Many Christians dismiss the Book of Jonah as a cute children’s story involving a whale, or as the account of a second-rate prophet. However, Jesus saw it differently. In Matthew 12, He said that the only sign that would be given to that generation would be “the sign of Jonah”. Jesus went on to state […]
This lesson, the second of a two-part series on evangelism, provides practical insights on evangelism based on decades of one person in a very evangelistic, church-planting movement that emphasized repentance, commitment, and discipleship. This lesson is part of a series offered by Strength to Strength, a group committed to advancing Jesus’ kingdom by tackling thought-provoking […]
This lesson explores how we can use the Old Testament prophecies to convince nonbelievers to come to faith and become Christians. This method of evangelism is the same as was used by the New Testament Church and the early Christians. A question-and-answer period follows. This lesson was taught for Strength to Strength, a virtual, live […]
This talk was given for the Society of the Two Tasks (S2T) at Harvard University. Teaching Notes
Prophecies About the Resurrection of Jesus (Harvard S2T Talk) View Lesson
In this passage John makes a very strong statement: "He who has the Son has life; He who does not have the Son does not have life." Without faith in the Son of God, no one can have eternal life. How can Christians hold on to such an exclusive statement without being arrogant toward those […]
Are there independent historical accounts to confirm the people and events mentioned in the New Testament? In fact, there are, including accounts written about the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, before whom Jesus appears just before he is crucified. Understanding these can equip us to help those who are seeking to learn about the Christian […]
A third of the world's population calls itself Christian. Yet most believe that following Jesus and making it to heaven do not actually require obeying what He taught. In John 15, Jesus provides an allegory of the Vine and the branches, a beautiful picture of how to understand our relationship with Jesus and what is […]
In John 2 we read two stories: Jesus performing his first miracle at a wedding in Cana and Jesus clearing out the temple. Jesus would go on to perform many miracles; why did He begin with turning water into wine? We also look at whether Christians should drink alcohol, and how we should relate to […]
First Miracle at Cana and Clearing the Temple (John 2) View Lesson
John the Baptist was asked three questions: "Are you the Christ?", "Are you Elijah?" and "Are you the Prophet?" John said he was not Elijah (whose return was prophesied in Malachi), but Jesus said that John was the Elijah to come. How do we resolve this apparent contradiction? Also, what is this reference to "the […]
As we continue in the first chapter of John, we continue our deep dive into the identity of Christ, his divinity, and his appearances in the Old Testament. We are also introduced to John the Baptist, an important character in the beginning of all four Gospels. John was asked three questions: are you the Christ, […]
More on the Divinity of Christ; 3 Questions for John the Baptist (John 1:19-28, Pt. A) View Lesson