[Sorry, due to technical issues, no audio or video recording is available for this lesson. -MRW]

• I Peter 2:2-3

• I Timothy 4:13

• Hebrews 10:23

• Colossians 3:16

• I Corinthians 14:17

• II Corinthians 8:4

• II Corinthians 9:10-15

• Why did the brethren come together in Acts 20:7?

  • To break bread!

  • I Corinthians 11:20

• I Corinthians 11:23-26

• The Lord’s Supper is a memorial and a declaration to others of Jesus’ death.

  • A memorial

    • The Lord’s Supper helps us remember Jesus’ sacrifice.

    • Romans 5:6-8

    • Many earthly memorials exist to help us remember important events, but none are as important as Jesus’ death.

    • Other memorials in the Bible:

      • The Passover

      • The stones from the Jordan (Joshua 4:5-6)

  • A proclamation

  • A fellowship

    • I Corinthians 11:17-34

    • I Corinthians 14:23-25 – Our conduct in the assembly affects how outsiders view us!

    • The Lord’s Supper also gives us strength. Neglecting it weakens us.

• Ecclesiastes 7:2 – Memorials are for the living.

• Titus 2:11-14

• I Peter 1:17

• Romans 6:1-4

• Matthew 5:13-14 – Christians are salt and light.

• Salt

  • Job 6:6; Ezekiel 16:4

  • What did Jesus mean by calling His disciples salt?

    • We are to be active in the way God needs us to be. We are a tool to be used for God’s purposes. God needs us to spread the gospel to a dark world.

    • Salt was a necessity. It represented something that was lasting. It is a preservative.

  • When we see salt around us, let us remember that Jesus wants us to be like salt in this world.

• Light

  • Light brings comfort and safety. It radiates outward.

  • Light brings knowledge. II Corinthians 4:4-6; Psalms 119:105

  • Light is essential. It was created on Day 1 of Creation.

  • Ephesians 5:6-16

  • If a light is hidden, it does no good.

  • Ephesians 4:11-13

• Sheep

  • Sheep are helpless and reliant on the shepherd. They have no defenses and are not smart!

  • Matthew 26:31

  • Sheep are social and need to be in a flock.

  • They need consistency. They won’t follow a stranger.

  • Jesus is our shepherd. We rely on Him totally!

• Matthew 5:13-16 – It is our job to reach others and teach the truth.

• Matthew 16:13-20

• I Corinthians 3:9

• Jude 1:3

• The faith has been delivered.

• Hebrews 9:15 – Jesus shed His blood for all people of all time.

• Acts 20:28 – Jesus purchased local churches with His blood.

• Titus 1:5; Acts 14:23 – Elders are to be ordained in local churches.

  • A church can exist without elders, but should desire to have them.

  • The church at Benchley has had elders in place for about twenty years now.

  • The work of these elders is assigned by God. They are to lead the flock in making harmonious decisions. They are not purely business managers, although business decisions are part of it.

  • Elders are first servants of God, then servants of the congregation.

• I Peter 5:4

• Hebrews 13:17

• Jesse Jenkins is stepping down as elder at Benchley.

• Conclusion to 1 Thessalonians:

  • Compliments – I Thessalonians 1:3, 8

  • End of the world – I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2:19

  • Example/imitate/model – I Thessalonians 1:7; 2:9

  • Non-Christians – I Thessalonians 1:7-10; 4:13, 5; 5:6

  • Word/instruction/gospel – I Thessalonians 1:6, 8; 2:13

  • Prayer – I Thessalonians 1:2; 5:17

  • Persecution – I Thessalonians 1:6; 2:14-16; 3:3-4

• II Thessalonians

  • Introduction

    • Some think II Thessalonians was written before I Thessalonians. It ultimately doesn’t matter much either way.

    • Many of the same themes from I Thessalonians are repeated in II Thessalonians. The coming Judgment is again a theme in II Thessalonians, as is the need to work hard.

  • II Thessalonians 1:1-5 – Love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater.

    • I Thessalonians 5:14; II Thessalonians 3:11

    • The church in Theesalonica was good but could still be better. Like each of us, it could grow!

• II Corinthians 13:5

• I Corinthians 11:28 – Examine yourself.

• II John 1:8

• Acts 20:28

• Galatians 6:1-2

• A Christian’s life is one of self-examination.

• James 1:25

• People are inclined to examine themselves by others who are not living right. This is not helpful!

  • II Corinthians 10:12

  • We should compare ourselves to the standard.

• Honest self-examination is difficult.

  • We may fear the results of honest self-examination.

  • Pride makes it difficult to examine ourselves compared to the right standard.

    • II Corinthians 12:7-10

• Usually, departure from the faith is gradual.

  • Apostasy can creep up on us slowly.

  • Revelation 3:17

  • Though it is gradual, there are signs along the way:

    • Lack of spiritual appetite.

      • I Peter 2:2; I Corinthians 3:2

      • Has my spiritual appetite increased since I became a Christian, or have I grown lax?

      • We can’t just “hold our own.” Matthew 25:15-30

      • Luther Blackmon: “Being a Christian is like riding a bicycle. You either keep moving forward or you fall on your face.”

      • Psalms 1:1-2

    • Aversion to strong gospel preaching

      • II Timothy 2:14-15

• A Christian’s life is a series of changes.

  • We never get to the point that we can stop progressing spiritually.

  • We must examine ourselves by truth.

• Are we walking in truth?