Ever heard someone say "That's a Romans 14 issue?" What did they mean? Unfortunately, sometimes Romans 14 is misused to sweep doctrinal disagreements under the rug in order to promote unity in diversity. Is this how God wants us to use Romans 14? In this lesson we discuss what Romans 14 means and show some ways it's often misused.
Romans 12:1-2 is a message that is special to Christians. Understanding its placement in the book of Romans as Paul transitions from matters of doctrine to duty is why this passage has been compared to a halftime speech. The message is simple in these two verses. Paul tells us one thing to do and two ways to do it.
Life hands challenges, trials, tribulations. Why doesn't God do something? Why doesn't he give us an easier life. Abraham had many tests but one was the supreme test. God asked him to sacrifice his son. He complied and God stopped the knife at the last moment. Why?
Some people have a view of God that believes he could never be mad. Yet, in both the Old Testament and the New there are many passages which detail the anger and wrath of God upon sinners. God never gets mad without a cause and he never is unjust in his anger. Romans 1:18-32 documents a number of things that reveal the wrath of God from heaven. We should carefully consider these things and if we are practicing them we should immediately repent.
After Paul was converted to Christ, he was really a changed man! In Acts 22, a few years later, Paul speaks to a group of angry Jews and what he said on that occasion might be called his sermon on change. He explains who he used to be, what happened when he came to Christ and what God wanted him to do afterward. In his message from so long ago, there are lessons for us to learn today.
Ephesians 5:22-33 seems like a text about marriage, right? Well, it is but it's also about something much bigger than just marriage. Paul explains that this passage is actually explaining the mystery of Christ and the church through the husband and wife relationship! There's much to learn here about marriage between spouses and about Christ and the church.
Acts 17 is the well know discourse to the Athenians about "the Unknown God." The theological points in this sermon are so powerful, but this lesson's main emphasis is to see how Paul used cultural awareness to share Jesus on that occasion. Since our culture is very similar to the one in first century Athens, we should really pay attention and incorporate this knowledge into our outreach today.
Matthew chapter one contains the great story about the "marriage" of Joseph and Mary and the Son of God born into their trust. In this lesson we cover points of interest like the genealogical accounts, Jewish marriage betrothal, the virgin birth and the characteristics of the great marriage of Joseph and Mary. Most importantly, we are reminded of why Jesus came into this world!
The church, in its first few years of existence, went through some tough times. One of those times was during the reign of Herod Agrippa I. As he stretched out his hand to harass the church in those days, in Acts 12 we learn three things Christians ought to do during these kind of times.
God established three great institutions to give order to the world: the home, the church and civil government. Romans 13 describes the Christians responsibility to the state under which one lives. In doing so, Paul shares three compliments about people who represent the authority. This lesson is our way of saying thanks to first responders.
