Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday August 27TH 2023, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

Today is the 3RD of 3 consecutive days of celebration and fellowship at my longtime home church in Homestead Florida. This past Friday and Saturday evenings we celebrated the life of a brother who recently passed on to be with his Creator forever. He led a complex yet simple life of over 61 years, but he ultimately confessed in Christ here on Earth. He did that several years ago at the altar of our church. It changed his life forever, and that is why he is with his Creator today.

“Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth – I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But everyone who denies Me here on earth – I will also deny before my Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33 NLT)

We did a 2-night / 2-service “celebration-of-life”. It was actually my 2ND celebration-of-life over the past 2 months. (The first one was at my original home church from 2007 to 2015.)

It’s been just a few years that I’ve known of the “celebration-of-life” concept. It is what it says it is. It’s a celebration of one’s life shortly after they have passed on. The funeral service or the cremation of the physical remains have already been taken care of, and this is the time for the family and friends to gather together and look back at his or her life.

I know that our brother was looking down from Heaven hearing us as we spoke of him.

And now here on #SundayScripture it’s the continuation of the refresh, renew, and reboot of my sermon on “Pray & Believe” – originally preached on Sunday June 16TH 2019. Here’s Part 5:

[CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK]

“I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others. As a result – this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world – from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah.” (Luke 11:49b-11:51a)

One of my favorite sermons to preach on about 5 years ago was the story of Cain & Abel. It was the story of firsts. The first man – Adam. The first woman – Eve. They were the first couple. Together they acted on the first sin in the Garden Of Eden. They created the first brothers – Cain & Abel – who became the first teenagers. Cain was the first farmer. He brought forth the first blood offering to the LORD, but it was not the best blood offering. Cain threw the first temper tantrum. He carried out the first act of violence. It was the first murder scene in the creation. Cain went wandering. He eventually met a woman. They had a son. Cain founded the first city. It was the first manmade civilization. Enoch was the name of his first son and the city. (To be continued. That was both a recap – and a preview.)

Footnote: You know I never did what that preview alluded to. I think back then (when I originally preached this sermon in 2019) I was planning on a follow-up or sequel sermon about Enoch – the man and the city named for him. I still want to do that. I need to put it back on my sermon drawing board. Back to the sermon now:

That’s the story of firsts. Cain’s murder of Abel in the fields was the first murder of the Old Testament. The stoning of Zechariah in the courtyard of the LORD’s temple in Second Chronicles was the last murder of the Old Testament.

“No Chris. You’re wrong ! 2ND Chronicles is right in the middle of the Old Testament. It’s not at the end !”

That’s correct, but the Old Testament that you and I know today is different from the Hebrew Bible. See – today’s Old Testament is 39 books placed into 4 categories or groups, and then chronologically ordered within each group. It’s based on the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

The Hebrew Bible contains 24 books placed into 3 categories – the Instruction (or Torah), the Prophets, and the Writings. Chronicles (1ST & 2ND combined) was the final Book of the Writings, and hence – the final Book of the Hebrew Bible.

And that’s a “rabbit trail”. (I just wanted to explain God’s words from Luke when He said “from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah”.)

[TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK]

If you wish to learn more about the God I know then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.