Jesus' First Teachings

Dennis McCallum

Isaiah 61:1-2

Jesus' first declaration that He is the fulfillment of ancient messianic prophecies and His teaching is followed by miraculous acts of healing and exorcism, challenging the naturalist to consider the existence of the supernatural. Supernatural claims in the Bible are compared to those of other world religions, showing Biblical miracles to be astoundingly unique, indicating that Jesus' miracles are symbolic of his deity. Skeptics are invited to approach God with a desire to be convinced of the supernatural, and with an expectation that the same God who created the universe will answer by bringing the miraculous into their own lives.

Being Perfected in God's Love (Part 2)

Gary DeLashmutt

1 John 4:7-19

God's will for Christians is to learn how to receive God's love for themselves and to freely give it to others, and He promises to train Christians on how to love others the way that He has loved them. God's training uses five different methods: 1) Biblical instruction; 2) the Spirit's personal promptings; 3) positive and negative role models; 4) difficult people; and 5) rewards of personal fulfillment and happiness. When Christians choose to commit to God's training program in love, they will experience Him meeting their needs personally.

Being Perfected in God's Love

Gary DeLashmutt

1 John 4:7-19

God's will for Christians is to learn how to receive God's love for themselves and to freely give it to others. This kind of love is unique in its origin, nature, and experience, and Christians can experience God's love for them personally by choosing to understand and trust Him. As a result, God will grow our confidence in His love, and our experience of His love is truly complete when we learn to give it to others.

Two Different Operational Motives

Gary DeLashmutt

Galatians 6:11-18

The world system is designed to distract non-Christians from ever coming to Christ and seduce Christians away from following Christ fully. Pride and fear go hand in hand; seeking the approval of men (or avoiding their disapproval) is a dangerous trap. Gary poses some questions to help us personally reflect on the ways this fear can permeate our lives and calls us to trade this fear of people's disapproval for trusting in God's approval instead.

The Impact of Spiritual Decisions

Dennis McCallum

Exodus 19-20

The author of Hebrews uses the story of Jacob and Esau to show the importance of choice in the life of a follower of Christ. Esau chose what was temporary, immediate, and easy rather than what was truly important. We often make this same exchange, choosing things of temporary value over eternal value. We will be faced with many decisions that will impact the course of our lives, with serious and sometimes with irrevocable impact. God wants us to seek His voice and trust His timing.

Decision Time

Scott Risley

Hebrews 12:14-29

We can learn two lessons from the Old Testament story of Jacob and Esau. Lesson one: no amount of temporary pain is worth trading away God's Will for our lives. Esau's decision led him to miss the opportunity to play a key role in God's plan. Lesson two: some choices produce irreversible consequences; Esau's choice did. When we face trials in our lives, we are called to make a decision. Will we give in to temporary pleasures that are distancing us from God, and consequently, miss out on God's plan? Or will we draw near to God in the midst of our pain, and choose to trust that our decisions for God in this life will reap eternal rewards?

Running the Race

Conrad Hilario

Colossians 1:28-29

God has given each Christian a unique role in His plan to reach those who do not know Him, and the author of Hebrews compares this plan to an individual endurance race that each person is running. While the race might be tiring and difficult, Christians are to resist the temptation to quit by fixing their eyes on Jesus, the forerunner who empathizes with Christians in their suffering. During this race, God disciplines Christians to refine their character and prove His love for them, and we can experience the benefits of God's discipline if we are willing to submit to it.

Moses' Faith

Conrad Hilario

Psalms 77:16-20

Moses was an Old Testament figure who demonstrated Biblical faith [Hebrews 11.1] throughout his whole life. Moses' parents valued God's approval rather than the approval of others, and Moses demonstrated the same faith by fearing God rather than Pharaoh during his time as leader of the Israelites. Moses also placed his trust in God when he led the Israelites through the Red Sea, an impossible situation to overcome if it were not for God's power.

The Patriarchs

Conrad Hilario

Genesis 37:3-45:11

Joseph was a man whose life was characterized by both immense success and intense suffering. Despite the constantly changing circumstances of his life, he maintained his faith in God and adopted a godly perspective on his trials. Joseph's story serves as an example of how God can redeem even the worst circumstances to His glory and our benefit.