Faith And The Official's Son

Scott Risley

John 4:43-53

John 4 highlights the second of seven signs (miracles) that John describes in order to help the reader believe that Jesus is the Messiah. After a royal official begs Jesus to heal his dying son, Jesus leads him to Biblical faith and heals his son. Biblical faith believes God's Word, acts on God's Word and grows as it eventually sees. There are limitations to miracles: 1) they are different from evidence; 2) they require interpretation and remembering; 3) they can be manipulated by frauds. A TV clip of an ABC News Primetime Live investigation of W.V. Grant's phony faith healing ministry is included.

Lessons from Ephesus

Jim Leffel

Acts 18:21-20:38

During his second missionary journey, Paul visits the city of Ephesus. He stayed at Ephesus for three years, as the city had become a strategic center for spirituality. While there, an amazing spiritual transformation took place as many came to believe in Jesus and remove themselves from occult practices and magic publicly. There was also strong opposition from Demetrius the silversmith, leading to a riot within the city. Before Paul leaves, he gives a farewell address to the leaders of the church at Ephesus, which demonstrates different principles of servant leadership: 1) personal engagement with those who God's put in your lives; 2) telling the truth; 3) answering God's call and being a good steward; 4) looking after and protecting God's people as shepherds of the flock.

faith vs. FAITH

Dennis McCallum

John 4:46-54

Jesus returns to Galilee where a royal official asked him to heal his sick son. Jesus addresses their attitude of desiring signs and wonders over authentic faith. Biblical faith isn't some mental assent, or feeling of what is true, or whatever we choose to believe. In this event, Jesus speaks a word and the official is willing to act on his word, and after acting God confirms the experience to be true. Biblical faith is the same today: it comes from hearing and acting on God's word, and afterwards experience can follow acting in faith on the word of God. This teaching includes an in-depth interview from Primetime TV from Dianne Sawyer and also includes a skit describing blind faith.

Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally

Jim Leffel

Acts 17:16-34

On his second missionary journey, Paul waits for Silas and Timothy in Athens, where he interacts with Jews and Gentiles. Through their interactions, there are some principles with how to communicate about Christ with people from different cultures: 1) spiritual sensitivity; 2) earning the right to be heard through humility and grace; 3) communicating about who God is and why that matters; and 4) presenting the Gospel as an answer for people's real needs.

Introducing The "Word"

Scott Risley

John 1:1-17

John the Apostle wrote this letter to persuade people to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. He opens his letter by describing Jesus as the Word - the eternal, personal, creator God who has come to earth and is part of the Trinity. Some received Jesus as Messiah and many did not. How will you respond to Him?

The Word

Conrad Hilario

John 3:19-21

The importance of God's Word (the Bible), is described to two different audiences: the Greeks and the Jews, and the different reactions that the two audiences would have had. The purpose, meaning, and implications of the Word of God is described as intended by God.

Meeting the Logos

Dennis McCallum

John 1:1-12

John, a disciple and close friend of Jesus Christ, wrote this gospel to a Greco-Roman audience explaining who Jesus Christ is. Jesus Christ is described by John as "the Word" or the direct revelation of God who is infinite, self-existent and personal and took on humanity for the sake of those who have rebelled against Him. He did this so that through his work on the cross, people could have eternal life. This teaching has a video clip from Joseph Campbell: "When God and Nature Are One."\r\n

The Rise of False Teachers

Scott Risley

2 Peter 2:1-22

False teachers, claiming to be Christians, have infiltrated the churches Peter is writing to. Peter attacks these false teachers and argues that God will judge them and gives examples of how God has judged in the past. In the mean time, we need to be able to recognize false teachers to safeguard ourselves against them.

How Do You Know?

Scott Risley

Mark 9:2-8

Peter is writing to his audience to remind them of the truth they already know. Many reasons why we should believe that Biblical truth is reliable are discussed, including; predictive prophecy, eyewitnesses accounts, the historical accuracy of the text, and some spiritual experiences, e.g., the transfiguration of Christ. This truth points us to Christs and for these reasons we should pay attention to it and push others to as well.