Pentecost Sunday: The Gift of the Holy Spirit

God's Faithfulness in Action

We discuss the lectionary for Third Sunday after Pentecost: Genesis 18:1-15, Romans 5:1-8. In Gen 18 The LORD appears to Abraham and promises the birth of Isaac as fulfillment of His promises even at Abraham and Sarah's advanced ages. Gen 18:14 "Is anything too wonderful for the LORD?" And at the appointed time Isaac was born! God's faithfulness to His promises is certain. Rom 5:8 "God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." Romans 5:1 "Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God." Rom5:5 "and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Abraham's Faith and God's Blessings: Second Sunday after Pentecost

In Genesis 12:1-9 the Old Testament reading for this week, we see God setting Abram apart consecrating him unto the LORD, and Abram in faith taking actions of trust leaving his home. Abram's faith is reckoned to him as righteousness as Paul says in Romans 4. Abram's faith results in God's covenantal promise "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curse you I will curse, and in you all families of the earth shall be blessed." This covenant is joined with verse Gen12:7 "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." Psalm 33:12 reiterates "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage."

Pentecost Sunday: The Gift of the Holy Spirit

Join us as we discuss the lectionary for Pentecost Sunday including Acts 2:1-21 and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the supernatural violent wind and divided tongues of fire sharing the gospel in different languages. This catalyzes the spread of the gospel through much of the world at that time. We also discuss 1 Corinthians 12 which talks about the different gifts of the Holy Spirit for the building up of the body of Messiah/Christ, many members one body.

John 17 Unity and the Glory of God

For the Seventh Sunday of Easter, the lectionary scriptures are Acts 1:6-14 and 1Peter 4:12-14,5:6-11 and John 17:1-11. We start by discussing the importance of the ascension of Yeshua and Yeshua's current position at the right hand of God interceding for us. We discuss 1Peter4 directives to humble ourselves, discipline ourselves, and resist the enemy who prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Finally, we end discussing Yeshua's high priestly prayer in John 17 to the Holy Father for protection and unity on behalf of those given to him.

A Reason for our Hope: Messiah Resurrected Alive in the Spirit

We discuss the lectionary for the Sixth Sunday of Easter including Psalm 66, 1 Peter 3:13-22, and John 14:15-21. Peter tells us to always be ready to make a defense for the hope that is in you. "Messiah who suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteousness, in order to bring you to God." We are told to maintain a "good conscience" and "in your hearts to sanctify Christ/Messiah as Lord." "He was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit." And he has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels,authorities, and powers made subject to him". And in the gospel John 14:15-21, Yeshua/Jesus did not leave us orphaned, but he asked the Father to give us the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth to abide in us. "In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; Because I live, you also will live."