Sojourning Under the Sun: Sabbath Silence (1 Thessalonians 4:11)

The Apostle Paul exhorts us to live a life to the Lord without stirring up controversy.  Why would Paul say such things and what does Paul by living a peaceful and quiet life?

Sojourning Under the Sun: Sabbath Conforming: Humility (Matthew 6:1-18)

The Lord has called us to honor Him and to live a life exclusively for our God.  Christ makes this life a challenge when Christ is very explicit that the law is something that cuts to the heart rather than just being an outward superficial conforming.  It is impossible for us to conform to the Lord from our heart, and so how do we conform to the Lord?  How do we come before the Lord in light of such impossible exhortations?

Mysterious Confession of Freedom (1 Timothy 4:1-5)

Paul tells us that Godliness is a mystery in 1 Timothy 3:16.  Saying that Godliness is a mysteryis a pretty profound statement because Paul is encouraging Timothy to stand against agitators in Ephesus.  How can such a statement encourage Timothy?  How can such a statement help Timothy refute the false teaching that is entering the church?  So, what happens if we lose sight of Christ being our life blood and nourishing us in our redemption?  What happens if we fail to see that Godliness is a mystery?

The Absurdity of Mercy (Matthew 5:1-12 (LD 40)

Christ teaches from the sermon on the mount that murder is far deeper than just taking a human life.  Christ teaches that if we desire to harm, avenge, or even hate then we are guilty of murder.  What is the opposite of murder?  How do we discover a Christian ethic as we consider the opposite of murder?  How does the Christian ethic make us realize our glorious placement in this kingdom?

The Absurd Christian Home (LD 39; Colossians 3:18-4:1)

Today we think that we have the luxury of evaluating what a Christian home looks like.  There is a real temptation to think hat because our day and age is so different from Paul’s time that we can reevaluate the home.  There is no doubt that people have abused their roles as husbands and as wives, but does that change what the Lord has ordained?  What has the Lord ordained and how is Paul’s model for the home something good and honorable even today?  How can we as a family benefit from Paul’s words?

At Peace in the Lord (1 Timothy 2:1-7)

Paul exhorts christians to live a peaceful and quiet life.  Why would Paul say such a thing?  It would seem more beneficial to be more concerned about intervening.  How are we to live this way?  How do we know that this exhortation is not the same thing as Paul saying we are merely lazy?  How do we live a meaningful life in the Lord as life in a peaceful and quiet way?

The Absurdity of Blasphemy (2) (Deuteronomy 6:13 (LD 37)

The basis of our Christian ethic is that we live our lives before the Lord.  This is really the beginning or the foundation of the Christian ethic that we live before the Lord as we walk in His power.  How is the command not the blaspheme the Lord much bigger than we thought?  How can this commandment regarding blasphemy encompass this whole ethic and orientation in this age?