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 […]
October 28, 2019
Shame: A Biblical Perspective
Text: 2 Thessalonians 3:14 Shame is “a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.” One can also be shamed or put to shame by others, causing him to feel ashamed. Shame has a very negative connotation in our society. But what does the Bible have to say about […]
July 29, 2019
The Demands of Discipleship
Text: Luke 9:57-62 We have been called to be disciples of Jesus – but this is not an easy life. Discipleship is demanding. Certain things are required of us and not everyone will be willing to be a disciple. In our text, Jesus encountered three prospective disciples. In His responses to them, He showed just how […]
May 20, 2019
Regular Christians Who Endured Hardship
Text: Acts 14:22 We will go through “many tribulations” in our effort to reach our eternal reward. We need to be strengthened in spirit, encouraged to continue, and always remain faithful. The previous lesson discussed the importance of encouraging our brethren. This lesson is about what we must do ourselves – endure hardships. Even “regular Christians” can […]
January 14, 2019
A New Name
Text: Isaiah 62:2 This passage in Isaiah 62 contains a prophecy of salvation and redemption from the Lord. In it, there is mention of a “new name” (v. 2). Let us consider what the Bible says about this new name. Given by God “Called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate” – […]
December 24, 2018
The Christian and the World
Text: John 17:14-21 There may be times when we wish we could escape the world, but it is not practical or realistic. There is a “relationship” that Christians have with the world. Jesus described this in our text. The context is about the apostles, yet the principles can apply to all Christians. Hated by the […]
