Category: Bible Study

LOVING THE MOST DEPRIVED

“I tell you, whoever acknowledges Me before men – the Son of Man will acknowledge him before the angels of God.” –Luke 12:8 Mass Readings: October 15 First: Ephesians 1:15-23; Resp: Psalm 8:2-7; Gospel: Luke 12:8-12 Several billion people desperately need to be introduced to Jesus, the only Way, Truth, Life (Jn 14:6), Savior (Acts 4:12), and God. The most deprived people in the world are those who have not come to know, love, and worship Jesus. Until we give our lives to Jesus, we have not begun to fully live. Consequently, because life in Christ is most important, and...

BAPTISMAL “RICHNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY”

“In [Christ] we were chosen.” –Ephesians 1:11 Mass Readings: October 14 First: Ephesians 1:11-14; Resp: Psalm 33:1-2,4-5,12-13; Gospel: Luke 12:1-7 We Christians have been baptized into Jesus and, consequently, into His death and Resurrection (Rm 6:3-4). We have been baptized into Jesus and into His priesthood, prophetic ministry, and kingship (see 1 Pt 2:9). “In [Christ] we were chosen” (Eph 1:11; see also 1:13). In and with Him, we are heirs of God’s kingdom (Rm 8:17; see also Eph 1:14). Baptized into Christ, we inherit the grace to be holy, pure, and free. The ramifications of our Baptisms are so...

IN HIM

“God chose us in Him.” –Ephesians 1:4 Mass Readings: October 13 First: Ephesians 1:1-10; Resp: Psalm 98:1-6; Gospel: Luke 11:47-54 We have been baptized into Christ (Rm 6:3). Therefore, we are baptized into His Body, the Church (1 Cor 12:13), which has been given “every spiritual blessing in the heavens” (Eph 1:3). In Jesus, we have been chosen by God “before the world began, to be holy and blameless in His sight, to be full of love; He likewise predestined us through Christ Jesus to be His adopted sons” and daughters (Eph 1:4-5). “It is in Christ and through His...

ZAP!

“Woe to you! You are like hidden tombs over which men walk unawares.” –Luke 11:44 Mass Readings: October 12 Mass Readings: October 12 First: Galatians 5:18-25 ; Resp: Psalm 1:1-4,6; Gospel: Luke 11:42-46 There are false Christians (see 2 Cor 11:26). Like the moon, these Christians may reflect just enough of the light of Christ to attract others. What little light they reflect may attract some who seek escape from the darkness of sin (see 2 Cor 11:13-15). However, these false Christians are like a “bug-zapper” light. If those unfortunate, searching souls get too close to the false Christians, their fledgling faith...

THE OUTS AND INS

“If you give what you have as alms, all will be wiped clean for you.” –Luke 11:41 Mass Readings: October 11 First: Galatians 5:1-6; Resp: Psalm 119:41,43,45,47-48; Gospel: Luke 11:37-41 After Jesus told the Pharisees to cleanse the inside as well as the outside (Lk 11:39-40), He surprisingly encouraged them to give alms, an external activity. By this, Jesus showed that the way to cleanse the inside can be through the outside. For example, drinking to excess is an outside symptom of an inside problem. However, by dealing with the excessive drinking, you may get to its root and thereby...