Archive for July 2023
1 Thessalonians 4:1-10: Three Tools for Holiness
2 Chronicles 6-7, Psalm 140, Luke 10:25-37, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-10 1 Thessalonians 4:1-10: Real biblical holiness is a topic that is often misunderstood, rarely discussed, and even less often pursued! On the one hand, there are those who seem to view holiness as the list of dos and don’ts. You must do this; you must not do that.…
Read More1 Thessalonians 3:7-13: Faith
2 Chronicles 3-5, Psalm 139, Luke 10:17-24, 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13: What are we to be grateful for and what are we to pray for? At one level, the answer to those questions seems simple. I’m to be grateful when anything good happens, and I should pray for things that are good to keep on happening.…
Read More1 Thessalonians 3:1-6: How to Deal with Trials
2 Chronicles 1-2, Psalm 138, Luke 10:1-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:1-6 1 Thessalonians 3:1-6: Sometimes evangelists present becoming a Christian as an easy option. It is anything but easy, in fact. While it is without doubt true that being a Christian is the very best life now, and for all eternity, it is also true that you must take…
Read More1 Thessalonians 2:10-20: What Is Real Success?
1 Chronicles 29, Psalm 137, Luke 9:51-62, 1 Thessalonians 2:10-20 1 Thessalonians 2:10-20: How do you determine what is truly successful? What are the signs and marks and evidences of being successful? And what does it mean to be “successful” in the spiritual realm? In this passage there are three surprising evidences of real “success” in leadership, at…
Read More1 Thessalonians 2:1-9: Five Marks of True Gospel Ministry
1 Chronicles 26-28, Psalm 136, Luke 9:37-50, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-9 1 Thessalonians 2:1-9: What are the characteristics of true gospel ministry? Paul here lists 5 marks of his own ministry among the Thessalonians. First, suffering. Paul had suffered in Philippi, but persevered by God’s help. One of the characteristics of the preachers of the cross is that they…
Read More1 Thessalonians 1: Six Reasons to Give Thanks
1 Chronicles 23-25, Psalm 135, Luke 9:28-36, 1 Thessalonians 1 1 Thessalonians 1: What should we be looking to become? What sort of goals should we set for our lives? One way to answer that is to consider what makes the apostle Paul give thanks. Here, Paul has 6 reasons for giving thanks – each of which we…
Read MoreColossians 4:10-18: Remember My Chains
1 Chronicles 20-22, Psalm 133-134, Luke 9:18-27, Colossians 4:10-18 Colossians 4:10-18: In this passage we have many particular examples of how Paul’s friendships functioned within a context of gospel priority and kingdom advancement. There are models here for us of relational interweaving for the purpose of honoring Christ. Notice, first, his relationship with Mark. This is the same…
Read MoreColossians 4:1-9: How to Do Evangelism in the Real World
1 Chronicles 17-19, Psalm 132, Luke 9:1-17, Colossians 4:1-9 Colossians 4:1-9: This section has three components to it. The first (verse 1) completes Paul’s thought about work which we looked at yesterday. The second (verses 2 to 6) carries on the thinking related to how to be holy and Christlike in the “real world,” and now applies it…
Read MoreColossians 3:15-25: On Being Holy at Church, Home and Work
1 Chronicles 15-16, Psalm 130-131, Luke 8:40-56, Colossians 3:15-25 Colossians 3:15-25: Paul continues to teach about holiness. Now he moves from the more personal realm of holiness to that of holiness in church and at home and at work. Each time, he is applying his already established principles about holiness — namely, that holiness is not a result…
Read MoreColossians 3:1-14: How to Be Holy
1 Chronicles 12-14, Psalm 129, Luke 8:26-39, Colossians 3:1-14 Colossians 3:1-14: So having made it clear in the previous chapter why it is that trying to become holy by religious ceremonies and rules does not work, Paul now shows them how instead they are to become holy. Throughout these verses he has a simple metaphor. He says that we…
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