A. Golgotha, “Place of a Skull” (Matthew 27:33; Mark 15:22; John 19:17), or Calvary (Luke 23:33 – “The Skull”)
B. Why was it called that?
C. Outside the gate (Hebrews 13:12)
1. Uncleanness (Numbers 5:2-3)
2. Executions (Numbers 15:35; 1 Kings 21:13; Acts 7:58)
3. Carcasses of sacrificed animals (Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 4:21)
II. The journey to Golgotha – via dolorosa, “Way of Suffering”
A. Carried the cross Himself (John 19:17)
B. Simon of Cyrene carried the cross (Mark 15:21)
C. Two robbers also in the procession (Luke 23:32)
D. Tasting, then refusing, the sour wine and bitter gall (Matthew 27:34; Psalm 69:21)
III. The journey to our death to sin
A. We cannot do it alone; we need Christ! (Ephesians 2:12-13)
B. We need the help of the church (Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 10:24-25)
C. Acknowledge and fix our shortcomings along the journey (1 John 1:8-10)
D. Develop a distaste and disdain for sin and refuse it (Romans 12:9; Proverbs 8:13; Ephesians 5:11)
A. A blessed promise from the Father to the faithful (1 John 5:13; Titus 1:2; John 17:3; 20:30-31)
B. Assurance of our relationship with the Almighty
1. Walking in the light (1 John 1:7)
2. Obeying God’s commands (1 John 2:3-5)
3. Loving the brethren (1 John 2:9-11)
4. Believing in Christ, the Son of God in the flesh (1 John 2:22-23; 4:1-3; 5:1-5)
5. Practicing righteousness (1 John 2:29-3:10)
II. Confidence in prayer
A. God hears us (1 John 5:14-15; Luke 18:10-14; Hebrews 4:16)
B. Praying for the penitent (1 John 5:16-17; 1:9)
III. Confidence in the righteousness of God
A. Faithful Christians do not lead a life of sin (1 John 5:18-19; 3:6; 1 John 5:18; Jude 1:21; Philippians 2:12; James 4:7; 1 John 5:19; Ephesians 2:1-2)
B. Knowing God is to have assurance of eternal life (1 John 5:20; 1:1-3)
C. Keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:21; Colossians 3:5)
A. Steward – one who manages or oversees the property, affairs, or care of something on behalf of another (Genesis 39:1-5; Titus 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:10)
B. The danger of negligence (Hebrews 2:1-3)
II. The steward’s concern (16:3-8)
A. Don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone (16:3)
B. Showed kindness in hopes of future kindness shown to him (16:4-7)
C. Demonstrated shrewdness in worldly affairs (16:8)
III. The Lord’s application (16:9-13)
A. The commendation is based on the steward’s prudence, not his practice
B. Have we properly used material things to prepare us for the spiritual things of eternity? (Matthew 6:19-21; 25:35-40; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 6:17-19)
C. What are you doing with what you have? (2 Cor. 8:12)
D. Are you preparing yourself for the treasures of heaven? Or do you love God more than gold?
A. How does God describe “a worthless person” and “a wicked man”? (Proverbs 6:12-14)
B. What does God hate? (Proverbs 6:16-19)
C. Gossip is the vocabulary of hypocritical (“godless” [ASV]), untrustworthy fools (Proverbs 10:18-19; 11:9, 13)
D. Gossip is perverted (Proverbs 16:28)
II. Think before you speak
A. How would you describe your words? (Philippians 4:8)
B. Is it something that “ought not” be said? (1 Timothy 5:13)
C. The buck stops with YOU (Proverbs 26:20-22)
III. Do your words build up, or tear down?
A. Edify, or corrupt? (Ephesians 4:29)
B. Bless, or curse? (James 3:9-12)
C. The value of encouraging speech (Proverbs 25:11)
IV. The eternal consequence of gossip
A. God will give you up (Romans 1:28-32)
B. The lake which burns with fire and brimstone (Rev. 21:8)
C. You will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21)
A. An innocent life taken (Isaiah 53:4-6, 9b; John 18:38; 19:6)
B. Against human reasoning – Jesus died willingly (John 10:11-18)
II. Love personified on the cross
A. The extent of God’s love: the world (John 3:16)
B. The timing of God’s love: while we were still sinners (Romans 5:6-11)
C. The personal nature of God’s love: for me (Galatians 2:20)
III. Love spoken by the crucified Holy One
A. Love toward His mother, Mary (John 19:26-27)
B. Love toward the penitent thief (Luke 23:39-43)
C. Love toward His executioners (Luke 23:34)
A. Who is my brother? (1 John 4:20-5:1)
B. Does John teach “faith only”? (1 John 5:1-2; Matthew 25:31-46; James 2:14-26; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10)
C. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:3; John 14:15,21,23,24; Romans 12:1)
II. Faith is the victory
A. We CAN overcome the world! We CAN be victorious! (1 John 5:4; 2:15-17; Hebrews 11:33-34)
B. Does it matter what one believes? (1 John 5:5; Romans 10:17)
III. Faith established by the testimony of witnesses
A. Three witnesses (1 John 5:6-8; John 16:13)
B. The witness of God is greater than the witness of man (1 John 5:9; John 5:33-36)
C. To have the Son is to have life (1 John 5:10-12)
A. Prodigal living (15:11-13)
B. Hitting rock-bottom (15:14-16)
C. He came to his senses (15:17-20a)
II. The patient father
A. Filled with compassion (15:20b-23)
B. He wasn’t looking at the past, but the present (15:24)
III. The older brother
A. He was angry (15:25-28)
B. He felt entitled (15:29-32)
IV. Application
A. We need to come to our senses (Isaiah 59:1-3; 1 Peter 4:3)
B. God is still patient and compassionate (1 John 1:5-9; Psalm 103:11-13; Ephesians 1:11-12)
C. Do not begrudge God’s forgiveness of another (Matthew 20:1-14)
A. Tried to get Jesus to defend Himself (Matthew 27:11-14)
B. Wanted to delegate jugdment to Herod (Luke 23:4-7)
C. Gave the people a choice (Matthew 27:15-23)
D. Finally gave in to the will of the people (Matthew 27:24)
II. The chief priests
A. The slanderous accusations against Jesus (Luke 23:2)
B. Envy (Matthew 27:18)
C. Incitement (Matthew 27:20; Luke 23:23)
D. Irreverence (Matthew 27:41)
III. The mockers
A. The mob (Matthew 27:25)
B. The soldiers (Matthew 27:27-31)
C. The passersby (Matthew 27:39-40)
D. The robbers on either side of Him (Matthew 27:44)
IV. The mourners
A. His mother, Mary (John 19:25; Luke 1:28, 30-31, 46; 2:51)
B. Other women, including Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2; John 20:1-2, 11-18)
C. John, the disciple whom He loved (John 19:27; 20:30-31)
A. Knowing God (1 John 4:7-8; Philippians 3:8-11; Titus 1:16)
B. Christ gives us life (1 John 4:9; John 14:6; 1:4; 11:25; 5:24)
C. Christ is the propitiation of our sins (1 John 4:10)
D. We have no excuse to not love the brethren (1 John 4:11)
II. Confessing God’s love
A. The good confession (1 Jn. 4:15; Acts 8:37-38; 1 Tim. 6:12)
B. More than mere lip service (Matthew 15:8; 7:21)
III. Abiding in God’s love
A. Mutual indwelling and reciprocal abiding – the closest fellowship and communion possible (1 John 4:12-16)
B. We can be bold by conforming our lives to His (1 John 4:17; 1 Timothy 6:11; Ephesians 5:1-2)
C. There is no fear in love (1 John 4:18; Psalm 111:10)
IV. Practicing God’s love
A. Selflessly seeking the very best for another (1 John 4:19)
B. Love for the brethren flows from a love for God (1 Jn. 4:20)
C. You cannot love God if you do not love your Christian family (1 John 4:21)
A. The context: the complaint of the Pharisees and scribes (15:1-2); Jesus responds with parables
B. The parables: the lost sheep (15:4-7), the lost silver (15:8-10), the lost sons (15:11-32)
II. Looking
A. Light the lamp (John 1:9; Psalm 119:105)
B. Sweep your house (James 4:8)
C. Search carefully (Luke 19:10)
III. Love
A. When found—upon repentance—there is rejoicing
B. What is our attitude at the repentance of another?
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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