Text: John 18:37-38 Jesus told Pilate He came to “testify to the truth” (John 18:37). Pilate asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). This may not have been a sincere inquiry, but it is a vitally important question. God is the ultimate source of truth (Hebrews 6:18), and truth is found in His word (Psalm 119:160; […]
November 25, 2024
Contentment: What It Is and Is Not
Text: Philippians 4:11-13 God’s people are to practice contentment. Like Paul, we need to practice this in every circumstance. However, we need to understand what contentment is. Many claim contentment but are really immature, disobedient, cowardly, lazy, or apathetic instead. In this lesson, we are going to consider what the Bible says about contentment – what […]
November 18, 2024
Willing to Forgive
Text: Luke 17:3-4 Jesus taught His disciples about the need to forgive those who sin against them. Yet it is not always easy to do this, especially when the sin is habitual – seven times a day (Luke 17:4) or seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). However, as the Lord’s disciples, we must be willing to […]
November 11, 2024
Producing and Developing Disciples
Text: 2 Timothy 2:1-7 Paul began this chapter by telling Timothy of his role in making disciples (v. 2). He mentioned three “occupations” that illustrated Timothy’s work as a preacher. Two of these were directly related to the work of making disciples (soldier and farmer). In a related passage, Paul mentioned another “occupation” – a […]
November 4, 2024
Sowing and Reaping
Text: Galatians 6:9 God created the world, and it operates according to the rules He established. This includes times of “seedtime and harvest” (Genesis 8:22). The outcome of the harvest depends (in part) on what was planted, when it was planted, and how it was done. This illustration of sowing and reaping is used throughout […]
October 28, 2024
Taking Meals Together
Text: Acts 2:46-47 The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes the togetherness of brethren in the early church. Shortly after the church was established, the first Christians were meeting and eating together. Many churches today host “fellowship meals” – meals hosted by a congregation and conducted as part of the church’s work. But was Luke describing a church-sponsored meal? […]
