A. Philadelphia – familial love between brothers (Romans 12:10)
B. Agapeo – sacrificial love (John 3:16)
C. “Increase more and more” – never stop loving each other, and never stop abounding in love! (cf. 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 4:1)
II. The Christian’s ambition (4:11-12)
A. Lead a quiet life
1. Spread the news of Jesus (Mark 1:28; 16:15)
2. Do not seek glory for self (James 4:10; Matthew 6:1-7, 16-18)
B. Mind your own business (1 Timothy 5:13; 1 Peter 4:15; Philippians 4:8)
C. Work with your own hands (1 Timothy 5:8; Ephesians 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:10)
A. Israel’s King Ahab (1 Kings 16:29-30; 21:25-26)
B. Victory over Syria (1 Kings 20:21)
C. Blasphemy of the Syrians (1 Kings 20:23-25)
D. The Lord’s response (1 Kings 20:28)
E. Another victory over Syria (1 Kings 20:29-30)
F. King Ahab’s failure to obey (1 Kings 20:31-34)
II. The parable
A. The prophet’s disguise (1 Kings 20:35-38)
B. The scenario presented (1 Kings 20:39-40)
C. The king’s sin exposed (1 Kings 20:41-43)
III. Lessons for today
A. Sometimes God’s commands are difficult to obey – but why? (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 5:4-5, 11, 13; 1 John 5:3)
B. Priorities matter! (Colossians 3:1-4)
C. Complete obedience is necessary (Romans 12:1-2)
A. Empathy and love
B. The privilege of intercession (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
C. Jesus’ ultimate intercession for us (Isaiah 53:12; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25)
II. A specific petition (Matthew 15:22b)
A. Whether suffering, sick, or ensnared in sin—be specific! (James 5:13-16)
B. He cares! (1 Peter 5:6-7)
III. A persistent petition (Matthew 15:23-24)
A. Despite the silence of the Savior
B. Despite the annoyance of the apostles
C. Despite the apparent hesitance to help
IV. A reverential petition (Matthew 15:25)
A. She worshiped Him as Lord
B. Still today, He is worthy of worship and He is involved in our prayers (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:14-16)
V. A humble petition (Matthew 15:26-28)
A. She recognized His authority and power
B. “Great is your faith!”
A. At 17 – sold into slavery by his own brothers (Gen 37)
B. Due to his integrity, was trusted by Potiphar (Gen 39:1-6)
C. He not only resisted, he fled from temptation (Gen 39:7-12)
D. Despite slanderous accusations, Joseph trusted God and God blessed Joseph (Gen 39:21-23)
E. Despite the forgetfulness of others, Joseph trusted God and God blessed Joseph (Gen 40ff)
F. Even when exalted to a lofty position—in Potiphar’s house, among the prisoners, and in all the land—Joseph trusted God and God blessed Joseph
G. When you are tempted, remember Joseph who ran from sin
II. Run to God like Josiah
A. At only 8 – Josiah was made king after the death of his father Amon, who “did evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Chr 33:22), but Josiah wanted to do the right thing (34:1-2)
B. At 16 – he sought God (2 Chronicles 34:3)
C. At 20 – he fought against idolatry (2 Chronicles 34:4-7)
D. At 26 – he was introduced to the written Law when the scroll was discovered in the temple, and Josiah mourned the condition of the people (2 Chronicles 34:8, 14, 19)
E. Josiah committed himself and his kingdom to obedience (2 Chronicles 34:31, 33)
F. When you see shortcomings in your life, remember Josiah and run to God
III. The responsibility of the older generation
A. Parents – teach by word and example (2 Timothy 1:3-5; 3:14-15)
B. Men – teach those who are younger how a Christian man should act (Titus 2:6-8) – train them for future service (deacons, preachers, elders)
C. Women – teach younger ladies how a Christian woman behaves (Titus 2:3-5) – train them for future service (teachers, wives of deacons, preachers, elders)
1 Timothy 4:12, Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
A. The “faith” of the Jewish rulers (John 12:42-43)
B. The “faith” of the demons (James 2:19)
C. The “faith” that does not act (James 2:14-26)
II. The faith that saves
A. Faith explained (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:1)
B. Faith leads to obedience (John 3:36; Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31-33)
C. Faith is trust in God (Hebrews 11; Matthew 8:5-13; 9:20-22; 15:21-28)
III. “There is one faith” (Ephesians 4:5)
A. Not a personal belief system, but the system of truth as revealed in the Word (Jude 3)
B. It was “the faith” that Paul preached (Galatians 1:23)
C. There is one and only one faith (Ephesians 4:4-6)
A. How you ought to walk (Romans 6:4; 8:1; Galatians 5:16, 25; Romans 13:13; Ephesians 4:1)
B. How you ought to please God (Romans 8:8; Hebrews 11:6)
C. Remember the commandments given through Jesus
II. Your sanctification (4:3-7)
A. Abstain from sexual immorality (Galatians 5:19; 1 Corinthians 6:18; Ephesians 5:3)
B. Possess your own vessel in sanctification and honor (Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:6)
C. Do not defraud your brother in this matter (Matthew 18:6-7)
III. Who are you rejecting? (4:8)
A. When you reject sound teaching, you don’t reject man but God (Luke 10:16)
B. Apostles and others inspired during the miraculous age were speaking God’s Word, not their own opinions (2 Timothy 4:2)
I. “Blessed” indicates happiness (Deuteronomy 33:29)
A. A blessed man refuses evil things (Psalm 1:1)
B. A blessed man delights in good things (Psalm 1:2; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; James 1:21-25)
II. Bearing fruit for the LORD (Psalm 1:3)
A. The tree is planted intentionally (Psalm 34:14-16)
B. “In its season” (Matthew 7:17-19; John 15:1-2, 4-6)
C. “Whatever he does shall prosper” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
III. Further contrast between the ungodly and the righteous
A. Ungodly “are like the chaff” (Psalm 1:4)
B. They will one day lose God’s blessings (Psalm 1:5)
C. It is a special blessing to be known by the LORD and to be counted by Him as righteous (Psalm 1:6; James 2:22-23)
A. Persecution had forced Paul and Silas to leave the city (Acts 17:5-10)
B. Timothy was sent back to comfort the afflicted (3:1-3)
C. Preparation and comfort (3:4-5; 2 Timothy 3:12; John 15:19; 1 Peter 5:8; Galatians 4:11; Philippians 2:16)
II. Timothy’s good report (3:6-10)
A. We can find encouragement in the faith of others (3:6-8; 1 Corinthians 15:58)
B. Paul found joy in his brethren, even if they were not yet what they should be (3:9-10)
III. Paul’s prayer (3:11-13)
A. Paul prayed that he could return to Thessalonica (3:11), and he did! (Acts 20:1ff)
B. Paul prayed for an abundant increase in love (3:12)
1. Toward each other (4:9-10; 1 John 2:9-11; 3:10-12, 16, 23; 4:7-11; 5:1-2)
2. Toward all men (Luke 6:32-36; Galatians 6:10)
C. The ultimate goal: appear blameless in holiness before God at Jesus’ coming (3:13)
A. Amnon lusts after his half-sister Tamar and violates her (2 Samuel 13:1-21)
B. Two years later, Absalom murders Amnon in retaliation (2 Samuel 13:22-33)
C. Absalom flees to Geshur for three years (2 Samuel 13:34-39)
II. The parable (2 Samuel 14:1-14)
A. Joab’s plan (2 Samuel 14:1-3)
B. The woman’s predicament (2 Samuel 14:4-7)
C. The king’s pronouncement (2 Samuel 14:8-11)
D. The plot twist (2 Samuel 14:12-14)
III. The application
A. God’s mercy is greater than our sin (Romans 5:6-11)
B. Restitution is not always possible (Romans 12:18)
C. God desires reconciliation (Ephesians 3:10-12; Colossians 1:19-23)
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)
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