Genesis 3:1–13

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passages of Scripture. Also read: Psalm 139:1–12; Isaiah 14:12–20; Ezekiel 28:11–19; 2 Cor. 11:12–15; 1 Peter 3:6–11.

1.         The story begins with a demon possessed serpent, which is somehow present even in the paradise created by Yahweh Elohim, the LORD God, speaking to the woman.

2.         A carefully crafted question is asked of the woman by the serpent. We note that the serpent did not use the full title Yahweh Elohim, only Elohim.

3.         The woman’s response is nearly correct except she adds, “neither shall you touch it,” which God had not said.

4.         The serpent contradicts what God had said and denies that death would be the result of eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge or good and evil. May we wonder how the woman even knew anything about death?

5.         The serpent misrepresents the intention of Elohim by saying that to eat of the tree will bring enlightenment even to the point of being like gods, and this rendering we find in the Septuagint, LXX, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible.

6.         Now the woman, in looking at the fruit of the forbidden tree, sees it is good for food, a delight to the eyes, and will bring one wisdom—the deadly triple enticement. The meaning of “seeing” has been debated forever.

7.         The woman shares the fruit with her husband whereupon both shockingly discover they are naked. Such mystery here and with little understanding by scholars over the centuries. By some mysterious mechanism they devise a covering, and they suddenly “hear” the LORD God approaching, who calls out to the man and asks, “Where are you?”

8.         Is this an opportunity for the man to confess and repent? Perhaps it was, but the man says he was afraid and so he hid himself. And we do the same still; so then we identify with the man.

9.         He was naked: is this a way of expressing guilt? Then comes from the LORD God another chance to be honest and confess. The response is one of blaming, blaming the woman for the trouble.

10.       The LORD God turns now to the woman and asks her what it was she had done. She admits that the serpent deceived her and that she did eat of the forbidden fruit.

11. Is this to be considered a confession or an excuse?

Genesis 2:4–25

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. Also look at Exodus 3:13–15, Job 12:7–11; 1 Cor.15:42–49; Ephesians 5:25–33; Colossians 1:15–20; Revelation 22:1-5.

1.         It is largely understood that our passage is a second account of creation because of the difference in vocabulary, style, and order of events, plus the use of LORD God—Yahweh Elohim—in place of Elohim for God in the earlier account.  

2.         In addition, there is no day-by-day account of the order of creation, rather the author moves directly to the creation of the first human.

3.         Before there was any vegetation, Yahweh Elohim formed ‘adham from mere dust of the earth. Thereupon the LORD God brought all manner of vegetation into being.

4.         He created a paradise/garden and in the center of it was the “tree of life.” The LORD God also created the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” the location of which is uncertain.

5.         The location of the garden or park is described by giving the names of four rivers, two of which are known, the Tigris and Euphrates; the other two are unknown, Pishon and Gihon. The Tigris and Euphrates, still with the same names, are found in modern day Iraq.

6.         The LORD God put the man in the garden to work and keep it, produce food and guard it, and He warned the man not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

7.         Created a social being, the single man had no other being to relate to, so God created the animals and the birds (no mention of fish) in order to find a “helper” for the man.

8.         These did not satisfy so the LORD God put the man asleep and out of his side or rib, a being was created with whom the man could relate. And the man was indeed happy and thankful for this.

9.         So then, ever after, the man, ish, would leave his parents and hold fast to his woman, ishshah. They would be considered “one flesh.”

10.       These two, the man and woman, were naked yet were not ashamed; there was no guilt or shame attached to their sexuality. This would change, and radically so.       

Genesis 1:3–2:4

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. Also read: Deuteronomy 4:19; Exodus 31:12–17; Psalm 33:6–9; 104:1–9; Philippians 4:2–9; Revelation 21:1–8.

1.         Following the two opening verses of Genesis, which serve as an introduction to the creation accounts, we have a majesty and poetic story of how and why God created the universe.

2.         “God said” is central and lets us know that God “spoke” the entire universe and all that is into existence. Prior to that there was no material universe at all.

3.         All that was created, light, water, the “expanse” between the upper heavens and the waters that covered all the earth, all the starry host, and all manner of living things, and all vegetation, is declared “good” by the Creator. All this on the first five days. And, as hinted at in 2 Peter 3:8, the day (yom in Hebrew) could be of any length of time.

4.         The crown of creation however is made in the image of God. All that was created prior was not so made, meaning such could not have a relationship with the Creator. But the man and the woman, spiritually made and endowed, meaning these humans could have a conscious relationship with their Creator, are created on the sixth day.

5.         On the 7^th day, the Creator God “rested.” Not that God was tired from all the work of creating, but that the creating work was complete.

6.         Down through the centuries “resting” is seen as prophetic, pointing to the finished work of Jesus on the cross. We “rest” in the salvation Jesus gives to us through His love and grace which He pours out on us.

The Word Became Flesh

Genesis 1:1–2 & John 1:1–5

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. Also read Deuteronomy 31:24-­26; Exodus 20:11; Isaiah 45:18–19; and John 1:1–5.

1.         Both our passages in Genesis and John speak of a beginning, and intentionally so. The author of Genesis speaks of the creator God as creating all the physical universe. In John we find the Word, the Logos, was in the beginning also. The Word was not created however, but is God.

2.         The verb of being, “was” found in John 1:1 three times has no past tense to it. The verb can be translated, was and is, all three times. Thus, it is the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who created all that there is. The “was” highlights the idea of reality and certainty.

3.         Genesis 1:1–2 is often understood as the introduction to the whole of the book of Genesis. Also, it is to be noted that the Hebrew word for God here in Genesis 1:1, transliterated from the Hebrew into English, is Elohim and is the plural of El. This literary device is used to describe “majesty” or “ultimate power.”

4.         Both Genesis 1:1–2 and John 1:1–5 declare that the entire universe is created by God. The apostle John, as is made plain in John 1:14, states that the Word is Jesus when he says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”

5.         We notice also that the darkness that was over all that there was hovered “over the face of the deep,” then in John’s Gospel the Word, through whom all things were created, is the Light which now shines in the darkness. And this darkness cannot overcome that Light.

6.         Reading the opening words of both Genesis and the Gospel of John we find the entire history of both our universe and the saving work of the Creator God. However fallen our world, there is the bright Light of redemption and glory.

Hebrews 13:18–25

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. Also see: Psalm 23:1–6; John 10:1–18; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17; 1 Timothy 6:20–21.

1. This week we are going to use the word FAT as our theme. F = faithful  A = available  T = teachable.  Let’s start by giving thanks to Heavenly Father who is in all, above all, and loves you through it all. Thank Him for what is seen and unseen. Our verses for this week are Hebrews 13:20-25. Notice the word equip in your reading, this will take you far in your understanding this week and also for next week sermon.

1.  Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep. Here we can easily see the Gospel message in a single verse. 

2. Equip you in every good thing. Much of this weeks sermon will come from this verse, notice equip. God does the calling, He does the gifting, and how the Devine mixes with humanity is our mystery to grasp.

3. But I urge you brother. Here our writer is again making his case with words that compel, he’s pleading with his listeners to get this amazing Gospel truth.

4. Take notice. Watch, see, listen. Notice the hand of God at work.

5. Grace. Isn’t it just that easy and simple. Grace. It’s by God grace that He chooses whom he will and bestow his love down upon whom he will. 

6. In ending. I ask that as you go about your busy week, try to season all you do and say with philo (brotherly) love. 

Hebrews 13:1-19

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. The following passages can be read now: Matthew 25:31–40; Romans 16:1–16; Colossians 2:16–17, and Hebrews 13:1–19.

1.         Closing out the letter to Jewish Christians, who are likely in Rome, the author, who is probably in prison somewhere, urges his/her readers to  apply their faith in real ways.

2.         Showing hospitality to strangers, not a small thing in that day, remembering those in prison, and others who are mis-treated, is something they are urged to do.

3.         Also, all are encouraged to be faithful in terms of sexuality, and all sexual expression outside of marriage between one man and one woman, are sinful and God will judge those who do otherwise.

4.         Then the readers are to keep their lives free from the “love of money,” which indeed is behind so much pain and evil, but they are to be content with what they have.

5.         The author speaks of the leaders among them, likely pastors and preachers, that these should be respected.

6.         Also, the readers are to beware of strange teachings, which were as plentiful, and deceptive, then as they are now. And especially those diverse teachings focused on rites and rituals, which the readers were accustomed to.

7.         These readers are to no longer look to priests offering sacrifices since the one great sacrifice has been made, and so it is to Jesus they are to look.

8.         The worship now is to offer up praise to the name of Jesus; this is the true sacrifice.

9.         Leaders are to be obeyed and submitted to, not in a cultic sort of way, but these leaders are set to keep watch, or protect, them.

10.       The readers of the letter are asked to pray for “us” for they are sure their cause is just and that they desire to act honorably in all things.

11.       And the readers are urged to do so that “I” may be restored to them, which wording may even puzzle the readers.

Hebrews 12:18–29

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. Read first of all: Gen. 4:1–7;

Ex.19:7–22; Mt. 3:4–12;  2 Th.1:5–12; Rev. 20:11–12.

1.         Not all of Scripture is comforting to read and here is a passage that illustrates this fact.

2.         Immediately following the Exodus from Egypt, God met with Moses on Mt. Sinai and issued to him His commandments. All the while those newly set free from slavery in Egypt rebelled and created the “golden calf” and worshipped it. God’s wrath was poured out on these.

3.         The contrast is now for those Jewish Christians, to whom Hebrews is written, they are part of the new Mount Zion, the city of the living God, indeed to the assembly or church of the firstborn and are forever enrolled in the Book of Life.   These are strong words of encouragement.

4.         For varying political and cultural and religious differences, there was yet a temptation to act as did those who worshipped a false god in the wilderness and who thus paid a dear price for their rebellion. Our author does not wish it to be so for his readers.

5.         Some commentators think that there was a kind of ‘shaking’ taking place amongst those he/she is writing to. It is thought that some were either falsely converted or were even walking away from the Christian assembly due to various pressures.

6.         Despite trouble some were experiencing, our author reminds them that the ‘kingdom’ they are part of could not be shaken so then they should continue “to offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” 

Hebrews 12:3–17

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. Also, look at these passages: Genesis 25:19–34, Proverbs 3:1–12, and Romans 12:14–21.

1.        Being a Christian is often compared to being an athlete running a race or a boxer involved in a boxing match. There is the arduous process of training, building up both muscle and skill, then facing real and competition. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.

2.        A chief part of the process is looking at the life of Jesus, as we find it in the Gospels. Here, Messiah/Savior stood against incredible hostility, much of it satanically inspired, yet He finished the race and won the greatest prize, and all for us.

3.        Our great Coach and Lord, works with us as we both train for the struggle and engage in a contest that calls for all that we have.

4.        “Discipline” is also involved. When we go adrift, there is a price to pay, and it must be so in order that we learn to endure against great odds. This experience is anchored in the fact that the Father disciples and corrects His sons and daughters. This the author of Hebrews likens to earthly parents who discipline us.

5.        Such discipline, and you may want to look back now and see how you were disciplined, is for our own good no matter how unpleasant it seems in the time.

6.        We are encouraged to gather our strength, get back into the race and the battle. In fact, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the powers of evil, a warfare we cannot win on our own.

7.        Our enemy would like to sideline us, keep us out of the game/work. There are too many who are sitting on the bench without even wearing a uniform, who have a “root of bitterness” in them that may well infect the entire team.

8.        The Word of God calls us to not grow weary, and though we carry on against great opponents, we are to continue to serve and obey our great Coach, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:1–2

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.

1.   The author of Hebrews has described those, from Abel, Noah, Abraham, and many more, who lived by faith and were commended by God. Now the readers are addressed.

2.   “Therefore” is a key word here, meaning that as those who went before were faithful, so we are to be as well. And those who went before actually “surround” today’s followers of Jesus and serve as “witnesses” to these now. (We must understand that this does not mean we are to pray to these witnesses nor ask for their prayers.)

3.   Since we today, as in the days of the early Church, are to lay aside every distraction that would hamper our work and compromise our focus. And the image of the athlete comes to the mind of our Hebrews’ author, those who carefully and diligently are running the race. And the “race” is our Christian witness and ministry.

4.   “Sin” clings so closely and this must be laid aside. Here all of us can identify as we constantly battle against the pull of the lure and power of disobedience, the breaking of the Law of our Creator. To do this requires endurance, which every serious athlete is aware of.

5.   And how do we followers of Jesus do this? It is by “looking to Jesus” who is the “founder” and “perfecter” of our faith. He did this by going to the cross, despising the shame (He hung there naked and charged with crime worthy of death), and who is now “seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

6.   Jesus is our strength, our encouragement, our Lord, that one great “Coach” who is urging us on.

Pentecost

Acts 1 – Acts 2

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.

1.   Joel 2:28-29 speaks of a time when the Holy Spirit would be “poured” out on all flesh, men and women alike. Prior to Jesus’ ascension to heaven He directed the disciples  stay in Jerusalem for the arrival of the great promise.

2.   When those early followers of Jesus were gathered together somewhere on the Mt. of Olives, with Jesus present, they asked Him if the kingdom of Israel would now be restored. Jesus then spoke of a coming empowering by the Holy Spirit, which would result in their being His witnesses to the entire world. At that point His ascending to heaven occurred.

3.   At this time there were eleven apostles, due to Judas’ death, and Matthias, who had been with them from the beginning, was chosen to replace Judas. It would seem that with the entire 120 early believers present, likely in the Upper Room, Matthias was chosen to replace Judas. As to the means of selecting, some think by vote, others by choosing one of two stones in a pouch.

4.   Now on the Day of Pentecost, 50 days after Passover, and which was one of the great festivals of Israel (see Leviticus 23:15–22 where it is called the “Feast of Weeks.”)

5.   Suddenly there was a powerful spiritual intervention and presence, and the disciples gathered began speaking in tongues, and apparently loudly and wildly. In a way we are not told, this noise was broadcast and a large crowd gathered.

6.   The crowd’s conclusion was that these believers in Jesus were drunk. This set the stage for the first Christian sermon preached, and that by the Apostle Peter.