James Nored's Posts - Missional Outreach Network for the Missional Church2024-03-19T01:29:17ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNoredhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1959170411?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=22wh655o6hjoq&xn_auth=noMission in the Book of Acts - The Ethiopian Eunuchtag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2017-11-01:2422312:BlogPost:1116722017-11-01T02:00:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p align="center"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944840?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944840?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
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<p align="center"><span class="font-size-5"><b>Mission in the Book of Acts<br></br></b> <em>The Ethiopian Eunuch</em></span></p>
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<p align="center" style="text-align: left;">We are about to head to Ethiopia, Africa, to do mission training for Next Generation for Christ; set up the …</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944840?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944840?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p align="center"><span class="font-size-5"><b>Mission in the Book of Acts<br/></b> <em>The Ethiopian Eunuch</em></span></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: left;">We are about to head to Ethiopia, Africa, to do mission training for Next Generation for Christ; set up the <a href="http://www.storyofredemptionfilms.com" target="_blank">Story of Redemption Film Series</a> at some of the computer training schools that are used as outreaches for Churches of Christ in Ethiopia, and scout out the country for one of our mission partners, Let's Start Talking. And while we are there, we will film the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch! Here it is below.</p>
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<p><b><i><sup>26 </sup></i></b><i>Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” <b><sup>27 </sup></b>So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian<sup>[</sup></i><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+8&version=NIV#fen-NIV-27204a" title="See footnote a"><i><sup>a</sup></i></a><i><sup>]</sup> eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, <b><sup>28 </sup></b>and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. <b><sup>29 </sup></b>The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”</i></p>
<p><b><i><sup>30 </sup></i></b><i>Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.</i></p>
<p><b><i><sup>31 </sup></i></b><i>“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him (Acts 8:26f)</i></p>
<p></p>
<p>Who is the gospel open to, and how can we share? When we look at mission in the book of Acts—which was written by Luke, one of Jesus’ apostles as a sequel to the book of Luke, we see that God wants to reach all peoples, that <strong>it is the Spirit who directs this mission, opening and closing doors, and that if we are open and faithful,</strong> God can use us to reach the most surprising people—people that he in fact, has already been drawing to him. And perhaps that is illustrated most vividly in Acts with the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch. And here, in Ethiopia, is a good place to tell this story.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The book of Acts opens up with Jesus, after the resurrection, and before Jesus ascends into heaven. <b><sup>6 </sup></b>Then they gathered around him and asked him, “<strong>Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”</strong></p>
<p><b><sup>7 </sup></b>He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. <b><sup>8 </sup></b>But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”</p>
<p></p>
<p>In response, Jesus tells his disciples to stay in Jerusalem, that there they will receive the Spirit, and that they will be his “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). And this forms a bit of an outline of the book of Acts, with the gospel spreading through these different radiating people groups – <strong>all for the purpose of “restoring the kingdom” to Israel—this people that had been scattered</strong>.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And indeed, when Peter preaches on Pentecost in Jerusalem, 50 days after the resurrection, Jews represented from around the world are there, and thousands of people respond and are baptized. This ministry spread to Judea. And Peter and John, two of the apostles, had great success in Samaria converting the Samaritans. And why the Samaritans? They represented the lost tribes of Israel. And the ends of the earth in the book of Isaiah represents not a geographic area, but the Gentiles. And so God’s plan – his commission to us – is reach all peoples for Christ, and to bring everyone into his kingdom.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Now in Acts 8 we come across this story of the Ethiopian Eunuch, right after Luke has told us about the gospel reaching the Samaritans. Later in the book, in the story of Cornelius, Luke will tell of us Gentiles coming to faith in Christ. <strong>So where does this Ethiopian – this Ethiopian <i>eunuch</i> – fit in?</strong> And how would this Ethiopian Eunuch been viewed by Luke’s readers?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In many ways, an Ethiopian eunuch would have been viewed definitely as . . . different, someone Luke’s readers normally would not encounter.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>The ancient Greek writer Homer [800-701 BCE] said that Ethiopians lived “at the world’s end.”</strong> Herodotus [484-425 BCE] claimed that Ethiopia “stretches farthest of the inhabited lands.” Ethiopia in ancient times was viewed to be larger than modern day Ethiopia, encompassing parts of Sudan, which is likely where this Ethiopian, who served under Candace, served.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Sometimes Ethiopia stood for Africa more generally</strong>, or the region south of Egypt, and certainly today’s Ethiopia is viewed to be at heart of Africa, with this country’s capital, Addis Ababa, serving as the capital for all of Africa. Ethiopians were said to have had the blackest of skins, which would have been quite unusual and little seen by Luke’s readers.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Ethiopians were often admired for their beauty and athleticism in ancient times, though despised by some. And this man was an important official, in charge of all of the finances-all of the money in the treasury, of the “Queen of Ethiopia.” He himself was likely rich as well, as he traveled in style with a chariot, he was sitting down when Philip approached him—which means he had a driver—and he was reading from a scroll from the Hebrew Bible, which would have been very expensive.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>But despite this power and wealth, this man was a eunuch.</strong> People were sometimes born eunuchs, made that way by others, or a poor person might volunteer so that they might serve in a high position, for eunuchs were often trusted advisors. Heliodorus [third century CE], <i>An Ethiopian Story</i>, connects eunuchs with Ethiopian royalty. But many despised eunuchs. Lucian [second century CE] tells a story about a eunuch who sought to be a chief philosopher in Athens. One of his fellow philosophers said that eunuchs not only should be excluded from philosophy, but also from religion, temples, and public assemblies.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Now in this story, this African eunuch from Ethiopia is just coming back from Jerusalem to worship God. Because of this and the positioning of this story in the book of Acts, it seems likely that this man was perhaps an Ethiopian Jew.</strong> The Hebrew Bible mentions “Cush” many times, and this is sometimes translated Ethiopia, though that is problematic in many places. But Isaiah 11:11 speaks of God collecting the a “remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Ethiopia or Cush . . . .”</p>
<p></p>
<p>This Eunuch seems to be one of those Jews scattered around the world, at the ends of the world, somewhere between Judea and Samaria and the ends of the earth, the Gentiles, that God is drawing to himself as part of the restored kingdom of God. And even today in Ethiopia there are Ethiopian or Black Jews who trace their lineage back to Abraham and Moses, who married a Cushite wife and even the Queen of Sheba, whom they believe to be Ethiopian.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>This eunuch went from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to worship God - a journey of nearly 2000 miles to Jerusalem that would have taken two months to get there</strong>. Clearly he was dedicated, moved somehow with the desire to seek out God and worship him. He must have been filled with hope and anticipation to finally worship the God of Israel in his temple. But he had to have been bitterly disappointed, for according to the Hebrew Bible, eunuchs were not allowed to worship in the temple. His charioteer would have been able to enter the temple. His attendants would have been able to enter the temple. But not him. He would have been excluded. Marginalized. As so many people feel today, rejected because of their skin color, their ethnicity, a physical handicap, or their social status.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But somewhere along the way he picked up a scroll of the book of Isaiah, one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. And he was riding along in his chariot, reading this scroll, when the Spirit—who had told Philip, an evangelist—to go down to this road—told him to approach the eunuch’s chariot and stay near it. And he asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”</p>
<p></p>
<p>And he said, how can I unless someone explains it to me! I can imagine him demanding an explanation when he showed up in Jerusalem at the temple—a rich, important official—who was being turned away. He would not have understand that then, and he did not understand Isaiah now. And so, incredibly, he invited Philip into his chariot to sit with him and explain the Scriptures to him<strong>. And the Scriptures that he was reading from was from Isaiah 53 – a passage about a <i>suffering</i> servant, which was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.</strong></p>
<p><b><sup> </sup></b><b>He was oppressed</b>, and he was afflicted,<br/> yet he did not open his mouth;<br/> like a lamb that is <b>led to the slaughter</b>,<br/> and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,<br/> so <b>he did not open his mouth</b>.<br/> <b><sup>8 </sup></b><b>By a perversion of justice</b> he was taken away.<br/> <b>Who could have imagined his future</b>?<br/> For he was <b>cut off</b> from the land of the living,<br/> stricken for the transgression of my people.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>If this eunuch were made so by others, perhaps he could identify with this suffering servant, who was oppressed, “cut off,” and had performed on his body a perversion of justice. He had no family future to imagine, as he could have no descendants.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>But it may have been another passage from Isaiah very close to this one, Isaiah 56, that had caught his attention—a passage explicitly about eunuchs.</p>
<p>Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say,<br/> “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”;<br/> and do not let the eunuch say,<br/> <b> “I am just a dry tree.”</b><br/> <b><sup>4 </sup></b>For thus says the Lord:<br/> <b>To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,<br/></b> who choose the things that please me<br/> and hold fast my covenant,<br/> <b><sup>5 </sup></b><b>I will give, in my house and within my walls,<br/> a monument and a name<br/> better than sons and daughters;<br/> I will give them an everlasting name<br/> that shall not be cut off.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>And when this eunuch understood this passage from Isaiah, about being included in God’s kingdom, of having a future, a family, a name that would not be “cut off,” and that Jesus, as a type of suffering servant, also experienced injustice, but that through this injustice at the cross, God used him to take on the sins of the world and raised Christ from the dead, and that this kingdom was open to everyone, no matter their background, ethnicity, or status, he said, <strong>“Look, here is water. What prevents me from being baptized?”</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>Clearly, he was worried again that some hidden rule, some defect of his, would prevent him from being baptized into Christ, receiving forgiveness of sins and a family and taking on Christ’s name for forever. </p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>But unlike in the temple, there was nothing preventing the eunuch from being baptized and receiving all of these blessings.</strong> “<b><sup>38 </sup></b>And he gave <i>orders</i> to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. <b><sup>39 </sup></b>When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.”</p>
<p></p>
<p>So now, how about you? The kingdom of God is open to all—no matter their background, no matter their race, no matter their physicality. <strong><i>What prevents you from being baptized? What would be the benefits if you took this step and were baptized into Christ?</i></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>And if you have taken this step, what prevents you from sharing Christ with others? We learn from this story that:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>God is the director of mission.</strong> In the book of Acts it is the Spirit opening and closing doors. He purposefully sent Philip to see this Ethiopian eunuch. We can and should make our plans and strategies. But God is a master mover and shaker and has strategies of his own.<br/><br/></li>
<li><strong>God prepares people’s hearts as we go about mission to receive the gospel.</strong> God had already prepared the Ethiopian eunuch for this encounter with Philip, the evangelist, so that Philip would approach him at just the right time—after being rejected from worshiping in Jerusalem and seeking out answers.<br/><br/></li>
<li><strong>In our mission, Christ and his kingdom is the message that we share, for it is Christ who has the power to change people’s lives.</strong> Rules, regulations, morality—these do not touch people’s hearts. But a God who would come down from heaven, endure injustice, and sacrifice himself for us so that we might have a home, a family, and salvation – that is a message that will change people’s lives and say, I want to follow Jesus. What is to prevent me from being baptized? The answer is—nothing. Christ and his salvation is open to all.</li>
</ul>
<p align="center">--------------------</p>
<p>Christianity has a long and rich tradition in Ethiopia. And this could perhaps be traced back to the conversion of this Ethiopian eunuch as recorded in the book of Acts. <strong>Irenaeus</strong> wrote in 180 AD "This man (Simeon Bachos the Eunuch) was also sent into the regions of Ethiopia, to preach what he had himself believed, that there was one God preached by the prophets, but that the Son of this (God) had already made (His) appearance in human flesh, and had been led as a sheep to the slaughter; and all the other statements which the prophets made regarding Him." (<i>Against the Heresies</i>) 3:12:8 In Ethiopian Orthodox tradition he was known as Bachos. In Eastern Orthodox tradition he is viewed to be an Ethiopian Jew named “Simenon the Black” (from Acts 13:1). </p>
<p><br/><strong>Eusebius</strong>, a church historian, wrote:</p>
<p>13 But as the preaching of the Saviour’s Gospel was daily advancing, a certain providence led from the land of the Ethiopians an officer of the queen of that country, for Ethiopia even to the present day is ruled, according to ancestral custom, by a woman. He, first among the Gentiles, received of the mysteries of the divine word from Philip in consequence of a revelation, and having become the first-fruits of believers throughout the world, he is said to have been the first on returning to his country to proclaim the knowledge of the God of the universe and the life giving sojourn of our Saviour among men; so that through him in truth the prophecy obtained its fulfillment, which declares that <strong>“Ethiopia stretcheth out her hand unto God</strong>.”<a title=""><sup><sup>[1]</sup></sup></a> Euseb. <i>Hist. Eccl.</i> 2.2.13–14<a title=""><sup><sup>[2]</sup></sup></a></p>
<div><br clear="all"/><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%"/><div><p><a title=""><sup><sup>[1]</sup></sup></a> Eusebius of Caesaria. (1890). The Church History of Eusebius. In P. Schaff & H. Wace (Eds.), A. C. McGiffert (Trans.), <i>Eusebius: Church History, Life of Constantine the Great, and Oration in Praise of Constantine</i> (Vol. 1, p. 105). New York: Christian Literature Company.</p>
</div>
<div><p><a title=""><sup><sup>[2]</sup></sup></a> Gaventa, B. R. (1992). Ethiopian Eunuch. In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), <i>The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary</i> (Vol. 2, p. 667). New York: Doubleday.</p>
</div>
</div>Story of Redemption Goes to Egypt! - Part 2: The God of Rescue & Moses' Story of Redemptiontag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2017-10-27:2422312:BlogPost:1118652017-10-27T16:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><em><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944472?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944472?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>(Note we will film the first part of this story of Moses being found by the Pharaoh's daughter at the river Nile at the Nile in Luxor--ancient Thebes, one of the capitals of ancient Egypt.)</em></p>
<p><strong>Does God care about our suffering? Will he rescue us when we fall?</strong> When people are out to destroy us? When jobs are taken from us?…</p>
<p><em><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944472?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944472?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>(Note we will film the first part of this story of Moses being found by the Pharaoh's daughter at the river Nile at the Nile in Luxor--ancient Thebes, one of the capitals of ancient Egypt.)</em></p>
<p><strong>Does God care about our suffering? Will he rescue us when we fall?</strong> When people are out to destroy us? When jobs are taken from us? When abuse and injustice haunts us? When we suffer incredible loss?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One prayer in the Bible, in what is called the book of Psalms, says, </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><sup>14</sup><strong>Rescue</strong> me . . . , </em><br/> <em>do not let me sink; </em><br/> <em>deliver me from those who hate me . . . </em><br/> <em><sup>15</sup>Do not let the floodwaters engulf me . . . </em><br/> <em>or the pit close its mouth over me. </em><br/> <em><sup>16</sup>Answer me, O LORD, <strong>out of the goodness of your love</strong> . . .</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><sup>17</sup>Do not hide your face from <strong>your servant</strong>; </em><br/> <em>answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. </em><br/> <em><sup>18</sup>Come near and rescue me; </em><br/> <em>redeem me because of my foes" (Psalm 69:13-18)</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>If you have not been there, then you likely will. And the fundamental question is, does God care when we are suffering and in trouble, and can he do something about it? In answering this question, we come now to the story of the Exodus—the greatest rescue and redemption story of the entire Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For years the Hebrews lived under Joseph’s protection in Egypt, and they multiplied over centuries, becoming a large “nation.” But a king of Egypt (a Pharaoh) arose “who knew not Joseph,” and they were enslaved (Exodus 1:8f).</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Feeling threatened by the Israelites' numbers, the king ordered the deaths of all baby Hebrew boys.</strong> There are different types of enemies and different types of trouble, but soldiers coming to rip your children out of your hands at their birth and watching them kill them is on a scale beyond what most of us will ever know. And knowing that this would happen if your child happened to be a boy—must have haunted every single mother every day of her pregnancy. One mother, the mother of Moses, sought to protect and rescue her child from this fate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><b>2 </b>Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, <b><sup>2 </sup></b>and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. <b><sup>3 </sup></b>But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. <b><sup>4 </sup></b>His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.</em></p>
<p><em><b><sup>5 </sup></b>Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. <b><sup>6 </sup></b>She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.</em></p>
<p><em><b><sup>7 </sup></b>Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”</em></p>
<p><em><b><sup>8 </sup></b>“Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother.<b><sup>9 </sup></b>Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him.<b><sup>10 </sup></b>When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Moses’ mother put her child in a basket and let him float down the river in order to try to save him from death. And when did this, she must have prayed that somehow, someway, her child that she bore for nine months in her womb would be saved. And <strong>God was indeed at work, for in the most unlikeliest of scenarios, the daughter of the Pharaoh himself—the daughter of the king who ordered the deaths of all of these children—saw the child, and rather than carrying out her father’s murderous orders, rescued him, and took him home as her own child--defying her father’s will—and he was raised as an Egyptian. </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>This child who was rescued was named Moses, who, though he was raised in the places of the Egyptians, was destined to become the “ruler and redeemer” of Israel (Acts 7:35). God, who very much cared about his people, would use Moses to free Israel, who had become slaves of Pharaoh, forced to make bricks for building programs, from cruel slavery--after his own story of redemption.</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975946305?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975946305?profile=original" width="504" class="align-center"/></a><em>Moses likely grew up in Thebes--modern day Luxor - one of the ancient capitols of Egypt. We will film at this location for this part of the story.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Moses grew up in the home of the Pharaoh – the most powerful and absolute ruler in all the land. <strong>Moses likely grew up in Thebes, which is modern day Luxor, which was one of the capital cities of ancient Egypt during the time of the New Kingdom.</strong> Chronologies of ancient Egypt are difficult to piece together, and so the exact Pharaoh or Pharaohs of Moses’ time is difficult to be entirely certain. The text in Exodus says that the Israelites at that time were building the store city of Ramses (Exodus 1:11). And indeed, <strong>Ramses II</strong> was a powerful pharaoh who had many great building programs.</p>
<ul>
<li>In his time there were Semitic names in the Egyptian records.</li>
<li>The <strong>Louvre Leather Roll</strong>, a document from his time, <strong>speaks of brick making and “taskmasters</strong>” (40 taskmasters, each with a daily target of 2,000 bricks).</li>
<li>Workers were given time off for religious holidays, and were at times granted time off to <strong>“offer [sacrifices] to their god”</strong> (from work rosters from the workmen’s <strong>village of Deir el-Medineh</strong>).</li>
<li>One document has an official who complains that his area lacked men to make <strong>“bricks and straws for them” (Anastasi Papyrus IV)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p>Still, some say that there was no evidence of Moses or a Semitic people like the Hebrews who worshiped Yahweh, the one Hebrew God, being in Egypt at that time. Of course, the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. There are very few records at all along the East Delta area of Pi-Ramses (Goshen area) where the Israelites were thought to have worked due to the wet conditions along the Nile. And the Egyptians had a habit of destroying and defacing records and monuments of previous rulers and times – let alone embarrassing history. Certainly, <strong>the types of things that are recorded in the biblical account of the Exodus are not inconsistent from what we know of Egyptian history and culture, and in fact, these documents show are very much in line with them.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>But there are other possible timelines. For instance, the book of Genesis says that Joseph lived in the city of Rameses as well—which was 400 years earlier than the Exodus time, and obviously would not have been named Ramses in Joseph’s time, as Ramses had not yet been born (Gen. 47:11). So obviously biblical writers often provided anachronistic names to ancient places, meaning that <strong>the time of the Exodus could have been much earlier than Ramses.</strong> Other timelines have been proposed for the time of the Exodus, what we know from these times does not conflict with the biblical account of Egyptian history and culture. For instance, during the time of <strong>Pharaoh Thutmosis III</strong> – from which the name “Moses” is obviously derived– there is a tomb of the highest ranking official of the pharaoh, a man named Rekhmire, there is a famous depiction of foreign slaves (of war) who are engaged in building projects.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>“The <strong>tomb of vizier Rekhmire,</strong> ca. 1450 BCE, famously shows foreign slaves “making bricks for the workshop-storeplace of the Temple of Amun at Karnak in Thebes” and for a building ramp. They are labeled "captures brought-off by His Majesty for work at the Temple of Amun". <strong>Semites and Nubians are shown fetching and mixing mud and water, striking out bricks from molds, leaving them to dry and measuring their amount, under the watchful eyes of Egyptian overseers, each with a rod.</strong> The images bear out descriptions in Ex. 1:11-14; 5:1-21. (“They made their life bitter with hard labor, as they worked with clay mortar and bricks and in very form of slavery in the field” - Exodus 1:14a)” <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/misc/haaretzcomsmartphoneapp/1.713849">http://www.haaretz.com/misc/haaretzcomsmartphoneapp/1.713849</a> </i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><i><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975948176?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975948176?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></i></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>The ancient temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor. We will film at this location for this part of the story.</em></p>
<p></p>
<p>The ruler before Thutmosis III was <strong>Hatshepsut</strong>, a rare female pharaoh, who took power, and whom some think was the “daughter of Pharaoh” found in the biblical account – a woman strong enough to defy her father’s decree (Tutmoses I). While most of her images and monuments were torn down after her—some say because of the hatred that he would have had for Hatshepsut raising Moses, who would free the Egyptian slaves—there is still a major temple to her that stands today in Luxor.</p>
<p>Under that chronology different Tutmoses or Amenhotep pharaohs have been proposed as the Pharaoh during the time of the Exodus. And after this ruled <b>Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV), who, during his reign, sought to unite Egypt with monotheism for the first ever, seeking to unite Egypt in worship to only the sun god. Could he have been influenced by the monotheism of the Hebrews, and the power God would display in the Exodus? </b>We do not know. But this was certainly unprecedented, and something caused this unusual turn.</p>
<p>After this, Akenaten' son was the famous “King Tut”—mysteriously struck down at age 18. But regardless of which Pharaoh and chronology, the range of dates indicates that <strong>Luxor is likely where Moses would have grown up, raised by the Pharaoh’s daughter, with all of the riches, power, and wisdom of the Egypt, being raised as a “prince of Egypt.” But God had different plans for him</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p align="center">----------------------------------------------</p>
<p></p>
<p>One day Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, and he killed him (2:11f). The Pharaoh found this out, and sought to have Moses killed. The reason for this is not because the Pharaoh cared so much about life. It was because <strong>by killing this Egyptian, Moses was going against the established order.</strong> The Pharaoh was viewed as the incarnation of the Egyptian god Horus - a representative of all the gods--and his role was to keep the ma'at, the order, and by his reign, to stave off chaos, by performing religious rituals and by building temples and monuments that would last. The very girth of the pyramids--which indeed have lasted thousands of years--and temples and monuments is reflective of the mindset of the Egyptians, that permanence and upholding the order of the system was imperative. And Moses, by killing a taskmaster, was disturbing that order and that permanence.<br/> <br/> And so Moses' is forced to flee for his life to Midian, where he finds a wife, Zipporah, and lives as a shepherd for forty years. Eventually, that king of Egypt dies. But another arises, and still they are suffering.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>God appears to Moses on Mount Horeb, also called, Mount Sinai, the mountain of God (YAHWEH) in a “burning bush” (3:1f), saying,</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i><sup>7 </sup></i><i>The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. <sup>8 </sup>So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey . . . <sup>10 </sup>So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”</i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><i><sup>11 </sup></i><i>But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”</i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><i><sup>12 </sup></i><i>And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”</i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><i><sup>13 </sup></i><i>Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”</i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><i><sup>14 </sup></i><i>God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you’” (3:7f).</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975951339?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975951339?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Mt. Sinai in Egypt. We will film at this location for this part of the story.</em></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>God tells Moses that he has seen his people’s misery, that he has heard them cry out, and that he cares about their suffering.</strong> He says that he will rescue them and take them to “the promised land.” And he tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell them to “let his people go.” Let them go to the mountain to worship God.<br/> <br/> <strong>And Moses, says, um, God, who shall I tell the Pharaoh—the most powerful ruler on earth who was believed to also be a god incarnate—and the Israelites, who have been suffering for years—is sending me and making this demand?</strong> When they ask, what is the name of this God, what should I say? Now God had revealed his name before to the patriarchs of Israel. And yes he had given Abraham and Sarah a child in their old age. There were some cool stories of Jacob and angels going up and down a ladder.</p>
<p></p>
<p>But the Hebrews were simple people. Shepherds. Farmers. <strong>The God of their fathers must have seemed small and insignificant compared to the Egyptian Pharaoh and the Egyptian gods. Nothing in their recent history indicated that God either cared enough about their situation or was powerful enough to stand up against all of the might and power of Egypt and the Pharaoh.</strong><br/> <br/> <strong>And in response, God reveals himself to Moses on Mount Sinai as YAHWEH--“great I AM” - the one and only true God, who has always been, is today, and always will be – a powerful, always existing God, who was not created like the Egyptian gods, who was the true god of order and destroyer of chaos, who cares about the suffering of his people.</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>And so God sends Moses, with his brother Aaron to help him, to confront the Pharaoh with God’s demand that he “let my people go.” God would lift up Moses--who was set adrift by his parents due to being born in a country where kings ordered babies killed, who himself killed a man, was being hunted down by his adopted family, and had seemingly fallen from grace--to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and become their leader and redeemer. <strong>God often redeems us first so that we can help redeem others. And so he shows himself to be a God who cares – the God of rescue.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>What does this story teach us about God? What does Moses’ story of redemption teach us about our own story? </i></p>Story of Redemption Goes to Egypt! - Part 1: Joseph's Story of Redemption and Dealing with Injusticetag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2017-10-24:2422312:BlogPost:1116632017-10-24T03:00:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944908?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944908?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>Lord willing, in November we will be going to Egypt to film the events leading up to, during, and shortly after the Exodus as part of the Story of Redemption! We will be joined in this with two of our trusted crew members, tour guide,Tim Brinley, and video producer, Clint Loveness.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Exodus of the nation of Israel from Egypt, where they were…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944908?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944908?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>Lord willing, in November we will be going to Egypt to film the events leading up to, during, and shortly after the Exodus as part of the Story of Redemption! We will be joined in this with two of our trusted crew members, tour guide,Tim Brinley, and video producer, Clint Loveness.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Exodus of the nation of Israel from Egypt, where they were enslaved, was the greatest redemptive act in all of the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament. But how did they get there? Why were they slaves? And how and why did God redeem them? In the answers to these questions lies one of the most incredible stories ever told--a story on a cosmic scale, with kings and gods. Pharaohs. Joseph. Moses. The parting of the Red Sea and the Ten Commandments. And through all of this, God would redeem Israel, and point to the ultimate redemption still to come in Jesus Christ.</p>
<p align="center"> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-5"><strong>Part 1: Joseph’s Story of Redemption.</strong></span></p>
<p>Abraham had a son named Isaac, who had a son named Jacob. And Jacob would come to be known as Israel, which means, “he who wrestles with God.” Jacob would have twelve sons, from which would come the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph was one of those twelve sons, and he would have his own story of redemption--after many years of suffering, which was caused by his own brothers, who hated him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i><sup>2b</sup></i><i> . . . Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers . . . and he brought their father a bad report about them.</i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><i><sup>3 </sup></i><i>Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. <sup>4 </sup>When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him (Genesis 37:2f).</i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4">Joseph was hated by his brothers</span></strong> even more (and even his father and mother were incredulous) when God gave him dreams that they would one day come and bow down to him! This was too much for his brothers, and soon they would cause Joseph’s life to go down a miserable, totally unjust path.</p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4"> </span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4">Joseph’s brothers they threw him into a pit</span></strong>--intending to kill him--when Joseph’s oldest brother intervened, <strong><span class="font-size-4">and they sold him into slavery</span></strong>.</p>
<p>Joseph was bought as a slave by Potiphar, one of the Pharaoh's officials (39:1f). And God blessed him, and Potiphar notes this, so that “Joseph found favor in his eyes” (39:4) and put him in charge of his household. But when Joseph, who was handsome, refused to commit adultery with <strong><span class="font-size-4">Potiphar’s wife, she falsely accused him</span> </strong>of accosting her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Joseph ended up in prison, where he correctly interpreted the dreams of two disgraced officials--a baker and a cupbearer, telling them their fate (40:1f). The baker was beheaded. The cupbearer was restored to Pharaoh’s service and promised to remember Joseph. But <strong><span class="font-size-4">he was forgotten by the one whom he helped. He was left alone, in a prison.</span></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>------------------------------------------</strong></span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975947215?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975947215?profile=original" width="600" class="align-full"/></a><em>Ricky Jackson, like Joseph, was Falsely Accused and Spent 39 Years in Prison</em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Ricky Jackson was an 18 year old kid who was the oldest of five kids. He was not a perfect kid, but he wanted to serve - even signing up as a Marine when he was 17. He had health issues, which required him to be released but with an honorable discharge. <br/> <br/> His life would forever change one day when there was an armed robbery in his local neighborhood. A man who came to collect money at the store was beaten with a pipe, sprayed with battery acid, and was shot and killed.</p>
<p>When the police arrived, they asked if anyone had seen the murder. And for some reason, <strong>Eddie Vernon, a twelve year old kid, said that he had witnessed the murder, perhaps for attention. Only he had not.</strong></p>
<p>The police kept prodding him to identify someone as the killer. Wanting a culprit and someone to prosecute, they began feeding him details of the case. They took him out on joy rides in cop cars with the sirens blazing, fed him burgers, made him feel important. And<strong> Eddie Vernon falsely identified and accused Ricky Jackson of the murder.</strong></p>
<p>Despite obvious inconsistencies in the child's testimony and conflicting evidence that he was not present at the scene, <span class="font-size-4"><strong>Jackson would be convicted of murder and spend 39 years in jail - the longest known incarceration of an innocent person in US history.</strong></span> <br/> <br/> Jackson lost his freedom. His family. His reputation. His hopes. His dreams. All were taken from him because a twelve year old kid chose to make up a story. </p>
<p>-------------------------------------------------</p>
<p><br/> This must have been close to what Joseph must have felt. Only for Joseph, it was betrayal and hatred by his own family. Brothers fight - but this? And he had been telling his brothers his dreams <em>that God had revealed to him. </em>How was this just? How was this fair? Where was God in all of this? These are questions he must have asked everyday. And when he helps someone in prison, and tells him - hey, remember me when you see the Pharaoh - he must have had a glimmer of hope. But he was once again forgotten.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>But God had not forgotten him. And soon his fortunes would be about to change.</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>Two years later the Pharaoh had dreams that he did not understand, and <span class="font-size-4"><strong>the cupbearer remembered Joseph</strong> </span>(41:1f). <br/> <br/> The Pharaoh sent for Joseph, where <strong><span class="font-size-4">God would again help him to correctly interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams</span></strong> - telling the Pharaoh that there would be seven years of plentiful food in the land, followed by seven years of famine.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i><sup>41 </sup></i><i>So <strong><span class="font-size-4">Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.</span></strong>” <sup>42 </sup>Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. <sup>43 </sup>He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.</i></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4">Joseph was given a wife, and he had children</span></strong>, whom he named Manasseh (from the Hebrew word forget) and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household” and <strong><span class="font-size-4">Ephraim (meaning twice blessed)</span></strong> and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering” (41:51-52).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Joseph wisely administrated the food distribution in Egypt, saving food during the years of plenty. And when the years of famine, the land was prepared. And so <span class="font-size-4"><strong>God used Joseph to save all of Egypt and even beyond.</strong></span></p>
<p><br/> But there was still the matter of his family--of his brothers who had sold him into slavery, and his father, whom he had not seen in years. And Joseph would have his opportunity for redemption--or revenge--when his own family came to Egypt during the famine for food.</p>
<p>When Joseph’s brothers first came to Egypt, they did not recognize Joseph. And Joseph tested them in many ways, and he must have been an incredible mix of emotions. But he gave them food, took mercy upon them, and finally he revealed himself to them, saying,</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>“I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! <sup>5 </sup>And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you . . . <sup>7 </sup>But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. <sup>8 </sup>“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt . . . .(45:1f)</i></p>
<p><i><sup>20 </sup></i><i>You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives (50:20).</i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p>Joseph suffered greatly in his life, betrayed by his own family, thrown in a pit, falsely accused, thrown in jail, forgotten by those he helped. But Joseph forgave them, and God redeemed him. And through Joseph God saved a “remnant” of Israel--through whom would come the Messiah, who would save the whole world. And Joseph, through his unjust suffering, foreshadowed Christ himself, who through his suffering would redeem the world.</p>
<p><br/> Jacob and his family moved to Egypt during the time of the famine when Joseph was in power, living in the land of Goshen, where they prospered.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">-------------------------------------</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">While in jail, Ricky Jackson wrote to a group of lawyers that seeks to overturn wrongful convictions. They lawyers and even journalists began investigating his case. A new trial was set <span class="font-size-4"><strong>Vernon, the twelve year old kid who had falsely accused him and who was now 52 years old, was wanting to confess.</strong></span> He had been wracked with the guilt for forty years, gotten addicted to drugs and had done time in jail himself. But he was scared to death of being convicted of perjury. But when his minister asked him about it, he finally broke down. And <span class="font-size-4"><strong>he confessed on the stand that he had lied.</strong></span> And Ricky Jackson walked out of the court room, forty years later, an innocent man. <br/> <br/> <br/> <strong><span class="font-size-4">And after this, Ricky and Vernon met at a church, embraced one another, and Ricky told him, I forgive you.</span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong>Life indeed is sometimes harsh and unfair, unjust. But God is always at work in the world, and he can bring about our redemption, whether in this life or the next.</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><i>What does Joseph’s story of redemption teach us about God’s working in the world? What does Joseph's response teach us about how to deal with injustice?</i></p>You have heard of St. Patrick - but have you heard of Patricius??tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2017-03-17:2422312:BlogPost:1085542017-03-17T16:00:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944200?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944200?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p>Patricius grew up in England in the 5<sup>th</sup> century, and when he was 16 years old, <strong>Irish raiders invaded his village, burned his town, and carried him off to Ireland and sold him as a slave</strong> to a pagan tribal chief.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And over the next six years, as he served as a slave and spent time in pastoral settings among the sheep, he…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944200?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944200?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>Patricius grew up in England in the 5<sup>th</sup> century, and when he was 16 years old, <strong>Irish raiders invaded his village, burned his town, and carried him off to Ireland and sold him as a slave</strong> to a pagan tribal chief.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And over the next six years, as he served as a slave and spent time in pastoral settings among the sheep, he developed a genuine faith in God—not the nominal faith he had grown up with--praying more than a hundred prayers a day. <strong>He got to know his captors, and even came to see himself as being one of them in many ways.</strong> Six years later a ship appeared, carrying him back to England to be with his family.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Several years later, would pass, and Patricius later wrote about what happened to him. He said, "I had a vision in my dreams of a man who seemed to come from Ireland," Patricius wrote. "His name was Victoricius, and he carried countless letters, one of which he handed over to me. I read aloud where it began: 'The Voice of the Irish.' And as I began to read these words, I seemed to hear the voice of the same men who lived beside the forest of Foclut … and they cried out as with one voice, <strong>'We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.'</strong> I was deeply moved in heart and I could read no further, so I awoke."</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>And so he went back, voluntarily, to Ireland, to the very people who had enslaved him. And there he lived among them, sharing Christ with them,</strong> for though they had enslaved others, they themselves were enslaved to druidery, witchcraft, spells, and violence.</p>
<p>There is a story that the high king of the island, Loiguire, had forbidden any to light fires on the island one night on the penalty of death, honoring the pagan tradition of the fireless night. A massive bonfire was to then be lit on the eve of Spring, in the presence and at the command of the High King, who was believed to have the power of a god to usher in Spring. </p>
<p>But Patricius lit the fire, confident in the higher power of God. And the king, recognizing this higher power, relented.</p>
<p><strong>Patricius would go on to share Christ with this people, freeing them from their slavery and sin, baptizing thousands into Christ. This missionary would later become known as Patrick of Ireland.</strong> He was really from England, but he so identified with the people of Ireland and shared Christ with them, that he became known as one of them.</p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="750" height="422" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I8t-sQ8savg?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</p>
<p>The song <strong>Be Thou My Vision</strong> was written using an 8<sup>th</sup> Irish song, with lyrics that are based on this story of Patrick and the vision that he had to reach out to them and sacrifice himself for others, just as Christ, the true high king of heaven and the ultimate servant, sacrificed himself for us.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>All sin is addictive. All sin enslaves us. All sin leads us down a path that we don’t want to go. But Christ died to free us from sin, slavery, and death</strong>. And we are freed from this slavery to willingly and freely serve God and others.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The apostle Paul wrote, "For [Christ] rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>What do you think of the story of Patricius? What can we learn from this story about sin, slavery, and sacrifice for others?</em></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p></p>Story of Redemption Going to Africa!tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-10-14:2422312:BlogPost:1070612016-10-14T16:11:22.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943363?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943363?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p>STORY OF REDEMPTION GOING TO AFRICA! - Had a great meeting yesterday with the Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas. We are working on a partnership to put the Story of Redemption Film Series on their solar powered audio players (and solar powered video players when those come out), which are being distributed to African villages and other places…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943363?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943363?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>STORY OF REDEMPTION GOING TO AFRICA! - Had a great meeting yesterday with the Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas. We are working on a partnership to put the Story of Redemption Film Series on their solar powered audio players (and solar powered video players when those come out), which are being distributed to African villages and other places around the world.</p>
<p>Currently in African villages, hundreds of thousands have seen the Jesus film. Hopefully, the Story of Redemption, which tells the overall story of the Bible and helps lead people to faith and baptism in Jesus Christ, will be seen by thousands as well. Thank you to everyone for your love, prayer, friendship, and support! <a href="http://www.storyofredemption.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.StoryofRedemption.com</a></p>
<p><br/><br/></p>Amazing Story on Giving!tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-09-28:2422312:BlogPost:1068862016-09-28T16:00:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943799?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943799?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<div><div class="_1mf _1mj"><span><strong><span class="font-size-4">AMAZING STORY ON GIVING!</span></strong> - So, here is a really cool story on giving. I met with a family last week about helping support our work and ministry (<a href="http://www.NextGenerationforChrist.com">www.NextGenerationforChrist.com</a>). <strong>They thought and prayed about, and decided to…</strong></span></div>
</div>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943799?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943799?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<div><div class="_1mf _1mj"><span><strong><span class="font-size-4">AMAZING STORY ON GIVING!</span></strong> - So, here is a really cool story on giving. I met with a family last week about helping support our work and ministry (<a href="http://www.NextGenerationforChrist.com">www.NextGenerationforChrist.com</a>). <strong>They thought and prayed about, and decided to make a generous monthly contribution, though they had had a number of new expenses.</strong></span></div>
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<div><div class="_1mf _1mj"><span> </span></div>
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<div><div class="_1mf _1mj"><span>And guess what? The very next day, the boss of the husband went into this supporters' office and closed the door. He thought that he might be getting fired perhaps or something bad. But instead, <strong>he gave him a raise!</strong> And earlier in the year, he had made a sacrificial gift to another ministry, and he received an unexpected bonus. <strong>You cannot outgive God.</strong></span></div>
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<div><div class="_1mf _1mj"><strong> </strong></div>
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<div><div class="_1mf _1mj"><span>I have always taught on giving. It is a blessing. And while we do not obligate God with our giving, as a general principle, <strong>God blesses those who give in every way so that they can be "generous on every occasion."</strong> I hope that this story helps affirm your faith!</span></div>
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<p><br/></p>Reaching Your Chinese Neighbors!tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-09-12:2422312:BlogPost:1066642016-09-12T23:35:22.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975945218?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975945218?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p><span>We are very excited that the opening video in the Story of Redemption Film Series has been translated into Mandarin Chinese with voice over: <a href="http://www.missionaloutreachnetwork.com/video/story-of-redemption-1-1-love-and-creation-mandarin-version" target="_blank">click here</a>. This has been done by a great Chinese FriendSpeak couple from the…</span></p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975945218?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975945218?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><span>We are very excited that the opening video in the Story of Redemption Film Series has been translated into Mandarin Chinese with voice over: <a href="http://www.missionaloutreachnetwork.com/video/story-of-redemption-1-1-love-and-creation-mandarin-version" target="_blank">click here</a>. This has been done by a great Chinese FriendSpeak couple from the FriendSpeak ministry in McKinney, Texas. </span></p>
<p>I wanted to get feedback on the video from one of my neighbors from China, Ning, who speaks Mandarin. I asked her to watch this and give me feedback. This is what she said: </p>
<p><span><br/>"Hi, James. amazing videos! I watched both of the them twice (English and Mandarin), you did a great job! The Mandarin one, translation is wonderful, voice is great."</span></p>
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<p>The Story of Redemption videos in different languages will be a great way to engage our neighbors from different countries, tell the biblical story, and introduce people to Christ. Translations are in the works for Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, French, and Telugu. Very exciting!!</p>
<p><em>How do you see these films could be used to reach out to people of different language groups?</em></p>Testimonial for Deaf, Hearing-Impaired Friendly Version of the Story of Redemption Film Series!tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-09-09:2422312:BlogPost:1069592016-09-09T21:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943281?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943281?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="396" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/182040921" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="750"></iframe>
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/182040921">Story of Redemption 1.1 - Love and Creation, "In the Beginning" (with sub-titles)</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1213677">James Nored</a> on…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943281?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943281?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><iframe width="750" height="396" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/182040921" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/182040921">Story of Redemption 1.1 - Love and Creation, "In the Beginning" (with sub-titles)</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1213677">James Nored</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p>TESTIMONIAL FROM HEARING IMPAIRED COUPLE on STORY OF REDEMPTION w/SUB-TITLES -</p>
<div><p>Dennis and I were speechless! "Wow!" was all Dennis managed to say!</p>
<p>For me, the fact that I could VIVDLY understand your message without any trouble left me very excited and so deeply touched in my heart. There is nothing I can say. Even "thank you" is such a pale comparison to how I felt watching the video, COMPLETELY understanding everything you said, and the personal message you delivered with the powerful, unique ways God worked through you, James.</p>
<p>Dennis and I watched the video via my iPhone while waiting at an exchange/return customer service department at a store this morning. Our eyes remained transfixed on the screen, totally oblivious to people sitting around us, without concern whatsoever about whether or not the sound on the iPhone was audible for anyone else around us who probably could hear the video.</p>
<p>Thank you SO, SO, SO much!!! Not only is the subtitled feature going to be helpful for those who were born deaf and whose primary language is sign language, the but also for a much wider audience with varying degrees of hearing loss, young and old alike, whether they sign or not.</p>
<p>We are very excited about this!</p>
<p><em>- Dennis and Cindi Cesone, Hearing Impaired Couple, Fairfax Church of Christ</em></p>
<p>The Story of Redemption is an evangelistic Bible study series designed to lead seekers to faith and strengthen the faith of believers, professionally filmed in Israel and the U.S.</p>
<p><em>Do you know of deaf or hearing impaired people or church ministries? If so, please pass this on!</em></p>
</div>Story of Redemption - Solar Audio Players, Arabic Version, Remote African Villagestag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-08-31:2422312:BlogPost:1064222016-08-31T16:00:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p>Sunset International Bible Institute has developed solar players that allow people around the world, including in remote African villages, to hear the gospel. At the recent Sunset annual dinner, Truit Adair, president of Sunset, asked if the Story of Redemption could be used put on these audio players and the videos on the microchips for cell…</p>
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<p>Sunset International Bible Institute has developed solar players that allow people around the world, including in remote African villages, to hear the gospel. At the recent Sunset annual dinner, Truit Adair, president of Sunset, asked if the Story of Redemption could be used put on these audio players and the videos on the microchips for cell phones to deliver this resource.</p>
<p>Also, the speaker at the dinner, Wissam Youssif, a former Muslim from Iraq who is now a Christian minister, has agreed to translate the Story of Redemption into Arabic and do a voiceover for this to help reach the Muslim people for Christ. Very exciting development! Check out <a href="http://www.storyofredemption.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.StoryofRedemption.com.</a></p>
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How do you see that technology can be used to reach people for Christ?Family and Ministry Trip to Oklahoma and Texas - Story of Redemption / Next Generation Developmentstag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-08-09:2422312:BlogPost:1065042016-08-09T15:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944736?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944736?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
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<div><span><i>(James, Becki and Gina Nored pictured with Dr. Jim Baird of Oklahoma Christian University for a Special Honors Program Gina Attended)</i><br></br> <br></br> <span>We returned home to Virginia last weekend, but had a good trip to Texas. On the family front, our oldest daughter, Gina, got to take two one hour classes at Oklahoma Christian as part of a special…</span></span></div>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944736?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944736?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
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<div><span><i>(James, Becki and Gina Nored pictured with Dr. Jim Baird of Oklahoma Christian University for a Special Honors Program Gina Attended)</i><br/> <br/> <span>We returned home to Virginia last weekend, but had a good trip to Texas. On the family front, our oldest daughter, Gina, got to take two one hour classes at Oklahoma Christian as part of a special honors program, including classes on Tolkien and Christianity, and an Overview of the Bible. The kids also loved being out at their grandparent's place (my parents) out in the country in McKinney. It was certainly a blessing to us to be able to see many long time family and friends there in Texas and Oklahoma.</span><br/> <br/> On the ministry front, here are a few highlights:</span></div>
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<li>We were able to meet with a number of <b>mission-minded families and individuals</b>, and had a number of wonderful supporters join our ministry team</li>
<li>I was able to meet with <b>Scott Lambert, the new Let's Start Talking director</b>, about partnering with them, as the Story of Redemption has been a great follow-up study to FriendSpeak / LST</li>
<li>I was able to meet with <b>Kelly Grant, Executive Director of Great City Missions </b>about using the Story of Redemption Spanish version in their network, and about the local evangelism training that I am doing with churches</li>
<li>I met with <b>Ryan and Claudia Newhouse</b> (she is a native Spanish speaker, and he is a former missionary) about translating one of the Story of Redemption videos into Spanish as a sample of what is to come; they are going to do this, and we are looking for someone to do the voice over for this video in Spanish</li>
<li>I met with <b>Gordon Dabbs, preaching minister at Prestoncrest Church of Christ.</b> He is presenting the Story of Redemption and the Next Generation for Christ material to his leadership team</li>
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<p>Thank you for your support! If you can, please be praying about all of the above items, as well as for our girls as they transition back to Virginia and get ready for the start of school. Blessings!</p>
</div>Initial Sample of a Spanish Translation of Story of Redemption Films is Coming!tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-08-06:2422312:BlogPost:1064082016-08-06T20:58:12.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944340?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="379" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944340?profile=original" width="599"></img></a></p>
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<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_57a64e0cba75c3935140969">It was great to see long time friends Ryan and Claudia Newhouse yesterday. They are going to do a translation of one of the Story of Redemption videos in Spanish as a sample to show people that a Spanish version is coming! Claudia is a native Spanish speaker, and Ryan is fluent as well…</div>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944340?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="599" height="379" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944340?profile=original"/></a></p>
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<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_57a64e0cba75c3935140969">It was great to see long time friends Ryan and Claudia Newhouse yesterday. They are going to do a translation of one of the Story of Redemption videos in Spanish as a sample to show people that a Spanish version is coming! Claudia is a native Spanish speaker, and Ryan is fluent as well and also has a M.Div. degree.<br/><br/> Then we will need a native Spanish speaker with a good speaking voice and who does no<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">t have a regional accent to do the voiceover for this video for the Spanish version. (I am currently taking suggestions on this. If you know of someone or have a suggestion, please let me know.)<br/><br/> It is exciting to think of the different language versions of the Story of Redemption that are coming, including Telegu, French, Spanish, Russian, and more. Of course, we have to finish the English version first! There is so much to do, but so much opportunity. Thank you to all of our translators for your hard work--and your patience!<br/><br/> Want to get involved? Just let me know. Thanks! <a href="http://www.storyofredemption.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow nofollow">Www.StoryofRedemption.com</a>.</span></div>
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<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed"><em><span class="text_exposed_show">What are some ministries through which a Spanish version of the Story of Redemption Film series could be used?</span></em></div>Asian FriendSpeak Students Watch Story of Redemption Film on Creation!tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-07-29:2422312:BlogPost:1061902016-07-29T03:34:35.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944742?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944742?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p>The Story of Redemption has been a very effective evangelistic Bible study, but what about the Story of Redemption Films. Will they "work," and how? <br></br><br></br>Becki and I have been in Texas for the past three weeks, seeing family and friends, taking our oldest daughter to a special summer class at Oklahoma Christian University, and doing ministry and networking. Today…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944742?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944742?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>The Story of Redemption has been a very effective evangelistic Bible study, but what about the Story of Redemption Films. Will they "work," and how? <br/><br/>Becki and I have been in Texas for the past three weeks, seeing family and friends, taking our oldest daughter to a special summer class at Oklahoma Christian University, and doing ministry and networking. Today I ran into one of our elder buddy friends, Sandy Detherage, in McKinney at Starbucks, who was studying with some FriendSpeak students.</p>
<p><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption"><span class="hasCaption"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/167061124" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/167061124">Story of Redemption 1.1 - Love and Creation (Intro, In the Beginning)</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1213677">James Nored</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption"><span class="hasCaption"><br/>Sandy indicated that his Asian FriendSpeak students had questions about, "Where do we come from?", so he invited me over to discuss this with them. So I showed them the first video in the Story of Redemption series, Love and Creation, which covers this subject. They liked it, thought that it was very well done and professional, and it led into a great discussion.</span></span></p>
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<p><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption"><span class="hasCaption">In China, people are taught atheism and materialism. Interestingly, they seem to have little cultural reflection upon where people come from or what happens to us after we die. However, these were the very questions that these two students were asking. And because this opening lesson deals with these questions--upholding the value of Science but pointing out the questions that Science and scientific theories do not address--this seems to be a great lesson for those from Chinese culture. </span></span>It was a great meeting!</p>
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<p><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption"><span class="hasCaption">We and others have used the Story of Redemption as an effective follow-up study to FriendSpeak. Hopefully it will be used in this same way across the country. It was great to see the film version be used in this way very successfully in a coffee shop setting.</span></span></p>
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<p><em><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption"><span class="hasCaption">What experience do you have with sharing the gospel with those from China or with an Asian background?</span></span></em></p>California Dreamin' and Story of Redemption - Part 2tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-06-16:2422312:BlogPost:1061602016-06-16T04:19:23.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/170643159">Story of Redemption and "Reaching the Next Generation for Christ" Testimonials</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1213677">James Nored</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
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<p>On my second recent trip to California, I met with a number of people and was…</p>
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/170643159">Story of Redemption and "Reaching the Next Generation for Christ" Testimonials</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1213677">James Nored</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
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<p>On my second recent trip to California, I met with a number of people and was able to get quite a number of ministry things done.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>North Oaks Church of Christ (Canyon Country, CA)</strong> - I preached and taught about Following Christ and His Mission, "Reaching the Next Generation for Christ," and the Story of Redemption at the North Oaks Church of Christ in Canyon Country, California.<br/> <br/> When I was getting my Doctor of Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA, a few years back, I would often stay with a minister and his wife, Ron and Sheila Sherman. Ron is now an elder at the North Oaks congregation. I stayed with him and another elder on this visit, Mike Faragher. Both were incredibly hospitable. During this trip, I also met with the worship committee North Oaks, discussing some of the disconnect in worship with today's experiential, younger, generations. (See the viral article series that I have written, <a href="http://www.missionaloutreachnetwork.com/profiles/blogs/why-are-churches-of-christ-shrinking-part-1-a-left-brained-fellow" target="_blank">Why Churches of Christ are Shrinking: A Left-Brained Fellowship in a Right-Brained World</a>.") They seemed to think that the discussion was helpful. <br/> <br/> I also met with the elders and staff at North Oaks, and I was impressed with their desire to seek to reach this next generation for Christ. We are looking at doing some extended coaching and seminars together over the next twelve months.<br/><br/></li>
<li><strong>EPIC Church (Torrance, CA) - </strong>Over the past year or so I have been blessed to get to know Matt and Melissa Raines, and Jeff Brimberry, from EPIC church, a Kairos church plant. They actually found the Story of Redemption online and starting using it prior to us meeting. They have used it to lead people to Christ. Their daughter is starting a Story of Redemption seeker study with her friends. And Jeff is using the Story of Redemption to share Christ with his girlfriend. They are starting to use the Story of Redemption films as well as they come out, and it was exciting to hear about God working through this!<br/><br/></li>
<li><strong>Small Groups for the Rest of Us - </strong>I was able to drop by and attend the Kairos California co-hort, where Chris Surratt was presenting from his book, "Small Groups for the Rest of Us." It was good to see this great group of churches and ministers. There at that meeting, Scott Lambert shared how he was stepping down from Kairos to become the new Executive Director of Let's Start Talking, another great ministry. (Many blessings to Scott and Kim on this new adventure!)<br/><br/></li>
<li><strong>Hilltop Community Church of Christ (El Segundo)</strong> - Jon Reed is a wonderful minister who helped take a church that almost died out to a church of around 200. Jon is also a great evangelist, and on my previous trip to CA, I got to go and visit one of his "personal mission spots"--a local park where he plays volleyball. (I played volleyball that evening as well. I joked that this might have been detrimental to his Christian witness due to my limited volleyball skills!) Monica Moreland is the small groups minister at Hilltop, and she is a former missionary to the Ukraine as well. She was excited about the material, and was glad to hear about the SOR being translated into Russian. Hilltop is interested in using the Story of Redemption and the Reaching the Next Generation for Christ seminars. It looks like I will be doing some coaching and training with Jon and Hilltop.</li>
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<p>The video above contains some testimonials from some of the California group on the Story of Redemption and the "Reaching the Next Generation for Christ" series. So glad to see people being receptive to this, and that they find it helpful for them.</p>California Dreamin' & StoryofRedemptiontag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-06-10:2422312:BlogPost:1059252016-06-10T19:27:19.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p>The last month has been a busy one for the Story of Redemption and 'Reaching the Next Generation for Christ," with two trips to California for filming, networking, and sharing about this work and ministry with churches. </p>
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<p>The first trip to California was during the…</p>
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<p>The last month has been a busy one for the Story of Redemption and 'Reaching the Next Generation for Christ," with two trips to California for filming, networking, and sharing about this work and ministry with churches. </p>
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<p>The first trip to California was during the Pepperdine Lectures. I was sick for part of this trip, but still was able to get quite a bit done. We filmed the opening lesson and trailer for the Story of Redemption along one of the beaches there (see the trailer above), which included hiring a couple of actors to play Adam and Eve. </p>
<p><br/>Here are some of the Eve temptation shots. This snake is going to win an Academy Award! (By the way, in case you were wondering how this was filmed, the actress is wearing a tube shirt.)</p>
<p><a width="750" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944690?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944690?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944904?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944904?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center" style="padding: 10px;"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975946517?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975946517?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944690?profile=original" target="_self"></a>On this trip, I also went and gave part of my "Reaching the Next Generation for Christ" series at two churches, preaching and teaching a class on the Story of Redemption and how it fits into reaching the next generation. The first church I spoke at was the North County Church of Christ, where Kevin Withem is the Senior Minister (he was great and very gracious for this) and where our tour guide for the filming in Israel, Tim Brinley, is an elder. </p>
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<p>The second church that I went and gave these presentations at was the Hilltop Community Church of Christ in Escondido, California, where Jon Reed is the Senior Minister (and Scott Lambert served as an elder). Jon is a great evangelist and quite a contagious fellow. He and the staff there (including Monica Moreland, a former missionary to the Ukraine and their small groups minister) are planning on using the Story of Redemption, and I will be doing some coaching and training with them in the fall and in 2017.</p>
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<p>There is MUCH MORE that developed from this trip and the California trip that came soon after this, but that will be for another update. Thank you so much for all of your support in so many different ways to this ministry. God is at work!<br/><br/>-- James</p>
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<p><em>Do you have any connections to indidividuals or churches in California that might be interested in this ministry? If so, please let me know!</em></p>Story of Redemption Goes To Russia! - 5 Considerations for Reaching the Russian People with the Gospeltag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-04-18:2422312:BlogPost:1052532016-04-18T17:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943508?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943508?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p>In March, we went to Israel to complete the next stage of filming for the Story of Redemption, an evangelistic Bible study series that is being made into a film series. It is designed to tell the overall story of the Bible and help reach the next generation for Christ.</p>
<p>We had a fantastic trip, getting some incredible footage. God really brought this trip…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943508?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943508?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>In March, we went to Israel to complete the next stage of filming for the Story of Redemption, an evangelistic Bible study series that is being made into a film series. It is designed to tell the overall story of the Bible and help reach the next generation for Christ.</p>
<p>We had a fantastic trip, getting some incredible footage. God really brought this trip together with a great team, including our professional film crew with Clint Loveness and assistant Scott Tiner, and Tim Brinley, our safe and sure tour guide, Tim Brinley (see Tim's website, <a href="http://www.ccastravel.com/">http://www.ccastravel.com/</a>, for upcoming tours to Israel and the Holy Lands!). Tim has served as a missionary in Russia and Greece, and his knowledge of both Russian and Greek were very handy on the trip. (The first night in Israel I had to go to the ER for an ear infection, and Tim spoke to the staff in Russian, helping me get treatment.)</p>
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/159829584">NEW from StoryofRedemption.com! - Easter Hope for Our Failure - Jesus Appears to the Disciples & Peter at the Sea of Galilee...</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1213677">James Nored</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
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<p>Little did I know other connections that were coming together. Several months ago Joel Petty, a missionary in Russia whom I have known from my days serving the preaching minister at the High Pointe Church of Christ in McKinney, Texas, contacted me about wanting to translate the Story of Redemption into Russian. I was certainly glad to see this happen, and Joel has been working with a translator on this translation, which has just been completed (and needs to now be typeset and published).</p>
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<p>A couple of weeks ago, Joel told me that he was coming through DC, and so I offered to have him stay with us. About the same time, Tim contacted me to invite me to come out and preach and share about the Story of Redemption out at his church, the North County Church of Christ, where he serves as an elder. And as it turns out, the North County Church of Christ is one of Joel's supporting congregations! Then I discovered that one of the families that we are friends with at Fairfax who drive down from Pennsylvania used to serve as a campus minister at this same church back in the 1980s. Wow. Clearly God is at work, bringing people together to share the gospel!</p>
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<p>So while Joel was here, we had a discussion about the gospel, the Story of Redemption, and how and why this study might be effective to share the gospel with Russians--as well as how it might be tweaked for a Russian version. Here is what we discussed.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong><span class="font-size-3">Narrative in particular is a good format for sharing the gospel with the Russian people, for they have a strong literary history of teaching ethics and morals through literature and story.</span> </strong>In fact, the written Russian language only <a href="http://www.advantour.com/russia/language.htm" target="_blank">emerged</a> after the introduction of Christianity into the country. The Story of Redemption is, of course, primarily story-based or narrative in approach, so this is a good approach for sharing the gospel with Russians. <br/> <br/>
However, this literary connection to Russian ethics and morals brings to mind the need to perhaps give some additional stories in the Story of Redemption that illustrates the "ethics" or "morals" of the Sermon on the Mount, for instance, to further resonate with this people.</li>
<li><strong><span class="font-size-3">Due to the "Soviet Experience," Russians are skeptical of direct attempts to "prove" one's position through "modern" style apologetics and approaches.</span> </strong>The Soviets fed the Russian people all kinds of statistics and "evidence," and most of it was made up. So direct attempts to prove one's case by pointing towards external evidence, the authority of the Bible, and "evidence that demands a verdict"--Josh McDowell type of apologetics--is likely to be met with resistance. They would say, "The lady protesteth too much." If something is true, then that ought to be evident to all without the need to build an external case. <br/> <br/>
This more postmodern approach (in this aspect) fits well with the Story of Redemption, for it seeks to primarily draw upon the power and truth of the biblical story itself--which, properly told, "rings true" to believers--and the powerful, "true" witness of a lived out gospel. It sounds like little adjustment needs to be made in this regard in the Russian version of the Story of Redemption.</li>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><strong>"Sacrifice" is the primary aspect of the atonement (Christ's work on the cross) that most resonates with the Russian people.</strong></span> Russians have always been called to sacrifice, for "mother Russia," for their children, for the greater good, etc. (See <a href="http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/how-self-sacrifice-has-shaped-the-russian-soul/471668.html" target="_blank">"How Self-Sacrifice has Shaped the Russian Soul"</a>) Russians have faced starvation many times in their history, with mothers sometimes having to decide which child would live or die with only enough food to feed one. The Nazi three year <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/1994-01-27/news/mn-15973_1_900-day-blockade" target="_blank">seige and blockade of Linengrad</a> was a particularly horrible instnance of facing starvation. In World War II, the US supplied greater weaponry, but Russians died by the millions--a staggering <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties_of_the_Soviet_Union" target="_blank">26.2 million Russians dying</a> for the cause.<br/> <br/>
These Russian stories of sacrifice seem to uphold sacrifice that is done out of loyalty, love, or necessity. Thus, this would seem to indicate that the positive Russian view of sacrifice most closely matches "sacrificial love," rather "penal substitution." The concept of sacrificial love is definitely found in the Story of Redemption, but some additional emphasis of this could be done to make the Christian message even more resonant. Stories of sacrificial love, such as the <a href="http://www.preachingtopostmoderns.com/storiesillustrations/a-powerful-story-of-a-mothers-sacrifice-joel-rosenburgs-wife-in-a-wwii-concentration-camp" target="_blank">sacrifice of Joel Rosenburg's wife for her children</a> while in a Nazi concentration camp, would likely resonate with the Russian people. Themes of suffering would also fall into this resonant category.</li>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><strong>"Restoring Community" is a bit more complicated as a resonate atonement theme for the Russian people.</strong></span> On the one hand, Russians have long had a sense of community that is normative. Russians sacrificed for the greater good of the community. Kids were sometimes raised more by the "community" (or the State) than by parents. Things such as shootings or individual acts of violence would be seen as what happens in the absence of community. <br/> <br/>
So community is a resonate theme more as the norm of what should be, rather than something that people are knowingly missing in their lives. Furthermore, the physical proximity that people have with one another in the crowded cities makes some feel like they need a bit of space. <br/>
<br/>
So this theme can be retained in a Russian Story of Redemption, but it needs to be a bit redeemed as well. An authentic community that is voluntary, not forced, bound together by the sacrificial love of our heroic Savior, Jesus Christ, is what ought to be normative for the world and is the cure to the world's ills. If we in this Christ-centered community would all live lives of self-sacrifice for others in the community, the world would be a better place.</li>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><strong>"Freedom from the Slavery of Sin" is an aspect of an atonement theme that is needed, whether known or not.</strong></span> Russian life is hard, from harsh winters, to poor economic conditions, to uncertain political times. The weather, depression, and lack of food at times has all led to a reliance on alcohol, resulting in high rates of alcoholism and death by alcohol. In fact, <a href="http://qz.com/403307/russia-is-quite-literally-drinking-itself-to-death/" target="_blank">some 30 percent of Russian deaths in 2012 were attributed to alcohol</a>--which is by far the highest rate among nations, and some ten times the rate of the US. <br/> <br/>
The Story of Redemption brings out the idea that Christ came not only to bring forgiveness from sins, but to free us from the slavery and addiction that sin brings into our lives. Whether or not this theme is initially resonate with the Russian people, it is a truth which needs to be shared.</li>
</ol>
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<p>I am excited about getting a Russian translation and version of the Story of Redemption out--along with Telgu, French, and Spanish--and hopefully Mandarin, Farsi, and a version for the hearing imparied as well. If you would like to know more about this work and ministry, including how to get involved and support it financially so that these resources can be developed and training in them can occur, please email me at James Nored at jamesnored@gmail.com.</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>For more information about the Story of Redemption, including FREE downloadable .pdfs of the study and links to the videos produced so far, go to <a href="http://www.StoryofRedemption.com">www.StoryofRedemption.com</a></strong></span></p>
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<p><em>What else could be emphasized of the Christian message and story to help share the gospel effectively with the Russian people?</em></p>
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<p></p>Study Reports that Religious Thinking Shuts Down Rational / Scientific Thinking - Thoughts?tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-03-28:2422312:BlogPost:1048912016-03-28T13:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p>There is an interesting study that has been floating around, referenced in articles such as <a href="http://www.science20.com/news_articles/the_conflict_between_science_and_religion_lies_in_our_brains-168794" target="_blank">The Conflict Between Science and Religion Lies in Our Brain</a>, that religious / spiritual /emotional thinking shuts rational /…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943094?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943094?profile=original" width="638" class="align-center"/></a></p>
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<p>There is an interesting study that has been floating around, referenced in articles such as <a href="http://www.science20.com/news_articles/the_conflict_between_science_and_religion_lies_in_our_brains-168794" target="_blank">The Conflict Between Science and Religion Lies in Our Brain</a>, that religious / spiritual /emotional thinking shuts rational / scientific thinking. This has led some to jump to conclusions such as the idea that religious people are stupid (there is an association between lower intelligence and religious belief) or that atheists are sociopaths (there is an association between lack of empathy, a key component of sociopathy, and atheism).</p>
<p>It is easy to jump from associations to causation, which is an analytical fallacy. And the article points out that over the last hundred years or so, 90 percent of nobel prize winners have had religious belief, while only 10 percent were agnostic or atheistic.</p>
<p>This study actually does not really bother me, though it needs to be corroborated with other studies and does not equate to causation. Still, though I have a Biology degree and appreciate Science, I am more of a holistic thinker / theologican / practictioner, seeing the value in both "reason" and "emotion."</p>
<p>This is where this study has, I believe, practical application. Modern apologetics seeks to "prove the Bible" with "evidence that demands a verdict." Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic or Lord--now, tell us what you believe RIGHT NOW--and I have set a logical trap for you, forcing a person to come to the conclusion that a person is not prepared to come to EMOTIONALLY or SPIRITUALLY / heart wise. This is ultimately counter productive for most people as an entry level question, actually forcing them to just say, whatever, dude, or actively hardening their hearts.(And there are other options intellectually than these three.)</p>
<p>I think that modern apologetics can be confirming for Christians, but if used in the above manner, is not very helpful for most non-Christians. My personal experience--corroborated by research-- is that intellectual barriers to faith may be the stated reason for non-belief, but that the underlying causes are at the least, much more complex than that. What causes a break through to belief is a movement of the heart and emotion. And modern apologetical arguments can then provide enough justification for that person to not think that they have to be an idiot to become a person of faith. That in their own minds they can remain a "Reasonable" individual.</p>
<p>This study deals with associations, so it is improper to assign causation rather than theories. However, it may be that when we isolate the head from the heart, or vice verse, it leads us down a path that takes us away from God. From modernism, we are negatively geared against "working up the emotion" (particularly in the Restooration Movement, a movement that occurred at the height of the Modern movement). We don't want anyone to get "caught up in the moment" and just make an "emotional decision." (Of course, inherent in this criticism is the--correct--idea that in order to move most people towards a life changing decision, the heart/emotion must be engage.) But we ought to be equally skeptical of "purely rational" decisions that do not engage the heart/emotion. These are unlikely to be truly life changing or long lasting as well.</p>
<p>God made us to love God with our heart, mind, soul, and strength--our whole being--not in slices. To me, this type of study corroborates this belief. Both intellectual pride and emotional immaturity can lead us away from God. But the intellect and emotion properly guided--and most likely, balanced or at least both significantly engaged--can lead us to God. And from a conversion standpoint, if we want to reach people for Christ, we must give them compelling "reasons" that go beyond the head to engagement of the heart and emotion, such as the hope that we have in Christ, meaning and purpose in life, help and hope for relationships, etc. These are not superfluous, they are key in moving people towards God and reaching (and retaining) people for Christ.<br/> <br/> And in order for people to come to God, they must have faith--which, by its nature, goes beyond evidences. We have reasons for our faith, but if we claim that we can absolutely prove our beliefs beyond a shadow of a doubt--well, that would cease to be faith, would it not? And the Bible says that without faith, it is impossible to please God.</p>
<p><em>Thoughts?</em></p>Story of Redemption - Update / Report from Israel Triptag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-03-25:2422312:BlogPost:1044852016-03-25T15:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/159829584">NEW from StoryofRedemption.com! - Easter Hope for Our Failure - Jesus Appears to the Disciples & Peter at the Sea of Galilee...</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1213677">James Nored</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
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<p>As many of you know, I just took a three week trip to Israel to film a major portion of…</p>
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/159829584">NEW from StoryofRedemption.com! - Easter Hope for Our Failure - Jesus Appears to the Disciples & Peter at the Sea of Galilee...</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1213677">James Nored</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
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<p>As many of you know, I just took a three week trip to Israel to film a major portion of the Story of Redemption, which is an evangelistic Bible study series--being made into a video series--designed to lead seekers to Christ and strengthen the faith of believers. Hopefully God will bless these efforts and help us to make an incredible tool for sharing and strengthening faith to reach the next generation for Christ!<br/><br/>Here is a bit of an update on this ministry:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><strong>First, I wanted to THANK all of our family, friends, and supporters for your love, prayers, and financial support for this work and ministry.</strong></span> We could not do this without you, so thank you so very, very much! Truly, we have been humbled by those who supported us in so many different ways. <br/> <br/> We have had long time friends, new friends, new converts, and even those who are not yet believers, young and older, who have shown us this love and support. <br/> <br/> <em>Please keep us in your prayers for:</em> <br/> <em>- More friends and supporters to join us in this ministry to provide prayer, financial support, and network </em><br/> <em>- God's guidance and blessing in putting together the videos for the Story of Redemption to make them as effective as possible and to reach as many people as possible</em><br/> <em>- That God will use this ministry to reach many people for Christ and strengthen the faith of believers</em></li>
<li><strong><span class="font-size-3">Second, the Israel filming was an incredible experience and we got some fantastic footage with a talented film crew.</span> </strong>We had a great team for this filming. <em>Clint Loveness</em> is a talented videographer, editor, and producer in his own right, a true professional in the field who works for RightNow Media. Clint and I have worked together on video projects for many years, and he did both the early filming of the Story of Redemption and the primary filming over in Israel. <br/> <br/> <em>Tim Brinley</em> was our safe and sure tour guide, who is very knowledgeable, speaks multiple languages, and really made this filming possible (check out Tim's company, CCASTravel for trips to Israel, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, and so much more!). Tim was incredibly helpful and really went the extra mile for us. If you are looking for tour guide about anywhere, Tim is your guy!<br/> <br/> <em>Scott Tiner</em> served as our main second shooter, helped with organization and data management, and with so many other things. Scott is a true servant and allowed us to do far more than we could have done without. This was a fantastic crew who really went the extra mile, working 15-20 hour days--getting up before dawn to film early morning shots, driving all over the country, and working late. I drove the team pretty hard, but they were troopers and really put their hearts into this project.</li>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Third, the above video--Resurrection Hope for Our Failure--is the first video put together from this filming.</strong></span> It is a post-resurrection account from John 21, in which Jesus appears to Peter and his disciples at the Sea of Galilee. In this account, Jesus reinstates Peter after his denial of him in the Garden of Gethsemane, and we learn in this that our standing before God is not based upon our performance, but a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. <br/> <br/> This video is a good example video of what we are seeking to achieve through this work and ministry. To film this, we went to the Sea of Galilee before dawn and went out into a period style boat and watched the sunrise--and filmed this with drone shots and slider shots. It includes clips from other places that we filmed at, such as the Garden Tomb and the Garden of Gethsemane--and more will be added. We are making this video available for viewing and use the next three weeks, seeking feedback in putting this video (the first of many in the series!) into final form to make it hopefully as good and helpful as possible. <br/> <br/> So, if you can, please share back to me:<br/> <em>- 2-3 things that you liked or thought was effective in this video</em><br/> <em>- Anything that you think could be improved technically or message wise (note: the video is not in final form yet)</em><br/> <em>- How you think that this video could be used--not just in the kingdom at large, but you personally <br/> <br/></em> I have already received back great stories of people sharing the above video for hope and encouragement. I look forward to sharing some of these stories with you soon!</li>
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<p><br/> Some of the places that we visited and did filming at include: Jerusalem (including Garden Tomb, Golgotha, Church of Gallicantu, Western Wall, Southern Steps, Dominus Flitus Church, Church of All Nations, Mount of Olives, Via Delorosa, Western Wall), Bethlehem, Herodium, Hebron, Judean Desert, Dead Sea, Qumran, Tiberius, Sea of Galilee, Mount Arbel, Mount of Beatitudes, Nazareth, Nazareth Village, Israel Museum, Jericho, Jordan River, Masada, Mitzpe Ramon, Bethany, Bethpage, Jericho, Jericho Rd., Caesarea Phillipi, Caesarea Maritime.</p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong><em>What do you think of the above video? Who could you send this to for encouragement, sharing faith, networking?</em></strong></span></p>3 Days Until Israel! - AWESOME TEMPLE Model in ISRAEL MUSEUM - Jesus Clears Out the Temple!tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-29:2422312:BlogPost:1046602016-02-29T01:11:51.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p>ONLY 3 DAYS UNTIL ISRAEL! - The TEMPLE MODEL in ISRAEL MUSEUM! - The second temple was enlarged by <a href="http://www.aish.com/jl/h/cc/48942446.html" target="_blank">King Herod</a>, who took the original mountain that the temple was on, built it up with dirt, and built retaining walls to enlarge the area into a huge platform--24 football fields worth, making…</p>
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<p>ONLY 3 DAYS UNTIL ISRAEL! - The TEMPLE MODEL in ISRAEL MUSEUM! - The second temple was enlarged by <a href="http://www.aish.com/jl/h/cc/48942446.html" target="_blank">King Herod</a>, who took the original mountain that the temple was on, built it up with dirt, and built retaining walls to enlarge the area into a huge platform--24 football fields worth, making it the largest man made platform the world has ever seen. Then he enlarged the temple itself, and covered it with gold, making it one of the great architectural wonders of the ancient world. A fantastic 1:50 scale <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holyland_Model_of_Jerusalem" target="_blank">model of the Second Temple</a> is found today in the Israel Museum, which we will film.</p>
<p><br/>Note this article on King Herod's Temple and its massive scale:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">--------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Why did [King Herod] make the Temple Mount so large?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">There's no question that Herod had a huge ego and liked to impress people with grandiose building projects. But there is also another more practical reason. Historians estimate that there were about 6-7 million Jews living in the Roman Empire (plus another 1 million in Persia), many of whom would come to Jerusalem for the three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. So you had to have a huge space to accommodate such a huge number of people. Hence the size of the platform.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">When it came to building the Temple itself on top of this platform, Herod truly outdid himself, and even the Talmud acknowledges that the end-result was spectacular. "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building." (Talmud-<i>Bava Basra</i> 4a)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">The Holy of Holies was covered in gold; the walls and columns of the other buildings were of white marble; the floors were of carrara marble, its blue tinge giving the impression of a moving sea of water; the curtains were tapestries of blue, white, scarlet and purple thread, depicting, according to Josephus, "the whole vista of the heavens."</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Josephus describes how incredible it looked:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <i>Viewed from without, the Sanctuary had everything that could amaze either mind or eyes. Overlaid all round with stout plates of gold, the first rays of the sun it reflected so fierce a blaze of fire that those who endeavored to look at it were forced to turn away as if they had looked straight at the sun. To strangers as they approached it seemed in the distance like a mountain covered with snow; for any part not covered with gold was dazzling white... (The Jewish War, p. 304)</i></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Herod saw fit however, to place at the main entrance a huge Roman eagle, which the pious Jews saw as a sacrilege. A group of Torah students promptly smashed this emblem of idolatry and oppression, but Herod had them hunted down, dragged in chains to his residence in Jericho, where they were burned alive.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Having built the Temple, Herod took pains to make sure it would be run without future problems of this kind. He appointed his own High Priest, having by then put to death forty-six leading members of the Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court.</p>
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<p>When the Romans came in to destroy Jerusalem in 70 C.E., they totally destroyed the temple, as Jesus had predicted (Mt. 24:2). However, part of the retaining wall remained, which is the Western Wall, or Wailing where Jews still gather around to pray today.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em>The Western Wall</em></p>
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<p><strong>JESUS GOES TO THE TEMPLE.</strong><br/>Upon entering Jerusalem in the "Triumphant Entry" (Mt. 21), Jesus goes to the temple. As the Messiah, he was a priest as well as a king, and the temple was the dwelling place of his heavenly father. This entrance would mark the beginning of a dramatic confrontation with the religious authorities who ran the temple. Jesus does the following:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Jesus cleanses the temple (Mt. 21:12-13).</strong> The temple was where people came to offer sacrifices for their sins. They would give an animal to the priest, and he would sacrifice the animal and offer it up to God. If a person did not have an animal, he would purchase one. For those who came to the temple from out of town, they would have to change money first to buy the animal. Jesus was upset that this business was being conducted in the temple itself, which was supposed to be a place of prayer, not a “den of thieves.” He drove out everyone who was buying and selling in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers.<br/><br/></li>
<li><strong>Jesus heals in the temple (Mt. 21:14-17).</strong> After cleansing the temple, all of the blind and lame come to Jesus to be healed. By caring for these unfortunate people, Jesus turns the temple into what it was supposed to be—a place of healing. How would the religious authorities respond? 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant (Mt. 21:15).<br/><br/></li>
<li><strong>Jesus teaches in the temple (Mt. 21:23-27).</strong> In the past, Jesus had spent most of his time teaching out in the countryside and in villages. Now he was claiming his right as the Son of God to teach in the temple itself—the domain of the religious leaders. They try to challenge his authority, but they cannot answer any of the religious questions that he asks them.<br/><br/></li>
<li><strong>Jesus pronounces judgment in the temple (Mt. 21:33-46).</strong> Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard owner who rented out his land and went away on a long journey. When the harvest time came, the owner sent his servants to collect the fruit, but the tenants killed each servant that he sent. Finally, he sent his son, but they killed him too. The point of the parable was that religious leaders did not own the temple—they were tenants. They and their forefathers had killed God’s servants that he had sent. Now they would kill God’s son too. Jesus concluded the parable by saying, 43“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit” (Mt. 21:43).</li>
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<p><span id="en-NIV-23872" class="text Matt-21-45"><span class="versenum">Matthew says that "45 </span>When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.</span><span> </span><span id="en-NIV-23873" class="text Matt-21-46"><span class="versenum">46 </span>They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet" (Mt. 21:45-46). Hostilities would just grow.</span></p>
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<p><span class="text Matt-21-46">All of the religious leaders come after Jesus, trying to trip him up with questions. The Pharisees and the Herodians ask him whether they ought to pay taxes--never a popular subject, and something that funded all of Herod's building projects. The Pharisees ask tricky hypothetical questions about the resurrection. The experts in the law asked him what the greatest command was. And in every case, Jesus had an answer. And then he asked them questions that they could not answer, making them look foolish and showing Jesus to be the superior teacher so that "no one dared to ask him anymore questions" (Mt. 22:46).</span></p>
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<p><span class="text Matt-21-46">Then Jesus just goes off on the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites and a "brood of vipers"--a bunch of snakes--doing his best John the Baptist imitation (Mt. 23). Then feeling particularly prophetic, he said to his disciples, who were gawking at the buildings,<span> </span><span id="en-NIV-23960" class="text Matt-24-2"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">2 </span>“Do you see all these things?”</span> he asked. <span class="woj">“Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down" (Mt. 25:2). <strong><br/><br/>Now this must have been shocking, because these stones were absolutely huge and went up 9 stories high! </strong>They had taken years to build, and Jesus said that they would all be torn down. The disciples, of course, want to know when this would be. And Jesus tells them several things to watch for in the destruction of Jerusalem that would happen in 70 C.E. It would be a destruction so bad that it was as if the world were ending. But Jesus said the actual time of the end of the world and his second coming, no one knows--not even himself--but only God the father. He just says, be ready for this ready. </span></span></span></p>
<p></p>
<p class="chapter-2"><span class="text Matt-26-1">Then Matthew records,</span></p>
<p class="chapter-2" style="text-align: center;"><span class="text Matt-26-1">When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,</span> <span id="en-NIV-24057" class="text Matt-26-2"><span class="versenum">2 </span>“As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span id="en-NIV-24058" class="text Matt-26-3"><span class="versenum">3 </span>Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,</span> <span id="en-NIV-24059" class="text Matt-26-4"><span class="versenum">4 </span>and <strong>they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him" (Mt. 26:1-3).</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="text Matt-21-46"><span class="text Matt-24-2"><span class="woj">They would soon have a chance to arrest and kill Jesus due to the betrayal by one of Jesus' own disciples (Mt. 26:14f).</span></span></span></p>
<p></p>
<p>The events at the temple all led up to Jesus' death. </p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><em><strong>Which of the above actions by Jesus do you think would have most angered the religious leaders? What can we learn about God's values from Jesus' actions in the temple?</strong></em></span></p>Only 4 Days Until Israel! - THE JERICHO ROAD and TRIUMPHAL ENTRYtag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-27:2422312:BlogPost:1043542016-02-27T14:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p></p>
<p>Jesus' journey into Jerusalem from Galilee would take him along the Jordan River down to Jericho. Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is well below sea level--1800 feet below, making it the lowest city on earth. It is thought that the "Valley of the Shadow of Death" from Psalm 23 was here, on the path between Jerusalem and Jericho on the…</p>
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<p></p>
<p>Jesus' journey into Jerusalem from Galilee would take him along the Jordan River down to Jericho. Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is well below sea level--1800 feet below, making it the lowest city on earth. It is thought that the "Valley of the Shadow of Death" from Psalm 23 was here, on the path between Jerusalem and Jericho on the Jericho Road. It was a dangerous path, inhabited by bandits . . . .</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>1. Story of the Good Samaritan</strong> - Jesus told the story of a man who "went down to Jericho" in Luke 10:25-37 in the story of the Good Samaritan . . . The priest and Levite did not really "see" the man beaten up. But the Samaritan "saw" him, stopped, and had compassion upon him. To that man, the Samaritan was a good neighbor.<br/><br/><br/>A professor at Harvard Divinity School gave a test to the students in his class called “Christians and Society.” The test was three hours long. It was focus of this test was “Being a Moral Christian in An Immoral Society.” Half way through the test, the professor arranged for a 10-minute break. The students were to leave the room for ten minutes, get fresh air, and then come back and take the last hour and a half of the test. The students were writing as fast and furiously as they could: writing down all their 8 knowledge of morality, what does it mean to be a moral person in an immoral society. But now it was break time and the students went out into the courtyard, where there was ice tea and cookies. When they went outside, the students discovered a man, all beaten up, huddled in a corner. The students looked at him, drank their tea, ate their cookies and said to themselves, “What should we do? Should we help him? But we have this test to take.” All the students went back into the classroom to finish the written part of the test. What they had failed to realize was that this man was also part of their test. The real test. And none of them responded to his need. The professor flunked them all.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Now Jesus would himself face a real live test of this as he was on his way out of Jericho, on to a busy appointment--going to the cross.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>2. Two Beggars -</strong> <br/><br/>Matt. 20:29f</p>
<p><em><span class="text Matt-20-29"><span class="versenum">29 </span>As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.</span> <span id="en-NIV-23823" class="text Matt-20-30"><span class="versenum">30 </span>Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”</span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23824" class="text Matt-20-31"><span class="versenum">31 </span>The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”</span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23825" class="text Matt-20-32"><span class="versenum">32 </span>Jesus stopped and called them. <span class="woj">“What do you want me to do for you?”</span>he asked.</span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23826" class="text Matt-20-33"><span class="versenum">33 </span>“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”</span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23827" class="text Matt-20-34"><span class="versenum">34 </span>Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.<br/><br/></span></em><span id="en-NIV-23827" class="text Matt-20-34">Jesus "saw" these beggars, had compassion upon them, and took the time to heal them--when everyone else did not have the time or did not care. And for the beggars, they could not physically see when Jesus first came by, but they could see very well spiritually, for they knew that they needed Jesus..</span><em><span id="en-NIV-23827" class="text Matt-20-34"><br/></span></em></p>
<p></p>
<p>3. <strong>Crowd - </strong></p>
<p>The Jericho Road was normally a dangerous road, but it would have been safe at this time, as Jesus was going with a large crowd on his way to Jerusalem in the days before the Passover. And over the 18 miles between Jericho and Jerusalem, the elevation rises to over 2500 ft--fitting symbolism for going "up" to worship God.</p>
<p></p>
<p>They could not physically see, but they good see very well spiritually. At Bethpage, tells disciples to get donkey, fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy that the Messiah would come riding into Jerusalem triumphantly on a donkey (see artwork of Triumphal Entry below from Bethpage Church)</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975946565?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975946565?profile=original" width="672" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>As Jesus overlooks Jerusalem (commemorated at Dominus Flevil church), he weeps, for he knows that they have a long history of not "seeing" what God wants them to see--rejecting the prophets, and soon, rejecting him (Lk. 19:41-44). </p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975948545?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975948545?profile=original" width="450" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Window Overlooking Jerusalem at Dominus Flevil Church on the Mount of Olives</em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Jesus enters Jersualem through the Golden Gate—which is now closed—so we will go through the Iron Gate. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Matthew records the "Triumphal Entry" as follows:</p>
<p>6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,</p>
<p>“Hosanna to the Son of David!” <br/>“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” <br/>“Hosanna in the highest!” (Mt. 21:6-9).</p>
<p></p>
<p>The crowds saw Jesus--and praised him--but did not really "see" him for who he was and what he came to do. They were looking for a conquering, earthly king. He came to Jerusalem to die and save the world. </p>
<p></p>
<p>This same crowd would later be chanting, Crucify him in just a few days.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>How do you see Jesus?</em></p>Only 6 Days Until Israel! - Caesarea Philippi - Who Do You Say Jesus Is?tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-26:2422312:BlogPost:1044672016-02-26T06:00:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p></p>
<p>Jesus went around the countryside, preaching, teaching, healing, and casting out demons for three and a half years. But eventually he knew that he had to go into Jerusalem, to confront the corrupt religious leaders, and to die. Not just die, but be betrayed, mocked, beaten, and brutally killed, or crucified naked upon a cross--branded a criminal, a failed…</p>
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<p></p>
<p>Jesus went around the countryside, preaching, teaching, healing, and casting out demons for three and a half years. But eventually he knew that he had to go into Jerusalem, to confront the corrupt religious leaders, and to die. Not just die, but be betrayed, mocked, beaten, and brutally killed, or crucified naked upon a cross--branded a criminal, a failed leader, and a fraud.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Now, why would Jesus do this? Why did he have to die--particularly in this way--if he is God? As we will see, Christ's death, is fundamental to who Jesus is, and tells us the type of God that God is as well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Three times on the way to Jerusalem, Jesus predicted his death. The first time was in Caesarea Philippi. But prior to this first prediction, Jesus had a question for his disciples: Who do people say that I am?</p>
<p><em>Matthew 16:13-18</em></p>
<p><em><span class="text Matt-16-13"><span class="versenum">13 </span>When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, <span class="woj">“Who do people say the Son of Man is?”</span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23687" class="text Matt-16-14"><span class="versenum">14 </span>They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”</span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23688" class="text Matt-16-15"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">15 </span>“But what about you?”</span> he asked. <span class="woj">“Who do you say I am?”</span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23689" class="text Matt-16-16"><span class="versenum">16 </span>Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”</span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23690" class="text Matt-16-17"><span class="versenum">17 </span>Jesus replied, <span class="woj">“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.</span></span> <span id="en-NIV-23691" class="text Matt-16-18"><span class="versenum">18 </span>And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.</span> </em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Caesarea Philippi was an interesting place for Jesus to ask this question. Caesarea Philippi was named by Philip the Tetrarch after Caesar and himself. It would be like today naming a place Presidenterae Jameseri. It was a place dedicated to the worship of the pagan god of nature, Pan, who was thought to inhabit this cave, where water flowed out and formed the Jordan River. Thus it would have been viewed as a place of pagan power.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And here he asks his disciples who people say he is. Some say John the Baptist, who was beheaded by Herod Antipas--some thought he was John the Baptist come back to life. Some said Elijah, who was prophesied to come again before the Messiah. Some said a prophet, like Jeremiah (prophet of doom). Quite a range of responses. <br/> <br/> <strong>And if you were to ask people who Jesus was today, you would still get a lot of different responses, as this "People on the Street" video shows.</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="650" height="365" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/70307745" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/70307745"></a> <br/> Some different ideas that people have today about Jesus, including:</p>
<ul>
<li><em><strong>Super Smart Person Jesus</strong></em> - indeed Jesus seemed to do very well in "school," amazing his teachers when he was twelve; and some see him as a very smart scientist type, before his time, who knew the secrets of medicine and healing, but not a miracle worker</li>
<li><em><strong>Hippy Jesus</strong></em> - in this view, Jesus talked a lot about love and flowers, until one day he went nuts in the temple and got himself killed; indeed Jesus was a person of peace, and he did teach about love and talk about the lilies of the field; but he also could be stern and bold when he saw people being taken advantage of or injustice</li>
<li><em><strong>New Age Jesus</strong></em> - draws upon Christianity, Eastern, and pagan thought, there to lead into tranquility or help with food cravings; indeed, Jesus is a spiritual guide, but he is much more than this</li>
<li><em><strong>Teacher Jesus</strong></em> - this gets closer to the truth; but there were a lot of teachers or rabbis in that time; Jesus claimed to be God, and if he wasn't, well, was he crazy?</li>
<li><em><strong>Prophet Jesus</strong></em> - some people and faiths still believe this; they hold Jesus in high regard; believe in the virgin birth; believe that Jesus will come back again; believe that he was a prophet, but not the Son of God; others even call him the Son of God, but view him to be a created being, and not fully God</li>
<li><em><strong>Buddy Jesus or Bobblehead Jesus</strong></em> - a lot of Christians come up with the right answer, like Peter did, but in actual practice treat Jesus as just a buddy to put up on a dash, who says "dude" a lot, and doesn't make many demands</li>
</ul>
<p><br/> Finally Jesus said, Who do you say I am? And Peter said, You are the CHRIST, the MESSIAH, the SON OF THE LIVING GOD! God himself, come to this earth, in human form--king and ruler of the universe. And Jesus said that Peter did not come up with this on his own, but that he cheated--God helped him.</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">And he said to Simon--which means shifting sand--that he will be called Peter--which means rock--and on the rock of this truth he would build his church. And the "gates of hades" would not stand against it. I used to think this was saying that these gates would not be able to overcome, no matter how hard they tried. But a gate is a defensive structure. What Jesus is saying is that Satan will not be able to stand against this powerful truth that was being revealed, that Jesus was the MESSIAH, the king, come into the world! You see, I like that idea. Buddies are nice. But I want someone who can take the gates of hell and rip them up and cast them aside on my side! <strong>That's who Jesus is to me--what about you?<br/> <br/></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>-----------------------------------------------------------<br/> <br/></strong></p>
<p><em><span class="text Matt-16-21"><span class="versenum">Matthew 5:21f<br/> 21 </span>From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.</span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23695" class="text Matt-16-22"><span class="versenum">22 </span>Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”</span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23696" class="text Matt-16-23"><span class="woj">”</span></span></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong><br/></strong> Now after this, Jesus tells his disciples that he has to go into Jerusalem to be killed. And you can see why this would throw his disciples for a loop. They were ready to charge, kick out the Romans, and put Jesus on the throne. And when Peter hears this, he takes Jesus aside and rebukes him--don't you see, you're the Messiah--you aren't supposed to die! And then Jesus rebukes him, and says, </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em><span id="en-NIV-23696" class="text Matt-16-23"><span class="versenum">23 </span>Jesus turned and said to Peter, <span class="woj">“Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.</span></span></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em><span id="en-NIV-23697" class="text Matt-16-24"><span class="versenum">24 </span>Then Jesus said to his disciples, <span class="woj">“<strong>Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me</strong>.</span></span> <span id="en-NIV-23698" class="text Matt-16-25"><span class="versenum">25 </span>For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.</span> </em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br/> The second time that Jesus tells the disciples that he is going to Jerusalem to die, they are understandably sad.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">After the third time, the mother of James and John comes to Jesus with her sons to ask for a favor--to let her sons sit at the right and left hands of power in his kingdom. This makes all of the other "indignant." So . . . <br/></p>
<p><span class="text Matt-20-20"><span class="versenum"> <span id="en-NIV-23818" class="text Matt-20-25"><span class="versenum">25 </span>Jesus called them together and said, <span class="woj">“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.</span></span> <span id="en-NIV-23819" class="text Matt-20-26"><span class="versenum">26 </span>Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,</span> <span id="en-NIV-23820" class="text Matt-20-27"><span class="versenum">27 </span>and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—</span> <span id="en-NIV-23821" class="text Matt-20-28"><span class="versenum">28 </span>just as <strong>the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many"</strong> (20:25f).</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">At the heart of Messiahship, kingship, leadership in the kingdom of God, is redemptive service. Jesus died to set us free from sin and its slavery--including self-centeredness and addiction, hurt and pain. And he showed us the pathway to true greatness and happiness in life--redemptive service and dedication to others. When we do these things, we become like God. Here is a story that illustrates this.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Solomon Rosenberg, his wife, his two sons, and his mother and father were arrested and placed in a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust of WWII. It was a labor camp and the rules were simple: As long as you can do your work, you are permitted to live. When you become too weak to do your work, then you will be exterminated.</em><br/> <br/> <em>Rosenberg watched his mother and father being marched off to their deaths when they became too weak to work. He knew that his youngest son, David, would be next because David had always been a frail child. Every evening when Rosenberg came back into the barracks after his hours of labor, he would search for the faces of his family. When he found them, they would huddle together, embrace one another, and thank God for another day of life.</em><br/> <br/> <em>One day Rosenberg came back, but he didn't see those familiar faces. He finally discovered his oldest son, Joshua, in a corner, huddled, weeping, and praying. He said, "Josh, tell me it's not true." Joshua turned and said, "It is true, Poppa. Today David was not strong enough to do his work, so they came for him."</em><br/> <br/> <em>"But where is your mother?" asked Mr. Rosenberg.</em><br/> <br/> <em>"Oh Poppa," he exclaimed. "When they came for David, he was afraid and he was crying. Momma said, <strong>‘There is nothing to be afraid of, David,' and then she took his hand and went with him."</strong></em><br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> <span>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> <span>That, my friends, is powerful. That, my friends, is redemptive. That, my friends, illustrates the kind of love that Christ has for us--a love so strong that he gave himself up for us. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-4"><em><strong>Who do you think that Jesus is?</strong></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>7 Days Until Israel! - Mount of Beatitudes - Christ Taught His Disciples to CHANGE THE WORLD!tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-24:2422312:BlogPost:1044552016-02-24T22:00:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p class="chapter-1"></p>
<p class="chapter-1"><span class="text Matt-5-1">Discipleship is about a way of life, and in what is commonly called "The Sermon on the Mount" (Mt. 5-7), Jesus went up on a high area outside of Capernaum overlooking the Sea of Galilee, in a traditional spot named "The Mount of Beatitudes."…</span></p>
<p class="chapter-1"></p>
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<p class="chapter-1"></p>
<p class="chapter-1"><span class="text Matt-5-1">Discipleship is about a way of life, and in what is commonly called "The Sermon on the Mount" (Mt. 5-7), Jesus went up on a high area outside of Capernaum overlooking the Sea of Galilee, in a traditional spot named "The Mount of Beatitudes."</span></p>
<p class="chapter-1"><span class="text Matt-5-1"><br/> Mt. 5:1f<br/> <em>1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,</em></span><em> <span id="en-NIV-23237" class="text Matt-5-2"><span class="versenum">2 </span>and he began to teach them.</span></em></p>
<h3><span class="text Matt-5-2">The Beatitudes</span></h3>
<p class="first-line-none"><em><span class="text Matt-5-2">He said:</span></em></p>
<div class="poetry top-05"><p class="line"><em><span id="en-NIV-23238" class="text Matt-5-3"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">3 </span>“Blessed are the poor in spirit,</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-5-3"><span class="woj">for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</span></span></span></em><br/> <em><span id="en-NIV-23239" class="text Matt-5-4"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">4 </span>Blessed are those who mourn,</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-5-4"><span class="woj">for they will be comforted.</span></span></span></em><br/> <em><span id="en-NIV-23240" class="text Matt-5-5"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">5 </span>Blessed are the meek,</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-5-5"><span class="woj">for they will inherit the earth.</span></span></span></em><br/> <em><span id="en-NIV-23241" class="text Matt-5-6"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">6 </span>Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-5-6"><span class="woj">for they will be filled.</span></span></span></em><br/> <em><span id="en-NIV-23242" class="text Matt-5-7"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">7 </span>Blessed are the merciful,</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-5-7"><span class="woj">for they will be shown mercy.</span></span></span></em><br/> <em><span id="en-NIV-23243" class="text Matt-5-8"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">8 </span>Blessed are the pure in heart,</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-5-8"><span class="woj">for they will see God.</span></span></span></em><br/> <em><span id="en-NIV-23244" class="text Matt-5-9"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">9 </span>Blessed are the peacemakers,</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-5-9"><span class="woj">for they will be called children of God.</span></span></span></em><br/> <em><span id="en-NIV-23245" class="text Matt-5-10"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">10 </span>Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-5-10"><span class="woj">for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</span></span></span></em></p>
</div>
<p class="top-05"></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="text Matt-5-11"><span class="versenum">When Jesus is saying that they are blessed, he is saying that they are living the "good life." But who he says is blessed is quite surprising--the poor, the meek, the merciful--all people whom the world often looks down upon or takes advantage of. But Jesus says that those who live like this, in his kingdom, as his disciples, will be blessed. In this, Jesus takes the world's values and turns them upside down. And many of these blessings are in this world. But he acknowledges that his followers may face trouble, and be rewarded in heaven.</span></span> </p>
<p class="top-05"></p>
<p class="top-05"><em><span id="en-NIV-23246" class="text Matt-5-11"><span class="versenum">11 </span>“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.</span> </em><span id="en-NIV-23247" class="text Matt-5-12"><em><span class="versenum">12 </span>Rejoice and be glad,because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.</em></span></p>
<p class="top-05"><br/> Indeed, all of the original disciples except John died for his faith. The Roman Emperor Caligula blamed Christians for the burning of Rome and set Christians on fire. They were thrown to the lions and torn apart. But in the Sermon on the Mount and in other places, Jesus taught them to love their enemies, to forgive those who wronged them. That if a Roman soldier treated them like a slave and forced them to carry their things for a mile, to carry them two miles. He taught them to not take revenge, but to pray for their enemies. </p>
<p class="top-05"></p>
<p class="top-05">And he taught them to not live cloistered away from the world, but to live in the world but not of the world, and to make it a better place. Jesus said in Mt. 5:13f:</p>
<h3><span id="en-NIV-23248" class="text Matt-5-13">Salt and Light</span></h3>
<p><em><span class="text Matt-5-13"><span class="versenum">13 </span>“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.</span></em></p>
<p><em><span id="en-NIV-23249" class="text Matt-5-14"><span class="versenum">14 </span>“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.</span><span id="en-NIV-23250" class="text Matt-5-15"><span class="versenum">15 </span>Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.</span> <span id="en-NIV-23251" class="text Matt-5-16"><span class="versenum">16 </span>In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.</span></em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Just as Jesus had brought a great light to the city of Capernaum (Mt. 4:16) through his teachings and miracles, so also his followers, together were to be a collective light to the world.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Note what was written in the "The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus" about the early Christians (2nd Century AD). The word "Mathetes" is not a regular name, but a word which means "disciple." It shows what the early Christians, as his disciples, learned from Jesus.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">--------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<h1>The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus</h1>
<p></p>
<h2>Chapter 5. The manners of the Christians</h2>
<p>For the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03712a.htm">Christians</a> are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09580c.htm">human</a> doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, <span class="font-size-3"><strong>they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life.</strong></span> They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. <span class="font-size-4"><strong>They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a c</strong><strong>ommon bed</strong>.</span> They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but <span class="font-size-5"><strong>they are citizens of heaven. </strong></span>They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life . . . . </p>
<h2>Chapter 6. The relation of Christians to the world</h2>
<p>To sum up all in one word— <span class="font-size-4"><strong>what the soul is in the body, Christians are in the world.</strong></span> The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world.The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">What this letter says is that the early Christians literally became the soul of the Empire. They were a light to the world, sharing with the world Jesus' teaching and living them out.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">In his work, The Rise of Christianity, Rodney Stark tells how from the time of Christ until Constantine declared Christianity legal in 313 AD in the Edict of Milan, Christianity rose from a few hundred followers of Jesus to millions of people at the growth rate of 40 percent per decade. He cites a number of things that led to this growth--all related to the ethic taught by Jesus:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>They loved children and rescued babies that were abandoned on the walls (Mt. 19:14).</strong> In the Roman Empire it was perfectly legal to abandon a child up until age two. The early Christians went and rescued these babies--almost all baby girls--and raised them. And when there was a shortage of eligible young women across the Empire, they went and married these godly women. And many of them converted their husbands.<br/><br/></li>
<li><strong>They cared for the sick and fed the hungry (Mt. 14:13; 25). <br/></strong> <br/> Dionysius, a church Leader, wrote about an epidemic that hit the known world in AD 260 and how the early Christians responded:<br/> <em><em>“Many, in nursing and curing others, transferred their death to themselves and died in their stead . . . . The best of our brothers lost their lives in this manner, a number of presbyters, SERVANTS, and lay PEOPLE.”<br/></em> <br/></em> Eusebius, a church historian, wrote of a plague that hit in AD 309-313, saying<br/><p><em>“Christians were the only people who amid such terrible ills showed their fellow-feeling and humanity by their actions. Day by day some would busy themselves with attending to the dead and burying them . . . Others gather in one spot all who were afflicted by hunger throughout the whole city and gave bread to them all. When this became known, people glorified the Christians’ God.”</em></p>
<strong><br/></strong></li>
<li><strong>They valued and respected women (Mt. 27:56).<br/> <br/></strong></li>
<li><strong>They reached out to all people and ethnic groups (Mt. 28:18-20).<br/> <br/></strong></li>
<li><strong>They sacrificed their own lives to save others (Mt. 20:28).</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><br/> <br/></strong> All of these good deeds done in the name of Christ, imitating Christ, cause Christianity to grow and caused the Roman Empire to eventually gain a soul. And indeed, so many of the blessings that we take for granted today--hospitals, feeding programs, charities, care for the handicapped and mentally ill--were started or greatly magnified by Christians. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHLioeL9dYk" target="_blank">If Christ had never been born</a>, so much of the world that we value today would not exist.<br/> <br/> However, after Constantine legalized Christianity, for a short time, the Roman Emperor Julian came to power. He was a pagan, and he tried to turn the Empire back to paganism. He was suspicious of Christians, but said that the Christian growth had been caused by their "moral character, even if pretended," and that their "benevolence toward strangers and care for the graves of the dead." In writing to a pagan priest, he said that they needed to start some pagan charities, saying, “I think that when the poor happened to be neglected and overlooked by the priests, the impious Galileans observed this and devoted themselves to benevolence . . . The impious Galileans support not only their poor, but ours as well, everyone can see that our people lack aid from us.”</p>
<p></p>
<p>This movement to start pagan charities, of course failed. For at the center of pagan charities were the pagan gods, who would sleep with virgins, stir up wars, and cared little for anyone but themselves. At the center of Christianity is Christ, who by his life and death inspired the world and made it a better place.</p>
<p></p>
<p>It took awhile for some pagan practices and values to change, such as the gladatorial games in Rome. Thousands of people and animals were butchered for sport as entertainment at the capital--at one point consuming up to 1/3 of the annual revenue of the Empire. But Theodoret of Cyrus, Bishop of Cyrrhus, Syria, tells the story of Telemachus, a monk, who by his sacrifice, caused the gladitorial games to stop.</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>"Chapter XXVI — Of Honorius the emperor and Telemachus the monk.</em><br/> <em>Honorius, who inherited the empire of Europe, put a stop to the gladiatorial combats which had long been held at Rome. The occasion of his doing so arose from the following circumstance. <strong><span class="font-size-3">A certain man of the name of Telemachus had embraced the ascetic life.</span></strong> He had set out from the East and for this reason had repaired to Rome. There, when the abominable spectacle was being exhibited, <span class="font-size-4"><strong>he went himself into the stadium, and, stepping down into the arena, endeavoured to stop the men who were wielding their weapons against one another.</strong></span> The spectators of the slaughter were indignant, and inspired by the mad fury of the demon who delights in those bloody deeds, stoned the peacemaker to death. <span class="font-size-4"><strong>When the admirable emperor was informed of this he numbered Telemachus in the array of victorious martyrs, and put an end to that impious spectacle</strong>."</span></em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Christ taught his disciples to be a blessing to others and a light to the world, and through his life and teachings, the world today is a better place.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><em>Which of the above examples of the early Christians most impacts you? What can we learn from this?</em></strong></p>
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<p></p>9 Days Until Israel! - Sea of Galilee--Where Jesus Calls His Disciplestag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-23:2422312:BlogPost:1041322016-02-23T01:00:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p><span class="text Matt-4-18"><span class="versenum"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>9 DAYS UNTIL FILMING IN ISRAEL! - SEA OF GALILEE! - As the above video shows, we all follow someone or something, whether we acknowledge it or not</strong></span>.…</span></span></p>
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<p><span class="text Matt-4-18"><span class="versenum"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>9 DAYS UNTIL FILMING IN ISRAEL! - SEA OF GALILEE! - As the above video shows, we all follow someone or something, whether we acknowledge it or not</strong></span>. <strong><span class="font-size-3">Lesson 5 in the Story of Redemption is about discipleship, or following Jesus</span></strong>. In Jesus' day, a disciple was a follower, one who would attach himself to a Jewish rabbi, who would teach him how to live out the teachings of the Scriptures. And Matthew records how Jesus, at age 30 thirty--the age that a disciple could become a rabbi and teach others--began to call his disciples and began his ministry.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span class="text Matt-4-18"><span class="versenum">18 </span>As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.</span> <strong><span id="en-NIV-23229" class="text Matt-4-19"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">19 </span>“Come, follow me,”</span> Jesus said, <span class="woj">“and I will send you out to fish for people.”</span></span> </strong><span id="en-NIV-23230" class="text Matt-4-20"><span class="versenum">20 </span>At once they left their nets and followed him.</span></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span id="en-NIV-23231" class="text Matt-4-21"><span class="versenum">21 </span>Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,</span> <span id="en-NIV-23232" class="text Matt-4-22"><span class="versenum">22 </span>and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him (Mt. 4:18-22).</span></em></p>
<p>When Jesus comes calling, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John do not hesitate. “Immediately” and “at once” they leave their nets, their boats, and their livelihood to follow Jesus. Seems pretty radical. What explains this response?</p>
<p>Well, most every Jewish boy grew up wanting to be a rabbi. Note the <a href="http://www.focusequip.org/assets/pdf/how-to-discipleship-vision-preview.pdf" target="_blank">following</a>:</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">In Jewish, society young boys (and in the early years, girls) grew up going to "<strong>Bet Sefer or House of the Book</strong>,</span> a Jewish equivalent of primary school for those who were 6 to 10 years old. From the ages of 6 to 10, education focused on one thing: memorizing the Torah— Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. For people in an oral culture, memorization was much easier. Humans still have this ability today—we just choose to memorize different subjects, the lines from popular movies and songs, for example. At the end of Bet Sefer, only the best of the best students would continue their education. <br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-3">Those who were the best at memorizing would go on to <strong>Bet Talmud or House of Learning</strong> from the ages of 10 to 14.</span> Here, they would focus on memorizing the rest of the Jewish Scriptures. In fact, there are still Jewish men and women who do this today. </p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">If you were the best of the best at the end of Bet Talmud, you would present yourself to a Rabbi and enter <strong>Bet Midrash</strong>.</span> The students here would be elite students similar to Ivy League students today. The rabbi would ask you questions to see if you were really the best of the best. This was extremely important for the rabbi. <strong><span class="font-size-3">Rabbis had a particular way of interpreting and teaching of the Scriptures called their 'yoke.; Jesus refers to this in the Gospels when he says, 'My yoke is easy and my burden is light.'</span></strong></p>
<p>In order to spread this yoke, the rabbi would want only the best disciples. He would ask them questions like, 'How many times does the word well appear in the book of Genesis?; or, 'How many times does Habakkuk reference Deuteronomy 17?; Off the top of their heads, the disciples would recall the memorized words and count them. These were the law school or GMAT questions of their day. <span class="font-size-3">If the rabbi believed that you had what it takes, he would say the two words in Hebrew every disciple would want to hear, 'Lek Hackeri'—'<strong>Come follow me.'</strong></span> Upon hearing these words, the disciple would leave his family and his village and follow the rabbi wherever he went.</p>
<p></p>
<p>A blessing developed: <strong><span class="font-size-3">'May you be covered in the dust of your</span> rabbi.'</strong> The hope is that the disciple would follow behind the rabbi so closely behind that the dust from the rabbi’s sandals would cover him. If the rabbi prayed a certain way, then the disciple also prayed that way. If a rabbi told a certain story, then you learned how to tell the story. If the rabbi ate a certain way, well, you get the picture. Now, if you didn’t have what it takes, the rabbi would say: 'You know the Torah well, but you don’t have what it takes. Go back to your village. Go and make babies and hope they become rabbis. Go and ply your trade.'"</p>
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<p>Now, there was something else that was significant in those whom the rabbi called. One of the things in this call that the rabbi was evaluating was, Can this student truly take on my teachings, live them out, and become like me? <strong><span class="font-size-3">And if he chose a disciple, he was saying not just, you got the best grades, or knew the Torah. He was saying, I think that you can be this type of person. It was an incredibly high honor.</span></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Now, by virtue of being full time fishermen at that age, Peter and Andrew, James and John are not the best of the best.</span></strong> They had, so to speak, flunked out of rabbi training school. So when Jesus, a recognized rabbi, comes along and asks Peter, Andrew, James and John to be his disciples--telling them that he thinks the world of them and that he thinks that they can become like him--they jump at the chance. Later, Jesus would call Matthew, a tax collector--a profession viewed to be enemy sympathizers and lumped in with "sinners"--at his tax booth right here on this same shore (Mt. 10:9-13). Matthew and others would jump at this chance as well. And in this Jesus drew together men, women, rich, poor, fishermen, tax collectors, zealots, Pharisees--people from all walks of life. Through this, Jesus created a type of new community---a loving, serving community centered around him.</p>
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<p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>Now Jesus said that his "yoke" was light (Mt. 11:28-30). Unlike a lot of other rabbis, his teaching was not burdensome, but a joy. Not legalistic. Not just a bunch of rules. Jesus said,</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span class="font-size-4"><span id="en-NIV-23488" class="text Matt-11-28"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">28 </span>“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.</span></span> <span id="en-NIV-23489" class="text Matt-11-29"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">29 </span>Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.</span></span> <span id="en-NIV-23490" class="text Matt-11-30"><span class="woj"><span class="versenum">30 </span>For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Mt. 11:28-30).</span></span></span></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Frankly, unfortunately, many of Jesus' followers today do not get this, and have once again burdened people with a legalistic, soul sucking "religion," which is not very appealing.</strong> </span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><strong>Rather than a bunch of heartless rules, Jesus summarized the entire law in this: love God, love people (your neighbor as yourselves). Also inherent within that call to follow Jesus was a call to make other disciples of people--to become fishers of people. </strong></span>This is what the early church did (<a href="http://www.preachingtopostmoderns.com/sermon-highlights" target="_blank">How Did the Early Church Grow?</a>), which caused them to become a light to the (Mt. 5:15-16) and what has an impact upon people today (<a href="https://vimeo.com/134893796" target="_blank">Truly Loving Your Neighbor - Story from Rwanda</a>).</p>
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<p>Like these fishermen, we ought to make following Jesus and reaching out to others our hearts’ desire. We must be willing to leave everything behind, including our jobs, our hobbies, our entertainment, and even our family, for the chance to follow him and sharing him with others. Following Jesus is an incredible spiritual journey in which we are joined together with other Christ-followers, forming a new Christ-centered community on mission for God.</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><em><strong>What implications does Jesus’ choosing of ordinary people to be his disciples have for us? What does it say that he thinks that we can become like him? Why is it important to be a part of a Christian community when seeking to be a disciple of Christ, and not just follow Jesus on our own? How can we be "fishers of people" today?</strong></em></span></p>11 Days Until Israel! - Capernaum, the "Town of Jesus," City of Miraclestag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-21:2422312:BlogPost:1044392016-02-21T05:18:28.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p>11 DAYS UNTIL FILMING STORY OF REDEMPTION! - CAPERNAUM! - Lesson 5 in the Story of Redemption is on discipleship, and picks up after Jesus' successful triumph over Satan and the temptations that he faced in the desert. Matthew tells us that Jesus left Nazareth- (where he grew up and preached from the great Isaiah scroll - Luke 4:16f-and was rejected, and attempted to…</p>
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<p>11 DAYS UNTIL FILMING STORY OF REDEMPTION! - CAPERNAUM! - Lesson 5 in the Story of Redemption is on discipleship, and picks up after Jesus' successful triumph over Satan and the temptations that he faced in the desert. Matthew tells us that Jesus left Nazareth- (where he grew up and preached from the great Isaiah scroll - Luke 4:16f-and was rejected, and attempted to be thrown off of a cliff) and very purposefully lived in the city of Capernaum--"his city" (Mt. 9:1), which he made his home and performed more miracles than any place else recorded in the gospels. </p>
<p>Matthew 4:12f</p>
<p><em><span class="text Matt-4-12"><span class="versenum">12 </span>When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee.</span> <span id="en-NIV-23223" class="text Matt-4-13"><span class="versenum">13 </span>Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali—</span> <span id="en-NIV-23224" class="text Matt-4-14"><span class="versenum">14 </span>to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:</span></em></p>
<div class="poetry top-05"><p class="line"><em><span id="en-NIV-23225" class="text Matt-4-15"><span class="versenum">15 </span>“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,</span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-4-15">the <strong>Way of the Sea</strong>, beyond the Jordan,</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-4-15">Galilee of the Gentiles—</span></span></em><br/> <em><span id="en-NIV-23226" class="text Matt-4-16"><span class="versenum">16 </span>the people living in darkness</span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-4-16">have seen a great light;</span></span></em><br/> <em><span class="text Matt-4-16">on those living in the land of the shadow of death</span></em><br/> <em><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-4-16">a light has dawned.”<span class="footnote">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+4&version=NIV#fen-NIV-23226f" title="See footnote f">f</a>]</span></span></span></em></p>
</div>
<p class="top-05"><em><span id="en-NIV-23227" class="text Matt-4-17"><span class="versenum">17 </span>From that time on Jesus began to preach, <span class="woj">“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”</span></span></em></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="text Matt-4-17"><span class="woj">Capernaum--pronounced by Israelites as Ca-pher-na-hum--means "City of Nahum." It may perhaps have been the home town of the Old Testament prophet Nahum, or perhaps was a town named in his honor. Capernaum was a small but thriving fishing village on the Northern side of the Sea of Galilee.</span></span></p>
<p class="top-05">So why did Jesus make Capernaum, this small city of probably a few hundred people, his home? Why not Caesarea or Jerusalem? Well, on the one hand it points to Jesus humility and identification with the common people. But there probably other reasons.</p>
<p class="top-05"></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>1. Moving to Capernaum Caused Jesus to Fulfill Prophecy.</strong></span></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="font-size-2">Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would bring a light to a dark place by the "Way of the Sea"--the Galilee of the Gentiles, and Jesus moving to Capernaum allowed this prophecy to be fulfilled--something Jesus was very cognizant of. And indeed, Capernaum was a dark place, filled with sickness, death, disease, and demon possession. Capernaum has the remains of an ancient synagogue, most likely built upon the site of the 1st century synagogue which Jesus taught in and in which he cast out a demon.</span></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="font-size-2">Note the many <a href="http://www.dtbm.org/sermon/capernaum-the-town-of-jesus/" target="_blank">miracles</a> performed at Capernaum--miracles which gave light to this land: In Capernaum, Jesus:</span></p>
<ol>
<li>Heals a demoniac at Capernaum (Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37).</li>
<li>Heals Peter’s mother-in-law at Capernaum (Matthew 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41).</li>
<li>Heals a leper in Galilee (Matthew 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16).</li>
<li>Heals a paralytic at Capernaum (Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26).</li>
<li>Calls Matthew at Capernaum (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:13,14; Luke 5:27,28).</li>
<li>Defines the law of the Sabbath on the occasion of his disciples plucking the ears of grain at Capernaum (Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5).</li>
<li>Heals a man having a withered hand at Capernaum (Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11). Withdraws from Capernaum to the Sea of Galilee, where he heals many (Matthew 12:15-21; Mark 3:7-12). Goes up into a mountain, and calls and ordains twelve disciples in Galilee (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-19). Delivers the "Sermon on the Mount’’ in Galilee (Matthew 5-7; Luke 6:20-49). and heals the servant of the centurion near Capernaum (Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10).</li>
<li>Anointed by a sinful woman at Capernaum (Luke 7:36-50), And then returns to Capernaum after the Gadarenes reject him (Matthew 9:1; Mark 5:21; Luke 8:40).</li>
<li>Eats with tax collectors and sinners, and discourses on fasting at Capernaum (Matthew 9:10-17; Mark 2:15-22; Luke 5:29-39).</li>
<li>Raises to life the daughter of Jairus, and heals the woman who has the issue of blood at Capernaum (Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:22-43; Luke 8:41-56).</li>
<li>Heals two blind men, and casts out a spirit who causes muteness at Capernaum (Matthew 9:27-34).</li>
<li>Walks on the sea at Galilee (Matthew 14:22-36; Mark 6:45-56; John 6:15-21).</li>
<li>Teaches in the synagogue in Capernaum (John 6:22-65).</li>
<li>Disciples forsake him at Capernaum (John 6:66-71) so he departs and feeds four thousand (Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-9).</li>
<li>Refuses to give a sign to the Pharisees in the region of Magdala (Matthew 16:1-4; Mark 8:10-12). Cautions his disciples against the leaven of hypocrisy at the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 16:4-12; Mark 8:13-21). Heals a blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26).</li>
<li>Performs miracle of tribute money in the fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24-27) and reproves the ambition of his disciples at Capernaum (Matthew 18:1-35; Mark 9:33-50; Luke 9:46-50), and then leaves, never to return to Capernaum again. Teaches in the temple at Jerusalem at the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22-39). Returns to Bethany, and raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-46). Triumphal entry into Jerusalem while the people throw palm branches along the way (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19).</li>
</ol>
<p class="top-05"></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>2. Capernaum was a Strategic Location and a Crossroads of the World.</strong></span></p>
<p class="top-05" style="text-align: left;"><span class="text Matt-4-17"><span class="woj"><span><span>Note the following (from <a href="http://www.padfield.com/1998/capern.html" target="_blank">Padield.com</a>). "The greatest roads of the ancient world passed through Galilee. The </span><i>Via Maris </i><span>led from Damascus through Galilee down to Egypt. The Road to the East led through Galilee away out to the frontiers. Jesus could not have picked a better city in all of Israel to symbolize the worldwide implications of His redeeming gospel. One writer said, 'Judaea is on the way to nowhere: Galilee is on the way to everywhere.'"<br/> <br/> The Way of the Sea</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="top-05"></p>
<p class="top-05"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975946378?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975946378?profile=original" width="468" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p class="top-05"></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="text Matt-4-17"><span class="woj"><span>"Observing how the Jewish leadership and Herod treated John the Baptist, Jesus strategically launched His own ministry in Galilee of the Gentiles, at Capernaum, which was 'by the sea' (</span><a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Matt.%204.12-16" target="_blank">Matt. 4:12-16</a><span>; cf. </span><a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Isa.%209.1-2" target="_blank">Isa. 9:1-2</a><span>). It was not without reason that the Lord had indicated to Abraham that he must settle on this narrow strip of land that joined three continents. For thousands of years travelers from Africa to Europe, from Asia to Africa passed along the</span><i> via maris</i><span>, the 'way of the sea.' Right by the locale of Capernaum they passed, and they continued to pass by throughout the days of Jesus. By inaugurating His public ministry in Galilee of the Gentiles along the major international trade route, Jesus was making a statement. This land would serve as a springboard to all nations. The kingdom of God encompassed a realm that extended well beyond the borders of ancient Israel. As Paul so pointedly indicates, Abraham's promise from a new covenant perspective meant that he would be heir of the cosmos (</span><a class="rtBibleRef" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Rom.%204.13" target="_blank">Rom. 4:13</a><span>). All nations, lands, and peoples would experience the blessings of this benevolent rule." (O. Palmer Robertson,</span><i>Understanding the Land of the Bible,</i><span> p. 11).</span></span></span></p>
<p class="top-05"></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="text Matt-4-17"><span class="woj"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>3. Capernaum was the Hometown of 5 of the Original 12 Disciples.</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="text Matt-4-17"><span class="woj"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Capernaum was where Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew lived. John's gospel tells us that Andrew heard John the Baptist say, "Behold, the Lamb of God" in reference to Jesus after his baptism, and he went and found Peter. Some time passes, then Jesus goes to Capernaum and calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John as they are fishing (Mt. 4:18-22).</span></span></span></p>
<p class="top-05"><span class="text Matt-4-17"><span class="woj"> </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. <strong>19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”</strong> 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Jesus also called Matthew, a tax collector, at his tax booth at Capernaum along the Sea of Galilee</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span class="versenum">9 </span><span>As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. </span><span class="woj">“Follow me,”</span><span> he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him (9:9).</span></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>Jesus knew people, and he may have been doing a bit of social networking by making Capernaum his base of operation--with Andrew his first disciple, who goes and tells Peter, who knew James and John, the sons of Zebedee--fishermen in the same town.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>All of this shows that Jesus was cognizant of prophecy, was a master strategist and networker, and a compassionate bringer of light to the world. Unfortunately, Capernaum did not respond to his miracles as they ought to have. But we have the testimony of the light that he did show on this city--his city.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span class="font-size-3"><strong><em>What did you learn new about Capernaum? How could this city not respond to these miracles? What does this show us about faith?</em></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>Only 13 Days Until Israel! - Jesus and the Mount of Temptationtag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-19:2422312:BlogPost:1044332016-02-19T06:12:33.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>ONLY 13 DAYS UNTIL FILMING IN ISRAEL! - MOUNT OF TEMPTATION</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Matthew tells us that after Jesus was baptized, he was led out into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil.</strong></span> In the church, the "Monastery of the Temptation," a Greek Orthodox…</p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>ONLY 13 DAYS UNTIL FILMING IN ISRAEL! - MOUNT OF TEMPTATION</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Matthew tells us that after Jesus was baptized, he was led out into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil.</strong></span> In the church, the "Monastery of the Temptation," a Greek Orthodox church on the proposed "Mount of Temptation" where Jesus faced these temptations, there is some vivid artwork (see picture above) of Jesus resisting this temptation. Temptation is difficult to resist, and In looking at some of this artwork, I am reminded of the story, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/3654259/The-forger-who-fooled-the-world.html" target="_blank">The Forger Who Fooled the World</a>.</p>
<p>Han van Meegeren was an artist in the Netherlands painting before the time of World War II, and his critics ruthlessly made fun of his paitings.. One critic described him as “A gifted technician who has made a sort of composite facsimile of the Renaissance school, he has every virtue except originality.” So van Meegreen plotted his revenge.</p>
<p>His plan was to paint a painting using the style of a well known, great Artist from the Renaissance time periord (Johannes Vermeer), but to create an "original work," forget that artist's signature, and pass it off as a newly discovered work. He would present his "discovery" to his art critics, they would accept it, and then he would unveil his frogery and they would be embarrassed. He tried it, painting a painting in that style, titling it "The Supper at Emmaus," and sure enough, it worked. The painting was accepted as newly discovered work--and it sold for the equivalent of millions of dollars today and was prominently displayed at a major art gallery.</p>
<p>Han van Meegren had planned to expose the forgery at the opening of this art gallery. But he got n greedy. Rather than expose the forgery, he made more and more, making nearly 60 million dollars. He became addicted to alcohol and morphine and was unfaithful to his wife. His forgeries got worse and worse, but they kept being accepted and bought. And in the ultimate irony, when the Nazis began invading Europe, he sold The Supper at Emmaus to them. </p>
<p>But this almost cost him his life. After the Allied forces won, they began to return art work taken by the Nazis to their original owners. Megreen's art work that he had sold was traced back to him, and he was asked who the original owner of the work that he had "found" was. He, was of course, the original owner who had painted the forgery. When he refused to disclose what had happened and would not give the original owner, he was thought to be lying, arrested for treason, and faced the death penalty. </p>
<p>While in prison, he decided to confess. However, to his great surprise, no one believed him. One of the prison officers said that if van Meegeren had painted those paintings, he could paint a copy from memory. Van Meegeren arrogantly said. "To paint a copy is no proof of artistic talent. In all my career I have never painted a copy! But I shall paint you a new Vermeer. I shall paint you a masterpiece."</p>
<p>And so, surrounded by reporters and court-appointed witnesses, and supplied with plenty of alcohol and morphine, he worked for six weeks to pain one last "Vermeer", in a desperate attempt to prove what a great painter he was and find himself guilty . . . "</p>
<p>From this confession and trial, van Meegeren finally got the fame and recognition that he craved, and he got his wish: he was declared guilty of painting the paintings and being a forger and sentenced to a year in prison. But he was hospitalized the day he was scheduled to begin his sentence, and he died a few weeks later. </p>
<p align="center">-----------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>Maybe we have not gone as far as Meegeren but all of us have faced temptation. And because Jesus was human, he faced temptation as well. In fact, the Spirit led him out into the desert in order to face temptation (Mt. 4:1-11). And these temptations were like the ones that we face, only probably more so, because Jesus was the Messiah, and he faced temptations on a scale that we probably never will. These were the three temptations and what they represented.</p>
<ol>
<li>“If You are the Son of God, Turn This Bread Into Stone” – the lust of the flesh</li>
<li>“If You are the Son of God, Throw Yourself Down from the Temple and Let God Save You.” – the pride of life</li>
<li>“I Will Give You All the Splendors of the World, If You Will Bow Down and Worship Me.” – the lust of the eyes</li>
</ol>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>These correspond to both the “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,” as well as to the temptations that Adam and Eve faced—and failed in the garden.</strong></span></p>
<p>The fruit was “good for food” = the lust of the flesh.</p>
<p>The fruit was “pleasant to the eyes” = the lust of the eyes. •</p>
<p>The fruit was “desirable to make one wise” = the pride of life.</p>
<p>See Sweet, Leonard; Viola, Frank (2012-10-02). Jesus: A Theography (pp. 125-126). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>For Jesus, these temptations were really about what type of Messiah he was going to be.</strong></span> Was he going to a Messiah that used his miracles for his own benefit, his status to force God’s hand, or who shortcut it all and just went for all that he could see now? Or was he going to be the Messiah that God called him to be—the suffering servant.</p>
<p>Fortunately, Jesus resisted these temptations, unlike Adam and Eve, and unlike Israel in the desert. He never sinned, but because he faced temptation, he understands when we do. Aren’t you glad?</p>
<p>Jesus overcame Satan and temptation by the same way that we must--by quoting Scripture, through the Spirit, through his Spiritual disciples. And after he resisted Satan, Satan fled him, and angels attended him--just like they had Elijah when he was in the desert, facing temptation (2 Kings 19).</p>
<p><i>What do you learn about temptation from this story?</i></p>14 Days Until Israel! - JORDAN RIVER, Kingdom of Heaven, Baptism of Jesustag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-18:2422312:BlogPost:1042452016-02-18T06:18:39.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
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<p><span><span class="font-size-3"><strong>14 DAYS UNTIL FILMING IN ISRAEL! - JORDAN RIVER - The birth of Jesus the Messiah was the most dramatic entry of God into human history, and it signaled to the world that a new age had begun, with Christ as king.</strong></span> This new Messianic age is a dramatic in breaking of the kingdom of God, also referred…</span></p>
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<p><span><span class="font-size-3"><strong>14 DAYS UNTIL FILMING IN ISRAEL! - JORDAN RIVER - The birth of Jesus the Messiah was the most dramatic entry of God into human history, and it signaled to the world that a new age had begun, with Christ as king.</strong></span> This new Messianic age is a dramatic in breaking of the kingdom of God, also referred to in Matthew as the kingdom of heaven. The Jews at that time were looking for a physical kingdom and an earthly king. But the kingdom of heaven is a Spiritual kingdom, the realm in which God’s will is done. In fact, Jesus would later teach his disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” Thus, the kingdom of God is about God’s rule or reign over our hearts and our lives and over all of creation - a spiritual kingdom which consists of “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:16). God has always been ruling, but this rule became more visible through the birth, life, miracles, and ministry of Jesus, who submitted himself to God and let God rein over him.</span></p>
<p><span><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Now we are not too familiar with kings and kingdoms, and so kings and the term “kingdom of God” may not resonate as much with us, but it did to the people in the first century.</strong></span> In the larger Greco-Roman world, they were always looking for signs of divine favor upon a king or ruler, which is likely why <b>Matthew</b> records all of the incredible events surrounding Christ’s birth, such as the wise men coming from the East, the appearance of a star to guide them, even Herod’s attempt to kill the child. All of these would have been seen as signs of a new, divinely appointed king to the people of that time.</span></p>
<p><span><span class="font-size-3"><strong>In fact the word "gospel" comes from the word "euangelion," from which we get the word evangelism.</strong></span> It was originally taken the proclamations that were sent out at that time to proclaim the good news of the birth of the Roman emperors, beginning with Caesar Augustus who, as <b>Luke</b> records, was emperor when Jesus was born. </span></p>
<p><span>Note this quote from the Roman writer Virgil's work, <em>Aeneid, </em>in which he speaks of the reign or rule of Augustus Caesar:</span></p>
<p><em><span>". . . Behold this people, your Romans. Here is Caesar . . . <b>coming near the great dome of heaven.</b> This man, this is he whom you have often heard promised,</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span> </span></i></span><strong><i><span>Augustus Caesar, born of the god, he will bring the golden age</span></i></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span> </span></i></span><em><span>again . . . reigned over by Saturn . . .</span></em> <strong><i><span>he will expand his rule</span></i></strong><em><span>; to the land beyond the stars . . . ."</span></em> <span><i>Reasoner, Mark (2013-11-01). Roman Imperial Texts: A Sourcebook (Kindle Locations 533-538). Fortress Press. Kindle Edition.</i></span></p>
<p><span>The "Priene Inscription" contains a letter from the Roman proconsul and the response of Roman cities in which the birthday of the "godlike" Augustus Caesar, Son of God, was said to be so significant that the calendar needed to be reconfigured and begun again at 9 BCE.</span></p>
<p><i><span>". . . the birthday of the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>very divine Caesar</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>. . . we may rightly take as equal to the foundation of everything . . . there was nothing that was not crumbling and changed into ruin, he restored to proper form, in another way <b>he</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>gave a facelift to all the world</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>though it would have blithely accepted destruction <b>if the general blessing of all, Caesar, had not been born.</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><span>So one may rightly take this day as the time when the beginning of existence and of life has come to be .</span></strong> <strong>. . it seems to me that the birthday of the most godlike Caesar should be held by all the citizens to be [like this].</strong> Reasoner, Mark (2013-11-01). Roman Imperial Texts: A Sourcebook (Kindle Locations 568-572, 577-578). Fortress Press. Kindle Edition.</span></i></p>
<p><em><span>Probably the most commonly noted text in this inscription says,</span></em></p>
<p><em><span>" . . . Augustus, whom virtue has filled for the benefit of humankind, while graciously giving us and those after us <b>a Savior</b> who has ended war, setting things right in</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span> </span></span><strong><span>peace</span></strong><em><span>, and since Caesar when revealed surpassed the hopes of all who had anticipated the</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span> </span></span><strong><span>good news</span></strong><em><span>,[ 39] not only going beyond the benefits of those who had preceded him, but rather leaving no hope of surpassing him for those who will come, because of him</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span> </span></span><strong><span>the birthday of God began good news for the world</span></strong><em><span>."</span></em> <span>Reasoner, Mark (2013-11-01). Roman Imperial Texts: A Sourcebook (Kindle Locations 588-592). Fortress Press. Kindle Edition.</span></p>
<p><span>In his gospel, Luke very clearly showed how Jesus was the true Savior and good news of the world, who brought peace.</span></p>
<p><span>Now there are four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Matthew and Luke begin with the birth accounts of Jesus, and we see they are about establishing Jesus as a different type of king. John’s gospel also speaks of Jesus coming into the world as a theological, Greek concept, of the “Word,” who was with God and was God, becoming flesh and dwelling among us. <span class="font-size-3"><strong>But Mark’s gospel—which begins with the “good news of Jesus Christ,” begins someplace else—the very place that we come to now in Matthew 3, with John the Baptist preaching out in the desert about the coming Kingdom of God, preparing the way for the Lord. Why is this? And why was this good news?</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span>Well, you have to understand that for all of the Roman propaganda about how great things were under Augustus Caesar, or Emperor Tiberius after him, or more immediately under King Herod the Great or his son Herod Antipater after him, <span class="font-size-3"><strong>life in first century Judea was incredibly hard.</strong></span> There were crippling taxes to pay for Herod’s building programs. Food was hard to come by. The Roman governor Pilate was brutal in putting down rebellions. Corruption was everywhere, including the priesthood. There had not been a recognized prophet in the world for 400 years as the Jews had been ruled over by empire after empire, and a lot of people gave up and turned away from God.</span></p>
<p><span>Entering into this time was John the Baptist, who was a relative about the same age as Jesus, talking about this kingdom, and calling people back to God:<br/> <br/> <i>1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br/> “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’” . . . 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River (Mt. 3:1-6).</i></span></p>
<p><span><span class="font-size-3"><strong>John was the first recognized prophet in 400 years.</strong></span> <strong><span class="font-size-3">He intentionally dressed, ate, and preached in a way that evoked images of the prophet Elijah,</span></strong> who called the people back to God. He baptized on the East side of the Jordan, at the same place where centuries before, Joshua/Jesus had led the Israelites into the Promised Land, which was on the West bank. That actually was dangerous for him personally, for Herod Antipas controlled that side of the river, and John would challenge him about his taking his brother’s wife and eventually be killed for this. But in a powerful way, John was telling the people that if they wanted to entered into the Promised Land / the Kingdom of Heaven, they had to change.</span></p>
<p><span>John the Baptist tells the people that God’s kingdom is near or at hand. To be a part of this kingdom, they needed to:<br/></span></p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Repent</strong>—To “repent” literally means to turn around. John calls the people to change their hearts and minds and open themselves up to a new reality, that the kingdom of God is present all around them. This is a call to change our thinking and actions in light of this new reality, and to set aside our individual kingdoms (our will) for God’s kingdom (his will).<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></li>
<li><strong>Confess their sins</strong>—To “confess” sins means to say or admit that we have done wrong in our lives. This sin usually comes from pursuing our own kingdoms. Until we do this, we cannot be a part of God’s kingdom.</li>
<li><strong>Be baptized</strong>—To be baptized literally means to be immersed. While the purpose of John’s baptism is different in some ways from Christian baptism, it prepared the people for what would come.</li>
</ol>
<p><span><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Jesus of course would come along and be baptized by John the Baptist—something which John at first objected to.</strong></span> Jesus had no sins that he needed to be forgiven for. But he still had to submit his will to God, lay down his own desires, and become the type of suffering Messiah that God called him to be. He still needed the Spirit to help him in his ministry. And when Jesus took this step and was baptized, the heavens opened up and God said, “This is my Son, whom I love, and with whom I am well pleased.”</span></p>
<p><span><span class="font-size-3"><strong>On our trip to Israel, we will go to the Jordan River and to “Bethany Beyond the Jordan,” the proposed site for Jesus’ baptism. Should be great!</strong></span></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><em><span class="font-size-3"><strong>How would you describe the concept of the kingdom of heaven?</strong></span></em></p>19 / 18 Days Till Israel! - QUMRAN and DEAD SEA SCROLLS - How Do These Illustrate the Faithful Transmission of the Bible and the World of John the Baptist and Jesus?tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-15:2422312:BlogPost:1044172016-02-15T17:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944030?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944030?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></strong></p>
<p><strong>19-18 DAYS UNTIL FILMING IN ISRAEL! - You may or may not have hear of Qumran (in picture above), which is beside the Dead Sea, but you have probably heard of the "Dead Sea Scrolls."</strong> In 1947 a Beduoin shepherd boy name Muhammed was watching his folks, and some of the goats were climbing too high in these cliffs. So he climbed…</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944030?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944030?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"/></a></strong></p>
<p><strong>19-18 DAYS UNTIL FILMING IN ISRAEL! - You may or may not have hear of Qumran (in picture above), which is beside the Dead Sea, but you have probably heard of the "Dead Sea Scrolls."</strong> In 1947 a Beduoin shepherd boy name Muhammed was watching his folks, and some of the goats were climbing too high in these cliffs. So he climbed the cliff to chase them down, and while he was doing this, he threw a rock into one of the many caves in this cliff. When he did this, he heard a "crack," which was the sound of pottery breaking. <span class="font-size-3"><strong>And within this pottery and in these caves were the Dead Sea Scrolls, which contained, among other things, the oldest copies of the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament that had ever been found--pre-dating the oldest texts by nearly one thousand years.</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p>The shepherd boy and the Bedouin community that he was a part of initially had no idea the value of what he had found. They were planning to take the scrolls, which were written on leather, and make some shoes out of it. Various parts of the scrolls were sold to different dealers, and eventually their value came to be recognized and a systematic search to recover the scrolls that had been sold and to explore the caves from which they came was made, and from 1947-1956 nearly 1000 manuscripts (600 scrolls and hundreds of fragments), or copies, of ancient texts were found in 11 caves.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So who was this Qumran community, and why were all of these scrolls put here, hidden in caves? Well, <span class="font-size-3"><strong>there were three major sects of Judaism that were outlined by Josephus, a first century Jewish historian--the Pharisees, the Sadduccess, and the Essenes.</strong></span> The <strong><span class="font-size-4">Pharisees</span></strong> accepted all of the books of the Old Testament as Scripture, and believed that the "oral tradition"--which was the teachings of rabbis throughout the ages from the time of Moses that was passed down--was authoritative as well. These oral traditions ended up being rules upon rules, creating burdens for people--just as, unfortunately, happens today. But many people looked up to them and respected them for their dedication to the Law and knowledge of Scripture. They were the conservatives of the day and the "everyday" spiritual leaders for many of the Jews.</p>
<p>The <strong><span class="font-size-4">Sadducees</span></strong> accepted only the first five books of the Old Testament, the Torah, as authoritative, and thus did not believe in things such as the resurrection, which was not contained in the first five books. They were in charge of the temple, adopted many Greek/ Hellenistic customs, and were viewed to be the liberals of the time.</p>
<p>The <span class="font-size-4"><strong>Essenes </strong><span class="font-size-2">stood apart and lived apart from both of these groups and everyone else,.protesting what was "going on in Washington," so to speak. They protested the fact that there was an Edomite, not a descendant of David, on the throne, and the fact that the priesthood was passed around from person to person by the Romans and the acquiescing Sadduccess, rather than serving for life and being from the proper lineage (the line of Aaron, the brother of Moses, and the sons of Zadok, high priest during King David's reign). They lived out in the desert as a type of monastic community, scattered across parts of Judea. They had a strict diet, shared everything amongst themselves and kept no personal property. <strong>They took daily immersions for ritual cleansing, copied the Scriptures faithfully, and were awaiting the "End of Days."</strong> They were looking for apparently two different types of Messiah--one being a priestly Messiah to restore the corrupted priesthood, and one being a kingly Messiah to restore the corrupted kingship.</span></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4"><span class="font-size-2">It is thought by most scholars that the Qumran community was a type of offshoot of the Essenes, and the manuscripts at Qumran point to this connection.</span></span> The Dead Sea Scroll manuscripts <a href="http://www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a023.html" target="_blank">contained</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>Fragments from every book of the Old Testament except the book of Esther</li>
<li>An copy of the entire book of Isaiah, which contains many prophecies</li>
<li>A commentary on Habbakuk, a collection of hymns, an Aramaric version of Genesis</li>
<li>The "Manual of Discipline" or "Community Rule" for those who were a part of the Qumran community (thought by most scholars to be Essenes)</li>
<li>A Copper Scroll which appears to contain a type of treasure map!</li>
<li>A Temple Scroll which described a temple sacrifice.</li>
<li>The "Rule of War," which described a coming, "End of Days" type of battle between the "Sons of Light" (the Qumran community) and the Sons of Darkness</li>
</ul>
<p>The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has been called the greatest manuscript discovery of all time. And though there are no New Testament manuscripts in the Dead Sea Scrolls, they shed many insights onto the Bible and the world of the New Testament.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong><span class="font-size-3">The Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) point to the incredibly faithful transmission of the biblical text by the Jews over the centuries.</span></strong> Indeed, when the manuscripts of the DSS are compared to manuscripts a thousand years later, they are almost identical. At Qumran is a "Scriptorium," where the Jews faithfully copied the biblical text over and over, using <a href="http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/torahaccuracy/" target="_blank">strict standards</a> (also see <a href="https://bible.org/article/how-accurate-bible" target="_blank">How Accurate is the Bible</a>) in copying the Scriptures. The DSS scrolls show that while one can still choose whether or not to believe the truths found within the Bible, we can have great confidence that the biblical text that has been passed down is incredibly accurate and incredibly close to the original biblical text. Indeed, we have far, far more manuscripts of the Bible than other significant ancient documents, such as Homer or the Illiad.<br/> <br/></li>
<li><strong><span class="font-size-3">The DSS show that there was a powerful countercultural movement within Judaism--a movement which John the Baptist (and Jesus after him) at least reflected and/or tapped into.</span> </strong>Indeed, there are some striking similarities between the lifestyle, language, location, and message of John the Baptist and the Qumran community. He preached out in the desert of Judea with a strict diet, and he called people to repentance to prepare for the coming "kingdom of God." He baptized at the river Jordan, just 7 miles away from the Qumran community. (For parallels, see <a href="http://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/passages/related-articles/john-the-baptizer-and-qumran.aspx" target="_blank">John the Baptizer and Qumran</a> and <a href="http://essene.com/History&Essenes/TrimmNazars.htm" target="_blank">Nazarenes Qumran and the Essenes</a>). Some in fact think that John the Baptist was raised in Qumran (they had a practice of taking in children) or spent significant time there. While there is no direct evidence of this and a number of marked differences between John the Baptist's message, approach (he reached out in a missionary type of way rather than retreated in a monastic community) and baptism (his baptism was for forgiveness of sins, and was different than any other immersion, as it was done by a person to another), and that of the Qumran community, it is important to note that John the Baptist tapped into the growing countercultural movement against lack of faithfulness to God's ways as well as the Jewish longing for a Messiah as he began his preaching ministry.<br/> <br/> <br/> <a href="http://essene.com/History&Essenes/TrimmNazars.htm" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"></a></li>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><strong>All of the striking similarities between the DSS and themes in the New Testament are yet more evidence that the New Testament was written in a way that was consistent with the language and religious concepts of first century Judaism; and yet, it was unique as well.</strong></span> Both of these are important and consistent with what the New Testament claims for itself--that the message of Jesus and Christianity is rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, but was fulfilled in ways that were surprising and challenging to the Jews of that time.</li>
</ol>
<p></p>
<p><em>How do you think the Dead Sea Scrolls can be helpful in building faith?</em></p>20 Days Until Israel! - BETHLEHEM and CHRIST'S BIRTH - Was There Really No Room in the Inn?tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-13:2422312:BlogPost:1044122016-02-13T17:07:27.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943474?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943474?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>20 DAYS UNTIL STORY OF REDEMPTION IS FILMED IN ISRAEL! - BETHLEHEM AND JESUS' BIRTH -</strong></span> One of the places that we will go, of course, in Israel, to film the Story of Redemption is Bethlehem, which was a small village a few miles outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was born.</p>
<p>The Story of Redemption primarily follows…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943474?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943474?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>20 DAYS UNTIL STORY OF REDEMPTION IS FILMED IN ISRAEL! - BETHLEHEM AND JESUS' BIRTH -</strong></span> One of the places that we will go, of course, in Israel, to film the Story of Redemption is Bethlehem, which was a small village a few miles outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was born.</p>
<p>The Story of Redemption primarily follows Matthew's gospel, which mentions the wise men coming to see Jesus after he was born, not the shepherds (which is found in Luke's gospel); however, it would be hard to really tell the story of Christ's birth without mentioning some of Luke's account, as his account is so well known.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And here is an opportunity to possibly clear up and reconcile some of the popular misconceptions about Christ's birth. <span class="font-size-3"><strong>The popular image of Mary and Joseph running through Bethlehem, trying to find an open hotel room--being turned down by a cruel innkeeper--and, in despair, going to a barn to give birth to Jesus makes for dramatic Christmas pageants. However, this is almost certainly not what happened.</strong></span></p>
<p>This understanding is based upon the King James Version's translation of Luke 2:5, saying that there was "no room in the inn." The Greek word, kataluma, can be translated in various ways, including "inn." However, it also can mean "upper room"--and indeed this was the word used to refer to where the Lord's Supper took place (in an upper room). The NIV, therefore, gives a much more likely translation - "<span>She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because <strong>there was no GUEST ROOM available for them</strong> (Lk. 2:5). </span></p>
<p><span>Still, this does not solve the mystery entirely. If there was no guest room, how did they end up in a manger? Here is where understanding buildings in the New Testament world in Judea is helpful. <span class="font-size-3"><strong><span class="font-size-2">Most houses were build out of stone, and they often had two levels--a main level with living and guest quarters, and a lower level--often a cave--where animals would be brought inside at night.</span> It seems likely that Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to stay with their relatives, but the top level, including the guest room, was crowded because of the census. So they had to stay in the lower level of the house--a cave--where the animals were kept or brought in at night. </strong></span></span></p>
<p>This also helps reconcile Matthew and Luke's account, and demonstrates why typical nativity scenes of wise men and shepherds both being present at Jesus' birth may not be too far off. The shepherds came and visited Jesus when he was born, and found him lying in a manager. Matthew says that the wise men came and visited Jesus "in a house" (Mt. 2:11) after he was born. Quite possibly, this house was where the shepherds came and saw Jesus--in the lower level of the house, where the animals were kept at night.</p>
<p>Now, in Bethlehem, there is a church called "The Church of the Nativity" that was originally built (and then torn down and rebuilt in 565 AD) by Helena, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine (327-333 AD). While it cannot be known for certain where Jesus was born, the church is built over a cave, which was very much in keeping with what Justin Martyr wrote about Christ's birth. <br/> <br/> In his <em>Dialogue with Trypho</em>, Justin Martyr wrote:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><strong><em>"Joseph took up his quarters in a certain cave near the village; and while they were there Mary brought forth the Christ and placed Him in a manger, and here the Magi who came from Arabia found Him" (chapter LXXVIII).</em></strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Whether or not the Church of the Nativity is the spot of Christ's birth, the fact that it is built over a cave is in keeping with very early church tradition, and points to a possible way to reconcile Matthew and Luke's accounts of this birth.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>How do you reconcile Matthew and Luke's accounts of Christ's birth?</em></p>
<p></p>20 Days Until Israel! - Bethlehem and Jesus' Birth - Was There Really No Room in the Inn?tag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-13:2422312:BlogPost:1041132016-02-13T02:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943474?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943474?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>20 DAYS UNTIL STORY OF REDEMPTION IS FILMED IN ISRAEL! - BETHLEHEM AND JESUS' BIRTH -</strong></span> One of the places that we will go, of course, in Israel, to film the Story of Redemption is Bethlehem, which was a small village a few miles outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was born.</p>
<p>The Story of Redemption primarily follows…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943474?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975943474?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>20 DAYS UNTIL STORY OF REDEMPTION IS FILMED IN ISRAEL! - BETHLEHEM AND JESUS' BIRTH -</strong></span> One of the places that we will go, of course, in Israel, to film the Story of Redemption is Bethlehem, which was a small village a few miles outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was born.</p>
<p>The Story of Redemption primarily follows Matthew's gospel, which mentions the wise men coming to see Jesus after he was born, not the shepherds (which is found in Luke's gospel); however, it would be hard to really tell the story of Christ's birth without mentioning some of Luke's account, as his account is so well known.</p>
<p></p>
<p>And here is an opportunity to possibly clear up and reconcile some of the popular misconceptions about Christ's birth. <span class="font-size-3"><strong>The popular image of Mary and Joseph running through Bethlehem, trying to find an open hotel room--being turned down by a cruel innkeeper--and, in despair, going to a barn to give birth to Jesus makes for dramatic Christmas pageants. However, this is almost certainly not what happened.</strong></span></p>
<p>This understanding is based upon the King James Version's translation of Luke 2:5, saying that there was "no room in the inn." The Greek word, kataluma, can be translated in various ways, including "inn." However, it also can mean "upper room"--and indeed this was the word used to refer to where the Lord's Supper took place (in an upper room). The NIV, therefore, gives a much more likely translation - "<span>She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because <strong>there was no GUEST ROOM available for them</strong> (Lk. 2:5). </span></p>
<p><span>Still, this does not solve the mystery entirely. If there was no guest room, how did they end up in a manger? Here is where understanding buildings in the New Testament world in Judea is helpful. <span class="font-size-3"><strong><span class="font-size-2">Most houses were build out of stone, and they often had two levels--a main level with living and guest quarters, and a lower level--often a cave--where animals would be brought inside at night.</span> It seems likely that Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to stay with their relatives, but the top level, including the guest room, was crowded because of the census. So they had to stay in the lower level of the house--a cave--where the animals were kept or brought in at night. </strong></span></span></p>
<p>This also helps reconcile Matthew and Luke's account, and demonstrates why typical nativity scenes of wise men and shepherds both being present at Jesus' birth may not be too far off. The shepherds came and visited Jesus when he was born, and found him lying in a manager. Matthew says that the wise men came and visited Jesus "in a house" (Mt. 2:11) after he was born. Quite possibly, this house was where the shepherds came and saw Jesus--in the lower level of the house, where the animals were kept at night.</p>
<p>Now, in Bethlehem, there is a church called "The Church of the Nativity" that was originally built (and then torn down and rebuilt in 565 AD) by Helena, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine (327-333 AD). While it cannot be known for certain where Jesus was born, the church is built over a cave, which was very much in keeping with what Justin Martyr wrote about Christ's birth. <br/> <br/> In his <em>Dialogue with Trypho</em>, Justin Martyr wrote:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-3"><strong><em>"Joseph took up his quarters in a certain cave near the village; and while they were there Mary brought forth the Christ and placed Him in a manger, and here the Magi who came from Arabia found Him" (chapter LXXVIII).</em></strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Whether or not the Church of the Nativity is the spot of Christ's birth, the fact that it is built over a cave is in keeping with very early church tradition, and points to a possible way to reconcile Matthew and Luke's accounts of this birth.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>How do you reconcile Matthew and Luke's accounts of Christ's birth?</em></p>
<p></p>21 Days Until Israel! - Masada, A Fantastic Desert Palace of King Herod and Symbol of Jewish Resistance to Rometag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-11:2422312:BlogPost:1044032016-02-11T02:30:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944466?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944466?profile=original" width="620"></img></a> <span class="font-size-4"><strong>21 Days Until Story of Redemption Films in Israel! - MASADA!</strong></span> - When the wise men from the East came to Jerusalem looking for the one who had been born "King of the Jews," Matthew's gospel says that King Herod and "all Israel" was disturbed. It makes sense that the paranoid Herod, who was an Idumena / Edmonite, and not a Jew,…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944466?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1975944466?profile=original" width="620"/></a><span class="font-size-4"><strong>21 Days Until Story of Redemption Films in Israel! - MASADA!</strong></span> - When the wise men from the East came to Jerusalem looking for the one who had been born "King of the Jews," Matthew's gospel says that King Herod and "all Israel" was disturbed. It makes sense that the paranoid Herod, who was an Idumena / Edmonite, and not a Jew, would be disturbed by this. But why all of Israel?</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Well, Israel was a political tinderbox just waiting to explode, and Masada points to that political tinderbox.</strong></span> Masada was an incredible mountain out in the desert near the Dead Sea that King Herod the Great made into a fortress and palace. During one of the times that there was a rival ruler that rose up in Judea, Herod actually left his family here in the fortress at Masada and went and pleaded his case to Rome, where the Roman Senate declared him to be the "King of the Jews."</p>
<p></p>
<p>Herod died in 4 B.C.E., but Masada played in Judean politics for many years. <span class="font-size-3"><strong>When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in 70 C.E., as Jesus foretold, a group of Jewish Zealots held out in Masada</strong></span>. The Romans, never one to leave any enemies behind, spent two years building a path for their siege engines to break through the fortress.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>But when the Romans finally broke in, there was uncanny silence. Everyone was dead.</strong> Rather than submit to Roman rule, the Jews at Masada killed themselves and one another. The story was passed down to the Jewish historian Josephus through two surviving women. The nearly one thousand men, women, and children at Masada set the fortress on fire and killed one another. Those that survived drew lots for ten men who would kill all who remained. The last survivor then would kill himself.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">The defenders – almost one thousand men, women and children – led by ben Yair, burnt down the fortress and killed each other.</span></strong> The Zealots cast lots to choose 10 men to kill the remainder. They then chose among themselves the one man who would kill the survivors. That last Jew then killed himself.</p>
<p align="justify">Elazar ben Yair gave this final speech:</p>
<blockquote><p align="justify">"<span class="font-size-3"><strong>Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself</strong><strong>, Who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice ...We were the very first that revolted, and we are the last to fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor that God has granted us, that it is still in our power to die bravely, and in a state of freedom."</strong></span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>All of this just shows the fierce resistance that the Jews had against being ruled over, and the political situation into which Jesus was born.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So when the wise come along and ask where the "King of the Jews" has been born, Herod goes nuts and orders the deaths of all baby boys in Bethlehem age two and under.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Jesus was, of course, a king. But not an earthly king. A king who was a servant, and who would die for his people.</p>
<p></p>
<p>For more reading on Masada, check out: <a href="https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Archaeology/Masada1.html">https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Archaeology/Masada1.html</a></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong><em>What strikes you in this Masada story? How does it relate to the happenings in Israel in the time of Jesus?</em></strong></span></p>
<p></p>22 Days to Israel! - Stunning Aerial Shots of the Jesus Trail, the 40 Mile Path from Nazareth to Capernaumtag:missionalnetwork.ning.com,2016-02-10:2422312:BlogPost:1043042016-02-10T20:00:00.000ZJames Noredhttp://missionalnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesNored
<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="366" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/111876565" width="650"></iframe>
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<p>22 DAYS UNTIL STORY OF REDEMPTION IS FILMED IN ISRAEL! - One of the places that I am excited about going to and filming is the "Jesus Trail," which is the 40 mile trail that Jesus would have walked many, many times from his home town of Nazareth to Capernaum, where he began his ministry.</p>
<p>We will film this as part of Story of Redemption Lesson 5, which is on discipleship…</p>
<p><iframe width="650" height="366" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/111876565" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p>22 DAYS UNTIL STORY OF REDEMPTION IS FILMED IN ISRAEL! - One of the places that I am excited about going to and filming is the "Jesus Trail," which is the 40 mile trail that Jesus would have walked many, many times from his home town of Nazareth to Capernaum, where he began his ministry.</p>
<p>We will film this as part of Story of Redemption Lesson 5, which is on discipleship and the Sermon on the Mount. Discipleship is all about following after Jesus, and so this trail makes for a powerful metaphor of this pathway.</p>
<p>The above video was shot by one of our film crew's colleagues in Israel with drones. As you can see, the views are stunning. In just a couple of years' time, however, the quality of drone footage has drastically improved, and hopefully we will be able to get some fantastic aerial shots of not just the Jesus trail, but all over Israel. Enjoy the video above as a type of preview!</p>
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<p><em>How do you like these aerial shots? How else would you depict discipleship cinematically?</em></p>