LHIM Weekly Bible Teaching

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

Acts 1:1-11   Acts reveals a new spiritual order. God gave the ascended Jesus “all authority in heaven and earth.”

Matthew 28:18-20   Before the ascension, Yahweh worked with the four living creatures, the seven spirits, 24 elders, and the countless angels.

Ephesians 1:18-23   Jesus is the head of the church.

Hebrews 1:1-4   Jesus is not above Yahweh, rather alongside carrying out his Father’s will. In Acts, we see God at work with His Son through Jesus’ disciples.

Luke 24:49   God’s power is given to each follower doing His work in the world.

Acts 2:1-4   The holy spirit provides God’s power within each believer.

Acts 2:1-4, 15-18, 22-24, 33-36   Jesus is anointed prophet, priest, and king. We see God reigning in His Son through his disciples with holy spirit.

Acts 2:36-39   God is at work within His people. “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phi 2:13).

Acts 3:1-16

Acts 5:12-16, 28-32   God is working in His people just as He did in the Gospels through His Son.

John 14:23, 26

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

The main focus of the Gospels is the life of Jesus of Nazareth. However, they also reveal much about Jesus’ God. In fact, since Jesus always did his Father’s will, we can even say that Jesus’ words and deeds reflect God’s heart as well.

Calling God “Father” or “Heavenly Father” is so common in Christianity that it’s easy for us to miss how radical and attention-grabbing this habit was when Jesus introduced it. Although God had been known as Father in a smattering of texts in the OT, Jesus regularly used the term for God in a much more personal and intimate way.

Jesus healed people constantly. After they brought him a paralyzed man, he left walking. The blind left seeing; the lepers, cleansed; and the dead, raised. What’s more, Jesus’ miracles were not only authorized and empowered by God but were also God’s express will. Thus, looking at Jesus healing people reveals to us that the God at work within him is our healer.

Joseph and Mary were not high status or wealthy. Nazareth was an unremarkable Podunk town out in the countryside of Galilee. And yet, it was to Joseph and Mary that God entrusted His only begotten Son! God delights to work with the lowly, the humble, the peasants. Throughout Christ’s sayings and deeds, we see God’s heart for the last to be first, for the outsiders to become insiders, and for the losers to be made leaders.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Jerry Wierwille”]

The Writings (Ketuvim) – Third division of the Old Testament books in the Hebrew Bible: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 and 2 Chronicles.

—-Yahweh is WISE—-

Wisdom is knowing the right way to act. In human terms, it is the path of right living—living according to the authority and rule of Yahweh. Human flourishing results from living with wisdom. For Yahweh, wisdom means possessing perfect knowledge and full understanding of everything. No decision or action can be superior to or preferred to what Yahweh has done and will do.

Proverbs 2:6; 3:19; Job 9:1-4; 12:13; Daniel 2:20-22; Psalm 104:24-26

—-Yahweh is full of COMPASSION—-

Having compassion means showing affection and care, being favorably disposed to someone. It includes being able to understand the suffering and struggles of others and to show concern toward them. Yahweh knows what life is like for us and desires to help us in our weakness.

Psalm 86:15; 103:13-14; 116:15; 25:6; 40:11; 51:1ff

—-Yahweh is the KING—-

Yahweh is the rightful ruler of the universe. He is the one governing and overseeing the affairs of His creation, and He is the one that all people owe their allegiance to and should submit to His will.

Psalm 145:1-2; 24:7-10; 5:2; 10:16

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

The best source for information about someone is that person. Although you could read a thousand websites, articles, books, not to mention droves of podcasts and videos, how could you know for sure that the information about God is actually correct? Thankfully, God has provided for us an authoritative source in which He reveals Himself—the Scriptures.

1. God Is Supreme (Isaiah 44:6-20)

2. God Is Just (Zechariah 7:8-14)

3. God of Hope (Zephaniah 3:8-10, 14-17)

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

To God be the glory – Romans 16:27; Galatians 1:5; Ephesians 3:21; Philippians 4:20; 1 Timothy 1:17; 2 Timothy 4:18; Hebrews 13:21; 1 Peter 4:11; 5:11

God is not who we want Him to be; rather, He is who He says He is regardless of our understanding, acceptance, or approval.

Genesis 1:1   The word “God” occurs 32 times in Genesis chapter one and thus draws attention to the most important reality of our lives – GOD IS!

Exodus 3:13-14   “I am” derived from the Hebrew verb “hayah” meaning “to be” and is wisely translated “I am,” for the word denotes past, present, and future. When God said to Moses “I am who I am,” in essence He was saying I am the existing one, the eternal one, and the present one.

Our God’s name is Yahweh ─ Exodus 6:6-8; 8:28; 10:8,16,17; 20:2, 5, 7,10,12

Yahweh is The Creator ─ Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11; 31:17; Revelation 4:11

Yahweh is the Most High God ─ Genesis 14:18-20; Deuteronomy 10:17, 18

Yahweh knows the future ─ Genesis 15:13-14

Yahweh is Just ─ Deuteronomy 32:3-4; Genesis 18:25

Yahweh is everywhere present ─ Deuteronomy 20:1-4; 31:6-8

Yahweh is Holy ─ Leviticus 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8

Yahweh is a covenant keeper ─ Genesis 17:1-8

Seek God, and you will find Him.  Deuteronomy 4:29; Exodus 33:18-19;

Yahweh is compassionate, gracious, abounding in lovingkindness and truth, and  forgiving ─ Exodus 34:6-7

Yahweh is faithful ─ Deuteronomy 7:9

He is also our provider, healer, director, protector.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Susy DiCecco”]

Ephesians 4:1

NIV: As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

CEV: As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own.

God called you to be His own! What should our response be? To live a life worthy of that calling.

Ephesians 4:1 (Amplified):   So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation.

Paul: Acts 28:31   “He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!”

Peter & John: Acts 4:20   “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Esther chapter 4:1-17

And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?

John 13:12-15 Love and serve like Jesus!

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Jerry Wierwille”]

Philippians 3:10 — Paul desired to experience the “power of his [Jesus’] resurrection.” While certainly he looked forward to being raised to an immortal life at Christ’s return, there is a dimension of “resurrection power” that Paul anticipated and desired to experience currently in his mortal life.

Some Benefits of Christ’s Resurrection

Christ Fills All Things

Ephesians 4:7-16—Christ ascended into heaven and gave gifts to the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Some people have these gifts; some have others.

Rom 12:3-8; 1 Pet 4:10-11 There are many grace-gifts, and we each have received a gift by God’s grace. We must recognize that our function in the body is dependent upon the gift we have received.

The purpose of Christ’s gifts is for the building up of the body of Christ until we attain the full stature of Christ at his return. Because of the gifts Christ has given, we are not deceived and tricked or pushed around by false ideas and teachings. Rather, we are to speak the truth in love with every part of Christ’s body doing their work (i.e. their function) that they were empowered to do so that the body grows and builds itself up in love.

Let’s live a resurrection life until we see the Lord return and receive our complete redemption!

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

Death is our biggest problem. Many of us actively avoid behaviors that will shorten our lives while cultivating habits that are good for us. Others put their hope in scientific breakthroughs to lengthen their lives. Most religions hold out an afterlife to those who do more good deeds than bad ones. But, what does Jesus say?

Matthew 13:3-9; 18-23; Luke 8:12; Mark 4:20; Luke 8:15   Jesus taught about salvation in his parable about the seed and the sower. The good soil, he explained, represents those who hear the message, understand it, accept it, hold it fast, and bear fruit. Thus, the way out of death is not only doing what is right, but also believing the gospel message. The gospel is that Jesus Christ died for our sins, rose from the dead (proving him to be the Messiah), and will return to establish God’s Kingdom on earth.

1 Peter 1:3-5   Believing the good news (gospel) results in being born again to a living hope. We can have confidence in this hope because God raised Jesus from the dead. Resurrection changes everything.

John 19:40-20:18   Jesus died, but Jesus rose again. His moldered remains are not resting in a cool grave somewhere outside of Jerusalem. He is alive. Because he lives, we know that death itself need not be final. Because he lives, we believe we too can live again when he comes to resurrect his followers. Because he lives, we look at our world differently today and seek ways to bring resurrection life into our places of work, homes, and communities.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

Hebrews 4:14-15   We will look at some of the many events that led up to the death and resurrection of our Lord and acknowledge how he felt.

John 11:33-35   Jesus wept as he was conscious of the suffering hearts of those near him.

John 12:1-11   Such love and kindness certainly ministered to him as he knew his time was near. Judas’ judgment would have the opposite effect.

John 12:20-33   My soul has become troubled due to the coming doom.

Luke 19:30-40   Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem

Luke 19:41-48   Sorrow for the future of God’s beloved city

Luke 22:40-45   Agony (anticipation of chemotherapy or surgery or death)

Hebrews 5:7   Loud crying and tears

Luke 22:48   Betray the Son of man with a kiss

Luke 22:54-62   Their eyes met.

Matthew 22:22-25   “His blood shall be on us and on our children!”

Mark 15:34   Why has thou forsaken me?

Hebrews 12:2   Despising the shame

Hebrews 2:17; 4:14-16   He feels you.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

Genesis 2:21–25   As Bible-believing Christians, we ground our understanding of sexuality in creation. Before the Fall, God gave Adam and Eve marriage as a beautiful gift. This is the standard or pattern for all of us who seek marriage. The three components are to leave parents, cling to your spouse (2 Sam 23:10; Ps 137:6), and become one flesh (1 Cor 6:16).

Malachi 2:14-15; Matthew 19:4-6   Marriage is a covenant relationship and not a consumer relationship, which has profound effects on how we view physical intimacy. Like a nuclear reaction, sex is powerful, but also damaging if taken outside its proper boundaries.

When we step outside the confines of loving sex within biblical marriage, we end up in a myriad of situations including cohabitation, testing positive for sexually transmitted diseases, prostitution, pornography, adultery, sexual harassment, sexual assault, unwanted pregnancies, abortions, single parenting, and homosexual activity. Some of these also can occur within marriage, but most of them are eliminated by sticking to God’s design for sex within the marriage covenant.

1 Corinthians 7:3-5   Within marriage, spouses should not deprive each other, nor should they engage in abuse or coercive sex, but instead recognize the mutuality God intended for healthy intimacy.

1 Corinthians 7:6-9, 32-34, 39-40   Sex isn’t everything. Singleness is awesome too as Jesus and