The Coming of the Lord

13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

What does all this mean ? Ever since I was a little boy in church I have always heard of the rapture. Jesus is coming for the church. Jesus is coming soon. The dead in Christ will rise first.

This week we will look at the rapture of the church.

What is the rapture of the church ?

Who does it effect ?

What will happen to those who will be raptured ?

See you in class.

Psalm 83

I believe every word of the bible to be true. For the last week we have witnessed God's chosen people trying to protect their own from attacks launched from the line of Ishmael. This is a hate that has brewed for thousands of years. A tale of jealousy not only by the the Ishmaelites , but also satan's jealousy of God.

Are current Mideast events involving the Hamas and the Israelis prophetically significant?

Are we seeing the fulfilment of Psalm 83 unfolding before our eyes ?

We are living in exciting times.

We Three Kings

In Christian tradition the Magi (Greek: μάγοι, magoi), Three Wise Men, Three Kings or Kings from the East are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts. They are mentioned only in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 2) , which says that they came "from the east to Jerusalem" to worship the Christ, "born King of the Jews". Because three gifts were recorded, there are traditionally said to have been three Magi, though Matthew does not specify their number. Upon meeting Jesus, the Magi are described as handing over gifts and "falling down" in joyous praise. (Wikipedia)

What were these gifts and what did they symbolism ?

These gifts were ordinary gifts for a king but they were prophetic gifts for the King of Kings.

Let's discuss these gifts in class.

Why Us ?

The Shepherds and the Angels

Luke 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Why the shepherds ?

What made them important enough to be the first to hear the news ?

Let's talk about it Sunday.

Why Me ?

As the father of two girls I often wonder what Mary the mother of Jesus had to endure as she carried the Savior of the world in her womb. The young girl's life must have been full of stress as she received the gift from God for this sinful world. Why me must have been the question she asked herself.

This week I want us to look at some words I found to describe what Mary had to go through as she was choosing to be the mother of Jesus.

Pledged
Virgin
Troubled
Believer
Truth seeker
Humble
Cherished
Lawful
Loving Mother

As we read we will find other words that will describe the most famous mother whoever lived.

I will see you Sunday.

After The Leftovers

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. The food was great. The weather was beautiful. The break from work was fantastic. The entertainment was interesting as my 94 year old grandmother sang to us hymns after lunch.

Now our thoughts turn back to the norm. Work, ballgames, meetings and our daily lives will fill our time. Will I remember to thank God for these things that fill my life? Will I remember to turn to him for my needs? Will I remember Thanksgiving after the leftovers are gone ?

In class we will listen to a prayer from David thanking God for never letting him down. This is a heart felt prayer of thanksgiving. I just hope I can learn from his example.

See you in class.

All In The Family

As we prepare for Thanksgiving our thoughts turn to our families. This Thursday many of us will pass the sweet potatoes or turkey to someone in our family. We will laugh at some members for something funny they said and hug some we have not seen in a while. Many of us will share how we have been blessed during the last year.

David has some family troubles this week. Rape and murder plague his home. We will see a true dysfunctional family because God is not invited to their Thanksgiving meal.

As we share a meal with our families this week let's remember how blessed we are to have them. Also remember to invite God to your family gathering.