Lesson by Scott Shifferd
Recorded February 26, 2017
Jesus’s love is a tough love. He is compassionate and yet lovingly confrontational. Jesus’s teachings would not match the definition of politically correct. Jesus observed that sin is evil. He listed such evil thought and behavior that come from within a person and defile the person (Mark 7:20–23). Is your love balanced like Christ’s love? This is lesson challenges the listener to change one’s heart. Jesus did not bend the truth so as not to offend. Jesus did not excuse sin. Jesus did not overlook Judgment Day and hide the place of Torment in Hell. Jesus flipped tables if He had to do that. Jesus exposed hypocrites openly if He had to do that. However, this was not His usually approach. This lesson will urge the listener to count the cost to follow Jesus. This is no other way.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:34-39 (read by Gerrit Dekker)
Lesson by Scott Shifferd Recorded February 26, 2017
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Jesus commanded His follower, “Love your enemies.” Christ explained how and Jesu set the example of compassion. Jesus ministered to the outcasts and fringes of society who came to Him. The Pharisees accused Jesus, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). For this reason, Jesus told the Parable of the Lost Sheep. “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” Jesus’s love crossed boundaries that few people wanted to follow. Jesus revealed to the Pharisees, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.” Jesus knew enemies and He faced enemies as most people do. Jesus died at the hands of enemies. While loving them, He died for them. At one point, every accountable person has been an enemy to God through sinful actions. This lesson explains and challenges Christians to love their enemies and to know why.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:43-48 (read by Christopher Howell)
Lesson by Scott Shifferd Recorded February 19, 2017
Beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw a man sitting in a tax booth and said, “Follow me.” Levi rose, left everything, and followed him. However, the Pharisees and scribes grumbled that Jesus ate and drank with such sinners. Jesus demonstrated His love to outsiders and outcast. His mercy came in loving kindness to persuade people to come to Christ. Christ’s love comes from God’s love for Him. Jesus affirmed the second greatest command, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” One must love oneself as God loves that person. Only that love can fulfill loving one’s neighbor as oneself. This study looks to the original command from God to Moses to love one’s neighbor as oneself and see God’s meaning from the surround passages.
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 19:17-18 (read by Christopher Howell)
Lesson by Scott Shifferd Recorded February 12, 2017
How did Jesus show love? Christ healed the sick. He fed the hungry. Jesus raised the dead. Christ forgave sinners. Jesus preached the Gospel. He set an example of obedience to God’s commands. Jesus died for the world, because God so loved the world. By all of these actions, Jesus demonstrated His love for all. This lesson reflects upon Jesus love to increase our love. Those who love Christ keep His commands. Believers can increase their love for God the more that they perceive the greatness of their debt in sin and Christ’s desire to forgive those sins. Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets through love. Jesus revealed that obeying the greatest commands fulfills the Law. Love in us fulfills the Law.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:34-40 (read by Theron Golleher)
Lesson by Scott Shifferd Recorded February 5, 2017
If someone asked you, “What is the purpose of the Church?”, what would you say? How one perceives the purpose of the church affects our behavior? Truthfully, if our faith in Christ, then we will value the church as Christ does? Jesus bought the church with His blood. Jesus promised to build His church. Jesus gave Himself for the church. When the church was established, the church devoted itself to the apostles’ doctrine, the Lord’s Supper, sharing together, and prayers together. Is that the church today? What does the church look like? The church has lost its purpose and the world sees it. The purpose of the church is to make disciples baptizing and teaching them to observe all things that Christ commanded. The purpose of the church is to proclaim the excellencies of God. Observations show that churches that grow are evangelizing. The church must return to the mission field and that means devoting oneself to the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:8-12 (read by David Johnson)
Lesson by Scott Shifferd Recorded January 29, 2017 |
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