TEXT: ‘And the Lord turned and looked’ (Luke 22:61). This is the third and final part in the teaching “Jesus Looked”. Sometimes words aren’t necessary, as one look can convey what’s needed to be said, or get things done. In Part 1, we studied “Jesus looked” – in anger at the scribes and Pharisees’ hardened hearts, as a reminder to Peter when he denied Him, and His look of love at the rich young ruler. In Part 2, “Jesus looked” – in the temple, at those who were giving, and to see the one who had faith. Three more “Looks” to finish with. 1. Jesus looked up to heaven – ‘I will lift up my eyes to the hills — from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth’ (Psalm 121:1-2). Jesus said, ‘I only do the things I see the Father doing’ (John 5:19). Perhaps that is a key for us. If through the eyes of faith, we can see the Father doing it, then we will have more confidence to use the name of Jesus to bring it to pass. When He wanted to heal – ‘Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”’ (Mark 7:34)....
Learn MoreTEXT: ‘And the Lord turned and looked’ (Luke 22:61). Sometimes words aren’t necessary, as one look can convey what’s needed to be said, or get things done. Mark’s gospel mentions several times, “He looked” and these two words caught my attention and formed the basis for this teaching. In Part 1, we studied Jesus’ look; in anger at the scribes and Pharisees’ hardened hearts; as a reminder to Peter when he denied Him; and His look of love at the rich young ruler. In Part 2, we study three more “Looks”. 1. Jesus looked in the temple – ‘And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve’ (Mark 11:11) His disciples had wanted Him to look at the magnificence of the temple, but Jesus was more interested in what was going on inside the temple. He didn’t like what he saw. What should have been the house of prayer for all nations, had become a den of thieves. Revelation chapters 2 and 3 record when Jesus looked at the 7 churches in Asia. He commended, criticised, cautioned and cajoled them to do the right thing which...
Learn MoreTEXT: ‘And the Lord turned and looked’ (Luke 22:61). Sometimes words aren’t necessary, as one look can convey what’s needed to be said, or get things done. Mark’s gospel mentions several times, “He looked” and these two words caught my attention and formed the basis for this teaching. 1. Jesus looked in anger At those with hardened hearts – ‘And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other’ (Mark 3:5). One would have thought the religious leaders would have welcomed with open arms anyone who could heal members of their congregation, but they would rather a hurting person stayed that way in keeping with their religious rules, than be set free by Jesus. It was a constant battle wherever Jesus went but He made sure everyone knew who was trying to stop the miracles. There are churches today where miracles of healing, gifts of the Holy Spirit and speaking with other tongues are not welcome. If ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8), then what He said and did then, should be re-enacted today...
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TEXT: ‘The women who had been companions of Jesus from Galilee followed along. They saw the tomb where Jesus’ body was placed. At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared’ (Luke 23:55, 24:1 MSG). The watching women saw Jesus on the cross, when some of His disciples may not have, for they ran away when Jesus was arrested. The women heard Jesus cry, “It is finished” and saw the soldier plunge the spear into His side, confirming His death. They saw Joseph, with the help of Nicodemus, take Jesus’ body down from the cross. After they bound it with strips of linen and spices, they laid the body in Joseph’s tomb and rolled a large stone across the entrance. Early on Easter morning, the women came with more spices to anoint the body of Jesus. The only question they were asking on the way was, “Who will roll away the stone?” They weren’t aware the tomb had been sealed on the orders of Pilate, and a Roman guard of soldiers were stationed to ensure Jesus’ disciples didn’t steal His body and then claim He had risen from the dead. This negated any chance the women had of...
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TEXT: ‘God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?’ (Numbers 23:19 NLT). Promises. Easy to make, but much harder to keep. Everyone has been let down by empty promises at some time in their life. The Bible says, ‘When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it’ (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 NLT). Don’t make promises you have no intention of keeping. It’s wonderful that God is not a promise-breaker but a promise-keeper as our text indicates. Solomon prayed, ‘You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today. And now, O Lord, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, “If your descendants guard their behaviour and faithfully follow me as you have done, one of them will...
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TEXT: ‘But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses’ (1 Timothy 6:11-12). Some people want to make Christianity complicated, when it’s very simple, so that everyone can benefit if they want to. One sales technique is K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, stupid!) and that can help us understand God’s salvation for ourselves and be able to explain it to others. Once we are a Christian, there are certain things to do and our text highlights three things that form the basis of Today’s Teaching. 1. Flee – ‘But you, O man of God, flee these things’v11 Jesus said, ‘Remember Lot’s wife’ (Luke 17:32). That was when the angel told her to flee and not look back, but she did look back and perished instead of being rescued (See Genesis 19:12-29).The Bible warns, ‘Flee from the wrath to come‘ (Matthew 3:7). These are not idle words, but a real warning of future judgment. Thankfully we can escape the consequences of that judgment through faith in Jesus. The preceding verses to our text reveal two...
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