Sunday, March 25, 2018

Jesus’ Last Days | Ernie's Musings

Jesus’ Last Days | Ernie's Musings

And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, (Luke 9:51)

Jesus spent most of His time in ministry around the Sea of Galilee. His “mission base” was in Capernaum, probably staying at the house of Peter. As the time for His crucifixion approached, Jesus traveled up to Caesarea Philippi with His disciples – the furthest north He ever traveled (Matthew 16:13).


Sunday, March 18, 2018

Living Temples

Living Temples | Ernie's Musings

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Many Christians today are indistinguishable from nonbelievers. They go to the same places as nonbelievers. They behave in many ways like unbelievers. Most of my Facebook friends are Christians, and frequently I find pictures of them in what appear to be bars holding what appears to be wine or mixed drinks. Granted, the picture does not tell the whole story. The drinks in their hands could be non-alcoholic; the “evidence” is inconclusive, and one should not judge on appearances. However, the Bible does instruct Christians to “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22, emphasis mine), and what is presented bears the “appearance” of evil.

Instantly I hear the protest now ... Read more: https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/03/18/living-temples/

Sunday, March 11, 2018

The Gates of Hell | Ernie's Musings

The Gates of Hell | Ernie's Musings

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16)

Most of Jesus’ earthly ministry centered around the Sea of Galilee, aka the Sea of Tiberius, with His ministry headquarters at Capernaum. The furthest north He traveled, as recorded in the Gospels, was Caesarea Philippi, an ancient Roman city located at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon. Formerly, it carried the name of Paneas in association with the Greek god Pan. Herod the Great erected a white marble (pagan) temple there in honor of Caesar Augustus in 19 BC. Philip II (the Tetrarch) founded the city of Paneas and renamed it Caesarea in honor of Caesar Augustus in 14 AD.


Sunday, March 4, 2018

Jesus’ Brethren

Jesus’ Brethren | Ernie's Musings

There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. (Mark 3:31)

One of the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church holds that Mary, the mother of Jesus, remained a perpetual virgin her entire life, but that is not what the Gospels teach. Here in this passage from Mark’s Gospel, as well as in Matthew 12:46-50 and Luke 8:19-21, we see a different story.