Feeding a Multitude

Gary DeLashmutt

Isaiah 55:1-3

Jesus fed more than 5,000 people with one man's lunch, and he claims to be God. Jesus offers us spiritual food that will satisfy our deepest spiritual needs. Jesus made it clear that he is the savior of humanity, and that salvation comes through him.

Nimrod and Babylon

Dennis McCallum

Genesis 11:1-9

Babylon decided to build a tower together. It was a symbol of a culture apart from God, so God distributed different languages among them so they would not finish it. The human desire to have a united world system on Earth has not been recognized so far in history, but the Bible does say that it will happen near the End Times. The world today is headed toward this unification, as studied through several current factors.

Water to Wine

Gary DeLashmutt

Isaiah 25:6-9

Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into wine. Jesus condemned the ritualistic relating of the people of his day, while showing his love and compassion for the people in his life. God is a good God, and He has good and wonderful plans for our eternity.

The Fall of the Human Race

Dennis McCallum

Genesis 3:1-17

Before the fall, the world was complete and good. Satan entered the Garden of Eden and distorted the word of and casting suspicion on God, tricking Eve into eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This caused alienation: psychological, theological, sociological, and ecological. Now, humans have the opportunity to be reunited with God through trust.

The Nature of the Human Race

Dennis McCallum

Genesis 2:15-25

Two more characteristics of humans are described: 1) unity and diversity, and 2) being shameless, uninhibited, and free. These ideas relate to the way people view sex, marriage, peace, and anxiety. Because of the choice to eat from the tree in the garden, the previously healthy versions of these have been distorted. The tree of knowledge of good and evil represented autonomy and self rule, while the tree of life represented union with God, which can be regained in Christ.

The Implications of Creation

Dennis McCallum

Genesis 1:26-27

The creation presented in Genesis 1 has some implications, including that humans are created in the image of God. This means life has meaning, morality, dignity, freedom, and spirituality. If we believe that humans are meaningful, significant, free, and moral beings, we have to admit that this is incompatible without intelligent design.

Spirits and the Material World

Jim Leffel

Ephesians 6:10-12

Humans live in a spiritually divided world. Satan was a created being who led a rebellion against God and now rules Earth. Because of this rule, spiritual warfare is a forced circumstance of our world. Fortunately, we know the outcome of this war. We don't need to live in fear because God is in control. Still, believers need to be aware that Satan takes people more seriously than they take themselves and wants to impose his will on them.

Being Different

Dennis McCallum

1 Peter 1:13-22

Peter urges Christians to ready their minds for action. The life of action Christians are called to includes refraining from being conformed to a self-serving life that the world system promotes. Instead, Christians are to live different than the world by living a self-sacrificial life of love. This radical way of living is possible because God has first loved us.

Heart of the Christian Walk

Jim Leffel

Ephesians 5:1-14

The heart of the Christian walk is imitating God. Christians live their lives trying to relate to others the way God relates to them. They live "in the light" and demonstrate the gospel by the way they live. They are a contrast to the world, not partakers of it. The text pleads for consistency in Christian living for the sake of its witness.