Lesson four, continued:

• More on teaching methods, continued:

  • Taught by authority: Matthew 9:1-9; Matthew 21:23-27

  • Used stories with familiar themes – Matthew 13:1-9

  • Used attention-getting hyperbole – Matthew 5:29-30; 7:3-5

  • Used sound bites – Luke 6:37-39

  • Asked questions, sometimes rhetorical – Matthew 16:26; 22:17-22

  • Visually illustrated, demonstrated, exemplified

    • John 13:3-17

    • Matthew 18:1-4

    • Mark 12:41-44 – Jesus using the widow as an example had much more impact than simply lecturing about giving would have.

  • Used repetition – Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34

  • Was the example – Luke 5:16; Matthew 9:10-12

• Duties of the apostles

  • To be witnesses of Jesus to world – Acts 1:6-8

  • To form the foundation of the church – Ephesians 2:19-22

  • To teach His gospel to the world – Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 6:1-2

  • To do the works of the Father – John 9:1-5

  • To be obedient to God – Acts 5:29

  • To be shepherds of the flock – John 21:15-17

  • Teach disciples the truth as revealed by Spirit – John 16:13

  • To judge – Matthew 19:28

What is our goal in life?

• If we don’t have the right goal in life, we will drift and accomplish little.

• Galatians 1:14; I Timothy 1:15 – Paul started out with the wrong goal.

• Matthew 15:8-9 – The Pharisees had the wrong goal.

• We must lean our ladder on the right wall.

• Luke 12:15

Some would say their purpose is to escape hell.

• We must have a greater purpose than that!

Some would say their purpose is to go to heaven.

• We must have a greater purpose than that!

• Philippians 3:8-14 – Paul had a greater purpose: to attain to righteousness.

• Many who have this as their purpose will miss it.

Our purpose should be to be children of our heavenly Father.

• Matthew 5:43-45

• We cannot be satisfied in our drive to be like God.

• We don’t just go to heaven. We grow to heaven.

• I John 2:29; 3:3, 10

• Ephesians 4:11-16 – God called us for the purpose of making us like Christ.

• Romans 8:28-31

• II Corinthians 3:18

• Ecclesiastes 12:13 – This sums up the whole of man’s existence.

Conclusion

• Hebrews 4:9, 11

• We can only be satisfied once we make it to heaven.

Luke 24:45-47

Matthew 12:41

“I’ve got cobwebs in the corner.”

• Acts 8:13

• Romans 6:3; 2:1-6

• II Corinthians 7:8

• Repentance is for people as long as they live!

• Revelation 2:5, 16, 22; 3:3, 19

• I’m not going to leave any corner of my life untouched by God!

“I can do better.”

• I Corinthians 6:9-11

• Ephesians 4:1

“I am resolved.”

• Luke 19:8-10 – Zaccheus resolved to make things right. He had a specific plan.

• Luke 3:8-14

• What should our specific plan be?

• What do I need to change?

Attitude check: II Timothy 2:23-26

As long as we unite on Jesus, isn’t that all that matters? (continued)

• Ephesians 4:4 – There is one church/body.

• There are no divisions in Christ’s church.

  • Take baptism as an example.

    • Ephesians 4:5

    • Mark 16:15-16 – Can one church start teaching that you don’t have to believe and be baptized to be saved – you can just believe?

    • Galatians 3:27 – Can one church start teaching that you’re not baptized into Christ – you are in Christ, then you are baptized as an outward sign?

    • How can we claim to be united in Christ when we change His doctrine? II Corinthians 13:5; John 14:6

• Practical applications

  • Be a member of Christ’s one church

    • Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28

    • Jesus bought it and built it with His own blood. I should:

      • Submit to His Headship

      • Make Him my Savior

      • Be baptized into His death and into His body (Romans 6:3-4; I Corinthians 12:13)

      • I John 1:6-7; 2:3-6

    • Study and learn Christ’s one truth

      • Ephesians 4:5 – We ought to study, learn, and practice this one faith!

      • We are fallible and will not be in perfect agreement, but we should be studying to unify on the truth in the Bible.

Shouldn’t we support Israel today to prepare for Christ’s kingdom?

• Many people still believe that Israel is still the nation through which God will bless the rest of the world. This is part of a larger doctrine (with many variations) called Premillenialism.

• Some believe that since Christ was rejected by most Jews when He came to earth, He set up the church instead of the kingdom.

• Mark 9:1 – The kingdom of heaven was at hand.

• Acts 2:30-33

• Colossians 1:13 – The kingdom was already in existence!

• Revelation 1:9

• I Corinthians 15:20-28 – Jesus will hand over the kingdom – not start the kingdom.

• I Thessalonians 4:13-18 – Those who are alive at Christ’s coming will meet Him in the air!

• The kingdom of Christ is not a physical one based in Jerusalem, but a spiritual one (John 6:14-15; 18:36; Luke 17:20-21; Mark 12:34). Jesus reigns over us spiritually today!