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)
A. The death of the lamb (Exodus 12:1-6)
B. Application of the blood (Exodus 12:7-13)
C. Removal of leaven (Exodus 12:15-20)
D. Ushered in God’s covenant with His people (Exodus 20:1ff)
II. Our Passover
A. The death of the Lamb (Ephesians 5:2; 1 Peter 1:18-19)
B. Application of the blood (Matthew 26:28; Romans 3:21-26)
C. Removal of leaven [sin] (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)
D. Ushered in God’s new covenant with His people (Hebrews 8:7-13; cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34)
III. The Lord’s Supper
A. The purpose: to remember Jesus’ sacrifice (Luke 22:19)
B. The elements: unleavened bread and fruit of the vine (Luke 22:19-20)
C. The time: the first day of every week (Acts 20:7)
A. “Our Father in heaven” (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15)
B. “Hallowed be Your name” (Psalm 9:10)
C. “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:33; Romans 8:32)
II. Our needs—physical and spiritual (6:11-13)
A. A need related to the present: provision of food (Exodus 16:11-21)
B. A need related to the past: pardon for sins (1 John 1:7-10)
C. A need related to the future: protection from temptation (1 Peter 5:8)
A. “The LORD”
B. “Is”
C. “My”
D. “Shepherd” (cf. John 10:11)
II. The particulars (23:1b-5)
A. Provision of physical needs (23:1b-2; cf. Psalm 34:9)
B. Provision of spiritual needs (23:3; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:16)
C. Death is but a mere shadow to God’s child (23:4; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57)
D. He provides the victory over our enemies (23:5; cf. Luke 6:38)
III. The promise (23:6)
A. The connection back to 23:1
B. The house of the LORD is and ever shall be our home!
A. Paul went to where the people were (17:1-2)
B. He patiently spent time with them (17:2)
C. He used the Scriptures to show that Jesus was the promised Messiah, against their preconceived ideas (17:3)
1. The Christ had to suffer (cf. Psalm 22:16-18; Isaiah 53)
2. The Christ had to rise from the dead (cf. Psalm 16:10)
II. The gospel believed (17:4)
A. “Some [Jews] were persuaded” (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:16)
B. “A great multitude of the devout Greeks” (cf. Luke 7:47)
C. “Not a few of the leading women” (cf. Galatians 3:28)
III. The gospel rejected (17:5-10)
A. Envy leads to more evil (17:5; cf. Mark 15:10)
B. Misunderstanding [or misrepresenting] the nature of Christ’s kingdom (17:6-9; cf. John 18:36)
C. Fleeing from danger (17:10; cf. Matthew 10:23)
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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