Malcolm Cox

Introduction
- Healthy unity depends on two things — truthfulness and grace in Christian relationships. An overemphasis on truth leads to a culture of judgment. An overemphasis on grace leads to a culture of sentimentalism.
- Jesus came ‘…full of grace and truth.‘ John 1:14. Our congregations will be healthily unified if we imitate him and develop a culture of truth-speaking and grace-giving.
- - -
Truth-Speaking
“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts;” (Zechariah 8:16 NIV11)
- A vision of a healthy future for God’s people post-exile
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15 NIV11)
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body.” (Ephesians 4:25 NIV11)
- Has truth-telling been a problem in the Ephesian church? 

Matthew 18:15–20
- What is the goal? Not truth-telling as such, but to ‘win them over’.
- What is the process? Not a formula, but personal, human, loving.
- ‘Go’ - take initiative
- ‘Point out’ - speaking what you see, feel, observe. Not passing judgment - e.g. “you are proud”.
- ‘One or two others’ - not a trial, but adding the additional weight of multiple witnesses.
- ‘Listen’ is repeated three times. The aim is that they will see truth, not be condemned.
- Treating them as a ‘pagan’ is not to pass judgment. How did Jesus treat pagans and tax collectors? It is to recognise a breakdown in Christian fellowship, but still to treat them with love and to hold on to hope for them and Hope for your relationship with them to be healed.
- - -
Grace-Giving
Matthew 18:21–35
- Look for the maximum you can forgive, not the minimum. The Pharisees of the day said three times was adequate. God calls us to grant the same limitless grace he offers us.
- Grace is sometimes easier to give to people in the world than in the church. The experience of being sinned against by Christians is often more painful, but all the more glorious when we forgive.
- Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman, “In Jesus’ insistence that we should forgive seventy times seven, there seems to be the assumption that forgiveness is mandatory for three reasons. First, God forgives us again and again for what we do intentionally and unintentionally. There is present an element that is contingent upon our attitude. Forgiveness beyond this is interpreted as the work of divine grace. Second, no evil deed represents the full intent of the doer. Third, the evildoer does not go unpunished. Life is its own restraint. In the wide sweep of the ebb and flow of moral law our deeds track us down, and doer and deed meet. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” At the moment of injury or in the slow burning fires of resentment this may be poor comfort. This is the ultimate ground in which finally a profound, unrelieved injury is absorbed. When all other means have been exhausted, each in his own tongue whispers, “There is forgiveness with God.””
- - -
Questions 
1. How hard or easy do you find it to tell truth to a fellow-believer? Why is that?
2. How hard or easy do you find it to give grace to a fellow-believer? Why is that?
3. What questions arise regarding how to bring things up, when to do so and whether it really matters?
4. How do you know when you are being gracious and when you are being sentimental? 

- - -
Conclusion
- Jesus was a master at both truth-telling and grace-giving. Why not scan a gospel looking for what you can learn from him in the act of truth-telling and grace-giving?
- Christian fellowships are far from perfect, but if we grow in truth-telling and grace-giving we will thrive, grow into greater Christ-likeness and display his love to a love-starved world. 

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

Introduction
Our preaching and teaching will never be perfect. But can we be effective? That’s a noble aim.

“At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.” (Acts 14:1 NIV11)

Point of clarification
These tips are not about becoming an entertainer or performer. They are aids to help your hearers pay attention, focus, understand, absorb and apply God’s truth.

5 Tips
1. Answer the question, “Why should they listen to me?” for yourself. Connect your listeners to that point at the start
2. Vary pace, tone, pitch - let your emotions affect your voice as you would in a conversation
3. Get into Scripture early in the lesson
4. Use stories, preferably about real people, and yourself (mostly self-deprecating, but not self-indulgent).
5. Talk about Jesus

I would like to know what you think of these ‘commandments’ and tips. What is missing? Which ones interest you the most?

Conclusion
Next week: 4th Commandment: Respect the time

Consider joining AIM UK&Ireland to develop your understanding of Scripture: https://aimukandireland.com/. Our next module is Homiletics (the preparation and delivery of lessons).

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, or 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, and leave a review. 

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

God bless, Malcolm

Introduction 
Studying Anna for a sermon led me to some unexpected insights about her devotional life. It inspired me to put a multi-episode series together. 
 
The Text  
“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36–38 NIV11) 

How can we sum up Anna’s relationship with God? 

Anna recognised Jesus as Messiah and it delighted her. 

 Mary the mother of Jesus was the first person to have the good news announced to her. Simeon recognises Jesus as the Messiah he was promised to see. But Anna is the first person to understand fully and proclaim the good news — and she is a woman. God chose the unexpected to see and delight in his son. 

Anna is the only woman in the New Testament explicitly described as a “prophetess.” She is one of the many women in Jesus’ life highlighted by the gospel writers. Those in his genealogy include Tamar, Bathsheba, Ruth, Rahab and Mary. Anna stands here as the first evangelist, but we also read about Mary — who we know better than Joseph — the women disciples, those at the cross and the tomb. 
 
Anna is also one of several widows highlighted by Scripture. Jesus calls attention to the widow and her coins (Luke 21.2), references a widow as a teaching point (Luke 4.26), he raises the son of the widow (Luke 7.12), and has a widow as the hero of a parable (Luke 18.3). Ruth has an entire book of Scripture named after her. 

Applications 

Conclusion
As someone once said, "Anna, the prophetess of faith, stood as a testament to the power of perseverance and devotion. In her eyes, she saw the promise of redemption, and in her voice, she echoed the divine grace. Like a guiding star, she illuminated the path of those who sought truth, reminding us that in every age, there are those who carry the light of prophecy and inspire us to embrace hope."

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, or 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, and leave a review.

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

God bless, Malcolm

* https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/anna-in-the-bible/ Robin Branch

A sermon for the Watford church of Christ
Dr Douglas Jacoby was our visiting speaker. He helped us explore the story of Ruth - and unlocked some deeper meanings most may have missed. 

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

2nd Commandment: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevent Poor Performance.

Introduction
Our preaching and teaching will never be perfect. But can we be effective? That’s a noble aim. 

“At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.” (Acts 14:1 NIV11)

Point of conviction
Preparation does not begin the moment you are asked to speak, given a preaching assignment or teaching opportunity. It starts as we carefully, deliberately, consistently study the Scriptures day by day by day. Regular study prepares us to teach a text because we are better able to put it into context with the rest of God’s Word.

How was Peter able to stand up and preach the first ‘Christian’ sermon in Acts 2 blending together his experiences of Jesus, prophecy from Joel and Psalms into a message that resulted in the baptism into Christ of at least 3,000 people? In part it was because of the 3 years of instruction by Jesus, including the 40 days of teaching immediately prior to the arrival of the Spirit (Acts 1:2-4).

Regular habits of study help with the tendency to procrastinate when a speaking project looms, because you will already have an ever-growing body of material to draw from. You are never starting from scratch. 

5 Planning and Preparation Tips

I would like to know what you think of these ‘commandments’. What is missing? Which ones interest you the most?

Conclusion
Next week: 3rd Commandment: Ohhh, Ahhh, Wow! Get and Hold.

Consider joining AIM UK&Ireland to develop your understanding of Scripture: https://aimukandireland.com/

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, or 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, and leave a review. 

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

God bless, Malcolm

Introduction

Studying Anna for a sermon led me to some unexpected insights about her devotional life. It inspired me to put a multi-episode series together.

The Text

“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36–38 NIV11)

What do we learn about Anna’s relationship with God?

Her personal times of worship led to a natural enthusiasm to tell others about the works of God.

Anna is in tune with God. There's something about her devotion to him which puts her in the right place at the right time to notice what God is doing. Luke tells us that, ‘at that very moment’ she approached the family of Jesus. It seems that she is able to discern the work of God and deliberately move in to that work. 

She ‘gave thanks to God’ presumably because she recognises that God has brought this about. The word in the Greek for gave thanks, is ἀνθομολογέομαι -- anthomologeomai. It is only used here in the New Testament. The word means to come to an agreement; hence, to confess openly what is due; give thanks, render praise. She does not keep it in, she does not simply rejoice inwardly, she expresses her thanks verbally and joyfully. 

And that is not all. We learn that she ‘spoke..to all’ about Jesus. In some sense she is an evangelist! She speaks boldly, clearly and enthusiastically. Perhaps she was stooped, toothless, possibly hard of hearing and partially-sighted, but it does not diminish her spiritual perceptiveness, nor her enthusiasm to tell others about Jesus.

Applications

Conclusion

The New Testament does not teach us much about evangelism, but the people of God are very vocal about their faith. What conclusion do you draw from that? There are doubtless many legitimate answers, but at least part of it is to do with having a real, vital, meaningful connection to God through our times of personal devotion.

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, or 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, and leave a review. 

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

God bless, Malcolm

* https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/anna-in-the-bible/ Robin Branch

This is a very Thames Valley specific class series, but the principles will apply elsewhere. Nothing is broken, but that does not mean we should not strengthen what we have because greater strain is coming in the future. When unity is unattended to, it does become weaker. These classes will discuss attitudes and actions that can strengthen our unity. If you have not listened to the sermon from a recent Sunday I suggest you do so.

Today's class is focussed on building unity between our groups. The pdf with notes and scripture references can be found here: https://www.malcolmcox.org/complete-unity-class-2-how-churches-are-unified-with-one-another/ 

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

1. Lydia, 16.13-15, 40

A. Lydia’s Background
Geography - Lydia’s origins
Murex
10,000 snails = 1.4g dye
1 piece of clothing
Restricted who and where could be worn
Philippian river

B. What do we know about Lydia? 16.13-15, 40

C. Why is Lydia named?
Only one in Acts 16
Phil 4.2-3: “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.”

‘Rather should the words of the Torah be burned than entrusted to a woman. Whoever teaches his daughter the Torah is like one who teaches her lasciviousness.’ First century Rabbi, Eliezer

Philippian church -- Female Foundation
Paul not disappointed he did not find a man - did not see it as a lesser option
Book of Philippians indicates a thriving congregation exists and was not harmed by female foundation and leadership
Female Leadership - Household customs
‘When Christians met in the home of a female householder, where they would gather in the atrium, the semipublic area where business was regularly carried on, the householder would naturally serve as the leader of the house church. That is, by the very sociology of things, it would never have occurred to them that a person from outside the household would come in and lead what was understood as simply an extension of the household. To put it plainly, the church is not likely to gather in a person’s house unless the householder also functioned as its natural leader. Thus Lydia would have held the same role in the church in her house as she did as master of the household.’

“From women disciples like Mary Magdalene and Joanna the wife of Chuza, who traveled with Jesus and learned from him…to ministry couples like Priscilla and Aquila in which the wife took the foremost role, to Lydia of Philippi who led a house church, diakonoi like Phoebe of Cenchreae, coworkers like Euodia and Syntyche, and even apostles like Junia imprisoned for her ministry work—women in the early church led with the approval and support of men around them.” Tell her story, Nijay K Gupta

2. What are the lessons for us?

A.  God defies human expectations

B. God brings people to the baptistry

C. Watford
Has the Lord called you?
Has the Lord opened your heart?

Conclusion
Lord’s Supper
“…don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.” Romans 6:1-10

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

Introduction

We all wish to be like Paul and Barnabas:  “At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.” (Acts 14:1 NIV11)

This series aims to help us in our effectiveness. Today we tackle the first ‘commandment’.

Know thy content, backward and forward, for your students’ respect and attention begins here.

Before we progress to the practicals, it is important to grasp two points

I would like to know what you think of these methods. What is missing? Which ones interest you the most?

Conclusion
Next week we progress to the second commandment: ‘Proper Planning and Preparation Prevent Poor Performance.’

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, or 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, and leave a review. 

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

God bless, Malcolm

Introduction
Studying Anna for a sermon led me to some unexpected insights about her devotional life. It inspired me to put a multi-episode series together.

The Text
“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36–38 NIV11)

What do we learn about Anna’s relationship with God?
Her disciplined devotion to God enabled her to recognise when He was a work.

Notice that Anna approaches Jesus and his parents. They are not presented to her. She goes to them. Simeon had been told to expect something special,

“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,” (Luke 2:26–27 NIV11)

Anna recognises God’s activity without divine intervention (as far as we can tell). She is in tune with God. Despite her age — whether 84 or over 100 (see previous episode) — her disappointments, and vulnerability, she is impressively spiritually attuned to God’s activity. Where does this spiritual insight come from? It seems reasonable to attribute it to her spiritual disciplines. She is always at the temple fasting and praying.

An article by Robin Branch puts it this way,

‘…her lifestyle evidently invigorates her, for she is mobile, articulate, alert, spiritually savvy and unselfish….her ability to walk around the Temple indicates her fitness and that her eyesight and hearing are intact; her designation as a prophetess indicates her spiritual acuity; her talk of the child to those interested in the redemption of Jerusalem indicates her deep connection with a likeminded community.’ *

Anna was spiritually centred. She centred her life on the temple. The location is not the key here, but rather the devotion to a lifestyle of worship. We all need a spiritually centred life. A ‘with God life’, as Dallas Willard would put it. Anna’s resolve to prioritise this led her to be in the right place at the right time to recognise the hand of God at work, to join in celebrating that work and to leave us with an inspiring example of devotion to God.

Applications

Conclusion
If spiritual disciplines are a new concept to you, search my website for resources. I can also recommend the Renovare institute (https://renovare.org) as a helpful resource. If you practice spiritual disciplines, are the ones you are employing working for you? Do you need to persevere, or try something new?

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, or 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, and leave a review. 

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

God bless, Malcolm

* https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/anna-in-the-bible/ Robin Branch