What is a local church called to do when a brother or sister in Christ chooses to turn away from God and refuses to listen to the appeals of their brethren? In this lesson, we study the kind of situations where God calls His people to publicly mark and disassociate from sinning brethren, why that is to be done, then we conclude with reflecting on the kind of choices that lead to a hardened heart.
Instructions to servants and masters, and in a more contemporary sense, instructions for employees and managers. Part of a year-long series going through Ephesians chapters 5 and 6.
What does it look like to truly love God with all of our being? Is that what we are seeking with God? In the 16th Psalm, we see this in the way David vividly expresses his attachment to God and his adoration towards Him.
In this lesson, we study how David’s prayer communicates truths that we can adapt and imitate in our relationship with God as well.
Like the term “faith,” the word “predestination" is surrounded by diverse and false ideas in our religious world. “Predestined” is a word used in verses 5 and 11 to describe a critical way that God fulfilled His plan of salvation in Christ. In this lesson, we first examine how Predestination, like “faith," is a term that fulfills a pattern of examples from the Old Testament. Then, we examine how these Old Testament examples connect to and clarify the way Predestination is described in this passage. Lastly, we reflect on 3 lessons that can be gained from understanding what Predestination means for us in our relationship with God.
Instructions to children and fathers - but arguably (to say the least), all of the instructions are for the parents. Ironically, this is actually not part of our classes on parenting; it is part of a year-long series going through Ephesians chapters 5 and 6.
Jesus found joy in suffering on the cross. What sacrifices do we make in our lives?
The last chapters of the book Judges are downright disturbing, especially chapters 19-21. They show the complete unraveling of the morality and faithfulness of Israel in the generations immediately following the grand success of Joshua (listen to last week's lesson). The chapters in this lesson are not as physically unsettling but nonetheless still show the systemic lack of consideration for God's laws in those times.
One of Moses' very last speeches was to dictate to the nation that once they entered Canaan, they were to do a theatrical exercise of shouting commands from opposing mountainsides. And they did, in Joshua's day. But would their commitment last?
Instructions to husbands. They are told to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Part of a year-long series in Ephesians chapters 5 and 6.
Looking at two short poems that have opposite themes: how to be bad and how to be good.