business

Living a Balanced Life Week 2 (Teaching Outline)

mikej2013 1 Comment

Living a Balanced Life

(An In-Depth Study of First John)

Week 2

Commentary

Walking in the Light

1 John 1:5-10

Outline

Last week we underlined the foundation of living a balanced life as “truth in Christ”. We saw from verses 3 and 4 of chapter one of 1 John, that John makes the message of Christ (call it theology, or doctrine) the basis of all significant Christian fellowship. “What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you so that you may have fellowship with us.” In order to create and nurture deep Christian fellowship you have to talk about who you think Christ is and what he taught. As one understands the truth about Christ the deep fellowship that ensues allows joy to be complete. John sees truth as fundamental regarding a balanced life. Truth is not relative to every person, but singular in nature and relative to only one person, Jesus Christ. John will continue to unfold the truth about God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son throughout the letter.

That’s what John begins to do in this week’s text (verses 5-10). John will once again issue a foundational statement regarding our experience with God. In verse five John states that, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.” In other words, as we draw close to God we will discover that God has no dark crevices in which hidden things reside. God is truth, and that truth is clear and unobstructed by shadow.

This truth moves us to the second phase of living a balanced life. The Apostle John calls it “walking in the light”. The balance in life comes when we desire God above all other things. Our text leads us to this truth. Another way to say it is, the more our everyday life conforms to the likeness of Christ, (walking in the light), the more balanced we are. This balance comes from being in line with reality. John goes on to say that “light” and “truth” are synonymous. To say God is light is to say that God is truth.  So, to walk in the light is to walk in the truth. Truth always delivers what it promises, while darkness or sin never does.

Therefore, to walk in the light is to obtain what the truth promises. Life is in balance only when what we desire, and walk toward, happens exactly as promised. This week we explore how this is only possible in Christ.

Foundation

Vs 5 – God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

What does John mean when he says God is light?

One answer is God is Truth. (Vs 6) (also 5:20)

Another answer is Joy and Hope

Application

Vs 6 – Negative: Walking in darkness, controlled by the desires of the world

Vs 7 – Positive: Walking in the light, desiring God

Two promises of walking in the light

  1. Fellowship with one another
  2. Blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin

What does it mean to be cleansed by the Blood of Jesus from all our sin?

Cover sin- ALL our sin forgiven (Past, Present, Future)

Romans 5:9, Ephesians 1:7

Conquer sin- Ongoing moral effect

Verse 9, Hebrews 9:14

Clarification

Vs 8-10: Don’t claim to be without sin

The mark of the saint is not sinlessness, but sin-consciousness.

A mark of Christian maturity is a deep brokenness for sin.

LIFE APPLICATION

Are you experiencing what you’ve learned, or experiencing life?

Our “walk” implies that ALL of life is in view.

Biblical Marriage – Session Ten (Teaching Outline)

mikej2013 1 Comment

Biblical Marriage

Session Ten

Relationship: Marriage is precious

Hebrews 13:1-6 

Outline 

In our ten week journey through the Bible studying marriage we have concluded that the ultimate meaning of marriage is a portrait of Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32-33). In other words, Biblical marriage is designed by God to proclaim the Gospel. A servant-leader husband loving his wife unconditionally, while the wife returns that love as she respects her husband, is the perfect backdrop to display the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). One can never say too often that marriage is a reflection of Christ and his church.

Therefore, marriage is precious. It should be held by all in honor. The goal of this study is to see marriage through the lens of the Bible and get in sync with God’s heart for this one flesh union. A Christ-centered marriage is a light in an otherwise dark world. To be out of step with God’s value in marriage is to lurk in the shadows of culture. Christians are the salt of the earth and light to the world to the degree that they are out of step with the values of the world and in step with the values of God.

Our final study will focus on the idea in Hebrews 13:1-6 of living a life that pleases God. The command to hold marriage in honor is packed tightly into a section of Scripture that focuses on living a life of love. This radical life of love is possible knowing that God will never leave or forsake us. Entering marriage is entering a radical commitment to love. God’s design for marriage is to live free from the bondage of selfishness. God’s design for marriage is for the glory of His name and the good of His people.

Radical Life of Love    

Vs 1 – Love Christians

Vs 2 – Love Strangers

Vs 3 – Love Prisoners

Vs 4 – Honor Marriage

Vs 5 – Don’t Love Money

Vs 6 – Love that God wants to take care of you

Honor Marriage

Vs 4 – Keep marriage bed undefiled

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

LIFE APPLICATION 

Marriage is a place to live out a life of FORGIVENESS, JOY and HOPE

Spread the GOOD NEWS

Biblical Marriage – Session Nine (Teaching Outline)

mikej2013 1 Comment

Biblical Marriage

Session Nine

Relationship: Hope in Marriage

Colossians 3:1-6 / 1 Peter 4:7-11 

Outline 

The goal for every American married couple is to climb out of the sewer of cultural understanding when it comes to marriage.  The Apostle Paul commands us to, “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2)

The problem with marriage today is not that there are too many husbands and wives who are passionately in love with heaven. The problem is not that married couples are retreating from the world, spending half their days reading Scripture and the other half singing about their pleasures in God all the while indifferent to the needs of the world. The problem is that husbands and wives are spending ten minutes reading Scripture and then half their day making money and the other half enjoying and repairing what they spend it on.

The Apostle Paul is telling us that it is not heavenly-mindedness that hinders love in our marriage. It is worldly-mindedness that hinders love, even when it is disguised by a religious routine on the weekend. Where is the person whose heart is so passionately in love with the promised glory of heaven that they feel like an exile and a sojourner on the earth? Where are the marriages that are so full of Gospel reflection that there is maximum joy even in the stress and evil in the world?

In this session we will explore the power of right thinking in marriage. We will explore the difference of a marriage built on cultural knowledge and a marriage built on Biblical knowledge. We will answer the question: What happens in our homes when our marriage is Christ centered?

Marriage: Right Thinking

Culture vs. Kingdom (Colossians 3:1-6)

Glory of God (vs 4)

            Hope: Romans 5:1-2

Security: Romans 9:22-23

Gospel: 2 Corinthians 4:6

Power of Repentance (vs 5)

Evidence of Genuineness: 2 Corinthians 7:9-13

Multiplication of Strength

Blessing of Hospitality (1 Peter 4:7-11) 

            Vs 7: Cultivate a personal relationship with Christ

Vs 8: Cultivate a personal relationship with each other

Vs 9: without grumbling

Vs 10: Steward God’s Grace

Vs 11: Glorify God

 

LIFE APPLICATION

Overcome cultural norms with Kingdom knowledge

The stress of life is overcome by loving others

Biblical Marriage Homework Session Nine

mikej2013 1 Comment

Over the last eight sessions we have discussed the high valve of marriage. Marriage is magnificent, not because of a husband or wife or the earthly benefits received in a loving marriage, but because of where marriage comes from and what marriage points to. Marriage comes from God. Created on the sixth day, marriage is God’s design and holds God’s purpose…marriage points to Christ loving the church; the Gospel. That is the reason marriage is magnificent.

As a grandfather, I know how easy it is to focus on the earthly aspects of marriage and family. I know how easy it is to be thrilled with wife, children, and grandchildren. I absolutely love my family. I love the family my wife and I have built together. So much so that it is easy to lose focus on the eternal aspects of family by valuing my relationships with wife and children and grandchildren only on the here and now.

Marriage and family, though precious, are temporary for this age; the church is forever. Being in a human family is no guarantee of eternal blessing; being in God’s family means being eternally blessed. Relationships based solely on family are temporary. Relationships based on faith in Christ are eternal. Therefore the most important aspect of our family and marriage is how well they reflect the Gospel.

Read Matthew 22:23-33

On what relationships were the Sadducees focusing? (hint: temporary or eternal?) How was their thinking affected by their value system?

 

 

Why did Jesus say they were wrong in the way they thought? (verse 29)

 

 

 

When Jesus said “God is the God of the living” (verse 32), what did he mean to convey to the Sadducees?

 

 

 

How do these words of Jesus teach us to think about our marriage and family relationships?

 

 

 

Biblical Marriage – Session Eight (Teaching Outline)

mikej2013 1 Comment

Biblical Marriage

Session Eight

Relationship: Change, Making Disciples

Ephesians 6:1-4 

Outline 

In the last session we focused on change. Simply stated, the commitment to marriage is a commitment toward change. But not change for the sake of changing, change that brings Christ-likeness into our marriage. The Biblical term for change is sanctification. Becoming more like Christ in every aspect of our life should be the life long goal for every Christian. We discussed the “how’s” of change; examining the pattern for change seen clearly in the relationship between Christ and his bride, the church. Christ died to change her. True change is never the result of selfishness or oppression. True change only comes from sacrificial love.

In this session we will answer the question, “Why is change such an important subject in marriage?” Another way to look at this subject is to ask, “Why does the Bible call me to a life of sanctification?”

In order to answer the question of why change toward Christ-likeness is necessary in our marriage, we must discuss again the foundations established in the first seven sessions regarding Biblical marriage. We established that the main meaning of marriage is to display the covenant-keeping love between Christ and His church. Our main text for this conclusion is Ephesians 5:21-33. Marriage is a husband playing the role of Christ, and a wife playing the role of the church, proclaiming the Gospel to everyone who would look their way, especially their children. Grace plays the foundational role in marriage as two imperfect people join together forgiving sin and forbearing strangeness. In short, God designed marriage to reflect the Gospel. This is the most important thing for all husbands and wives to know about their marriage.

In addition, God has designed marriage as the institution from which we are “fruitful and multiply and fill the earth…” (Genesis 1:26-28). The whole of Scripture makes clear that God’s design doesn’t call us to simply fill the earth with warm bodies, but fill the earth with children who follow Christ. God’s design for marriage is to be a place that fosters a hunger for Christ and His love. What better environment in which a young person grows? What better reason for every husband and wife to change to be more Christ-like every day? Simply stated, change toward Christ-likeness in our marriage is necessary because the Gospel is at stake. Marriage is a place for making disciples. Jesus commanded, “Go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:20).

 

Making Marriage a Place for Making Disciples   

Structure presented in the text: (Ephesians 6:1-4)

  • Fathers Lead
  • Mothers and Fathers Teach by Example
  • Environment of Honor and Unity
  • Always Pointing to the Lord
  • Child has a Front Row Seat to View “Christ and the Church”

Fathers, don’t provoke anger: (verse 4)

Why the focus on anger?

  • When authority and self-will come together anger often occurs
  • Anger devours other emotions
  • God’s forgiveness deals primarily with anger (Eph. 4:31-5:2)

LIFE APPLICATION

Think about the dynamic change that will happen in our children when they love what they see at home in your Christ-centered marriage.

Christ-centered marriage is a place of tender love that opens our children’s heart and delivers them from anger.

Be deeply in debt this Thanksgiving

mikej2013 1 Comment

This Christian lives by grace. The grace of God, simply defined, is unmerited favor. My family and I will “feast” this Thursday. More food will be at table than any of us can consume in a single setting. At the same time Thursday’s sun will set on no less than one billion empty stomachs. I will remind myself and my family at that moment that we have much for which to be thankful.

As a Christian, my debt begins at the cross of Jesus Christ. By grace through faith, my sin debt paid, God’s wrath turned away, no way to repay, my debt. Thanksgiving! But my debt doesn’t stop there.

Every day without exception, God gives, and gives, and gives. If there is anything good in me, it is a gift of grace. Therefore, any act of obedience on my part, any righteous act, comes directly from God’s storehouse. I become, on a daily basis, deeper in debt. To think that I could make any move toward repayment is absurd.

I will complete my days on earth hopelessly in debt to grace. I would have it no other way. To God be the Glory! I should be the most grateful man alive. Thanksgiving!