1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. latter-day saints

 Journey Through the New Testament 2015 Theme Verse “ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31 I want to challenge us as a church family in 2015 to spend time having devotions with our families during the week. I think you would agree that Satan is trying to destroy families. What would we as a church family be willing to do in order to see God shake our homes and this church with His glory? Let’s read through the New Testament together starting January 4th. Let’s dig deeper into the Word on Sunday nights. Let’s show God that we are serious about His direction and will during Wednesday night prayer meeting. Let’s have our children and grandchildren catch us reading the Word daily, and then let’s teach them from the overflow of our own growth in the home. Let’s turn to the Lord like we never have before and let’s look expectantly to see how He will move in a mighty way! A Simple Guide to Family Worship What does the Bible say about family Worship? The importance of discipleship in the home is prominent throughout the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, fathers are commanded to teach their children throughout the day, even if that training is informal: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deut. 6:6-­‐7). When we turn to the New Testament, fathers are given the command to bring their children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Timothy, a disciple of Paul, was discipled first by his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois (2 Tim. 1:5). Their impact went beyond mere example. Paul encouraged Timothy to continue in the faith found in the Scriptures. These Scriptures, Paul said, Timothy had learned from childbirth (2 Tim. 3:15). In summary, family worship in the Bible is rooted in the idea of responsibility. Parents, especially fathers, are primarily responsible for the spiritual instruction and vitality of their families. The task is great and weighty, but God’s grace is greater and the eternal rewards are beyond anything this world can offer. What should we do during family worship? Keep it simple. Many believers are intimidated at the prospect of conducting worship in their home. But keeping family worship simple can relieve some of these anxieties. Along those lines, consider including the following simple elements as you worship in your home: Read Just read some verses or a chapter or more as a family. If children are present, allowing them to read can be of great benefit to them. I would recommend teaching from the overflow of your personal Bible reading and study. When God speaks to you, share it with your family during the week. Our kids love when we have family devotions. They ask to have it. We make it fun and ask questions at the end. It doesn’t need to be long in order to be effective. Pray This can be an important time to teach your family to pray. You may pray through the acronym ACTS, voicing prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication (prayer for needs). Try to include everyone as you pray, even if this is on a rotating basis. Additionally, you may want to maintain a prayer journal that enables you to keep track of prayer requests and God’s answers to those requests. Share Use this special time to let your family know how much the Lord means to you and how much you love each of them. This can be a wonderful time of investing in them during a busy week. Frequently asked questions about family worship 1. What if the father is not a Christian? In those instances where the father is not a believer, the mother will need to assume this role. Donald Whitney rightly reminds us that this initiative on the part of the mother must be done in a non-­‐offensive and non-­‐threatening way. 2. What about a single parent family? Again, in this case the responsibility falls to the single parent. This is a heavy burden to bear in addition to many other duties, but know that God will supply great grace and will more than make up for any natural deficiency we may perceive. 3. What if my kids are very young? Having very young children will change the dynamic of family worship considerably. With very young children, the goal is probably not understanding of all matters of doctrine. A more “modest” goal of impressing upon them the importance of family worship (and God) is more reasonable and beneficial at their particular age. 4. How do I keep things interesting if the age of my children varies widely? For young children, try to include them as much as possible and appropriate. Of course, all members of the family can pray and sing (at least some songs). Furthermore, allow younger children to read when possible. For the older children, try including them in the teaching and application of the Scripture reading for the rest of the family and in the leadership of prayer and singing on occasion. 5. What time of day is best for family worship? The time of day is not the most critical element of family worship. Some families prefer to worship as the day begins. For others, the morning hours are simply too hectic for family worship. In these cases, evening may work best. Many families prefer to adjoin family worship to the evening meal since all the family may be present at that time. In short, timing is far less important than consistency. Introduction to the New Testament The book of Malachi contains God’s last words to His people for about 400 years. During this time, many changes occurred which God utilized in order to set the stage for the coming of Jesus Christ. Bring the thick intro book and show them that you are giving them in a page and a half what it took this guy Raymond Brown 867 pages with tiny print. It was the Right Time Politically – Common Cause that the People Championed Political Background: Persian Rule – 538 BC Greek Rule – 333 BC Egyptian Rule – 323 BC Syrian Rule -­‐204 BC ***Maccabean Rule – Jewish Independence – 165 BC Roman Rule – 63 BC to Christ What is important that sets up stage for Jesus Christ? Romans are hated by the Jewish nation. Why? Romans took the independence of the Jews. Three times the Jewish people revolted against the Romans. During this time, the Romans killed 1.1 million Jewish people. Listen to the historian Josephus describe the end to the last rebellion in 74 BC in Masada: “The Roman armies established a permanent camp just outside the city, digging a trench around the circumference of its walls and building a wall as high as the city walls themselves around Jerusalem. Those attempting to escape the city were crucified, with as many as five hundred crucifixions occurring in a day.” When it was clear that the Romans had won, 968 Jews killed themselves rather than being taken by Rome. It is during this time that the meaning for a Messiah takes clear shape in the minds of the people. The Messiah would be one to come and free the Jewish people from Roman rule. It was in the years following this battle that the Roman Empire experienced their Pax Romana which basically means Roman Peace. Palestine had been build under Roman Rule and what the Romans had done is they had established roadways for people to travel safely all around that area, roadways through which the Gospel could go safely all throughout these different areas It is the Right Time Religiously – Common Place where the People Gathered The Jewish people for the most part during this time had forsaken most idolatry. They had setup synagogues; there were places for worship, places for teaching, schools that were scattered throughout. There is not a word about synagogues in the Old Testament, but as soon as we start the New Testament we find them everywhere. And that is where we are going to see Paul going when he goes on his Missionary Journeys. He is going to go to the Synagogue. Obviously we see Jesus announcing the Kingdom in the Synagogue. And so that is going to play an important role. It is the Right Time Culturally – Common Language that the People Spoke Alexander the Great a few centuries before had gone throughout the ancient world and established the common language of Greek . And so it just so happened that there was one common language that the New Testament could be written in that time that would be transferable across cultural lines. Introduction to the Gospels The word gospel literally means, “Good News”. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels because they are very similar in content. “Syn” means together and “opsis” means a view. Synopsis therefore means the three have a like view. John introduces 90% new material from his position within Jesus’ inner circle. All four of the gospels focus on the death of Jesus. For example, the book of John is 21 chapters and more than half of the book is spent on the last 7 days of Christ’s life. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John work together to provide a complete portrayal of Jesus Christ – the God-­‐Man. There is a significant parallel between the four Gospels and the four living creatures of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 1:10 says, “As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. The lion speaks of strength, the man of highest intelligence, the ox of lowly service, and the eagle of heavenly Divinity. In the Gospels we see Matthew – the Messiah King – the Lion Mark – Jehovah’s Servant – The Ox Luke – the Son of Man – the Man John – the Son of God – the eagle As Sovereign, He comes to rule and reign. As Servant, He comes to serve and suffer. As the Son of Man, He comes to share and to sympathize. As the Son of God, He comes to redeem. The four writers each address a unique audience. Matthew writes to the Jewish people, Mark to the Romans, Luke to the Gentiles, and John to the Gnostics. Matthew – The Book of Christ the King Introduction The name Matthew means, “the gift of God”. He was a Galilean Jew who lived in Capernaum where he was a tax collector. He became a disciple of Jesus (9:9), then an apostle (10:2-­‐3). Think about how amazing it is that when God decided to speak again, that He begins by speaking through a known sinner from an area outside of Jerusalem. By speaking through a person from the “wrong side of the tracks” it is immediately obvious that God is up to something new and exciting The account of Matthew was written to Jewish people to demonstrate that Jesus was the promised King. In Matthew, Jesus is the conquering Lion who comes to usher in His kiufsmc hfsicmfs2cfuh5ufsm0fff0fff6/rTysmm6thschhfsis s tfsicnhufsii92cofsifs dcuhufs
– Disease (8:1-­‐15) – Demons (8:16) – Nature (8:23-­‐27) – Sin (9:2) – Suffering – Death (middle of 9) Jesus conquers with compassion! (9:35) • He serves the undeserving -­‐Despite threats He continues to heal (12:13-­‐14) -­‐Despite rejection, He continues to teach (13:57) -­‐Despite betrayal, He continues to love (26) 3. The Kings Promise… • His life will be taken (16:21, 17:22, 20:17) -­‐Is this how a king rules? -­‐Is this how a king reigns? • His death will be temporary – All three times he says I will be raised on the 3rd day -­‐He is the only king able to defeat death -­‐He is the only king able to give life • His victory will be timeless (24:29) -­‐The King’s campaign is not over -­‐The King is coming back Personal Application: Matthews message to his original audience and to us today is the same – We all must choose whether we will accept or reject Jesus as King. If we accept Him as King, major adjustments are necessary in our lives so that we might appropriately serve Him. 1. Radical abandonment for His glory (4:18-­‐22) – Follow me -­‐We surrender our lives to Him -­‐We spend our lives for Him 2. Radical dependence on His grace – I will make you 3. Radical obedience to His mission – Fishers of Men Mark– The Book of Christ the Servant Introduction John Mark is the author of this Gospel. He was the attendant and writer for the Apostle Peter, and traveled as a helper with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 13). John Mark wrote this letter to Christians living in Rome around 60 AD, and this was probably the first Gospel to be written. Unlike Matthew, Mark does not try to prove certain statements and prophecies about Jesus. He is much more concerned with His deeds than His words. To prove that Jesus is the Messiah, instead of showing fulfillment of OT scriptures, which would mean little to the Romans or Gentiles, Mark emphasizes the power of Jesus by recording His miracles, rather than His teachings. Miracles have the place in Mark that parables have in Matthew, because Mark presents Jesus as a servant, while Matthew presents Him as a king. A king speaks, but a servant works. Therefore, Mark records 20 of our Lord’s miracles. Outline & Structure: 1. The Servant Prepared (1:1-­13) 2. The Servant at Work (1:14-­8:29) 3. The Servant Rejected (8:30-­15) 4. The Servant Exalted (16) Key Phrase – “Straightway” -­‐ mentioned 42 times. This particular Greek word has also been translated at once, forthwith, and immediately. The point is that Jesus had work to do and got to it. Key Verse -­ -­‐ 10:45 -­‐ “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many” The Message of Mark –
3. The Servant Rejected In Mark 8:30 the story turns from a gospel of power to a gospel of suffering. Nothing prepares the reader for the sudden turn. It begins in Mark 8:22-­‐25 when Jesus touches the man a second time because the first time was not sufficient. Important Messages • Until you have seen Jesus suffer and die you cannot know who He is, but once you’ve seen it you cannot help but declare Him the Savior! • The cross is the key to understanding Jesus the Servant. There is a repeated mention of the cross (9:12 & 31, 10:32-­‐34, 10:45, 14:8, 14:24-­‐25). A King needs a throne, but a servant needs a cross. • Power draws men to Jesus, but only in suffering do men join Jesus. Mark goes out of the way to show that suffering is the key to becoming more like Jesus Christ. 4. The Servant is Exalted Notice that after Christ the Servant finishes His work of binding Satan in his own house, it is a Roman soldier who confesses Christ! This is important. It is the conclusion that Mark believes every single person should come to – When you look at Christ serving those as they nailed Him to the cross you must see Him as the Messiah! Notice the Great Commission in verse 15. Here we do not hear a King say, “All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth,” as in Matthew. Rather, we see a servant say, “Now it’s your turn to serve. Follow the example I have given you.”. Personal Application: A servant needs a cross because a cross is a place of death. If we are to honor Christ, we must put to death our desires, our methods, and our plans. We must give them all to Jesus and say, “Thy will be done! I surrender completely to You and ask you to do in my life what only You have the power to accomplish.” Where do you need to surrender to Christ today? Luke– The Book of Christ the Son of Man Introduction Luke was a physician (Col. 4:14); a man of education and culture. Luke is the author of both Luke and Acts and these two books represent more written material than any other NT author. Matthew is concerned with what Jesus said, Mark with what He did, and Luke with who He was as a Person. The name Luke literally means “the light”, and is appropriate because the message of Luke is that the light of salvation is now available to all peoples. Luke goes out of his way to show Jesus loving those cast off by society – lepers, beggars, harlots, and the prodigal son. Women, who were also often neglected in society, are presented as key contributors in Luke (2:28-­‐31 & 36, 10:38, 11:27) In the book of Matthew, Jesus is presented as King. In Mark, He is the servant. In Luke, Jesus is presented as the Son of Man. Remember, Luke is writing to a Greek audience. The great hobby of the Greeks was “perfect manhood”. Luke, therefore, presents Jesus Christ as the perfect ideal Man, the Savior of Sinners. Outline & Structure: 5. The Savior Predicted and Provided (1:1-­4:13) 6. The Savior Preaching (4:14-­9:50) 7. The Savior Pressing toward the Cross (9:51 – 22:71)) 8. The Savior Pouring out His Love (23) 9. The Savior Perfected (24) Key Verse: 19:10 -­‐ “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” Key Chapter: Chapter 15 – The “Lost and Found” The Message of Luke – Christ – The Son of Man 1. The Importance of the Humanity of Jesus A. As a man, Jesus had a real birth Luke spends four times longer detailing the birth of Jesus the man than anyone other gospel writer. In his account, He traces the lineage of Jesus all the way back to Adam -­‐ the first man. He also gives the genealogy of Jesus through Mary rather than Joseph because although Joseph was his father legally, Mary was his mother biologically. B. As a man, Jesus faced real temptation After the baptism of Jesus, Luke 4:1 tells us that the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted and Jesus as a man was hungry (4:2) C. As a man, Jesus faced suffering The manhood of Jesus is put on full display in Luke 22:44 as Jesus as man begins to sweat drops of blood and beg the Father for this cup to pass from Him. And only in Luke do we see the pain in Jesus’ eyes as he looks into the face of Peter immediately after he had denied Him three times (22:61). 2. The Importance of Prayer and the Holy Spirit In the account by Luke, Jesus as a man gives us a model to follow! In Matthew He says it as God, in Luke He lives it as a man. The two most important keys to accomplishing God’s will as a man are: A. Prayer – In Luke the prayer life of Jesus is shown over and over again. • Luke is sometimes called the Gospel of Prayer -­‐ see Luke 3:21, 5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 9:28, 9:29, 11:1, 22:32, 22:44 • His first words on the Cross are a prayer (23:34) and his last words from the cross are a prayer (23:46) • He instructs us on how and when to pray -­‐ Midnight Cry (11:9-­‐10) -­‐ Without Ceasing (18:1) -­‐ In Humility (18:9014) -­‐ On all occasions (21:36) -­‐ When Tempted (22:26) B. Holy Spirit – The Spirit is mentioned more in Luke than in Matthew and Mark together (1:35, 4:1, 4:14, 11:13) When you put these two elements together, Luke is showing us that if we are to honor God with our lives then we must follow the example of Jesus in prayer and dependence upon the Spirit. 3. The Importance of Loving All People The primary message of Luke is presented by Simeon in only 3 verses in Luke 2:29-­‐32 – “A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles”. The rest of the book builds on this theme. -­‐ Only Luke gives Jesus’ comments when rejected in Nazareth (Luke 4:25-­‐
27) -­‐ Only Luke tells of the ten lepers who were cleansed. Notice that the one that returned to thank Jesus was a Samaritan -­‐ Only Luke tells the story of the Good Samaritan -­‐ Only Luke gives us his most famous chapter of a lost sheep, coin, and lad. The point to the entire chapter is that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. -­‐ Only Luke emphasizes the importance of women in the ministry of Christ (7:37-­‐50, 10:41, 13:10-­‐17, 15:8, 23:28). Women were usually overlooked. Personal Application: • Are you hurting in some way right now? Remember, we serve a God who knows the pain you are feeling. As a man, Jesus can identify with your hurt and enter into your suffering! • Are you following the model of Jesus in your prayer life and in your dependence upon the Holy Spirit? • Are you following the model of Jesus in loving all types of people? John– The Book of Christ the Son of God Introduction The name John means “grace of the Lord”. John is known as “the beloved disciple” (13:23) and as one of the “Sons of Thunder” (Mk. 3:17). John owned a fishing business with Peter and his father (Mttw. 4:21), was a man of means who owned his own home and had hired servants (Mk 1:19), and was originally a disciple of John the Baptist (Luke 1:36). He was the only disciple present at the crucifixion (19:26), outran Peter to the empty tomb, and was the first to recognize the risen Savior in Galilee (20:1
B. His Deity is Disputed It is amazing that in this book that is all about believing in Jesus that there are so many people who do not believe. Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God was rejected by his own brothers (7:5), some of His original followers (6:66), the Pharisees and religious leaders (7:32, 11:47-­‐
57, 12:37), and the Jewish people in general (5:16, 8:57-­‐58, 10:31-­‐33). 2. The Secrets of the Son of God (13-­17) – His Private Ministry A. The Talk in the Upper Room (13-­14) Jesus as God stoops down and washes the dirty feet of his creation to show how much He loves them. He then promises his true followers both eternal life (14:1-­‐6) and peace (14:25-­‐31). B. The Walk on the Gethsemane Road (15-­17) Jesus teaches His disciples that He has an important mission for them to accomplish – making disciples of all nations. Jesus then tells them that they will only be successful through the power of the Holy Spirit. 3. The Sorrows of the Son of God (18 -­21) A. He is Falsely Condemned (18:1-­19:15) B. He is Finally Crucified (19:16-­42) The major addition in the book of John is the inclusion of the timing of the crucifixion so that the reader knows that Jesus died on the day during the Passover celebration that a lamb was slain for forgiveness of sin. John beautifully shows us that Jesus is the perfect Lamb that was slain to pay the price for our sins. Also note that only in John are the words recorded, “It is finished”. C. He is Fully Conqueror (20-­21) After Jesus defeated death through His resurrection He appears with His new spiritual body 10 different times. Only John records the restoration of Peter by Jesus. For every time he denied Christ, he was restored! Personal Application: • Do we Declare or Dispute that Jesus is the Son of God? • Are we following the example of Christ in his humble service and are we accomplishing the mission of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit • Do we need to accept His forgiveness because It is Finished? The Book of Acts Introduction The book of Acts has been called, “The fifth Gospel”, and is actually a continuation of Luke’s Gospel. Luke connects the two books in the first verse. While the Gospel of Luke tells the story of what Jesus began to do and teach while on earth, the book of Acts records what Jesus continued to do by the power of the Holy Spirit through the church. While most Bibles give the full name of the book as “The Acts of the Apostles”, the book is not a record of the apostle’s acts. Instead, it records the acts of the Holy Spirit. While the apostles are scarcely mentioned, with the exception of Peter and Paul, the Holy Spirit is mentioned over 70 times! The book of Acts sees the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-­‐20 put into practice. The disciples are preaching everywhere fulfilling Mark 16:19-­‐20. The Promise of the Holy Spirit in Luke 24:49 is fulfilled in Acts 1:5 and 2:1-­‐4. The first time the Law was preached, 3,000 men were killed (Exodus 32:38) while the first time the Gospel was preached after the Holy Spirit 3,000 men were saved (Acts 2:41). Acts 1:10-­‐
11 confirms the truth of the second coming of Christ as mentioned in John 21:21-­‐23. Outline & Structure: 10. The Power of the Early Church (Chapters 1-­4) 11. The Persecution of the Early Church (Chapters 5-­8) 12. The Progress of the Early Church (Chapters 9-­28) Key Verse: 1:8 -­‐ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Key Chapter: Chapter 2 – The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit The Message of Acts – What a Church of Jesus Christ Should Look Like 1. The Power of the Early Church (Chapters 1-­4) These first 4 chapters are a picture of a church on fire for Jesus Christ! Thousands are saved and many lives are being impacted. This is a direct result of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. When the people of God are filled with the Spirit of God at least 3 things happen: I. Witness Daily (1:8, 1:22, 2:32, 3:14-­15) For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Acts 4:20 Application -­ Are you so filled with the Holy Spirit that you cannot help but tell others about what you have seen and heard? What is in our hearts comes out of our mouths! II. Pray Constantly (Acts 1:14) The disciples go to the Lord in prayer immediately after the ascension (1:14), immediately after Pentecost (2:42), immediately before a lame man is healed (3:1), immediately after release from prison (Acts 4:24), concerning the election of deacons (6:3-­‐4). Two important things happened: A. In Acts 4:13, when the people saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled, and they realized that they had been with Jesus. Application -­‐ Can anyone tell that you have been with, have spent time with Jesus? B. In Acts 4:31, the place where they were assembled together was SHAKEN with the power of God. Application – We will not see the power of God apart from prayer to God! III. Fellowship Lovingly (Acts 2:32-­35 & 42-­47) The church was gripped with the incredible gifts that God has given them, and giving to others was the natural outpouring of this recognition of grace! Application -­‐ When is the last time you met the need of another individual/family? 2. The Persecution of the Early Church (Chapters 5-­8) The New Testament church is doing exactly what Jesus had commanded them to do. They are growing and thriving and seeing God do the impossible. At this point, it is important for us to see that Satan strikes back in Chapters 5-­‐8. Satan attacks the church from the outside and then when that doesn’t work he attacks through church members. Any time God is one the move in the church, Satan will throw a counterpunch! 3. The Progress of the Early Church (Chapters 9-­28) A. Paul’s Conversion to the Faith (9) Paul’s Damascus Road experience reminds us that Jesus Christ has the power to change any human life. God redirected the passion of Paul from killing followers of Jesus Christ to making disciples of Jesus Christ! B. Paul’s Commissioned for the Faith (13:1-­21:17) In Chapter 13 we have the beginning of foreign missions. The early church was started by the Holy Spirit, and it was the Holy Spirit that fueled the spread of the Gospel to the ends of the known world! Paul went on a total of 3 Missionary Journeys: • 1st Missionary Journey with Barnabas (13:1-­‐15:35) – 2 years and 1400 miles • 2nd Missionary Journey with Silas, Timothy, and Luke (15:36-­‐18:22) – 3 years and 2800 miles • 3rd Missionary Journey (18:33-­‐21:17) – 4 years and 2800 miles C. Paul’s Contending for the Faith (21:18-­28:31) It is important to note that in this entire section Paul is a prisoner. This is the period of time during which Paul writes letters back to the churches where he had gone on his missionary journeys. ****Important**** Notice that Acts does not have a conclusion b/c the Acts of the Holy Spirit continue to this day through men and women just like us!!!! We are now writing the 29th chapter of the book of Acts! The Book of Romans Introduction The letter to the church in Rome was written by Paul from Corinth. Paul wished to visit Rome and this letter was to prepare them for his visit. When Paul wrote it, the Gospel had been preached through the Roman world for about a quarter of a century and many groups of Christians had come into existence. Many questions had come out of these groups such as whether a Gentile believer had equal standing with Jewish believers, and Paul addresses these specific questions. Romans is the most complete, most logical, and clearest presentation of the Christian faith to be found anywhere in the NT. Romans has been a powerful influence on my great people for centuries. St. Augustine, Marin Luther, and John Wesley were converted while studying Romans Brief Outline: • All Are in Need of Salvation (Chapters 1-­3) • All Can Receive Salvation (Chapters 3-­11) • All Can Succeed through Salvation (Chapters 12-­16) ****In Romans, the first parts tells us what God did for us, and the last section tells us what we should do for God! Key Idea: Come to God clothed in His righteousness Key Verses: 1:16-­‐17 – “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believeth; to the Jew first, and also then to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith.” The Message of Romans I. All Are in Need of Salvation (1-­2) In these first chapters Paul stresses that both Jew and Gentile are equally unrighteous before a completely righteous God. There is nothing any person can do to increase their standing before this God. Listen to these words from Romans 3:10-­‐13 “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside” Personal Application: Paul identifies 2 types of people that need Jesus Christ. Who do you know in one of these groups that YOU need to share the Good News with? 1. Those who are Lost and who do not know Jesus at all There are over 6000 entire people groups who will live and die and NEVER hear the name of Jesus 2. Those who believe that they are righteous before God based on their good works – This is widespread in America! II. All Can Receive Salvation! (4-­11) Romans 4:5 both opens and summarizes this section – “ But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness How can God declare guilty sinners as innocent? How can God both completely punish sin and completely demonstrate His love and mercy? The Romans Road: Who needs salvation? Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Why do I need salvation? Sin’s Penalty -­‐ Romans 6:23a – “For the wages of sin is death” How is salvation possible? God’s Alternative – Romans 6:23b – “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 5:8 -­‐ “But God demonstrated His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Who can receive salvation? Romans 10:13 -­‐ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How can I be saved? Romans 10:9-­‐10 -­‐ 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Can you lose your salvation? Romans 8:38-­‐39 -­‐ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Personal Application: Are you able to lead someone to faith in Jesus Christ? III. All Can Succeed through Salvation! (12-­16) Romans 12:1-­‐2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” This verse begins an incredible section on how our salvation through Jesus Christ should affect every area of our life! Paul says that our salvation should be seen in: Chapter 12 – How we Treat Non-­‐Believers Chapter 13 – How we Live Godly lives in an ungodly Society Chapter 14-­‐15 – How we Treat Fellow Christians Chapter 16 lists 28 different people by name that Paul recommends are displaying an exemplary Christian life! Application: Would our names have been on this list? 1st and 2nd Corinthians Introduction The apostle Paul started the church in Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-­‐7). The large church in Corinth was made up of mostly lower income Gentile believers who were extremely gifted in spiritual things. However, the Corinthians were greatly tempted by the wickedness in their city. The city of Corinth was a wealthy seaport city known for luxury and immorality, and was regarded as the “sin center” of the Roman Empire. Paul writes these letters back to the church he had started. The primary theme of 1 Corinthians is correction – addressing specific local church problems. The letter was so stern that Paul cried as he wrote it (2 Cor. 2:4). Because of his concern for how the Corinthians had received this first letter, Paul sent Titus to check on the church. Titus brought back good news that things were much better in the Corinth church and that his first letter had produced the desired changes. It was this joy that prompted Paul to write 2 Corinthians – the primary theme of which is comfort and encouragement. Structure and Outline: 1st Corinthians – A Letter of Correction for the Church • The Truth about The Cross (Chapters 1-­2) • The Truth about The Church (Chapters 3-­5) • The Truth about Companions (6-­7) • The Truth about our Commission (8-­14) • The Truth about the Coming of Jesus (15) 2nd Corinthians – A Letter of Comfort for the Church The Comfort of God (Chapters 1-­7) The Concern for Others (Chapters 8-­9) The Conclusion of Paul’s Ministry (Chapters 10-­13) The Message of 1st Corinthians I. The Truth about the Cross (1-­2) Paul is writing to a group of believers that had moved on from the cross to bigger and better things in their Christian life, and as a result had gotten far away from God. Out of his love, Paul writes to remind them that the cross is the only hope they have for true peace, hope, and joy in this world. The Key Verse is 1 Cor. 1:18 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” II. The Truth about the Church (3-­5) • Divisions are Ungodly – 3:3-­‐4 -­‐ 3:11 is the key verse • Imitate my Life and you will be imitating Christ (4:16) – Wow! Can we say this? • Immorality Must be Addressed (5:7) III. The Truth about Companions (6-­7) • Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit – 6:18-­‐20 • Marriage is life long commitment (7:10-­‐16) IV. The Truth about our Commission (8-­14) Paul addresses exactly what we have been called to do and the fact that our spiritual gifts are just that – a GIFT from God • Called to Witness – 8-­‐10 – Key Verse -­‐ 10:31 • Called to Remember – 11 – 11:23-­‐34 is Lords’ Supper • Called to Serve – 12-­‐14 – Chapter 13 is famous chapter on love V. The Truth about the Coming of Christ (15) Paul writes this part of the letter because some are saying that there is no such thing as resurrection. 1 Cor. 15-­‐50-­‐58 is a famous passage about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ! Personal Application: • Is the Cross the center of your life? • Are you at odds with a fellow brother or sister in Christ? • Are you treating your body as the temple of the very presence of God? • Are you doing what Christ commanded you to do in life? • Are you ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ? The Message of 2nd Corinthians I. The Comfort of God (1
The Book of Galatians Introduction Paul had visited Galatia during both his second and third missionary journeys, and his work here had been extremely successful. The Galatians were an emotional and intense people and great numbers of Gentiles had eagerly accepted Christ. However, serious problems began to arise after Paul left. A group of Jewish teachers called “Judaizers” insisted that the Gentiles could not be Christians without keeping the laws of Moses – specifically circumcision. This group also challenged both the authority and message of Paul. The book of Galatians therefore is written to these churches to both defend his calling and to clarify his message. His message is simple – a person is not saved by faith PLUS keeping the law, but by FAITH ALONE. Galatians is the Christian’s Magna Carta or Declaration of Independence from the law, and has served to free millions of Christians from legalism. It was Martin Luther’s favorite book and provided the fuel for the Protestant Reformation. Brief Outline: • Paul Defends His Calling (Chapters 1-­2) • Paul Explains the Gospel (Chapters 3-­4) • Paul Explains How to Practice the Gospel (Chapters 5-­6) Key Word – Freedom Key Idea: Saved by Grace Alone through Faith Alone Key Verse – Galatians 2:16 -­‐ “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ” The Message of Galatians I. Paul Defends His Calling (1-­2) Paul reminds the Galatians that this Gospel did not come from man, but rather was revealed by God. He says that even if an angel from Heaven preached another gospel, they should be accursed. Will we follow and trust in the opinions and thoughts of man or will we follow and trust in the Word of God? Some people during this time were saying – We are special. We’ve got rights! Paul reminds them in Galatians 2:20 that they had forfeited their fights. When we asked Jesus to do for us what we could NEVER do for ourselves we put our strength and resources to death.. Now, we depend on the resources and strength of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit-­‐ the only way we can succeed in this life. As Paul, we say, “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” II. Paul Explains the Gospel (3-­4) Paul further explains salvation through grace alone by faith alone using two examples: 1. Abraham Paul uses the example of Abraham to demonstrate that no one has ever been saved by the law. In Galatians 3:6-­‐7 Paul shows that Abraham was justified by his faith many years before the law was ever established 2. School Master In Galatians 3:24 Paul compares the law to a schoolmaster. In this time, the schoolmaster was regarded as a strict disciplinarian. Yet the goal of a disciplinarian is always improvement. And so it is with the law – it served as a spiritual guide to bring us to Christ. III. Paul Explains How to Practice the Gospel (5-­6) In this section, Paul gives Christians the key to victory over our biggest struggles in our daily walk with Christ. Enemies of Freedom Enemy #1 -­ Legalism (5:1-­4) – Legalism says, “There are things that you can do that will make you more acceptable to God “ The Truth: Producing righteous living falls outside of our job description. When it comes to producing righteousness – whether for salvation or for living we must allow God to do the work. Anytime we try to live out the Christian life (I’m going to do better) in our own strength we have just entered into legalism! Enemy #2 -­ License (5:13) – License says, “I have been forgiven so I can now live however I want.” Where legalism says I can do something, License says I choose to do nothing! Anytime we take the gifts God has given us and use them for our own gain and glory we have just given into to this! We say “Thanks for salvation, no thanks with service” The Truth: In both legalism and license we are saying I don’t need you God! Satan will do anything to get us to believe we don’t need the Holy Spirit. Liberty says I NEED YOU GOD! Liberty (5:5) – “For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith” How do I get His power involved with my weakness? The same way you came to Him for salvation – through faith (Forsaking All I trust Him) We come to salvation by admitting that we are sinners incapable of saving ourselves and by faith trust Jesus as our only way for salvation. But then, our tendency is to say, “OK I’ll take it from here.” We wrongly assume that it is our job to live right, change ourselves, and become a better person. We are no more able to live righteous lives than we are able to save ourselves. The Spirit filled life is a life of faith. It started on faith, and it runs on faith Personal Application: A Prayer of Faith: Lord I claim victory right now over _____________________. I recognize that I cannot handle it or overcome it in my own strength, but I serve a God who can and right now I trust that You will! The Book of Ephesians Introduction Paul founded the church in Ephesus during his second missionary journey (Acts 18) and during his third missionary journey returned to the church and stayed as their pastor for three years (Acts 19). Paul greatly loved this church even in face of great opposition (Acts 19) His last meeting with the Ephesian elders was a tender farewell (Acts 20:17-­‐38). This letter was written by Paul from a Roman prison to this church whom he loved. Ephesus was the capital of Asia and was a very rich city. Ephesus was the center for the worship of the pagan goddess Dianna, whose temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Paul’s success was so great in and around Ephesus that the community was shaken. Many who practiced witchcraft turned to Christ and burned their magic books. Also, there was a serious conflict between Paul and the silversmiths in Ephesus. The worship of the image of Diana had become commercialized, so there was a large industry of men who made idols of this goddess. The preaching of Paul interfered with this business, and this led to a riot. Structure/Outline I. Our Heavenly Calling (Chapters 1-­3) II. Our Earthly Conduct (Chapter 4-­6) Key Theme: Come to Him for fullness of life (3:19, 4:13, 5:18) The Message of Ephesians In the book of Ephesians, Paul gives six powerful pictures of how the church of Christ is supposed to function. The first three chapters lay the foundation and answers the question – Why. The final three chapters provide practical advice and answer the question – How. I. Our Heavenly Calling (Chapters 1-­3) A. The Church as a Body (Chapter 1) 1. Praise for its Possessions(1-­14) -­‐chosen (4) -­‐adopted (5) -­‐accepted (6) -­‐redeemed (7) -­‐ bought with a price -­‐inheritance (13) -­‐sealed with the Spirit (14) – In ancient days when merchandise was purchased, it was customary for the buyer to impress their seal on the items they bought. While they then went elsewhere this seal protected the goods until the buyer returned to claim their goods. To secure us in Christ, God has put His seal on all of his purchased possessions. When He returns for us, we will be identified b/c of the Holy Spirit! 2. Prayer for its Potential (15-­23) • We Now have His Power (19-­‐20) • We Now Have His Mission (21-­‐23) – Now we are the Body of Christ. B. The Church as the Household of God (Chapter 2) In this chapter there is a clear distinction between what we were before Christ, and what we now are in Christ: Sinner Saint Object of Wrath Object of Grace Dead in Sin Alive to God Strangers Friends Without Promise Given Promise Without Hope Given hope Far from God Near to God Darkness Light Strangers Friends C. The Church as a Divine Mystery (Chapter 3) This mystery was not revealed to the Old Testament saints (5) but is now made known through Paul – That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs with the Jews and of the same body through the Holy Spirit. The mystery is that the distinction between Jew and Gentile forever disappears in the church through the Spirit. II. Our Earthly Conduct (Chapters 4-­6) A. The Church as a New Man (Chapter 4) 1. The Walk in Unity (1-­6)– One Body, One Spirit, One Hope, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, and One God 2. The Work in Unity (7-­16) – purpose of our spiritual gifts is for building up the body 3. The Way to Unity (17-­32) – put on the new man in Christ through forgiveness. B. The Church as a Bride (Chapter 5) 1. We are to Separate (1-­13) 2. We are to Serve (14-­17) 3. We are to be Spirit Filled (18-­20) 4. We are to Submit (21-­33) -­ God chose the love of a man for his wife to illustrate Christ’s love for the Church C. The Church as a Warrior (Chapter 6) This chapter is one of the most important chapters in the entire Bible. The final verses are set up by the command to live out the Christian life in everyday circumstances such as marriage, family, and work. The question is – How do you do that? The answer is found in Ephesians 6:10-­‐20. The ONLY way we can live out the Christian life in everyday circumstances is by putting on the armor of God! Personal Application: • Praise God that through Jesus Christ He has moved us from enemies to friends, from darkness to light, from forsaken to forgiven, from death to life! • Pray for this Church – Pray daily for your pastor, for your staff, for your leaders, and for God to accomplish His work through this body Put on the Armor of God Daily – Remember, this is THE KEY The Book of Philippians Introduction The church at Philippi was founded during Paul’s second missionary journey. Paul went down to the river to preach, and had his first converts including a wealthy merchant named Lydia. However, Paul soon ran into trouble in Phillipi when he cast out a demon from a young slave girl who made money for her owners. Paul and Silas were put in jail, but God released them through an earthquake. As a result, the jailer and his household were saved. This church was very special to Paul and he calls it his joy and crown. This is by far the most personal of all Paul’s epistles. He is writing to old friends and colleagues who have long supported his ministry. He doesn’t have to assert his authority and is free to express his strong feelings toward them. Paul wrote this letter in the midst of circumstances that were far from being joyful. He was a prisoner chained to a Roman guard. He is writing to a Philippian church confronted with internal dissension and external opposition. Many Christians wonder how they can be joyful in the midst of disappointment and heartache. The answer can be found in the Book of Philippians. Paul shows us in word and in deed how to be joyful in the midst of distressing difficulties. Structure/Outline I. Rejoice in Suffering – Christ, the Purpose of Life (1) II. Rejoice in Service – Christ, the Pattern for our Living (2) III. Rejoice in Imperfections – Christ, our Goal in Life (3) IV. Rejoice in Circumstances – Christ, our Power in Life (4) Key Verse – Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I say Rejoice (4:4) The Message of Philippians I. Rejoice in Suffering – Christ, the Purpose of Life (1) Key Verse 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” Many times we define suffering as the loss of stuff – money, health, ect. So, if the purpose of life is stuff then we will never be satisfied with God’s word on suffering. But if the goal of our life is Christ, then when stuff is taken away it brings us to closer to Christ. Two Key Truths 1. Paul realized and understood that his suffering resulted in others coming to Christ that would never have had the opportunity otherwise (12 -­ 13) Question – Who do you have the chance to witness to that you never would have if you were not suffering? 2. Paul realized that his testimony in these trials was causing others to become bolder in their witness. Many times, the only person that can minister to someone hurting is someone that has experienced that exact hurt. Question -­‐ Who could you or should you minister to going through similar suffering? II. Rejoice in Service – Christ, the Pattern for our Living (2) Key Verse 2:7– “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of man” Paul was dealing with some difficult people. Sound Familiar? Has someone ever irritated, annoyed, or aggravated you? How are we to respond? A. Wait and Submit (3, 5-­7) – Are we following His example? B. Work out your Salvation (12) – Are we using what God has given us for His glory? This word is the same word used about men WORKING OUT the mines. It means getting the most out of, reaping the greatest harvest, or reaching full potential. C. Watch your Speech (14) – Are our words helpful or hurtful? D. Whining or Shining (15-­16) – Does our light stand out in a dark world? III. Rejoice in Imperfections – Christ, our Goal in Life (3) Key Verse 3:10 -­‐ “that I may know him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings” We Need to Avoid: Barrier #1 -­‐ A Focus on Religious Performance (2-­‐3) Barrier #2 -­‐ An Emphasis on Personal Accomplishment(4-­‐8) We Need to Adopt: 1. The goal of the Christian life is to KNOW Christ – starts with an initial meeting but involves an ongoing relationship 2. The goal of the Christian life is to be like Christ – we become who we spend time with Personal Application: What is the goal of your life? Is it Religious Performance? Is it personal accomplishment? Is it to know Jesus Christ more every day? IV. Rejoice in Circumstances – Christ, our Power in Life (4) Key Verse 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Worry is the greatest enemy to Christian joy. Paul gives us 2 keys to avoid worry in our lives A. Guard Your Heart through Prayer (5-­7) A lot of times we take the philosophy of -­‐-­‐-­‐Well we have tried everything else. Now let’s try praying. But prayer should be our first line of defense rather than our last. As Americans we can celebrate our independence this weekend; but as Christians we must declare our complete dependence upon God B. Guide our Mind through Truth (8-­9) The root of worry is a lie. Satan convinces us that we can handle something that we have absolutely no power to control. Anytime we take on something that is outside of our job description we enter into worry. The key to defeating lies is to combat them with the TRUTH of God’s Word. Ask God to give you a verse that directly contradicts the lie you are worrying about. The Book of Colossians Introduction The book of Colossians was written around 62 A.D during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. Paul never visited Colossae, but some of the Colossians visited Ephesus during Paul’s three years there and came to know Christ. The main purpose for writing this letter was to correct some wrong ideas that were being taught in the Colossian church (4:13). Specifically, some were teaching the false doctrine of Gnosticism meaning “to have a special knowledge of God”, and taught that God did not really create the universe and that Jesus did not have a real body. Colossians completes Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Where Ephesians emphasizes the oneness of Christ, Colossians emphasizes the completeness of Christ. The theme of Ephesians is the church, while the theme of Colossians is the Head of the church. In Ephesians Christ empties himself and becomes a servant. In Colossians He is restored to His rightful position and is the Pre-­‐eminent fullness of God. Structure/Outline III. Doctrinal -­ What it Means for Christ to be Preeminent (Chapters 1-­2) “That you may be filled” IV. Practical What it Looks Like for Christ to be Preeminent (Chapters 3-­4) “Set your affections on things above” Key Verse – Colossians 2:9-­‐10 “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” The Message of Colossians – Christ Preeminent I. Doctrinal – What it Means for Christ to be Preeminent Colossians 1:9 “That you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” A. Who Jesus Christ Is (1:15-­18) -­ Seven Incredible Descriptions of Christ • The visible form of the invisible God (15) • The first born of all creation (15) • By Him were ALL things created (16) • He is before ALL things (17) • By Him all things consist (17) • He is the head of the body, the Church (18) • The firstborn from among the dead (18) B. What This Means (2:1-­15) • Philosophy (8) -­‐ the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge, especially with a view to improving them. Paul says KNOW WHO JESUS IS (3,9) and you will see that He needs no improvement. • Legalism (14-­17) -­‐ the doctrine that salvation is gained through good works. Paul says KNOW WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU (13,15) and you will see that He needs no assistance. •
Mysticism (18-­19) – the belief that it is possible for certain people to obtain spiritual knowledge that transcends ordinary understanding. Paul says KNOW WHO YOU ARE AS A CHRISTIAN (10,12), and you will see that God has fully revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. •
Asceticism (20-­23) – the belief that a person can reach a more spiritual state through self-­‐denial and self-­‐mortification. Paul says KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TO DO FOR JESUS (6-­‐7), and you will see that you bring nothing to the table and that you can do NOTHING to be more spiritual apart from Christ. Putting all this together – God has FULLY revealed His love and purpose through Jesus Christ. God’s plan does not need our improvement or our assistance. Despite what anyone says or thinks, there are no special qualifications in God’s plan. Every person comes to God in the exact same way – by admitting they are in desperate need of salvation, incapable of doing ANYTHING to change their situation, and trusting in Jesus alone to do for them what they could NEVER do for themselves. THIS IS THE GOSPEL. II. Practical -­ What it Looks Like for Christ to be Preeminent (Chapters 3-­4) Colossians 3:2 -­ “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” A. Put on the New Man In order to experience the fullness of Christ, we must GROW UP rather than GIVE UP. Paul tells us that we must put off our old nature. However, our life in Christ is not a series of “giving ups”. Children do not give up playing with dolls and toys; they grow out of it. In the same way, as we come to know Jesus better, we discover that some things just don’t interest us anymore. B. Practice the New Man Because of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, Paul says this is what we should do for God. This is what your life should look like. See how you are doing in each area and ask yourself – Is Jesus Christ Preeminent (First Place) in my Life? • Personal Life (5-­‐12) – We are to put off anger, wrath, malice, lies, and filthy language. We are to put on mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience • With Other Believers (13-­‐14) – Do you need to say “I’m sorry or You are forgiven” to a fellow believer? • Word of God (16) – Does God’s Word come out of your life because you put it in each day? • Work of God (17) – Do you honor God in your career or daily life with a thankful heart? • In our Homes (18-­‐21) – Is God a welcome visitor in your home? • In our Service (22-­‐25) – Do you serve as Christ modeled? • In our Prayer Life (4:2-­‐4) – Do your pray continually, expectantly, and for the lost? • With the Unsaved (4:5-­‐6) – Does your life lead others closer to Christ? • With Christian Leaders (4:7-­‐18) – Are you praying for and encouraging your church leaders? The Books of 1 & 2 Thessalonians Introduction These two letters are Paul’s first epistles written in 52-­‐53 AD. The record of Paul’s work at Thessalonica is found in Acts 17:1-­‐10. During his 3-­‐week stay in this city, Paul, Timothy, and Silas founded and established this new church. So many people enthusiastically responded to the gospel that the strict Jews became enraged and caused such opposition that Paul and his friends had to leave by night. Paul writes back to these Christians who have become slack and lazy in their daily occupations and in their Christian testimony and service. Some had quit work and were living off the church, while others were perplexed about what would happen at the Second Coming to their saved relatives who had already died. The theme of both 1 and 2 Thessalonians is the return of Jesus Christ. In 1 Thessalonians Paul stresses the nearness and suddenness of Christ’s return. Note that Paul closes every chapter with a reference to the coming of the Lord – 1:10, 2:19, 3:13, 4:17, 5:23 Some in Thessalonica got carried away with the expectation of Christ’s return at any moment, and so Paul writes 2 Thessalonians to clarify. Christ’s return is imminent (will happen in the future), but not necessarily immediate (will happen right now)) Key Theme– Be Ready! He is Surely Coming Again! Key Verse – 1 Thes. 1:10 -­‐ “and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” The Message of Thessalonians – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ I. Setting the Stage Regarding the Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 1:9-­10) These two verses provide us we a picture of the model church and believer. • Past – “turned to God from idols” • Present – “serve the living and true God” • Future – “wait for His Son from heaven” How are we to wait? The term here is to “wait up” like a parent on their children, and points to expectancy. II. Instructions and Comfort Regarding the Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:13-­18) Verses 13-­‐18 are the key verses in the entire two books. The purpose of these verses is to provide comfort for those who have lost loved ones. How so? 1. Those who have died “in Christ” will be in the presence of Jesus before those who are alive when He returns. This was written to correct a common misconception. (Peter in John 21 example). It is VERY important to read these verses closely because some thought Paul meant that they the dead in Christ would not be with Him until the Second Coming. Notice, however, in verse 14 that “God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” So, in verse 16 when we read that the dead in Christ will rise first it doesn’t happen right then because they are already with Him. This is a GREAT comfort! 2. Those not yet “in Christ” are promised here that they will be reunited with their loved ones on that glorious day. III. The Timing of the Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 5:2-­3) Paul describes the Coming of Jesus in Two Ways 1. “As a thief in the night” (2) 2. “as labor pains upon a pregnant woman” (3) In both cases, you don’t know exactly when they are coming but you definitely know when they happen! This is one of the strongest supports for the Rapture (the belief that believers will not have to go through the Great Tribulation). We are told that the next thing we should watch for is Jesus Christ. You cannot say “He could come at any time” if other things have to happen before Jesus comes. (see also Matthew 24:36, 42-­‐44). Other Information about the Rapture: 1. Term means snatched away and comes from 1 Thes. 4:17 – “caught up” 2. Enoch in Gen 5:24 was taken away by God without dying 3. Elijah was taken by God in 2 Kings 2:9-­‐15 4. John 14:1-­‐3 says, “I will come and receive you to myself” 5. 1 Cor. 15:51 says, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” 6. Rev. 3:10 – “I will keep you from the hour of trial 7. Rev. 6-­‐18 describes the trials that come on the earth (Church is NEVER mentioned – compare Rev. 13:9 to let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” IV. The Anti -­Christ and the Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 2:1-­12) There are two important phrases in 2 Thessalonians that look similar but have VERY different meaning. 1. Day of Christ – relates to the blessing and reward of the saved at His coming (1 Cor. 1:8, 1 Cor 5:5, 2 Cor. 1:14, Phil 1:6, 10, Phil. 2:16) 2. Day of the Lord -­‐ connected with the judgment of those outside of Christ and starts at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. (Isaiah 2:12, Mal 4:5, Joel 2:1-­‐12) During the Great Tribulation, there will arise a person called the Antichrist. He will be the embodiment of all anti-­‐Christian attitudes, purposes and motives, carried out by the hand of Satan. Here in 2 Thessalonians, the Antichrist is referred to as “man of sin”, son of perdition”, and “the lawless one”. Here, We also find out that the Antichrist will be known for power, signs, wonders, and deception. We also see in verses 5-­‐8 that the Antichrist won’t come to power until “He is taken away”. The “He” here is the Holy Spirit of God after the church is taken out of the world in the Rapture. Jesus Christ Anti-­christ Came from Above. (John 6:38) Ascends from the Pit (Rev. 11:7) Exalted himself (2 Thes. 2:4) Will be Admired (Rev. 13:2) Came to Destroy ((Dan. 8:24) Humbled Himself (Phil. 2:8) Was Despised (Isaiah 53:3 Came to Save (Luke 19:10) Is the True Vine (John 15:1) Is the Truth (John 14:6) Is the Holy One (Mk. 1:24) Is the Man of Sorrows (Is. 53:3) Is the Son of God (Luke 1:35) Is God in the Flesh (1 Tim. 3:16) Is the Vine of the Earth (Rev. 14:18) Is the Lie (2 Thes. 2:11) Is the Lawless One (2 Thes. 2:8) Is the Man of Sin (2 Thes. 2:3) Is the Son of Sin (2 Thes. 2:3 Is Satan in the Flesh (2 Thes. 2:7) The Future Activities of the Antichrist 1. He will rise to power through brilliant diplomacy (Rev. 6:2). He will initially offer peace, and be supported by the kings of the earth before he breaks the peace and dominates them. 2. He will have one world government – “10 horns with crowns” (1) 3. He will dominate with one world economy. – “7 heads” -­‐ authority 4. He will promote an atheistic religion. 2 Thess. 2:1-­‐12 – “will exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he, as god, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is god. 5. He will set up a covenant with Israel for 7 years, but that this covenant will be broken in the middle of the Tribulation. (Dan. 9:27) The purpose of this covenant is to keep the children of Israel from seeking God. 6. The Antichrist will suffer death and resurrection. Rev. 17:8 tells us that the Antichrist will die in the middle of the tribulation. Satan, who will be cast out of heaven, will indwell the Antichrist and duplicate the resurrection. This is when he will unleash his attack on Israel – the greatest anti-­‐Semitic movement the world has ever known 7. He will ultimately be destroyed completely (2 Thess. 2:8, Rev. 19:11-­‐20) V. Conclusions about the Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 5:11-­20) While Thessalonians does give us a lot of great information about the instructions for, the timing of, and the comfort in the second coming he doesn’t stop there. He also made sure that both the readers then and readers today know how we are to live in light of the coming of Jesus Christ. Thessalonians closes with several things that Christians should be doing while we wait”. How are you doing in each of these areas? • Comfort one another (11) • Don’t fight one another (15) • Edify one another (11) • Rejoice always (16) • Esteem the preacher or teacher (13) • Pray without ceasing (17) • Be at peace (13) • Quench not the Spirit (19) • Support the weak (14) • Despise not the Word (20) • Be patient toward all men – Don’t • Abstain from every appearance of lose your temper (14) evil (22) 1 & 2 Timothy Introduction 1 and 2 Timothy along with Titus make up the pastoral epistles of Paul. These epistles were written specifically to the pastors/leaders of churches. They are therefore personal and practical, and deal with the pastoral work of the church. Timothy was Paul’s beloved companion and helper whom he first encountered at Lystra (Acts 16:1-­‐3), and later regarded as a son in the faith. He was with Paul on his missionary journeys and during his imprisonment in Rome (Col. 1:1). Timothy’s father was a Greek, but his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois were Jewish which meant he was taught the Scriptures (2 Tim 1:5). After years of training under Paul, Timothy was left in charge of the important church in Ephesus. It was while Timothy was pastor in Ephesus that Paul wrote his two letters to Timothy. 1 Timothy provides encouragement and advice to both Timothy and any Christian worker who might become discouraged during service in the church. 2 Timothy provides us Paul’s final and most moving message. After a lifetime of service and sacrifice for Christ, Paul is in prison again and death is imminent. We can sense Paul’s loneliness as he awaits certain execution, and he pleads with his son in the faith Timothy to come to him as soon as possible. 1 Timothy offers encouragement while 2 Timothy pleads for encouragement. Key Theme– Guard the Gospel & Guard your Witness Key Verse – 1 Timothy 3:14-­15 – “These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” Outline/Structure -­ 1 Timothy I. The Charge to Timothy – Chapter 1 II. Instructions for the Church – Chapters 2-­3 III. Instructions to Church Leaders – Chapters 4-­6 The Message of 1 Timothy I. The Charge to Timothy – Chapter 1 Paul urges Timothy to Fight the Good Fight! (1:18) He warns him to fight against false teaching. He then urges him to lead the people to a consistent Christian life. Paul declares that the best way of defeating false teaching is with a life patterned after the Word of God. Remember, your life is the only Gospel that some people will EVER read. Are you leading people to Christ or away from Him? II.
Instructions for the Church – Chapters 2-­3 On Prayer Paul instructs how to pray and why we pray. We are to give thanks, offer supplications (says “God, we are in desperate need your help”), and intercessions (says, “God, someone else is in desperate need of your help”). We are to pray because our God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2:4-­‐5) On Women’s Role in Church Chapter 2:9-­‐15 cannot be properly interpreted out of its historical context. Woman during this period were slaves and completely at the disposal of their father or husband. Many pagan women became temple prostitutes near the Temple to the pagan god Diana. Respectable woman lived a confined life, never traveling the streets alone and certainly never speaking in public. As a result, if women had taken an active part in the work of the early church, it would have had the reputation of being a haven for immoral women. These instructions are therefore written specifically to protect the witness of the church. Paul is not speaking against women. He is trying to get men to take the lead. We know that women were very active and even taught in the church (Acts 18:26, 1 Cor. 11:5, Titus 2:3-­‐4) On Selecting a Pastor (3:1-­7) A Pastor is to be a man who is a spiritual leader in every area of his life – in his home, in the church, and in the community. On Selecting your Deacons (3:8-­13) Deacons are to be proven Christians who have good reputation as being a spiritual leader both in the community and the church. They must not be men who gossip, must exhibit the fruit of God’s Spirit, must be wise, and reliable. III. Instructions to Church Leaders – Chapters 4-­6 Paul offers leaders several indicators that they are walking with and obeying Christ. Godly leaders will care for older saints, care for widows, and care for slaves. In short, they will care about those who have no rights and bring nothing to offer to the table. Finally, leaders will be careful not to love money more than God (6:10) Outline/Structure -­ 2 Timothy I. Paul, the Preacher – Chapter 1 II. Paul, the Example – Chapter 2 III. Paul, the Prophet – Chapter 3 IV. Paul, the Prisoner – Chapter 4 The Message of 2 Timothy I. Paul, the Preacher – Chapter 1 Confidence In the Spirit! (7) Paul says to Timothy as a fellow pastor. The Holy Spirit of God will give you power, love, and sound mind. Do not be afraid! Confidence in Christ! (12) When you are walking through a difficult time as I have – do not ever be ashamed of the gospel. I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day! You can be confident in this! II. Paul, the Example – Chapter 2 Confidence in God’s Word 2 Timothy 2:15 is the key verse in the entire book. It is the BEST advice Paul could give to a fellow Christian. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly diving the word of truth”. Many Christian’s lives have been wrecked by spiritual malnutrition – lack of Bible study. You CANNOT live a victorious Christian life if you fail to read the Bible on a regular basis. A Bible that is falling apart likely belongs to a person whose life is not! Evidence of God’s Word When you are close to God through reading His word you will avoid gossip (16), lust (22), foolish disputes and quarrels (23) III. Paul, the Prophet – Chapter 3 Paul uses 22 words of phrases to describe the last days before the coming of Christ. Here are a few: Unholy “Lovers of themselves” Unloving Lovers of money” Unforgiving Proud Having a form of godliness but denying its Blasphemous power. Unthankful In these last days and in every generation, the Word of God is the key! It should be used for Teaching, Conviction, Rebuking, and Guidance (3:16) IV. Paul, the Prisoner – Chapter 4 Paul’s Final Charge! (1-­5) Shortly after writing these words, Paul was executed for the cause of Christ. In his closing moments, he urges Timothy and us to do seven things 1. Preach the Word 2. Convince 3. Rebuke 4. Exhort with patience 5. Be Watchful 6. Endure sufferings 7. Fulfill your ministry Paul’s Final Testimony! (6-­8) These verses have been called Paul’s deathbed testimony, but what a testimony it is!! Paul’s Final Words! (17-­18) These verses are some of my favorite in the entire Bible. Are you walking a difficult road today? Listen to these verses! Titus Introduction Paul’s letter to Titus was written in between his two letters to Timothy, and completes the pastoral letters. Titus was another of Paul’s sons in the faith, and was sent to Crete to strengthen the work in the church that had been established there. Titus appears to have been a much stronger man than Timothy, both physically and spiritually. Timothy’s background was Christian while Titus’ was pagan. It takes the grace of God to save all sinners, but one saved in sin usually has more zeal than one saved from sin. The Cretans had a reputation for being “liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:2). Because of the background of these Cretans, Paul emphasizes good works. Some of the Cretans had gotten the idea that since they were saved by grace, they didn’t have to live in a godly manner. Six times in this short letter Paul exhorts them to exhibit good works. In 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul stresses doctrine. In Titus he stresses duty. Outline/Structure: I. The Leaders of the Church -­ Chapter 1 II. The Walk of the Church – Chapter 2 III. The State of the Church – Chapter 3 Key Verse: Titus 2:11-­‐12 – “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age.” The Message of Titus I. The Leaders of the Church -­ Chapter 1 Titus had been sent to Crete to “set things in order”. This order was to be established through the appointment of elders. These were the local pastors whose role it was to feed the flock. Elder and Bishop designate the same office. Elder is the word applied to the person, while bishop is applied to the function of the office. Paul names fourteen things that a pastor should BE: Blameless Not given to wine Sober Husband of one Wife Not violent Just Have faithful children Not given to materialism Holy (Set apart – unpolluted) Not self –willed Lover of hospitality Not easily angered Lover of good men II. The Walk of the Church – Chapter 2 This is a beautiful picture of how a church should make disciples. The older and mature Christians should live their lives in such a way that the next generation comes of know, love, and serve Jesus Christ. Challenge: Can the next generation look at your life as an example if they want to be a fully devoted follower of Christ? III. The Ethics of the Church – Chapter 3 Paul reminds believers that Christians ought to be the best citizens in any country. Our citizenship is in Heaven, but while we are here on earth we should apply our Christian faith to practical living. Challenge – How are you as a model citizen? We should treat waiters/waitresses/cashiers/servers with utmost respect and kindness. We should not be associated with breaking the law in ANY area of our life. We should be honest in our work, with our money, and our taxes. We should not EVER be heard in the community gossiping about another person. Philemon Introduction This is the shortest of Paul’s letters, but in spite of its brevity, it has much to teach us. It is a private letter to Philemon, one of Paul’s converts and close friends who was a leader in the church at Colossae. In fact, the church services were held at his home. He was a man of considerable means, a possessor of slaves and a benevolent believer. This letter has been called the original emancipation proclamation, and has a good message for Christians in every era. Key Verse – Philemon 1:16 – “no longer as a slave but more than a slave – a beloved brother” The Message of Philemon Paul wrote this letter on behalf of one of Philemon’s slaves named Onesimus. Onesimus had stolen money from Philemon and had run away to Rome to avoid punishment. While in Rome, Onesimus had come into contact with Paul, who led him to Christ. As difficult as it must have been, Paul had persuaded Onesimus to voluntarily return to his master’s home where he would probably suffer a severe punishment. Furthermore, Paul told Philemon that he would make the payment for the crimes OnP c Gwufsycnhufsmcihpufsuld ufsycnhufsmcihpufsunmy
The Book of Hebrews Introduction Hebrews is a very unique letter in that it was written to the Jewish nation rather than a specific church. It is so Jewish in nature that most Gentiles during the time could not have comprehended the arguments because of their lack of knowledge regarding specific Jewish systems. The author of Hebrews did not reveal their identity; therefore it must be labeled “anonymous”. Men such as Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, and Paul have been suggested. The purpose of the letter was to encourage these Jewish Christians who had endured persecution and who were therefore considering giving up their Christian faith to return to Judaism. They had suffered a severe persecution in which they had been made a public spectacle (. Hebrews 10:32-­‐36). Hebrew reads much like a miniature Bible in that it begins with God (as in Genesis 1:1), ends with the heavenly Jerusalem (as in Rev. 21), and points to Christ from beginning to end. Hebrews is also the commentary for the book of Leviticus and Exodus. Christ is the fulfillment of the law, and is better than any type that pointed to Him. Finally, Hebrews is a great book of faith. No other book in the Bible defines faith like Hebrews. Structure/Outline V. The Superiority of the Person of Christ (1-­8) VI. The Superiority of the New Covenant in Christ (9-­10) VII. The Superiority of New Life in Christ (11-­13) Key Verse – Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Key Word -­‐ Better – used 13 times to show the superiority of Jesus Christ The Message of Hebrews– Christ is Superior I. The Superiority of the Person of Christ (1-­8) A. Superior to the Prophets (1:1-­3) The Picture of the Prophets was “Divine Communication through Human Mediation” (Exodus 20:18-­‐21). God would raise up a man from among the people who would bring the Word of God to the people of God in order to bring the people back to Him! Everything that the prophets anticipated was completely fulfilled in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus was raised up by God from among His people and was the Living Word of God sent to the people of God in order to forever reconcile the people of God to Himself! B. Superior to Angels (1:4-­2:18) C. Superior to Moses (3) C. Superior to Joshua (4) D. Superior to the Priest -­ Aaron (5-­8) Leviticus Chapter 16 describes in detail the Day of Atonement (remember – think AT ONE MENT – In order to be at one with God requires sin to be covered by blood). The Day of Atonement was Israel’s most important holy day, for on this day God dealt with all the sins that had not been covered during the year. Aaron, as high priest, went into the Holy of Holies to apply the blood of a spotless animal in order to receive God’s mercy and forgiveness. Our Day of Atonement happened on the cross. Jesus, as our great High Priest, took off his royal robe, humbled Himself, and went alone to the cross! Then, the spotless Lamb of God chosen by God before the foundation of the world was slain to cover our sin so that we can receive God’s mercy and forgiveness. II. The Superiority of the New Covenant in Christ (9-­10) A. The Tabernacle is Fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:8-­12) The Bible devotes more room to the description of the Tabernacle than to any other single subject. The entire purpose of this tabernacle was so that the glory of God could dwell among sinful man. Hebrews shows that everything the tabernacle pointed to, Jesus completed. • Jesus is the Bronze Laver as He is the only way we may be clean when entering God’s presence • Jesus is the Golden Lampstand (John 1:9) as He said I am the Light of the World (John 8:12) • Jesus is the Table of the Showbread in that He said I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and he does supply our daily needs • Jesus is the Altar of Incense in that He intercedes for us continually (Romans 8:34) • Jesus removed the Veil of the Tabernacle when He said it is finished which enabled access to James – The Book of Practical Christianity Introduction James’ parents were Mary and Joseph, and he was the half brother of Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:55). James was not converted during Christ’s earthly ministry (John 7:3-­‐10), but was saved after the resurrection when Christ appeared to him personally (1 Cor. 15:7). James was one of the great heroes of the first Christian church. He was present in the upper room (Acts 1:14), pastor of the Jerusalem church after Peter left, (Acts 12:17), and moderated the first church council (Acts 15). We study the book of James at this point because is the earliest epistle in the New Testament (AD 45). James writes to Jewish Christians that had been saved on the day of Pentecost. Because they were babes in Christ, James gives them practical instructions on how to live out their new faith. For this reason, the book of James is often referred to as the Proverbs of the New Testament – the practical learning experience for the child of God. Key Verse: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead” James 2:26 Key Theme: “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” James 1:22 The Message of James – Faith Works! The message of James is that faith works in two ways. First, in this life -­‐ faith simply is what works. In the church also, faith works. God doesn’t need our money, our facilities, our location, or our plans and strategies. God needs the people of God to believe in the promises of God and trust in Him for the provision of God. Second, true Faith is one that goes to work. Many people today say, “I don’t have to do anything – that is legalism!” But James says, “Yes actually you do.” Of the 108 verses in the book of James 59 of them contain a command – A command every 2 verses. James says that if you do not have works on the outside, then you don’t have faith on the inside – OUCH! As you study James -­‐ examine your life to see if you have a Faith that Works Examination #1 -­ What we Do in Trials A. The Certainty of Trials (2) – “when you fall into various trials” B. The Purpose of Trials (3-­4) • We learn to grow in His likeness (3-­4) If your goal is to get through our trials as quick as possible then we will be in for endless frustration because you can’t fix it. And something else is right around the corner. If your goal is God then trials become joy because they force us to rely on lean on trust in Him • We learn to trust in His wisdom (5-­8) • We learn to rely on His resources (9-­11) C. The Options During Trials • Satan’s Plan (13-­15) – each temptation is to LOSE FAITH IN GOD, Stop trusting Him • God’s Plan(16-­18) Examination #2 -­ What we Do with Truth James gives us 3 ways we are to respond to Truth if we are to have a Faith that Works • Receive the Word Humbly (19-­21) • Remember the Word Constantly (25) • Obey the Word Whole Heartedly (22) James says…If there has been no action to the Word, the Word has not been received. This goes right in the face of accepting Jesus but not obeying Jesus. James says, if there is nothing happening on the outside, there is nothing that has happened on the inside. Examination #3 -­ What we do with our Tongue A. Your Tongue is Directive – It can change lives (3:3-­5a) B. Your Tongue is Dangerous – It can destroy lives (5b-­8) God impressed upon my heart that you can violate every fruit of the Spirit using only your tongue – Love – I hate him/her, Joy – Complaining, Peace – I’m so stressed out, Patience – Get out of my way, Goodness – I’ll get my revenge, Self Control – Cursing C. Your tongue is Declaring – It reveals your heart (9-­12) -­‐Your Words declare if you have a saving faith – If the words that come out of your mouth are full of cursing, lying, gossip, and tearing others down and never praise God or draw others closer to Him James would say according to Jesus you are NOT SAVED. Personal Application: Your Words declare how much faith you in fact have. James says – Show me your words and you are showing me your level of FAITH! Your words are a picture of what is inside your heart. What does your heart look like? Just examine your words. 4. Examination #4 -­ What we do with our Treatment of Others And I’m warning you in advance this is JAW DROPPING -­‐ People who claim to be Christians but fail to help poverty stricken fellow believers are in fact not saved. James addresses the question -­‐ How does faith act? Acts in Mercy – to the widow and the orphan(27), to the man not dressed in rich clothes (5), and to the brother in need(15-­‐16) • Example of Compassion (15-­16) If your fellow believer is hungry and starving and you say as a benediction “God bless you or God be with you”. This kind of faith does nothing for the person in need, so this faith does nothing to save your soul. • Example of Treatment of Poor 1 Jn. 3:17 -­‐ If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? James says here that if you are saved there will be a response of compassion and love and the more you grow into the likeness of Christ, the greater the response will be. But if there is NO response, then you have NO FAITH Personal Application: • How did you do on the examination of your faith? • How do you respond in trials? • What are you doing with the Truth of God’s Word? • How are you doing with your tongue? • How are you doing with the treatment of others? 1 Peter Introduction Peter, the writer of this Epistle, has a long history. After Jesus called him, Peter quickly became the leader and spokesman of the 12 disciples. He was one of Christ’s “inner circle” who was allowed to see Jesus in His glory (Mark 9:1-­‐4). Peter was the first to confess that Jesus was the Christ; the first disciple to enter Christ’s empty tomb; and was the first disciple called by name by Christ after His resurrection. He is referred to 210 times in the New Testament. After Pentecost he is seen as the “dean” of the apostles – the preacher at Pentecost, the most prominent figure in the first half of the book of Acts, the one who opened the way for Gentiles into the church, and who took a strong stand in defense of salvation by grace through faith in the council at Jerusalem. Tradition has it that Peter was martyred in Rome by Nero in A.D. 67, that he was crucified upside down, feeling he was unworthy to die as his Savior had. Peter wrote this letter to Christians enduring intense persecution. A fire had destroyed much of Rome in AD 64, and Nero the emperor blamed it on Christians. He tortured and killed many of them, and even burned some of them at night to light up his personal gardens. The letter is a letter of encouragement and hope to suffering believers. Peter has been called the apostle of hope; Paul, the apostle of faith; John, the apostle of love. Key Verse: 1 Peter 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who •
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Submit to Your Spouse (3:1-­7) – You cannot control what your spouse does, but you can control your actions. Pray for them, love them in spite of their weaknesses, and your loving example may be the thing that leads them closer to Christ. Submit to Fellow Believers (3:8-­17) Submit and Follow Jesus’ example (3:18-­4:11) Submit to God, Resist the Devil (5:5-­9) This section ends with a verse that summarizes the whole: “Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud But gives grace to the humble” (I Peter 5:5) Challenge – Are you following the model of Christ in serving and submitting to others? Do you need to serve your spouse in a deeper way? Do you need to forgive or grant forgiveness to a fellow believer? Where is your pride keeping you from a deeper walk with Christ? 2 Peter Introduction While 1 Peter encourages believers to keep their faith in the midst of suffering from outside persecution, 2 Peter encourages them to know the Truth in the face of mounting apostasy from within. It is interesting in the final letters of both Paul and Peter, there are strong warnings to believers. In 2 Timothy, Paul warns of heresy, coldness and indifference among the congregation. In 2 Peter, we are warned of heresy in the pulpit! Both letters stress the importance of the Word as the solution to events in the final days (2 Tim. 3:16-­‐17, 2 Pet. 1:19-­‐21) Key Verse – 2 Peter 1:3 – “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” Key Theme – Know The Truth! 1. The Truth Propels You Forward Spiritually (Chapter 1) Peter reminds us that God’s Truth is not meant simply for information but for application! We are not to eat continually without ever exercising our faith. He also reminds us that God’s Word is needed for spiritual progress. Challenge -­‐ What does your fruit say about your current relationship with Christ? How often are you feeding on God’s Word? 2. The Truth Protects (Chapter 2) Peter issues a strong warning against the false teachers in the pulpit. We must be careful to not believe any word other than THE WORD of God. Peter says these false teachers are doomed (4-­‐11), the depraved (12-­‐17), and deceptive (18-­‐22). 3. The Truth Prevails (Chapter 3) Peter reminds us that God is not slack. Even though some will say that God is not coming again because He has lingered in His coming, He is coming again! And the reason He has not come again yet is that God is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (3:9) 1 John –The Letter of Assurance Introduction John, the beloved disciple, and author of the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation is the author. John wrote these letters while living out his last years in Ephesus, as the last living apostle of the original 12. 1 John is written to reassure Christians about their faith and to renew their confidence, which had been shaken by the false teachings and philosophies of their day. Key Verse: 1 John 5:13 -­ “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” Outline/Structure: I. God is Light (1:1-­2:2) II. God is Love (2:3-­4:21) III. God is Life (5) The Message of 1 John – Assurance of Salvation In John 20:31 we read that the purpose of John’s gospel was to show men how they might have eternal life. 1 John was written that men might KNOW that they have eternal life. This is a book that gives assurance of salvation. The keyword in the Gospel of John is believe (over 98 times). The keyword in 1 John is KNOW (over 30 times). I. God is Light (1:1-­2:2) • He is Eternal (1:1-­‐4) – John again goes back to “from the beginning” • He is our Example (1:5-­‐10) -­‐-­‐-­‐When we fall short we need to cling to 1 John 1:9 because we have an Attorney (2:1) who has taken our case before God our Judge! II. God is Love (2:3-­4:21) • If we KNOW Him, we will OBEY His Word (2:3-­11) – How can you know if you are a Christian? Take this test – Do you obey His word? • IF we KNOW Him, we will not love this WORLD (2:15-­‐17) • If we KNOW Him, we are His children and will be like Him! (3:1-­2) – What a promise!! • If we KNOW Him, we will LOVE ONE ANOTHER! (4:7-­21) – The word love is found 27 times, and the teaching is clear – If you don’t love others, you do NOT know God -­‐ no matter what you profess. III. God is Life (5) • Life Through Faith (1-­5) – Victory does NOT come in our life through our skills, ability, or power. Victory comes only through faith! • Life Through Christ (6-­13) – Verses 11-­‐13 are the core of the entire letter. If you have Christ, then you have LIFE! • Life Through Prayer (14-­17) – Here is a correct model of prayer. Make your wants what God wants. Then, ask for whatever you want. • Life Over Satan (18-­21) – We can be certain of our victory over Satan. This does not mean that we never sin, but rather that we are not a slave to sin anymore! 2 John – The Letter of Truth Introduction: 2 John is addressed to “the elect lady” who had probably received into her home some of those that were teaching false views about Christ. Outline/Structure I. The Path of the Believer (1-­6) – “Love one another” II. The Peril of the Believer (7-­13) – “shares in his evil deeds” The Message of 2 John – Guard the Truth in Love This letter is very relevant to the American church today. As a church we must continue to love one another and others as we reach out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, as we reach out me must be careful not to compromise our message or our morals. We must be IN the world, but not OF the world. We must guard against allowing the world to influence us as we attempt to influence the world. 3 John – The Letter of Christian Hospitality Introduction: 3 John is written by the apostle John to one of his converts named Gaius. The letter is written to address a specific division within the church. A man named Diotrephes had become a dictator within the church, and John condemns this type of behavior among church leadership. Each of the three men mentioned in 3 John teach us some basic truths. I. Confirmation of Gaius (1-­8) John calls Gaius “the beloved” four times. This man of God was generous and compassionate. He opened his home to those in need including missionaries. II. Condemnation of Diotrephes (9-­11) This man wanted all the praise and glory. He dishonored God in the way he talked about other believers, in his refusal to help others, and in his role in creating division in the church. III. Commendation of Demetrius (12) There is only one verse about this man; it gives us a good lesson in Christian character. His name indicates that he was a convert from paganism. He spoke only good of all men and of the Gospel itself. Others testified of his faithfulness to Christ. Application: If John was writing a letter about our church – Who would you most closely resemble? • Would you be described as generous and compassionate? • Would you be described as gossiping and divisive? Would others testify to your faithfulness to God and His house? Revelation Introduction John the Apostle wrote this book during a time of terrible persecution under the Roman emperor Domitian. Under Domitian, John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos where he was made to work in the mines. While in exile, John received this incredible Revelation of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John he reached farther back into eternity than any other Bible writer (John 1:1-­‐3). In Revelation, he reaches farther into eternity future than any other writer. The word Revelation in Greek is “Apocalypse”, and means, “to expose to full view what was before unknown, hidden, or secret.” The book was written to encourage Christians of every generation during severe persecution. The message is clear – Christ is Lord, and He is coming to bring justice. Despite present conditions, the Christians future will be glorious! Key Verse: Rev. 22:20 – “Surely, I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus!” Key Word: Overcomes (2:7,11, 17, 26; 3:5,12, 21) Outline Structure – (specifically stated in Rev. 1:19) I. The Things Past (chap. 1) -­‐ “the things which you have seen,” II. The Things Present (chap. 2-­3) -­‐ “the things which are,” III. The Things Future (chap. 4-­22) -­‐ “the things which shall take place after these things” The Message of Revelation – Jesus Christ was, is, and always will be totally victorious! I. The Things Past (chap. 1) -­‐ “the things which you have seen,” John sees a beautiful picture of the Holy Trinity in verses 4-­‐8. He sees God the Father (4a) and God the Spirit (4b). However the focus here shifts to Jesus Christ (5-­‐8). John gives 7 Statements about our Savior: -­‐He is Faithful Witness
The Church in Ephesus (1-­7) – The Unloving Church Ephesus is a picture of a church that is doing a lot of good things but their work has become mechanical and routine. To the outside world the church looks like a success, but to Jesus it is a failure. Labor is never a substitute for love. Jesus presents the cure for this church: 1. Remember – Recall the joy that you felt when you were on fire for the Lord 2. Repent – Decide to change your course and turn and head in a new direction 3. Repeat – Get back to the basics – Taking the Word of God with the Spirit of God to Discover the Will of God The Church in Smyrna (8-­11) – The Persecuted Church Smyrna is a picture of Satan attacking the church externally through persecution. From AD 54-­‐AD 310, the church endured 10 periods of intense persecution. The interesting thing is that this is also a time when the church thrived. More members were added during this period than any other time in history. The Church in Pergamum -­ The Compromising Church When Satan was unsuccessful in attacking the church through persecution we see him move to another line of attack – prosperity. In Smyrna, Satan is a roaring lion, but in Pergamum he is a deceiving serpent. He creeps in through the back door. Pergamum means “married” or “elevated”. The church had become married to the government and in doing so had been elevated to a place of acceptance. This proved to be a much more successful Satanic strategy. The Church in Thyatira – The Corrupt Church While the Pergamum church was characterized by compromise, the Thyatira church moved into all out corruption. This period produced the Dark Ages where faith gave way to working for salvation. The Church in Sardis -­ The Dead Church Corruption left unchecked quickly leads to death in the church. This church believed they were still alive, but Jesus said they were dead! What led to the church’s deadness? • The state began to govern church policy and the church accepted it. • The church was unwilling to change tradition • A lack of the Holy Spirit The Church in Philadelphia – The Faithful Church Jesus offers no word of condemnation for this church. This was a model church that seized opportunities, stood strong in their faith, obeyed God’s Word, and refused to back down. The Church in Laodicea – The Lukewarm Church Laodicea is the most disappointing of all the churches. Despite their wealth and technology, they left NO spiritual legacy. This made Jesus literally sick on his stomach. Jesus pleaded with the lukewarm church to seek spiritual solutions including purity, righteousness, discernment, and forgiveness.
III. The Things Future (chap. 4-­22) -­‐ “the things which shall take place after these things” The Rapture of the Church – Chapter 4 Key Verse – Rev. 4:1 “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this” Up to this point, the church has occupied the central place in God’s view of history. But at the beginning of chapter 4 the church disappears and is not mentioned again until chapter 19. After the church is taken away to be with Christ, the world enters into the time called The Great Tribulation. This is a seven-­‐year period when God pours out His final judgment upon sin. The Title Deed – Chapter 5 Key Verse – Rev. 5:6 – “stood a Lamb as though it had been slain This is the point in history when God will reclaim what is rightfully His. God has allowed Satan to be the “prince of this world”, but the scroll represents the title deed to the earth. According to Jewish custom, in order to reclaim a piece of property someone must be able, must be willing, and must be related by blood. No one in Heaven or Earth met these qualifications until Jesus Christ (a Lamb that had been slain standing in triumph) steps up. He is able because He is God. He is willing because He is Love. He is related because of His Blood! Hallelujah, what a Savior!! The Seven Seal Judgments – Chapter 6 God’s judgment begins with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. • Seal One The Rider on the White Horse – False Peace • Seal Two– The Rider on the Red Horse -­‐ War • Seal Three– The Rider on the Black Horse -­‐ Famine • Seal Four– The Rider on the Pale Horse -­‐ Death Unbelievable Grace – Chapter 7 Key Verse Rev. 7:1 – “After these things, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four finds of the earth” In the midst of unprecedented judgment, God shows unbelievable grace! He first demonstrates His Grace to the Sealed Jewish nation when 144,000 of them are saved. These 144,000 Jews then become the evangelists that reach the multitudes of Gentiles for the Lord during the tribulation. Silence in Heaven – Chapter 8 Key Verse – Rev. 8:1 “When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for about half an hour” The seventh seal contains within its scope all the rest of the judgments of the Tribulation (the trumpets and the bowls) that will restore the kingdom of God to earth. The mixture of terrible divine judgments and incredible divine mercy causes silence in Heaven for about half an hour. • First Trumpet -­ Judgment of Vegetation • Second Trumpet -­ Judgment on the Sea • Third Trumpet -­ Judgment on the Water Supply (Wormwood is Chernobyl in Russian) • Fourth Trumpet -­ Judgment on Heavenly Bodies Hell on Earth – Chapter 9 • The Fifth Trumpet -­ Satan releases demons and evil spirits from the abyss and they are given permission to torment people for 5 months • The Sixth Trumpet -­‐One third of the rest of mankind is killed by an Satan’s army of 200 million The Purposes of Heaven and Hell Revealed – Chapters 10-­13 After Chapter 9, there is a long break in the prophecy that stretches from chapter 10-­‐
13. These four chapters give us a description of what God has been doing and what Satan has been doing during the blowing of the trumpets. Purpose of Heaven #1 – God will reclaim total dominion over earth! (Chapter 10) Three times in this chapter we are told that God’s angel put one foot on the land and the other foot on the sea (10:2, 5, 8), reminding us that God is going to again be the ruler of this world in complete dominance and authority. Purpose of Heaven #2 -­ God desires that all men be saved! (Chapter 11) God sends two witnesses with miraculous powers to be His witness during the Great Tribulation. They proclaim the faithfulness of God and the impending judgment of God and call men to repent for the first 3 and half years of the Tribulation. After their purpose has been fulfilled, they are killed by the Antichrist. The entire world will watch and celebrate their death and leave their rotting corpses in the street. Then, these witnesses will be resurrected in front of a watching world Purpose of Hell #1 – Accuse and Attack the People of God (Chapter 12) The work of Satan is clearly defined in Chapter 12. Satan tried to defeat God through his attack on Jesus Christ, but was unsuccessful. Since then, Satan has had access into God’s presence to accuse believers. However, in the middle of the Tribulation, Satan and his angels will be “thrown down to earth”. Following his expulsion, Satan attacks the people of God and God Himself like never before. Purpose of Hell #2 – Usurp the Authority of God (Chapter 13) In chapter 13, we see the rise of the Anti-­‐Christ and the False Prophet. Satan tries to take power from God by creating his own counterfeit trinity. Satan will entice the world by promising both power and peace. Individuals that follow Satan in this attack will take the mark of the beast – 666. Table of Contents for the Remaining Chapters– Revelation 14 Chapter 14 provides a glimpse of the rest of the book. It is like a table of contents for the remainder of Revelation. It describes very briefly the establishing of the kingdom (1-­‐5), the bowl judgments (6-­‐13), and the Battle of Armageddon (14-­‐20). The Beginning of the End – Chapter 15 This chapter begins the second half of the tribulation called the Great Tribulation where God reclaims the earth through the expulsion of everything and everyone sinful. The purpose of chapter 15 is a vindication of God’s holiness. It shows these judgments stem from the holiness of God and the perfection of His plan. The Bowl Judgments – Chapter 16 • First Bowl – Sores on Men • Fifth Bowl – Darkness, Agony, Cursing • Second Bowl – Sea Turns to Blood • Sixth Bowl– The River Euphrates is • Third Bowl – Rivers and Fountains Dried up Turn to Blood • Seventh Bowl – The Earth Utterly • Fourth Bowl – Sun Bakes Unbelievers Shaken At the End of the Bowl Judgments are the Words “It is Finished” (17) – Where have we heard these words before? On the cross Jesus after he had drank in full the cup of God’s wrath said, “It is finished!” These words mean the wrath of God toward unbelievers is complete and their fate is sealed. The Defeat of Satan – Chapters 17-­20 • Chapter 17 – Satan’s religious system led by the False Prophet falls in defeat. • Chapter 18 – Satan’s political system led by the Anti-­‐Christ falls in defeat. • Chapter 19 – Satan’s military led by Satan falls in defeat at the Battle of Armageddon when Jesus Christ makes His Glorious Reappearing. He returns as the Lion of Judah, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, with Fire in His eyes and riding on a white Horse. He throws the False Prophet and the Anti-­‐Christ into the lake of fire for eternity. • Chapter 20 – After the armies of Satan are defeated, Satan is cast into the bottomless pit for 1000 years while Jesus Christ sets up His kingdom on the earth. After the Millennial Reign of Christ, Satan is released to give him one more chance. Satan has not changed at all, assembles his forces against God, and is ultimately and finally defeated by a blast from God Almighty. Just prior to the beginning of eternity, God calls unbelievers before the Great White Throne Judgment. Chapters 21-­22 – The Beginning of Eternity with God Notice that the current Heaven is not the eternal Heaven. God is going to create a new place for His people to live with Him for all of eternity. The old Heaven and Earth will completely pass away. So, what can you expect about Heaven according to the Bible? 1. Heaven is a Physical Place! (21) • Heaven is described as a City (Fifteen times in Rev. 21 and 22) • Heaven is described as a Country (Heb. 11:16) • Heaven is described as having mountains (Rev. 21:10) and trees (Rev. 22:2) and rivers (Rev. 22:1) • Heaven is described as a place where we will have a new body (1 Cor. 15: 40-­‐44) • Heaven is described as a place where we will serve Christ on the New Earth, working for His glory (Rev. 22:3) • Heaven is described as a place where we will eat (John 21:4-­‐14 Rev. 19:9) • Heaven is described as a place with animals (Rev.4:8-­‐9, 2 Kings 2:11, Rev. 6:2-­‐8) 2. Heaven is a Glorious Place! (22) In Heaven there will NOT be death, mourning, pain, or night. In Heaven there will be Eternal Joy, Eternal Health, Eternal Peace, Eternal Satisfaction, Eternal Identification, Eternal Illumination, Eternal Reward, and Eternal Life! Personal Application: 1. We must watch – Jesus promises that is coming again! Are you ready for His return? 2. We must worship – We serve a God who was, is, and always will be totally victorious and He is worthy of our praise. Does your life demonstrate that you believe this to be true? 3. We must warn – Our only response to this Word from God should be to tell others that today is the day of grace and salvation. Is there someone you need to tell about Jesus Christ so that they do not spend all of eternity separated from God