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Working to Glorify God
The subject of work is brought up more than six hundred times in the Bible. God views work as an honorable and desirable thing, and in I Corinthians 15 (while Paul is dealing with some resurrection doctrine issues), he concludes in verse 58 that we should always abound in the work of the Lord. Paul discusses the Lord’s work at least four times in Titus, and in Matthew 5:16, Jesus encourages us to let our light shine in the works we do, glorifying the Father. A Scriptural Work The term glory carries with it an ideas of being magnified, being… Continue reading
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Strengthening Ourselves & One Another
As we study the writings of the New Testament, we have to remember that Paul, Peter, and others are writing generically to an abstract mass of people. They are writing to specific congregation with specific strengths and needs, trying to build up and encourage these brothers and sisters as best they can. In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus singles Peter out, requesting him to make it a point of his life to strengthen other Christians, and, in Ephesians 4:12, Paul states that the purpose of working in the church is to the purpose of building up and strengthening its members. How Can… Continue reading
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Equal Rights in God’s Eyes
One of the essential steps in establishing the first century church is the preaching we read about to people of various cultures and nationalities. When speaking in the home of Cornelius, Peter comes to the realization that God does not discriminate, and in Romans 2:2 states that God’s judgment is based on truth. In verses 6-11 of that same chapter, Paul makes it clear that our actions will be what is brought under judgment and any superficial conditions. In Ephesians 6:9 again reinforces this nondiscriminatory characteristic of God, and I Peter 1:15-17 asks us to emulate God’s qualities without deference… Continue reading
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Knowing Satan’s Devices
In Luke 14:31, Jesus is speaking about preparation and counting the cost of discipleship. One of the illustrations He uses discusses a king preparing for battle, and this carries with it the idea of knowing the opposition one is up against. Throughout history, we can see examples of successful military commanders who anticipated and outmaneuvered the enemy he was up against. In our Christian life, we need to know the opposition we are up against and who is our true enemy. We have to be prepared to face our enemy. We have to know what he is capable of and… Continue reading
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The House of the Lord
In Isaiah 2:2-4, the prophet describes many nations coming to the mount of the Lord to worship Jehovah. They joyously come to the house of the Lord with their focus on God, and, when we come together to worship, we should be as eager and as willing as those people described by Isaiah. When we are coming together, it might be easy to lose sight of the significance of our assembling. We might be looking forward to seeing one another. Perhaps assembly is just a tradition to some of, but we should be striving to be the house of Jehovah… Continue reading
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Joseph’s Three Coats
In our last lesson, we looked at some individuals whose lives took some unexpected turns, and one of those individuals was Joseph. God’s dealing with Joseph and the experiences he had could have an impact on the way we live our lives. Joseph’s life is filled with events and themes that seem to repeat themselves, and we can take lessons out of those themes and events. The Trials of Joseph In Genesis 37, we meet Joseph as one of twelve sons of Jacob. He serves his father faithfully and prospers as a result – he becomes a favorite of his… Continue reading
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Where I Intended, Where I’m Needed
Life very seldom turns out exactly as we plan. Think back twenty or thirty years. Back then, if someone had asked you where you would be in as many years, what would you have answered? Where did you picture yourself living? How many kids would you have expected? What kind of house or car would you have imagined? What jobs or achievements did you plan for yourself? It’s probably safe to assume that those ambitions of our past contain significant differences from the reality of today. Take the same audit spiritually. Some here had no interest in the gospel a… Continue reading
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Knowledge, Attitude, & Willingness
Success in any project is dependent upon knowledge of the situation, a proper attitude, and a willingness to do what is necessary. These three things are evident in the establishment of the church in Acts 2. Here, a large crowd is gathered together who had a knowledge of God. They had gathered to observe a religious feast, and Peter and the other apostles came with more complete knowledge. They what they know, and many turned to Christ as a result of the apostles’ actions and Peter’s teaching. Our Application Gaining Knowledge In our attempts to teach and live God’s word,… Continue reading
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Getting Out of the Boat
Peter can be described in many ways – impulsive, reactionary, impetuous – and he had a knack for speaking or acting without thinking. In all this, he was still one of Jesus’ closest disciples. He was full of good intentions, and he eventually grows to a mature Christian. One story really seems to characterize much of what we identify with in Peter, and that story is in Matthew 14:22-33 when Peter goes out to join Jesus on the water. Joining Peter On the Water The boat is place of safety, but Peter willingly leaves that safety to join Jesus. He… Continue reading
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Being Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate was responding to several pressures in his decision to crucify Jesus, and different people have different assessments in how he handles the situation of Christ. Early on, Pilate comes to the conclusion that Jesus is an innocent man, and that He was brought before Pilate for political reasons. However, he displays a lack of inner conviction when put against the pressures surrounding him. In Luke 23:4-7, Pilate is recorded as trying to wash his hands of the matter, and he also tries to release Jesus three or four times. Unfortunately, he finally bows to political and social influences.… Continue reading
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