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Acts Chapter 28

Deborah Akins 

WOW Lesson 22

April 29, 2026

The Five P’s: Navigating the Wild Ride of Faith

I. Introduction: The Wild Ride

• The Acts Thriller: Acknowledging the "action-packed" nature of the book (riots, jailbreaks, shipwrecks).
• The Global Impact: The Gospel reaching the Gentiles and changing the world.
• The Framework: Introducing the four P’s as a way to categorize the book.

II. People

• The Cast of Acts:
   
  • Leaders: Peter, Stephen, Barnabas, Ethiopian Eunuch, Publius, Paul.
  • Officials: Felix, Festus, Agrippa, Cornelius.
  • Laypeople: Lydia, Tabitha, Paul’s nephew, Apollos, Aquila, Timothy, Natives of Malta.
• Life Review: Recognizing that God uses, appoints, and assigns people in our own lives to encourage, challenge, or test us.

III. Places & Plans

• Places: From Jerusalem to Samaria; to Rome by land and sea.
• Plans:
  • The Father’s plan: Sending the Holy Spirit.
  • Plans to execute Peter or Saul’s plan to wipe out "The Way."

IV. Problems

• The Formula: People + Places + Plans = Problems.
• Transition: Acts as a book of transitions (Jesus to Apostles; Old Covenant to New Covenant).
• Problems: Neglect of widows, prejudice, shipwrecks, and snake bites.
• Personal Transitions: From home to independence, singleness, marriage, widowhood, aging, and career changes.
• The Pivot: Have we "kicked against the pricks" or listened and cooperated like Cornelius?

V. The Malta Ministry: (Acts 28:1-11)

• Survival at Malta: 276 people making it to shore (even the non-swimmers).
• The Snake: Paul shaking off the viper and the natives’ changing perspectives.
• The Healing of the Leader’s Father: Healing the leader’s father.
• Focus: "Set your mind on His purposes, not the persecutor" (Keen) (and not the problem).

VI.  Providence (Acts 28:12-16)

• The South Wind: Learning to rely on God’s hand rather than deceptive "south winds."
• The Arrival in Rome: Meeting the believers at Appii Forum; Paul taking courage.
• The Hallelujah Moment: Paul in his own rented house, guarded but free to preach.

VII. The Bonus P

• The Jewish Leaders in Rome (vv. 17-29): Paul’s final appeal and the warning from Isaiah 6.
• Two Types of Peace:
  • Peace WITH God: Repenting of self-righteousness; submitting to Christ’s blood (Romans 10:3).
  • Peace OF God: Cooperating with the People, Places, Plans, and Problems God allows.
• The Surgical Consult Analogy: The absurdity of "running the show" during God's spiritual surgery.
• Final Call: It is God’s providential plans that bring us to Peace.

VIII. Closing Prayer

Notes:

The law and the prophets speak of the Messiah’s coming

Genesis 3:15; 26:4

Psalm 2:6-12; 40:6-8; 110:1-4

2 Samuel 7:12,13

Job 19:25

Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:14-17

Ezekiel 17:22-23

Isaiah 4:2; 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5; 53:10-12

The Hope of Israel — “More than a resurrection, it meant fulfillment of the Old Testament promises to Israel. Paul firmly believed Jesus is the Messiah of Israel who will return someday and establish Himself as the King of Israel and Lord of the nations” (Walvoord & Zuck).

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Lecture Notes-Acts 27; Lesson #21

Kelly Keen 4/22/26

DIVINE DETOUR

Main Truth: The sovereignty of God is the believer’s anchor in the storms of life.

1. DELAYED SAILING: Paul’s commitment is anchored in God’s plan.  Acts 27:1-13

Principle: God’s purposes and plans cannot be thwarted by the failures of man.

2. DEADLY STORM: Paul’s courage is anchored in God’s promise.  Acts 27:14-26

Principle: God uses the storms in our lives to teach us to rely on His promises and encourage others to do the same.

3. DEVASTATING SHIPWRECK: Paul’s confidence is anchored in God’s providence.  Acts 27:27-44

Principle: God providentially carries us through all the storms of life and brings us safely to our final destination. 

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Amy Anthony

April 15, 2026, Lesson 20

WOW Acts 25:13-26:32

Before Gentiles, Kings, and the Children of Israel

1. RECAP: Chapter 25 opens with Paul in chains in Caesarea  (25:1-12) 
   1. Felix is out, Festus is in. 
   2. The Jews want Paul brought to them 
      1. “It is not likely that the new governor knew anything about the original plot or even suspected that the Jewish leaders were out for blood. Since a Roman court could meet in Jerusalem as well as in Caesarea, transferring Paul would be a normal procedure. Festus would probably not demand a large retinue go with him, so an ambush would be easy. Finally, since it was a matter involving a Jewish prisoner and the Jewish law, the logical place to meet would be Jerusalem.” Warren Wiersbe
   3. Festus says no, you come to me 
   4. Paul appeals to Caesar 
2. The neighbors, King Agrippa II and Bernice, stop by to say “hi” (25:13-27) 
   1. Festus shares his dilemma 
   2. Herod jumps at the chance to hear Paul’s case 
   3. *Side note-”Herod Roundup” 
   4. Festus has no charges against Paul 
3. Paul before he met Jesus (26:1-11) 
   1. Paul shares about his early life as a Pharisee-he’s Jewish to the core, and God’s promises were the source of his hope. 
   2. “This hope was the hope that God would keep the promise which He made to the fathers of the nation long ago; it was this hope which gave life and meaning and purpose to the ordinances of divine worship, faithfully maintained by the twelve tribes of Israel generation after generation, especially to the unceasing services of morning and evening sacrifice and prayer. It was the hope that God would one day come down to deliver His people as He had done when they were slaves in Egypt, that HE would raise up for them “a horn of salvation…in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old.” F.F. Bruce 
   3. “It was because of his Jewish heritage, not in spite of it, that he believed and preached what he did. The Jewish hope finds fulfillment in the Christian gospel. It was, therefore, ironic that the Jews, of all people, should have charged him with disloyalty.” Dr. Thomas Constable 
4. Paul’s conversion experience (26:12-18) 
   1. Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus 
   2. He was on the road to do one job, but left with another-to go to the Gentiles and open their eyes. 
5. Paul after he met Jesus (26:19-23) 
   1. Obeying and proclaiming 
   2. The REAL reason the Jews wanted to kill him 
6. Agrippa after Paul (26:20-32) 
   1. Not persuaded to faith, but persuaded of Paul’s innocence.

Frank Robinson, a successful Major League Baseball player famously said, “Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” Agrippa was soooo close to being persuaded, to accepting the truth of who Jesus was, that he even makes a joke about it. But it’s no laughing matter. If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, let today be the day that changes. Please, if you don’t know Jesus, but you want to know more, we’d love to talk with you.

If you DO know Jesus as your Savior, maybe it’s time to make sure your faith doesn’t look like that faith of the Herods. Don’t be Christian-ish. If your life was the only Bible a non-believer read, what would they learn about your Jesus? And whatever conviction just struck you when I asked that? That’s your application. 

Perception might be reality for the person...“For the rest of the notes
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Stephen Davey 

WOW April 8th 2026

Topic: “Stump the Pastor” Question and Answer session with Stephen Davey

Below are synopses of the spontaneous questions that were asked, with the approximate time on the recording that each question was answered by Pastor Davey:

1. (7:40) What does the bible say about cremation?
2. (13:45) How and when did Jewish Christians learn that animal sacrifices were not required?
3. (21:51) What happens to a child who dies without an understanding of the gospel or before professing faith?
4. (33:15) Explain free will. Does free will give us the choice to believe or not? Does the Lord take over my mind to say yes to him?
5. (39:15) How to handle musical groups and people who are Apostates?
6. (43:15) In 1Corinthians 6:9-10 regarding adultery, homosexuality, fornication.  What is the statement mean you will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Does does the kingdom mean?
7. (46:25) What significance is there in changing the reference from Christ Jesus to Jesus Christ?
8. (51:44) When we ask other to pray for us do their prayer outweigh our prayers?
9. (56:09) Praying thy will be done?
10. (57:42) Ask what every you want and you will receive it if you believe it? 
11. (1:00:55) Can you explain the reason and spiritual significance of this portion of scripture in Mathew 27:52-53 where these resurrected saints went into Jerusalem?
12. (1:03:02) When Lazarus was raised from the dead wouldn’t it have been disappointing to Lazarus?

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WOW April 1, 2026  Terri Brady  Acts 23

1. 23:1-10 Paul is struck in front of the Jewish Council, then pulled out of the mayhem and jailed by Roman Commander.
   • Principle: Sometimes what feels like prison is truly His protection.
   • Application: Where are we looking at something as prison, but could be trusting the Lord for His protection? He could be either saving you from something or saving you for something.
2. 23:11-22 Inside jail: Jesus visits Paul and tells his future. Outside jail: A conspiracy to kill Paul is thwarted by commander.
   • Principle: Jesus still talks to His followers today. – His Word.
   • Application:  What Bible verses could you keep close at hand, for when you need to hear His voice in the midst of the mayhem?
3. 23:23-34 The commander takes Paul with escort to Governor Felix who says he will deal with the matter when Paul’s accusers arrive.
   • Principle: Kings – even unbelieving ones – are in the hands of God. They don’t have to believe in Him to be used by Him.
   • Application:  Where are WE limiting our thinking as if God only moves the hearts of believers?

Timeline of the Apostle Paul

Early Life and Education

• c. 6 AD: Born as Saul in Tarsus, Cilicia (modern-day Turkey). He was born a Roman citizen to Jewish parents.
• c. 20–30 AD: Educated as a Pharisee in Jerusalem under the prominent teacher Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).
• c. 33–34 AD: Present at the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:58), where he approved of the execution. Shortly after, he began persecuting Christians (Acts 8), causing "havoc of the church".

Conversion and Early Ministry

• c. 34 AD: Converted on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) following a divine encounter with Jesus Christ.
• c. 34–37 AD: Spends time in Damascus and Arabia receiving revelations (Acts 9).
• c. 37 AD: First visit to Jerusalem post-conversion (Acts 9); meets Peter and James. He later escapes a plot on his life and returns to Tarsus.
• c. 43–44 AD: (Acts 11) Barnabas brings Paul to Antioch, Syria, where they minister for one year. It is here that believers are first called "Christians".
• c. 45 AD: Paul and Barnabas deliver famine relief to the Jerusalem church. (Acts 11)

The Missionary Journeys

• c. 46–48 AD (First Journey: Acts 13-14): Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark preach in Cyprus and southern Galatia. Paul survives a stoning in Lystra and appoints elders in new churches before returning to Antioch.
• c. 49 AD: Attends the Council of Jerusalem to address whether Gentile converts must follow Jewish law. The council decides they are not required to follow the Mosaic Law.
• c. 49–52 AD (Second Journey: Acts 15:36-18:22): Travels with Silas through Syria, Cilicia, and Galatia. Timothy joins in Lystra. Paul settles in Corinth for 18 months and writes 1 & 2 Thessalonians.
   
  • c. 50 AD writes Galatians likely from either Antioch or Corinth to address the issue of Judaizers during that second journey.
• c. 52–55 AD (Third Journey: Acts 18:23 – 21:16): Spends two years in Ephesus, writing 1 Corinthians (and possibly 2 Corinthians). He later writes Romans from Corinth.

Imprisonment and Later Years

• c. 57–59 AD: Arrested in Jerusalem after a temple riot. He is imprisoned in Caesarea for two years under Felix and Festus.(Acts 22 – 26)
• .c. 59–60 AD: Appeals to Caesar, travels to Rome, surviving a shipwreck en route. (Acts 27-28)
• c. 60–62 AD: Under...“For the rest of the notes
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LECTURE: Acts 18:23-19:41          Kelly Keen 3/11/26

VICTORY IN EPHESUS!

The enduring and powerful Word of God cannot be defeated!

1. Completes our faith: Acts 18:23-19:7

Truth #1- The Word of the Lord brings our faith to a glorious finish.

1. Conquers the darkness: Acts 19:8-20

Truth #2-The Word of the Lord conquers the strongholds in our lives.

1. Crushes idolatry: Acts 19:21-41

Truth #3- Idols lose their power when the Word of God is given its rightful place in our hearts.

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Heather Johnson

WOW Bible Study

Paul Shares Jesus.  Will You?

March 4th, 2026

1. Teachable Thessalonians (Acts 17:1-9)

(Philippians 4:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 2:18)

• We need to reason, explain and show evidence of the gospel when sharing our faith.
• Be a red carpet and not a roadblock in someone’s faith journey.

When you share your faith, do you tend to reason patiently or rush the conversation?

1. Bible Believing Bereans (Acts 17:10-15)

(1 Thessalonians 5:19-22)

• Be like the Bereans and examine the scriptures for yourself.
• Test what you are taught.

What practical step could you take to study Scripture more intentionally?

1. Always Anticipating and Awaiting a new God Athenians (Acts 17:16-34)

(Psalm 139:7; Romans 2:4; Romans 1:18-25)

• Our citizenship this side of Heaven doesn’t matter in eternity.
• God is always near and in control…even in the chaos.
• We should remove idols from our hearts, not just our cities.

Who in your life thinks very differently from you? How can you relate to them without compromising truth?

1. Conflicted Corinthians to Anchor of Antioch (Acts 18:1-23)

(2 Corinthians 11:9; Matthew 28:19-20; Numbers 6; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; Galatians 6:9)

• We are responsible to share the gospel, but not responsible for the response.
• Faith requires our obedience despite our circumstances.
• We need to hold our life with an open palm rather than a clinched fist saying, “If the Lord wills….”

Reflection Questions:

Am I willing to learn about other cultures for the gospel?

Am I willing to adapt my approach for the gospel?

Am I willing to trust God with the results?

Do Something  By Matthew West...for lyrics email WOW@Shepherds

Other song recommendations:

Who Else by Abbie Gamboa and Gateway Worship

I Thank God by Housefires, Maverick City Music

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 Women of Wisdom Bible Study

February 25, 2026

Acts 15.36 – 16.40 Early Days of Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey

1.Setting out: A really tough decision – to take John Mark or to leave him behind 

(15.36-40; cf. 13.5, 13)

2.The initial stage: ministering to churches in SYRIA & CILICIA 

(15.41; cf Ac 9.26 – 30; Gal 1.21-23)

3.Ministering to the Galatian churches established on the 1st Missionary Journey

(16.1-5)

a.At Lystra, young Timothy is recruited [cf. John Mark on MJ1] (16.1-3)

b.Through the churches delivering “the decree” [cf. 15.22-29] (16.4-5)

4. Not to the north, but rather to Macedonia/Europe [ cf. 1 Pet 1] (16.6-10)

5.By ship to Neapolis, and then to Philippi, “the chief city of that part of Macedonia, a colony”

(16.11-40)

a.On the sabbath, to Lydia by the riverside (16.11-15)

b.A slave girl delivered and a jailer converted (16.16-40)

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1. Conflict over Circumcision (Acts 15:1-5)
   1. The main thing stayed the main thing.
   2. Who?
      1. “Certain men”(15:1) but Galatians 2:4 in parallel account calls them “false brothers”
      2.  “Circumcision party” (not an event, a type of people)
   3. What?
      1. Disagreement over Circumcision – they argued that it needed to be done in order to be a believer.
   4. Where?
      1. Still in Antioch
      2. Then they go up the mountain to Jerusalem
   5. When?
      1. After those Jews tried to stone Paul, now the fellow believers are in disagreement too.

Principles

• It’s easy to get steeped in traditions and lose sight of Truth.
• It’s easy to get surrounded by the World and lose sight of the Word.
• “Legalism will always lead to more legalism”- Chris Brady

Applications: Is there anywhere in my life where tradition has eclipsed Truth?

1. Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15:6 – 29)
   • Who? “apostles and elders”
   • What?
     • A meeting
     • Topics:
       • “…and they reported all things that God had done with them.” (Acts 1:4)
       • Circumcision debate
         • Not as in “Should we put the new guy through what we went through?”
         • But, “Don’t they HAVE to be circumcised to be saved?
     • Where?
       • “up” in Jerusalem
     • Why?
     • To become in agreement on a serious matter: “What must one do to be saved?”

Peter:

• God already acknowledged Gentiles with the Holy Spirit, who are we to add a requirement to that to test God?(15:10)
• The Law was a yoke we couldn’t bear. [There’s a new yoke we need to attach. Matt 11:28-30]

 Every sincere Christian is struggling for balance between these two extremes: license and pseudo-legalism; liberty and responsibility. – Stephen Davey

James:

• Four requests of James:
  • Abstain from things contaminated by idols.
  • Abstain from fornication.
  • Abstain from what is strangled.
  • Abstain from blood.
• Why rules?? I thought the point was grace??
• Charles Swindoll: Wishing to avoid needless and often unintentional offense, James wanted to remind the Gentile Christians to love their Jewish brothers and sisters by voluntarily restricting their liberty in these kinds of practices.  “Don’t flaunt your freedom,” James was saying. Restricting one’s liberty is a burden – but limiting our freedom for the sake of others shows maturity. Harmony in the body of Christ often depends on our willingness to forego a privilege. This is not capitulating to legalism, it is a sign of maturity and love.

1 Corinthians 7:23 LSB, Gal 2:20-21

• You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men

Principle: Reading God’s Word leads us to God’s advice.

• We are saved by faith alone – that’s what Peter is saying.
• God’s Word says Gentiles will be saved – that’s what James is saying.

Applications:

• Would I know the Word enough to answer biblically if confronted?
• Do I look at people who ask questions as “enemies” or as “slaves under the wrong yoke”?

1. Continuing the Message (Acts 15:30-35): The men continue to preach, keeping the main thing the main thing.

Titus 1:13-14 LSB

This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, [14] not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

Principles:

• Know the Word, Show the Word and Go with the Word.
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Heather Johnson  WOW Bible Study

Am I praising the Lord?  February 4th, 2026

• Jesus loves the little children of the world, Jew & Gentile. (13:1-5)   (Galatians 1:15; Romans 1:1; Colossians 4:10)
  • Heaven will be more diverse than we can anticipate.  
• Christians must defend the Gospel! (13:6-12)  (Matthew 3:7-10)
  • Don’t let others make crooked what God has made straight.
  • Is there an area of your faith that needs extra support on the front lines?  How can you help?
• The Gospel message doesn’t change for Jews or Gentiles (13:13-31; 40-52)   (Acts 15:37-38; Genesis 37-47; Exodus 4-14; Exodus 16; Isaiah 11:1-16; John1; Habakuk 1:5; Romans 1:16)
  • Are you listening to God’s message, really listening for your benefit? 
  • Do I speak out boldly for the Lord?
• You can truly be set free with justification through Jesus (13:32-39)  (Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 55:3; Psalm 16:10; Romans 3:19-24)
  • Christ’s righteousness is the ONLY thing that moves the scale.
  • Justified = just as if I had never sinned
  • Is your scale in perfect balance?  Have you accepted Christ and been justified?
• We seek Christ and find Him when we seek Him with all of our heart.  (Psalm 51:10-13; Jeremiah 29:13)
  • Are you bored with Jesus?  Then that’s not the real Jesus!
  • Christ is ALWAYS there.  We need only seek Him!

“Look for a thing where you dropped it, it is there. Tell me where you lost the company of Christ, and I will tell you the most likely place to find him. Have you lost Christ in the closet by restraining prayer? Then it is there you must seek and find him. Did you lose Christ by sin? You will find Christ in no other way but by the giving up of the sin, and seeking by the Holy Spirit to mortify (meaning to put an end to) the member in which the lust does dwell. Did you lose Christ by neglecting the Scriptures? You must find Christ in the Scriptures.” ~ Charles Spurgeon parentheses are my words

*How will you look for God today so that you can share Him more boldly and praise the Lord?*

Praise the Lord By Micah Tyler

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January 28, 2026 

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WOW Bible Study

Miriam Lofquist

January 21,  2026

Acts 10

I. God Prepares Open Hearts (Acts 10: 1–8)

• God is already at work …

Question: WHO might God be preparing right now that I’ve overlooked?

II. God Corrects Old Assumptions (Acts 10: 9–16)

• God’s Challenge . . .

Question: WHAT assumptions do I need to let go of to follow God’s leading?

III. God Connects His People (Acts 10: 17–23)

• God loves Obedience …

Question: WHERE is God calling me to step into someone’s life right now?

IV. God Declares His Gospel (Acts 10: 34–43)

• One Gospel for all – no exceptions

Question: SPECIFIC SOMEONE I need to see as equally loved by God?

V. God Confirms His Grace (Acts 10: 44–48)

• When God accepts someone, the church must follow His lead.

Question: HOW can I extend God’s welcome to others this week?

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Amy Anthony  January 14, 2026 WOW Acts 9

Saul: From Persecutor to Proclaimer

1. Saul on the road to Damascus (9:1-9, 26:16) 
   1. Zeal without truth can be destructive 
      1. Saul was zealously pursuing God…he just had the wrong understanding of what that meant and what God wanted from him in that relationship. How many of us, if we really took a look at our lives through God’s eyes, could say the same thing? Are we zealously pursuing a relationship with God without really understanding what that means, and without ever stopping to consider what it is God wants from us out of that relationship? Doing all the things to tick all the boxes like Saul the good pharisee did, without just stopping to sit at His feet, and spend time with Him, and make sure that it’s Him and not the law that we are really following?
   2. True conversion leads to surrendered obedience
      1. We each have a role to play. Are you playing yours? Do you start your day surrendered with the question, Lord, what would You have me do? Or do you start each day with YOUR to-do list and hope to squeeze God in somewhere along the way?
2. Ananias’s obedient faith (9:10-19a) 
   1. God uses ordinary, obedient believers 
      1. Ananias said “yes” when God said “Go!.” What about you? What is your response when God calls? Warren Weirsbe says, “Were it not for the conversion of Saul, we would never have heard of Ananais, and yet Ananais had an important part to play in the ongoing work of the church. Behind many well-known servants of God are lesser-known believers who have influenced them. God keeps the books and will see to it that each servant will get a just reward. The important thing is not fame but faithfulness.” Ladies, you never know who your witness is impacting, and who THEIR witness will impact, so be like Ananias, and just GO!
3. Saul’s next steps (19a-25, Galatians 1:16b-18)
   1. Accept Jesus, Spend time with Jesus, Share Jesus
      1. Saul got saved, got some quiet time with God, and then got busy sharing about Jesus. Ladies, plenty of people encounter Jesus, maybe not quite as literally as Saul did, and don’t accept His free gift of salvation. Don’t let that be you! If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can just look at these verses and see how incredibly life changing His mercy, grace, and forgiveness are. Let today be the day you experience that personally. And if you are saved, how are you doing on those other two things? Quiet time with God and sharing about Jesus? Maybe you can’t retreat to another country, but you can safeguard your quiet time, and then share what God’s shown you with someone who needs to hear it.
4. Saul goes to Jerusalem and then goes home (9:26-30, Galatians 1:18-20) 
   1. Faith in Christ does not eliminate our need for community—He uses other believers to strengthen, protect, and sustain us. 
5. ***Progress report!***(v31) 
   1. God uses persecution to strengthen and multiply His church
6. Peter hits the road and heals Aeneas (9:32-35)
   1. When God moves in one life, there is almost always a “trickle down” effect, bringing salvation to many more.
7. Peter is summoned to Joppa (9:36-42) 
   1. A life faithfully lived becomes a powerful witness—even in death.
8. Peter stays with Simon, the tanner 
   1. God often grows us in obedience and spiritual maturity by stretching us beyond personal comfort and tradition
      1. This clean/unclean thing and the gentile thing are going to be issues that Peter has to work ....For the rest of the notes email WOW@Shepherds

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Al Potter, Jan 7, 2026  Living my Identity for the benefit of others  Acts 7:54 – 8:40

In this section of Acts Luke is laying out a series of narratives centered around individuals like Stephen, and Philip with special mention about a scattered church. As we work through these narratives, we will find that the individuals involved will show us that there is never a time when a Christian is not a Christian. We will learn from these two characters and a scattered church that they never drop their guard in the name of authenticity or relaxation and act in a way that is unbecoming to their identity.

An illustration from the movie “The Patriot,” which is set during the days of the American Revolution will help. I am referencing quotes that come from Jim Wilson’s book on The Pastoral Ministry about one riveting moment in the movie. “Gabriel Martin interrupts a worship service already in progress to enlist soldiers for the militia. As Rev. Oliver resisted allowing the disruptive announcement, Anne Howard took the floor to support Gabriel’s request.

Dan Scott, barely a week ago I heard you railed for two hours about independence. Mr. Hardwick, how many times have I heard you speak of freedom at my father’s table? Half the men in this church, including you, Father, and you, Reverend, are as ardent patriots as I. Will you now, when you are needed most, stop at only words? Is that the sort of men you are? I ask only that you act upon the beliefs of which you have so strongly spoken and in which you so strongly believe.

After her stirring speech, Grabriel asks, “Who’s with us?” and one by one, men stand.  The key to her speech was the question, “Will you now, when you are needed most, stop at only words? Is that the sort of men you are? I ask only that you act upon the beliefs of which you have so strongly spoken and in which you so strongly believe.” In short, she said to live what you say you believe.” [Pastoral Ministry, pages 110-111]

This is the narrative seen and inscripturated in the life of Stephen, Philip, and the scattered church.

Proposition: We must live our identity for the eternal benefit of others

Transition: Note three Illustrations that challenge us to live our identity for the eternal benefit of other

1. The blood of the martyr is the seed of the church – Consistent even unto death Acts 7:54 ff

      A. Loyalty to the message in spite of its content

Note: In Acts 2:2 Stephen started with the glory of God and then rehearsed the history of the Jewish people beginning with Abraham and from there he led them back over their whole history, and how it spoke of the moving’s of God on them. He did not hold back for he addressed the Sanhedrin concerning the rebellion of man, man’s hindrance to God’s moving in their midst. All in all, he reminded the Jewish people of their and all mankind’s inability to cooperate with God. He reminded them of the divine progress and in spite of their rebellion God never rested in his march through history until the promise was fulfilled in the person of the righteous one. Think of it, Stephen interpreted the moving’s of God to a people who professed to know Him and yet were perpetually hindering Him. His last accusation was the most convicting found in Acts 7:51-53

     B.  No fear of death because of death’s testimony as regarding the Christian life

              1. He understood the supremacy of the eternal in relationship to the temporal “Lord Jesus receive my spirit” Acts 7:59 [He had the conviction of the supremacy of the eternal which alone is equal to enabling a man to .....For the rest of the notes email WOW@Shepherds

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Chris Brady

WOW Lecture Notes
November 19, 2025
Acts 4:32-5:42

Our passage is Acts 4:32 through 5:42, which covers two main action sequences
that are juxtaposed:
1) The sin of Ananias and Sapphira
2) The 2 nd arrest of Peter and the apostles

In each case there is a pattern:
A) “We are on a roll!”
B) And then bam! Sin attacks.
C) God takes supernatural action.
D) And then the church actually gets stronger as a result of the blows it
took.

What we see here is that God is nurturing the early church’s development
(turning blows into strengthening).

Sometimes supernaturally (as seen here), sometimes providentially (as is more
likely today), but always God’s will will be done, to His glory.

Satan can do his best, but God wins every time.

Genesis 50:20 – As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for
good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

The ultimate one of these was the cross!

But we see it in these passages we’re studying here, too.

“And we know that God causes ALL THINGS to work together for good to those
who love God, to those who are called accordingly to His purpose.” (Romans
8:28)

God’s glory is always for our good.

In the death of Ananias and Sapphira, God has acted directly to bring
visible justice and protect his budding church.

The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection. They were therefore
behaving as if this life is all there is (like people do today). Look at what
willful blindness that leads to!

High Level Summary of this passage (Acts 4:32 – 5: 42)

Ananias and Sapphira     vs.    Peter and the Apostles
Counterfeit sacrifice                 Life-threatening
Fake suffering                            Real suffering
Leading to Death                       Leading to Joy

Application

1. Don’t play games with God.
2. Want what God wants.
3. Want what God wants on His terms, not ours.
4. Gamaliel at the end summarizes this: you can’t fight against God!
5. Be “considered worthy to suffer shame for His name”.
6. God’s will WILL be done.
7. Satan uses the same tactics today as he did back then (internal and
external).
8. We have the same resources and the same God today they had back then.
9. God continues to intercede for His purposes and His church.

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Lecture Notes-Lesson #3

WOW 11/12/2025

Acts 3:1-4:31

Kelly Keen

In Jesus Name …

1. The Public Miracle- Acts 3:1-10

PRINCIPLE #1: A life transformed by faith in Jesus’ Name is a powerful witness to the world.

1. The Penetrating Message- Acts 3:11-4:22

PRINCIPLE #2: “The Holy Spirit emboldens and equips believers to speak in the Name of Jesus Christ.”  R. Albert Mohler Jr.

1. The Powerful Manifestation- Acts 4:23-31

PRINCIPLE #3:  Through prayer, God gives believers His power to stand firm in the Name of Jesus Christ.

https://jumpshare.com/share/F5xPG6RGIWRcodCBiQ3N

11-5-2025 - Acts 2 and Cessationism - WOW Bible Study – Peter Goeman – Based on Sam Waldron’s Notes

I. The Foundation of the Argument
No Apostles -> No Prophets -> No Tongues-Speakers -> No Miracle-Workers

II. Apostles (two kinds): apostles (Phil 2:25; 2 Cor 8:23), and Apostles.
Definition of Apostle (having each of these was necessary):
1. An Eye-witness of the Resurrected Christ (Acts 1:22; 10:39-41; 1 Cor 9:1; 1 John 1:1-3)
a. Paul – Untimely born (1 Cor 15:8), Heard and Saw Christ (Acts 9:1-8)
b. Moses was distinguished from the prophets because God emphasizes his face-to-face contact (Num 12:1-8)
2. Directly Appointed by Jesus Christ (Mark 3:14; Luke 6:13; Acts 1:2; 10:41; Gal 1:1)
a. Matthias appointed on basis of Christ’s choice (Acts 1:24-26)
3. The Ability to Confirm His Mission By Miraculous Signs (Acts 2:43; 4:33; 5:12; 8:14; 2 Cor 12:12)
a. 2 Cor 12:12, the signs of a true apostle: signs, wonders and miracles.
Note:
The Apostles spoke authoritatively for Christ: 1 Cor 14:37-38; 2 Cor 13:3; 1 John 4:4-6
The Apostles represented Christ: Matt 10:40; John 13:20

Arguments for An Historically Limited Apostolate
1. The Apostles occupied a foundational role for building the church (Matt 16:18; Eph 2:20; Rev 21:14)
2. The Apostle Paul explicitly states that he was the last eyewitness of Christ’s resurrection and the last Apostle of Christ to be appointed (1 Cor 15:5-9).
3. The Apostle Paul clearly implies that the gift of being an Apostle of Christ is no longer to be sought by Christians (1 Cor 12:31; 14:1).
4. No modern apostle is capable of receiving the commendation of the original twelve apostles, as Paul did in his day for his apostolate (Gal 2:7-9).
5. The final witness to the closed character of the apostolate is the closed character of the canon.
Implication: If the gift of being an Apostle is done away with, there could be other gifts that have been done away with.

III. The Gift of Prophecy
Regulation of the Prophetic Office:
1. Even if supported by a miraculous sign, the prophet’s message was not to be believed if it contradicted or led people away from previous revelation that God had already given (Deut 13:1-5). Death was the punishment for this crime.
2. What the prophet prophesies must come to pass (Deut 18:15-22)
Authority of the Prophet: The authority of the prophet was as if it was God speaking. Death was for anyone who did not listen.
1. Simply because Moses was superior to the prophets does not imply the inferiority of their message. Similarly, just because the NT is superior to the OT (2 Cor 3:1-18; Heb 1:1-2a) does not mean that it is more inspired, infallible, or inerrant.
2. Speaking specifically of the OT, 2 Peter 1:19-21 states that men delivered God’s Word being continually moved by the Holy Spirit.

3. The Canonicity of OT Writings were composed by Moses and OT Prophets
Key Question: Is NT prophecy significantly different from OT prophecy?
Conclusion: There is no reason to see a difference between NT and OT prophecy. All prophecy should be held to the standard of Deut 18:15-22. Prophecy is not “spirit-anointed” preaching.
Arguments for the Cessation of Prophets:
1. The NT prophets were foundational (Eph 2:20)
2. The NT prophets were infallible
3. The NT prophets were canonical

For the rest of the notes email WOW@Shepherds.org

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WOW Acts Chapter 1

Deborah Akins

October 29, 2025

Outline of Acts 1 (NKJV)

1. Prologue to Acts (1:1–3)

A. Reference to the former account (the Gospel of Luke)
 B. Summary of Jesus’ ministry until His ascension
 C. Post-resurrection appearances and proofs

1. The Promise of the Holy Spirit (1:4–8)

1. Jesus commands the disciples to wait in Jerusalem
2. Promise of baptism with the Holy Spirit
3. Disciples’ question about restoring the kingdom to Israel
4. Jesus’ reply: power through the Holy Spirit to be witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”

1. The Ascension of Jesus (1:9–11)

 A. Jesus is taken up into heaven
 B. The disciples watch Him ascend
 C. Two angels declare He will return in the same manner

IV. The Prayer Meeting (1:12–14)

 A. The disciples return to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives
 B. The gathering in the upper room
 C. List of the apostles present
 D. The group continues with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers

V. The Appointment of Matthias (1:15–26)

 A. Peter addresses about 120 believers
 B. Scripture fulfilled concerning Judas’ betrayal and death
 C. The need to appoint a replacement as a witness of the resurrection
 D. Two candidates chosen: Joseph called Barsabas (Justus) and Matthias
 E. Prayer for God’s guidance
 F. Casting lots; Matthias chosen and numbered with the eleven apostles

IV. Conclusion

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1. Who wrote the book of Acts?
a. “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact
trustworthy, he is possessed of the true historic sense … in short, this author
should be placed along with the greatest of historians…”-Sir William Ramsay

2. When was Acts written?

a. 60-62AD

3. What is Acts?
a. It’s the orderly account, based on eyewitness testimony, and this time some
personal testimony, of what, as Wiersbe says, “Jesus continued to do and teach
through His spiritual body, the church.”

4. How is the book organized?
a. The Acts of Peter (Acts 1-12) and Paul (13-28)
b. The birth of the church (Acts 1-7)
The Rise of the Church (Acts 8-12)
The Expansion of the Church (Acts 13-20:2)
The Challenges of the Church (Acts 20:3-28)
c. Acts 1:8:
Jerusalem (chapters 1-7)
Judea and Samaria (chapters 8-12)
the ends of the earth (chapters 13-28)
d. The church originating in Jerusalem (chapters 1-7)
i. Chapters 1-2
1. Progress report 1 (Acts 2:47b)
ii. Chapters 3-6
1. Progress report 2 (Acts 6:7)
iii. Chapter 7
e. The church dispersing to Judea and Samaria (chapters 8-12)
i. Chapters 8-9
1. Progress report 3 (Acts 9:31)
ii. Chapters 10-12
1. Progress report 4 (Acts 12:24)
f. The church impacting to the ends of the earth (chapters 13-28)
i. Chapters 13-16
1. Progress report 5 (Acts 16:5)
ii. Chapters 17-19
1. Progress report 6 (Acts 19:20)

iii. Chapters 20-28
1. Progress report 7 (Acts 28:30-31)

5. Where does the action happen? Where did the apostles travel?
a. Jerusalem
b. Judea and Samaria
c. the ends of the earth

i. Paul’s 3 missionary journeys and trip to Rome

6. Why was Acts written?
a. Historical record
b. To explain the dominant role of the Holy Spirit in the divine plan for the expansion of the gospel from a small, centralized group of eye-witnesses to “the ends of the earth” and the transition from the work of God provincially among the Jews to His establishment of the universal church. (Toussaint)
c. Christian apologetics
d. “To demonstrate, from the facts of history, that the church has become God’s
instrument for stewarding the new covenant, that the church is guided by His
Spirit, and that nothing can prevent Christ from building His church.”- Charles
Swindoll
e. As a bridge

For the rest of the notes email WOW@Shepherds.org

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WOW Oct. 8, 2025

Dr. Al Potter

Nahum

God’s Judgment on Nineveh

Comfort for Judah: Nineveh would be destroyed 1:1-15

1. The Prophet and his book 1:1
2. The nature of the book of Nahum
3. The prophecy deals with one subject – judgement of Nineveh
4. More than 100 years earlier Jonah had spoken to this same city
5. Jonah illustrates the remission of God’s judgement
6. Nahum illustrates the execution of God’s judgement
7. Historical background to Nahum [from Hobart Freeman]
8. Assyria was at the height of its power, having extended its power into Israel, even as far as Judah and distant Egypt
9. Ashurbanipal was the last great Monarch of the Assyrian Empire
10. His wars were numerous and characterized by ruthlessness and cruelty.
11. He boasted of his violence and shameful atrocities which included

Tearing off the limbs of his victims

Putting out their eyes, impaling them

Boiling them in tar; skinning them alive

1. The people of Judah had witnessed for many years an almost endless succession of the cruel Assyrian invaders into their land
2. It was upon this cruel nation that Nahum was called to pronounce the impending doom
3. Ninevah fell in 612 BC at the hands of the Babylonians and Medes in fulfillment of Nahum’s prophecy

Note: It was the capital of Assyria, a large city on the Tigris River which stretched 2.5 miles along the river, it was eight miles in circumference and had a population of nearly 600,000. The city had fifteen gates and 50-foot-high walls thick enough for three chariots to ride on side by side. It was a city notorious for idolatry and immorality [Nahum 3:1, 19].

1. Date of Nahum
2. From 3:8-10 it is apparent that it was written after the destruction of No-amon [Thebes in Egypt] in 663 BC
3. Moreover, the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC is viewed as yet future
4. The fact that no king is mentioned in the superscription points to the reign of the wicked Manasseh [686-642 BC] – the name suppressed because of evil reputation – Note, this would be a thing unlikely if Josiah [640-609 BC] had been reigning
5. Hence, Nahum’s prophetic ministry may be dated about 650 BC
6. Nahum the man [from Hobart Freeman]
7. The name means “comfort” or “consolation.” An apt expression of the comfort his message brought to Judah.
8. His name probably has reference to the prophet’s message of comfort to Judah from the threats of Assyrian oppression
9. The name occurs nowhere else in the OT
10. He is called “the Elkoshite” – i. e. a native of Elkosh
11. Perhaps Capernaum which means “city of Nahum, originally called Elkosh, but later changed to Capernaum in honor of Nahum
12. Perhaps referring to an old well called Bir-el-kaus located in Southern Kingdom of Judah which would fit reference to Judah in 1:15
13. Nahum used many metaphors, similes, rhetorical questions, and figures of speech to describe God’s judicial indignation toward Nineveh’s brutality and to proclaim its impending destruction.

For the rest of the notes email WOW@Shepherds.org

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WOW October 1, 2025

Dr. Doug Bookman

Jonah 3 - The Delightful/ Mystery of Nineveh's Repentance

1. Some "mysterious" details of the biblical narrative

2. A curious narrative mystery: How did Jonah get to Nineveh?

3. A theological mystery: How genuine and efficacious was this repentance?

• The text is very straightforward, and

• The city's repentance stayed God's hand of judgment (3:10)

4a. The troubling mystery (to many): Why did Nineveh repent so quickly

• Cf. the very brief, "staccato" telling of 3:4-5

• Only 5 Hebrew words of preaching - somewhat ambiguous

• Including the king, the entire nation, and the livestock!

b. Important historical background: the very serious decline in the fortunes of the

Ninevites/Assyrians at this very time (cf. Jeroboam II of Israel, reigned 793-753BC)

c. The much-overlooked historical reality:

the universal (world-wide by reason of the way God shaped the continents),

univocal (the same message again and again across the centuries),

undeniable and inescapable (b/c worked out in real space/time history),

stunningly dramatic (especially against the puny and impotent gods worshipped by the nations),

TESTIMONY that Israel was (by reason of Yahweh's covenant faithfulness to His people)

to the

Infinite might,

goodness,

justice, and

faithfulness of her God, Yahweh

Cf. Rahab (Josh 2:8-12); the elders of Ekron (1 Sam 6:5-6); the wife of Haman (Est 6:12-13)

5a. The delightful mystery: What kind of God would accept that repentance?

The unspeakably delightful reality on display here: GOD IS A SUCKER FOR REPENTANCE!!

• Jonah 2:8 - this is the realization that turned Jonah's heart back to God from the belly of a fish!

• Gen 4:6 - the offer of forgiveness made to Cain

• 1 Kings 21:25-29 / / Ahab and 2 Chron 33:10-13 // Manasseh - the 2 most wicked kings of North and South repent, and that repentance is accepted by Yahweh

• Luke 22:39-43 the thief on the cross!

Jonah 4 – The Disquieting Matter of Jonah’s rage

A personal note:

1a. Some background:

b. The political/military dynamic: Assyria’s strategy of “building empire”

b. The spiritual/theological dynamic: cf. the imprecatory Psalms (eg. 137)

2. The lesson in brief: Ex 34:5-9

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Heather Johnson  WOW  September 24, 2025

I Am Jonah

Jonah 1-2

• Jonah races away from God – Jonah 1:1-3

(2 Kings 14:25; Isaiah 55:8-9; 1 Corinthians 10:12; Proverbs 16:18)

• Pastor Davey said, “whenever we run in disobedience to God, Satan will be happy to arrange the transportation.”
• Running away from God will always cost you more than you estimate!

Is there an area of my life where I’m telling God no?

• God chases after Jonah – Jonah 1:4-15

(Proverbs 30:4; Psalm 135:7; Hebrews 12:6; Proverbs 3:11-12)

• Playing hide and seek with God is futile and foolish – you can’t hide from God.  
• God is always with us…what a gift!
• God gives us consequences to teach us for our good.

• God wins (He always does!) – Jonah 1:16–2:6a

(Psalm 89:9; Matthew 12:38-42)

• God can use even our disobedience for His glory.
• If it is written in God’s Word, then we should believe it!
• God always listens to our prayers.
• God sometimes brings us to our knees to get us there.

• Jonah wins – Jonah 2:6b-10

(Psalm 18:6; Psalm 37:39; Psalm 103:12; 1 Corinthians 15:58)

• Knowing God’s Word and being able to call on it whenever we need it is a priceless gift that we shouldn’t take for granted. 
• Restoration with God is winning!

***Just as we see God clearly in Jonah’s story, your life is also telling a story.  

Can you clearly see God in it? ***

***Is your “yes” on the table? ***

Song recommendation – Breakdown by Andrew Ripp

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WOW, Amy Anthony

September 17, 2025

Woe to Nineveh

An Introduction to Jonah and Nahum

The Basics-Jonah The Basics-Nahum

 | Who wrote the book? | Who wrote the book?
 | When was it written? | When was it written?
 | Where are they located? | Where are they located?
 | What is his message? | What is his message?

Broad Principles from Jonah:

• There is nowhere you can go that God is not there (Ps 139, and all of Jonah).
• He’s the God of second chances (1 John 1:9, and all of Jonah).
• He calls us to use our gifts for His purpose (1 Peter 4:10-11, Jonah 1:2, 3:2).
• He is slow to anger and abounding in mercy (Jonah 4:2).
• God is sovereign (the whole book of Jonah).

Broad Applications from Jonah:

• His plans are not like our plans, and His deeds are not like our deeds (Is 55:8) so let’s not be selfish or stingy with the message of salvation. Romans 3 tells us that God’s grace is a free gift-we just need to share the gospel, not keep it to ourselves.

Broad Principles from Nahum:

• God is just in judging those who oppose His will and abuse His people (Deut 32:35, 39, 41, 43 and all of Nahum).
• The goodness of God preserves His people (Nahum 1:7,15 and Ps 91).
• God is sovereign (the whole book of Nahum).

Broad Applications from Nahum:

• God is long-suffering, because He does not desire that any should perish. But you can only deny Him for so long. There will come a time when His hand of judgment will fall. But Jesus. He’s waiting. He’s already paid the price. You just have to accept His free gift of salvation. If you haven’t already, make today the day you put your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
• Let God handle the vengeance thing, He’s got it, and He’s WAY more capable of appropriately handling it… you just keep your focus vertical. 
• God loves His people. And if you are a believer, YOU are His people. No matter what you are going through, or how bleak it seems. Just like Judah after Israel fell, as the Assyrians buffeted with attack after attack, He will bring you through, one way or another. Because you are His and He is yours. Be comforted in that today. 
• Think of Tell Nebi Yunus sitting there in the middle of Iraq, and remember how sovereign God is.

God is the Creator of everything and everyone, and as such, the Author of our lives. 

So trust Him, because there is nowhere you can go that He is not there.

Trust Him, because He’s faithful to forgive your sins.

Trust Him, because He has gifted us so we can serve others.

Trust Him, because He is slow to anger and abounding in mercy.

Trust Him, because His judgment is just.

Trust Him, because His salvation is sure and it is free.

Trust Him, because vengeance is His.

Trust Him, because He loves His people.

Trust Him, because HE. IS. SOVEREIGN.

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LECTURE NOTES FOR THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, LESSON #24     

WOW April 30, 2025-Kelly Keen

THE DEMANDS OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP

Main Point: True discipleship is a life-long, intentional pursuit of Jesus Christ, and a continual surrender to His will.

1. COME AND SEEJohn 1:35-40

Principle: Being a disciple begins with accepting the invitation to come to Jesus, but it doesn’t end there.

1. GO AND TELLJohn 1:41-51

Principle:  True disciples spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

1. LOVE AND OBEYJohn 13:35, 14:15-16

Principle: Love for God and obedience to His commands are foundational to true discipleship.

1. SURRENDER AND SACRIFICE John 20:24-29; John 21:18-19

Principle:  True Discipleship requires surrender and sacrifice.

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The “Good Confession of Jesus before Pontius Pilate” (1 Tim 6.13)

I.Setting the scene

A.The Date/Time: Nisan 14, 33 (Passover) / April 3, AD 33 – ca.4.30 am

B.The Place: The Essene Gate on the far west wall of the Herod’s Palace, and thus of the city of Jerusalem

C.The Primary Players: 

1.Jesus of Nazareth, on trial for His life, charged with the crime of sedition

2.Caiaphas the High Priest/Presider over the Sanhedrin – primary accuser

3.Pontius Pilate, Roman Prefect (governor) of Judea/Jerusalem & Samaria

D.The Drama: Jesus is on trial before Pontius Pilate - the Sanhedrinists’ plot to murder the Nazarene is unfolding nicely, but it is about to run into a wall!

II.Jesus’ “Good Confession before Pilate”

Scene 1: Jesus before Pilate for the first time (Mt 27.11-14; Mk 15.2-5; Lk 23:1-7; Jn 18.28-38)

1. The Sanhedrinists accuse Jesus, but Pilate refuses to “play along” (Jn 18.28-32)

1. Private Interview #1 (Jn 18.33-38a) [1st stage of Jesus’ Good Confession]

1. The official verdict declared by the duly authorized Judicial Officer (Jn 18.38b)

Interlude: Jesus sent to Herod Antipas (Lk 23.8-12)

Scene 2: Jesus before Pilate a second – and final – time

A.Pilate’s Barabbas “gambit” falls through (Lk 23.13-23 / exp 13-15 [3x] – cf. Ac 3.13)

B.Jesus is scourged / “Behold the Man!” (Jn 19.1-6)

C.The Sanhedrinists declare the real issue at stake (Jn 19.7)

D.Private Interview #2 (Jn 19.8-11) [2nd stage of Jesus’ Good Confession]

E. Pilate tries to release Jesus / the Tiberius threat / “Behold your King!” (19. 12-15)

F.Pilate “delivers Jesus to them to be crucified” (Jn 19.16)

III.Conclusion: By reason of Jesus’ Good Confession” before Pilate – 

A.A very strong probability: Pilate became a believer (cf. 19.19-22)

B.An undeniable absolute certainty: 

On the one hand, Jesus died a “spotless Lamb,” having been exonerated of sedition in the most undeniable and dramatic way one could imagine, 

but…

on the other, Jesus did die the death specifically designed by Rome for a seditionist (i.e., He was “lifted up” – cf. Jn 3.14; 8.28; 12.21 – 18.28) – proving to all the reality of His physical death and thus validating His resurrection!

For the rest of the notes please email wow@shepherds.org

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Amy Anthony

April 9, 2025

WOW John 20

Encounters with the Empty Tomb and the Risen Savior

1. The First Day 
   1. The Tomb 
      1. Mary M 
      2. The Women 
      3. Peter &John 
      4. Mary again 
      5. The Jewish Leaders
2. The Risen Savior 
   1. Mary M 
   2. The Women 
   3. Peter 
   4. The two Emmaus guys 
   5. “The 12,” who were really 10 plus others 
3. “After eight days” (a week later) 
   1. The Risen Savior 
      1. Thomas
4. Now
    
   1. The Empty Tomb, The Risen Savior, The Book of John 
      1. YOU!

Applications: 

• What stone is lying ahead of you right now? What impossible, immovable thing do you need to release your grip on and surrender to the Lord because His plan is better than yours anyway?
• Who are you, (or your spouse, or your kids, or your neighbor, or your cantankerous boss) in this story?
• Do you identify with Mary Magdalene as an outlier? Are you defining yourself by your circumstances or by who you are in Christ?
• Only God forgives sin BUT we CAN proclaim sins forgiven by sharing the gospel…when was the last time you did that with someone?
• Only God forgives sin, BUT how recent is your own confession before the Lord?
• Only God forgives sin, BUT whose sins against you are you “retaining” that you should just let go of and forgive?
• If you are a believer and you have ever struggled with doubt, it’s okay. Just don’t stay in that doubt. Stay in His word.
• If you are an unbeliever, I can’t show you the physical resurrected Jesus, but what I can give you is the undisputed historical fact of the empty tomb.

End of the Beginning (Chorus) By David Phelps 

(you can find it on YouTube-I like the choir arrangement better)

He was born of a virgin one holy night in the little town of Bethlehem.

Angels gathered 'round Him underneath the star 

singing praises to the great I AM.

He walked on the water, 

Healed the lame, 

and made the blind to see again.

And for the first time here on earth we learned that God could be a friend.

And though He never, ever did a single thing wrong, 

The angry crowd chose Him. 

And then He walked

and He died,

Three days later, 

He rose!

CCLI Song # 3916313

David Phelps

© 2001 Soulwriter Music Company, Inc.; Winkin' Music

For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com

CCLI License # 48748

W.O.W.    2, 2025   Terri Brady  John 19

* Trials and hearings (19:1-16)

• “Team Roman Empire” and “Team Jews” combine against Jesus
• Proclamations of innocence
• Mockings and abuse

Principles:

• The Man who said “I have overcome the world” (16:33) doesn’t look like the victor on this earth- and neither will we.
• The judges of this earth have perverted justice, so be sure we are right with the only True Judge.
• The reason Jesus was sent for crucifixion had nothing to do with Him and everything to do with us.

Applications:

• There is only one trial for you and me: Do you believe?

* Crucifixion (19:17-37)

1. 1. Who was present
   2. 7 statements from the cross
   3. Unnatural events in the land
   • Darkness Luk 23:44-45;
   • Earthquake Matt 27:51;
   • Tombs opened Matt 27:52-53;
   • The veil of the temple torn in two. Mark 15:38

Principles:

• When Jesus taught, “You will be hated by everyone,” (Matt 10:22) He knew He would live an example of that hatred first.
  • Christ’s greatest agony did not come from physical pain (even of the cross), emotional pain (when all friends have left), or prideful pain (when humiliated, naked and hanging with criminals in front of a watching world), but from being separated from the Father for even “just a few” hours.
• Even Christ had to die to be raised. So too must we.
• We are meant to “survey” the wondrous cross.
  • Heb 12:3: “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”

Applications:

• Jesus Christ gave up His life for us, can we not live for Him?
• Where can we “die to self” and look on Him? (Heb 12:2)

*  Burial (19:38-42)

1. Two unlikely converts take Jesus to be buried

• Who they were
• What they risked

Principles:

• Risking the temporary is necessary to gain the eternal.
• We are meant to perform for an audience of One.

Applications:

• What part of my Christian life am I trying to compartmentalize: acting like a Christian in some situations, and hiding my faith in others?
• What could WE offer with our riches for such a time as we are called?
• Where am I missing out on the relationship with Him, because like a pharisee, I have made rules my god above God?
  • Do I recall that I am performing for an audience of One?
    • “Nothing is important except that which is eternal.” – Amy Carmichael

*  Prophecies fulfilled

1. Jesus predicted His death many times (Mark 10:33-34; Luke 18:33)
2. 28 prophecies fulfilled in John 19 alone, for eg.

• Psalm 22:18 (lots for clothing), Ps 69:21 (vinegar).
• Psalm 34:20/Exodus 12:46 (no bones broken).
• Isaiah 53:5, 9 (pierced; grave with wicked; with rich man in death)
• Zechariah 12:10 (piercing).

1. Prophecies pre-dated crucifixion’s invention
2. GREAT things yet to come

Principles:

• Having seen prophecies come true in the past should give us comfort to trust Him with our future.

Applications:

• Where are we losing sight of the future by focusing only on the present?
• “Where am I putting a period, where God only put a comma?” – Dr. Robert Smith Jr.

https://www.dropbox.com/

To request the handouts from which Dr. Bookman is teaching, please email WOW@shepherds.org or click on the following link:

Roman trials harmonized w PW chart.dox

Kelly Keen

THE GREAT PETITION…

1. HIS GLORY RESTORED (17:1-8)

Jesus Christ is exalted to the right hand of God, ruling as King and interceding for His people.

1. HIS GIFTS SECURED (17:9-19)

God secures and sanctifies His chosen people for His mission in the world.

1. HIS GOALS ACCOMPLISHED (17:20-26)

Believers are to be united with God in purpose and in glory, now and forever.

1. These Things (16:1-6)
   1. Four Encouragements
      1. Don’t let your heart be troubled-you have a peace only Jesus can give
      2. This world is NOT your home, and Jesus has prepared a place for YOU
      3. Jesus says PRAY in His name and the Father will answer
      4. If you are a believer, you have the Holy Spirit as an ever-present Helper
2. Six Calls to Action
   1. Serve others by doing
   2. Love one another as Jesus has loved you
   3. Abide in Jesus
   4. Go and bear fruit
   5. Be prepared for the World to hate you
   6. Testify about Jesus

Principles:

• We share in those things that Jesus told His disciples during the upper room discourse, and because His word is living and active, they are every bit as applicable to us today as they were to the 12 then.

Applications:

• Are you personally applying Jesus’s encouragements and commands to YOUR life?

1. The Helper (16:7-15)
   1. The Spirit’s actions through believers to the world
      1. Convicts re: sin, righteousness, judgment
   2. The Spirit’s actions for believers in their spiritual walk
      1. Guides into all truth

Principles:

• Unbelievers are convicted in their unbelief by the Spirit inside you, as a believer

Applications:

• If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, let that change today. That uncomfortableness you experience around Christians is the Holy Spirit in them convicting you in your unbelief-your denial of God’s messenger and His message. Let today be the day you turn away from the world and all its temporary pleasures and embrace the Lover of your soul who died so that you might live forever with Him.

1. A Question of Timing  (16:16-23a)
   1. Jesus will go, but He will come back again
   2. The world will rejoice, but has sorrow after; they will have sorrow, but then will have a joy no one can take away

Principles:

• Momentary grief (the cross) followed by eternal joy (salvation) is more precious than momentary joy (the world’s view of the cross) followed by eternal sorrow (judgment)

Applications:

• Do you LIVE in that joy? If yours is the only testimony, the only Christian witness someone ever encounters, how joyful is the story they would see?

1. Prayer (16:23b-27)
   1. Pray in Jesus’s name- according to the will of the Father
   2. “In that day”- after Jesus’s resurrection and ascension
   3. Pray directly to the Father-no intermediary!
   4. An end to the cryptic speaking

Principles:

• Jesus says to pray.
• With the disciples, He ushers in a new concept of prayer-not through an intermediary like the temple priest, but directly with the Father Himself because He loves us and because Christ’s redeeming work on the cross means the veil is torn and we can boldly approach the throne.
• But when you pray, you should pray in Jesus’s name, praying in His merit, His worthiness, in line with the will of God.

Applications:

• Are you praying regularly?
• Are you praying things that you are comfortable asking Jesus to “sign His name to”?

1.  The Plainest Truth (16:28-33)
   1. Like some prophecy, Jesus’s “plain speech” seems to have a “now and yet to come” aspect to it
   2. “Present courage is not good enough for future testing.” - Stephen Davey
   3. We’ve circled back to “these things”, but now they have peace
   4. Jesus overcame the world BEFORE THE CROSS!!!

Principles:

• Our victory is assured too. Not in our own strength or our own actions, but in His..... For rest of notes email WOW@Shepherds.org

John 15 – Last Words

2/26/2025 – WOW

1. Bear Fruit – By Abiding in Christ (v. 1-11)

Wiersbe - “Abiding in Christ demands worship, meditation on God’s Word, prayer, sacrifice, and service—but what a joyful experience it is! Once you have begun to cultivate this deeper communion with Christ, you have no desire to return to the shallow life of the careless Christian.” – (The Bible Exposition Commentary, 335)

“Such a perspective will not produce a superficial, fairy tale-like “happily-ever-after” attitude but a deep sense of well-being and joy that their lives are united in the vine of Jesus and thus in his self-giving death and powerful resurrection.” – New American Commentary, 147

1. Love Others – By Imitating Christ (v. 12-17)

1. Endure Persecution – By Remembering Christ (v. 18-27)

I. Jesus, the Way to the Father (vs. 1-14)
A. Jesus goes to Prepare a Place for You (vs. 1-4)

-Do not let your heart be troubled – The term means to be “agitated” or “stirred” Jesus understood that His group of followers would be deeply shaken, not
only by His words about His upcoming departure but also by the fact that
He would soon become the crucified Lamb.

-Instead…we are to trust in God and in Jesus

-Jesus is going to prepare a place for us

-Going – involving the work that He is about to perform on the cross and through His resurrection
-Place – rooms/flats/apartments – it is a place for you with the Trinity for
all eternity
-Jesus will return for us – we will be with Him again

B. Our Destination is more than just a Place, It’s a Person (vs. 5-7)

Jesus is the Way because He is the Truth and the Life. Just as the Father
embodies Truth and Life, Jesus represents God in a tangible form, allowing
people to approach the Father. Through His statement, No one comes to the
Father except through Me, Jesus emphasized that salvation is not found through
various paths, as many believe. There is only one true Way. Jesus is the exclusive
path to the Father because He is the only One from Him.

C. The Relationship of the Father and the Son (vs. 8-14)

-Jesus appeals to both His words and His works as proof that He and the Father
are One. Jesus reveals that He is God.
-The privilege, purpose, and promise of prayer (vs. 13-14)
-Will God give me everything that I want? What does it mean to pray in
Jesus’ name?
-It means to appeal to the Father on the basis of Jesus’ merits and
influence as our great High Priest (Heb 4:14-16).
-It means to pray a prayer consistent with Christ’s holy and righteous
character.
-It means that we pray according to God’s will. We are asking a request
of the Father that would be in line with what Jesus would want.
-It means praying that God’s plans and purposes will be accomplished
for his ultimate glory.
-It means that we pray and sign His name to our prayers.
-It means praying believing that God will grant the request for Jesus’
sake. It means to pray with bold faith (Heb 4:16).

II. Jesus, the keeper of promises (vs. 15-31)
A. The Promise of the Spirit (vs. 15-17, 26)
-Who is the Helper that Jesus will ask the Father to send to us (v. 16)?
-What are the characteristics of this Helper (v. 16-17)?
-What does the Helper do for us (v.17, 26)?

B. The Promise of Fellowship (vs. 18-24)
On that day refers to the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit, poured out on
believers, revealed the reality of Jesus’ Ascension to the Father. The Spirit would
dwell within believers, teaching them about their union with Jesus (you are in
Me, and I am in you) while manifesting Christ through them.
Christian love is expressed when a believer obeys the Lord's commands. The
rewards of loving Him are significant: (a) the Father will show His love to the
believer, and (b) the Son will love them and reveal Himself to them. This passage
does not promote a “works” based religion but emphasizes that those who believe
and obey Christ’s Word are loved by the Lord. True faith leads to obedience.

C. The Promise of Peace (vs. 25-31)
-What is the legacy of peace that Christ promises the believer in vs. 27?
-Christ promised peace with God
-Christ promised peace as an inward contentment
-This peace is meant to be

OUTLINE

• John 12:1-11
   
  • Jesus anointed in Bethany 
• John 12:12-19
   
  • Jesus arrives in Jerusalem 
• John 12:20-36
   
  • Jesus asked for by Greeks 
• John 12:37-43
   
  • Jesus abhorred by Jews 
• John 12:44-50
   
  • Jesus addresses the crowd 

JESUS ANOINTED IN BETHANY

• Parallel passages
   
  • Matthew 26:6-13 
  • Mark 14:3-9 
• What about Luke 7:36-50? 
  • Differences 
    • Simon the Pharisee, not Simon the Leper. 
    • Woman not named was a “sinner,” not Mary the sister of Lazarus 
    • The time was early in Jesus’s ministry, not the last week 
    • The point of the story is “He who is forgiven much, loves much” – not anointing Jesus for his death
  • Conclusion – these must have been two separate instances 
• Heart Contrast of Mary and Judas 
  • Mary 
    • An extravagant gift 
    • A declaration of her total devotion to Jesus 
    • A fragrant offering 
    • A memorialized act of selflessness
  • Judas 
    • A complaint regarding monetary worth 
    • A disingenuous “caring” for the poor 
    • A legacy of thievery
• Heart Contrast of the Crowd and the Chief Priests 
  • Crowd 
    • Followed Jesus because of miracles
  • Chief Priests 
    • Plotted to kill Jesus and Lazarus 
    • Desire to keep more Jews from leaving their influence

JESUS ARRIVES IN JERUSALEM

• Jesus affirms he is the promised Messiah
  • Palm branches 
  • Hosanna 
  • Riding on a donkey
• The reactions 
  • Disciples 
  • Crowd 
  • Pharisees 

JESUS ASKED FOR BY GREEKS

• God-fearers in Jerusalem for the Passover
• Asked Philip to see Jesus
• Jesus’s teaching 
  • The time has come 
  • Parable of the grain of wheat 
  • The call to lay down your life 
  • “My soul is troubled” 
  • “Glorify your name” 
  • Key verse 32 – “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 
  • Believe in the light 

JESUS ABHORRED BY JEWS

• Though many followed, few believed
• Even his rejection was the fulfillment of prophecy
• Many “believed” but wouldn’t confess him before others

JESUS ADDRESSES THE CROWD

• Belief in him is belief in God.
• I am the light.
• I came to save the world.
• My authority comes from the Father.
• My words come from the Father.

QUESTIONS TO ASK OURSELVES

• In what ways am I like Mary and in what ways am I more like Judas?
• Am I unashamed to be known as a Christ-follower even when the cost is high?
• Is my faith in Christ or in a messiah of my own imagination?
• Is my life driven by the purposes of God for me, or my own agenda?
• Do I rejoice daily in my Savior’s obedience to die on a cross on my behalf?

1. Jesus is the door of the Sheep (John 10:1—10)
   
   
2. Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11—18) 
   
   
3. The Good Shepherd’s Call Demands a Response (John 10:19—21)
    
   
   

Application - Five Marks of the Good Shepherd’s Sheep

If Jesus is our Good Shepherd, then a fitting question is, “what are the marks of the Good Shepherd’s sheep?”

1. The Good Shepherd’s sheep know Him (v14) 
   1. We have a vital, personal relationship with Jesus 
   2. Not just associating with the Good Shepherd's flock, but humbly submitting ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus (Psalm 95:6—9)
2. The Good Shepherd’s sheep hear His voice (v3, 27) 
   1. Importance of regularly being in the word and communing with Jesus in prayer 
   2. We must be discerning! Listen to His voice only and not the voice of false teachers. 
   3. WARNING! Satan often disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14)
3. The Good Shepherd’s sheep follow Him (v4, 27) 
   1. We TRUST in Jesus and His word 
   2. We OBEY His voice and follow willingly 
   3. We faithfully follow Him, even when the path of life seems uncertain (Psalm 23) 
   4. He will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5—6)
4. The Good Shepherd’s sheep will never perish (v28) 
   1. The Good Shepherd’s sheep have full assurance of eternal life NOW (John 6:47) 
   2. Nothing in all creation can separate the Good Shepherd’s sheep from the love of God (Rom 8:38—39)
5. The Good Shepherd’s sheep are secure (v28—30) 
   1. We fear no evil! The Good Shepherd is watching over us! (Psalm 23:4, Isa 40:11) 
   2. The Good Shepherd and the Father are united in purpose to protect us

QUESTION: Are you one of the Good Shepherd’s sheep?

II. The Healing of the Blind man (9:1–12)
A. Blindness and Ancient Views 1. Ancient Nations 2. Greek philosophers wrote about blindness as a curse of the gods. 3. In Biblical times, “To be overtaken by blindness is the ultimate disaster because with it comes total  dependence on others.” 4. The religious Jews likely believed this as well, putting a biblical spin on the issue (Exodus 34:7b:  “who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the  children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation”).

B. The Disciples’ Question (1–2)   1. They assumed there was a tight connection between sin and this man’s malady  2.  In asking this, the disciples reveal they would qualify as Job’s counselors. 

C. Jesus’ Response (3–5)  1. Direct Answer   a. He explicitly denied the direct correlation of particular sin and this man’s ailment. b. Instead, he offers an alternative explanation: God allowed the man the blindness that God’s  work might be displayed in him.   2. Explanation of the Answer and His coming actions   a. Jesus is the light of the world. It is day when He is present.  b. When Jesus is gone, the light is gone. It will be darkness when He is gone.  c. This explanation ties together the last chapter with this one  Jesus has explained that he is the light of the world in chapter 8. He shows He is the light of  the world in chapter 9. This is a metaphor that explains Jesus’ upcoming actions: Jesus’ light opens the eyes of the  blind man. In sum, Jesus is saying, “This man was born blind and put in this exact spot at this exact  time for me to demonstrate that I am the light of the world.”  d. Jesus is also anticipating his coming death  The time of darkness when “no man can work” is the period between Jesus’ death and the  coming of the Spirit at Pentecost.  During this time, the light in the world had been snuffed out.   The implication is that the Spirit would likewise be a light (cf. His identification as the  sevenfold torches, which are the Spirit before the throne in Rev 4:5).  e. In sum, Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question did two things:  It revealed that they were mistaken about the nature of sin and judgment.  It revealed that God planted the man there with that malady for Jesus to do the work of  God and shine light.  In the words of Carson, What Jesus was about to do was not “just a  miracle; it is a sign, the work of the Father, mediated through the sent one, to shed light on  those who live in darkness.”

D. Jesus’ Healing (6–7)  1. Jesus’ Actions  2. Jesus’ Words  3. The man’s Obedience
E. Reaction of His Neighbors (9:8–12)   1. The Neighbor’s responses  2. The Man’s Response
III. Investigation of the Pharisees (9:13–34)  
A. The First Interrogation (9:13–17) 
B. The Parent’s Testimony (9:20–23)  
C. The Final Interrogation (9:24–34)

IV. Light and Darkness (9:35–41)
A. Jesus’ Discussion with the Man (35–38) 1. The man has made an infant step, but Jesus seeks him out to ground him in the faith. 2. His question appears odd because of the title “son of man.”
B. Jesus’ Assessment (39) 3. The man’s response, “Who is he” is genuine. He knows Jesus is a righteous servant who God listens to, but is He the actual Messiah?  4. Jesus

John 7

November 20, 2024

Timing is Everything 

• Before the Feast (John 1-9): 
  • “After these things…” 
  • Walking in Galilee 
  • The Feast of Booths was Near- 6 months from Passover 
  • 3 Applications:
     
    • Jesus’ brothers were quick to attribute wrong motives to His deeds, assuming He was seeking the limelight, wanting fame and notoriety for Himself. Bad things happen when you assume. Are you, am I, ever guilty of assuming I know someone’s motivation for saying or doing something instead of taking the time to just ask them? To find out more? To build a bridge toward understanding instead of burning the bridge with hurtful assumptions?
    • Jesus LIVED with these guys, and they still missed the fact that He was the real deal…at least for now in our story. They knew Him probably better than almost anyone, but needed more to believe. Maybe that’s you too. Maybe you grew up knowing Him but not believing Him. Let today be the day that you change that.
    • We do not belong to the world, and the world hates us because it hated Jesus first. This world should not feel comfortable to you, and if it does, you probably need to have a deep heart to heart with the Lord. But if you have been feeling like a stranger in a strange land lately, you can rejoice because this world may hate you, but Jesus loves you.

• The Feast of Booths 
  • Begins on the 15th day of the 7th month (Tishrei)
  • Is one week long, but ends with a Holy Convocation on the 8th day as well.
  • Is one of three feasts that all Jews are supposed to travel to Jerusalem for.
  • Celebrates the fall harvest (ingathering) and is a time for rejoicing
  • Requires all Jews to live in temporary housing (booths) to remind them of how the people of Israel lived in booths when God brought them out of Egypt.
  • Involves daily sacrifices at the temple, and the complete reading of the law every 7 years. 

• The Feast (John 10-36) 
  • We don’t even know what Jesus was teaching about, only the uproar His teaching caused
  • The most important lesson for them and for us came out of the crowd grappling with the question of who Jesus was.                                                Is He a good guy? A rabble rouser? A miracle worker? A law breaker? Or is He the Christ, the Messiah, sent by God? The Word of God? The Son of God? 
    • Application
       You need to know that you know that you know who He is because one day it will be too late.
•  The Last Day of the Feast (John 37-53) 
  • The water drawing ceremony symbolized God’s physical provision and spiritual salvation
  • “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink”. The offer was free and for everyone, but the cost was great and Jesus bore it alone.
  • Applications
     
    • I was blessed when I arrived at the gate and found out I had more time, but there will come a point for each non-believer when the time is up. Decide to satisfy that thirst and believe in Him now, before it’s too late. 
    • And if you are a believer it says those streams of living water should flow from us. Morgan says, “He was able to satisfy thirst, and, moreover, that those who received such satisfaction from Him should become channels through whom the overflowing rivers should pass.” Is your joy overflowing? Who are you sharing Jesus with?

II. The Search (22-24)
A. The Crowd’s Searching - Image: Bread in Ancient Israel 
B. Our Searching

III. The Sermon (25-40)
A. Location: Synagogue at Capernaum
B. Characters: This hungry crowd, some Jewish leaders, 12 Disciples, and Jesus.
C. Jesus’s Sermon reveals 4 Truths about the Heart (25-35)

1. Jesus knows our motives (25-26)
2. Jesus challenges our priorities (27)
3. Jesus reveals our responsibility (28-29)
4. Jesus satisfies our desires (30-35)

Jesus Makes 4 Claims about Himself (35)
1) A Claim of Exclusivity – It’s been noted that “Our faith is centered on a Person, not a program or principles.” (paraphrase, D. Johnson)
2) A Claim of Deity – “I Am”

• I am the Bread of Life (6:35)
• I am the Light of the World (8:12)
• I am the Door (10:7)
• I am the Good Shepherd (10:11, 14)
• I am the Resurrection and the Life (11:25)
• I am the Way and the Truth and the Life (14:6)
• I am the Vine: (15:1, 5)
• Before Abraham was, I Am (8:58)

3) A Claim of Necessity – the Bread
4) A Claim of Eternity – of Life

Big Idea: Jesus satisfies. There’s an inherent restlessness that we all possess.

Quote: St. Augustine (a man full of desire) famously said, “You have made us for
yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
Psalm 107:8-9 

D. Other Comments (36-40)

IV. The Starved (41-66) *Response of the Crowd & Jewish Leaders
A. They were unconvinced. (41)
B. They were puzzled. (52)
C. They were upset. (60)
D. They were done. (66)

II. The Satisfied (67-69) *Response of the 12 Disciples
A. They were committed. (67)

You may not fully understand everything about Jesus... you’re questions
might not be fully answered (this will take a lifetime) but at some point,
you have to take the bite ... take the leap, and trust God to catch you.
That’s why we call it faith.
Psalm 34:8 – Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

CONCLUSION
2 Ways to Feast on the Bread of Life

1. Admission of Faith (one-time for salvation)
2. Expressions of Faith (ongoing for sanctification)

What are ways to express our faith in Jesus? Well, what did the 12 disciples do?

• They walked with Him.
• They talked with Him.
• They got to know Him.
• Thy meditated on Him.
• They observed His work and ways.
• They ate with Him (Lord’s Supper).
• They worshipped Him.

Feast...

• Feast on his timeless word.
• Feast on his fixed promises.
• Feast on his unconditional love.
• Feast on his unending mercy.
• Feast on his divine approval.
• Feast on his unmatched power.
• Feast on his wonderful presence.
• Feast on his perfect friendship.

What happens when we’re satisfied with the Bread of life? (Satisfaction is a
cousin of contentment.)

• We have freedom (from obsession with sin)
• We have peace (not anxious)
• We have energy (to fulfill God’s work/calling)
• We have joy (pleasant to be around)

1. Jesus is Lord who heals (5:1-9) 
   1. Man was chosen out of a multitude. 
      1. The lame man didn’t do the choosing- and neither do we.
      2. The lame man didn’t have faith in order to be well.
      3. Jesus did it all. 
         1. An act of grace to display God’s glory… just like our salvation. 
   2. Jesus spoke and got the man to look at Him instead of the water. 
   3. Man received a healed body and then a healed soul. 
      1. 5:14: “Behold, you are made well; go and sin no more,” indicates spiritual salvation. 
      2. Sometimes it is the opposite order – healed souls whose bodies await their replacement parts. But they’re coming! A different lesson for a different day, but don’t lose heart.

Principles: 

• Jesus is the sole chooser (and soul chaser) of our salvation; glory belongs nowhere else.  
• God’s healing doesn’t always look like we pictured. 
  • His ways and thoughts are higher than our own. (Is 55: 8-9) 
  • He gives us more than we can ask or imagine (Eph 3:20)

Applications: 

• How often do I have a solution to the problem and I feel like if God doesn’t provide THAT solution (someone to put me in the water) then there’s no solution… when all the while God had something even greater planned that I couldn’t imagine! 
• Where am I looking for “water to move” (some way of fixing the problem) instead of trusting the One who holds all in His hands?

  2.   Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (5:10-18)

• Turning point in ministry: Jewish authorities sought to kill Jesus. (5:16,18)
• Lame man at the pool is healed by Jesus, but all Pharisees “see” is 

1. 1. He did “work” by lifting his mat on the Sabbath. 
   2.  Jesus did work by healing on the Sabbath. 
   3. Jesus claimed to be God.

Principles: 

• No legalism (man’s rule) outweighs God’s law.
• Christ IS our Sabbath Rest; we are free to rest in Him.

Applications: 

• What am I missing by focusing on the letter of the Law instead of the Son of God?
• What list in my head is leading to my pride or my depression?
• We are free in Christ… feel free to act like it. 

   3.   Jesus and the Lord are One (5:19-47)

•  5:19-30 Equality of Christ with the Father: superpowers
  1. Power to act:  He can do what God does (5:19)
  2. Power of Life and Resurrection (5:21)
  3. Power of Judgment (5:22, 27-29)
  4. Deserving of Honor (5:23)
• 5:31-47 Witnesses taking the stand (testifiers)
  1. Himself (5:31)
  2. John the Baptist (5:33, 35)
  3. His works (5:36)
  4. God the Father (5:37-38)
  5. Scripture (5:39-40)
  6. Moses (5:45-47) 

1. 1. 1. 1. Moses wrote many things that foreshadowed the coming of the Messiah. 
            1. Jesus IS the Passover Lamb, as those who put their faith in His death and the blood He shed are rescued from death. (John 3:16-18)
            2. Like the manna in the desert, Jesus is the Bread from Heaven (John 6:51) that satisfies our spiritual hunger and gives us life.
            3. Like the water that sprung from the rock, Jesus is the living water (John 7:37) that satisfies our spiritual thirst. 
            4. Like the snake lifted in the desert so that those doomed could look upon it and be saved, Jesus was lifted up so that we can look upon Jesus and be saved from spiritual death. (John 3:14-15)
            5. Jesus is the offspring of the woman spoken of in Genesis 3 that would crush the head of Satan (Genesis 3:15)

..... For the rest of the notes  email WOW@Shepherds.org

[From Roy Laurin’s Commentary on John]

1. The means of salvation is Faith “these are written that ye might believe”
2. The object of faith is Jesus Christ “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”
3. The effect of faith in Jesus Christ is Life “and that believing ye might have life through his name”

Christopher Morley wrote in Parnassus on Wheels, “When you sell a man a book you don’t sell him just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue – you sell him a whole new life.” This is true of the fourth gospel. It is a way of life – eternal life made available in the divine person of Jesus through His life and death. An old Quaker expressed it this way: “By God’s grace I’m going to really live until I die, and then I’m going to live forever.”

What is eternal life? It is not something that happens at death but something that those who are born again possess now. They obtain it by birth, not by death. It is the life Jesus has and imparts to us upon the exercise of our faith.” [Roy Laurin, Commentary on John]

1. The author, John, was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman, he originally was a disciple of John the Baptist and later along with his brother Andrew became the first disciples of Jesus.
2. At the completion of the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, John remained in Jerusalem as one of three pillars of the church there [Gal. 2:9]. In later years he would move to Ephesus and would continue there into his older years. He would toward the end be banished to Patmos where he would write the book of Revelation. 
3. John would write his Gospel while in Ephesus sometime within the 80’s AD.

John’s purpose is to offer a devotional explanation in terms of faith, life and experience. Overall, it is to present Jesus as God, John says “Behold your God.”

Here is a Gospel that is beneficial for us to give to the non-believer and believer alike, a handbook of truth for the babe in Christ and a source of encouragement for the mature believer. Here we have 21 chapters full of great truths, all presented to us in the simplicity and love of a man who was a simple fisherman and yet would become the disciple closest to our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. A simple outline of this Gospel: [Taken from Roy Laurin’s commentary on John]
2. Jesus and the Past – the eternal Word of Life 1:1-18
3. Jesus and the Present – the source and sustainer of life 1:19-20:31
4. Jesus and the Future – the glory of life forever 21:1-25

John 4:1-42

Note: In verses 1-42 no specific sign is recorded yet this section lends great significance to the Ministry of our Lord. The focal point is Samaria. Here as stated by Morgan, “our Lord is seen crossing the boundary line of prejudice, and supposed privilege, as He went through Samaria. Jews, says John in a comment, have no dealings with Samaritans, but this Jew went through Samaria.”

1. The Resources for life as to the occasion 4:1-6
2. “Therefore,” Jesus has just finished about 9 months of ministry in Judea and Jerusalem, the Pharisees ire has been exalted and some of John the Baptist disciples are questioning who to give allegiance to. Even John the Baptist had to reveal his loyalty to Jesus as stated in 3:30
3. “Must,” which implies a logical necessity, he was not going through Samaria simply because of its geographical location but instead .....(For the rest of the notes email WOW@Shepherds.org)

Will All False Disciples Please Bow Now!

Chapter 2: The Beginning of Jesus Public Ministry

Introduction

1. Importance of belief in Jesus as God (John 8:24, John 20:31)
2. Distinction between true and false disciples
3. The role of works, words, and walk in identifying true disciples

I. The Wedding, The Woman, The Wine (John 2:1-10)

1. The Wedding
2. The Woman (Mary)
3. The Wine

II. The Messiah Introduces Himself (John 2:11-22)

1. The Power of Divine Glory
2. Jesus' Actions at the Temple
3. Jesus' Confrontation with the Jewish Leaders
4. The Response of the Disciples

III. The Messiah Knows All Men (John 2:23-25)

1. Humanity’s Fickleness

1. The Characteristics of False Disciples

Conclusion

1. It was never about John the Baptist (John 1:19-28)

(Luke 3:15: 1 Kings 1:8; Matt 3:4; Mal 4:5; Deut 18:15, 18; Isa 40:3; Mark 1:4-5) 

• Our testimony should always point others to Christ, not ourselves.

“Those speak best for Christ that say least of themselves, whose own works praise them, not their own lips.” ~ Matthew Henry

   2.  It was always about the Lamb (John 1:29-34)

(Gen 22:7; Ex 29:38-42; Heb 9:26; Ex 12; Isa 53:7; Luke 1:36; 2 Pet 1:16; Matt 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; 2 Sam 7:12-13)

• The Lamb of God took away your sin yesterday, today and forever!
• Jesus is the Son of God and God the Son!

    3.  It’s time to “Come and see” (John 1:35-51)

(Luke 19:10; Gen 25, 27, 30; Gen 28:12; Rev 5:12; Heb 4:12) 

• Jesus’s invitation of come and see is always open and available to everyone!
• Insight doesn’t produce obedience.  Obedience produces insight.

Final Questions to Consider Today:

• What is your response to the Lamb of God? 
  • Who is He to you? Is your response “Worthy is the Lamb?”
• What is your response to Jesus’s question, “What are you seeking?” 
  • God already knows, but He wants you to talk to Him about it. 
  • Our relationship with God is a dialogue, not a monologue. 
• What is your response to Jesus’s invitation to “Come and see?” 
  • Have you accepted His invitation to be a child of God? 
  • Have you accepted but gotten a little sidetracked? 
  • Have you accepted and needed the reminder to come and see daily?
• How will you share with others to “Come and see” who Jesus is?

1. THE WORD IN THE BEGINNING-  JOHN 1:1-5
2. THE WITNESS TO THE LIGHT - JOHN 1:6-13
3. THE WONDER OF THE INCARNATION-  JOHN 1:14-18

THE MAIN POINT:
The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man to reveal the Father and redeem sinners.


Mild He lays His glory by,
   Born that man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth;
   Born to give them second birth.

“Right is right even if no one is doing it;
wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it". 
-St. Augustine

“In Jesus Christ, the distant, unknowable, invisible, unreachable, unapproachable God has come to men; and God can never be a stranger to us again!” -William Barclay

THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE

An Introduction to the Book of John

1.  Interrogating the text. (These answers will be given throughout the lecture.)

• Who wrote the book of John?
• Who is he writing to?
• What is the “theme” of John?
• When was this Gospel written?
• How is it different from the other Gospels?
• Why did John write this Gospel? 

   2. The Gospel of John, in 4 parts:

• The Prologue:
• Jesus’s Public Ministry
• Jesus’s Final Days
• The Epilogue 

   3.  Three sets of seven(ish)

  
       SIGNS                                     NAMES                                        I AM (the’s)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

   4.  Applications
 

• John’s deepest desire…God’s deepest desire…is that you have no alternative but to conclude that Jesus is who He claimed to be, that He is the I AM, the Lamb of God, the Son of Man, the Messiah, and that you would, like Thomas, fall on your knees and declare Him as your Lord and your God. If you have never done that before, let today be the day that changes your life forever! Of all the applications, that you may believe is the most important.

•  Are you weighed down by your current circumstances? Does the state of the world today worry you or make you batty? REFOCUS on HIM! Where the world distracts and dismays, Jesus satisfies! And remember, this world is NOT our home, and we have a future of “zoe”-bliss and glory -awaiting us.

• Have you experienced the same life changing love John shared about with his dying breaths? Love is the first in the list of the fruit of the Spirit. It’s God’s gift to ALL believers. Is your life as a Christ follower a changed life? Are you known for your love of the brethren? If not, know with all certainty that that is something God wants for you, and pray for Him to help you grow in love.

• Do what John did, and share the Good News with others!

The layout of our method is daily personal “homework” and a weekly meeting that includes: a small group discussion, worship through song and a lecture by one of the WOW Lecture Team, Shepherds Theological Seminary professors, or guests who brighten our year with their gifts. 

This year we will be studying the book of John.

What you’ve received today:

• The spiral bound book of homework study questions for John.
• The Syllabus (The yellow reading schedule found in the back pocket)

What you didn’t receive, but may like to have:

• A notebook for taking notes during lectures or storing printed lecture handouts.
• The website for our recorded lectures: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2033316

Our goal is to study God’s Word before studying man’s word about God’s Word. The daily lessons are to guide the excavation of the depth of His Word, and provide some organization to the discussion, but His Word trumps all.  The best commentary is the Bible, and the curriculums were selected based on their use of the Bible as its own commentary.

Prayer is the first step of daily Bible study, so each day before looking at the syllabus for what to do, the first step is PRAYER. Next, the Bible passage should be read. And finally, questions can be answered. If questions seem difficult or a busy week left too many blanks, please come to the discussion group anyway! If the questions seem easy, expand the study on your own, then come and see how the Lord uses you in the lives of others. We love to see how the Lord blesses WOW friendships while iron sharpens iron in WOW and beyond.
May God cheer and guide your study in Him!
Extra Notes:
Commentaries: If you are interested in reading further on our topics this year, these resources may be helpful: 

• The Bible Knowledge Commentary - edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck
  • Two volumes - Old Testament and New Testament
• The Wiersbe Bible Commentary - Warren W. Wiersbe
  • Two volumes - Old Testament and New Testament 
• Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible – Matthew Henry

Other authors:  James Montgomery Boice,,Stephen Davey, Pastor of The Shepherd’s Church, Elizabeth Ficken, this is one of Shepherd’s own! Check out her book, Abide in Me, Gene Getz, John Macarthur, J. Vernon McGee, Chuck Swindoll

Free Websites: The internet is full of misinformation, so any web searches should exercise discretion for His Truth. The following websites have been helpful in studying:

• Wisdomonline.org has 32 years of archived sermons from Stephen Davey. In addition, there are daily broadcasts as well as the Wisdom Journey – a 3-year program, where Davey teaches through the entire Bible in approximately 10 minutes/day.
• BlueLetterBible.org (Includes Strong’s Concordance and commentaries by Matthew Henry, John MacArthur, John Walvoord and more.)
• BibleStudyTools.com (Has many Bible versions, language translations, including original Greek and Hebrew.)
• ExpeditionBible.org is a website by Joel Kramer, author of Where God Came Down, and offers wonderful videos of expeditions in the holy land with the archeological finds relating to the Bible.

Questions about the study? Please don’t hesitate to ask! wow@shepherds.org

1. Contentions      

Jude 1-3 Introductory Greeting

1. 1. Envelope: From? To? Where? When?
   2. Purpose: Contend earnestly for faith.

Principles:

• Our greatest title is “bondservant of Christ”.
• We should be able to contend for faith and encourage others to do the same.

Applications:

• (We could start our emails with greetings a lot better than the ones we have.) 

    2.  Creeps

Jude 4-19 There are “certain persons” who have crept in.

1. Declared: They ARE (not “will be”) among us.
2. Described as
    
   1. Unnoticed (4)
   2. Ungodly (4) 
   3. Turn grace of God into lewdness (4) 
   4. Deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ (4) 
   5. Defile the flesh (8) 
   6. Reject authority (8) 
   7. Speak evil 
      1. of dignitaries (8) - even of God (15)
      2. of what they do not know (9)
   8. viii.Follow flesh like brute beasts (10,16) 
   9. Grumblers, complainers (16) 
   10. Braggers, flatter to gain advantage (17) 
3. Deluded “like”
   1. Cain (11) 
   2. Error of Balaam (11) 
   3. Rebellion of Korah (11) 
   4. Clouds without water, twice dead trees, raging waves (12) 
4. Doomed like (well-known acts of apostacy from OT) 
   1. Apostate generation of Moses died before Promised Land 
   2. Apostates of fallen angels 
   3. Apostates living in Sodom and Gomorrah 
   4. Woe to them! (11) 
   5. God WILL execute judgment (15)

Principles:

• Apostates are not a surprise to God, and they shouldn’t be to us.
• False teachers do not have your best interest in mind.

Applications:  

• What erroneous teaching is distracting me from Truth in His Word?

THE CHRISTIAN’S HOPE: THE LORD WILL RETURN (2 Peter 3:1-18)

A. THE MOCKERY OF THE LAST DAYS (2 Peter 1-10)

    1. The Remembrance (verses 1-2)

    2. The Mockery (verses 3-4)

    3. The Rebuttal (verses 5-7)

 Principle: We must remember the Words and Promises of God lest we be tainted by the world’s denial of Jesus and His return.     

 Application: Is Jesus your “celestial fix”? What ways are you turning to God and “SON-testing” the teachings of our day? 

B. THE DOCTRINE OF THE LORD’S RETURN (v. 8-13)

    1. God Guarantees It (verses 8-9)

    2. Peter Describes It (verse 10-11)

   *** FLYOVER OF END TIMES***

     - WHAT IS THE DAY OF THE LORD? (Isa.13:9-11, Zech.14:1-9)

     - WHAT IS THE RAPTURE? (Rev. 3:10, John 14:1-3, 1 Thes. 4:15-18, 1 Cori. 15:50-53)

    - WHAT IS THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST? (2 Cori. 5:10)

    - WHAT IS THE TRIBULATION? (Rev. 5:8-14, Jere. 30:7, Dan.12:10, Zech. 13:7-9, Rev. 7:9)

    - WHO IS THE ANTICHRIST? (1 Thes. 2:1-12, Rev. 13:1-18, 2 Thes.2:4, Dan.9:27)

- WHAT IS THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST? (Matt.24:30; Rev. 19:11-21; Matt. 25:31-  46; Matt.25:1-11; Rev. 20:4-6; Dan.12:2)

- WHAT IS THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM? (Isa. 11:9; Zech.14:9; Micah 4:1-2; Isa.9:6-7  Eze.34:23-25)

    - WHAT IS THE GREAT WHITE THRONE? (Rev. 20:10-15)

   - WHAT ARE THE NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH? (Rev. 21:1-27)

Principle: God’s Word says it; therefore, it is true; and therefore, I believe it! Christ will return!!

Application: Knowing these truths about Christ’s return and His coming Kingdom, how are you living each day? Who will you share the hope of Jesus with this month?

C. PETER EXHORTS THE BELIEVERS TO HOLINESS (verses 11-18)

    1. verse 11: be holy in conduct and holiness

    2. verse 14: be watchful

    3. verse 14: be diligent to be found in Him in peace

    4. verse 14: be spotless and blameless 

    5. verse 15: be witnessing

    6. verse 17: be careful not to get carried away

    7. verse 17: be steadfast

    8. verse 18: be growing in grace and knowledge

Principle: While we wait for Christ’s return, we must seek to remain true to Christ and to grow to be more Christ-like.

Application: What steps will you take to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus so that you look and act more like Jesus this time next month? Next year? Be intentional!

April 10th, 2024

One Truth and Many Lies

2 Peter 2

Days of Distorted Doctrine – 2 Peter 2:1-3

(Jer 23:16-17; 1 John 2:2; Micah 3:11; 1 Tim 6:10; John 8:44; 1 Pet 5:8; Matt 7:13-15)

• False teachers are often focused on sales, not salvation.
• False teachers often use the same words, but different dictionaries.
• Yes, Satan loses in the end.  But today, he is alive and active!
• Matthew 7:13-14 says “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Commits to chains the condemned and rescues the righteous – 2 Peter 2:4-10

(Gen 6:9; Gen 7:21; Gen 18:24, 26)

• Condemnation comes when one rejects God regardless of their title.
• God will ultimately rescue the righteous regardless of their circumstances.
• “Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”  ~ CS Lewis from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

Deceptive and Destroyed – 2 Peter 2:10-16

(2 Cor 11:3-4)

• Do we ever try to manipulate the scriptures to justify our behavior?
• Balaam wanted the benefits, but he wasn’t willing to bend his knee to Yahweh.
• Are there areas of our lives where we want the benefits of a deep relationship with Christ but we’re not willing to put in the work to get there?
• God will do the unexpected to pursue his ends including giving speech to a donkey.

Deliverance to Darkness – 2 Peter 2:17-22

(John 4:13-14; 1 Pet 2:16; 2 Cor 3:17; James 5:19-20; Gen 3:1)

• Encouraging more sin to gain more grace is a lie and not the gospel.  
• Are there areas you feel enslaved to yourself or enslaved to other desires?
• Head knowledge ≠ heart knowledge.

TRUTH

(John 14:6; Rom 3:23; Rom 6:23; John 3:16; 1 Pet 2:24; Eph 2:8-9; Rom 10:9-10; John 10:28; Job 1:21; John 16:33)

• We must know the truth to recognize the lies.
• John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

***Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?***

WOW March 27, 2024

Topic: “Stump the Pastor” Question and Answer session with Stephen Davey

Below are synopses of the spontaneous questions that were asked, with the approximate time on the recording that each question was answered by Pastor Davey:

1. (4:20) How would you define election?
2. (11:52) If only Noah and his family survived the flood, how did God repopulate the earth?
3. (13:48) How should we fashion a prayer that a loved one would be saved? Do we just pray that God would open their eyes?
4. (16:32) 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 says Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you to be faithful….what is the distinction, if there is one, between the soul and the spirit?
5. (18:44) When your daughter was lost [– before she came to Christ recently as you shared in church–], did you pray “in faith” with confidence?
6. (20:36) How do we reflect the character of Christ to the world – as we relate to homosexuals/trans/LGBTQ, etc community?
7. (26:10) Our close family friend is “marrying” in a homosexual relationship. How far do we go in this relationship, as far as attending the wedding?
8. (30:03) How do we advocate for Christianity in the public arena? Is it possible as a believer to serve in the political world? Are these Christian rights worthy to stand up?  (Our son is involved in leadership, serving a particular party in the upcoming election. Understanding all that is going on in other countries, do we as Christians have a responsibility to advocate through our political system to advocate for Christian values? Could we be persecuted for praying, etc? How far should we go for Christian rights?)
9. (41:39) There’s a certain negativity toward pagan rituals, but which of the Christian rituals are ok? And why? How do we decide which rituals to keep?

Main Point:  Jesus Christ calls believers to suffer for His name and serve for His glory.

TO THIS WE ARE CALLED…

• SUFFERING FOR HIS GOODNESS1 PETER 3:13-4:6

Principle: The believer’s obedient response to suffering provides opportunities to witness for Christ.

• STEWARDS OF HIS GRACE1 PETER 4:7-11

Principle: Believers are to pray diligently, love earnestly, and serve faithfully while we wait for Christ to return.

• SHARING IN HIS GLORY1 PETER 4:12-19

Principle: Suffering prepares the believer to share in His glory, both now and in eternity.

March 13, 2024

1 Peter 2:11-3:12

A Stranger in a Strange Land? 

Trace Your Life on the Example of Christ

1 Peter 2:11-12

• Keep your behavior excellent because someone is watching, and you may be the only Bible they ever read.
• Our lesson for life, our takeaway as fellow aliens and strangers in a world that is not our home, is to remember that no matter how dark it gets, no matter what slander or criticism or persecution we may face, that is just a challenge to shine brighter. 

1 Peter 2:13-15 

• Submit to authority because that authority is God-ordained and because your ultimate authority, God, says to.

1 Peter 2:16-17

• Do the snapshots of your life show frustration and anger or mercy and grace?
• If you aren’t tethered to Christ, marked as His bondservant forever, what are you tethered to? 
• And if you are tethered to Him, is it showing in your excellent behavior?

1Peter 2:18-20

• Submit, even in unjust situations, because Jesus submitted for you, the Just for the unjust.

1 Peter 2:21

• Christ’s life is our hypogrammos.
• If you aren’t tracing your life over Christ’s example, what are you tracing your life over?  
• Our lives should be safely and firmly in the grooves of the pattern of His submission to God’s will.

1 Peter 2:21-25

• Paul Achtemeier states, “Christ’s past and the Christians’ present are paralleled, and Christ’s present and the Christians’ future are similarly paralleled.”
• That future is our true home; we are just strangers here.

1 Peter 3:1-6

• Whose esteem is more important to you, the world’s or God’s?
• Do you submit to your husband and honor him, as Sarah did, even when he’s wrong? 
• Are you “undisturbed from without”? Unflappable and unruffled by outside situations? 
• Are you worried about the internal meek and gentle spirit or the external reflection in the mirror?

1Peter 3:7

• Marriage done properly is one more way for us to shine God’s light to those around us.
• Men and women have different, God-created, physical characteristics and different, God-ordained, tasks we’ve been given.

1 Peter 3:3-12

• Your tongue has a cage-use it!
• Peace marks us as God’s own.
• You are strangers in a strange land, and you must keep your behavior excellent among the natives. To guide you on your way, and make sure you don’t steer off course, trace your life over the example of Christ.

For W.O.W. 2/28/24

by Dr. Gary Hallquist

JUST THE FACTS, MA’AM

• WHO is Peter and to whom is he writing? 
  • Simon Peter, one of the Twelve 
  • Jewish and Gentile Christians scattered across Asia Minor, likely due to the colonization of Roman provinces established by Claudius 
• WHAT is the situation of the recipients of the letters? 
  • Nero is on the throne. Persecution is beginning to spread. Belittling, social ostracism, ridicule, loss of employment opportunities 
• WHERE is Peter writing from and where do the recipients reside? 
  • “Babylon” – most likely Rome 
  • Cities where Paul was not sent to evangelize. Churches were likely established by the colonial dispersion. 
• WHEN were the letters written? 
  • 1 Peter was likely written shortly after Nero began persecuting Christians in 64. 
  • 2 Peter was written sometime between 65 and 67. His martyrdom is placed sometime in late 67 or early 68. 
• WHY did Peter write these letters? 
  • 1 Peter “could be understood as a handbook written for ambassadors to a hostile foreign land.” (Roger M. Raymer) 
  • Theme verse: 1 Peter 5:12 – “…this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.” 
  • “The purpose of 2 Peter is to call Christians to spiritual growth so that they can combat apostacy as they look forward to the Lord’s return.” (Kenneth O. Gangel) 

7 DISTINCT PROBLEMS ADDRESSED IN 1 PETER

• physical and psychological pressure 
• social ostracism and exclusion 
• potential pull from the former pagan way of life 
• a surrounding, seductive non-Christian worldview 
• inconsistent behavior within the fellowship 
• spiritual doubts about the reliability of God's promises in the future 
• Satan’s constant deadly temptations and trials

WHAT YOU SEE IS NOT WHAT YOU GET!

1. We may be exiles down here, but we are citizens up there.
2. The uncertainty of life down here is eclipsed by the certainty of the life that is to come.
3. Doxology is the precursor to a right theology of suffering.
4. Our persecutions cannot be compared to our promises in Christ.
5. Testing by fire is the way of sanctification (becoming more like Christ).
6. Focusing on Jesus produces joy. Focusing on your problems produces sorrow.
7. (v.5) Everything that comes to you is because the Guardian of your salvation has given it entrance. Nothing can break through his shield or overpower his protection. He has purposed your faith to endure, and no purpose of his can be thwarted. 

Outline of Proverbs 30

1. He is a Humble Man (30:2-3)
2. He is a Man of the Word (30:5-6)
3. He is a Praying Man (30:7-10)
4. He is an Observant Man (30:11-33)

Outline of Proverbs 31

1. Lemuel’s Lesson on a Virtuous King
   1. He Affirms Wisdom (31:1-2)
   2. He Avoids Womanizing (31:3)
   3.   He Abstains from Wine (31:4-7)
   4.   He Assists the Weak (31:8-9)
2.   Lemuel’s Lesson on a Virtuous Woman
   1. Her Price (31:10)
   2. Her Portrait (31:11-27)
      1. She is trustworthy (31:11-12)
      2. She is industrious (31:13-19) 
      3. She is compassionate (31:20)
      4. She is conscientious (31:21-24) 
      5. She is dignified (31:21-27)
   3. Her Praise (31:28-31)
      1. From her children (31:28a)
      2. From her husband (31:28b-29)
      3. For her piety (31:30)
      4. For her deeds (31:31)

Chiastic
 B: Husband benefited by wife (vv. 11-12)
 C: Wife works hard (vv. 13-19)
 D: Wife gives to poor (v. 20)
 E: No fear of snow (v. 21a)
 F: Children clothed in scarlet (v. 21b)
 G: Bed coverings, wears linen (v. 22)
 H: Public respect for husband (v. 23)
 G: Sells garments and sashes (v. 24)
 F: Wife clothed in dignity (v. 25a)
 E: No fear of future (v. 25b)
 D: Wife speaks wisdom (v. 26)
 C: Wife works hard (v. 27)
 B: Husband and children praise wife (vv. 28-29)
 A: High value of a good wife (vv. 30-31)

This chapter provides timeless wisdom about leadership, humility, dispute resolution, and self-control. Through the study of chapter 25, we can achieve personal growth and strengthen our relationships.

1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.

2 It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.

3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable.

There are things that God has chosen to remain a mystery to us. There are things that we as humans will never be able to understand or comprehend. However, we as believers (and stewards of God’s Word), need to search (and research) out the things God has revealed. Genesis 1:28

4 Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel;

5 take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

Who is speaking into our lives? Are we allowing God to remove the dross from our lives and remove those wicked influences?

6 Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great,

7 for it is better to be told, "Come up here," than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. 

In Luke 14:7-10, the parable of the wedding feast, Jesus elaborates on these verses. 

7b What your eyes have seen 8 do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame?

Be sure that what you are saying about someone is true. Don’t misinterpret what you see.

9 Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another's secret,

10 lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end.

If you have a problem with someone, go to that person rather than speaking to others about it. You may not have the full picture, or there may be an explanation that you were unaware of. If you are wrong in what you share, your reputation will be damaged.

11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

12 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

Saying the right thing at the right time can be a blessing. Kindness even when correcting or rebuking is wise.

13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.

This describes a cold drink on a hot day. Are we known for refreshing souls?

14 Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.

This describes the “big talker” – someone who constantly brags about their abilities. No matter what someone else has done, they’ve done it better. However, typically, that person has little to show for it.

15 With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.

Many times all that is needed is patience and a soft answer – quiet persistence.

16 If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.

Avoid wanting too much – know when enough is enough. Be aware of greed.
17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.

Don’t overstay your welcome. Be a good guest.

18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.

Falsehoods cause so much damage! Ephesians 4:15 “Speak the truth in love.”
............For the rest of the notes email WOW@Shepherds.org 

• V 1-3 Remember Romans 6:12-13. What do YOU struggle with? What carrot would someone dangle as “deceptive food” for you? I challenge each of us today to daily present ourselves to God for service.
• V4-5 What are YOU pursuing? Live well by pursuing God and His word, not wealth.
• V6-8 Remember Phil 2:3. What about you? Are there any things or areas of your life that you “guard” as yours? What are you being selfish about?
• V9 Don’t waste your words
• V10-11 The “good deeds” we do, we do them not to earn God’s love, but to return God’s love. Do you know someone in need that you could help today? If not, maybe pray that your eyes would be open for opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the world.

Proverbs 23:12-28 (It’s all about the heart)

• V12-14When you have to give correction, whether it’s to a child or another adult, ALWAYS check your HEART first. Make sure you are offering correction out of love, not punishment out of anger.
• V20-21 Do you have passions like drinking or gluttony that are out of control? If you need help, please let today be the day you seek it. We here at WOW are happy to help direct you to resources we are aware of.
• V22 I know relationships can be hard, but for those of you blessed to still have parents on this earth, if they are wise, do you listen to and value them? And if it’s more complicated than that, and they are not-so-wise, are you at least praying for them?
• V23-26 Where do you get your truth-from Facebook or from His book? Do you value it?  Is it soooo precious to you that you would never let it go?
• V27-28 What vices have a grip on you, trying to lure you away from the One who holds your life in His hands? 

Proverbs 23:29-35

• If you see yourself in any of this… If you struggle with drugs or alcohol, first know how very glad we are that you are at WOW, fighting the battle and learning God’s word for yourself. But also, let today be the day you declare that you have a new Master in your life - that Jesus is your Lord, and not this vice, and that you are ready for a change. We have a Care Ministry at the church, and we’d love to give you more information and help you on that journey.
• Even if you don’t see yourself in the above verse, there’s an application for you too. Remember 1 Corinthians 8:9. Paul is speaking here about eating the food sacrificed to idols, but the same principle applies. There is no Biblical mandate against consuming alcohol, but you never know what struggles someone else might have, so rather than be a stumbling block to someone, it’s better to show love by not indulging when you are in situations where your indulgence might cause someone else to stumble.

Proverbs 24
 DON’T… | Application
V1-2 Envy evil men or want to be with them | Which are YOU doing-participating in it or exposing it?
V8-9 Plan evil deeds
V10 Rely on your own strength | Where does your strength come from? Are you relying on yourself, or on Him?
V12 Think you can claim ignorance about injustice, wrongdoing, and oppression | If you see something, say or do something about it, or God will hold you accountable.
V15-16 Lie in wait to destroy the righteous | Are you glad that they are finally having to pay the piper, or sad because of the place their choices brought them to?
V17-18 Rejoice when your enemy falls
V19-20 Envy evil doers now because they have no enviable future | We are all eternal beings. Choose wisely where you want to spend that eternity.
V21-22 Hang out with people who stir up revolution because destruction is .... For the rest of the notes email WOW@Shepherds.org

How to Treat Others
(Prov 17:5, 19:4,6,7, 18:11; Job 1:21, Prov 19:17, 14:31, 17:15, 18:5, 17:8, 17:23)

• Poor and Rich
   
  • It brings God no glory to judge a person based on their finances, whether to bring them close or push them away.
  • Rich or poor, God loves them just the same.  He wants us to also. 
• Innocent and Guilty
   
  • Proverbs 17:15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—the Lord detests them both.

Do I treat others fairly based on finances?  Do I treat others justly?  In what areas can I do better with God’s help?

How to Talk to Others
(Prov 17:19, 17:14, 19:13; 2 Tim 2:22; Prov 17:9, 18:8, 18:6, 18:2, 18:7, 18:13, James 1:19)

• Quarrel 
  • God equates quarreling with loving sin.  Drop it!
• Gossip 
  • Prayer chains are great as long as they’re not the gossip train.
• Abundance of words 
  • Proverbs 18:13 To answer before listening – that is folly and shame.

Do my words bring God glory?  Do I quarrel or gossip or talk too much for the situation?

How to Live Like Jesus
(Prov 18:21, 17:9, 19:11, 1 Pet 4:8, Matt 6:14, Prov 17:27-28, 18:10; Psalm 46:1, Gal :22-26; Prov 19:23, 21)

• Forgiveness
  • Forgiveness is a choice.
  • Matthew Henry ~ “It was an oversight; therefore, overlook it.  It was done through forgetfulness; therefore, forget it.  It perhaps made nothing of you; you make nothing of it.”
• Run to the Lord
  • Living like Jesus takes work.  It is not a passive endeavor.
  • The Holy Spirit provides love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

How can I take a more active role in my walk with God?

Proverbs 15-16

Kelly Keen

THE OVERFLOW OF THE HEART

Main Truth: The maturing believer deals diligently with heart issues that eclipse God’s glory in their lives.

I. OUR WAY WITH WORDS…

• Life Giving or Spirit Breaking

15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

15:4 “A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”

• Cautious or Careless

15:23 “To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!”

15:28 “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.”

• Gracious or Grievous

16:21 “The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.”

16:24 “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”

16: 27-28 A worthless man plots evil, and his speechis like a scorching fire. A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

PRINCIPLE: The condition of the heart determines the fruit of the lips.

II. OUR RESPONSE TO REBUKE…

• Accept Correction or Reject It

15:5 A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

15:10 There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die. 

15:32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

• Associate With the Wise or Avoid Them

15:31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. (see also 15:22)

15:12 A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.

PRINCIPLE:  Those who accept correction acquire wisdom and demonstrate love for the Lord.

III. OUR PERCEPTION OF PRIDE…

• Detect It 

16:5 “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.”

16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

• Destroy It

15:33 “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor. 

16:6 “By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.”

PRINCIPLE:  The wise in heart recognize the danger of pride and commit to growing in humility.

Donna Bos

 Jeremiah 17:7-8
 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
 Whose confidence is in Him
For he shall be like a tree planted by the water
That sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
And never fails to bear fruit.

Numbers 14:10-11
 The congregation said to one another, Stone them!...
 
And the Lord said to Moses, "How long will these people reject me?  And how long will they not believe Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?...”

Matthew 11:28-29
Come upon Me, all you who are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for you souls. 

Luke 22:31-32
"Peter, Satan has desired to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith would not fail." 

Philippians 6:6-9
6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 [a]fixing our eyes on Jesus, the [b]author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
 
Psalm 40:3  (NLT) 
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see what he has done and be amazed.  They will put their trust in the Lord.

Choose the Road Less Traveled By

1.  How to Study Your Bible-Precept Style

• Inductive means you are IN DUH Bible as your main source of information. Commentaries only come after you put in all the initial “leg work”.
• “You can observe a lot just by watching.” Yogi Berra Reading the chapter and then marking 
  • words that repeat, 
  • words that reference places, 
  • words that reference time, 
  • words that show contrasts, and 
  • words that show transitions like conjunctions (but, if/then, therefore), and 
  • noting lists, etc. 

 will give you a lot to “observe just by watching” the text that ends up standing out with the things you marked

• Inductive study has three main parts to it 
  • Observation-or what does the scripture SAY 
  • Interpretation-or what does the scripture MEAN 
  • Application-or what does the scripture mean to ME, how do I apply it to my life?

2. Proverbs

1. A general principle, not a universal promise. 
2. It is descriptive, not prescriptive. 
3. It’s what SHOULD happen, not what WILL happen.
4. By its very definition, it is a literary genre, device, and style in the form of short, pithy sayings, prophetic utterances, or compositions of comparisons. 
5. The word describes short sayings or sentences of wisdom. 

3. Proverbs

1. Who
2. What
3. Where 
4. When 
5. Why 
6. How

4. Applications 

1. Consider the cautionary tale of Solomon’s life and know that the God-given wisdom of Proverbs was life impacting and life saving in Solomon’s time, but it’s just as applicable now as it was then and just as important for us to know and listen to.
2. God knew Solomon intimately. He knew everything about him and every inclination of his character and He still called him “beloved”. He still used him to rule his people and to leave us these words. God can use you in the same way.  There is no waiting until you are perfect, that will never happen this side of death or the 2nd coming. But God’s word is FULL of Him using broken, sinful people like Solomon, like David, like you, like me, to accomplish His will and to reach people with His good news.
3. Do you fear the LORD? Do you respect Him for who He is and for what He has done? Do you have that foundation in your life? If not, NOW is the time to make that right. 
4. If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please don’t let another day go by without changing that. There are no “magic” words you need to say. You don’t need to make yourself perfect before you come to Him-that will never happen anyway. Just admit that you are a sinner. That you need a Savior because you can’t save yourself. And surrender to Him as your Lord.

History 101

• Gen 12:1-3 and Gen 15: 18-21 – God’s promise and covenant with Abraham is established 
• Gen 22:15-18 – God confirmed his promise with Isaac, Abraham’s son 
• Gen 28 – God confirmed His promise with Jacob, Isaac’s son (later renamed Israel) 
• Ex 12:31-32 – Pharaoh demands the nation of Israel leave Egypt at once 
• Ex 14:10-31 – God provides and protects the nation of Israel in unexpected ways

Psalm 77
(James 5:13; 1 Peter 5:7; Hebrews 4:16)

7 “Will the Lord reject forever? No!  He is faithful to his Word. Lam 3:31-33
     Will he never show his favor again? Yes Psalm 30:5
 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? No! Jeremiah 31:3
     Has his promise failed for all time? No!  1 Kings 8:56
 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? No! Isaiah 49:14-18
     Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” No! Lam 3:22-24

***From Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on Psalm 97

• Principle - God’s faithfulness is the same for Abraham, Moses, and me.  
• Application – Am I allowing my feelings to convince me that God’s promises have changed?

Psalm 105 

• Principle - God will not forget nor will He let any of his promises go unfulfilled. 
• Application – Am I trusting God’s promises for tomorrow knowing he was faithful in the past? 

Psalm 114
(Joshua 3:14-17; Exodus 17; Numbers 20)

• Principle – Creation obeys and trembles at the presence of the Lord, just like we should.
• Application – What is my reaction when I know God has called me to do something? Is obedience my first step?

Psalm 136

• Principle – His love endures forever!
• Application – Do I truly believe this?  Do I believe it in the good times? Do I believe it in the bad times?

Your Red Sea
(Psalm 30:11-12; Romans 10:9)

• Identify pivot point- What is your Red Sea?
• Intentional pursuit - How are you actively pursuing God in light of your Red Sea?
• Inform others - How are you telling others about your Red Sea?

“Is it okay to be mad at God?”

World view we must have to answer that question:

1. We live in a broken world.
2. Even in our fallen-ness, God’s purpose is His own glory!
3. God can be trusted.
    
   1. His purposes are good. 
   2. His promises are true. 
   3. His providence is always kind. 
   4. His power is sufficient. 

PSALM 34: THE VITAMIN PACKED PSALM!  

A. GOD’S GOODNESS TO HIS PEOPLE  Psalm 34:1-7           

     1. God delivers David                                   

         -- Instructions: bless, boast, be glad, magnify, exalt      

        -- God hears, delivers, saves

     2. the Angel of the Lord encamps around His people

               Encamp means:

Principle: A thankful heart bubbles up in praise for God’s goodness.

Applications: How is your perspective of God changing? What do you want to remember about God from Psalm 34, so you can offer Him thanks and praise? Tuck verse 4 in your heart: “Oh magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.” 

B. GOD’S BLESSINGS TO THE RIGHTEOUS   Psalm 34:8-22

     1. first blessing: God satisfies: verses 8-10

         -- instructions: Taste and see, fear, seek

     2.  second blessing: God hears and sees: verses 11-16

         -- instructions: desire life, keep your tongue from evil, depart from evil, do good, seek peace

     3. third blessing: God is near: verses 15-18

         -- instructions: cry out to God, have a humble, contrite heart

     4. fourth blessing: God delivers: verses 19-22

        -- from troubles

        -- from judgment 

Principle: A thankful heart remembers God’s blessings and trusts God for deliverance.       

Applications: How will you handle afflictions after studying Psalm 34? How will your prayers change after studying Psalm 34? Tuck verse 8 in your heart: “Taste and see the LORD is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.”

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring   Johann Sebastian Bach

Jesu, joy of man's desiring,
 Holy wisdom, love most bright;
 Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
 Soar to uncreated light.
 
 Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,
 With the fire of life impassioned,
 Striving still to truth unknown,
 Soaring, dying round Thy throne. 

Through the way where hope is guiding,
 Hark, what peaceful music rings;
 Where the flock, in Thee confiding,
 Drink of joy from deathless springs.
 
 Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;
 Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.
 Thou dost ever lead Thine own
 In the love of joys unknown.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesu,_Joy_of_Man%27s_Desiring