2 Timothy 4:1-8
Verse 8 – Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Death does not devour Believers. It is the passage to good hope! Death is the last struggle of life, but it is also the passage to victory through Christ, Jesus. It is the passage to the Crown of Righteousness.
As children of God we are not in the race of life just to run it. We are in it to win it.
For I am already poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is with heartfelt gratitude that I stand before this waiting congregation this morning. I invite the Holy Spirit to continue to lead and guide this service. It is my hope that all who hear these words will grow to understand your love for each of us, and that we will pass that love on to others. In Jesus name I do pray. Amen.
Key Scripture: 1 John 3:1-6. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it does not know him.
The Song: Jesus Loves Me:
Jesus loves me, this simple child-like song was written in the 1800’s. The lyrics are credited to Anna Bartlett Warren in 1860, and the music and chorus is credited to William B. Bradbury. (Google)
If you grew up as a “church-kid”, “Jesus Loves Me,” was probably one of the first songs you were taught that you can still remember.
Jesus Loves Me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so; Little ones to him belong, They are weak but He is strong.
The song and our key Scripture (1 John 3:1-6), goes on to affirm that the proof of Jesus’ love for you and me can be found in the Bible. One of my favorite teaching questions in any Bible Study or Sunday School class, is asking “where can we find that information in the Bible” Someone may be courageous enough to ask why finding information in the Bible, makes an affirmation or statement so special, and true?
BIBLE HISTORY:
We can then explain that the Bible is a very important book. Psalm 119: 105 says, “ Your word (the Bible) is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path ( Ft. nt. Lamp…light. Apart from which I could only grope about in darkness.( NIV pg. 1253) We’ve all had periods of groping about in darkness. We don’t need to continue groping in darkness. By asking the Holy Spirit to help us as we read and study the Bible will guide us to an understanding of God’s Words. Light and/or understanding can be gained which is meant to put us on the right path. The path that God wants us to travel. He has a path for each of us, based on the gifts and talents He has given us.
The Bible is a collection of ancient writings about God (Yahweh) in two (2) parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. Testament means agreement, Scripture means “Sacred Writings”. The Old Testament contains stories about an old agreement between God (Yahweh) and man (the Hebrews) when the Hebrews came out of Egypt …and how it worked out. (1. A Scriptographic Booklet, pg.2).
The Scriptures that we study are “God Breathed,” the life that God’s breath gives to His words is the same life that God breathed into Adam. “Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”(2. NIV Study Bible, pg. 13). “ 2 Timothy 3:16-17- All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,: 17- so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”( 3. NIV Study Bible, pg, 2525).
The New Testament contains stories and teachings about a new agreement between God and man based on the teachings and life of Jesus –who opened up a relationship with God to all men who believed in Him and accepted God’s forgiveness of their sins. (4. A Scriptographic Booklet, same pg 2)
The Bible was written by many different authors, mostly Hebrews, some unknown. It was written at different times over about 1,000 years —from about 900 B.C. to 100 A.D. At different places – Palestine, Babylon, Egypt. Rome, Corinth. The Bible was written for different purposes—to teach religion and patriotism, to describe the Messiah. (3. Same)
The Protestant Bibles includes 66 writings. Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Angelician Bibles contains 73 writings.(4. Same). Protestant – any Western Christian who is not an adherent of a Catholic, Angelican, or Eastern Church. (Google- Protestant)
Scriptural Proof of Jesus’ love for us:
Where does the Bible tell me that Jesus loves me? Here are just a few Scriptures that teach of Jesus’s love for us: (Note: use of NIV translation of the Bible)
Who is Jesus?
Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
John 1:1-14 –In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
19.We love because he first loved us.
20.If anyone says, “ I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
Jesus’ love is not a permissive love, by any means.
Hebrews 12: 5-8 says:
It is my hope that the Song: Jesus Loves Me, will get into our hearts and minds in a new way. Not to minimize our time spent together, but to enhance how we value the love Jesus has for us. Jesus loves us completely. He wants a continuing love relationship with us. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost to sin.
“Yes, Jesus Loves Me” is the title of the message delivered by Reverend Glenda Brunson in the worship service at Grand Villa of Saint Petersburg, FL on September 27, 2015. The Sunday services are provided by Sharing the Glory Ministries, Pastor Alfonso Woods, Pastor.
For our lesson of Priscilla, Acts 18-19, Romans 16:3-4, I Corinthians 16-19, Timothy 4:19 on pages 221-224, in our main text Women of the Bible by Jean E Syswerda.
1. Her name, diminutive of “Prisca”, means “worthy” or “venerable.” (1.)
2. Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned six times in four different books of the New Testament and they are always named as a couple and never individually. (See number 4)
3. Of those six references, Priscilla’s name is mentioned first, four times, which is unusual for such a male dominated society. (2.)
4. Through out Scripture the man is usually named first: Adam and Eve, and Ananias and Sapphira, making the four appearances of Priscilla’s name first, a notable exception. Examples:
A. Acts 18:2-3: “There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. And because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.”
B. Acts 18:18: “Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken.”
C. Acts 18:26: “He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscila and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.”
D. Romans 16:3-4: “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.”
E. I Corinthians 16:19: “The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.”
F. 2 Timothy 4:19: “Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.”
5. While this view is not likely among scholars, some scholars have suggested that Priscilla was the author of Hebrews. Hebrews is the only book in the New Testament with author anonymity. (3)
6. Paul met them in Corinth, Acts 18:2: “There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Cladius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them.” Priscilla and Aquila were tent makers, as was Paul. Priscilla and Aquila had been among the Jews expelled from Rome by Roman Emperor Claudius in the year 49. They ended up in Corinth for many months.
7. Priscilla and Aquila were among known the earliest known missionaries. Acts 18:24-26: “Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately”.
1. Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups, Jean E Syswerda, Zondervan, 1999, pg. 221.
2. Beyond Sex Roles:What the Bible Says about a Woman’s Place in Church and Family, Gilbert Bilezikian, Baker Academy, 2006, pp 200-201.
3. NIV Study Bible (All Scriptures)
Priscilla is our twenty-second study in our series from Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups by Jean E Syswerda. The study of Priscilla is found on page 221. The Bible Study will meet 4:00p.m. to 6:00 p.m. For complete information contact Glenda at 727-542-4683.
Our Spring Pot Luck and Open House is scheduled for April 11, 2015. If you have not attended one of our Bible Studies, this is a good time to come and see what we are about. We welcome all visitors, no participation on the Pot-Luck items required, Come and be Our Guest.
For information contact Glenda at 727-542-4683.
Homewords Ministry 