How do we handle the twin pressures of praise and criticism? What is the healthy spiritual response? What inspiration can we derive from Jesus and the scriptures?

We delve into my teenage memories and an old appraisal…...

“Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” (John 6:15 NIV11)

More Scriptures referred to in this episode: Luke 4.1-11; John 2.25; Proverbs 27.6; Jeremiah 31.3; John 13.35; Revelation 3.9.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: [http://www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org).

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

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Barnabas is brilliant. But what is it that makes him so “effective” as a speaker (Acts 14:1)? We don’t know much about his technique, but we know a lot about his character and his spirituality. In this series we will investigate brilliant Barnabas in the book of Acts and beyond. In doing so I hope we will all gain insights which will help us to be as effective as him.

We move on today to 1 Corinthians 9.6.

Thank you for listening to this recording. You can find more teaching tips here and on the on the YouTube teaching tips playlist. 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: [http://www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org). 

Thanks again for listening. Have a terrific Tuesday, and a wonderful week.

God bless,

Malcolm 

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching, coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer,

Three Big Questions

Class Two: “Did Jesus Rise?”

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15–16)

Before you begin

Ask what they think of the resurrection of Jesus

Ask what kind of evidence they would need in order to believe Jesus rose from the dead

Ask if they would be open to revising their opinion if convincing evidence were presented

Reminder: Something happened or we would not have 2,000 years of Christendom

Why this matters 

Jesus: Matthew 12:38-41 

Church: Acts 1.3, 22; 2.24, 31, 32; 3.15, 26; 4.2, 10, 33; 5.30; 10.40; 13.30, 34, 37; 17.18; 23.6; 24.21; 25.19 

Faith: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 

See also 1 Peter 121; Psalm 16.10; Matt 17.22-23; Rom 1.4; Acts 17.31; Rom 4.25; 6.4-5; 1 Thess 4.14; Heb 7.24-25; Matt 12.38-41

Objections

Tomb Occupied

Wrong Tomb: John 20:15; 4-6

Hallucination: 1 Cor 15

Tomb Empty 

Jesus not dead (swoon theory) John 19:34 

Jesus dead but body removed by: 

Disciples: 1 Pet 1:16; Jn 13:36-37; Jn 20:9; Mk 14:50; 1 Cor 4:9-13, 2 Cor 11:22-33; Luke 23:50-56; Matthew 26:62-66; Luke 24:1. Also, Acts 12:19, 16:27

Romans, Matthew 28:11-15

Jews, Matthew 28:11-15

Robbers; Gardener; Worms; Aliens

Positive Evidence

Emergence of the church

Conviction

Conversion of sceptics

Growth of the church

Change from Sabbath to Sunday

Opponents of Christianity

The unlikeliness of the doctrine

“criterion of embarrassment”

“evidence against interest”

Women

Variations

Messianic expectations: Jews; Disciples; Women

Numbers: 1 Cor 15

Jerusalem 

Conclusion

Reminder why this matters: The resurrection declares Jesus as worthy in his authority to teach us about life, death and what lies beyond

Suggested questions for your friend…

How does this evidence affect your view of Jesus?

How does this evidence affect your view of Christianity?

Would you like to know more?

Scripture to share:

“Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”  John 7.17

Motivation for us:

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Resources

https://www.douglasjacoby.com/ 

https://biologos.org/resources?query=resurrection 

Simon Dinning: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155826035563183&id=689233182

“The Evidence for Jesus” (Hodder Christian Essentials), R.T France

“More than a carpenter”, Josh McDowell

“The Case for Christ”, Lee Strobel 

“The Resurrection factor”: Josh McDowell 

“Easter Enigma”: John Wenham

“The case for the Resurrection”: Lincona & Habermas

Torrey, R. A. - “Evidence for the Resurrection” - CrossReach Publications. Kindle Edition.

Wright, N. T. - “The Resurrection of the Son of God” - SPCK

Morison, Frank - “Who Moved the Stone?” - Hauraki Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Gilbert West LLD (Oxford) - “Observations on the history and evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1747)” - 486 pages, scanned copy available on Google books

Douglas Jacoby – “True and Reasonable”, chapter 9 – Discipleship Publications International

“Is the resurrection beyond belief?”, D. Instone-Brewer, Premier Christianity magazine, Apr 2019

"Difference in Resurrection accounts?”, Simon Dinning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEIkpqWAW0M 

Reasonable Faith - “Did Jesus Rise From the Dead: https://www.facebook.com/reasonablefaithorg/videos/343587733010141/ 

Next week

“Why would a good God allow suffering?”

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) .

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching,  coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox, resurrection,

What is the usefulness and relevance of movement and posture in corporate worship? This is the second in a series on this topic inspired by a chapter in “Participating in Worship” by Craig Douglas Erickson.

Today we look at the issue of standing. 

We are very well used to standing in church services. But how we thought about its purpose? Do we know why we stand?

There are many postures for prayer, but the most common in the old Testament is standing: Exodus 33:8, 10; 1 Samuel 1:26; Psalm 134; Matthew 6:5; Luke 18:11-13.

Jesus stood to pray and expected that his followers would do so also (Mark 11:25). The people of God stood to listen to God as he spoke to them (Exodus 19:17; Nehemiah 8:5). Jesus stood up to speak and to read in the synagogue (Luke 4:16).

Why do we stand? I would suggest that we stand to indicate three things:

1\. Respect. It’s customary to stand when someone to whom you wish to show respect comes in to a room. Military personnel stand at attention when receiving orders. Those in a courtroom stand when the judge enters. 

2\. Readiness. When standing one is ready to move, to act, to serve. 

3\. Confidence. Quoting Eriksson, “As a posture for prayer, standing signifies the freedom and dignity of the new covenant. Adopted as God’s children, Christians may stand before God confident that they have been redeemed. Moreover, standing expresses the confidence of Christians as they await the final coming of the Lord. As the elect, they will be able to stand when God appears (Malachi 3:2). Enraptured in heaven, they will stand before the Lamb (Revelations 7:9; 15:2). 

With these thoughts in mind, perhaps we should consider more carefully when we stand in a corporate worship context. Should we stand for the reading of Scripture? Would it be helpful to stand together at the end of the service and receive an exhortation to go out into the world to act for Christ? Might it be healthy to vary our prayer postures at different points in the service and include standing as one way to exult in the confidence we have in Christ?

Have you tried something like this? Have you seen something like this done well?

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: [http://www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org).

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching, coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer,

This Friday’s question is: “Did Jesus really rise from the dead?” We’ll tackle common objections to the resurrection. However, my question today is this:

"What is the single most significant piece of evidence as far as you are concerned?"

Send me your thoughts and come, if you can, to Bracknell Leisure Centre this Friday 25th May, 8pm. Let’s learn together.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

We continue a new series today based on the book, “Unloading the Overload: Stress management for Christians” by Chris Powell and Graham Barker. 

Today’s episode is not based on material in the book, but inspired by its theme. Let's explore the issue of praying for things we don’t really want. What is the place for prayer in this challenge?

Jesus spent time praying for God’s will to be done in his life, even when it was tough to do so. We see him doing so in Gethsemane. If he wrestled in praying for the strength to do the will of his Father, then so might we. Can we learn from his example?

I share my own realisation of ceasing to pray about assertiveness and diligence and why this is the case - that I don’t really want to grow in them! At least, not in my flesh. What part does vision play in this dynamic? Are you praying for things you don’t really want? If so, or not, how do you resolve the matter?

Scriptures referred to in this episode: Matthew 26.36ff; Hebrews 5.7; Galatians 5.22-23.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: [http://www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org).

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching, coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox, time, energy, faith, Benjamin Franklin,

This Friday’s question is: “Did Jesus really rise from the dead?” We’ll tackle common objections to the resurrection including today’s, which is:

"Jesus' body was taken away”

How would you answer this objection?

Send me your thoughts and come, if you can, to Bracknell Leisure Centre this Friday 25th May, 8pm. Let’s learn together.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

This Friday’s question is: “Did Jesus really rise from the dead?” We’ll tackle common objections to the resurrection including today’s, which is:

"Jesus never really died”

How would you answer this objection?

Send me your thoughts and come, if you can, to Bracknell Leisure Centre this Friday 25th May, 8pm. Let’s learn together.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

Barnabas is brilliant. But what is it that makes him so “effective” as a speaker (Acts 14:1)? We don’t know much about his technique, but we know a lot about his character and his spirituality. In this series we will investigate brilliant Barnabas in the book of Acts and beyond. In doing so I hope we will all gain insights which will help us to be as effective as him.

We move on today to Acts 15.

Thank you for listening to this recording. You can find more teaching tips here and on the on the YouTube teaching tips playlist. 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: [http://www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org). 

Thanks again for listening. Have a terrific Tuesday, and a wonderful week.

God bless,

Malcolm 

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching, coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer,

This Friday’s question is: “Did Jesus really rise from the dead?” We’ll tackle common objections to the resurrection including today’s, which is:

"The disciples hallucinated a risen Jesus”

How would you answer this objection?

Send me your thoughts and come, if you can, to Bracknell Leisure Centre this Friday 25th May, 8pm. Let’s learn together.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, Coach.me, coaching, coach me, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,