Availability of scriptures to early Christians

• Today we have an infinite number of Bibles and translations.
• Before the Gutenberg Bible (1454), only hand-written copies
• Handwritten copies cost several years’ salary.
• Did churches have complete Bibles?
• Most experienced Scripture through sermons and readings.

Application to our study

• Early Christians heard the word read.
• Early Christians would remember the principles taught.
• Emphasis on “doing it” – Luke 8:21

Women / parable of debtors (Luke 7:36-50)

• Sinful woman, wash feet with tears
• Pharisee critical
• Two debtors, small / large amount forgiven
• Debtor with largest debt loves more.
• Woman had great sin, great love.
• Principle: Great love results in great forgiveness.

Parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15)

• (Seed is word of God)
• Road (no root, devil takes away)
• Rocky (shallow root, believe then fell)
• Thorny (root, choked by worries, riches, and pleasures of life)
• Good soil (firm root, held and shared)
• Principle: The condition of our heart determines the effectiveness of God’s word in our lives.

Parable of the lamp (Luke 8:16-21)

• Principle: We have a responsibility to let God’s light shine, share the good news.

Jesus stills the sea (Luke 8:22-25)

• Principle: Have faith in Jesus. He has power over nature.

Demonic cured (Luke 8:26-39)

• Principle: Have faith in Jesus. He has power over demons.

Jairus / woman with hemorrhage (Luke 8:40-56 / Mark 5:21-43)

• Principle: Have faith in Jesus. He has power over sickness and death.

Summary of principles

• Great love results in great forgiveness
• Effectiveness of God’s word depends on our heart
• Let God’s light shine
• Jesus has power over nature
• Jesus has power over demons
• Jesus has power over sickness / death
• These are simple principles. The challenge is incorporating them into our lives.

Introduction

• Hebrews 11:13-16
• Philippians 3:20
• Acts 1:9-11 – Heaven is a real place!
• I Thessalonians 4:16
• Ecclesiastes 12:7 – Our spirit goes back to God who gave it.

… I’ll finally be with God.

• Matthew 25:34, 41, 46
• Hebrews 9:24
• Matthew 7:23
• Hell is the place where God is not.
• I John 3:1-2
• I Thessalonians 4:17-18.

… I’ll be with other saints.

• I Thessalonians 4:15-17
• Will we have our memories in heaven?
• Revelation 6:9-11

… my problems on earth will be left behind.

• Luke 16:19-26
• Hebrews 4:8-11 – God’s people have a better rest than what the Israelites received in the promised land.
• Matthew 5:11
• Romans 8:18

… I will enjoy it!

• James 1:17-18 – God knows how to bless us. If He can make earth, surely, He can make Heaven amazing!

Therefore, I should live life like a citizen of Heaven.

• Philippians 3:19-20
• Our conduct must match our citizenship.
• Colossians 3:1-2
• Matthew 6:19-21 – Lay up treasure in Heaven.
• Philippians 2:5-8

Introduction

• Psalms 119:105
• James 3:2

Use a bunch of positive words.

• Job 13:4-5; 19:1-3; 2:9 – Job’s friends and wife.
• Proverbs 18:21 – Words can do a log of good or a lot of bad.
• Proverbs 21:19 – “a nagging and hot-tempered wife”
• Colossians 3:19 – a better and harsh husband
• One the positive side, think about how husbands and wives fulfill the verses in Ephesians 5:28-29, 33 and I Peter 3:7.
• Proverbs 12:25 – Say positive things to your spouse.
• Use those little words that mean so much.
  • “I’m sorry” – Luke 15:21
  • “I forgive you” – Matthew 6:14-15
  • “Please” – Acts 26:3; Nehemiah 5:10-11
  • “Thank you” – Luke 17:16
  • “Good job” – Proverbs 31:28-29
  • “I love you” – Song of Solomon 1:7

Plan your words carefully and soften your start-up.

• Proverbs 15:1-2
• Ephesians 4:15, 29 – Speak in love, for edification.
• Proverbs 12:18 – “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tonque of the wise brings healing.”

De-escalate (and respond when your spouse is trying to de-escalate).

• James 1:19 – “quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger”
• Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:8-9, 12-13 – As Christians, we can’t continue to communicate in the same old ugly ways as the past. We are new people, growing and maturing in our attitudes and words.
• “Four horsemen of the apocalypse” – From The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
  • Horseman 1: Criticism
  • Horseman 2: Contempt
  • Horseman 3: Defensiveness
  • Horseman 4: Stonewalling
• “Demon dialogues” – Dr. Sue Johnson, Created for Connection
  • Find the bad guy
  • Protest polka
  • Freeze and flee

Learn how to learn and compromise with perpetual differences

• Acts 3:19 – If we’re guilty of any sin, that needs to change.
• Ephesians 5; I Peter 3 – love, sacrifice, nourish, cherish, respect, honor, understanding
• I Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love!

Speak with clarity

• Genesis 11:1, 7-9
  • There are a lot of ways God could have stopped that project. But messing up their ability to communicate was the method He chose, and it put an immediate end to their work.
  • Imagine and husband and wife who aren’t able to communicate clearly. How will they share their lives together?
• I Corinthians 14:8, 19 – If your communication is not clear, what’s the point?
• Titus 2:4 – Who are they supposed to love? THEIR husbands.
• Ephesians 5:28 – Love who? THEIR wives.

Introduction

• Jeremiah 2:13
• Psalms 16:7-11

Give up on counterfeit happiness.

• Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
• Barna OmniPoll, August 2015:
  • 86% of US adults believe that “To be fulfilled in life, you should pursue the things you desire most.”
  • 84% believe “The highest goal of life is to enjoy it as much as possible.”
• The Happiness Project
  • “living the life that’s right for you …”
• “When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer.”

Find joy in serving the Lord.

• Psalms 1:1-2
• Psalms 2:12
• Psalms 32:1-2
• Psalms 34:8
• Psalms 40:4
• Psalms 84:4
• Those who are happy in the Lord are happy because they are living in the Lord.
• I Corinthians 15:58
• One kind of work is never useless: serving God.
• Philippians 3:1; 4:4
• Lamentations 1:8
• Jeremiah 9:23-24
• Matthew 22:37
• Luke 9:23

Put negative things in perspective.

• Philippians 1:12-18 – Paul saw the positive in his imprisonment – the gospel was spreading more!
• Philippians 3:7-8, 18-21
• Philippians 4:11-12 – Paul learned to be content in Christ.
• A Christian always has reason to rejoice.
• True happiness is only in the Lord.

Luke 7

• Luke 7:48 – Who is this?
• Luke 7:6-7 – The centurion was a man with authority, yet he showed great humility.
• Luke 7:9-10 – Jesus’ power was so great that he didn’t even need to see the sick servant or do anything physically obvious to heal the man.
• Luke 7:14 – Jesus was more concerned about helping and having compassion on the widow than on the possibility of ceremonial uncleanness. (Of course, Jesus was not unclean after touching the coffin because the man wasn’t dead!)
  • Compare Elijah raising the woman’s son in I Kings 17:23-24.
• Luke 7:16 – The response from the people included nothing about blasphemy or some kind of trick here. The people were both in awe and fearful of what they’d seen.
• Luke 7:19-20 – Did this question come from Jesus looking different than the Jews expected (i.e., not a political leader)? It is possible that this question came not from John doubting Jesus but from John trying to prove Jesus’ identity to his disciples by sending them to talk to Jesus directly.
• Luke 7:28 – This was a tremendous compliment to John! Under the New Covenant, even the least would be greater than John!
• Luke 7:47 – Jesus came to help the people that need forgiveness the most.