Homiletics - Hebrews 4:14 - 6:20 - Lesson 11

Chuck's study this week:

Homiletics - Hebrews 2:5 - 4:13 - Lesson 10

John's study:

Content

(In your own words, summarize passages into sentences. Goal of 12 – 15 sentences)

Hebrews 2

1. V5- 8 God has made the earth and everything in it subject not to angels but to Man, thru Jesus redemption.

2. V9- We see Jesus who lived as fully human (and so made lower than the angels for a short time), now crowned with glory because he suffered for man by tasting death.

3. V10-11 Christ was made perfect through His suffering by pioneering the salvation for all He created.

4. V12-13 Christ declares to us of God the father and sings praise to God the father, putting His trust in Him even as he recognizes that God gave us to Christ.

5. V14-15 Thru Christ’s sharing in our humanity and His death, he and we can truly relate to each other, now being free from the slavery of sin and death.

6. V16-18 Christ came to help us, Abraham’s descendents, fully man in order to become a merciful and faithful high priest to us, making himself an atonement for our sins because Christ suffered when he was tempted, his is able to help us when we are tempted.

Hebrews 3

7. V1-4 Fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we call our apostle and high priest and found worthy of honor greater than Moses, and whom we honor as the builder of everything.

8. v5-6 As Moses was the faithful servant in God’s house, Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house which is we believers who need to hold fast to the hope (Jesus) in which we glory.

9. v7-19 Do not harden your hearts to God’s voice or you may suffer from His anger as the Hebrews suffered for 40 years until an entire generation died.

Hebrews 4

10. v1-3 God’s promise of rest still exists, so remain vigilant that no one falls short and receives God’s anger.

11. V4-7 Although God’s rest on the 7^th day of creations was thousands of years ago, it is still valid for today.

12. V8-11 The rest God gives us is not the rest given Joshua, not the creation rest, nor the rest gained from entering Canaan, but the rest found only in Jesus.

13. V12-13 God’s word is alive and active, sharper than any double edge sword and it penetrates both flesh, bone, soul and spirit revealing everything bare before His eyes to who we will someday give account.

Divisions

(Summarize main groupings of thoughts. Goal of 2, 3 or 4 divisions. ID passages covered)

I. Recognize that Jesus was both fully God and fully man that He and we might relate one to another.

Hebrews 2:5 – 18

Application: What is keeping you from a relationship with Christ?

Application:  Who have you shared your salvation story with this week?

II. Fix your eyes on Jesus, our great high priest, builder of the house and do not harden your hearts to his voice.            

Hebrews 3:1 - 19

Application: What is distracting you from a daily conversation with your Lord and Savior Jesus?

Application: Are you working with Jesus to build your house, your marriage, your family?

III. Remember the rest found in Jesus, not just the Sabbath rest.   

Hebrews 4:1 - 13

Application: What is keeping you from finding rest in Jesus?

Application: Are you actively seeking Him as your rest? And if not, why not? 

Subject Sentence

(Summarizing the Divisions into one sentence):

Relate to Christ’s humanity, sovereignty and find rest in him.  (10 words)

Aim

(A main teaching point for the overall study of the passages):

To cause the audience to see that:

Christ, as sovereign creator, came in his humanity for us to relate to and find rest in.

Homiletics Hebrews 1 - 2:4 - Lesson 9

Chucks study:

Homiletics Acts 15 - Lesson 8

John's study:

Content

(In your own words, summarize passages into sentences. Goal of 12 – 15 sentences)

1. v1 People came from Judea to Antioch teaching that believers Gentile believers must be circumcised in order to be saved.

2. v2 - Paul and Barnabas disagreed on this issue and went, with other believers to Jerusalem to discuss with the Jerusalem church.

3. v3 - 4 They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria preaching and encouraging those in the church until they reached Jerusalem where they reported all that God had been doing through them where ever they had travelled.

4. v5 – 6 Some Pharisees who had become believers stated their interpretation of the law saying that Gentile believers must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses.

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5. v6 - 9 The apostles and elders of the Jerusalem church considered this question and after a typical elder meeting where great discussion was held, Peter addressed them saying that when God gave the Gospel he said it was to go to the Gentiles too and that He (knowing their hearts) had accepted them as equals in the faith w/ Jewish believers, by His demonstrated gift of the HS to them as He did to the Jewish believers.

6. v10 – 11 Do not try God by placing the Gentiles under a yoke of burden to keep the Law, but rather they (and we) are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

7. v12 – 18 After Barnabas and Paul told of the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles, James (half bro. of Jesus) stood and spoke of how God chose the Gentiles and this is confirmed with the scriptures from Amos that the Gentiles will come to believe.

8. v13 – 20 James continued on saying that the church should not burden Gentile who wish to believe as this may be a stumbling block for belief, yet the church should send a letter to the new believers to abstain from foods polluted by idols, have no part in sexual immorality, abstain from meat from strangled animals and from blood.

9. v21 – Send the letter to every city and have it presented in the synagogues.

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10. v22 The church in Jerusalem sent out Paul, Barnabas, Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas to deliver the letter to the churches in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.

11. v23 - 29 The letter contained a warning that what Barny & Paul preached was true and not to believe contrary messages from others not authorized by the Jerusalem leadership. It alluded to the circumcision issue, but didn’t spell it out. It also spoke to food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality and to avoid these things.

12. v30 – 31 The men travelled to Antioch where the believers gathered together and read the letter, which encouraged them.

13. v32 -33 Judas and Silas spoke words of encouragement strengthening the believers there, and after a stay were set back to Jerusalem with blessings of peace.

14. v34 – 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, where they with other believers taught and preached the word of the Lord.

Divisions

(Summarize main groupings of thoughts. Goal of 2, 3 or 4 divisions. ID passages covered)

I. The question of circumcision as a requirement of salvation arises.

Acts 15:1 – Acts 15:5

Application: Are you conscientiously discerning the teaching of your pastors against the Word of God?.

Application:  Are you prepared to raise questions about doctrine to your pastors, with humility,  prayer & petition?

II. The apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem discuss the question of circumcision. Peter summarizes eloquently that circ. is not part of the Gospel, and suggests sending a letter to the new churches in Asia Minor.            

Acts 15:6 – Acts 15:21

Application: How can you encourage others that the yoke Jesus offer is light and bearable?

Application: Are you being sensitive to the HS’s leading to deliver the plain & simple truth of the Gospel?

III. Apostles Paul, Barnabas, Judas & Silas deliver the letter to church in Antioch which encourages believers and warns them of wrong teaching.

Acts 15:22 – Acts 15:35

Application: Are you willing to deliver the Gospel message to others?

Application: Are you heeding God’s warnings regarding living a sinful life in the flesh?

Subject Sentence

(Summarizing the Divisions into one sentence):

Works of the flesh mean nothing; Christ’s work means everything.  (10 words)

Aim

(A main teaching point for the overall study of the passages):

To cause the audience to see that:

God's plan does not require burdens (yokes in Acts 15:10) which no one is able to bear or keep, but rather gives life and lives lived by the grace of the Lord Jesus.

Homiletics Acts 14 - Lesson 7

Don's study:

SS: Paul endures extreme hardship in completing his first missionary journey

CATL: While we may face severe or extreme hardship in sharing the gospel, the Lord is faithful to encourage us with fellowship and rest

Paul and Barnabas face fierce opposition in speaking the good news boldly

Paul and Barnabas speak boldly; Jews, Gentiles divided, Jews stir up trouble yet great many believe. vs 1-4

Paul/Barnabas discover stoning plot, flee to Lystra and Derbe, preach good news vs 5-7

Paul commands lame man in Lystra to “ Stand up on your feet”, man healed, crowd think Paul is a human form of God vs 8-11

Barnabas called Zeus, Paul, Hermes, Priest of Zeus prepares people to offer sacrifice to them vs 12-13

Apostles tear clothes and declare themselves only human, just bringing good news of living, creator God, not worthless things vs 14-15

Testimony of God obvious in creation, rain, crops, plenty of food, hearts filled with joy vs16-18

Jews travel/follow from Antioch, Iconium, stir crowd, stone Paul, leave for dead outside city vs19

Disciples gather round Paul, he gets up and goes back into the city vs 20a

Application: Where and to whom is the Holy Spirit prompting you to speak boldly the truth about our Lord Jesus?

Paul and Barnabas win and encourage believers as they return to Antioch

Paul/Barnabas go to Derbe, preach, large number of people won without struggle, vs 20b-21

Paul/Barnabas return to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch strengthing, encouraging, warning new disciples vs 22

Committed elders and churches to Lord thru prayer, fasting vs 23

Traveled thru Pisidia, Phampylia, preached in Perga and sailed from Attalia vs 24-25

Back in Antioch, work completed, reported all God had done, stayed long time vs 26-28

Application: How do you encourage other believers in your life? What can you do to be more encouraging to other believers in your community?

Homiletics Acts 13 - Lesson 6

Chuck's Study:

Acts 9:31 – Acts 12:25 - Lesson 5

John's study this week:

Content (In your own words, summarize passages into sentences. Goal of 12 – 15 sentences.

1.      Acts 9:31 – Acts 9:43; As the church, living in fear of the Lord and encouraged by the HS, enjoyed a time of peace in the region, Peter he heals a paralytic in Lydda and raises a dead woman to life in Joppa causing many to believe on the Lord.

2.      Acts 10:1 – Acts 10:6 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a Roman centurion, who was a believer and one day had a vision from a angel that he Corny should send for a man named Simon who is called Peter.

3.      Acts 10:7 – Acts 10:8  Corny tells of his vision to and sends 2 servants and one soldier to find Peter a day’s journey away.

4.      Acts 10:9 – Acts 10:18  Even while C’s men approach, Peter goes to his roof to pray where her has a vision from God describing something like a sheet coming down with all kinds of animals and is told that it is now OK to kill and each such even though Peter holds up the Jewish law forbidding such.

5.      Acts 10:19 – Acts 10:23a Peter also has a vision of the men sent by Corny. In the vision Peter is told to go with them, which he does traveling to Corny’s where he has an epiphany that The Lord, Jesus Christ offers salvation to both Jew and Gentile.

6.      Acts 10:23b – Acts 10:48  Peter witness to Corny, his household receive the HS into their lives as well as speak in tongues, astounding the Christians who had accompanied Peter. Peter had them all baptized in water, then stayed for several more days.

7.      Acts 11:1 – Acts 11:3 As word gets out that Peter has spent time w/ Gentiles he gets some criticism and heat.

8.      Acts 11:4 – Acts 11:18 So Peter tells the story, visions, HS coming upon them, the baptism and everyone accepts this, praising God for this new revelation.

9.      Acts 11:19 – Acts 11:22  Now believers who had been scattered due to persecution had been speaking only to Jews, now began speaking to Gentiles too, causing a bit of anxiety in the church in Jerusalem, so Barnabas was dispatched to check it out (and fix if needed).

10.  Acts 11:23 – Acts 11:26a Barnabas saw what great things were happening in the church at Antioch and encouraged what they were doing. So much so that he sent for Saul in Tarsus. They stayed w/ the Antioch church for a year.

11.   Acts 11:26b This (at Antioch) was the first time believers were called Christians.

12.  Acts 12:1 – Acts 12:6 Herod kills James, bro of John, and imprisons Peter with a heavy guard to watch over him.

13.  Acts 12:7 – Acts 12:17 An angel of the Lord helps Peter escape from prison and the city and travel to the house of Mary, mother of John, called Mark where he knocks repeatedly on the door until someone believes that it is he and not a ghost and he tells of his escape

14.  Acts 12:18 – Acts 12:19a The morning following Peter’s escape is full of commotion among the guards about what happened. Then the guards were executed for letting it happen.

15.  Acts 12:19b – Acts 12:25 Herod travels from Judea to Caesarea, makes a speech failing to praise God so an angel struck him down, he was eaten by worms then died.

Divisions

(Summarize main groupings of thoughts. Goal of 2, 3 or 4 divisions. ID passages covered)

I. Peter ministers to the sick in Lydda, raises the dead in Joppa and brings the salvation msg to Gentiles in Caesarea.

(Acts 9:31 – Acts 10:31)

Application: Will you be faithful to God’s calling in ministering beyond your comfort level?

Application:  Are you prepared to do the Father’s will in meeting the needs of a fallen world?

II. Peter explains his actions in Jerusalem and the Gospel message continues spreading to Jews and Gentiles alike.           

(Acts 11:1 – Acts 11:30)

Application: Are you prepared to give your testimony to the church in obedience to God’s calling?

Application: Are you ready to give a commitment to your church to see it succeed?

III. Peter miraculous escape!

(Acts 12:1 – Acts 12:25)

Application: Are you ready to believe your eyes and praise God when JC gets you out of a jam!!

Application: Are you willing to keep knocking on the doors within the church in order to praise, give prophetic msg to the church and give God the glory?

Subject Sentence (Summarizing the Divisions into one sentence):

God’s power over sin, sickness and death is for everyone. (10 words)

Or: Peter ministers and receives revelation of the Gospel for everyone. (10 words)

Aim (A main teaching point for the overall study of the passages):

To cause the audience to see that His Gospel message is for the whole world and not for a select few.