Posts from January 2022
Survey of Genesis: Chapters 1-2
Click/tap for printable version This section will cover the creation of the world and all that is in it, including the details of the creation of Adam and Eve. Also, brief time will be given to some false theories of theistic evolution. INTRODUCTION TO THE CREATION WEEK (1:1-2) “God” – Elohim – “the name of God which stresses His majesty and omnipotence” (Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record, p. 39). God “created” – bara – to call into existence that…
Survey of Genesis: Introduction
Click/tap for printable version As we embark on a study of the book of beginnings, there are several facts underpinning our study that we will not take the time to prove, though we believe they are provable: the Bible is inspired of God, it accurately records real history, it is God’s complete and final revelation of his will for mankind, it is the final authority on all spiritual and religious subjects, and it can be understood by common people. BACKGROUND…
Lesson 10: His Teaching (2)
Click/tap to download the handout The teaching of Jesus was shaped by and rooted in scripture. His words were often punctuated with “It is written…” and “Have you not read…” This lesson will focus on the Lord’s attitude toward God’s word. THE ATTITUDE OF THE PHARISEES Symbolism Over Substance The Pharisees emphasized external religiosity and devalued internal spirituality. They did many things that symbolized holiness, but they lacked true devotion (Matt. 23:23-28). Loopholes Over Law Though they verbalized a deep…
Lesson 10: His Teaching (1)
Click/tap to download the handout Until now we have taken a chronological approach to the life of Jesus. For the next several lessons, we will take more of a topical approach, analyzing his teaching, miracles, and some major events. Near the end of our study, we will go back to a chronological approach as we study the Lord’s last days on earth. JOHN 7:46 Just a few months before his death, Jesus traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles,…
Lesson 9: His Temptations
Click/tap to download the handout With this lesson we consider the forty-day period immediately following the baptism of Jesus in which he experienced intense temptation. The event is recorded in Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1-13. THE DETAILS The Setting Following his baptism, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Matt. 4:1). This is probably the Judean wilderness not far from the Jordan River where he had been baptized. Mark 1:12 says the Spirit “drove” him there.…
Lesson 8: His Baptism
Click/tap to download the handout With this lesson we consider the momentous event that launched the three-year public ministry of Jesus – his baptism. Some events of Jesus’ life are recorded by only one gospel writer. But this one (and a few others) is recorded by all four – adding, no doubt, to its significance. From this event arise several significant questions. Let’s consider some of them. THE DETAILS The details of Jesus’ baptism are recorded in Matthew 3:13-17, Mark…
Lesson 7: His Forerunner
Click/tap to download the handout Paul wrote that Jesus appeared on the scene of history “in the fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4), that is, when the time was right. The life and work of Jesus happened on God’s perfect schedule (Acts 2:23). It was customary in those days for the arrival of kings and dignitaries to be announced by a herald, or crier. John the Baptist would be that voice for the arrival of Jesus as he officially began his…
Lesson 6: His Childhood
Click/tap to download the handout Between the birth narratives and the beginning of his public ministry at age 30 (Luke 3:23), only one event in the life of Jesus is recorded (Luke 2:41-52). But from that event come some important lessons. The application points come from a sermon I heard many years ago by Dan Winkler. THE STORY Mary and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem every year for the Passover celebration (Luke 2:41; Deut. 16:1-6). Luke records one such trip, when…
Lesson 5: His Birth
Click/tap to download the handout The one part of the life of Jesus that most people have some familiarity with is his birth (though some things traditionally believed are not found in scripture). What sometimes is lost in the remembrance of the facts are the lessons we can learn from the facts. The birth narratives in Matthew and Luke contain more than information. They brim with application. THE STORY The announcement to Mary (Luke 1:26-56). Gabriel visits Mary, a virgin…
Lesson 4: Lesson 4: In the Beginning…
Click/tap to download the handout The proper place to begin a study of the life of Jesus is BEFORE his birth. Without a proper understanding of the deity of Christ, we will not fully understand his humanity. One of the most powerful and thorough pieces of literature on the deity of our Lord is the prologue of John’s gospel account (1:1-18). The main points of the following outline are from Merrill Tenney, John: The Gospel of Belief, pp. 63-74. THE…
Lesson 3: Introducing the Gospels of Luke and John
Click/tap to download the handout The word “gospel” means “good news.” When we use that word to refer to the good news of salvation delivered by Jesus and his apostles, it is singular. There is one gospel (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Phil. 1:27). But “gospel” may also refer to a literary genre: a selective record of historical events in the life of Jesus designed to create and build faith (cf. John 20:30-31; Luke 1:3-4). In this sense, there are…
Lesson 2: Introducing the Gospels of Matthew and Mark
Click/tap to download the handout The word “gospel” means “good news.” When we use that word to refer to the good news of salvation delivered by Jesus and his apostles, it is singular. There is one gospel (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Phil. 1:27). But “gospel” may also refer to a literary genre: a selective record of historical events in the life of Jesus designed to create and build faith (cf. John 20:30-31; Luke 1:3-4). In this sense, there are…
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