Jun 11
“To make Jesus a part of your life, but not the point of your life, is to waste your life.”
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Timothy Ateek wants us to know that with Jesus, there is always more than we can see. Yes, what is in front of us is important. Yes, sometimes it’s hard to see past the circumstances and challenges of life. But with Jesus, in Jesus, there is always more.
Scripture References
20.Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
9.I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10.On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11.which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”12.I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13.and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,1:13 See Daniel 7:13. dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14.The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15.His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16.In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.17.When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18.I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
The Transfiguration
1.After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2.There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3.Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4.Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5.While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6.When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7.But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8.When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9.As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
10.The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
11.Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12.But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13.Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
14.When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15.“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16.I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17.
“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18.Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.
19.Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20.He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 21.17:21 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 9:29.
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
22.When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 23.They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.
The Temple Tax
24.After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
25.“Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”
26.“From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27.“But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
28.Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
16.For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
13.“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,7:13 The Aramaic phrase bar enash means human being. The phrase son of man is retained here because of its use in the New Testament as a title of Jesus, probably based largely on this verse. coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14.He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Jesus Has Risen
1.After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2.There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3.His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4.The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5.The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6.He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7.Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8.So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9.Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10.Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
The Guards’ Report
11.While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12.When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13.telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14.If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15.So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
The Great Commission
16.Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17.When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18.Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20.and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
5.and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
Imitating Christ’s Humility
1.Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2.then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3.Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4.not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5.In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6.Who, being in very nature2:6 Or in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7.rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature2:7 Or the form of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8.And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9.Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10.that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11.and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Do Everything Without Grumbling
12.Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13.for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
14.Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15.so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”2:15 Deut. 32:5 Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16.as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17.But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18.So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19.I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20.I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21.For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22.But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23.I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24.And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25.But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26.For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27.Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28.Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29.So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30.because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
Timothy Ateek
Elder and teaching pastor at Watermark Community Church