Tune in as we continue exploring Old Testament passages that point ahead to Christ’s arrival at Christmas. Having seen some of God’s promises of the coming King in the Pentateuch, we will now get a much fuller picture through the prophets. As spokesmen for God, the prophets distinguish Almighty God from the gods of the nations and illuminate many details of the coming Messiah.
We don’t usually think about Christmas in the Old Testament, but the birth of the Christ-child didn’t just happen one day. It was anticipated almost from the very beginning of time. Focusing on the five books of Moses, we will examine the passages that begin to anticipate the event fulfilled by God’s Son being born in Bethlehem.
We don’t naturally think of thanksgiving as the Bible describes it. We tend to suggest that people, especially Christians, should be more thankful. There certainly is wisdom in reflecting on God’s goodness and all He has done for you individually and within your family, church, and nation. There is also wisdom in giving thanks to God for His mighty works. But there is even more to understanding biblical thankfulness. Tune in and discover the full definition of thanksgiving, as found in the Scriptures.
In John chapter 7, we are at a place in Jesus’ ministry where we are continually reminded that Jerusalem will be a place of conflict and suffering. Jesus’ unbelieving brothers think He should be doing miracles there and prod Him to go, not knowing that Jesus intends to go in secret. He shows up halfway through the festival to teach. How will the Jewish leaders respond?
With forgiveness already part of Jesus’ latest teaching, Peter comes up with a great question . . . how many times should we forgive? When Peter thinks he’s being generous by offering up to seven times, Jesus tells a story to make His point: Forgiven people forgive in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Join us on a journey through Scripture as we examine God’s commands for government and all state authority, and learn what the Bible says about how you can honor God with your vote. This seminar will not tell you who to vote for, but rather how to think about voting from a biblical perspective and how that can inform your decisions.
Resolutely set to return to Jerusalem, Jesus continues His lesson that the least is, in fact, the greatest. In Matthew 18, when addressing the sin of causing a little one to stumble, Jesus teaches both humility and forgiveness, upholding the value of all people.
As tension rises in Jesus’ ministry, the disciples remain as unaware as ever. In Luke 9, the Lord’s warnings of His impending suffering seem to go unnoticed, as the disciples focus instead on debating who among them is the greatest. Jesus astonishes them with His reply, revealing that following Him will cost them everything.
For the three disciples who had just witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration, coming down from the mountain must have been somewhat of a letdown. Immediately, they were greeted by a crowd and a demon-possessed boy suffering from seizures. The disciples should have been able to cast out this demon, but they couldn’t. Once again, the issue was their faith. Tune in to see how Jesus responded to His disciples and what His words mean for us as His followers today.
It’s hard to hear that suffering is coming, especially if it’s coming to a close friend. In Matthew 16 and 17, Jesus knows His disciples don’t want to hear about His impending death, but they need to understand that this is all to usher in the coming kingdom. To help them see that something amazing is unfolding, Jesus guides three of His closest followers up a mountain and shows them an undeniable glimpse of God’s glory.