our’s. Mark 12:8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. Mark 12:9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: Mark 12:11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Mark 12:12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. Mark 12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. Mark 12:14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Mark 12:15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. Mark 12:16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s. Mark 12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him. Mark 12:18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Mark 12:19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Mark 12:20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. Mark 12:21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. Mark 12:22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. Mark 12:23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? Mark 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. Mark 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? Mark 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. Mark 12:35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? Mark 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. Mark 12:37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. Mark 12:38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, Mark 12:39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Mark 12:40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. Mark 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. Mark 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. Mark 12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: Mark 12:44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Isaiah 5:1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: Isaiah 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. Isaiah 5:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. Isaiah 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? Isaiah 5:5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: Isaiah 5:6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

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Sunday sermon

Sunday sermon 10-28-18

Sunday sermon 10-21-18

HEBREWS 7-9

https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/5-7-15-hebrews-7-9.zip

[note- some of the posts are too long to post on facebook-so if you just see the video- you can go to the blog and read the post- thanks].

END NOTES OF POST BELOW-

WHAT ARE THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS?

OCTAVIAN- A GOD?

CICERO- MARK ANTONY [or Anthony if you like].

WHO WERE THE ESSENES?

DID THE CHURCH ENGAGE IN A GRAND CONSPIRACY?

NOTE- On the video I said that Herod the Great had 4 sons who ruled areas at the time of Christ- actually there were 3.

Archelaus- Ethnarch of Judea. Antipas- tetrarch of Galilee [I did get this right] and Philip- tetrarch of regions east of the Jordan.

  CHAPTER 7:

NEW NOTES-

MELCHIZEDEK/JESUS NEVER DIES.

NEW PRIEST- NEW LAW.

 ‘For this Melchisedek, king of Salem [Jerusalem], priest of the most high God…to whom Abraham gave a tent part of all…without father or mother [no record in scripture!] having neither beginning of days nor end of life [no record of his death or birth] but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually’ first, Paul is showing the superiority of the New covenant over the Old. These verses are often used to teach tithing to gentile believers, they really teach the opposite! In context they are showing that the New Covenant is greater than the law, therefore the law [represented as Levi being in the loins of Abraham] submitted to Grace [The priesthood of Melchisedek/Jesus] and showing how grace is better than law. Paul’s point is to once again use the Melchisedek figure as a type of Christ. Jesus is called a high priest forever after this order, Paul says in essence ‘this order has priests who have no beginning of days or end of life, the priests in this order have a forever priesthood’. It really is amazing how Paul gets all this from the few verses of scripture that speak of Melchisedek. Many theologians today question even the most obvious truths. Some good ones will say there isn’t enough evidence for certain doctrines. Even though the evidence is 100 times more than what Paul used in his teaching on Melchisedek! I find it interesting how Paul continually sees Jesus thru every story! The man was a true ‘Jesus freak’.

 ‘Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham gave the tenth…they that are of the sons of Levi have a commandment to TAKE TITHES OF THE PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THE LAW’ Lets settle this once and for all. To all my friends who teach tithing is for Christians today, many of them justify it by saying ‘tithing was before the law [true] in the law and after the law’ I have tried to explain this many times before. This verse shows tithing to be part of the law, specifically, not just ‘during it’. Also, the whole point of the argument here is that Grace and the New Covenant are better than the law. The tithe here is mentioned in a way that shows the superiority of the new covenant over the Old. ‘Levi also paid tithes in Abraham, for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedek met him, if THEREFORE perfection were under the Levitical priesthood, what further need was there that a priest should rise after the order of Melchisedek, and not after Aaron? FOR THE PRIESTHOOD BEING CHANGED, THERE IS A NECESSITY FOR A CHANGE OF THE LAW’.

 The ‘therefore’s’ are real important. They show you the main reason for the argument. If Paul can prove that God raised up Jesus from another priesthood, then there must also be ‘another covenant’. For this reason [therefore] you [Jew] should move on from the Old one and into the New! ‘For it is evident that out Lord sprang [root out of dry ground!]out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood…who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life, for he says “thou art a priest FOREVER after the order of Melchisedek”. Again Paul gets all he can from the ‘Melchisedek verse’. Because this single text of scripture says ‘Jesus is a priest forever’ therefore God knew all along that he would raise up a priest with an endless life. Wow, Paul even gets the resurrection from this verse!

 As Paul was learning all these things in a new way after his conversion, it was blowing his mind. He saw all these ‘hidden’ nuggets of wisdom that Israel had all along in hidden form contained in their law. Paul is doing his best to present his case from their own ‘bible’ if you will… ‘For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by which we draw nigh unto God…and they truly were many priests, because they were not permitted to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. WHEREFORE he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him’. Now, we usually read this ‘the guttermost’ but it means something a little different. It means because Jesus has an endless life, he is ‘always’ interceding on our behalf. His very presence continually before the throne is what ‘keeps saving us continually all the time’. It is more along the lines of ‘Jesus never will die; therefore we will continually be saved’.

 Paul compares this to the insufficiency of the priesthood of the law. Those priest’s ‘meant well’ but the poor brothers kept dying! This showed the total inability of those priests to effectively stand in on our behalf, even though they did all they could do. Jesus, on the other hand, will never die. Who would you prefer to have on your prayer team? Someone who will forget to pray for you down the road, who will last so long? Or someone who will pray for you forever? I know this is a crude way to look at it, but for our gentile minds it gets the point across. ‘For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens’ Paul describes the character of Jesus as ‘harmless’ as someone who would never ‘get even’ who is always pure, the perfect intercessor!

 There are times in our lives, as well as all ‘natural priests’ that we are not pure, holy or harmless. During these days our prayers can’t get thru. If people are depending on us for true intercession, we let them down. There is never a day where our ‘chief intercessor’ lets us down. There are days when we feel useless, we have failed. Our own agendas get in the way. Days when we are not ‘harmless’. Thank God that our ‘prayer warrior’ is always on the job on our behalf. This is what  it means when it says ‘he is able to save to the uttermost that come to God by him’. All you have to do on those down days is ‘come’.

 ‘Who needeth not daily to offer for sins… he did this once and for all when he offered up himself’ Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, there will never be another! ‘For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity, but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated forevermore’ Paul takes the verse again where it says ‘thou art a priest forever’ and compares it to the law. He says ‘the oath that God swore when he made Jesus a priest forever, came after the giving of the law. Therefore it supersedes the law. The law made priests that were failing, the oath made a priest who would last forever’ it really is amazing how much use Paul gets from this one verse. He in essence is saying ‘because Jesus was made a priest by this later oath, therefore the former making of priests is no longer in operation. You must leave the Levitical priesthood [law] and enter into the new one made by the oath’ [New Covenant] all the arguments that Paul makes in this letter are always pointing to Jesus as the final word from God. A better covenant with better promises. This is the whole context of Hebrews, for the people to come out of the law and into Christ!

NEW NOTES-

MELCHIZEDEK/JESUS NEVER DIES.

NEW PRIEST- NEW LAW.

Ok- we see the Melchizedek figure a bit more here-

The writer is saying ‘look- my Jewish brothers- in Psalms 110- King David- a prophet- spoke about another Priesthood.

This priesthood is not from the tribe that priests from the law come from [Levi].

But the promise/oath made about this priest [Jesus] says ‘you are a priest FOREVER’.

How can this be?

The writer says this must mean that David was talking about some future priest- who would have an endless life-

How else could anyone be a priest FOREVER?

So- David spoke about another priesthood- outside of the law.

And this priest is superior to the ‘law’ priests- because those guys died- but this one lives.

He also says ‘there must then be a change of the law [Old Covenant] too- because if we have a new priest- then there must be a new TESTAMENT/COVENANT as well’.

The whole argument is showing the superiority of what Jesus has done for us- versus the requirements of the Old Law.

The writer says ‘see- Abraham our forefather paid tithes to him- and Abraham had the tribe of Levi ‘still in him’ [Abraham was the father of Isaac- Isaac was the father of Jacob [named Israel] and he was the father of the 12 tribes].

Levi being one of those sons/tribes.

The point being that this example of Abraham paying tithes to Melchisedek- shows that he [and the priestly line that would follow- Jesus] was superior to the old law/priesthood- because Abraham was blessed by him- and truly ‘the lesser is blessed by the greater’.

Once again- this whole argument only makes sense to the 1st century Jew in transition- it has no real relevance to a new- first century- gentile church.

Notice how much the writer is ‘getting’ out of this obscure reference in the book of Psalms-

We really don’t have a whole lot of stuff in the bible about Melchizedek- but what we do have- is enough.

Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

Hebrews 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

Hebrews 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

Hebrews 7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

Hebrews 7:6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

Hebrews 7:7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

Hebrews 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

Hebrews 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

Hebrews 7:10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

Hebrews 7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

Hebrews 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

Hebrews 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

Hebrews 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Hebrews 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

Hebrews 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

Hebrews 7:20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

Hebrews 7:21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

Hebrews 7:23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

Hebrews 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Genesis 14:17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.

Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

Genesis 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

 THE WELL- John 4 [and Brexit too] John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. TODAY’S VIDEOS- https://youtu.be/qaD4EfJLH_g Media [Brexit] https://youtu.be/n2l2UuWbiVw The Well- John 4 https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/6-23-16-the-well.zip https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/amos-5/

MY LINKS- https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/the-great-building-of-god/

ON VIDEO .Are people afraid to report possible Muslim suspicious activity? .Look at the boy with the ‘clock’ story. .Big money politics. .Polls? .My big sin confession- yes folks- this might be the bombshell you have been waiting for! [what is it John- can’t you just write it? No- you have to watch] .Was big money behind the Iran Nuke deal? .The Boeing plane contract- to Iran. .Iraq debacle. .Media slams Trump- because he only raised 1 million- and used 50 million of his own money. .Sanders raised most of his money from small donations. .Hillary raised 25 million- from corporations and Wall street [the only corrupt money candidate out of the 3] and one of her main campaign points is ‘we need to get wall street out of politics’- Maybe you should start by getting out too? .And the media praised her for it- huh? .5 fold ministry [apostles- prophets- teachers- etc.] .AA sponsors- watch till the end- this might be the day you have been waiting for? .AA or the Church? [verses below] On THE WELL video [2 more articles below] Jesus has a long dialogue with a woman from Samaria- he speaks to her all alone- and she’s also from a region that the ‘Jews’ don’t associate with. Yet- he breaks the rules- and asks her to draw him water from Jacob’s well. She say’s ‘our father Jacob drank from it- his kids- and his cattle too’! The well was a source- not just for Jacob’s kids- but for him too. Meaning- when God grants us a ‘well’ [a source of communication for the truths of God] we too partake of it- like King David in the bible- he went to the house of God when he was on the run from Saul- and ate of the showbread- and gave it to his men. Paul tells Timothy ‘preach the word- in doing this you will SAVE yourself- and those that hear thee’. And when Jesus broke bread with his men- he too ate. The principle is- ministers- Pastors- 5 fold- You’re not the source- but God is speaking thru you [hopefully] and the things ‘coming out of you’ are for your sustenance too- get it? Now- the woman has been waiting for the Messiah her whole life- she says ‘we know he is coming’ and she says ‘the way we will identify him- is he will TELL US EVERYTHING WE DID’. Hmm? Everything? Ok- as he talks to her- he tells her he has some living water [the Spirit] and if she asks him- she will get the water that never runs dry. So- she asks. Jesus says ‘go get your husband’ . Her answer ‘I don’t have one’ [true] Jesus says ‘your right- you have had 5- the guy you are with now is not your husband- so yeah- that’s true’. Ok- she’s caught- and says ‘I perceive you are a prophet’ Remember- she is waiting for Messiah- and when he comes- he will TELL HER all that she did- she herself already said this. The conversation goes on- and Jesus says ‘ I AM HE’. Now- she clicks- has an epiphany ‘wow- that’s right- you did tell me my past- you did expose my sin- and now I’m able to access the well’. She goes on and tells her town about Jesus- ‘Come see a man that told me everything I did’. Actually- he did not tell her everything she ever did- but he did tell her enough- that she knew he was the one. Sometimes in life- we are seeking the miracles- we want to see God do something- and when the opportunity comes around- we miss out. Why? Because of our pride- on a recent video [link above- Amos 5] I told a story about a friend who was into the prophetic ministry- following ‘on-line’ prophets and all. He had stories of when he ran our of gas- somebody gave him gas- and he ‘turned’ that simple encounter- into an angel must have given him the gas. Fine. He went on to tell other stories just as ‘miraculous’ as the angel and the gas can. Then I told him the story of when I prayed over a dead boy- and God raised him from the dead. And how the Kingsville record ran a front page story ‘child says he saw the Lord’. And the whole city was rocked- the testimony of God went forth- the paper even said ‘Chiarello was in the room praying’. Ok- if your looking for ‘the well-‘ conjuring up stories about gas cans and angels- this is a pretty good one- you don’t even have to go on-line to find it. Yet- my friend said ‘oh- that just a resuscitation’. Sometimes God brings you the signs you have been waiting for your whole life [like the woman at the well] And because of pride- we miss it. Be attentive to the prophetic things happening around you- Paul told Timothy ‘wage a good war by the prophecies that were given over you’. Yes- God still speaks today- the well is for you- and for those who hear you. Just be careful- because Jesus was passing thru Samaria on that special day- and the woman almost missed it.

On the video MEDIA- I talk about the American media coverage of the Brexit [Britain leaving the E.U.] The 30 minute news went like this- 1 Trump on a golf course- with Nazi golf balls [thrown by a protestor] 2 Then the reasons why [the media said] they left- ‘racists- bigots- hatred- right wing Christians who want to enslave the younger generation- anti Muslim ignorance’ [they claimed it was only the older bigots who voted to leave] 3 Then they showed a Trump sign that was vandalized- and it said ‘Trump- make America WHITE again’. 4 Then an interview with a Scottish business man who said ‘trump is a nut- we can’t let him have Nukes’! [world news mind you- gave this guy a worldwide platform] 4 A story about a boy who ‘came out’ as gay- in honor of the victims of the mass shooting in Orlando 5 Then him and his mother saying he risked his life by coming out as gay [huh?] 6 Then they showed a picture of a Christian church- and said because they live in the south- his life is now in danger from Christians who might try to murder him. 7 They never mentioned the fact that it was a radical Muslim who killed the actual victims he was ‘coming out’ for. [note- The image of golf balls with swastikas- the Trump poster that said ‘Trump- make America White again’- then the young gay man- who feared for his life because Christians in the south might murder him- then the image of a southern church- images are powerful- the media knows this- and the average person might think ‘I’m not that dumb to fall for it’- but it’s subliminal- and that’s how all advertising works- even if you don’t think you’re ‘falling for it’] At the end of the 30 minute news- they associated Trump- conservatives- and Christians as a great danger to society- and those who voted for the Brexit were motivated by ignorance and racism.

Then I watched an interview with a Brit- a young Socialist [meaning- he was not a conservative] he said it would be very wrong to view those who voted to leave as racists- bigots- and ignorant. This liberal kid from Britain said there were many young progressives- and workers who voted to leave- who had very honest- non racist reasons. That’s what I said on the video- that the American media did a great disservice by spinning the whole thing as a racist- conservative- Trump- Nazi- anti freedom vote. And it took a young- liberal socialist- from Britain- to say the same thing. WHY SO MAD? An honest look at what happened in Britain would be a discussion that the Western world has been having for the past 10 years. The rise of radical Islam has caused many in the Western world to re-evaluate what it actually means to become a citizen of their countries. In Britain for many years it was just assumed that both Muslim immigrants and ‘home grown’ could live their lives and hold to their religious beliefs- and sort of be on their own. Then you had the rise of many isolated communities of whom a great number of the younger Muslims hold to extreme beliefs- even though they are citizens of Britain. This caused many brits to ask the question ‘should we have been more honest- forceful- in what it means to actually be a Brit’. They failed to ask the big questions- ‘if you want to be a part of us- and you are Muslim- that’s your belief- we get it- but if your actual belief includes the acceptance of executing gay people- and the hope of the establishing of Sharia law and courts- then those ideals will not be tolerated among true Brits’. The same questions we should ask all U.S. citizens- not a religious ‘test’- but an ideological one. Meaning- if you hold to the belief that Hitler was a great man-o k- I disagree with you- but if that belief includes you wanting to implement his anti-Semitic beliefs- and put them into practice [gassing Jews] than that’s more than simply a ‘religious belief’- you have crossed a line that is not acceptable if you want to become an American citizen. That’s an ideal that must be challenged. And Obamas belief that we need to distinguish between the radicals and the more moderate- I understand. But- he seems unable to admit that their is a huge percentage of ‘moderate’ Muslims who still hold to the honest belief that gay people should be executed under a ‘just’ system of Sharia law. That’s a problem- that’s not American. It’s not just a problem because it’s a ‘belief’ but it’s a problem that many who want to be part of a society [Britain- Europe- the U.S.] think it’s ok to have those beliefs- and to advocate and try to implement them- and it’s simply not acceptable- and if you want to be a part of a society- we will not reject you based on your belief about God- but we will make you say an oath- pledge to the new society you are coming to- which includes the acceptance of the values of that country- that’s what immigration means. That’s a ‘test’ of a radical unacceptable view- that’s should not be tolerated. Now- In Britain’s vote to leave the E.U. The European Union started after WW2- about 28 nations formed a union for strength and unity. Later on they had the Euro- about 20 nations joined in a common currency and formed the largest single trading block in the world. Ove the past 10 years Europe has faced many challenges- and the countries [Greece] that are on the verge of bankruptcy- began looking to the more stable ones as a sort of bailout neighbor [Germany being one of the more stable]. The Brits began asking if it was better for them to be under this 28 nation union [EU] and to have over regulation coming out of Brussels [the headquarters for the E.U]many sincere brits- not out of racism- but out of honest questions- decided it was better to leave the E.U. and not be under the ‘federal’ regulations of an outside body. Just like many Americans value their independence- and resent our own federal government having too many regulations. Ok- this was- is- an honest reason for the Brits to do their Brexit. But the media portrayed the vote as a bunch of ignorant- older- anti Muslim racists who bought into the ‘hatred’ of the Muslim world and voted out of ignorance. That’s not what happened- and this narrative is dangerous in my view. Why? I mentioned on the video [MEDIA] that they even talked to the businessman who Trump had dealings with over his golf course in Scotland. They gave this guy a platform to the world- to say Trump is unstable and will possibly hit the ‘Nuke’ button if he became president. But the real story over the past few years is many intelligent analysts have said the present course the Obama administration is on- is actually pushing Russia close to a hot war. Both liberals and conservative thinkers have said this. The threat of NATO- and Obamas willingness to sanction Russia- and to put more troops on the Russian/European border- is bringing the world to the brink of a real ‘Nuke Button’- not some golf course guy spewing off the top of his head about Trump.https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/russia-u-s-world-events/ Even Germany said it a few weeks ago- that NATO is war mongering- pushing Putin to the brink. A serious analysis should ask these questions- A real ‘news story’ should ask if It’s acceptable that about 50 percent of the Muslim world [not just radicals] think sharia law should be instituted- and if so- the execution of gays is a good thing. Now- that percentage is too high. You might have less than 1 percent of fundamentalist Christians who hold to an extreme view [maybe less] but the great majority of Christians absolutely reject the idea that gay people should actually be executed- because they are gay. Yet- a majority of Muslims world wide- believe this is ok. No- it’s not- and for Obama- or the media- to act like the problem is with the Christian- or the ‘ignorant- anti immigrant/Muslim bigots of Britain’ who voted to leave the E.U.- When they give you this narrative- they are doing a disservice. Britain left the EU- that was their democratic choice. Many brits have real problems with the Muslim communities in their country who still hold to these wrong views. These Brits should not be portrayed as ignorant right wing bigots- because the views they are rejecting by many Muslims in their country- are the radical- bigoted views- that all religions should reject. The threat of a real nuclear war has to do with decisions we are making right now- and our refusal to re-evaluate NATO [which Trump also got criticized for saying we need to do]. But the media preferred the analysis of some guy who did a business deal for a golf course in Scotland- and gave him world airtime to say how ‘Trump might hit the Nuke Button’- when in reality ‘the button’ might actually be hit- but it has nothing to do with Trump. VERSES- [news links below] John 4:1 When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, John 4:2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) John 4:3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. John 4:4 And he must needs go through Samaria. John 4:5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. John 4:6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. John 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. John 4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) John 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. John 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? John 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? John 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. John 4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. John 4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: John 4:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. John 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. John 4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? John 4:30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. John 4:31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. John 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. John 4:33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. John 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. John 4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. John 4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. John 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. John 4:40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. John 4:41 And many more believed because of his own word; John 4:42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. John 4:43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. John 4:44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. John 4:45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. John 4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. John 4:47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. John 4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. John 4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. John 4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. John 4:52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. John 4:53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. John 4:54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee. 1Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. NEWS LINKS- http://www.kristv.com/story/32298748/eu-leaders-say-britain-will-stay-member-for-now http://www.kristv.com/story/32304103/britains-departure-from-eu-impacts-americans http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/19/us/oakland-police-scandals/index.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3658258/White-House-crisis-talks-Britain-DEFIES-Obama-quit-European-Union-plunge-world-markets-shock.html http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/683224/END-OF-THE-EU-Germany-France-Austria-Hungary-Finland-Netherlands-Europe-Brexit

http://www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com facebook.com/john.chiarello.5 https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ4GsqTEVWRm0HxQTLsifvg

https://plus.google.com/108013627259688810902/posts Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. I deal with issues at times that it would be beneficial for some of you to download and save the file from the Word Press link. This creates a permanent record. The on-line videos are only good if sites are not hacked- which has happened in the past. Thanks- John.#

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Sunday sermon

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Sunday sermon 9-30-18

[1770] TREASURY OF MERIT

Let’s pick up where we left off 2 posts back. We were talking about Martin Luther and the events that led up to the Protestant Reformation.

In order to understand the key act that caused the protest- we will have to teach some Catholic history/doctrine.

In the 16th century Pope Julius began the effort to build St. Peters basilica in Rome. He got as far as laying the foundation and died. Pope Leo the 10th would pick up after him.

The church needed to raise money for the project- and the German prince- Albert- would play a major role.

It should be noted that both Catholic and Protestant scholars agree that the Popes of the day were pretty corrupt. They came from what we call the Medici line of Popes.

If you remember last month I wrote a post on the Renaissance- I talked about the Medici family and how they played a major role in supporting the Renaissance that took place in the 13th century in Florence Italy that would spread to the region.

Well this very influential family also played a big role in who would get top positions in the church.

At the time of Luther and prince Albert- if you had the right connections and the money- you could literally buy a position in the church.

Albert already held 2 Bishop seats- and there was an opening for an Archbishops seat in Mainz [Germany] and he wanted that one too.

It should be noted that official Canon law [church law] said you could only hold one seat at a time- Albert was bidding on his 3rd one! And he was too young for all of them.

So even the Pope and the officials held little respect for what the church actually taught at the time.

So Albert opens up negotiations with Leo- and the bidding starts AT 12,000 Duckets [money] Albert counters with 7,000- and they agree on 10,000. How did they justify the numbers? 12- The number of Apostles. 7- The 7 deadly sins. 10- The 10 commandments.

Yes- the church was pretty corrupt at the time.

So Albert works out a plan with Leo- he will borrow the money from the German banks- and pay the banks off by the Pope giving Albert the right to sell Indulgences.

What’s an Indulgence?

Okay- this is where it gets tricky.

The ancient church taught a system called The Treasury of Merit. This was a sort of spiritual bank account that ‘stored up’ the good deeds of others over the years.

You had the good deeds of Jesus at the top- but you also had Mary and Joseph- the 12 Apostles- and other various saints thru out time.

The way the ‘bank’ worked was you could tap into the account by getting a Papal indulgence- a sort of I.O.U. that had the Popes guarantee that it would get so much time out of Purgatory for a loved one.

The actual sacrament that accesses the account is called Penance [confession].

When a penitent does penance- he confesses his sin to the priest- and he is absolved by the authority of the church that the priest has. The priest usually tells the person ‘say so many Hail Mary’s- Our Father’s’ and that’s a form of penance.

One of the other things the church practiced was called Alms Deeds. This term is found in the bible and it means giving your money to the poor- it is a noble act that Jesus himself taught.

In theory- part of the sacrament of penance was tied into Alms Deeds- you can access the account thru the practice of giving to the poor- which also meant giving to the church that helps the poor- and in the hands of the Medici line of Popes- meant outright giving money to the Pope.

So now you see how the abuse worked its way into the pockets of the faithful.

Albert now had the permission from Leo to sell these indulgences in Germany- and he would pick a certain corrupt priest to sell them in a place called Saxony- the region where Luther operated out of.

It should be noted that the Catholic Church never taught the crass act of ‘buying your way out of Purgatory’. The practice of including giving money as a part of the sacrament of penance was tied into the biblical principle of giving to the poor- a good thing.

But Tetzel and others abused the official meaning of the indulgence- and did make it sound like you could by your way out of Purgatory [in theory- a loved one might be in Purgatory for so many years- and through the indulgence you are actually getting time off for them- because the good deeds of others are now applied to the account].

The money Albert would raise- half would go to Rome for the building of St. peters- and half would go to pay off the banks in Germany- it was a sad system- and a sad time for the church as a whole.

It would be wrong to judge the entire church at the time as being corrupt- you did have many sincere Priests and Catholic men and women who saw the abuses and did not take part in them.

But there was corruption at the top- and this would eventually lead to the breakup of the church- and the launching of what we now call the Protestant Movement.

As a side note- it should be said that many Catholics and Protestants are not aware of the whole treasury of merit system- and the church never officially changed her position on the doctrine.

There were 3 Church councils since the time [Trent- 1500’s, Vatican 1- 1800’s and Vatican 2- 1962-65]. The Treasury of Merit never came up for change.

Obviously Protestants don’t believe in Purgatory- and it’s not my purpose in these posts to change Catholics into Protestants or vice versa- but to give all sides a clear view of the issues that divided us- and to try and be honest- and respectful during the process.

Does the bible teach anything like a Treasury of Merit? Well actually it does. The bible teaches that the righteousness of Christ is the treasury that people can access- by faith- and become righteous in the sight if God.

The idea- applied to Christ- is good.

But in the hands of the Medici Popes- and the ambitious prince of Germany- it would lead to disaster.

www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com 

Note- Do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. Thanks- John

[1768] LUTHER- THE TOWER EXPERIENCE

Let’s start with some church history. In the last post I covered the early years of Martin Luther- probably the most significant figure of the Protestant Reformation.

Luther studied for the priesthood in Erfurt, Germany. He would eventually wind up in Wittenberg- one of the major university cities of the Reformation. Wittenberg was actually a small insignificant town- but the political leader over the region- Frederick the Wise- sought to put it on the map.

He wanted to turn Wittenberg into a German ‘Rome’. He wanted it to become a major Pilgrimage city where Christians would see Wittenberg as a destination- just like they saw Rome.

So Frederick embarked on this plan and he searched thru all the Catholic learning centers of the time and finally recruited 3 top scholars to teach out of the university at Wittenberg- Luther was one of the 3.

Just as a side note- Frederick would succeed at making Wittenberg a major catholic center. He would eventually obtain over 19,000 Relics for the Cathedral church there [Relics were used in the ancient system of buying indulgences and making special pilgrimage trips to important Churches. If the church/city that your making the Pilgrimage to has a lot of Relics- bones or other famous material objects from church history- then the value of the Pilgrimage was high. In theory Frederick collected so many that if you added up all the ‘time off’ from Purgatory- you would get 1 million, 900 thousand years off! Some of the famous relics at Wittenberg were a hair from the beard of Jesus- straw from the manger Jesus was born in- and even a branch from the famous burning bush of Moses! As you can see- there was a lot of commercializing going on- even back then].

When Luther arrived in Wittenberg- he made a name for himself as a top scholar. Many protestants- who revere Luther- usually are not aware that he was a master Linguist [sort of like Rick Perry!]

Yes Luther mastered language- and he showed it in his teaching on the book of Psalms.

In 1515 he began his famous study on the book of Romans and as he went thru the very first chapter- something shook him. He came across the passage that says the Just shall live by faith. This verse first appears in the O.T. book of Habakkuk- and is quoted 3 more times in the N.T.

Luther was very aware of the concept of the righteousness of God- he struggled for many years trying to reconcile his own sinful nature with Gods holiness- but he never really ‘saw’ the biblical concept of righteousness as a free gift that God ‘imputes’ to the sinner.

Yes- for the 1st time in Luther’s life- after his years training for the priesthood- the pilgrimage he made to Rome- the thousands of hours he spent confessing his sins while a monk in Erfurt- he never really understood that the righteousness of God was a free gift given to those who have faith.

It was a giant weight lifted from his shoulders- Luther did not need to try any more to live up to the standards of God- in  a way that would earn for him forgiveness- but he would simply believe- and the righteousness of God would be counted to him as a gift.

Luther would go on to call this an Alien Righteousness- that is it is not found within the person who tries to do all the church works he can- or buying all the indulgences- or any other of the many religious actions he was practicing- but this free gift of being right with God- it came to those who had faith- the Just shall live by Faith- this was indeed good news for the scholar.

As time went on- Germany would get embroiled in the political machinations of the day- Luther’s top political cover was Frederick the Wise- hardly a Protestant Reformer! He spent lots of time trying to make Wittenberg the major Catholic center in Germany.

But at the time there was a political fight raging between Rome and some of the other nation/states. There was a figure head office called the Holy Roman Emperor. This office was really in name only- but it rose up during the first Millennium of Christian history and sought to replace the influence that Rome was losing.

So you had France, Spain and England all vying for the title. Eventually it would go to King Charles of Spain- but the Pope- who played a major role in nominating the person- he did not want any of these top 3 to get the position. Henry the Eighth was the king of England at the time- and these ‘3 kings’ were sort of in competition with Rome- so the Pope tried to get Fredrick the Wise to throw his hat into the ring.

Frederick just happened to be one of the Electors of this position.

His actual title was The Elector of Saxony.

So Fredrick had lots of influence- and as Rome would eventually but heads with the stubborn bull of Wittenberg [Luther] Frederick would become the major protector of Luther.

Okay- I think we’ll stop here for today. The experience that Luther had- the enlightenment that came to him while teaching the book of Romans- this is often called The Tower experience of Luther- it took place in the year 1515.

[parts]

Being I already mentioned Italy- let me finish with some history/philosophy that might be relevant.

In the last post I mentioned saint Thomas Aquinas- and after Augustine [and Anselm- 11th century] he is the next main character I wanted to cover [in our ongoing philosophy study].

Aquinas is referred to as the Doctor Angelicas [angelic doctor] by the catholic church. Aquinas lived during the time of a cultural/philosophical reawakening that was beginning to take place in the Western world- the Renaissance.

Renaissance means ‘re-birth’. It was a rebirth of the ancient Poets and philosophers of days gone by. Men like Cicero and Aristotle were once again brought to the fore front of many thinkers and lovers of culture.

The catch phrase for the Renaissance was Ad Fontes- which meant ‘back to the sources’ [source- Fountain- Fontes]. In the 14th century a famous and influential Catholic family- the Medici’s- were a catalyst for mixing this cultural movement in with the church.

The Renaissance sort of challenged the historic view of education- up until this time most learning was done thru the prism of the church. In the universities of the day Theology [study of God] was called the Queen of the sciences- and philosophy was referred to as her Handmaiden.

Well the Renaissance thinkers said they wanted to study things for what they are- they did not want to see everything thru the lens of the church.

Eventually the theme of the movement [back to the original sources] would play a major role in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Men like Erasmus [the famous 16th century Catholic Humanist] would re discover the original Greek New testament- and it was thru the study of the Greek text that many of the Reformers made their case to get ‘back to the bible’ and eventually break from Rome.

This was also the beginning period of modern capitalism. Recently when Libya had her ‘civil war’ and the new leaders started talking about a new constitution- one of the interesting things that came up was they wanted to do away with interest on loans.

Why? Well Muslims teach that interest itself is a bad thing. ‘Gee- wonder where they get that idea from John’ Oh- from a little book- called the bible.

Yes- to the surprise of some- this is very much taught in the Old Testament. Now- it was God’s law governing the nation of Israel- but they were forbidden to charge interest.

‘So John- is it wrong for us today to make interest’? Not really- Jesus used interest [usury] as an example in some of his parables- and overall- we as believers are not under the Old Testament laws that govern natural Israel.

But- for many centuries- the world did not see interest on money as a legitimate way to earn a living. So during the Renaissance you also had the rise of exploration- and explorers like Columbus would go on their voyages with the financial backing of investors.

The normal rate for these voyages was a 75/25% cut. When the explorer returned- the investor [Spain- or whoever] got 75% of the goods- and the explorer kept 25.

So there were a lot of changes taking place in the world at the time- and the rise of modern capitalism was one of them- money of course existed way before this time- but as a commodity- this was a new way of viewing the world.

Okay- just thought I would throw in a little history along with the current events of the day. As we see the current turmoil in the Italian markets [the original renaissance started in Florence- Italy] maybe seeing money/interest as a commodity- and ‘usury’ as a major way to increase ones wealth- well  maybe that’s not such a smart way to do things after all.

When Jon Corzine's global investment firm went bust the other day- it was a direct result of taking a gamble on the ‘gullibility’ of the common man.

What his firm did was they took a huge risk by investing in European bonds- bonds from Greece that everyone knew was a terrible 'bet’. Then why did he do it?

The risk was so high- that the interest [usury] on the bonds was also high- you would make lots of money- if you got your money back.

But how would you get the money back- if the company [or nation- or bank] is in such bad shape that they might go bust? Your basically betting that the other nations around them [and the 1% crowd] would never let this happen [too big to fail] and when the nation [or company] gets ‘bailed out’ well then you get the money back- at a huge gain- all at the expense of the ‘99’ %.

‘Gee John- that doesn’t seem right to me’. That doesn’t seem right to me either- and to the legitimate ‘occupy Wall st. guys’ that’s not right to them as well.

Basically Corzine did the exact same thing that the big banks did during our 2008 bail out crisis- the banks can’t do that anymore- we did pass regulations that forbid this. But private investment firms can- they take a risk if they do- but that’s their choice.

Corzine took the risk- and lost [besides the fact the there is also about 600 million dollars ‘missing’ from private investors money!].

Okay- that’s it for now. We will keep an eye on Italy for the next few days [Germany is already talking about bailing out of the Euro Zone] and if things keep going downhill like this- well we might all be better off if we moved our money into less interest bearing accounts- safe places to ‘park’ your money- and after the dust settles- then maybe get back into the market.

But right now- I would trust getting a bigger return from a Columbus voyage than the market- yes- maybe ‘usury’ is not all that’s it’s cracked up to be- maybe the Libyans are right [and the Old Testament]. Yeah- maybe they know something we don’t.

[parts]

Okay- being I already wasted all this space- let me hit a few short things. I just finished the book of Proverbs again [reading it slowly over a few weeks] and there were a lot of points I wanted to hit- maybe the next week or 2 I’ll get to some. I just started a new book on Philosophy- I picked it up a few months ago at half price books and never looked at it until last night- I like it a lot. I know the subject is controversial- many Christians shy away from it- but if you study history [like I do a lot] you will see the strong connection between philosophy and theology [study of God]. In the ancient universities [Paris- etc.] these were referred to as the main subjects- Theology was the Queen of learning and philosophy was her handmaid.

So let me just give a short quote- Socrates said ‘the unexamined life is not worth living’. Philosophy- as a system- started around 6oo years before Christ in Greek society. The popular guys we hear about- Socrates, Plato and Aristotle- they lived around 3-350 years before Christ. Christian teachers have taken different stances for and against philosophy. The church father Tertullian said ‘what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem’ meaning philosophy and Christian teaching don’t go together. Yet the great Swiss reformer- Ulrich Zwingli [16th century] was a well schooled theologian- learned in many of the subjects of his day- like the great Catholic scholar Erasmus. These guys were a little more refined [though Zwingli was actually a warrior- killed for the cause] and they saw the Greek philosophers as precursors to Christ- Zwingli believed he would see the great Greek philosophers in heaven some day. So as you see the church has taken different stances on the subject. It’s hard to say that philosophy had no role on Christian thought- many Christians don’t realize that the apostle John almost quoted verbatim from Greek philosophy when he used the phrase ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God’ [John’s gospel- chapter 1]. In Greek philosophy there was what was considered this ultimate unified principle- that would bring all learning together as one giant truth- this was called Logos- the Word. Greek philosophy had been looking for the Word [Logos] for years- trying to find the one key truth that would tie all other truth together- John was simply saying to Greek society ‘Look- we have found the Truth- the Divine principle that you have been looking for’. So for John to quote this in his gospel was not plagiarism [as some atheists contend] but wisdom- he was speaking to the people in ways that would connect with them. Yes- because scripture is Divine- Inspired- we believe Jesus is very much The Word- the one who proceeds from God- but we also realize that in a sense John borrowed this form of words from the Greek philosophers- nothing wrong with it.  

Okay- that’s it for today- I hope you guys always pick something up that sticks with you- you know a little nugget of wisdom that in 30 years from now if I see some of you at an old school reunion you can walk up to me and say ‘John- Jesus is the Word of God’ something that I will be proud about. O wait- just had a thought- if someone walks up and says ‘John- I hear you like Hanson’ I will respond ‘Who’s John?’

 VERSES [These are the verses I either quoted or taught from on today’s post- Other videos below]

 Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 152

Reading 1

DT 6:2-6

Moses spoke to the people, saying: "Fear the LORD, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life. Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey. "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today."

Responsorial Psalm

PS 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51

R. (2) I love you, Lord, my strength. I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. R. I love you, Lord, my strength. My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! Praised be the LORD, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies. R. I love you, Lord, my strength. The LORD lives! And blessed be my rock! Extolled be God my savior. You who gave great victories to your king and showed kindness to your anointed. R. I love you, Lord, my strength.

Reading 2

HEB 7:23-28

Brothers and sisters: The levitical priests were many because they were prevented by death from remaining in office, but Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.

Alleluia

JN 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia. Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my father will love him and we will come to him. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

MK 12:28B-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" Jesus replied, "The first is this: Hear, O Israel!The Lord our God is Lord alone!You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,with all your soul, with all your mind,and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and there is no other than he.' And 'to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself' is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Psalm 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Psalm 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

Psalm 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

Psalm 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Psalm 110:5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

Psalm 110:6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

Psalm 110:7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

OTHER VIDEOS [These are the videos I post nightly to my various sites- Links to all my sites below]

3-30-20 Siloam- A teaching [Talked about the Covid 19 crisis]

https://youtu.be/GFhd5VcNzDQ

https://www.facebook.com/john.chiarello.5/videos/10206962758625651/

Fatima  https://vk.com/video533663718_456239699

12-23-18 Sunday sermon  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMiAorylDLvJ2sh_Nz

Ephesians 3  https://www.dropbox.com/s/iv9uxkj7s25q1sb/1-2-18%20Ephesians%203.mp4?dl=0

The bright and morning star  https://youtu.be/tEXDjNf1xAk

Homeless friends  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh2AVJd2MQmy-43z0

Friends  https://youtu.be/D0XakSC5Djs

9-23-18 Sunday sermon  https://www.dropbox.com/s/7xzgx18i002w25a/9-23-18%20Sunday%20sermon.mp4?dl=0

Gideon  https://www.bitchute.com/video/8VBvF4K40Wbt/

Homeless friends  https://youtu.be/4Tk7faf516E

Hebrews 13  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh2IMG9b49q8XQaro

The Cross- 2   https://youtu.be/uWcGl9nPYsE

2nd Samuel 19  https://www.dropbox.com/s/xes5h6ecapn23gs/2-15-17%202nd%20Samuel%2019.mp4?dl=0

Galatians 6  https://flic.kr/p/2iyBiNj

9-30-18 Sunday sermon  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh15tnMpfhlcTiy2P

Ephesians 2  https://www.dropbox.com/s/dcterll6r8stc28/12-9-17%20Ephesians%202.mp4?dl=0

John 14  https://dai.ly/x7luxno

Kings 21  https://youtu.be/3VvtYYop1ho

House of prayer  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh2FDIx2Dx13uYuK4

2nd Samuel 3- homeless friends  https://vk.com/video533663718_456239692

10-7-18 Sunday sermon  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhBUiR6L41iuTNeTI

The Cross  https://youtu.be/v85WoYe1Fkk

Ephesians 1  https://www.dropbox.com/s/uve5l1dh546zxcp/11-21-17%20Ephesians-%20Intro-%20chapter%201.mp4?dl=0

Mark 10  https://www.bitchute.com/video/6ETd2cs0559o/https://www.bitchute.com/video/6ETd2cs0559o/

The cup- NYC view  https://www.dropbox.com/s/g1tclu3tc7ouezi/2-14-17%20The%20Cup%20%5BNYC%20view%5D.mp4?dl=0

The Capstone  https://youtu.be/6J_o4xZlhg8

Sons of Thunder  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh12homyBoP_G01OR

Friends  https://youtu.be/hzD_HSZJzXs

Mary’s prayer  https://www.dropbox.com/s/augfx8qsisrm10f/2-14-16%20Mary%27s%20prayer.mp4?dl=0

10-21-18 Sunday sermon  https://www.dropbox.com/s/6vblfo15tkwii4b/10-21-18%20Sunday%20sermon%20%5BTree%20of%20Life%5D.mp4?dl=0

8-20-17 Sunday sermon  https://dai.ly/x7luxnp

Romans 4-7  https://flic.kr/p/2ix77DX

Teaching  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMjCvzvCQvXp6YbzvG

New wine  https://youtu.be/kBGeb1V6mTI

Talking church  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh18DcYFCCf6A2_9w

In the image of God  https://youtu.be/If5GrqzO3O4

Waters cover the sea  https://www.dropbox.com/s/60w5qgw819xnkhv/2-13-16%20Waters%20cover%20sea.mp4?dl=0

GW bridge- NYC  https://vk.com/video533663718_456239694

10-28-18 Sunday sermon https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhAmiIi_CNnIIiGKw

Galatians 6  https://www.dropbox.com/s/8p7q3cc47gtv6gb/1-31-17%20Galatians%206%20%5BConc.%5D.mp4?dl=0

James 2  https://www.bitchute.com/video/j8Hfn0STQ917/

Rick  https://youtu.be/K2GIiKEDyag

9-3-17 Sunday sermon  https://www.dropbox.com/s/xac233r5bq5722e/9-3-17%20Sunday%20sermon.mp4?dl=0

Spiritual Rock  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhHfonsWslTrmE8-c

Sartre  https://youtu.be/Y2PTFBPxLes

Hebrews 8-9  https://dai.ly/x7lt05x

Matthew 23  https://flic.kr/p/2ivUnkt

11-4-18 Sunday sermon  https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhDhxIxWdzx-wW5mv

Update- https://youtu.be/MAmzq3mgoWk Friends- https://youtu.be/YZhLGWjTIEM [I made these 2 yesterday- 1-31-18- the 2 below were from this week]

The professor- Frankie too https://youtu.be/BJUtJGC-vRw LinkedIn Trump n more https://youtu.be/75eYBHTVkpU

Scriptures fulfilled https://youtu.be/kH6QifEBXsw Pops candle https://my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZS6Rz7ZrClSfoXYPQBTLt1uqgtCEHSOt9tV Ephesians 3 https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMbmJ7N-LFNKVN2n0 James [filmed in Fairview- New Jersey 2017] https://youtu.be/s4gmugL2nsU

 11-8-18 Teaching with homeless friend- https://www.facebook.com/john.chiarello.5/videos/10204992659494404/

https://youtu.be/htO6KyOb954 

Times up https://youtu.be/4AdHpOklfGM

Slow train comin’ https://trello.com/c/FA9Kys97/248-3-23-16-slow-train-cominmp4

The keys https://youtu.be/Tg4jm8lXe0g

Acts 10 https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMghkgkNaWyrqc8D_m 

Sunday sermon https://bit.tube/play?hash=QmbQJSAVS8TGXEJwuhjB9XrxVUq1V5fFveuPCwL2TXY4RV&channel=160276 

Revelation 11 https://youtu.be/mXaBqHOO81Q

9-30-18 Sunday sermon https://dai.ly/x6weyw3

Teaching with friends https://youtu.be/lL_eLyz_3Ac

Acts 1 https://flic.kr/p/2crTth3

The loft- the windmill- the grave https://dai.ly/x6wgu4z 

Mark 8 https://youtu.be/plWlLNg0bbU 

The flood https://youtu.be/orHTqd1qis0

9-23-18 Sunday sermon https://dai.ly/x6wke7s 

Kings 5 https://youtu.be/jQLv8K8qWrU 

The roof https://youtu.be/2kjfAyYEdG8 

Bus ride from new Jersey to NYC https://bit.tube/play?hash=QmVFJkXZYygCjAHaFin4uak8mR8hdnGzww8nywDQYqDKtq&channel=160276

Redeeming the time https://dai.ly/x6wm28d 

Colossians 4 https://youtu.be/rcElEm46kp8 

Friends https://youtu.be/oAKSn6cf2T0

No mail today https://trello.com/c/kmHSA2Qp/256-3-29-16-no-mail-todaymp4

Christian- Muslim dialogue https://flic.kr/p/QugJ6j

Trump tower- 5th ave. NYC https://bit.tube/play?hash=QmUaLbuKJYV7DpTFUeWZ3E9ok8JtqcX3ZnfQ2PK5mHmSkb&channel=160276

Acts 10 https://youtu.be/lAs4sZY-mDg 

11-4-18 Sunday sermon https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=CweLT_1541780779 

https://peertube.video/videos/watch/315d5df6-e4b3-4d84-b2e5-2c352b03443b 

https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/11/08/colossians-1-2/ 

https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/11/09/colossians-2-2/

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https://www.facebook.com/john.chiarello.5/videos?lst=1779330793%3A1779330793%3A1546906912  [My Facebook videos]

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Cloud sites-

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMg0G_aInmCi8XUC-C

https://my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=kZ1sXP7ZardKGRUxFByiFYi667jeup7MD1Sy

https://mega.nz/#F!7WQCSIJR!-4v9-zUQRq4MIQbBfI2n4A  

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d43nhtrgysqg493/AAAlCszxZXJoRtk8UudtuR9ma?dl=0

https://ln.sync.com/dl/3e1f4c5e0/tcnm9p32-xiwe4nbu-zjbkitqj-4fvemf6m

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https://icedrive.net/dashboard/#/cloud

Cloud sites- https://ccoutreach87.com/cloud-links-12-2018/

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 These are some of the first posts ever made, I hope to share some of them over time in between my regular studies. Of course they are ‘dated’- and it would be too difficult to edit each post. Some have old news comments in them, but if I also taught on the posts, I’ll post them ‘as is’. Hopefully they will be a benefit in some way- John.

All past posts can be found here- https://corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com/p/links-to-past-posts-up-to-12-2017.html

 Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on-  Copy text- download video links- make complete copies of my books/studies and posts- everything is copyrighted by me- I give permission for all to copy and share as much as you like- I just ask that nothing be sold. We live in an online world- yet- there is only one internet- meaning if it ever goes down- the only access to the teachings are what others have copied or downloaded- so feel free to copy and download as much as you want- it’s all free-

 Note- I have many web sites- at times some question whether I’m a ‘bot’ because I do post a lot.

I am not a ‘bot’- I’m John- so please- if you are on the verge of deleting something- my contact email is ccoutreach87@gmail.com - contact me first- thank you- John

[stevelcsharpe]

What’s in a Name?

In Academic Circles, "Hebrew Bible” is the term most commonly used to refer to the "Old Testament" for scholastic purposes. This term gained widespread use in Academic Circles after the Holocaust, to address the perceived anti-Jewish tone of the term "Old Testament”.

Why is the term "Old Testament" deemed anti-Jewish?

The term “"Old Testament"” is a Christian term that contrasts the Canon with the New Testament. The term first found usage with Bishop Melito of Sardis (190 CE) in his reference to “Books of the Old Covenant”, drawing a contrast with the New Testament and the New Covenant found in Christ. The Anti-Jewish tone arises from the fact that the terms “Old” and “New Testament” imply supersession i.e. that the Sacred Scripture of Judaism is obsolete. The term “New” in this context is not just temporal but also evaluative. For example, if applied by Christians in strict accordance with the Book of Hebrews, it is clearly evaluative: (Hebrews 10:9 “He (God) abolishes the first in order to establish the second” and Hebrews 8:13 “in speaking of the New Testament He (God) has made the old obsolete”. A position taught by Marcion in the 2nd Century CE, for which he was branded a heretic by the early Christian Church, which to a greater or lesser extent through to modern times continues to embrace the "Old Testament" Canon as Sacred Scripture.

How accurate is the term "Hebrew Bible" when used as a replacement for "Old Testament" in Academic Study?

It is not surprising, that in order not to offend, a more sensitive term should be sought by the Academic community: Hence the adoption of the term "Hebrew Bible". Whilst less offensive, there are a number of issues pertaining to the term "Hebrew Bible", that render it less than accurate if one attempts to use it as a replacement for the term "Old Testament".

The "Hebrew Bible", is in its own right is the Canon regarded as forming the Sacred Scriptures of Judaism and written in Hebrew. The official Rabbinic version is based upon the Masoretic Text (the “MT”) established by the Ben Asher family in Tiberias, Galillee and found in the Aleppo CODEX in the early 10th Century CE. The Christian "Old Testament", by contrast, is based upon the Greek (Septuagint/LXX) and Latin (Vulgate) translations of source material, which while generally consistent with the MT show certain differences in terms of:

- the order of those Books common to each;

- the length of certain Books common to each;

- the inclusion of additional Books in the Greek

and Latin versions, not included in the MT.

Language

If one is using the term “Hebrew” as a denominator of Language rather than of Nationality, the inaccuracy arises from the fact that not all of the "Hebrew Bible" is written in Hebrew. Sections of Daniel and all of Ezra are written in Aramaic. Whilst Aramaic may use the same script as Hebrew, there is considerable evidence to show that they were distinct Semitic languages in their own right. Purely from a language perspective, therefore, the "Hebrew Bible" would more accurately be called the Hebrew & Aramaic Bible.

Canonical Constitution

The order of the Books differs between the MT and the "Old Testament". The Latter Prophets of the MT are moved to the end of the "Old Testament" Canon and importantly, include the Apocalyptic Book of Daniel, so as to point towards the New Testament.

Whilst differing in order, apart from re-grouping and splitting a number of books into two (i.e. 1 and 2 Kings), the content of the Protestant "Old Testament" is generally consistent with the MT.

However, as one considers the other branches of Christianity, the differences widen. The Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Eastern Christian and Ethiopian Canons to differing degrees, not only include Books that are not included in the MT but also additional passages in certain Books. The additional Books making up the largest of the Canons, the Ethiopian Canon, are referred to as the “Apocrypha” in the Protestant Church and to the extent not included in the Roman Catholic Canon, as “Deuterocanonical” in the Roman Catholic Church.

The interchangeability of the Terms "Old Testament" and "Hebrew Bible" becomes more problematic, when one considers that certain additional Books that form part of Christian "Old Testament", may have never existed in Hebrew or Aramaic at all. Indeed, it is generally accepted that the Wisdom of Solomon never existed in Hebrew, but was written in Greek in its original form.

Consequently, scholars are not only interested in the MT, but are equally interested in the Greek (Septuagint/LXX) and Latin (Vulgate) translations. Indeed, the majority of the work undertaken by scholars is on the Greek and Latin translations.

So which is authoritative - The MT or the Greek Bible?

From an Academic perspective source authority generally follows the “earliest is best” principle. It had long been held that the official Hebrew version was de facto the oldest. This does not take into account, however, the fact that there were many versions of the Hebrew text in circulation in the 3rd, 2nd and 1st C BCE and that the text adopted as the "Hebrew Bible" by the Rabbinic authorities, may not be the oldest. A theory that parts of the Greek Translation (Septuagint / LXX) might actually be based on an older Hebrew Text gained credence in 1947 with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, portions of which were found to be more closely aligned to the LXX than the official "Hebrew Bible". For example, Jeremiah, Job and the Story of David and Goliath are shorter in the LXX than in the official Hebrew Text.

Given that one cannot be certain as to which of the Hebrew source texts are the oldest, for the purposes of Academic Study the Biblical Scholar needs to consider the Hebrew, Greek and Latin versions, as each may point to older traditions than the official Hebrew Text endorsed as Sacred Scripture in Judaism. There is no doubt that archeological discoveries will continue to add to our awareness of contemporary or earlier source materials, as has been illustrated by the discovery of large parts of Tobit or Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), hitherto thought to have either been lost or non-existent in Hebrew.

Conclusion

Although perhaps misleading from a linguistic perspective, the term "Hebrew Bible" is significant in that it acknowledges that texts written in this ancient Semitic Language existed in their own right, before becoming part of the Sacred Scriptures of the Christian Church.

The Term “Early Christian Writings” is certainly less controversial than “Old Testament”, but doesn’t convey the significance of a fixed Canon.

The Terms “First” and “Second Testament” are perhaps less blatantly supersessionist than “Old” and “New” but don’t really make sense if one is abandoning the concept of Covenant.

Similarly, collectively referring to the Old and New Testaments as simply “the Bible”, fails to acknowledge the significance of Christ and the New Covenant that he embodied.

On balance, and whilst it may be of far greater significance for Christian Churches than Academic Circles, the term "Hebrew Bible" would seem to be more appropriate than other alternatives, particularly if one interprets the word Hebrew to refer to a Nation of people rather than a language.

SLCS

References:

Barton, John: The Hebrew Bible a Critical Companion

Collins, John J.: Introduction to the Hebrew Bible