A. Focuses on the negative
B. Suggests we can interpret what God says however we please
C. Creates a false distance between man and his Lord
D. Even Eve adds her own prohibition – “nor shall you touch it” (cf. Genesis 2:16-17)
II. The sin (Genesis 3:6)
A. Eve was deceived (John 8:44; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 15:33; Galatians 6:7-8; James 1:12-17)
B. Adam was not innocent – he was “with her”
III. Who is to blame? (Genesis 3:8-13)
A. Adam blamed both God and Eve (James 1:13)
B. Eve blamed Satan (1 Corinthians 10:13)
For an excellent in-depth study of the book of Genesis, I highly recommend Michael Whitworth’s The Epic of God. Purchase at this link.
A. The man’s request (Acts 3:1-7)
B. God goes above and beyond (1 Kings 3:5-14; Ephesians 3:20-21; Psalm 147:5)
II. Create an opportunity to praise God
A. The apostles refused praise (Acts 3:8-12)
B. Our good works should be seen and praise directed toward God (Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 6:10; Matthew 5:13-16)
III. Using those opportunities of praise, we should preach the gospel
A. Peter points to “the God of Abraham” (Acts 3:13)
B. Peter points to God’s “Servant Jesus” (Acts 3:13; Isaiah 53; 52:11; 42:1-4)
C. Words of comfort and hope (Acts 3:17-19)
D. We must teach our sincere religious neighbors the truth of the one body (Ephesians 4:4), the Savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23), how to enter that body (Galatians 3:27)
A. Compare with Genesis 1:1
B. “…was the Word” (Proverbs 8:23; John 17:5; 8:53-58)
C. He was the creative agent through whom the beginning began (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17)
II. “And the Word was with God” (John 1:1)
A. Not “in” or “from,” but “with”
B. “…and the Word was God” (Philippians 2:6; Judges 13:19-22; Joshua 5:13-15; Revelation 5:12)
III. “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14)
A. He chose to become flesh so He could redeem mankind (Philippians 2:7; John 1:5)
B. We must shine as lights (John 1:6-9; Matthew 5:16)
C. Show the love of Christ (Philippians 2:8; Romans 5:6-11)
A. Love for God (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3)
B. Complete love (Mark 12:29)
II. “Be not conformed to this world”
A. The world will pull you away from God (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17)
B. Warnings against greed (Matthew 6:24, 33; 1 Timothy 6:6-10)
C. Sinful attitudes and activities must be avoided (2 Timothy 3:1-7; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 4:1-4)
III. “But be transformed by the renewing of your mind”
A. Stop serving the evil one, start serving the Just One (Romans 6:16-18)
B. The blessing of spiritual protection (1 John 4:4; John 10:27-29; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)
C. The blessing of joy (Philippians 4:4, 6-7; James 1:2-3)
A. Daniel 2:31-44
B. Isaiah 2:2-3 (cf. Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Timothy 3:15)
C. Joel 2:28-32
II. The establishment of the kingdom
A. Acts 2:1-21 (cf. Acts 11:15)
B. The nature of the kingdom (Acts 1:6; John 16:12-13; 18:36; 1 Samuel 8:1-7)
III. Modern misunderstanding of the nature of the kingdom: premillennialism and its consequences
A. Makes God false to His promises (Mark 1:14-15; Deuteronomy 18:18, 22)
B. Alternates Judaism and Christianity (Hebrews 8:13)
C. Demotes Christ from His place at the right hand of God in heaven to the earth (Hebrews 1:3; 8:1)
A. “Every material effect must have an adequate cause that existed before the effect”
B. God is the cause of the universe (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11; Acts 17:24-25; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 3:4)
C. But then, what caused God? (God is not material; He is Spirit – John 4:24)
II. Which God?
A. Moses anticipated this question (Exodus 3:13-14)
B. God’s general revelation (Romans 1:20; Psalm 14:1; 19:1-4; 8:3-4)
C. God’s specific revelation (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
III. God-pleasing faith
A. Believes that He exists (Hebrews 11:6; Acts 17:24-25)
B. Causes man to seek Him (Hebrews 11:6; Acts 17:26-28)
A. Not physical, but spiritual (Matthew 4:4)
B. Spend time in the Word and with sound study materials (2 Timothy 2:15-16)
II. Exercise more
A. Spiritual fitness (1 Timothy 4:8; 1 Corinthians 6:19)
B. Athletics as a metaphor (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1; 2 Timothy 4:7)
III. Spend money more wisely
A. Give to God freely, liberally, and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 8:1-7; 9:7)
B. The result of giving as God commands (2 Corinthians 9:6, 8; Malachi 3:8-10; Luke 6:38)
IV. Spend more time with friends and family
A. The church is the family of God (Matthew 12:46-50; 1 Timothy 5:1-2; 3:15)
B. The importance of fellowship (Acts 2:42, 46-47; Psalm 122:1; Hebrews 10:24-25)
I. The importance of listening to all things revealed
A. The disciples’ despair (Luke 24:13-24; 23:53,55)
B. Jesus contrasts their misunderstanding with the actual inspired record (Luke 24:25-27; Genesis 3:15; 22:18; Exodus 12; Leviticus 16:1-34; Deuteronomy 18:15; Isaiah 7:14; 40:10-11; 50:6; 53:3-4; Ezekiel 34:23; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 6:12; 9:9; 12:10; 13:7; Malachi 3:1)
C. Application for today (Matthew 7:21; Mark 16:16; John 12:48)
II. The necessity of hospitality
A. The disciples’ hospitality (Luke 24:28-29)
B. A requirement for Christians, both leaders (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8) and all members (1 Peter 4:9)
C. Jesus was not going to force Himself into their lives or homes – He required the invitation
III. Our attitude toward the Scriptures
A. Their hearts burned (Luke 24:32; James 1:21; 2 Timothy 2:15)
B. They were so excited, they could not wait to tell others (Luke 24:33-35; Mark 16:15)
A. Turn from idols (1 Thessalonians 1:9; Colossians 3:5)
B. Turn to God (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:1-6; Matthew 18:3; Ephesians 4:17, 22-24)
II. Serve God
A. Includes service to neighbors (Philippians 2:3-4; Galatians 6:10)
B. Involving ourselves in God’s will (Galatians 2:20)
III. Be an example
A. Imitating the apostles (1 Thessalonians 1:6-8; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17)
B. Imitating Christian leaders inasmuch as they imitate Christ (Hebrews 13:7; 1 Peter 5:2-3)
C. Providing a good example for others (Titus 2:7; Philippians 2:14-15; Matthew 5:16)
IV. Looking forward to His return
A. He promised He will come back (1 Thessalonians 1:10; John 14:1-3; Matthew 24:36, 42; 1 Thessalonians 5:2)
B. “There’s a Great Day Coming” (2 Thessalonians 1:7)
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)