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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, May 13, 2012

• Mark 9:1 – The kingdom of God was imminent.
• Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 12:28
• The metaphor kingdom never refers to a local church.
• First, it refers to the rules of the king. (Luke 17:21)
• Then, it refers to the citizenry. (Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9)
• Also, it sometimes refers to heaven. (Matthew 13:43; II Peter 1:13)
• Facts about the kingdom
• John, Jesus, the apostles, and the seventy taught that it was at hand (Matthew 3:3; 10:5-7; Luke 10:1,9)
• Jesus taught the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23)
• Some contemporary with Jesus would see it (Mark 9:1)
• After Acts 2 it is spoken of as being in existence (Colossians 1:13; I Thessalonians 2:12; Revelation 1:9)
• It is spiritual, not earthly (John 18:36; Hebrews 12:28)
• It is everlasting, not temporary (Luke 1:33; Hebrews 12:28)
• Preachers are to preach it (Acts 8:12)
• It is not a democracy – the citizens do not make the laws.
• It is not a mobarchy – not run by a few strong arms.
• It is not an aristocracy – not run by an aristocratic few.
• It is a monarchical republic – has a King and a Constitution.
• Christ is King with all authority (John 18:37; Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:22-23)
• Its Constitution revealed through the apostles (Matthew 18:18; Ephesians 3:3-5)
• Its Constitution is complete and perfect (II Peter 1:3; James 1:25)
• The citizens position is one of subjection, not legislating.
• Christ must be honored (Matthew 17:5; John 1:17; 12:48; Hebrews 1:1)
• Essentials of citizenship
• Enter by new birth (John 3:3-5; Acts 2:38)
• Continue by doing His will (Matthew 7:21)
• Must seek first (Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:1)
• Greatness therein determined by service
• Judgment picture
• Honor the King and His Constitution (Matthew 25:24, 46 b)
• Reject the King and His Constitution (II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Matthew 25:46 a)

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, April 22, 2012

• Hebrews 12:22-24 – The writer here is telling the audience that they have come to the church of the New Covenant, not the Old Covenant. We as Christians are part of the “general assembly and church of the firstborn.” He was trying tos who them that they were under the New Covenant and should not forsake it for the Old Covenant despite what persecution they may have to deal with.

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By David Watson

Benchley, March 11, 2012

• How useless the earthly body is
• John 19:38-42 – Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus tend to the body of Jesus
• I Corinthians 15:35-50
• What really mattered in a person’s life
• Acts 9:36-39 – the people showing all the things that Tabitha had done and made
• You have to do things you’re not ready to do
• Luke 12:19-21 – The rich man was not prepared to die.
• The value of hope through Christ
• II Samuel 12:16-23 – David’s grief and hope for seeing his son in heaven.
• I Thessalonians 4:13
• I Timothy 4:13 – Read the word of God!
• II Timothy 1:5; 3:15
• I Corinthians 15:20-26

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By Larry Dickens

Benchley, Marck 8, 2012

• II Corinthians 4:18 – things which are not seen are eternal
• The Word of God
• The message is an eternal message (I Peter 1:22-25; Matthew 24:35; John 12:48; II John 1:2)
• Jesus Christ, the Son of God
• Men once saw Him (John 1:14), but we are more blessed to believe in Him without seeing Him (John 20:29).
• He has and always will be in existence (John 1:1-2; Revelation 1:8; I John 1:1; I Timothy 1:17; 6:15).
• Today we see Him by faith as He is the author of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
• The Church of Christ
• The church in the sense of the kingdom of heaven is an eternal kingdom, as seen in prophecy (Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 7:14).
• God translates the saved into Christ’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13).
• On the last day, Christ will deliver the kingdom to the Father (I Corinthians 15:24).
• As Christians, we must live faithfully so that we might not fall because the kingdom is an eternal kingdom (II Peter 1:10-11).
• The inward soul of man
• There is a spiritual body (I Corinthians 15:42).
• We are warned against losing our soul (Matthew 10:28).
• The soul of man is held accountable before God (Luke 12:20).
• The inherently infinite value of the soul is based upon its eternal nature (Matthew 16:26-27).
• When everything is destroyed on the last day, the eternal soul of man will live on.
• The spiritual eternal body
• To be alive in eternity, a body and a spirit must be united. This is why there will be a general resurrection. The body of eternity will be imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual, and bearing the image of the heavenly (I Corinthians 15:42-49).
• The resurrection of Christ is our proof (II Corinthians 4:14).
• Our temporal, temporary, and mortal tent will be replaced by an eternally permanent house called “life” (II Corinthians 5:1-4).
• Weight of glory (or) the crown of life
• II Corinthians 4:16-17; James 1:12
• There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness (II Timothy 4:7-8) or the unfading crown of glory (I Peter 5:4).
• Jesus taught us to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20).
• Heaven – eternal life
• The eternal soul of man has an anchor in the hope of heaven (Hebrews 6:18-19). Jesus called it eternal life (Matthew 19:29; 25:46). It constitutes “the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9).
• Eternal life is promised as having a water which, having been given, one will never thirst again (John 4:14).
• It is the will of God that you have eternal life by way of the eternal word of God (John 6:40,68).
• In heaven, there will be no possibility of being lost (John 10:28).
• If you cannot see the yet unseen – yourself in eternity with God – they you will not see the need to be obedient to the gospel of Christ (Acts 13:46).
• What will motivate a person to obey the Lord? Seeing the unseen. Seeing Jesus the author and finisher of faith and seeing themselves in the yet unseen “eternal life” (Acts 13:48).
• What is it that motivates the Christian to persevere? Seeking “for glory, honor and immortality, eternal life” (Romans 2:7).
• Do you see the outcome of your life as a faithful Christian (Romans 6:22)?
• Are you then sowing spiritual things (Galatians 6:8)?
• May we all be admonished with a view of eternal life (I Timothy 6:12).
• Obeying Christ is the means to obtaining eternal life (Hebrews 5:9).
• In Christ, we have been called to His eternal glory (I Peter 5:10).
• Eternal life is our promise (I John 2:25; 5:11; Jude 21).
• The gospel of Christ is not temporal, temporary, or carnal. It is an eternal gospel with eternal consequences (Revelation 14:6).

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By David Watson

Benchley, January 18, 2012

• Here’s the main point the Bible will teach us about joy:
• A Christian’s joy emanates from the saved relationship – its hope of heaven plus any current blessings.
• I Peter 1:8
• What can we learn about the source of joy from passages such as Hebrews 10:32-36?
• Acts 22:4-5
• “knowing that you have a better possession and an abiding one”
• What was it that elicited the rejoicing on the part of the Ethiopian man (Acts 8:38-39) and the jailer (Acts 16:33-34)?
• They had been baptized into Christ! They now experienced the joy of salvation.
• Psalms 51:8-14
• Matthew 13:44; 16:26
• What was Paul’s circumstance when he was inspired to write Philippians (Philippians 1:7,13-14,17)?
• He was in prison.
• What can we learn about joy from the book of Philippians?
• Joy comes from:
• Being saved
• Being in fellowship with other saved people
• Being able to get others saved
• What does the Bible mean when it describes people who were, for instance, “continually filled with joy” (Acts 13:52)?
• Continual joy is the long term attitude of joy that is not threatened by the ups and downs of life.
• Hebrews 12:11; John 16:20-22
• If others see a Christian being truly joyful, it has a good influence on them.

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By David Watson

Benchley, November 27, 2011

• I Thessalonians 5:14 – Encourage the fainthearted. Help the weak.
• James 5:19
• Exercise humility
• Galatians 6:1-13 – This verse says more about the helper than the weak one.
• Let us not be so boastful that we think we are above a sin that tempts our brother.
• Luke 18:9-14
• Quote the Bible
• Hebrews 4:12 – the power of God’s word
• Hebrews 6:4-6
• I Peter 1:4-5 – Something better is coming!
• II Timothy 3:16-17 – The Bible is what we need for solving spiritual problems!
• Bear one another’s burdens
• Galatians 6:1-2
• Hebrews 12:1 – This is referring to all those of great faith in Hebrews 11.
• I Peter 5:9 – You are not alone in weakness!

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, October 30, 2011

• To be sons of God – John 1:11-12; Matthew 5:45; John 8:41-47
• To eat the Lord’s Supper – Matthew 26:26-29; Acts 20:7
• Of prayer – I Peter 3:12; II John 3:22; I John 5:14
• To expect our brother to be our keeper – Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20
• To be our brother’s keeper
• To be a worker together with God – II Corinthians 6:1; Matthew 20:1-16
• To assemble with other Christians to worship God and edify one another – Hebrews 10:24-25
• To sound forth the Word of life – I Thessalonians 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20; II timothy 2:2 Titus 2:1
• To heaven – Matthew 25:23; I Thessalonians 4:13-18
• Summed up: we have the right to every spiritual blessing available in Christ.

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By Tim Stevens

Benchley, September 30, 2011

• Hebrews 11:13-16 – Those who died in faith sought a better, heavenly place.
• I Timothy 4:8
• A certainty
• Hebrews 9:27; Psalms 90:10; James 4:14 – Life is brief.
• Job 16:22; II Samuel 12:23 – There is no return from our eternal destination.
• Preparation
• I John 1:5-7; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Matthew 24:42-44; John 14:1-4 – We must be ready for the judgment.
• Guidance
• Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 10:23; John 8:12; I Timothy 2:5-6 – Jesus is our guide.
• Psalms 73:23-28 – God guides us with His counsel.
• Proverbs 3:5-8 – Trust in the Lord.
• John 6:63-69
• Isaiah 34:16; II Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11 – Study the Bible!
• Psalms 19:7; I Timothy 4:16; II Timothy 3:16-17 – The word of God is perfect; it is all we need.
• One way
• There is only one right way to go. John 14:6; 10:16; 6:33-35
• Galatians 3:27; I Corinthians 12:13 – If we don’t put on Christ, we have no guide!
• Matthew 7:13-14 – The gate to salvation is narrow and has few travelers.
• Isaiah 35:8-10
• Ephesians 1:7 – We have redemption and forgiveness of our sins through Jesus’ blood.
• Philippians 3:14-16 – We must press on toward the goal.
• II Timothy 4:6-8 – Paul was on the right road. He was prepared.

By David Watson

Benchley, September 4, 2011

[Sorry, no audio for this lesson due to technical difficulties.]

• This present world?
• Philemon 1:23; II Timothy 4:9 – Demas had fallen away.
• Psalms 90:1-4,9-12 – This life is temporary.
• Luke 5:5 – This world is frustrating sometimes.
• Ecclesiastes 1:8; 4:7-8; 5:10; 6:3-7 – This world offes no lasting satisfaction.
• II Corinthians 3:4 – Satan blinds people to the gospel of Christ.
• Serving God and going to heaven?
• Matthew 16:26
• Hebrews 11:24-26; Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – Fear God and walk in His ways.
• Proverbs 19:23 – If your sould is safe, you can sleep satisfied.
• I Timothy 6:17 – We should fix our hope on God instead of earthly riches.
• Jeremiah 35:5-6,12-14 – The descendants of Jonadab are examples of how to follow commands. We should try to have a legacy of righteousness.
• Psalms 51:12; James 5:19-20 – There is great joy in knowing that we had a part in someone’s salvation.
• Aim at your target!
• I Corinthians 9:24-27 – We must discipline ourselves to reach our target.
• Hebrews 5:12-14 – We must study.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, September 4, 2011

• II Timothy 4:1 – Kingdom can refer to many different things. Here it is referring to the everlasting kingdom, or heaven itself.
• II Timothy 4:2 – Preach whether people like it or not!
• II Timothy 4:5 – Even though everyone does not do the job of an evangelist, all must preach the word.
• II Timothy 4:6-7 – Can we, like Paul, say that we have kept the faith?