February 2022

Cornelius and Peter

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Cornelius and Peter

Text:  Acts 10

Cornelius

  • Generous and devout – v. 1-2
  • Obedient – v. 5-8
  • Evangelistic – v. 24

Peter

  • Willing to listen – v. 17, 21, 29, Mark 7:17-19
  • Redemptive in action – v. 23, 28, 34-43, 47
  • Brought others along – v. 23

Loose ends….

  • Exceptions never define the rule… Acts 8:15-17; 10:44-46
  • Peter still has to explain himself…. Acts 11:1-18

Priscilla, Aquila, Apollos

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Priscilla, Aquila, Apollos

Text:  Acts 18

Background

  • The gospel had travelled far – Acts 18:2
  • Pockets of incomplete understanding throughout the world – Acts 18:25; 19:2

Priscilla and Aquila….

  • They worked for the church as a couple….
  • They supported themselves – Acts 18:3
  • They worked within systems that gave them access to people – Acts 18:26
  • They were not afraid to explain when they saw the need – Acts 18:26

Apollos….

  • Studied – he knew his stuff – Acts 18:24
  • Was willing to learn – 18:26
  • Was passionate about sharing the gospel – 18:27-28

Speaking in Tongues

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Speaking in Tongues

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

What are they?

  • Another world language like Spanish or Chinese
  • Apostles, by the Spirit, were able to speak these without learning Acts 2:1-12
  • Purpose – To spread the Gospel quickly

What are they?

  • Groanings too deep for words – Romans 8:26-27
  • Purpose – to express to God what we cannot say but which validly reveals the content of ourselves to God

What are they?

  • A language from Heaven – I Corinthians 13:1
  • Often unintelligible – I Corinthians 14:27-28
  • Might be hyperbole
  • Purpose – Self-edification – 14:4 – sometimes we need it!

Lessons

  • We often major in minors… the Corinthian Christians did.
  • We should seek to build up the body – I Corinthians 14:12
  • We should always remember what is most important – I Corinthians 15:3-5

A Case Study in Healing

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  A Case Study in Healing

Text:  John 9

Why is he blind?

  • Disciples and religious leaders assume sin….
  • Deuteronomy 7:12-15; 28:58-59; Job 11:5 versus 23:1-7
  • Jesus is interested in the work of God….

What did Jesus do?

  • Healed the blind man
  • Brought the man to faith
  • Exposed faulty thinking

What are we to do?

  • Pray – James 5:13-16; Psalm 41
  • Remember all healing is from God (where is our faulty thinking?) …. Jeremiah 30:12-17
  • Let God be glorified in all circumstances…. Philippians 4:11-12; Job 2:10
  • Remember our greatest need is always spiritual! Matthew 16:24-26

Workers of Miracles

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Workers of Miracles

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Concentrated at certain times

  • The Exodus – Exodus 3:19-21; 7:5; 11:9
  • Elijah and Elisha – I Kings 17 – II Kings 13 (I Kings 18; II Kings 5; 6:24-7:7)
  • Judges 6:13
  • Jesus and early church
    • The book of Mark and miracles – 1:20-28; 4:41; 8:27-30
    • Mark 16:15-18; Acts 3; 16:16ff; John 20:29;
    • Contrast: I Corinthians 13:8-10; Philippians 2:25-27

Always for God’s glory

  • To create community – Acts 2 (22-24; 42-47)
  • To show where God’s favor rests – John 10:38; 14:11

Helping Others

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Helping Others

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Why listed here?

  • Emphasizes everyone has a role.
  • The gifts are fluid – we can find ourselves in any number of these roles, this one most often.
  • Order is important here considering the Corinthian problem and their emphasis on tongues.

Sometimes helping is situational….

  • God puts into our paths opportunities to help – I Corinthians 16:3ff; Acts 11:27ff
  • I Peter 2:12 and subsequent history

How to help….

  • Look for opportunities – Galatians 6:10; Philippians 4:10; Colossians 4:5
  • Physically and financially – II Corinthians 8:19; Acts 9:36
  • Spiritually – Acts 16:9; Ephesians 4:29

Guidance, Administrators, Helmsmen

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Guidance/Administrators/Helmsmen

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Life is not static….

  • Life is struggle – Job 5:6-7
  • Every age has its trouble – Ecclesiastes 7:10
  • If we don’t watch it, we can veer off course – James 1:5-7

Jesus as example (walking on water)

  • Matthew 14:22-36, John 6:16-24
    • Several dangers – forced kingship, disciple revolt, bad weather
    • Peter gets distracted – how about us?

I Corinthians 12:28

  • The word translated “gifts of guidance” or “administrators” is “helmsman.”
  • The church needs people with clear minds and strong faith to steer course.

Teachers II

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Teachers II

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Considerations….

  • Need to be careful!
    • For ourselves – Romans 2:21; James 3:1
    • For those who listen – II Timothy 2:14-17
  • Teachers need to stick to the word – II Timothy 3:16
  • It’s not about what I want – II Timothy 4:2ff
    • As a teacher – v. 2,5; Romans 15:4 (ch. 14 as context)
    • As a student/listener – v. 3,4; Judges 17, 18
  • Still, something worth doing! – Hebrews 5:12

Teachers

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Teachers

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Jesus as Teacher….

  • Spread the gospel first…. Matthew 4:12ff, 4:23-5:2
  • Gains a following like teachers did – John 1:38; 6:25; 3:2; compare with Acts 22:3
  • Yet is unique
  • No training – John 7:27, Matthew 13:54
  • Speaks with greater authority – Matthew 5:17-20; Mark 1:27; John 10:34-37

Teachers in the church

  • The function of explaining – Acts 18:26, Matthew 28:18-20, I Timothy 4:1-11
  • Requires study – I Timothy 1:7, II Timothy 2:15
  • It is a spiritual gift – I Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:7-13

Teachers must practice what they teach – John 10:34-37; I Timothy 4:11-16

Prophets

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Prophets

I Corinthians 12:28

Functions

  • Distractions – telling the future – Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Acts 21:10-11;
  • They are sent by God – Amos 7:15
  • It is spoken proclamation (preaching) of the word of God – Jeremiah 1:9; 19:2, 14; Acts 4:29; Amos 7:16
  • Explains what God wants done – Acts 13:1
  • They edify the church – I Corinthians 14:3

Considerations

  • Prophesies are God’s words – Matthew 10:20; Acts 4:29
  • We test the sent and the source – Deuteronomy 13:2-6; I Thessalonians 5:19-22;
  • The church has the responsibility to “weigh carefully” what is said – I Corinthians 14:29