Teaching Resources

The Prodigal Son (Part II) Luke 15:11-32 Luke 15:13-19When the son spent all his money and a famine strikes the distant land, he is forced to work for a foreigner feeding pigs (a detestable animal to Jews.) He is starving, and he would gladly eat the cornhusks for the pigs but he cannot digest them. He thinks of the one place that there is bread. This next point being developed may seem subtle, but it highlights the love of the…

The Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32 The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to us, his creation, and His children. Early in Genesis, He shows us His perfect will and desire for relationshipwith us. After mankind sins, He reveals Himself to us through His chosen leaders, His covenant people (Israel), signs, wonders, and miracles. In the NewTestament, He reveals Himself to us physically and through His Son, Jesus, also Immanuel, meaning “God with us”. After Jesus pays the price to redeem…

Persistence Like it or not, most of us don’t achieve our goals quickly. How do we stay focused on our goals when it may take months or years to accomplish them? Persistence is the key. Is persistence a valuable quality for a Christian? In whatways does being persistent help? As we contemplate a personal ministry, or a ministry through our church, we should remember that it will take persistence as individuals and as a church to be successful in accomplishing…

A Balanced Understanding of God Today, we will try to answer a question many often ask. How can God be a God of love and a God of judgment at the same time? Why can we just not pick the one we like best (love or judgment), and lead a mature Christian life? Complete this sentence: God is ___________________________________.Generally, how would you characterize God in the Old Testament? Generally, how would you characterize God in the New Testament? What do…

Justification and Sanctification Understanding the difference between justification and sanctification is as important as understanding salvation is a gift from God, not by our works. When you understand that, you can then draw a line in the sand and say, “This is what saves. This is what doesn’t save.” JustificationJustification is the work of God where the righteousness of Jesus is assigned to the sinner, so the sinner is declared by God as being righteous under the Law (Rom. 4:3,…

The Beatitudes Given to us only in Matthew chapter 5, each beatitude is a proverb-like saying packed with meaning and worthy of individual study. Most Bible scholars agree that the beatitudes give us a clear picture of the true disciple of God. They stand in stark contrast to the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments speak mostly in the negative (Thou shalt not). The Beatitudes speak positively of the attributes of those in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. For…

When Was Satan Cast Out of Heaven? Though we have discussed this some during our study of angels, one theory of when Satan and his demons were cast out of heaven that we haven’t discussed is presented below. I choose this to complete our study because it impresses urgency. Is this theory accurate? I’m not sure, but it is formulated scripturally. After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus triumphantly ascended into heaven. It was about this time that a great war…

What is Satan’s Origin? There is much that we do not know, for we see through a dark glass dimly (see I Corinthians 13:12). The Holy Spirit reveals all we need to know for life and godliness through the Word of God (II Peter 1:3). Regarding the origin of Satan, the Bible doesn’t give us all the details. However, the Bible does give us some cluesto piece it together. First of all, we know with certainty that God created all…

What Are Fallen Angels? Remember that an angel is a messenger and that the Bible defines two groups of angelic messengers: the good and the evil. We have seen how God’s heavenly messengers obey His commands and minister for us — the heirs of salvation. When did they fall? Evil angels, however, are those who have fallen from their first estate (Jude 1:6) since the Creation. The Bible records several different times evidence that angels fell to earth. Some have…

Who Is Gabriel? Gabriel is one of only two angels named in the Bible. His name means “strong man of God” or “God is my strength.” He appeared by name four times: twice to Daniel to interpret the meaning of his visions (Daniel 8-9), once to announce John the Baptist’s birth to his father Zacharias (Luke 1:11-20), and once to announce thebirth of Jesus to Mary (Luke 1:26-38). Who Is Michael? Michael means, “Who is like God?” He is mentioned…

What Are Cherubim and Seraphim? Cherubim and seraphim are winged creatures that appear in Scripture and make their most memorable appearances in the visions of Ezekiel (1:4-28, 10:3-22), Isaiah (6:2-6), and John (Rev 4:7). Although not specifically called angels , cherubim andseraphim are revealed as living creatures or heavenly beings whose primary purpose is to worship God at His throne. Cherubim (also called cherubs) are revealed as powerful guards or attendants to the divine throne. God placed cherubims and a…

How Were Angels Involved in the Life of Christ? The coming of Jesus was anticipated for thousands of years and prophesied numerous times in the Old Testament. How excited the angels must have been when the time finally came for His advent to earth! The angel Gabriel joyfully announced His conception to Mary (Luke 1:26-27), and a multitude of the heavenly host heralded His birth to some very terrified shepherds (Luke 2:13-14). Thirty years later, angels came and ministered to…