Jesus Christ Reveals God’s Glory and Love!
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 [show]John 14:6
[6]Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV)
At that time Jesus said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned. (26) Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen. (27) “My Father has given me all things. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (28) “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. (30) For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.” Matthew 11:25-30 [show]Matthew 11:25-30
[25]At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; [26]yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.(1) [27]All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. [28]Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29]Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30]For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [11:26] Or 'for so it pleased you well'
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, (12) giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (13) He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, (14) in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (16) For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him. (17) And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (18) And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (19) For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, (20) and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:11-20 [show]Colossians 1:11-20
[11]May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, [12]giving thanks(1) to the Father, who has qualified you(2) to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [13]He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14]in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
[15]He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16]For by(3) him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. [17]And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18]And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. [19]For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20]and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [1:12] Or 'patience, with joy giving thanks'
2. [1:12] Some manuscripts 'us'
3. [1:16] That is, by means of; or 'in'
For it is not ourselves that we preach; we preach Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. (6) The God who said, “Out of darkness the light shall shine!” is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts, to bring us the knowledge of God’s glory shining in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 [show]2 Corinthians 4:5-6
[5]For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants(1) for Jesus' sake. [6]For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [4:5] Greek 'bondservants'
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (5) he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (6) to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (7) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (8) which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight (9) making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ (10) as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. Ephesians 1:3-10 [show]Ephesians 1:3-10
[3]Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, [4]even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5]he predestined us(1) for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6]to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. [7]In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, [8]which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight [9]making known(2) to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ [10]as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [1:5] Or 'before him in love, having predestined us'
2. [1:9] Or 'he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known...'
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, (6) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, (7) but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (9) Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (10) so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 [show]Philippians 2:5-11
[5]Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,(1) [6]who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7]but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,(2) being born in the likeness of men. [8]And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9]Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10]so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11]and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [2:5] Or 'which was also in Christ Jesus'
2. [2:7] Greek 'bondservant'
Vintage Jesus
Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle has generously made a sermon series entitled Vintage Jesus available to the general public. We invite you to visit the Vintage Jesus website to download these informative and captivating sermons for further study and reflection. Below you will find a video of the first sermon in the series..enjoy!
Is Jesus the Only God?
What About God?
Do you struggle with the very idea of God? Do you want to learn how to understand and talk to those who do struggle with God? If so then please watch this video of Tim Keller as he visits Google’s Mountain View, CA, headquarters to discuss his book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. This event took place on March 5, 2008, as part of the Authors@Google series. Keller is a master of graciously addressing the questions and misconceptions of Christianity’s “cultured despisers”. Keller uses an approach known as “propositional apologetics” in which he helps individuals articulate the assumptions behind their worldview and then challenges those notions that are false or inconsistent.
By clicking HERE you can find a reader’s guide for the book along with some downloadable audio files and study guides on the following topics:
| Exclusivity: How can there be just one true religion? | ||
| Suffering: If God is good, why is there so much evil in the world? | ||
| Absolutism: Don’t we all have to find truth for ourselves? | ||
| Injustice: Hasn’t Christianity been an instrument for oppression? | ||
| Hell: Isn’t the God of Christianity an angry Judge? | ||
| Doubt: What should I do with my doubts? | ||
| Literalism: Isn’t the Bible historically unreliable and regressive? |
