Sunday School
New Study
We're going with a new program courtesy of Dr. David Jeremiah.
Christians old and new have questions.
God welcomes our questions if we learn new truths and grow in our faith.
What is Faith?
Faith is confidence in what we hope for.
The just shall live by faith. Habakkuk 2:4
The Faith Chapter - Hebrews 11
“...by faith.” Occurs 24 times!
Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
Faith is far more real than any of the senses God has given you.
Faith is not just the sixth sense; it’s the supreme sense.
Biblical faith is a growing confidence in the unseen reality of
God and His involvement in our lives.
Faith guides us to overcome unbelievable obstacles.
Faith starts with truth, with opening God’s Word.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
Faith starts with perception which leads to persuasion which
Leads to performance.
Real faith says “I believe it, I receive it, I base my actions on it.”
Psalm 19:1
Hebrews 11:6
Isaiah 55:6
Jeremiah 29:13
Amos 5:4
Matthew 6:33
God has given you the Bible to teach you the importance of living
and walking by faith.
We study the Bible to learn more about Him.
“The beginning of faith is simply believing that God is.”
John McArthur
Faith pleases the heart of God.
“Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22
Is There a Sin God Cannot Forgive?
Jesus addressed this topic: Mark 3:28-30
The passage in Mark 3 concerns one very important question:
Who is Jesus Christ?
Everything depends on correctly identifying Him!
Mark 3:20-30 gives us 3 options:
Option 1
“He is out of His Mind.” Mark 3:21
“For even His own brothers did not believe in him.” John 7:5
Are we Crazy for Christ!
“I am not mad…but speak the words of truth and reason.”
Acts 26:25
I’m not going to worry if someone calls me crazy for being a
Christ follower, and neither should you.
“If we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.” 2 Cor. 5:13
Call us Radicals!
Option 2
To His Foes Jesus was Demonic.
The scribes who came down from
Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the
demons by the ruler of the demons.” Mark 3:22
They didn’t accept Jesus as being sent from God. They accused
Him of being demonic.
Jesus responds in the latter verses in Mark 3.
To paraphrase; the scribes argument makes no sense.
The strong man is Satan whose house dominates the world.
Jesus came to spoil the strong man’s house by liberating
Those who are enslaved.
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4
When we Trust in Jesus we have nothing to fear from Satan.
Option 3
To His followers Jesus is Divine
We must believe certain things to be a true follower of Christ.
28 “Truly
I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons and daughters of men, and
whatever blasphemies they commit; 29 but
whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty
of an eternal sin”— 30 because
they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Mark 3:28-30
The scribes had a hardened attitude and an embittered and
impenitent heart.
When God convicts us of sin and presents with the Gospel
it’s dangerous to neglect it.
The scribes had become Jesus resistant. They were denying the Deity of Christ.
The unforgivable sin is hardening your heart against God and refusing to Respond to Him.
If you are taking part in Bible Study, you have not committed the
Unpardonable sin.
Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
Why Don’t My Prayers Get Answered?
OT Examples from Scripture:
Habakkuk 1:2
Lamentations 3:8
Job 31:35
Psalm 22:2
NT Examples:
Matthew 20:20-23
Luke 12:13-15
Luke 10:38-42
Matthew 12:39
Matthew 12:48-50
Luke 8:39
Sometimes our appeals are not in our best interests and
our Lord says “No” or “Not yet”.
We need uninterrupted fellowship with the Lord; and
if our prayer lives are hindered for even a short time
we need to restore service as soon as possible.
7 Reasons our Prayers may not be answered.
Unoffered Prayers
Unconfessed Sin
Unbelieving minds
Unrighteous motives
Unresolved conflicts
Uncompassionate hearts
Unresponsive husbands and wives
Is there anything on that list troubling you?
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all who call upon You.
Psalm 86:5
When we pray, we align ourselves with the purposes of God.
God will use the prayers of His people to accomplish His
purposes here on earth.
Why Do Christians Have So Many Problems?
Jesus told us problems would come our way.
“…In this world you will have trouble. But
take heart I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
One of the Bible’s great stories of tribulation and triumph;
Joseph in Genesis 37-50.
Why does God allow suffering?
We’re told that blessings come out of burdens.
John Maxwell wrote that …
Problems are :
Predictors – They will mold our future.
Reminders – We are not self- sufficient. We need
God and others to help us.
Opportunities – They pull us out of our rut and
cause us to think creatively.
Blessings – They open up doors that we usually
do not go through.
Lessons – Each new challenge will be our teacher.
Everywhere – No place or person is excluded from
them.
Messages – they warn us about potential disaster.
Solvable – No problem is without a solution.
Are you discouraged waiting for good news?
Hope deferred makes the heart sick… Proverbs 13:12
But whoever looks intently into
the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what
they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
James 1:25
Problems Promote Spiritual Maturity
Psalm 105:17-18
Romans 5:3-5
Hebrews 12:11
James 1:2-3
1 Peter 1:6-7
Problems Prove Integrity
Reputation is what those around you think of you,
character is What God knows you to be.
Problems Produce a Sense of Dependency
They drive us to the Lord and teach us to lean on Him.
You don’t really know Jesus until Jesus is all you have.
Problems Prepare Our Hearts For Ministry
2 Corinthians 1:4
Brokenness precedes usefulness.
Sometimes we have problems because God wants to get us ready
to help someone else.
Think of Jesus beside you and lean on Him.
Is There Only One Way To God?
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6
The three greatest questions of the human heart:
How can I be saved? Jesus is the way.
How can I be sure? Jesus is the truth.
How can I be satisfied? Jesus is the life.
Before Adam sinned, he enjoyed three very special privileges
with God his creator:
He communed with God intimately; we see him
walking with God.
He knew God in reality; we see him believing
what God said.
He possessed spiritual life fully; we see him
living in paradise.
Jesus is communion restored. Jesus is truth recovered.
Jesus is life regained.
Jesus is Communion Restored
Jesus came to remove the barrier of sin between us and God.
1 Timothy 2:5
The Living Bible renders this verse:
“God is on one side and all the people on the other
side, and Christ Jesus, Himself a man, is between
them to bring them together.”
That is why we call Jesus the Mediator.
When we need to find a place, we ask for directions.
Jesus is The Way, He became the directions.
He is the way of restored communion and fellowship with God .
Jesus is Truth Restored
Jesus is utterly dependable and trustworthy.
You can take Him at His word.
John 1:14
John 1:17
Juhn 8:32
John 8:46
John 17:17
John 18:37
Jesus is the Truth embodied.
He is the true picture of God to man.
Jesus alone can our communion with God and bring us
back to the glorious realities we need.
Jesus is Life Regained
John 1:4
John 3:16
John 4:14
John 5:21
John 5:40
John 6:35
Christ is the one who has come to emancipate us from
Spiritual death.
John 10:10
Ephesians 2:1
1 John 3:14
Colossians 2:13
2 Corinthians 5:17
We come alive and experience a relationship with God.
Acts 4:12
Christianity, then, is [ both ] the most exclusive and most inclusive
religion [ because ] Jesus is the exclusive savior who inclusively
invites all people.
John 14:6 is one of the central passages in the Word of God.
HowCan I Find Forgiveness?
How Can I Find Forgiveness?
2 Samuel 11-12
Psalm 51
Psalm 32 – There are four great truths we need to claim from it.
The Priority of Forgiveness
Psalm 32:3-4
Psalm 66:18
Being right with God through Jesus Christ – forgiven, pardoned,
cleansed – is of the highest priority.
God gave His very Son to make this possible, and Jesus shed His
blood to accomplish it on our behalf.
The Power of Forgiveness
Psalm 32:1-2
Transgression
Sin
Iniquity
Deceit
The forgiveness of sin of whatever kind – whether against God or
human beings, whether great or small, whether conscientious or
inadvertent, whether by omission or commission – is to be found in God.
The nature of the sin is not as important as the blessedness of forgiveness!
What God Does With Our Sins (17 of many truths)
Isaiah 53:6
John 1:29
Psalm 103:12
Jeremiah 50:20
Ephesians 1:7
1 John 1:7
Isaiah 1:18, Psalm 51:7
Isaiah 55:7
Micah 7:19
Hebrews 10:17
Isaiah 38:17
Micah 7:19
Romans 4:8
Romans 4:7
Isaiah 43:25
Isaiah 44:22
Colossians 2:14
Isaiah 64:6 – before – filthy rags
Colossians 3-4 – after - put off old man – put on new man.
Hot showers and fresh clothes!
The Process of Forgiveness
Psalm 32:5
Confession is all about naked honesty before God.
While David had hurt many people, it was the Laws of God
he had broken.
At the root of every sin is a disregard for the all-powerful God.
Sin is an insult to the One who created us.
1 John 1:9
When you come to Him in contrite confession, you can trust
Him to nail your sins to the Cross of Christ.
The Promise of Forgiveness
God has promised to forgive the contrite heart, the barriers
are broken.
Psalm 32
Romans 4:25
Psalm 16:11
Consequences – God’s forgiveness does not remove the results
of our sinful behavior.
We must accept His forgiveness and forgive others.
Ephesians 4:32
Colossians 3:12-13
Accept the forgiveness He offers, enjoy the grace He gives,
And stand fast in the in the liberty by which Christ has made us free.
Romans 5:8
2 Corinthians 5:15, 19, 21
There is forgiveness with God, for the Grace of God knows no limits.
Understanding Worry
Mt. 6:25-32
If you believe God is your Creator, you should also believe He is your Sustainer.
Mt. 10:29-31
Whenever we place too much faith in material things and not
enough faith in Christ, we will begin to worry about survival
and many other things.
Mt. 6:24
Mt. 6:27
Mt. 6:28-30
Mt. 631-32
When you as a child of God yield to anxiety you act like a pagan.
You have a Father in Heaven who loves you and knows your needs
Before you even ask Him for your daily bread.
How Can I Overcome Temptation?
The Common Experience of Temptation
1 Cor. 10: 13
The Controlled Environment of Temptation
1 Cor. 10: 13
2 Cor. 1:8-10
2 Tim. 2:13
The Certain Escape From Temptation
1 Cor. 10: 13
Heb. 2:18
Biblical Principles to Help You Overcome Temptation
1 Cor. 10: 12
Mt. 26:41
Proverbs 16:18
Mt. 6:13
James 4:7-8
1 Cor. 10: 14
1 Cor. 6: 18
2 Tim. 2:22
1 Peter 2:11
1 Tim. 6:10-11
Proverbs 4:14-15
Romans 13:14
Proverbs 13:20
Remember:
Every Temptation come to us via our thoughts.
Edwin Lutzer
The mind of man is the battleground on which
everymoral and spiritual battle is fought.
J. Oswald Sanders
Our defeat or victory begins with what we think,
and if we guard our thoughts we shall not have
much trouble anywhere else along the line.
Vance Havner
Col. 3:1-2
How Can I Be Sure of My Salvation?
Assurance -NKJV
And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly,
I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43
“Most assuredly, I say to you,
he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent
Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment,
but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in
Me has everlasting life. John 6:47
For our gospel did not come to you in word
only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance… 1 Thess. 1:5
But you must continue in the things which you
have learned and been assured of… 2Tim. 3:14
And we desire that each one of you show the
same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, Hebrews 6:11
And by this we know that we are of the truth,
and shall assure our hearts before Him. 1 John 3:19
…but these are written that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life
in His name. John 20:31
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of
the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue
to believe in the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13
How Can I Be Sure of My Salvation?
The Birthmark of Confession 1 John 5:1
The Birthmark of Change 1 John 2:29
The Birthmark of Compassion 1 John 4:7
The Birthmark of Conflict 1 John 5:4
The Birthmark of Conduct 1 John 5:18