KNOWING YOUR BIBLE
February 26, 2023: Dear Friends, Today, we are beginning a series on Lent and the humanity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This past Wednesday was “Ash Wednesday,” a recognized day set aside by most Christian denominations to begin the following of certain practices during Lent. Lent has been recognized as the 40 days of fasting and penitence before Jesus’ resurrection on Easter day. This year the Lent season is from February 22 through April 8.
Lent is considered a “Holy Time”, a sacred time for meditation and worship. Many practice penitence by fasting from favorite foods and, temporary doing away with favorite pastimes including enjoyable daily activities. Personal sacrifice with awareness of our sinful ways humbles our thoughts and feelings, allowing repentance to occur in the deep recesses of our souls. This is a time to recognize our sins, ask for forgiveness, and do away with our sinful ways.
In this series, the study of Jesus’ life that last few weeks before his crucifixion, recognized as the Friday before Easter, and resurrection on the following Easter Sunday, will be focused on. Other parts of Jesus’ ministry that occurred prior to the Lent season will also be focused during the first part of the series to help in allowing one to draw nearer and closer to him. Knowledge of Jesus, who he is and what he stands for, provides a good, basic Christian foundation of faith, beliefs, and values for the believer.
The series will start with studying Jesus’ life before the last few weeks prior to his crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus’ birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection are all written in the Gospel books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The word Gospel has been defined as the “Good News” referring to Jesus. In John, chapter 1 verses 3b to verse 5 is written, “,,,,,,,,What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. And in John, chapter 10, verse 10b, it is written, “,,,,,,,,,I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
What is this life Jesus was referring to? Bible verses below will help in learning the life that Jesus lived, leaving examples for us and revealing his belief’s and values for us to follow. All Bible verses are from the New Revised Standard (NRS) version of the Bible.
MAY GOD BLESS YOUR BIBLE STUDY THIS WEEK!
Bible Verses: John, chapter 13, verse 1b; John, chapter 11, verse 27; John, chapter 14, verse 6; Jesus’ Humanity: Awakens while it is still dark: Mark, chapter 1, verse 35. Becomes tired and rests and sleeps: John, chapter 4, verse 6 and Matthew, chapter 8 verses 23 and 24. Knows what work is about: John, chapter 9, verse 4. He attended worship services at the synagogue Luke chapter 4, verse 16b. He loved: Children: Matthew, chapter 18, verses 1-7 and chapter 19, verses 13-15; Adults: John, chapter 13, verse 1; The poor and the sick: Matthew, chapter 4, verses 23 and 24; and Mark, chapter 12, verses 41-43. More will be written about his life and teachings that reveal his beliefs and values in this series.