New Testament – Other Letters
Enduring Trials for the Glory of Christ How Suffering Purifies, Strengthens, and Prepares Us for Eternal Glory I. Introduction In 1 Peter 4:12–19, Peter speaks tenderly but urgently to Christians facing trials. Last week in 1 Peter 4:7-11, Peter had called believers to stay focused on prayer, love, hospitality, and service. Now, he turns directly … Continue reading Enduring Trials
In 1 Peter 4:7-11, Peter emphasizes living purposefully as believers, urging spiritual alertness, deep love, and faithful service in light of Christ's imminent return. He encourages prayerful living, selfless love, and the responsible use of spiritual gifts to glorify God, highlighting the importance of community and unity amidst challenges.
Let us live for God, because God died for us.
In 1 Peter 2:18-25, Peter instructs believers to submit to their masters, emphasizing respectful conduct even in harsh situations. He advocates for enduring unjust suffering as a commendable act of faith, mirroring Christ’s example. Ultimately, such trials lead to spiritual strength and divine recognition, reaffirming God's purpose in believers' lives.
Christians are temporary residents in this world, called to live righteously and submit to authorities as a reflection of their faith. It encourages believers to appreciate life’s beauty while remembering their eternal destination, acting as ambassadors of Christ through loving behavior, and adhering to God’s will above all.
We explore Peter's teaching in 1 Peter 1:22-25 about the significance of obedience, purification, and sincere love among believers. It highlights that true love, stemming from a transformed heart, is rooted in the eternal Word of God, contrasting the fleeting nature of human life with the permanence of God's promises and the transformative power of the gospel.
1 Peter 1:13-16 emphasizes the call to holiness for believers, highlighting the importance of mental preparedness, sobriety, and hope in Christ’s grace. Peter encourages followers to shed past ignorance, embrace moral purity, and embody God's holiness in all aspects of life, ensuring that their conduct reflects their identity as God's children.
The letters of 1st and 2nd Peter offer encouragement to believers enduring persecution, emphasizing their identity as God's elect and exiles. Addressing societal pressures, Peter highlights themes of divine election, sanctification, and hope through Christ. Believers are reminded of their eternal inheritance and the protective power of God in navigating life's challenges.
Why celebrate the birth of Jesus? Because Jesus is the Reason. #Jesus #Biblestudy #JesusIstheReason #Hebrews
I. Introduction I’m going to share a something I’ve learned about my own spiritual growth. I have a lot of spiritual shortcomings, and I hope I’m growing in Christ a little more every year. But I’ve learned a little, only a little, about our wants and desires. When I first became a Christian, I can’t … Continue reading With Submission
I. Introduction Today we are going to wrap up our study of 2nd Peter, and as you may recall, Peter was considering his imminent death and wanted to leave behind words of strength and encouragement to the early church. Those were difficult days for Christians. During the first few years after the death of … Continue reading The Day of the Lord
I. Introduction We’re starting a new book today that looks a lot like the last book we were studying. We will study just the first few verses of 2nd Peter. 1st Peter was written to the early church, and the early church had big problems to overcome. Many in the congregation were devout Jews, … Continue reading Growing in Godliness
I. Introduction In our lifelong journey, we all want to be better than we are. We want to be healthier. We want to be taller. We want to have more money. We want to have more friends. We want a nicer car. And once we become Christian, we want to be a better Christian. … Continue reading Equipped to Live
I. Introduction Be in the world, not of the world. This phrase isn’t in the bible, but it is a concept expressed by a great many verses. In John 17:14-15, the night Jesus was betrayed, Jesus prays to the Father for all believers, I have given them your word and the world has hated … Continue reading Living as Strangers
I. Introduction We begin today a brand new series, and I’m always overwhelmed with the amount of wisdom that is packed into each verse of the New Testament. We have nine verses to study today, and we could easily do an entire lesson on just the first word. Got your bibles ready? Let’s start … Continue reading Persecution & Hope
I. Introduction History and prophecy. God uses both throughout time to display to all creation that He alone is in control. There is prophecy that tells what God will do, then, when God fulfills His promise, the prophecy becomes history. And then there is new prophecy. Some prophecies have already come true; others are … Continue reading Revelation 12, Jesus Defeats Satan
I. Introduction In the last days of the Apostle John’s life, his faith in Jesus Christ led to his persecution. John had been living in Ephesus, but Rome exiled John to a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea called Patmos. I suppose the Romans thought to take a spiritual leader and move him … Continue reading The Seven Churches of Revelation
I. Introduction We’ve been discussing heresies and false doctrines in the church during our study of 1 John, and today we’re going to tackle false prophets and the antichrist. Let’s open up to 1 John 4 and read verses 1-6 to get an overhead view before we begin. Dear friends, do not believe every … Continue reading Is This of God?
I. Introduction We’ve just spent the last two months studying Hebrews with just a few weeks left to go, but our study of Hebrews has a purpose. Hebrews, as you may recall, was written to the new Christians in trying circumstances and persecutions. The first 6 chapters of Hebrews sought to reassure the new … Continue reading What is Faith?
I. Introduction Hope doesn’t come easily. This world is troubled. Dr. Young has been speaking on the problem of evil this month, and evil has been a problem ever since the fall of Adam to the beheadings in Syria. And it permeates our lives, confronts us on the television, on the internet, in the … Continue reading Don’t Walk Away
I. Introduction The book of Hebrews might have been written by Paul – that seem to be the consensus of the experts – but there are certain verses and phrases that only appear in Hebrews, so it’s hard to be sure. In any event, the author is writing to Jewish converts to Christianity who … Continue reading Pay Attention, Don’t Drift Away
I. Introduction My first thought, when I was asked to teach from 2 Peter, was, "Whoa…. There are *two* Peters?" Today we'll study 2 Peter 3; this letter from the Apostle Peter was addressed to persecuted Christians. During the first few years after the death of Jesus, Christians were considered a sect of the … Continue reading The Second Coming of Christ
I. Introduction Who knows what hedonism is? According to dictionary.com, "the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good; or, devotion to pleasure as a way of life." What I found interesting is that when you lookup the word "hedonism" on dictionary.com, you also get advertisements. "Come to Hedonism Resorts of Jamaica! Book Today!" … Continue reading Hedonism
Charles Schultz often touched on religious themes in his cartoons. You might remember his Christmas special years ago, where Linus recited the meaning of Christmas from the book of Luke. Charles Schultz taught bible study into the 1980's, and many of his cartoons were thought to illustrate bible scripture. His illustration for our study today, … Continue reading Faith and Deeds
Have y’all seen the stories on the news this week about Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda? For the last few years, Mr. Miranda has claimed to be Jesus himself. He says he had a vision in 1973, then after 3 marriages, 5 children, a heroin addiction and a couple of jail sentences for petty theft, … Continue reading God's Word is Essential
Have you ever driven down the highway, 65 mph, and decided just to let the car drive itself? Get the car going straight, set it on cruise control, take your hands off the steering wheel, maybe climb in the backseat to look for some munchies? What advice would you give a student with an important … Continue reading Stay Focused on God
When I started studying for this lesson, my first thought was, “ooh, I’m not going to like this one.†Then it was sort of a frustration, like God is picking on me and giving me a lesson that probes specifically at my weakness. Of course, it also brings a smile; I know that God is … Continue reading Christian Submission
We're going return to the New Testament for the next 3 months and work through 1st and 2nd Peter, written by the apostle Peter approximately 30 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. In the 30 years since Peter denied Jesus three times, Peter has grown a lot. Within two years of writing 1st and 2nd … Continue reading Once Saved, Always Saved
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Do you recognize those words? The Little Engine That Could, carrying a trainload of toys over the mountain. The load was so heavy and the journey was so long, the Little Engine was ready to give up. Defeated. I can’t do this, the … Continue reading Exercise Confidence
This is our 4th week in the book of Hebrews. The first week we learned how awesome angels are, learned about our own guardian angel, and that no matter how awesome angels are, Jesus is better than angels. If I recall, Jesus was also better than a Polish hotel, though I might have some wires … Continue reading Be Obedient
For the rest of this year, our bible class will be deep into the Book of Hebrews. Most scholars believe the Book of Hebrews was written by Paul to the early Christians who had converted from Judaism, and we'll find excellent instruction these next few months on what Christian living is all about. So, let's … Continue reading Pay Attention
Chasing the Wind 
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