In this lesson we will discuss the four commands in 1 Peter 2:17: Honor all men; Love the brotherhood; Fear God; Honor the king. The hearer should be able to quote and explain the verse citing a supporting scripture for each point.
We note that Paul's statement that Christ sent him not to baptize, didn't mean that Paul never baptized anyone. If it was the case that Paul wasn't supposed to baptize anyone, then he wouldn't have baptized Crispus and Gaius who he directly states in the context that he did indeed baptize. So the passage couldn't mean that Christ didn't send Paul to baptize at all.
“And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully” (2 Timothy 2:5). Human beings have probably been playing games since time […]
Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year. It is a holiday designed around the noble concept of gratefulness. Christians are to be thankful at all times for all […]
I don’t like fire ants, but I do admire them. I suppose that is kind of a strange statement, so let me explain. Last week I was out in the […]
The Bible begins with this simple statement: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This verse reminds us that 1) there was a beginning, 2) […]
The scriptures teach plainly that Christ went to paradise after His death. In Luke 23:43 we read these words: "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Jesus clearly told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise. One thing we know from the scriptures to be true is that paradise is not hell, and neither is hell paradise.
Verse 26 of Romans 11 is the conclusion to the allegory. Paul says, "And SO all Israel shall be saved." Paul doesn't say, "all Israel shall be saved," but "SO all Israel shall be saved." The word "so" is an adverb of manner. It means in such a way, or in such a manner, all Israel shall be saved. The idea is that they will be saved in the same manner in which they are grafted back into the Olive Tree, through belief that Jesus is the Messiah.
What is the gospel? It is 1) the Good News, 2) the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus, 3) the Power of God to Salvation. Each hearer will be able to answer the question, “What is the gospel?” I want to communicate that the gospel is God’s plan for salvation through Jesus Christ.
When God brought the children of Israel out of bondage, He instructed Moses to tell them this: “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My […]
What does it mean to be free? Some say that freedom is being able to do anything with no limits. I do not subscribe to that definition because, if followed […]
So far, it has been a relatively mild summer (in my opinion). East Texas has not had the scorching weather of Central and West Texas. My mother reported to me […]
What does it mean to be defiled? The Pharisees had one definition. Jesus had a different definition. In this lesson, we will examine 1) the meaning, 2) the manner, and 3) the menace of defilement. Each hearer will be able to explain that defilement originates in the heart, not from some external source. The aim of this lesson is to communicate that Christianity teaches personal responsibility.
In this lesson, we will discuss the command to obey the Lord. We will look at 1) What the command means, 2) Who is responsible to follow it, and 3) Why we must obey it. Each hearer should be impressed with the absolute necessity of obeying the Lord. I hope to communicate with each person what obedience means.
At the end of August, buried among the headlines of riots and viruses, a three-thousand person survey found that 52% of those that responded did not believe that Jesus was […]
In this lesson we will look at the bible doctrine of inspiration: the evidence for inspiration; the nature of inspiration; the function of inspiration; and the scope of inspiration; some misunderstandings of inspiration. The objective of this lesson is to help everyone understand what the Bible doctrine of inspiration is and implies and to help all respect God's authority.
In this lesson we will study the song “A Beautiful Life.” This song emphasizes that the true beauty of the Christian is in 1) serving others 2) pure living, 3) recognizing our mortality. Each hearer should understand that life is fleeting and we need to make the most of every day to do good to others.
When I was a young boy, we played football. We played in the front and back yards, in the streets, in the parking lot, and in the parks. We […]
Should we assemble on the Sabbath to worship? Some religious folks do, but the Bible never commands Christians to do this.
God is in heaven. Jesus is in heaven. The angels are in heaven. The saved will be in heaven. Will our pets be in heaven?