Lesson Outlines

The Place of the Church

By / October 25, 2022
“The Place of the Church” is the opening sermon in a series on the importance of the church delivered in September 2022 at the North Penn Church of Christ.  The lessons are mainly from the book of Ephesians.  The outline is under the video.
The Place of the Church Animated language of love…. Ephesians 1:3-14
  • Blessed
  • Chose us
  • Love
  • Predestined
  • To be adopted
  • Sons
  • With His pleasure and will
  • Grace
  • Freely given
  • Redemption
  • Forgiveness of sins
  • Riches
  • Lavished
  • Good pleasure
Purposeful prayer….
  • To know Him better
    • His love
    • His plan
  • Understand hope
  • Understand power
The plan was always the church!
  • 22-23 – And he placed all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all things in every way.
  • All of Christ’s Lordship over all is given to the church!
  • Presently, the body is the fullness of Christ!
   
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Back to Church

By / September 8, 2022
“Back to Church” is a sermon based on the idea of “Back to School.”  Specifically for our own congregation, I discuss principles regarding the importance of church, recognizing some of the difficulties of the past two years have parallels in Israel’s history and the New Testament church. The outline follows the video
Regarding the difficulties…. Some exile parallels…. What God can do!
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Do Not Boast

By / August 2, 2022

A lesson from James 4:13-17 called “Do Not Boast.”  Explores the motivations behind boasting breaking the illusions of control and attitudes of entitlement.  This section ties closely with all of chapter 3 and that is briefly explored.  The video lesson “Do Not Boast” from the North Penn YouTube channel is first, with the lesson outline below.

Do Not Boast

The problem

  • It is the illusion of control – Counterpoint: John 1:10-13
  • It is the attitude of entitlement– Veritasim illustration, Luke 14:7-11 – banquet; Luke 18:9-14 – Pharisee and the tax collector.

The forgotten purpose of our lives.

  • To spend on what they want? 4:3; Luke 12:16-31- bigger barns; Isaiah 22:13
  • To use for God’s glory? 1:27; Luke 16:9 – shrewd manager; Luke 12:35-48 – To the one whom much is given much is required.
  • “The good we know to do”

The War Within and Without

By / July 27, 2022
The War Within and Without was a sermon given on July 24, 2022 at the North Penn Church of Christ.  The outline is below the video.
James 4:1-12 The “without” is obvious….
  • Consider the spring, the fig, the olive, and the grape – 3:11
  • We are constantly looking for motive….
The problem…
  • Is serious….
    • War, fighting, envy, murder, lust… Matthew 5:21-22
  • Is inside us….
    • Consider the tongue in James 3:6
    • Romans 7:21-23
  • Does not want help…
    • Do you pray?
God’s fight for us….
  • Marriage language… v. 4.
  • Must choose, but choosing God is exclusive….
  • Matthew 6:24, John 14:6
  • “The Spirit which He made dwell in us yearns for us jealously.”
  • Yet we are given the grace to resist in resources if we will take advantage of them – submission and humility are key – v. 7-10
Humility of language….
  • Returning to the untamable tongue – boasting (3:5) or humility?
  • This is not judging sin here… I Corinthians 5:12
  • Context here is in setting ourselves up as superior. “Others don’t measure up to me.”
  • We are looking at the law to love one another – James 2:8
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Two Kinds of Wisdom

By / July 18, 2022
Today’s video lesson with the outline following regarding the two kinds of Wisdom James describes.
Two Kinds of Wisdom – James 3:13-18 Where this fits….
  • Still connected to teachers and the tongue!
  • The question is a challenge and an expectation – v. 13
  • Who wants to volunteer as an example?
  • Wait, we already have examples!
  • It’s the action!
  • Ties to 2:17
  • Calls to mind Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:35
Wise in the world’s ways….
  • World’s currency is bitter envy and selfish ambition
  • Plenty of that in today’s world….
    • Example – how did the wealthy get that way?
    • We are encouraged to be upset about it….
  • Cannot come to the church with any of this attitude! Luke 16:8-9
    • It will show (3:11)
    • Such an attitude denies God’s truth….
James’ fruit of the Spirit
  • Heavenly wisdom disregards the world’s ways….
  • Pure – all in one camp, no double-mindedness
  • Sowing peace creates righteousness/justice!
    • War and war crimes
    • Widows and orphans? 1:27
    • The poor – 2:5
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Taming the Tongue in an Unbridled World

By / July 11, 2022

Taming the Tongue in an Unbridled World, taken from James 3:1-12.  The outline is below the video.

Taming the Tongue in an Unbridled World

Warnings for Teachers

  • We are called to account for what we say….
  • Doctrinal purity – Galatians 1:6-9; I Timothy 4:16
  • Motivation – Philippians 1:15-18 (Paul is kind here); II Corinthians 2:17

The power of the tongue

  • We can tame animals
  • We can tame the seas
  • The tongue is wilder than both…
    • Teaching
    • Boasting
    • Vitriol
  • It controls us when we should control it…
    • An illustration – Acts 19:13-16
    • We need to be careful and committed to Jesus’ Lordship….

What we are called to….

  • Theme of “double-mindedness” in James 3:9-12; Matthew 12:33-37 – what are we filling our hearts with?
  • Love local – Compare with I John 4:20-21

 

 

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Faith and Deeds

By / July 4, 2022
Faith and Deeds outline is below the video
Faith and Deeds Underpinning….
  • Allusion to the greatest command – James 2:19; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Mark 12:29-30
  • What is the second? – Leviticus 19:18; Mark 12:31
Call to action….
  • How are we reaching out to people?
  • Praying for others, but acting too….
Examples of faith….
  • Abraham – the action proved the faith….
  • Rahab – everyone feared Israel, Rahab acted on it – Joshua 2….
 
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Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer On Father’s Day

By / June 20, 2022
Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer On Father’s Day (Video link below outline) Learning from the Heavenly Father – Matthew 6:6-14 Fathers are in relationship with their children
  • They know their kids! – v. 8
  • Fathers should be approachable…. v. 9
Fathers have a responsibility to be honorable…
  • Comparison and contrast – we are not God, nor are we holy. But we can be honored.
    • Matthew 6:9; Exodus 20:12
  • Ephesians 6:4
  • Colossians 3:21
Good fathers should be heeded….
  • Matthew 6:10 – We have responsibility to make God’s will ours and make that obvious to our children.
  • “My son(s)” used 18 times in the first 7 chapters of Proverbs….
Fathers provide!
  • Matthew 6:10
  • Matthew 7:9-11
  • Contrast: I Timothy 5:8
Fathers forgive!
  • Matthew 6:12
  • Luke 15:11-32
  • I Corinthians 13:4-8
Fathers protect!
  • Matthew 6:13
  • Contrast:
    • Matthew 18:6; Romans 1:28-32 – we know parents who have done this….
  • Ultimately, good fathers bring their children to God!
    • Proverbs 3:1-8
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Fruit of the Spirit – Love – Galatians 5:22

By / March 8, 2022

Fruit of the Spirit – Love – Galatians 5:22-23

Concepts of love

  • Eros – Romantic – we should talk about this in the church, there is a healthy, Biblical view of this.
  • Philia – Friends, “brothers” (Philadelphia – for those in the NE)
  • Storge – Family
  • Agape – Unconditional, altruistic
  • Bible’s use of particularly philia and agape is much more nuanced and blurred. Need a more organic approach, and if we think about it, we know this is true.

Clearing our focus

  • Luke 6:27-31 – these actions lead us to a change in attitude – we begin to care as we show love.
  • Let’s not distill a version of this love into something sterile.
  • The act must work its way to the heart
  • It’s not a fruit otherwise – Galatians 2:22
  • Let’s look at it from this angle – 1 Corinthians 13 – it’s not love if there isn’t compassion, depth.

Spirit lead

  • Does not allow for self-justification – Luke 10:25-37 – point – everyone is our neighbor, everyone is our responsibility
  • It must communicate something to the world, the world can understand – even with its imperfect understanding of love, what we are doing should resonate deeply with the lost – John 13:35
  • Must come deep from within – 1 Peter 1:22
  • The world can imitate for a while, but the veneer wears thin over the long haul if not from the Spirit.
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Naaman

By / March 14, 2022
Naaman
Title:  Naaman Text:  II Kings 5
  • A time of great upheaval….
  • Ahab’s family is on the throne
  • God is working even in wicked times – Elijah, Elisha….
  • God’s work is often surprising – II Kings 5:1
Naaman needs God….
  • Nothing in his power could save him….
  • Others know what he needs and are not afraid to share it….
  • Elisha is speaking the words of God….
Naaman’s obedience and the result….
  • Not a sure thing – 5:11-12
  • Others convince him – 5:13
  • He is more than just healed – he is converted….
Lessons….
  • God’s ways are not complicated….
  • He says what He means and means what He says….
  • Salvation is not for sale….
  • A life of gratitude and allegiance is what God requires….
  • Is God asking you to do something today you are not doing?
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