Jesus not only taught the importance of forgiveness, He practiced it, even from the cross (Luke 23:43). The example of Jesus and the magnitude of His love changes people and gives them the power to forgive even the most bitter of enemies!

The past Sunday Pastor taught on "What's the Answer - Are the Gospels believable?" This teaching is a follow up to that message.

Pastor takes us to the story of the Feeding of the 5000 BUT it's not about the feeding!! So what is this teaching about if it isn't about the miracle of Jesus feeding 5000 men (plus all the women and children) from 5 small barley loaves and 2 little fish, then what's this teaching about? Why even bother looking at the story if we're not going to look at the miracle of Jesus?

Well, come along and find out what Pastor is going to show us today!

The story of the Feeding of the 5000 is found in all 4 Gospels and Pastor shares a small detail that has great impact on exposing the truth of the Gospels.

Feeding of the 5000 in all 4 Gospels
⁃ Matthew 14:13-21
⁃ Mark 6:30-44
⁃ Luke 9:10-17
⁃ John 6:1-14

Feeding of the 5,000
⁃ Mark talks about "the green grass" - Mark 6:39
⁃ John tells us there was "plenty of grass" - John 6:10
⁃ This is important because it shows that the 4 Gospels compliment one another and together give us insights we might otherwise miss. It is a testimony to their reliability and that they are written by eyewitnesses and people who know the eyewitnesses.
⁃ John 6:4 we read "The Jewish Passover Festival was near,"
⁃ Mark 6:31-32 tells us the "so many people were coming and going" that Jesus and His disciples "went away by themselves."
⁃ Then we read from Luke 9:10 "they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida."
⁃ Then in Mark 6:34 Jesus "saw a large crowd"…. And He "began teaching them". With this being the time of the Passover there would be many in Jerusalem and the surrounding area.
⁃ Then in John 6:5 we read that Jesus said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" (Philip was from the town of Bethsaida)
⁃ Next Andrew speaks up in John 6:8-9, "Here is a boy with 5 small barley loaves and 2 small fish…" (Andrew was also one of the disciples from Bethsaida)
⁃ Why is "barley" significant? It's because the Passover follows the Barley harvest. (Late March or early April)
⁃ The feeding of the 5000 is happening during Passover and barley harvest times, which means the rainy season is over, and the season moves into drier hotter weather - the harvest time. The rains from the previous months during growing season would have left the hill sides full of "green grass" as Mark tell us in chapter 6 verse 39 and there was "plenty of grass" as John says in John 6:10

This is a small thing to prove, but these small details testify to an even greater truth and that is that we can trust the Word from God!

He is faithful. He keeps His Word and His Word is TRUE even when it comes to green grass that grows!

Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.

View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class

For more check out the series, "What's the Answer" https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer

Join us Sundays
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Our devotion to the Living God is demonstrated in the way we love other people - including even our enemies. Genuine love is the truest expression of right doctrine (teaching) - and without love, the doctrine collapses.

Unlike happiness, joy is not an emotion, dependent on particular circumstances. Joy is anchored in God, and through Jesus it is triumphant even over the sufferings of this world!

Growing Gracefully In Joy - We are living in a time of chaos and uncertainty, a time of unbridled anger on all ends of the spectrum and if ever there was at time that the people of God needed to remember and reflect the joy of the Lord, THIS IS THE TIME!

This is a great time to be growing in joy as we rely on the Holy Spirit to empower and strengthen us every day and in every circumstance and situation.

The Bible is full of joy, 440 times it is mentioned. God brings joy to the lives of His children. The joy of the Lord is our strength!

Pastor answers these questions:
Where does joy come from?
How is joy developed?
What nurtures joy?
What hinders joy?

Many of us are living in fear, wondering about the things that are coming. Fearful about what may happen in the coming months. But the Bible has clear teaching in the scriptures about Joy.

These are:
Joy...
Is anchored in God
Is a choice
Is sometimes hindered
Is not circumstantial
Is triumphant

Using a book by Jerry Bridges, "The Practice of Godliness," Pastor sets forth several

Aids to JOY...
1. Confess and forsake sin
2. Trust in God
3. Take the long-range view of life
4. Give thanks in all circumstances

God IS faithful!

Scripture sources: Luke 10:21, James 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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Today's question is one that Pastor has heard most often from young people. The questioning of the Gospels seems to center around miracles, especially the resurrection.

Atheistic Materialism Worldview
⁃ No God - universe is by chance
⁃ Matter only - Life came from non-life
⁃ No Miracles - Life is meaningless

Bible's Worldview
⁃ There is a Creator
⁃ He created life
⁃ Life has a purpose

These two worldviews are in conflict with each other but careful analysis of the Bible shows the Biblical worldview to be trustworthy.

No matter your worldview - there is evidence of the Biblical worldview.

THE FOUR GOSPELS:
⁃ The Gospels are Jewish in both their content, background and details
⁃ Matthew - Genealogy + 55 quotations
⁃ Mark begins with Old Testament quote
⁃ John: "In the beginning…" just like Genesis starts
⁃ Luke: Priesthood + "deathbed prayer" Luke 23:46 + Psalm 31:5 (Jesus spoke this prayer "into your hands…")
⁃ Geographical knowledge - written by people familiar with the territory
⁃ 26 different towns; Sea of Galilee, etc.
⁃ Up to/Down from Jerusalem
⁃ John: 2 pools - Bethesda + Siloam (archeological proof has been found)
⁃ 2 Gardens - Gethsemane + Golgotha
⁃ Details
⁃ Common Jewish names in Israel
⁃ Clarification: e.g. frequently used names: Simon…Mary… thus the need for the clarity given in the Gospel around common names
⁃ Dill and cumin dispute (Mt 23:23) things known at only a specific time in history
⁃ Tax Collectors in Capernaum/Jericho
⁃ Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic languages
⁃ Identity - not the most likely candidates to have written the Gospels
⁃ Interesting names of Gospel authors
⁃ Matthew = former tax collector
⁃ Mark = not one of the original 12
⁃ Luke = physician, Gentile(?)
⁃ John = Jesus' closest friend
⁃ Dating - when were they written? Everything that we have suggests that these books were written early and are accurate
⁃ The Gospels reflect the "early days" of the Jesus movement. Jesus is Jewish, the 12 disciples were Jewish, the early believers were Jewish - The Gospels speak from a Jewish view
⁃ Passover within Jerusalem's walls
⁃ Best documented texts from antiquity
⁃ Paul quotes Luke's Gospel (1 Tim 5:18 from Lk 10:7 and 1 Cor 11:24-25 from Lk 22:19-20)
⁃ But this verse is a stumbling block for acceptance to the gospels because it is "productive prophecy": Jesus said, "Jerusalem will be destroyed…"

And that brings us back around to the word:
MIRACLES.

If your worldview is that of atheistic materialism, a miracle / predictive prophecy would seem impossible.

But if you believe there is a God and that He is the Creator then He does these things.

If Jesus is….
who He claimed to be…
who the Gospels declare Him to be….
who the Old Testament said He would be…

Then
that Good News in the Gospels changes everything
the Gospels deserve to be observed
they call us to believe
it is not irrational
it is not foolish
the Gospels make perfect sense
it is rational
it is reasonable
and Jesus alone offers life forever and He invites you and me to receive what He freely gives.

May we each respond to His Word of truth as we see it proclaimed by those early eye witnesses.

Pick up a Bible and read it today!

Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.

Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer

Join us Sundays
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Our story picks up with Joash (the hidden royal) being brought forth at the age of seven and hailed as the king of Judah followed by the death of Athaliah. Peace reigns in Judah as we see over 100 years of four fairly "good" kings reigning in Judah from 835-731 B.C. These kings started well but didn't always finish well: Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah and Jotham.

King Joash
⁃ Takes the kingship at age 7
⁃ Jehoiada, the High Priest, is Joash's mentor, advisor and instructor
⁃ Spiritual reformation was taking place across Judah as Joash starts out so well with Jehoiada as his advisor - until Jehoiada's death
⁃ Joash then gets new advisors (2 Chronicles 24:17-18) and they led him astray, worshiping idols and God's anger came.
⁃ Zechariah is the High Priest after Jehoiada. Zechariah was Jehoiada's son. He tells Joash and his new advisors of their sin against God, so they plot to kill him. 2 Chronicles 24:20. Zechariah is stoned to death.
⁃ Hazael is victorious in bottles over Judah
⁃ Then Joash's assignation follows

Amaziah
⁃ Amaziah is Joash's son - Amaziah starts well but doesn't finish well, following the pattern of his father.
⁃ Mercenaries come from Israel
⁃ Amaziah is given victory as he acts on the words of God through a prophet. 2 Chronicles 25:9
⁃ But then Amaziah brings idols back from that victory. 2 Chronicles 25:15. Again a prophet comes to Amaziah to warn him, but this time Amaziah doesn't listen.
⁃ He is then defeated by Jehoash, king of Israel and he too is assassinated.

King Uzziah (also known as Azariah)
⁃ Uzziah is Amaziah's son. 2 Chronicles 26:4-5 tells that he had godly counsel and as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.
⁃ He was an extremely capable king
⁃ Ruled for 52 years
⁃ In Israel, Jeroboam II was ruling. Uzziah and Jeroboam II expanded both nations to the original size of the kingdom at the time of David and Solomon.
⁃ New prophets arise during the reign of Jeroboam II and Uzziah: Jonah, Amos, Hosea and Isaiah
⁃ Their kingdoms experienced the glory days of David and Solomon
⁃ But then Uzziah does not finish well. His pride went to his head and he usurped the role of the priests in burning the incense and immediately gets leprosy. 2 Chronicles 26:16-17

King Jotham
⁃ Uziah's son, Jotham becomes king of Judah. 2 Chronicles 27:2. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but the people, however, continued their corrupt practices.
⁃ Battle with the Ammonites - Godly king who is victorious over the Ammonites. 2 Chronicles 27:6
⁃ Prosperity & Spiritual decline begins. The renewal did not spread throughout all the people.
⁃ We see the growing power of their enemy in Assyria

Next week our story continues with the rise of the power of the Assyrians.

Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.

View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class

Join us Sundays
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

True faith is not simply a matter of knowing certain truths. It is a matter of knowing Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and allowing the Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out!

The Bible is more than just a fascinating book! It was written by an author who loved us enough to die for us, and it is a book that leads us to the One we worship.