Category: Bible Study
Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit
Tuesday Ladies – The Sermon on the Mount
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What does it mean to be a citizen of the kingdom of Heaven? The Sermon on the Mount articulates what the life of a Christ-follower should look like, asking us the same questions it posed to its original hearers: How should a disciple relate to sin? To others? To the Law? How does a disciple think, speak, and act? Examine the word of Jesus in-depth as He challenges us to think differently about repentance, salvation, and sanctification.
Matthew’s gospel opens with three chapters containing Jesus’ longest recorded message – a sermon given to His disciples early in His ministry to articulate what the life of a Christ-follower would look like.
Session 1 – March 14
Session 2 – March 21
Session 3 – March 28
Session 4 – April 4
Spring Break – April 11
Session 5 – April 18
Session 6 – April 25
Session 7 – May 2
Session 8 – May 9
Session 9 – May 16
Luncheon/Dinner – May 23
Elijah – Faith and Fire
Here is the new study for the Tuesday Ladies Bible Class, beginning on Tuesday January 10 (at 9:30am and 6:45pm) in Room 18/20. Purchase your participant book at Amazon. Old Continue Reading →
Kainos Group – No More Grumpy Christians
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From Josh Hunt (the author of this series of lessons):
The wisest man who ever lived said, “Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.” Proverbs 21:19 (NIV) In another place, “A nagging spouse is like the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet.” Proverbs 27:15 (MSG)
The first verse is directed toward women. I assure you the same is true of men. Grumpy people are hard to live with. Don’t be grumpy.
I spent a good deal of my life thinking about reading about and praying about how to be happy. I suspect I’ve read 100 books on the topic, and written several as well. I’d like to condense a lifetime of thinking on this topic in the seven key points.
Take Responsibility for Your Happiness
I heard the story of a counselor who wanted to impress on his clients importance of taking responsibility for their lives. Like many good teachers do, he reduced the teaching to a slogan that he repeated over and over. Here was his slogan that summarized life’s most important message: no one’s coming.
No one is coming to rescue you; no one is coming to make your day; no one is coming to make you happy; no one is coming to fix it.
He said it so often that one of his clients did a cross-stitch and framed it for his wall. New clients would see the cross-stitch and ask about it. The cross-stitch became a teaching moment.
One of his clients pushed back. “It’s not true, Doctor. You came. You have helped me. You have rescued me. You have made all the difference in my life.”
“Well, I appreciate that. It’s good to hear that I have helped. But I’ve come with a message, and that message is this: no one’s coming.”
Happiness starts by taking responsibility for your own happiness. If you are a Christian, I’d encourage you to take seriously the command of God to rejoice in the Lord always. The command is repeated multiple times for emphasis.
Incredible promises are given to the joyful. “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 (NIV) We tend to think we will be joyful when we get what our heart desires. The Bible says it works the other way around: we get what our heart desires when we find the grace to be obedient to the command of God to be happy.
The Bible Lists Other Benefits of Cheerfulness:
Worry weighs us down; a cheerful word picks us up. Proverbs 12:25 (The Message)
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)
Terrible Warnings are Threatened Against Those Who Don’t Serve Joyfully:
Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the LORD sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you. Deuteronomy 28:47–48 (NIV)
And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. 1 Corinthians 10:10 (NIV)
Joy is a command. It is our responsibility. No one is going to do it for us.
Students – Look and See
Sunday School is at 9:30, then students and their families are encouraged to attend the 11:00 service.
(Parents, if you want to sign up to help with breakfast this fall, check out the announcement below. We’re asking for families to provide breakfast every other Sunday. The Student Ministry will cover the other Sundays.)