April 4, 2010 - Easter Sunday

Class President
Martin Burgess


Song Leader
Amos Martin


Pianist
Dean Mansfield




Teacher
Willard Lance


Text
Luke 24
^1(A) But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb,^(B) taking the spices they had prepared. ²And they found^(C) the stone rolled away from the tomb,³but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, behold,^(D) two^(E) men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵And as they were^(F) frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you,^(G) while he was still in Galilee, ^7(H) that the Son of Man^(I) must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and^(J) be crucified and on^(K) the third day rise."⁸And^(L) they remembered his words, ⁹and returning from the tomb they^(M) told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰Now it was^(N) Mary Magdalene and^(O) Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, ¹¹but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and^(P) they did not believe them. ¹²But^(Q) Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw^(R) the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

Commentary

The resurrection of Christ.

By Matthew Henry

See the affection and respect the women showed to Christ, after he was dead and buried. Observe their surprise when they found the stone rolled away, and the grave empty. Christians often perplex themselves about that with which they should comfort and encourage themselves. They look rather to find their Master in his grave-clothes, than angels in their shining garments. The angels assure them that he is risen from the dead; is risen by his own power. These angels from heaven bring

not any new gospel, but remind the women of Christ's words, and teach them how to apply them. We may wonder that these disciples, who believed Jesus to be the Son of God and the true Messiah, who had been so often told that he must die, and rise again, and then enter into his glory, who had seen him more than once raise the dead, yet should be so backward to believe his raising himself. But all our mistakes in religion spring from ignorance or forgetfulness of the words Christ has spoken. Peter

now ran to the sepulchre, who so lately ran from his Master. He was amazed. There are many things puzzling and perplexing to us, which would be plain and profitable, if we rightly understood the words of Christ. (Lu 24:13-27)

Next commentary:

He appears to two disciples on the way to Emmaus.
About this commentary:
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible is available in the Public Domain.

March 28, 2010

Class President 

Martin Burgess

Song Leader

Amos Martin

Pianist

Sharon Williamson

 
Songs

#261-Wonderful Words of Life

#161-Crown Him with Many Crowns

Text

English Standard Version (ESV)

Exodus 13:17-18 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Pillars of Cloud and Fire  17When Pharaoh let the people go, God did(A) not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, "Lest the people(B) change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt." 18But God(C) led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. Cross references: Exodus 13:17 : Psalm 107:7 Exodus 13:17 : Exodus 14:11, 12; Neh 9:17; Num 14:1-4 Exodus 13:18 : Exodus 14:2; Deut 32:10; Num 33:6-49 English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Exodus 14:9-31 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage 9The(A) Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them(B) encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.  10When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel(C) cried out to the LORD. 11They(D) said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12Is not this what(E) we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." 13And Moses said to the people,(F) "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For(G) the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14(H) The LORD will fight for you, and you have only(I) to be silent."  15The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16(J) Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17And(K) I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and(L) I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18And the Egyptians(M) shall know that I am the LORD,(N) when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."  19(O) Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night[a] without one coming near the other all night.  21Then Moses(P) stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by(Q) a strong east wind all night and(R) made the sea dry land, and the waters were(S) divided. 22And(T) the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being(U) a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25clogging[b] their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from before Israel, for the(V) LORD fights for them against the Egyptians."  26Then the LORD said to Moses,(W) "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen." 27(X) So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea(Y) returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD(Z) threw[c] the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28The(AA) waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea,(AB) not one of them remained. 29But the(AC) people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.  30Thus the LORD(AD) saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31(AE) Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they(AF) believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

Teacher:
Willard Lance

Commentary: 

Joseph's bones carried with the Israelites, They come to Etham.

There were two ways from Egypt to Canaan. One was only a few days' journey; the other was much further about, through the wilderness, and that was the way in which God chose to lead his people Israel. The Egyptians were to be drowned in the Red sea; the Israelites were to be humbled and proved in the wilderness. God's way is the right way, though it seems about. If we think he leads not his people the nearest way, yet we may be sure he leads them the best way, and so it will appear
when we come to our journey's end. The Philistines were powerful enemies; it was needful that the Israelites should be prepared for the wars of Canaan, by passing through the difficulties of the wilderness. Thus God proportions his people's trials to their strength, 1Co 10:13. They went up in good order. They went up in five in a rank, some; in five bands, so others, which it seems rather to their faith and hope, that God would bring them to Canaan, in
expectation of which they carried these bones with them while in the desert. (Ex 13:21)

God guideth the Israelites by a pillar of cloud fire.

The Lord went before them in a pillar, or appearance of the Divine Majesty. Christ was with the church in the wilderness, 1Co 10:9. Those whom God brings into a wilderness, he will not leave nor lose there, but will take care to lead them through it. It was great satisfaction to Moses and the pious Israelites, to be sure that they were under Divine guidance. Those who make the glory of God their end, and the word of God their rule, the Spirit
of God the guide of their affections, and the providence of God the guide of their affairs, may be sure that the Lord goes before them, though they cannot see it with their eyes: we must now live by faith. When Israel marched, this pillar went before, and pointed out the place of encampment, as Divine Wisdom saw fit. It sheltered by day from the heat, and gave light by night. The Bible is a light to our feet, a lantern to our paths, with which the Saviour's love has provided us. It testifies of
Christ. It is to us like the pillar to the Israelites. Listen to that voice which cries, I am the Light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life, Joh 8:12. Jesus Christ alone, as shown in the Bible, and as the Holy Spirit, in answer to prayer, recommends him to the soul, is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Joh 14:6.