Luke 14:15-24“An excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.” I heard that definition years ago and it stuck. If you listen closely, most excuses fit very neatly into those parameters. That explanation certainly describes the excuses used in Jesus’ parable. The truth is this; if we really want to do something, […]
James S. Stewart, the great preacher from Scotland, asked the question about what could explain the strange union of the twelve disciples (e.g. Matthew going hand-in-hand with Simon the Zealot). His answer, “They had each found Jesus” (The Life and Teaching of Jesus Christ). All kinds of differences disappear when Christ is all, and is […]
The Restoration Movement didn’t begin in the 19th century. It didn’t even begin in the first century. It began in the Garden of Eden when God set out to find and restore his people who had sinned. It continued when Jesus came to seek and save the lost. It continued when 3,000 new disciples were […]
Use one or both of these questions to introduce the lesson. 1. How do you handle people who are from different backgrounds or cultures than you? Do you welcome outsiders and strangers into your circle of friends? 2. What does unity mean to you? Consider synonyms like harmony, balance, symphony, and proportion, and antonyms like […]
2 Thessalonians 3:14-18Discipline is never easy and must always be administered with the goal of positive change. It is far easier for a parent to ignore a childish offense, but genuine love demands correction that produces a beneficial effect. Discipline in the Lord’s family must be administered with the purist of motives and tenderest of […]
