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Category: 4 Gospels + Good News of the NEW Testament

What are the Gospels?

FOUR Gospels:

GOOD NEWS! (That’s what Gospel means.)

Matthew, Mark, Luke & John begin the New Testament proclaiming the Good News of Israel’s long-awaited Messiah and talk of JESUS Christ.

The four Gospels are first hand witness + proclaiming GOOD NEWS

by two Jewish Apostles of the Messiah JESUS, Matthew & John
Two gentile (non-Jewish) followers of THE WAY of Jesus Christ, Mark & Luke, who proclaim the GOSPEL recorded from witness of Peter, Paul and other Apostles and disciples of JESUS in the first century.

READ the Good News of the Messiah and Savior Jesus from accounts of His twelve Apostles & others witnessing the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the four Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

SHARE the Gospel

with your Christian friends and those who do not yet believe in JESUS CHRIST.
Comment on a Talk of JESUS post and SHARE in your social media world.

Tribulation? Cheer up.
2017: Keep on for Christ’s sake.

I’m not invoking a phrase of cursing here, rather I call on the saints who hold fast to Jesus Christ to continue in faith. This is no new calling out in times of difficulty or anticipated times of trouble. We anticipate tribulation in the world.

Solomon may have come up with this calming wisdom for some new year [about 2900 years ago]:

History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. – Ecclesiastes 1:9 NLT

We begin this new year of expectant change by those with troubling temperaments leading us into the unknown. Certainly Rome ruled with a harsh hand. When the Messiah Jesus knew that His drama of suffering was imminent, the Lord offered true hope to His followers.

John 16:

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away…

Jesus is not speaking to non-believers here, but to those followers, saints of the church. In fact, our Lord adds a vaguely familiar motive for these troubles ahead.

“… Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

The world sees and overlooks routine persecution in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and in the slums of our rich cities. (Nothing new under the sun.)

[ctt title=”The world remotely headlines the very sufferings, persecution, expulsion and genocide of many who refuse to bow down to idol false gods and violent dead prophets.” tweet=”We pray for persecuted Christians, Jews and Muslims of the wrong sect in places controlled by hopeless men.” coverup=”2IbK7″]

Tribulation Defined

South Sudan Nov. 2015

Oxford defines tribulation (usually tribulations) as: 1 A cause of great trouble or suffering or 1.1 A state of great trouble or suffering.

A look into the Greek root of Jesus’ word used here is more revealing.
θλῖψις [thlipsis] –
1. a pressing, pressing together, pressure
2. metaph. oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits
refugees driven from their cities in Syria & Iraq

Photos of war and refugees define our present pressing in of evil. Distant news reveals affliction all too well, therefore the world’s loss of hope leads us to believe we cannot have peace – ever.

Think about it: Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, offends those who deny God and perpetrate evil.

[ctt title=”Followers of causes opposed to the LORD most often claim false gods, false traditions and false men offering false hope.” tweet=”GOD offends the godless!” coverup=”IbtST”]

Life’s evils do and will again repeat themselves.

“But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

– John 16:4”

Tribulations define a pressing in of sin by a fallen world opposed to God.
- When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice. – Deuteronomy 4:20
- “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. – Matthew 24:9
Yes, Jesus, the incarnate Messiah of the LORD God, is hated by all nations, because the world hates the LORD. Tribulations for Christians and others will continue in the 21st century, as in the 20th and the first centuries. History of the church reveals the truth of Jesus’ warnings to followers. We do not have to look far to see those who refuse the Holy Spirit of the LORD God.

Acts 14:19-22

… they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city… they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples.

… encouraging them to continue in the faith,

and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

The Pressing In

As we anticipate the inevitable tribulation of this upcoming year, Christians would do well to heed the cheery advice of our Lord. Jesus has overcome the world and its troubles; therefore in Him we can have peace in our hearts.

We have Gospel good news! God came to man in His own Perfect Image as a living perfect sacrifice for our sins. After Jesus returned to God the Father He sent the Holy Spirit of God to be with those who love the LORD.

8 And when he [the Helper] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Christians and non-christians alike experience sin pressing in. Judgment, therefore, awaits every living soul and each deceased failed body of mortal flesh.

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy…

… but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

29 His disciples said… “Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”

31 Jesus answered them..

[And the Lord answers us as we anticipate with some trepidation of the year to come.]

“Do you now believe?

32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered…

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.

In the world you will have tribulation.

But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Welcome 2017

2 Corinthians 1: NKJV

To the church of God… with all the saints…

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

4 who comforts us in all our tribulation,

that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble,

with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Beloved believer, cheer up; for Christ our saving hope from tribulation, from death and from judgment returns for those who love the Lord – for the chosen ones, saints for all time, this year and forever.

Amen.
January 2, 2017
Voices of Angels for Shepherds near Bethlehem

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. – Isaiah 40:11

In case you missed part 1 of our story, you can read about the shepherds of Bethlehem here.

The Shepherds and the Angels

Luke 2:

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

¹⁵When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

¹⁶And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.¹⁷And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

An angel of the Lord approaches from the night sky with a message of good news. How will you respond?

Fear first? Certainly! But this messenger of the Lord says, “Fear not.”

Shepherds have never seen the king, even those those who serve the king. Heavenly beings now appear to shepherds on a hillside near Bethlehem. Why have angels come to lowly shepherds to proclaim the birth of the Messiah?

Then the Angels tell these shepherds to see the Lord Incarnate with their own eyes!

By their first witness, these most humble among men announce the arrival of the Most Humble Lord of Lords and King of Kings, born of a humble virgin and laid in a manger used to feed animals in this same lowly place.

It would have been the pinnacle event of their lives to have witnessed angels, singing to the glory of God. Yet even more, the lowest proclaim first the birth of the Highest One to men not privileged to behold our newborn Savior, Jesus the Messiah, born a son of man to a virgin in lowly Bethlehem of Judea.

“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’” – Matthew 2:6

A lowly shepherd tells us, “I have seen the Lord.” The Messiah is born to us in a manger. How unlikely, that God should send a Son to be born and sacrificed for our sins. Yet Shepherds and Magi have witnessed the glory of angels proclaiming this moment…

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

For God So Loved the World

[ctt title=”“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” tweet=”John 3:16-17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ” coverup=”8N4eb”]

¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Where is your witness this Christmas? Is your love for the Lord this same worship of the angels of heaven and redeemed lowly shepherds of this earth?

Glory to God in the Highest and one earth peace, good will towards men, though Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Amen.

December 25, 2016
Parable of the Talents and Barns – 2

Parable of the Talents and Barns

Parable of the Talents (conclusion)

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Now consider the three servants. One shrewd servant managed his master’s 5 talents well, in fact not only doubling his investment over time but receiving an extra talent of the not-s0-shrewd servant who hid it away in a miserly manner. The servant who received three talents was also twice blessed. The foolish servant ends up with nothing. Furthermore, he ends up in hell.

Think about your money. Is it your money? Or is it money God has provided for you?

The parable of the talents seems to beg the question: Are you investing God’s resources wisely?

Parable of the Barns

In the parable of the barns we have a man who has invested well; in fact so well that he has need of more barns for his crops. He is rich, yet the man is as miserly with his crops as the man who buried the single talent of his master, that is just one bag of silver coins, in the ground. The rich man is ready to retire with all the holdings he has earned over his days of hard work.

Luke 12:

16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’

Did you know that the word ‘soul’ in Greek ψυχή the transliteration means psychē?

What lesson does Jesus bring to the conclusion of this parable?

Parable of the Barns (conclusion)

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ – Luke 12:19b

20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Shocking! This man had it all. And then he dies suddenly.

Could it happen? Could it happen to you?

Could you die suddenly before enjoying your earthly reward, the harvest of your many days of hard work?

Parable of the Talents and Barns (conclusion)

Perhaps you have missed a connection between these two parables of Jesus. Jesus does not connect these two parables, yet you may have missed a common thread. This thread has more than a shekel of value in both parables. It is more of an umbilical cord with the complexity of a talent.

280 days of life before light

Man has about 280 days in the womb even before birth. Add about 18oo days to reach school age and maybe 4000 more until this man or woman is ready to save enough shekels to start farming or working for a master in your workplace.

An eighteen year old will probably not note these shekels of days; but many years later the same man will think that he has earned something. He has accomplished something. She has become her own woman.

They have invested their days to gain and built their barns with little consideration of those dependant days when God ruled over their universe.

Many have forgotten when our very life and existence was inextricably tied to our mother. We have not honored our father, who gave his own talents and crops that we might thrive in our mother’s care and under his watchful eye.

10 Talents

1 talent = about 3000 shekels (75 lbs)

A loving father raised you in his home for a shekel of days. When you were ready to grow on your own he gave you everything you needed for your household during the days until his return.

Your loving father gave you twice the talents of some, perhap ten for your shrewdness and even eleven.

The day of His return you do not know.

The average life of a man is about 80 years, perhaps about 30,000 days. By the accounting of your days as shekels your lifespan may be, God willing, about 10 talents.

Jesus said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. – Mark 13:31-32

Man is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow. – Psalm 144:4

Will you build a barn or will you invest each shekel of your days from the Lord wisely?

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

– Ecclesiastes 12:7 KJV

July 20, 2016