By Sam E. Stone This quarter we will consider God’s people and worship, learning from Isaiah, Ezra, and Nehemiah. First we will study important sections from Isaiah. His book includes many important messianic prophecies. Israel was to be the means by which God’s blessing would come to all nations of the world. Isaiah prophesied […]
Patient hope–The Uniform Lesson for May 26, 2013
By Sam E. Stone When doubters and cynics ridicule the church today, it is nothing new. That was happening a few years after the church began. As the apostle Peter neared the end of his life, even then he addressed the criticisms being leveled against Christians. Scoffers’ Perspective 2 Peter 3:3-4 It is […]
Active hope–The Uniform Lesson for May 19, 2013
By Sam E. Stone Persecution was common for the church of Peter’s day. His two letters address both what had happened already and what lay ahead. Christians need not fear, remembering the example of their Lord. In today’s text, Peter returns to his main theme found in 1 Peter 3:14-18, after some parenthetical remarks […]
Sure hope–The Uniform Lesson for May 12, 2013
By Sam E. Stone This second letter from the apostle Peter to the churches (see 3:1) was probably written around AD 67, not long before his death. Some consider it his “last will and testament.” Knowing what awaited him (John 21:18, 19), he was more concerned about the needs of other Christians than his […]
The Lord will triumph–The Standard Lesson for April 28
By Sam E. Stone Paul wrote his first letter to the church in Thessalonica to encourage the new converts and give additional teaching. Last week’s lesson from that letter focused on the certainty of the Lord’s return and the need to be ready for it at all times. A short time later—perhaps six months […]