In this lesson, we will look at some Bible principles on friendship: 1) We were made for friendship, 2) Friendship is founded on the good, 3) Friends are Independent, 4) Friendship is Generous. To encourage us to be better friends by understanding the Bible’s teaching.
This lesson will discuss the three reasons the Hebrew writer gives for running the Christian race in Hebrews 12:1-11. This lesson is designed to encourage to brethren to run the race with patience.
When we follow God’s law, God will shield us from many unpleasant things in life including: 1) The Words and Actions of the Wicked, 2) Insecurity for the Future, 3) The Plans of the Wicked, and we may have proper reverence and fear of God. We will study Psalm 119:113-120 and understand that God’s law shields us from many things and helps us to be secure.
Paul refers to God's plan to save man through Jesus. The term "mystery" was often used in the New Testament to refer to the message of the gospel as it has been revealed through God's Son, Jesus. Romans 16:25, 26 point this out.
Jesus condemned errors of related to 1) Truth, 2) Attitudes, and 3) Morality. Each listener should understand that Jesus loved people enough to confront them about whatever their problems might be so that they would change. We must be bold enough to confront people about their problems.
The counter-cultural truths that our culture refuses to accept are: 1) Homosexuality is a destructive lifestyle; 2) Religious people are more charitable than non-religious people; 3) Religious people live better quality lives than non-religious people. Each one will know that being correctly religious is morally praiseworthy, but accepting these prevailing cultural beliefs promotes immorality. Each one will know that it is an objectively good thing to be correctly religious.
Jesus died on the cross to redeem mankind 1) with a cost, 2) from condemnation, 3) to communion, and 4) for consecration. Each hearer should understand the deeper meaning of redemption as relates to Christ’s sacrifice.
Paul does not say there was no law in the day of Abraham or even before that. That is not his point at all. He merely says that where there is no law then there is no transgression. What then is the point? His point is that when God gave the promise to Abraham, that promise was given without law. Hence that promise was made to Abraham upon the condition of faith, not upon the condition of law.
Discontentment is a lack of faith. In 1 Timothy 6:17 Paul writes, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” God is the greatest giver and He gives richly all things to enjoy; let’s be content with Him.
Jesus died on the cross because God loved the world enough to sacrifice His own Son for the world’s salvation. Each listener should be able to explain how God’s love motivated Him to sacrifice His Son, Jesus. Jesus died on the cross because 1) God is a God of Love, 2) The World Needed True Love, 3) The Son Demonstrated that Love. I hope that the listener would understand God’s motives in sending His Son to die on the cross.
In this lesson, we want to examine the blessing of being benign, and specifically, that being benign brings blessings in relationship to 1) Authority, 2) Authenticity, and 3) Abundance. The objective of this lesson is to impress upon the hearer the notion that living a life of sin is not “fun,” but harmful, and that it is much more blessed and rewarding to live a benign and harmless life.
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Peter uses a metaphor that is not familiar to us. “Gird up your loins” refers to the act of pulling up one’s tunic, tying a belt around it, and preparing to walk.
The only reason that I know that God created mankind was because He wanted to demonstrate His love and goodness toward all even those who would reject Him, and He must have thought that this was worth demonstrating for His own character’s sake and because some of mankind would be saved.
How do missionaries work? The word “missionary” means “a person sent by a church into an area to carry on evangelism or other activities, as educational or hospital work” (dictionary.com). The word stems from a Latin word meaning “one who is sent.” In the New Testament, we can identify several missionaries. Philip seems to be the first of these.
We should love the law of God because: 1) It Gives Us Understanding, 2) It Makes us Upright, 3) It is Uplifting. Each listener should understand what spiritual benefits come from loving the law of God as set forth in Psalm 119:97-104. I hope that each would renew their love for God’s law.
Christian unity is based upon Christian teaching. We are united as Christians and without the teaching we are not Christians. This teaching is summarized in the list of seven “ones” in Ephesians 4:4-6. Each person should understand that for us to have unity as Christians we must adhere to the same standards of Christian teaching.
In this lesson we will answer the question, “What is Evangelism” in a fourfold way. Evangelism is 1) Prayer, 2) Opportunities, 3) Work, 4) Teaching. I want each hearer to understand what all is involved in evangelism. The aim of this sermon is to educate and encourage each Christian to be evangelistic.
The kingdom of God is composed of people not expected by men because 1) Men judge based on appearances only, 2) Men do not believe in God’s mercy and grace, 3) Men Make Cheap Sacrifices thinking that will be pleasing to God. Each listener should understand that it is God who sets the standard for who enters His kingdom, not us. I hope that we would seek to understand what God’s standard for the kingdom is so that we can conform to it being a people that doesn’t judge based on appearances, that show true mercy and grace to others, and that understand that we must make real sacrifices.
In this study, we will look at different kinds of risks that Christians must take to be Christians. There is the risk of 1) Leaving the ones we love, 2) financial loss, 3) our life and health, 4) public rejection and failure. Each Christian should know what kind of risks he or she faces each day in living the Christian life and be prepared to handle those risks understanding that while there may be "risks" while we are upon the earth, the outcome is guaranteed. I want to spur the brethren on toward taking more risks in these areas because the greater risk one takes the greater reward that is associated with the risk.
When the reformers, who eventually ended up creating the Protestant movement, withdrew from the Catholic church, they also renounced Catholic tradition as a source of authority for religious practices. In its place, they demanded that things be settled "sola scriptura" with scripture only.