Following Christ

The Lord’s Table: Bible Study/Prayer meeting

(Every Wednesday 6-7 pm in the Chapel)

St Paul’s Church

The Anglican Church of Canada

25 January 2012

Opening Prayer

Theme: The Good News

Topic: Following Christ

Reading: Mark 1:14-20

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news^* of God,^*15and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;^* repent, and believe in the good news.’^{* 16} As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen.¹⁷And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’¹⁸And immediately they left their nets and followed him.¹⁹As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.²⁰Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Introduction

In the today’s text, Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James and John to follow Him. What does it mean to be called by Christ and to follow Him? There are several accounts of how God called different people for specific tasks e.g. Moses, Joshua, Mary, Jonah to name but a few. The call to follow Christ is made to all mankind; while some accept the call and become believers, others choose not to. Christians are those who have accepted the call to follow Christ. The good news is that the call to follow Christ is still on and open for anyone who is yet to answer. It is when we answer the call of God through accepting Christ into our lives that we become followers of Christ. In this study, we will be discussing what it means to follow Christ including the responsibilities and benefits.

Questions/Discussion

1. What is your understanding of following Jesus Christ?

Mark 1:18, 20

¹⁸And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

²⁰Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

2. How are we called today to follow Christ?

Mark 1:16-17

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen.¹⁷And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’

3. What are the challenges and rewards for following Christ?

Matthew 19:27-29

Then Peter said in reply, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’²⁸Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.²⁹And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold,^* and will inherit eternal life.

2 Corinthians 11:23-28

Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman—I am a better one: with far greater labours, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death.²⁴Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea;²⁶on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters;^*27in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked.²⁸And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches.

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

4. How do we follow Christ?

Ephesians 4:1-2, 7, 11-15

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ⁷ But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.¹¹The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,¹²to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,¹³until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.¹⁴We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.¹⁵But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Ephesians 4: 17-24, 5:1-2

Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds.¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart.¹⁹They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practise every kind of impurity.²⁰That is not the way you learned Christ!²¹For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus.²²You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts,²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,²⁴and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 5¹Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children,²and live in love, as Christ loved us^* and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Intercession

Conclusion

Our calling is to follow Christ and Him alone. Let us trust God who called us as He promised to lead us into eternal glory. Let us walk knowing that He is able to deliver all who trust in Him.

Closing Prayer

Thank you Lord for calling us to love and serve You. Grant us the grace to follow You wherever you lead, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Indwelling God

The Lord’s Table: Bible Study/Prayer meeting

(Every Wednesday 6-7 pm in the Chapel)

St Paul’s Church

The Anglican Church of Canada

18 January 2012

Opening Prayer

Theme: The Good News

Topic: The Indwelling God

Reading: Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17

¹ O Lord, you have searched me and known me. ² You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. ³ You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. ⁴ Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. ⁵ You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.

¹² even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.  ¹³ For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed. ¹⁷ How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

Introduction

According to the Scriptures, God made us in His image and likeness. He not only knows our inmost being but desires to live within us. He knows us because He made us and He lives within us when we yield our lives to Him. When we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts and guides us. He is the Strength of the believer; this is what it means to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Allowing the spirit of God to dwell within us is the ultimate innate desire of mankind. No wonder the saying that a Christ-less life is a crisis-filled life. The focus of this study is how God has chosen us to dwell in our hearts and manifest His power, glory, splendour and majesty in our lives.

Questions/Discussion

1. How do we know that God knows us?

Psalm 139:1-4, 13, 15-16

¹ O Lord, you have searched me and known me. ² You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. ³ You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. ⁴ Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.

¹³ For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.

John 1:47-50

⁴⁷When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’⁴⁸Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’⁴⁹Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’⁵⁰Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’

Romans 8:28-30

We know that all things work together for good^* for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.²⁹For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.^*30And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

2. Since God knows us:

a) Are we expected to know Him as well?

1 Samuel 3:7-10

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.⁸The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy.⁹Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. ¹⁰ Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’

Philippians 3:8-11

⁸More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ,^* the righteousness from God based on faith.¹⁰I want to know Christ^* and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death,¹¹if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

b) How do we know Him?

Romans 10:14-15, 17

But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?¹⁵And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ ¹⁷So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.^*

1 Corinthians 1:18-19, 21-29, 2:7-16

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.¹⁹For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’

²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe.²²For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom,²³but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,²⁴but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.²⁵For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

²⁶ Consider your own call, brothers and sisters:^* not many of you were wise by human standards,^* not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.²⁷But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are,²⁹so that no one^* might boast in the presence of God.

^2:7But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.⁸None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.⁹But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him’—¹⁰these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.¹¹For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God.¹²Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.¹³And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual. ^*14 Those who are unspiritual^* do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are discerned spiritually.¹⁵Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny. ¹⁶ ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.

3. List some of the benefits and responsibilities that come with knowing and being known by God.

Galatians 4:4-9, 5:1

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,⁵in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.⁶And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our^* hearts, crying, ‘Abba!^* Father!’ ⁷So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. ^*8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods.⁹Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits?^* How can you want to be enslaved to them again?

^5:1For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Intercession

Conclusion

There is no doubt that God knows us and desires that we know Him and be filled with His Spirit. His presence in our lives grants us the strength to live for Him. Let us continue to deepen our knowledge of Him through His word and the indwelling of His Spirit.

Closing Prayer

Lord without You we can do nothing. Thank You for Your presence in our lives. Teach us to love and know You more and more all the days of our lives through the mercies of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Gift of the Holy Spirit

The Lord’s Table: Bible Study/Prayer meeting

(Every Wednesday 6-7 pm in the Chapel)

St Paul’s Church

The Anglican Church of Canada

11 January 2012

Opening Prayer

Theme: The Good News

Topic: Gift of the Holy Spirit

Reading: Acts 19:1-7

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the inland regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. ²He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They replied, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ ³Then he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ They answered, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ ⁴Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.’ ⁵On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied— ⁷altogether there were about twelve of them.

Introduction

The Holy Spirit has been described by many Bible teachers as God’s sole agent on earth currently and I completley agree. It is the spirit filled Christian that lives a victorious life in Christ. Christ promised His disciples that they will be baptized by the Holy Spirit after He ascends into Heaven. This promise was fulfilled in Jerusalem on Pentecost day (about AD 30) while the disciples were gathered together in prayers. Since then, the Holy Spirit has continued to be such a blessing to the body of Christ- the Church. He comforts, convicts, teaches, guides, empowers, unites, transforms and grants us spiritual discernment among numerous other acts. Few weeks from now (i.e during the Pentecost season), we will delve into the work of the Holy Spirit in greater detail. In this study, we will be discussing why the Holy Spirit had to come following the ascension of Christ.

Questions/Discussion

1. Who is the Holy Spirit?

Matthew 28:19

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mark 1: 10-11

And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved;^* with you I am well pleased.’

Romans 5:5-6

and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. ⁶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

2. Why did the Holy Spirit come after Christ’s ascension?

Joel 2:28-32

^*Then afterwards I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. ²⁹ Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. ³⁰ I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. ³¹The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. ³²Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

Acts 2:1-4, 6, 12-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. ⁶And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. ¹²All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ ¹³But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’ ¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. ¹⁵Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ¹⁶No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. ¹⁸ Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. ¹⁹ And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. ²⁰ The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. ²¹ Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

3. How do we receive the Holy Spirit?

Acts 1:4-5, 2:36-41, 19:2-6

⁴While staying^* with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This’, he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with^* the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ ³⁶Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah,^* this Jesus whom you crucified.’ ³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers,^* what should we do?’ ³⁸Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ ⁴⁰And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ ⁴¹So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. ²He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They replied, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ ³Then he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ They answered, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ ⁴Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.’ ⁵On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—

4. Briefly explain the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Galatians 5:22-23

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

Intercession

Conclusion

The Holy Spirit came to comfort, counsel and guide us and He is still here with us. If we are spirit-filled, we will live lives that bring glory and honor to God. Let us continually yield ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit that He may direct our paths unto fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives.

Closing Prayer

We thank you Father for the outpouring of your Holy Spirit upon all flesh. Grant us the grace to receive Him with joy and gladness; and to yield to His counsel all the days of our lives. We pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Christ our Blessing

The Lord’s Table: Bible Study/Prayer meeting

(Every Wednesday 6-7 pm in the Chapel)

St Paul’s Church

The Anglican Church of Canada

4 January 2012

Opening Prayer

Theme: The Good News

Topic: Christ our Blessing

Reading: Numbers 6:22-27

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ²³Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, ²⁴ The Lord bless you and keep you; ²⁵ the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; ²⁶ the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. ²⁷ So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Introduction

In our text for today’s study one striking point is that it was God who chose to bless and not the other way round. The prayer for blessing in this passage can be divided into 5 parts: a) the Lord bless and keep you- God’s presence; b) make His Face shine upon you- Divine favor; c) God be gracious to you- God’s love, mercy and grace; d) lift up His countenance upon you- Divine acceptance and protection; e) give you peace. In Christ, we find these blessings; God became flesh and dwelled with us, died for our sins and restored the broken relationship we have with God. The blessing we find in Christ is indescribable- He is our peace, hope, healer, provider and the list goes on; and the best part is that we are undeserving of His blessings upon us. Today’s discussion will focus on the blessing we have in Jesus Christ.

Questions/Discussion

1. We often hear Priests and people say God bless you; what does that mean to you?

Numbers 6:22-24

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ²³Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, ²⁴ The Lord bless you and keep you;

1 Chronicles 23:13

The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things, so that he and his sons for ever should make offerings before the Lord, and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name for ever;

2. How are we blessed through Christ?

Ephesians 1:3-10

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴just as he chose us in Christ^* before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. ⁵He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

3. What shall we do to be blessed in Christ?

Matthew 5:3-12

³ ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ⁵ ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ⁶ ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ⁷ ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. ⁸ ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. ⁹ ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. ¹⁰ ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely^* on my account. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

John 15:16

You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.

Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— ⁹not the result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

4. What hinders the blessings of Christ in our lives?

Isaiah 59:1-3

See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. ² Rather, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. ³ For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness.

Matthew 13:53-58

When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place. ⁵⁴ He came to his home town and began to teach the people^* in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? ⁵⁵Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?’ ⁵⁷And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honour except in their own country and in their own house.’ ⁵⁸And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.

Intercession

Conclusion

God Himself chose to bless us; we do not deserve His blessings but due to His love mercy and grace He blessed us through the gift of Jesus Christ. Let us yield continually to His will for us that His blessings will continually be upon us.

Closing Prayer

Lord we thank you for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ through whom you have blessed us immensely. Grant us the grace to accept your blessings in our lives and use them to your praise and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.