In the story of the woman caught in adultery, Jesus famously tells the woman that He does not accuse her. This has been used to justify an attitude that tolerates sinful lifestyles in the modern church - because who are we to judge anyone? In this lesson we take a deeper look into this story, to […]
The story of Ruth is an inspiring tale of three unlikely individuals, who God would use in a remarkable way to accomplish His purposes. This study takes a close look at the character strengths of Naomi, Boaz, and Ruth, who set a standard for Christians today, that we might also be made useful for the designs and […]
One of the reasons to study the Old Testament is to get to know the true heroes of the faith so we can imitate their lives. We can learn much by looking at the character of Joseph, who is an upward call for all Christian men. In this lesson we start by looking at Joseph’s […]
The Extraordinary Character of Joseph (Genesis 39b) View Lesson
**Genesis 38 contains some adult material that may be inappropriate for young listeners.** With Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers and bound for Egypt, the story of Genesis takes a strange detour as we are introduced to Tamar, who, facing a terrible situation, deceives her father-in-law Judah and bears twins. We see how God […]
Tamar's Story; Joseph Sent to Prison (Genesis 38-39a) View Lesson
This lesson includes quite disturbing material: serious problems in Jacob’s family. While it might be tempting to skip over troubling stories that involve exploitation, violence, vengeance and unrestrained passion, there are important lessons to learn here as well. This passage of Scripture also provides the backdrop for fascinating prophecies to be fulfilled at the birth […]
There are many lessons for us from this story of Lot and his family, which includes the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Many consider the concept of judgment to be a big joke. Yet Jesus and the New Testament writers spoke (and wrote) directly about judgment with specific reference to Sodom and […]
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:4-29) View Lesson
There are many tremendous lessons to learn from the life of Joseph (Genesis 37-50). This sermon looks at two of them: 1) Joseph's high standard of purity and 2) his ability (through years of mistreatment) to see God's hand work good out of evil, to save the lives of many people. We are called to imitate […]
In this passage, Paul addresses specific issues related to those who are married in the church, including fasting, sexual relations, and divorce and remarriage. This lesson covers Jesus' teaching on marriage, the foundation on which Paul builds. Jesus' teaching shocked his disciples, as it was a radical departure from societal norms. The challenge for us […]
1 Corinthians 7:1-16 - Divorce and Remarriage, and Instructions to Married People (2016) View Lesson
In the second half of chapter six, Paul addresses immorality in the Corinthian church. Paul explains the importance of the physical body, that Christians are united with Christ, and that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. This lesson looks at these blessings and the responsibility Christians have to keep their temples holy. We […]
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 - Immorality and the Body as the Temple of the Holy Spirit (2016) View Lesson
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul turns to a new and serious matter: the church's failure to expel from the congregation a brother involved in sexual immorality. This lesson covers the Biblical definition of sexual immortality, Paul's and Jesus' admonition and example of dealing with Christians who refuse to repent of serious sin, the reasons why most […]
1 Corinthians 5 - Sexual Immorality and Expelling an Immoral Brother (2016) View Lesson