A. The time of the judges (Judges 2:16-19; 17:6; 21:25)
B. Gideon’s service as judge (Judges 8:30-31, 33)
C. Abimelech’s lust for power (Judges 9:1-6)
II. The fable of Jotham
A. The trees = the people of Shechem (Judges 9:8)
B. Rejected by the olive tree, the fig tree, and the vine (Judges 9:9-13; cf. 8:22-23)
C. In desperation the trees demand the bramble to rule (Judges 9:14-15)
III. The results
A. Jotham challenges the truth and sincerity of the people and warns of the consequences of their actions (9:16-20)
B. Abimelech had a short reign of 3 years (9:22) before the people turned on him (9:23-25)
C. Ultimately killed when trying to take the tower in Thebez (9:50-55)
IV. Lessons for us
A. Abimelech allowed his lust for power to overtake his common sense
B. The people showed poor judgment in choosing a leader
C. Whether leading or being led, look to God for guidance!
A. The desire to do what is right (Ezra 3:1-6)
B. Varying reactions to the work (Ezra 3:10-13)
C. Distractions and discouragements (Ezra 4:4-5, 12, 13)
D. A long process, but finally the temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14-16)
II. The restoration of the heart’s foundation
A. The preparation of the teacher (Ezra 7:10)
B. The response of the people (Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6)
C. Continued teaching (Nehemiah 8:8)
III. The restoration of our foundation
A. We must desire to do what is right (Titus 2:11-14)
B. We must overcome distractions and discouragement (Galatians 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:13)
C. We must be patient – it can be a long process! (2 Timothy 4:2; 2 Peter 3:9)
D. We must prepare ourselves (Romans 12:1-2)
E. We must respond appropriately to God’s Word (Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:15)
F. We must continue teaching (Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 2:19-22)
A. “More honorable than his brothers” (4:9)
B. “Called on the God of Israel” (4:10; Matthew 6:9)
C. Earnest in his petition
D. Humble in tone (cf. Luke 18:11-12)
II. The requests he made
A. An acknowledgement of his need for God (Philippians 4:6)
B. Material blessing (cf. 3 John 2)
C. Providential power (Psalm 145:15-16)
D. Divine preservation (Matthew 6:13)
III. The answer from God
A. “So God granted him what he requested” (James 4:3)
B. We can have confidence that God cares for us and listens to our petitions (Psalm 145:18; 1 John 5:14-15)
A. Understanding urgency (Acts 16:25-34)
B. Urgency is important for the lost, but equally important for the saved! (2 Corinthians 6:1-2; John 4:35)
C. We were not saved just so that we could spend an hour or two a week in the church building (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2)
II. Avoid pessimism
A. God’s strength can overcome our perceived weakness (Ephesians 3:20-21)
B. Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something! (1 Corinthians 12:15-22)
C. Don’t allow the negativity of fear stop you from the Lord’s work (2 Timothy 1:7)
III. Avoid indifference
A. What was the mission of Christ while He dwelt among us in the flesh? (Luke 19:10)
B. Is our mission not the very same today? (Mark 16:15-16)
C. Do we understand the eternal implications of not sharing the gospel? (Matthew 7:15-23)
IV. Avoid hypocrisy
A. Live a life worth imitating (1 Corinthians 11:1)
B. Live a life fully committed to the Lord’s cause (Matthew 6:33; 16:24)
A. Following the example of godly people like Paul (Acts 17:2-4; Acts 20:18-21, 35)
B. Following the example of Jesus Himself (1 Peter 2:18-24; cf. Acts 17:5-9)
II. Set the right example (1:7-10)
A. An example in evangelism (1:8)
B. An example in repentance (1:9)
C. An example in hope (1:10)
A. The denial of Deity leads to depravity (cf. Romans 1:18-32)
B. The “children of men” (v. 2) contrasted with “My people” (v. 4)
C. They are not born wicked (as Calvinism purports) but have “turned aside” and “become corrupt”
II. Disapproval (53:4-5)
A. Lack of understanding leads to oppression of truth
B. They claim “no fear” but are in reality “in great fear” (cf. Hebrews 10:31)
C. The result of their rejection? “God has despised them”
III. Deliverance (53:6)
A. A plea for salvation from captivity (cf. Romans 6:17)
B. The result of salvation is joy and gladness
A. A warning against self-righteousness (Romans 10:2-3; Revelation 3:17)
B. An improper view of self leads to animosity toward others (Philippians 2:3-4)
C. Two people in the parable: a Pharisee and a tax collector (18:10)
II. The Pharisee
A. Compared himself to other people (18:11; cf. Luke 7:39; Matthew 5:48)
B. Bragged about his accomplishments (18:12; cf. 2 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Timothy 1:15-16; 1 Peter 1:13-17)
III. The publican
A. Measured himself against the greatness of God (18:13; cf. Job 40:4; 42:5-6; Isaiah 6:5; Luke 5:8; Revelation 1:17)
B. His humility led to justification (18:14; 1 Peter 5:5)
A. Men always ought to pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2)
B. Men always ought not lose heart (Philippians 4:6-7; Galatians 6:9)
II. The people (18:2-6)
A. The unjust judge—the very opposite of what God expected (cf. 2 Samuel 23:3; Deuteronomy 16:18-20; 2 Chronicles 19:5-7)
B. The oppressed widow (cf. Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 27:19)
III. The prayer (18:3)
A. A request for justice (cf. Revelation 6:9-11)
B. Persistence (cf. Genesis 25:21)
IV. God’s personality (18:7-8)
A. A God of action (Luke 11:11-13)
B. A God who hears (1 Peter 3:12; James 5:16)
C. A God who bears long (1 Peter 5:6; 2 Peter 3:9)
V. Our profession of faith (18:1, 8)
A. Will He find us praying as we patiently wait for His return?
B. Will He find us persistently seeking His will in our prayers?
A. Not works of the Law (Galatians 2:16) or works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:11), but works which bring glory to God (Matthew 5:16)
B. True Biblical faith shows itself in obedience to the Word (James 2:20,26; Romans 10:17)
II. Labor of love (1:3)
A. “Labor” indicates an intensity of work accompanied by toil and trouble (Matthew 26:10; 1 Corinthians 15:58)
B. “Love” is seeking the highest good for another individual, even at one’s own personal cost or sacrifice (Romans 5:8)
III. Patience [or steadfastness] of hope (1:3)
A. “Patience” is refusing to waver from truth even in the face of trials or struggles (James 1:2-4)
B. “Hope” is a confident expectation of God to fulfill His promises (Titus 1:2)
IV. Election by God (1:4)
A. God predetermined the plan by which He would save individuals and purposed that plan to be accomplished through Jesus (Ephesians 1:5,11)
B. Through submission, we ensure our election (2 Peter 1:5-11)
V. The certainty of the message (1:5)
A. The word (Romans 10:17)
B. The power (Romans 1:16)
C. The Holy Spirit (Romans 15:19)
D. The assurance of faithful teachers – men who could be imitated because they modeled their lives after the Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1)
I. The Christian must recognize the authority of Christ (3:1)
A. “Sitting at the right hand of God”
B. He has ALL authority (Matthew 28:18)
C. His words will judge us (John 12:48; 2 Corinthians 5:10)
D. Everything we do must be by His authority (Colossians 3:17)
II. The Christian must resolve to love Him and serve Him (3:2)
A. “Set your mind” (Matthew 6:24)
B. Refuse to allow Satan’s negativity into your life (Philippians 2:14-16)
C. Treasure Jesus’ love for you, and your heart will want to obey Him (Matthew 6:19-21)
III. The Christian must relinquish worldly desires and lusts (3:3)
A. “…not on things on the earth…” (1 John 2:15-17; James 4:4)
B. The Christian is different: dead, but alive! (Rom. 6:1-11)
IV. The Christian must revere Christ – not just as the priority of his life, but as the whole of his life (3:4)
A. “Christ who is our life”
B. “You also will appear with Him in glory” (1 John 3:2;
1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
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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