Wednesday Night Bible Study: Recent Episodes
Evergreen Church | Bixby, OK
The book of 1 Samuel shows us the early years of Israel when they demanded a king. They rejected God as king, and wanted a man they could follow like all the other nations. Through the man of Saul, God shows us what happens when we try to follow God in our own efforts and strength.
Join us as Pastor AJ Gonzalez, Pastor of Discipleship at Evergreen, brings us a word from Scripture.
The Babel account is not the end of early Genesis. If it were, the story would conclude on a sad note of human failure. But, as always, God’s grace again supersedes human sin, insuring the continuation of the redemption promise. Now, the author traces out the line of Shem until he comes to that point where the chosen line develops into one distinct people—Israel.
Genesis 10-11 give us the historical summary of the postdiluvian world. They show us the ways of men in this new world—in revolt against God and seeking to glorify and deify themselves; and they set before us the principles and judgments upon which this world is founded. They also connect the days of Noah to the story of Abraham.
After a merciful deliverance from the flood, after such a demonstration of holy wrath against sin, after a new beginning marked by blessing and provision, certainly mankind will now forever walk the path of righteousness before God. But, wait!
It seems obvious that the natural world today is different in significant ways from the ancient stories told of creation in cultural legends from across the earth. There seems to have been dramatic changes. How can this fact be explained? And how does the biblical story of the flood fit into the narrative of man’s redemption?
Genesis 7 is set in time seven days before the onset of the global deluge. The construction of the ark is complete. The supplies are stored. The living cargo alone remains to be housed. The high drama of judgment and salvation is about to be unveiled.
As the depravity of rebellion accelerated in human history, God intervened. This chapter is misunderstood when described as the story of the flood. It is the story of a righteous man named Noah, a parenthesis in the genealogy of Seth. In every generation and despite sin, God succeeds with men and women of holiness.
Following the account of human sin and death, Genesis now sets out the genealogy of Adam through Seth to show the faithfulness of God’s promise even amidst the continuing effects of sin. Chapter 4 traces the descendants of Cain. Now we see the rest of the story.
In Part 3 of Campaigns and Christianity, Pastor Philip explains the inner workings of the political process and how Christians can get involved. Informed believers can become influential believers. Come join Pastor Philip through a study on one way that Christians were meant to exercise influence over our communities.
In Part 2 of Campaigns and Christianity, Pastor Philip discusses federal and state civics. Informed believers can become influential believers. Come join Pastor Philip through a study on one way that Christians were meant to exercise influence over our communities.
From the beginning, God has ordained that families create communities and those communities have been organized and ordered for the benefit of their members. As those communities grow, they take on the names of significant leaders and develop into nations. This community order has come because God has designed us for social connections. Come join Pastor Philip through a study on one way that Christians were meant to exercise influence over our communities.
Once the story of humanity takes on the element of sin, the infection of rebellion and unrighteousness develops real momentum. Men eventually revel in their sin and celebrate their fierce independence from God. This momentum of sin is slowed only by the direct intervention of God.
The story of Jonah is like holding a mirror to our own life. We’re going to take a deep dive into what the Bible actually says about this satire like story of Jonah. It’s a little more complicated than the kids stories make it out to be. Do we run away from what God wants us to do? Are we comfortable with the fact that God loves our enemies?
The most tragic chapter in the Bible, Genesis 3, presents the story of man’s fall from innocence. This story is basic to the rest of the Bible, for it gives the reason for God’s redemptive plan with which the remainder of Scripture is concerned. The realities of this chapter encompass the life of all humanity still today.
Genesis 1 presents creation as a line of ascendancy from the lesser creatures to superior mankind. Chapter 2 presents a topical order of formation of life, giving priority to man’s role as steward of creation. The earth is the stage for human history, and the drama begins with the definition of two genders and the establishment of procreative marriage.
In the Ministry of Reconciliation we see Christ’s love compel us to serve others as the Spirit remakes us into new persons, enabled to answer the Father’s call to join Christ’s mission of reconciling the world to Himself.
The book of Genesis is foundational for the rest of the Bible. Its opening chapter does something of incalculable importance: it lays down the basis of a biblical worldview. It provides to humans a metanarrative, a big story into which our lives can be fitted and from which they can derive meaning, purpose, and value.
Pastor Taylor Gabbert brings us a lesson from the whole account of the life of Samson. We pray this is encouraging.
Sin is a reality in the life of every Christian. If this were not true, we would not need admonitions to fight temptation or to put on the whole armor of God. The question becomes, “How do we deal with the sins that enter into and impact the church?” In essence, how do we pursue holiness together as a church family?
Christianity is a call to a distinctive lifestyle lived out in a culture full of the temptations of sin. The key to boldness and credibility is a life marked by the presence of the Spirit of God. We experience internal struggles, but the Holy Spirit daily leads us away from sin. Disciples experience the freedom to conquer temptations when we learn to “keep in step with the Spirit.”
King Solomon is renowned for his biblical wisdom throughout his writings in scripture. Solomon urges the people to remain faithful to trust the Lord and not turn away from the Father. Jesus says “My Sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” What does it look like to hear the voice of our Father, to respond, and to honor Him in how we live our lives?
With the transition to chapter five, Paul moves into the third major section of this letter. The first two chapters were a defense of his apostleship. Chapters 3-4 were a theological defense of justification by faith. Now, he turns to the practical implications of the faith. What, exactly, does the Spirit-filled life look like? Also, what is it not?
Still concerned that the church must see the dangers of legalism, Paul utilizes one more line of attack. He has tried warnings, threats, sarcasm, logic, and personal appeal. Now he presents an allegorical illustration drawn from the Torah itself. Only the way of the gospel offers true spiritual freedom!
Often associated with the Christmas story, these verses reveal that the Incarnation did not begin with angels and shepherds, nor end with a manger and wise men. But rather, it began long ago in the very mind of God; and it continues in the redeemed lives of God’s children in every generation. This is the gospel Paul is defending.
Having emphasized the superiority of grace, Paul now explains the purpose of God’s law. It has two chief functions: first, to probe the hidden soul for sin, and second, to prepare the desperate soul for salvation. The law is diagnostic, not curative.
Paul continues his instruction against legalism by pointing to the Galatians’ own experience of justification by faith and not by law. He then defends this doctrine from the Old Testament, exposing the misinterpretations of the false teachers. Biblical faith accomplishes something that good works alone can never do!
The awakening that had broken out at Antioch brought a massive influx of Gentiles into the church. Sickened by the godlessness of heathenism and weary of the moral decadence of paganism, they were drawn to the lofty religious ideals of Judaism. But even here they were put off by self-righteous arrogance and legalism. In the grace of Christ, however, they found the satisfaction of their souls.
Focusing now on Jerusalem and Antioch, centers for Jewish and Gentile Christianity respectively, Paul details his encounter with the false doctrine of the Judaizers. He recognized that if they succeeded, the Jerusalem church would be the mother church, Peter a high priest, Christianity just another Jewish sect, and Gentile Christians second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God. The Gospel itself was at stake!
Having delivered the message that there would be and could be no compromise of the gospel, Paul now turns his attention to his personal salvation story. He wants the Galatians to know how he received the message that he preaches with such passion and persuasion.
About 12 years after Jesus commissioned the disciples to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, the converted Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, set sail on his first missionary journey to the Roman province of Galatia. The challenges that he faced on the road later grew into the conflicts addressed in his letter to the churches a short time later. As with any conversation, context is the key. In the case of the letter to the Galatians, Acts 13-14 teach us important context for us to fully grasp the weight of its message.
Galatians has been called the “Magna Carta” of spiritual liberty and the Christian’s Declaration of Independence. This Pauline letter embodies the germinal teaching on freedom which separated Christianity from Judaism, and which launched the global missionary enterprise. The heart of the gospel, salvation by grace, is a theological “line in the sand.”
A study from the ministry of Walk Thru the Bible, Crucible looks at the life of David and how that applies to the choices we make.
Can we trust the Bible? How do you know? Pastor Christian Kemp tackles some of the issues related to this question in tonight's lesson.
A study from the ministry of Walk Thru the Bible, Crucible looks at the life of David and how that applies to the choices we make.
A study from the ministry of Walk Thru the Bible, Crucible looks at the life of David and how that applies to the choices we make.
A study from the ministry of Walk Thru the Bible, Crucible looks at the life of David and how that applies to the choices we make.
This week, Randy Osborn takes us through David's life looking at the responses to life's circumstances. Are we going to exhibit fear or faith?
Pastor AJ Gonzalez brings us a word from 1 John tonight as we examine what it means to love as Jesus loves.
A study from the ministry of Walk Thru the Bible, Crucible looks at the life of David and how that applies to the choices we make.
Daniel 11:36-45 deals primarily with the global political and religious aspects of the time of the end. Chapter 12 relates this same period to the people of Israel—what will happen to them (judgment and deliverance) and what that all means to us. This is history’s closing chapter.
Now finished with his preliminary words (chapter 10), the heavenly messenger is ready to take up the message that he had come specially to deliver in response to Daniel’s 21 days of prayer. The detail of history presented here offers one of the most remarkable predictive sections in all the Bible.
Today’s Naturalistic philosophies teach that only what is material and physical may be considered real. The Bible teaches of another realm of reality which intersects the visible world. Is spiritual warfare a real thing? What is the point of prayer? What does God think?
God’s response to Daniel’s prayer arrives immediately through the angelic messenger Gabriel. Surprisingly, his request was in regard to the seventy years of exile, but God’s answer was so much beyond that concern—a look at the His plan for the Jews throughout the remaining years of earthly history. This is the great gift of prophecy, of history recorded in advance.
Isaiah’s Servant songs (42:1-9; 49:1-7; 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12) have long held the attention of interpreters and scholars through the ages. Who is this servant and what will he do? Christians have believed based on New Testament teaching (1 Peter 2:21-25) that Jesus is this Servant. But how can that be true? How do we make sense of this scandal?
This extended prayer by the godliest man in the Old Testament teaches believers how to fight both the visible and invisible battles of every generation through prayer. America’s future ultimately depends on God, but it can still be shaped by purposeful Christian engagement.
Interest now turns to a second vision, which concerns a part of the sweep of time covered in the first. The clash of Persia and Greece culminates in the rise of a despicable ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes. This man stands as the antichrist of Old Testament time, who prefigured the Antichrist of last days. Daniel is given unprecedented access to God’s plans.
As Daniel contemplates further the vision given to him, the weight of the revelation from God overwhelms him. Information about the future is never to satisfy curiosity, but rather to inspire holy action in each present generation despite momentary appearances.
To a people in exile wondering if their God had abandoned them entirely, the Most High God reveals His plan for human history. Given to Daniel, a trustworthy and credible messenger, the centuries beyond are unfolded so that the holy ones of God will have an unshakable confidence no matter what assails them in all subsequent generations.
The world continually calls believers to compromise in the realm of faith; but true greatness is reserved for individuals of integrity who remain faithful to their deepest convictions. When people of faith honor God, God honors those people of faith.
God loves all people and wants them to be part of His family. He provides freely the way of salvation; but the offer is for a limited time only. Every individual and every nation ultimately answers for spiritual decisions made or not made. When God finally announces judgment, the verdict is final.
From earliest childhood, man desires to be in charge, to call the shots, to live without boundaries or restrictions. In essence, everyone wants to be God. What began in Eden continues today. We mask this desire in many ways, but the issue of sovereignty must be settled before life can be fully lived.
As Evergreen enters The Year of Advance, we must evaluate what it looks like to advance as a body of believers. We cannot answer God’s call to advance in His plans for us as a church, without giving him full control of our life and fully grab hold of the grace of Jesus Christ. It is through the precious blood of Christ, and his grace, that we find the ability to pursue holiness, be obedient to what God has and will call us to, and advance as the people of Evergreen.
Christianity is under attack around the world and even in America today. Examples of this aggression may be seen in news media, education, politics, jurisprudence, and especially Hollywood. Yet, this is nothing new to God’s people throughout history. Despite cultural hostility, authentic disciples bow to only one King.
Secular culture often muses about religion, but never really grasps the things of God. Believers are interpreters of God’s activities in history. This is possible because God reveals His plans. Living as interpreters guarantees influence and impact in every generation.
The Bible speaks about many different responses to cultural exile. Jonah, for example, condemned the surrounding culture; while Esther generally accommodated it. Since America is clearly no longer a Christian culture, how should we respond? Daniel, living in Babylon, gives us a better model to follow.
Paul intends in Colossians to impress his readers with a majestic view of the person and work of Jesus. The depth of Christology may be difficult to process, but pondering Christ should always produce an attitude of wonder and worship. Leo I played an integral role in finally solidifying the orthodox doctrine of the Incarnation.
Spiritual amnesia is a danger to faith in every generation. The psalmist complained, “They forgot what He had done, and the wonders He had shown them” (Psalm 78:11). Fortunately, this Church father, Eusebius of Caesarea, recognized the importance of remembering the history of God’s mighty acts in the lives of His Church. We are in his debt, even today.
The finest preacher of the ancient church, John of Antioch proclaimed the gospel with a pastor’s heart and elevated the literal exposition of the Word of God above the dominant allegorical school in the fourth century. God’s veiled wisdom is revealed in sound preaching.
Politician turned bishop, this unlikely Church father played a significant role in defending orthodoxy, demonstrating the Church’s influence in the public square, and shaping worship in the fourth century. His story has particular relevance to our current age when the secular culture needs the engagement of the Church more than ever.
In the second half of the fourth century, a trio of Church fathers (known as the Cappadocian Fathers) had a profound influence upon Christian theology as they grappled with a way to speak of the Trinity that neither minimized the unity of the Godhead nor fell into the error of tri-theism, or three gods. Their contributions are codified in the Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381).
One of the least likable of the Church Fathers, Jerome nevertheless had an influence which dominated the Western Church for a thousand years. Always torn between comfort of wealth and demands of holiness, he spent years of soul struggle in ascetic isolation. His legacy, however, is God’s Word set forth in the language of the people.
A disciple of John through Polycarp of Smyrna, Irenaeus was a theologian of great intellect who dealt a final death blow to the Gnostic challenge to Christian orthodoxy. His arguments against false teachers devastated the opposition and preserved “the faith handed down to the saints.”
Born of Greek parents in Palestine, Justin was a searcher for truth. He explored the instruction of the Stoics, Aristotle, Pythagoras, and Plato. Unsatisfied still, he was introduced to the Hebrew prophets and his philosophy for life. He was an educated defender of the faith among the elite class of Roman society contesting the charges made against Christians by Jews and Romans alike. He demonstrated a changed life even unto death.
The second Bishop of Antioch, disciple of John the Beloved, and friend of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, Ignatius was a fiery leader who fought aggressively against the Docetic heresy and promoted a single elder model for the churches. Martyred as an atheist c. AD 115, he left significant letters to a dear friend and six churches. His theological contribution is still recognized and quoted extensively today.
An elder in the first-century church in Rome, Clement possibly knew both Peter and Paul personally. His writings stress that one of the essential components of biblical Christianity is humility. He spoke of the mutual harmony experienced in a church with cooperative members joined to caring pastoral leadership, both without pride and a grasping for power.
The book of James is one of my favorites because the author (James) is very clear and direct about what he is trying to write. How was he directing the early Church on how to live? What exactly did he mean by “dead faith”? How does this apply to our lives today?
Malachi means “my messenger,” and speaks to God’s people as the voice of the Lord Himself. It is written as a series of discourses, which uncover the hardness of heart in the Israelites. Malachi was perhaps the last prophet to speak to the people before the 400 years of silence leading up to Christ. He leaves us with a call to repentance and a hope.
Chapter 9 offers a transition between the lofty heights of chapter 8 and the workaday world of chapters following. The philosophical survey of wisdom will soon be replaced by the pithy and isolated sayings offered on a host of common topics. But first, a final review of the options and a call to choose correctly is given.
This chapter is unique among the Proverbs. Here, Dame Wisdom speaks for herself; and the entire poem is a praise song reminding us how important she is and where to discover her. In contrast to Lady Folly, Wisdom is available publicly. She offers true wealth; and her influence is infinite from eternity past to eternity future.
After extensive teachings regarding the temptations of lust and illicit sexual behaviors, Solomon turns to other bad choices—particularly bad debt, poor work ethics, and prideful self-sufficiency. This chapter is the Israelite version of the medieval list of seven deadly sins. Wisdom is always the answer.
Contemporary culture is obsessed with sexuality. We use it to sell everything from cars to soft drinks. Sex is daily presented as the key to happiness and excitement in life. However, the illusions of out-of-bounds sexuality disappear when examined realistically.
The father (and mother), not the professional teacher or pastor or government official, has the most profound responsibility and opportunity to lead a young man in the right way. With the urgency of parental love, these verses highlight the inheritance passed from generation to generation. Wisdom must, however, be willingly received by each generation as well.
“A wise man learns by the experience of others. An ordinary man learns by his own experience. A fool learns by nobody’s experience.” --Anonymous
The Book of Proverbs is not merely an anthology of pithy sayings. It is, rather, an Eastern textbook teaching (young men, particularly) wise living by repetition of wise thoughts. Wisdom is distilled into short , sharp phrases...dramatic contrasts...unforgettable scenes from daily life. Not just a slick formula for success, Proverbs offers wisdom grounded in reverence for God and obedience to His laws. The essence of wisdom is the "fear of the Lord."
Contending for the Faith is not the most pleasant of spiritual duties, but it is action required of particular generations of believers at moments of intense spiritual warfare. Jude writes at just such an historical moment. His words are disturbingly relevant for our time.
One of the few NT letters addressed to an individual, 3 John bears a striking resemblance to 2 John. Yet, the differences are startling as well. This “postcard” provides insight into the life of early believers and the challenges they faced, amazingly similar to the issues of our day. Truth, in the first century and today, is continuously in danger.
John the Elder calls his congregation to endurance in the most basic of all Christian disciplines: love. He encourages them in truth and warns them against false teachers, but always in the context of love for one another. This NT “postcard” reveals the sincere heart of a pastor for his church family. Evergreen shares these realities of the faith today as well.
Though the account of Hezekiah’s reign is positive and favorable overall, his story finishes on a low note—a man too impressed with his success, too proud of his possessions, and too comfortable to pass on his faith intentionally. Question: Do believers succeed best in comfort or under pressure? What, then, does the answer mean for Evergreen?
Pastor Zach Dietz walks us through the martyrdom of Stephen and beings us a word for today.
The key to victory in life is the discernment to recognize the spiritual nature of every battle and the willingness to engage the battle with spiritual means. Hezekiah understood his own inadequacies in the face of Assyrian invasion. He also recognized the supreme sufficiency of God. What cultural, family, or personal battle should you be releasing into God’s hands?
A legendary football coach once said, “Before you can learn how to win, you must learn how not to lose.” A certain prescription for defeat is to be unaware of your enemy and his methods. Spiritual successes are always accompanied by confrontation with spiritual enemies. Therefore, preparation for battle is essential!
Throughout 2 Corinthians Paul lovingly challenges the Corinthians’ authority to question his apostleship. He stands firm on the authority given to him by Christ and helps the Corinthians to understand their status in God’s economy.
The national revival of Judah (and the remnant of Israel) was followed by a reformation of Temple practices to solidify the renewed commitment of God’s people to His ways. These spiritual changes were crucial because the existential threat of a generation was on the horizon—Assyrian invasion. From what strength could Judah draw to face this challenge?
Pastor Taylor Gabbert walks through the story of Balaam as he looks at finding God's will.
With the Temple cleansed and restored, Hezekiah proceeds with the greatest Passover celebration since the days of King Solomon (30:26). His concern was for all Israel and his priority was the proper approach to God. Revival is a sovereign movement of God among His people, but it, nevertheless, requires human yearning and attention to repentance.
Hezekiah reigned at a time in his nation’s history when God was relegated to the periphery of national life. However, Hezekiah was committed to restoring God to a place of primacy. He determined to move his backslidden nation from mediocrity and half-hearted devotion to fervency in worship and service. The King led Judah from status quo to spiritual reformation.
Pastor Emilio Lartigue takes us through Psalm 107 as he examines 6 circumstances where God makes himself known.
Every generation faces the common dilemma of financial resource management. Whether in time of depression or prosperity, money commands our attention. Psalm 49 is a “song for finances,” ancient wisdom for a very modern issue. Spiritual growth requires that the issue of money be settled for good in the mind of a Jesus-follower.
Psalm 78 is the voice of a parent and grandparent. The writer knows that the continuing existence of the people of God hinges on the faithful remembering and telling of what God has done among us. The church is a family maintained across generations by parents and grandparents who intentionally pass along the stories of faith, a spiritual legacy.
In these psalms, the poet expresses three times that he is “down.” If you have never suffered depression, then you do not share the experience of Moses, David, Jeremiah, and even Paul. This song articulates the tension of despair fighting against faith…and the way of escape for the believer.
Our ability to evaluate and decide clearly about sin is often compromised by the immediate pressures of temptation and emotional investment in the circumstances of the moment. Reflection on sin from a safe distance is the better way to analyze the cycle of sin, confession, and restoration in order to avoid the crash of moral failure and preserve the freshness of life.
Taylor Gabbert takes us through one of the most difficult Psalms in the Bible in Psalm 51. Listen in.
Psalm 50 was probably a song composed during the reign of David as a warning to Israel not to substitute formality and hypocrisy for true spirituality. Heart worship consists of more than external religious activity alone.
This significant psalm mentions the LORD no less than twenty-five times in only eleven short verses. This is the rock solid faith of a man in physical danger expressing his conviction that God will abundantly save His own. Fear fades with an increasing awareness of God.
God’s banquet in eternity will be the most exclusive gathering in creation history. The guests will be selected on the basis of clear qualifications and strict expectations. A Kingdom citizen displays unmistakable marks.
The question facing Americans today is this: Where do we go from here? The question facing Christian believers is: What is our role in America’s future? There are many suggested answers, but our choice is really only between flight and light.
Pastor Zach Dietz takes us through the opening verses of James' letter to 1st century Christians as he deals with prayer.
While contemporary secular scientists and philosophers debate the existence of God, a simple shepherd discovered the truth three thousand years ago. Both creation and humanity offer conclusions about God that directly contradict the progressive thinking of this generation. Only belief in a personal God makes sense of reality.
Known as an “orphan” psalm, Psalm 1 is a fitting starting point for this hymnbook of the Scriptures. It boasts no author, fits no particular historical moment, and, yet, it outlines the basic choice of life presented to every man and woman in every generation. If this decision is made improperly, then literally, no other decision made in life matters. Choose wisely.
False teachers are always a threat to the church; however, the truth of the second coming provides an anchor of certainty and hope for the future and meaning for the present. The final destiny of the universe ought to motivate Christ-followers to live lives that honor and reflect well upon Jesus. The nearness of Jesus gripped Peter.
Peter now makes it plain how to recognize false teachers despite their theological masquerade. He next reminds us of our available weapon for spiritual warfare and models how to answer their faulty arguments against truth. Handling truth well is our calling in every generation.
Peter next devotes an entire chapter to the threat of smooth-talking false teachers. Believers must understand who these false teachers are and how they operate. We must see God’s verdict on such people and be alert for their presence within the Body of Christ.
The visible evidence of a transformed life joins with the supernatural authorship and energy of God’s word to provide a powerful assurance of the faith to believers and a challenging defense of the faith before unbelievers. The constancy of the Bible combines with the consistency of faithful lives to offer a compelling argument for Christian truth.
Are you living a life of faith? So dramatic was the change in Peter’s life that he wrote this letter to remind his readers that Christian faith was never intended to leave life static or unchanged. Godly transformation is a cooperative venture that unites God’s power with a believer’s sincere and positive efforts at advancement.
Pastor Zach Dietz brings us this word. The Sermon on the Mount gives us some of the best insight in the entire Bible on how to pray. Jesus cautions us and puts much emphasis about the attitude of our hearts and our motives behind our prayers.
It is popular today to opine about the approaching demise of the Church. Statistics, polls, and op-ed writers all assure us that the Faith as we know it is in decline, a victim of the postmodern loss of truth, progressive sensibilities, and evolutionary inevitability. Nonsense! The Church is the only human institution to survive 2000 years…and there’s more to come!
Luke’s main concern now is to show historically how Paul came to the decision to appeal to Rome. The break between Judaism and Christianity, between synagogue and church, came from the side of the synagogue. However, Paul’s focus is to present the truth of the gospel to the esteemed listeners provided to him by God.
Arrested soon after arrival in Jerusalem, Paul faces trial before the Sanhedrin, a murder plot by the Jews, the indecisiveness of Roman political appointees, and a transfer to prison in Caesarea. These circumstances are utilized by God to offer the gospel clearly to Felix, governor of Palestine, and ultimately to the household of Caesar in Rome itself. In all this, Paul never loses evangelistic focus.
There is tremendous power in personal testimony. It is a great thing to preach Christ and Him crucified; but preaching will not generally carry more weight with an unbeliever than the witness of an individual with a credible life story. Paul’s testimony is given to us five times in the NT (Acts 9; 22; 26; Philippians 3; 1 Timothy 1), which indicates a pattern of usefulness for the story of every believer.
Nothing is allowed to deter Paul on the mission he has accepted as his life's purpose. Hostility and threats of harm do not compare to the faith of a man confident in God's call, provision, and protection. His life was the gospel, his focus the churches, his confidence the Lord's will.
The earthly ministry of Jesus foreshadows Satan's ultimate defeat. In Acts and beyond, Jesus extends His power over the demonic by giving His Word as a weapon to His followers. With Word and witness, the invasion of hostile territory ravages the forces of evil.
Every successful communicator connects with his audience in a way that promotes clear understanding of the message. Paul models a teaching style that recognizes that not every hearer of the gospel is operating from the same knowledge base or worldview. While the message never changes, the connection point is customized to the listener.
In an era of biblical illiteracy, how do we successfully transfer the truth of God's Word to the next generation of believers? How do we learn to think biblically about the great cultural issues of our day? Acknowledging the Bible as authoritative for life and faith is the key.
Pastor to Young Adults, Philip Jackson takes us through Exodus 31 as we look at how God relates to His people.
The most serious internal challenge to the survival of the Church now arises: what is the relationship between Judaism and the Gospel? Must one be a Jew before he can become a Christian? No petty issue, this question would either stun the world or divide the faith into two separate movements forever.
The church at Antioch displays the model that needs to be translated into the twenty-first century. From its founding, the idea of missions was present and viewed as spiritual priority. This first planned "overseas missions" effort was begun by deliberate church decision and clear Holy Spirit direction, rather than merely as a consequence of persecution.
Contemporary American Christianity is powerless primarily because it is prayerless. The ancient church existed in a hostile world of Jewish opposition and Roman harassment. They understood the need for prayer in everyday life. Prayer invites God's power into the world.
The Church is the only community designed for people who are not yet part of it. Healthy churches see people in their desperate need and respond practically. Such churches also dream of reaching nations who do not yet know the good news of Jesus Christ.
Taylor Gabbert takes a dive with us into Genesis 22 when Abraham goes to sacrifice his son, Isaac to look at what it means to walk by faith.
Have you ever asked yourself why you are a Christian? Or maybe why you should become one? Listen to Missions Pastor Emilio Lartigue as he takes us into the Bible to answer this question.
Churches today often approach casually the ordinances given by Jesus. These rituals, even today, often cost believers their lives. Accordingly, we must see their significance and the power of their symbolism. These two non-optional practices should be characteristic of authentic churches in every generation.
Missions Pastor Emilio Lartigue brings us a message on the importance of encouragement from God's word.
Listening is a discipline. Hearing is a decision. Discovering the leadership of the Holy Spirit in the details of a believer's daily life and in the corporate life of the local church requires both the discipline to listen and the decision to hear.
As the early church grew in numbers and influence, persecution increased. Stephen is the first recorded Christian martyr, and his testimony provides a model for serious Christian commitment in every generation. This element of martyrdom is a necessary component for a successful twenty-first century church.
The walk of the follower of Jesus is completely different than the one of the surrounding world. It is not self-centered life concerning primarily on “me.” The believer’s life is not free of difficulties. In fact, it has difficulties directly related to it. Serving Christ and proclaiming His message can put us in harm’s way and could possibly cause us to suffer for Him. Conforming to a life of humility disturbs the life of “me.” Our confidence is not one based on “me.” Our model is Christ. Our goal is Christ and to know Him. All of this is in the middle of troubling times and a battle from without and from within. God provides a clear perspective to live and walk in such times.
Early believers displayed dramatic changes in their lives by a supernatural awareness of need and an unrelenting determination to serve others. God designs our voluntary service to unite the church, strengthen ministries, and build a reputation in the surrounding community. Faithful and shared service in pastoral care is clear evidence of a Spirit-filled church.
The early church understood that prayer was not their last resort, but their first response to any situation. When believers pray together, God changes their church and their world.
The early church faced much danger in its own generation; but no external persecution was ever as dangerous to the infant church as the threat of internal hypocrisy. A Spirit-filled church displays purity & integrity to the world, especially when it comes to money.
The early church understood that prayer was not their last resort, but their first response to any situation. When believers pray together, God changes their church & their world.
"Courage is a special kind of knowledge: the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not to be feared." - David Ben Gurion
"The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." - Tertullian
What is it exactly that distinguishes the church from any other social club or volunteer community service organization? The world effectively imitates every aspect of church life except those things that result from the power of God alone. The greatest wonder of our day is the supernaturally changed life of a person.
This passage is of vital importance both in its description of true biblical preaching and in the display of divinely secured results from that proclamation. The general absence today of this powerful proclamation is an ongoing indictment of contemporary evangelism. Such teaching is an indispensable characteristic of an authentically biblical church.
Contemporary American evangelism, where it even exists, is programmatic and trite. Most unbelievers have been inoculated to typical religious sales pitches already. What is required today for church growth and advancement is an authentic testimony of biblical truth and personal experience animated by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
The very first tasks necessary for the infant Christian church in Jerusalem was the practice of prayerful decision-making and the identification of qualified leadership. The local expression of the Body of Christ cannot function properly without these characteristics.
Eighty years after Haggai and Zechariah spurred the people to rebuild the Temple, disillusionment with God had set in. Times were hard and the promised prosperity had not been realized. Israel developed an increasingly casual attitude towards worship and the standards of God. Malachi’s call to return to devotion has special relevance today.
Teaching alongside Haggai, Zechariah’s post-exilic message went far beyond physical walls and Temple issues. He told of the Messiah, the One whom God would send to rescue His people and to reign over all the earth. This prophet speaks of both the first and the final comings of Jesus. As you read, consider this—your King is coming and He will reign forever!
The first post-exilic prophet, Haggai, spoke to a people facing the daunting challenge of rebuilding a nation after the destruction of Judah, Jerusalem, and the Temple by the Babylonians to generations earlier. His sermons on the priorities of God's people are powerfully suitable for believers today in a nation without spiritual foundations.
Zephaniah was the last of the minor prophets to write before the captivity. His message to Judah parallels Amos' message to the northern kingdom, Israel, more than a century earlier. God's judgement cannot be ignored; His great love should not be forgotten.
Believers must learn to take God seriously. He reserves the right to be God, to work as He sees fit. We may turn toward Him with questions, but we will never understand life if we, instead, turn away from Him in bitterness. This prophet resolves the problem of evil in the world, not in intellectual debate, but through a fresh encounter with the God of history.
Nahum, like the earlier book of Jonah, focuses attention on Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire. But where Jonah records the city's reprieve, Nahum predicts destruction. Prophesying in the mid-seventh century B.C., Nahum composes the most graphic poetry in the Bible. Along the way, he verbally paints a stunningly comprehensive picture of Judah's God.
Micah writes to a nation addicted to luxury and careless of the civil rights of the common man. The people were ruled by leaders who were proud, unscrupulous, and cruel. Practical unbelief coexisted with the outward worship of Yahweh. Lying politicians were supported by false prophets. His visions targeted both Israel and Judah...and contemporary America!
More ridiculed than any other book in the Bible, Jonah is not simply an interesting fable about a man swallowed by a fish. In fact, only three verses mention the fish. Neither allegory nor parable, this literal account of a man's dissatisfaction with God rings true as a resoundingly modern story. What do we do when God won't cooperate with our plans?
Briefest of the Minor Prophets, Obadiah doesn't speak primarily to Judah. Instead, he speaks warnings to Edom as a demonstration that Yahweh knows no boundaries. All nations stand accountable before Him. This urgent message is meant for the nations of 2020 as well.
Prophesying to the Northern Kingdom in the eight-century B.C., Amos was contemporary with Hosea in Israel and Isaiah and Micah in Judah. He was a laymen called by God to confront complacency and indulgence. God's economy had become a society of haves and have nots hidden behind self-righteous religious activities. To this unjust people, the God of Armies roars His Word like a lion!
Joel (“Yahweh is God”) is identified as the son of Pethuel. No other biographical information or historical context is made available. His message is, therefore, timeless as a warning of certain judgment on sin, a call to determined repentance, and a reminder of the character of the Almighty God.
Hosea was a man who wore his heart on his sleave; and his book teaches us that sin not only breaks God's law, it also breaks God's heart. Forerunner to Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, Hosea prophesied when memories of Elijah and Elisha were still fresh in the land. Speaking primarily to Israel, he frames false religion as adultery and hold out hope for restoration to those who turn to God in repentance.
It is easy to waste life on small purposes- to blunder through our days without direction, busy yet getting nowhere. A person without purpose makes no progress in life, even when circumstances seem favorable. Authentic believers, however, answer a call to noble living, adopting the high standard of godliness in order to glorify Christ Jesus.
Paul's discussion of the final doom of the man of lawlessness leads him naturally to the consideration of the destiny of Christian believers. His readers were not in that crowd discussed in the earlier verses of this chapter. His pastoral affection for his people comes through loud and clear in these verses as he speaks intimately to his family of faith.
God never gives specific dates nor times for the return of Christ, but He does allow us to look in to the future and see a panoramic view of what lies ahead. Paul, inspired by the Spirit, offers a glimpse of God's victory and evil's doom, inspiring courage, perseverance, and hope. The great value of the doctrine of the Second Coming is that it provides a guarantee that history is not random, but proceeding with purpose.
In his first letter to this church, Paul expressed unrestrained enthusiasm for church life in Thessalonica. A second letter follows quickly after the first one because a problem surfaces regarding daily work ethic of some in light of the coming return of Jesus. Paul begins this new letter with a reminder of his pride in them and his specific prayers offered for them.
Evergreen, like every church, is a complex community including a great variety of personalities. There are leaders and followers, those weak in faith and those strong, optimists and pessimists, the cynical and the gullible. Yet, encouraged by our common hope in the return of Jesus, Evergreen believers breathe an atmosphere of love and service together.
The rapture always stirs debate about sequences and events, but Christ’s return is as certain as God Himself. Jesus will come. He will rule. He will be glorified. Knowing this produces two things in the believer: obedience and courage. C.S. Lewis remarked, “It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.” The second coming of Jesus energizes His followers for endurance.
Too often today, Christian faith is held as a purely intellectual pursuit. We believe certain things and remain content to give mental assent to the idea of being a disciple without ever practicing the tangible life of a Jesus-follower. Paul will not allow that as a viable option. The life of Christ in us is practical, visible, and influential by action and not just word.
In the next two chapters, Paul appeals to two related motivations for believers to live up to the high ethical standards of God’s Kingdom. The first motivation is internal—to please God. The second is external—to live in a way that earns the respect of those outside the gospel. These compelling motives strengthen our determination in the pursuit of Christlikeness.
In the first chapter, Paul describes what a great church looks like. Now, he outlines what the relationships within that church look like—godly pastors and devout believers sharing life and living to please the Father. Jesus says that the world will identify us by our deep, abiding love for one another in the church. Our joint participation in the Body of Christ is a great gift.
How do you build a great church? How do you recognize a great church? What traits characterize a great church? Paul knew the answers to these questions and he often pointed to the church at Thessalonica as an example of a great church. Such a church is not defined by size or programming. Rather, a great church demonstrates a faithfulness that pleases God.
Peter is writing to a church in the middle of suffering persecution for their faith. The persecution is a current reality for them. Peter points them to the ultimate reality in their hope and faith in the Lord Jesus. It is the nature of that reality and the concept of submission which Peter uses to help the believers deal with their current situation.
Often overlooked, the closing verses of this letter provide delicious insight into the life of the New Testament Church in general, and the Corinthian church in particular. After 15 chapters of instruction for congregational problems, Paul turns to the future with the full expectation that this church will advance the Kingdom of Christ effectively in the years ahead. He calls them to be the church they were designed by God to be.
Very early, cynical questions were asked in Corinth about bodily resurrection. Some asked, "How are the dead raised? With what type of body will they come?" (v. 35) Paul answers both of these questions. The omnipotent power of God is able to give you a body consistent with the promise of the gospel and suitable for life in an eternal world.
As Paul attempts to strike a death blow to the rivalries and sectarian spirit in the Corinthian church, he uses the human body to illustrate God's ideal for each local expression of the Body of Christ...each part fulfilling an assigned role as designed, each member operating in love toward the rest.
Paul knows that self-sacrificing love (agape) can never be adequately analyzed or explained. It can only be described and set out on display. This is the vital ingredient to the Christian life, to a healthy church, and to God-honoring use of spiritual gifts. Love is the better way.
The scope of Paul's vision in this chapter is not the inner meaning of worship in the experience of the individual, but rather what worship should be and accomplish in the life of the Body in its public assembly. (Verse 1 states his overarching theme and verse 40 summarizes the entire chapter.)
"Tongues" is a major source of confusion among Christians today. Is it necessary for salvation? Does it confirm the presence of the Holy Spirit? How should it be practiced in the church? Am I missing something I need?
Considering eternity, world religions offer a variety of options: soul sleep, annihilation, reincarnation, or absorption. The Christian idea of bodily resurrection is often rejected by philosophical dualism. What exactly do we believe about the body and eternity? Resurrection is not merely a nice idea. It is central to everything we hope and live for.