Concordia Adult Bible Class

The story of David and Absalom is one of the saddest in Scripture. A father is estranged from his son and does not realize what he has lost until his son dies and David cries in despair, ““O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son” (2 Samuel 18:33). Rather than living with regret, we are called to repent of our sins and start anew.

The burdens of life can become overwhelming. The apostle Paul, no matter how stressful his life may be, knows the secret to overcoming stress: finding strength in Christ (cf. Philippians 4:13). Christ can help us bear the burdens of stress we cannot bear by ourselves.

How do you share the gospel in a society riddled by relativism and pluralism? Paul encountered just such a challenge in Acts 17. In Paul’s speech at Athens, we take a look at some of the techniques he used to minister to people who saw no apparent value in believing in one God and Savior.

The places that need the gospel are nearly limitless. Jesus’ desire, as demonstrated in Acts 1, is that his gospel go out to “the ends of the earth” (verse 8). Where is God calling you to share the gospel – in a place near or far?

Sharing the good news takes time! A person does not always believe after only a single conversation. Such is the case when Paul shares the gospel with King Agrippa. As we share our faith, then, we must be patient, knowing that God works through his Word, even if God’s Word takes many years or even decades to bear the fruit of faith!

In Mark 4:1 it says, “The crowd that gathered around Jesus was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.” Jesus was a popular teacher when in Galilee. But in Mark 5, he enters into the region of the Decapolis – pagan territory. Only one man comes out to meet him – and he is a demoniac at that. But Jesus heals him and tells him, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you” (verse 19). Jesus wants the good news to be shared with everyone – pagans and believers alike.

The old saying goes, “You take two steps forward and one step back.” Setbacks are simply part of life. But they are not reasons to give up! In Jesus’ story of the prodigal son, the son believes his sin has cast him out of his father’s good graces…permanently. But as he learns, even the most serious setback of sin is no match for his father’s love.

Always worrying about what other people think of you can be paralyzing. It can keep you from doing the right thing and lead you to do the expedient thing so others will think well of you. It can also lead you to manage your image to impress others rather than getting honest about your failures. Success comes when you live not to please others, but God.

Hard work is great! But sometimes, working hard only wears us out and leads us to failure. In these instances, we do not need to put in more hours or apply more elbow grease. Instead, we need to find a different way to work. This is the lesson that Jethro teaches his son-in-law Moses.

Weekly Bible studies from Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX.