A Christian’s Ambition

Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 Many in the world see ambition as a desirable trait. It is the attitude that drives one to continue progressing, advancing, and improving. Generally, it is necessary if one is to enjoy any degree of success or prosperity. Christians are to be ambitious, but the focus of our ambition will differ from the world. […]

The Spirit as a Pledge

Text: 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 In this passage, Paul talked about God giving the Holy Spirit to us “as a pledge.” We might wonder what this means. What is a pledge? Why did God do this? How is the Spirit given? It is helpful to understand what Paul meant here. This was said to provide us […]

A Disciple’s Influence

Text: Matthew 5:13-16 In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described the character of those who would be His disciples. In our text, He made it clear that His disciples would have an impact on the world around them. He used three analogies – the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and […]

The Problem with Ecumenism

Text: Ephesians 4:3-6 In a recent lesson, we talked about what would destroy a congregation. One of the things we discussed was a lack of unity. When a congregation is divided, it cannot stand. Yet it is possible to “overcorrect” on the problem of division and go beyond God’s will for our unity. That is […]

One Body, Many Members

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 In our text, Paul described the church as a body made up of different parts that all function together. Recognizing this should lead us to value our brethren. It should also lead us to recognize our own value in the church. So we are going to talk about what Paul said […]

Living for Christ

Text: 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was an act of love. This love should motivate us to live for Him. But what does it mean to live for Christ? It is more than just belief in Him or an appreciation for what He has done. These things should affect our behavior. So […]

Peace on Earth

Text: Luke 2:8-14 For many in the religious world, the Christmas holiday is a time to focus on the birth of Jesus. The Bible is silent about Christians celebrating this, but it was a praiseworthy event when it happened. In our text, angels praised God after Jesus’ birth. In their praise, they talked about peace on […]