Old vs. New

Chris Hearty

Hebrews 7:18-8:13

The author of Hebrews explores the nature of covenants throughout the Old and New Testaments. He explains that the covenant that Christians have with God is unconditional because of Jesus' sacrifice and that it is even better than the one established under Moses. The new covenant inaugurated by Jesus gives all people access to God through faith, is focused on the finished work of Christ, and creates a basis for internal change in believers. Furthermore, this new covenant through Jesus has rendered the old one obsolete, and Christians can now enjoy a permanent and unconditional relationship with God.

A Change of Priesthood

Conrad Hilario

Genesis 14:18-20

In the Old Testament, humans could only approach God through a high priest, a role that had to be fulfilled by a man descended from the tribe of Levi. God, however, prophesied through David that one day there would be a priest from the line of Melchizedek whose priesthood would be eternal, and Jesus is that high priest. Since Jesus is the perfect and eternal high priest whose priesthood replaced the old one, humans are no longer under the Old Testament law and can be rescued forever from their sin.

Two Ways

Mike Sullivan

John 3:16-19

Each person has a choice between what Jesus calls the ?narrow way? and the ?broad way,? and each route has its own ramifications for how people will live now and where they will spend eternity. Jesus says that most people will choose the broad way because of the influence of false teachers, but he also gives criteria for our evaluation of such teachers and encourages his hearers to act on his truthful teachings instead.

God Speaks

Conrad Hilario

Psalms 19

David's psalm celebrates God's revelation of Himself to humanity through creation and His written Word. David celebrates God's revelation of His character through the manner of the world's design. Finally, David rejoices in God's revelation of Himself through His Word, leading people into a life within God's Will. Includes a video about the fine-tuning argument.

Fight the Good Fight

Jim Leffel

1 Timothy 6:12-16

In his letter to Timothy, Paul encourages him to fight the good fight to manifest the truth and life of Christ. Jesus' sacrifice offers a new life that Christians most choose to live out. An understanding of the character of God is essential.

Two Ways to Enter God's Kingdom

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 5:17-48

?How can I gain entry into God's kingdom?? This age-old question has two answers from Jesus Himself. The first answer, or Plan A, is to earn one's way into heaven by fulfilling God's Law perfectly, a worldview that Jesus' audience held dearly and that most still hold today. The second answer, or Plan B, is to let Jesus earn one's way in by His perfect fulfillment of God's Law, and although this answer is offensive, it provides true hope through the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Two Ways to Live

Scott Risley

Romans 3:10-12:3

An overview of Hebrew poetry (tools for understanding and interpreting), types of Psalms (wisdom, praise/thanksgiving, and lament/anger), and an explanation of what we can learn from the Psalms including: how to express our feelings to God; and reconciling our feelings/life experiences with truth found in scripture. Psalm 1 is a wisdom psalm that lays out two life-paths (wicked vs. righteous), and the importance of delighting in and meditating on the Word. Ultimately, this psalm calls us to entrust our lives to God and learn to listen to His Word.

The Two Ways

Conrad Hilario

Jeremiah 17:5-9

David tells of the two paths people choose between; pursuing God's righteousness through His word, or choosing wickedness apart from God. This polarizing passage paints a clear picture of the outcomes of either path. The lives of the righteous are rooted in and nourished by God's written word. (Includes an introduction to book of Psalms).\r\n

The Correct Use of the Law

Conrad Hilario

1 Timothy 1:5-17

The Law shows us that we fall short of God's perfect standard. Many view the Law's stance on subjects like sexual immorality to be overly restrictive. But ultimately, the purpose of the Law is to lead us to Christ. Paul considered himself a trophy of God's grace in spite of his sin, and believers should take the same view of their own lives.