Sunday, November 22, 2015
Acts 17:1-4, 10-12, 22-25, 28 KJV
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. ... 10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. ... 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, [Ye] men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; ... 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Apostle Paul do when they came to Thessalonica? (v.1-3)
2) What was the response of those who heard him? (v.4)
3) What did the brethren do to Paul and Silas and what was the response of the Jews in Berea to their ministry? (v.10-12)
4) How did the Apostle Paul begin to present the gospel in Athens? (v.22-23)
5) What did the apostle tell those in Athens about God? (v.24-25,28)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) How do (would) you share Christ with atheists, agnostics, and those who seek to know more about God?
LIFE LESSONS
7) There is no generic methodology for sharing Christ with all people.
8) Trust the Holy Spirit to lead you in sharing Christ with others.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Romans 16:25-27 NLT
25 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. 26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. 27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What is God able to do for the believer and what confirms it? (v.25a)
2) What has been revealed to the Gentiles, kept secret from the beginning of time, and foretold by the prophets? Why? (v.25b-26)
3) How does the apostle conclude his benediction? (v.27)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Who was God's plan of salvation created for and why?
LIFE LESSONS
5) The Lord God has always purposed to make His plan of salvation available to all people so that we might all believe and obey Him.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Matthew 24:3-14 KJV
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all [these things] must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these [are] the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After predicting the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, what did Jesus do and how did the disciples respond? (v.3)
2) What did our Lord tell them would be the signs of the end of the age? (v.4-12)
3) Who will be saved from all that will transpire on this earth at the end of the age? (v.13)
4) What else must happen before the end of time? (v.14)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) How are you preparing to endure the hardships that our Lord foretold, and that will come to pass on this earth?
6) With whom have (or will) you share(d) the gospel of the kingdom of our Lord?
LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord will not return until the gospel is preached throughout the entire world.
Thurday, January 1, 2015
Luke 10:1-11 KJV
1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly [is] great, but the labourers [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. 5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace [be] to this house. 6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. 7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After calling the first twelve disciples and giving them power and authority on earth, how many other disciples did the Lord appoint and send? (v.1)
2) What twelve things did the Lord tell His disciples to do? (v.2-11)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
3) What instruction(s) has the Lord given you as His disciple?
4) What, if anything, do you expect to receive from those the Lord sends you to minister to?
5) What do you do when your message is not well received in a place where the Lord has sent you?
LIFE LESSONS
6) The Lord sends His disciples to minister the Gospel of peace to the lost, the least, and the broken.
7) The greatest reward that we can receive, as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is our Lord's "well done!"
8) As Christ's followers, the Gospel message will not be well received by everyone the Lord sends us to minister to.
