No matter what
Many Christians have faced very difficult situations, and some of you are going through them right now. Sometimes it’s uncertainty at work: is my position going to be phased out? Should I make a career change? It might be one of your children that you’re worried about: life and relationship choices, immaturity, worldliness. Sometimes it’s health problems, either your own or someone close to you. Or maybe some other dilemma. You don’t know how something’s going to work out, and…
Resources for Discussion Class Hour on May 2, 2018
Sermon Title: Ambassadors of God’s Kingdom Text: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (ESV) Click here to listen to or watch the sermon Download tonight’s printable study guide Brief summary (what’s the point of this text/sermon?) Nic took Paul’s use of “ambassadors” in 2 Corinthians 5 and illustrated how Christians are ambassadors of God’s kingdom in the world today. Just as different cultures have different values and different ways of prioritizing their values, so God’s kingdom has a structured value system. Christians go…
What We Talk About
Have you ever been around someone who talked about only one thing? Maybe sports or politics. Or clothes, movies, or books. And then a few just like to talk about other people. Paul was like that, I think, or at least he had one thing that dominated his conversations. He spent quite a bit of time in jail, and it’s interesting to think about what it must’ve been like to have been his jailer, or maybe his cellmate. I’m sure…
Resources for Discussion Class Hour on April 25, 2018
Sermon Title: The Tree of Life Text: Genesis 2:7-9; Revelation 22:1-5 Click here to listen to or watch the sermon Download tonight’s printable study guide Brief summary (what’s the point of this text/sermon?) One of the most amazing things about the Bible is its beautiful unity and cohesiveness . . . It tells one, over-arching story about what God is doing in the world. One remarkable symbol of that is the Tree of Life, which is mentioned first in the…
Paul’s Pity Party
Instead of blowing up the balloons and sending out invitations to the pity party, maybe we should first sit down and talk to the Lord.
Resources for Discussion Class Hour on April 18, 2018
Sermon Title: Do you love me more than these?” Text: John 21:15-19 Click here to listen to or watch the sermon Download tonight’s printable study guide Brief summary (what’s the point of this text/sermon?) As you know, our 2018 theme is “Love God. Love People. Change the World,” and Sunday we continued this emphasis by studying Jesus’ post-resurrection interaction with Peter. Just a few weeks earlier Peter had infamously denied any connection to Jesus and had almost certainly been dealing…
Way more love
Some things you just can’t have too much of. Like ice cream. Or time with family. Or kisses from your three-day-old little girl. Of course, Paul wasn’t talking about any of those things in Philippians 1, though I doubt he’d disagree with me. Here’s what he says: And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for…
I don’t have time
I don’t have time. I say those words a lot, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with them. All of us have to make choices with our time. I think the issue is what we say those words about. And whom we say them to. Paul addresses the principle here: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16). How we spend our time…
Resources for Discussion Class Hour on April 11, 2018
Sermon Title: Look at the Mess We’ve Made Text: Zephaniah 1:2-18 Click here to listen to or watch the sermon Download tonight’s printable study guide Brief summary (what’s the point of this text/sermon?) The problems and issues of life are many. Most of the time, the major problems we face are self-induced. It can be difficult to accurately identify and analyze the root causes when we are not honest with ourselves. Also, identifying root causes is often difficult when we…
Resources for Discussion Class Hour on April 4, 2018
Sermon Title: He was Raised Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-20 Click here to listen to or watch the sermon Download tonight’s complete study guide Brief summary (what’s the point of this text/sermon?) This past Sunday was Easter, of course, and millions of people around the world commemorated the resurrection of Christ. Of all the events in Jesus’ life, none is more significant or more life-changing than the empty tomb. He died on Friday, but that death would have been meaningless had…
He Lives
This week is the time of year when many people throughout the world think more about Jesus Christ than almost any other time, second only to Christmas. In contrast to Jesus’ birth, however, there is more confidence about the timing of his death, burial, and resurrection, since he was crucified during the weekend of the Jewish Passover. It is encouraging to see an increased interest in Jesus, especially when this annual interest leads people to pursue a relationship with him…
He Knows Just What I Need
It is interesting that we don’t really recognize any of the prophets, who lived during the divided kingdom of Israel, up until Elijah, who served as a prophet during the reigns of Zimri, Omri, and Ahab. About Omri, it was said that he “did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him” I Kings 16:25). That sounds really bad, but Omri’s son, Ahab who succeeded him “did more to…