John 2:13-17

2020 Theme: Jesus, lesson 2

Jesus brought a spiritual kingdom

• Isaiah 9:7

• Amos 9:11

• John 6:13-15, 35, 45-51; 8:31-33; 18:36-37

• Luke 17:20-21

• Matthew 16:19 à Acts 2

• To advance in this kingdom, develop your heart

  • Matthew 5:3, 10; Mark 9:35

• Quit focusing on physical things.

  • Matthew 8:18-20; 19:21

• Fight spiritual battles

  • II Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:17

Jesus would leave, and people would need to get to work!

• Daniel 2:44

• Isaiah 9:7

• II Kings 25:5-7 – The physical kingdom was destroyed. The Jews expected a Messiah that would keep this from ever happening again.

• Mark 8:27-33; 9:31-32; 10:32-34 – The Messiah would be killed?!

• Matthew 4:18-22; 9:9; 10:1-8 – Jesus was recruiting apostles and preparing to leave!

• Luke 10:1, 16

• John 14:26; 16:13

• We have to take on the responsibility before us.

  • II Timothy 2:2

Jesus defanged Satan, but sin is still our choice.

• Hebrews 2:14

• I Peter 5:8

• James 4:7

• Matthew 4:1-11

• Jesus taught us how to resist Satan.

  • I Corinthians 10:13

False dilemma (“either … or”)

• Spiritual importance

  • Can you think of any other possibilities for each of the following?

    • “Either you have faith, or you are rational.”

    • “The Bible vs. science.”

    • “The Bible teaches that ‘in Christ all things hold together’ (Colossians 1:17). But we now know that the forces of gravity and electromagnetism are what hold the universe together.”

      • Hebrews 1:2-3

    • “You must not really believe that God is going to answer your request for healing; otherwise you would not have gone to the doctor.”

      • Colossians 4:3

  • Perhaps the most common example of this fallacy occurs with the topic of salvation – “Either we’re saved by grace or by works!”

    • Salvation by grace only is a core doctrine of many churches.

    • Compare Ephesians 2:8-9; James 2:24. Make sure you avoid the equivocation fallacy in regard to the word “works” in these passages.

Special pleading

• What is it?

  • Proverbs 20:23

  • “Special pleading is the fallacy of applying a double standard.”

• Spiritual importance

  • Romans 2:1-3, 17-24

  • Notice the hypocrisy in Matthew 23:3-4. Could that sort of thing happen to so-called Christians today?

  • Evaluate the declaration “You shouldn’t judge people!”

• Acts 15:1; Colossians 2:16-17; Romans 2:28-29; Galatians 5:8; 6:15; Colossians 2:11-13

Introduction

• Acts 15:19

• Romans 10:1

Learn the truth about Jesus!

• Matthew 28:18-20

• Acts 2; 8:35; 9:22

• Romans 10:9-10

Do what He wants!

• James 2:17

• Luke 6:46

• Repent: Luke 24:45-47; Acts 17:30-31

• Get baptized: Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4; I Peter 3:21

• Walk in newness of life: Ephesians 3; Romans 6; Colossians 3

• Join a local church: Acts 9:26-28; I Corinthians 5:2; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter 5:1-2; Hebrews 13:17

Where are you in this process of conversion?

• Do you need to learn more before you can fully believe and confess Jesus?

• Are you ready to repent of your sins?

• Are you not sure what your status is about baptism?

• Maybe you’ve done those things, but then didn’t walk in newness of life. Repent!

• Do you need to join a church?

• Spiritual importance, continued:

  • “If you really believe the Bible, then I suppose you believe in slavery and stoning rebellious children as the Bible teaches.”

  • “What about my dear Grandmother who died without being baptized? Are you really saying that baptism is necessary for salvation?”

    • Romans 6:3-4; Luke 16:30-31

  • “Since the inerrancy of Scripture is a divisive doctrine, we should reject it.”

  • “Most scientists believe in evolution.”

  • “I know what Matthew 19:3-9 says, but don’t you think God wants us to be happy? You don’t think He wants His people to be stuck in miserable marriages, do you?”

  • “Which would you rather believe in – God or evolution?”

  • “Which would you rather believe in – a God who saves everyone or just some?”

• What is it?

  • “A person commits the fallacy of bifurcation when he or she claims that there are only two mutually exclusive possibilities – which, in fact, there is a third option (or more).”

  • See John 9:1-3. “The key to avoiding the dilemma is simply to find the third alternative.”

  • If there truly is no third option, then no fallacy is committed.

    • For example, Matthew 12:30 commits no fallacy.

    • Matthew 21:25