Text: Matthew 7:12 Most people, religious or not, recognize the “golden rule” – do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is based upon Jesus’ statement in our text. We know the statement, but how do we put it into practice? We Must Take the Initiative Jesus did not say, “Treat […]
Does Persecution Cause the Church to Grow?
Text: Acts 8:1-4 The early church faced much persecution. They also experienced a lot of growth. We don’t experience the same persecution today. We also don’t see the same rate of growth (generally). This has caused some to wonder if we might see more growth if we experienced persecution. So we’re going to consider the question: Does persecution […]
The Importance of Numbers
Text: Acts 26:28-29 This is a follow-up to the previous lesson on things that are more important than numbers. There are certainly things we must not sacrifice for the sake of larger numbers; however, we should not overreact and think that smaller numbers are inherently good. We need to remember that numbers represent people – made in the image […]
Seeking Peace
Text: 1 Peter 3:8-12, 4:7-11 In this lesson, we’re going to consider what it means to be righteous. The first passage we will consider discusses the importance of seeking peace. We will see how this is the duty of all those who desire to be righteous. Strive to Be at Peace with Others (3:8-12) Peter quoted […]
Sheep, Wolves, Serpents, and Doves
Text: Matthew 10:16 In this chapter, Jesus sent His twelve apostles out on the “limited commission” (Matthew 10:5-7). There are some similarities between their commission and our responsibilities today. We are as sheep in the midst of wolves, so we must be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. Sent Out as Sheep We are in a […]








