ScriptureStream

By Mark WatsonSociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Philosophy

ScriptureStream episodes

July 25, 2018Christians in Eastern Europe
Philippians 3:17-19
The family
Acts 8:4
Rafiq taught and baptized over 40 people in Antalya, Turkey.
Due to persecution, he and his family moved repeatedly, eventually ending up in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Re-examine our lives
Self-focus
Negative
Self-pity
Self-absorption
Hebrews 12:4
Philippians 2:3-4
Most everyone has:
Family issues
Money issues
Health problems
Give God an opportunity to show His power.
John 10:28; Hebrews 13:5; I Peter 5:10
II Kings 22:20
Daniel 3:16-18
What they need: Jesus
Why successful: Matthew 5:13-16
Be different in a positive way.
Kids in the family
Social outcasts
Lives disrupted
In harm’s way.
Yet, they are happy and doing well!
We must have confidence in our kids and expect the best from them.
James 5:16b
Powerful cycle:
See the example à be the example
30 min
July 22, 2018Religious Worldliness
Worldliness: of or relating to the concerns of this life as distinguished from the life to come.
I John 2:15
II Corinthians 5:10
The whole sphere of man’s life:
Religious, domestic, economic, political, and social
Luke 19:10
Religious worldliness is the very theory of premillennialism.
This theory posits that the Jews were so obstinate in Jesus’ day that He was not able to establish a spiritual kingdom. Instead, He started the Church Age and will return later to establish a perfect kingdom on Earth.
Counterproof:
Zechariah 6:13 – If Jesus is not now king and high priest, the premillennialist has no king or high priest.
Romans 8:34 – Jesus is now king and high priest.
Galatians 4:4
Acts 2:33-36
I Corinthians 15:28
Jeremiah said no one of the lineage of Jeconiah could sit on the throne of Jerusalem and prosper. Jesus was out of that lineage, so if He returns to set up a physical kingdom, this prophecy would work against Jesus!
Daniel 7:13-14
Mark 9:1 – The kingdom was coming in their lifetime!
Revelation 1:9 – The kingdom existed at this time!
Social: Many churches today try to operate as social institutions, holding all kinds of events that have nothing to do with religion.
Domestic: Many churches try to involve themselves in orphans’ homes and old folks’ homes.
Economic: Some churches enter into business ventures to support themselves.
Political
30 min
July 22, 2018God’s Blessings
Introduction
Colossians 1:1
Colossians 3:5 – Being a Christian in the first century was tough!
Colossians 2:8 – There was a lot of false doctrine going around!
Why would anyone go through all of this? God’s blessings!
Clean conscience
Colossians 1:13-14, 21
II Corinthians 1:12
Acts 9:9
Sense of purpose
Colossians 1:9-10
Colossians 2:6
Colossians 3:1-3, 17
II Timothy 2:21
Brethren
Colossians 1:3-4
Acts 2:44
Hope!
Colossians 1:3
Colossians 3:4
I Thessalonians 4:13, 16-18
Hebrews 6:19
What should we do with these blessings?
Enjoy them!
Genesis 3:1
I Timothy 1:5
We should be happy to be in a good relationship with God.
Help others desire and acquire them!
Philippians 2:14
30 min
July 22, 20183 John, Part 2; Jude, Part 1
3 John 1:9-15; Jude 1:1-5
3 John 1:10 – This is a case of people being put out of the church in which the people being put out were innocent, but the one putting them out was not.
Jude 1:1 – Jude is the writer. The Holy Spirit is the author.
Luke 6:13-16 – It is generally assumed that Judas the brother of James wrote the book of Jude.
The writer uses triplets 14 times in this book.
“Kept for Jesus Christ” is not something permanent. People who are obeying God must work to maintain that relationship lest they fall away.
Jude 1:4 – When one teaches that one cannot so sin as to be lost (i.e., “God’s grace is greater than my sin”), he is turning God’s grace into licentiousness. It’s possible that Jude was trying to combat Gnosticism, which taught that the spirit was good, and the physical was evil. Therefore, you could give in to lust as long as you kept your spirit pure.
30 min
July 18, 2018People of the Bible, Part 6
John the Baptist, continued:
I should love my brethren regardless of externals, continued:
Luke 7:24-28
I Corinthians 1:27-28
May we learn not to make superficial judgments (John 7:24).
I need to develop spiritual courage and take strong stands for truth.
Matthew 3:5-10 – John was willing to step on people’s toes for the sake of serving God.
Matthew 14:3-5, 10 – John refused to back down from Herod the tetrarch who had the power to kill him.
Luke 11:1 – John was a man of prayer and taught his disciples to pray.
I have work in front of me, so I should get to it!
Luke 1:13-17; 3:2-6, 10-18; John 1:20, 29-30, 34; 3:26-30 – John had a very specific and limited role to serve. Isn’t it refreshing to see the humility and acceptance of his role?
Romans 12:6-8
What does the world need from me right now? What does the congregation need from me right now?
30 min
July 15, 2018Ephesians, Part 9
Ephesians 6:1-24
Ephesians 6:4 – Compare Colossians 3:21.
Ephesians 6:12 – We know from comparing other scriptures that “heavenly places” is referring to the highest of whatever class or category is under consideration.
Ephesians 6:14 – Truth is to be our clothing.
Ephesians 6:15 – Make the gospel your walk of life.
Ephesians 6:18 – The battle is not for us to fight alone. We depend on each other for strength.
30 min
July 15, 2018The Holy Spirit and Salvation
Does the Holy Spirit directly or miraculously change our hearts so that we will be saved?
Calvinism says yes.
Irresistible grace?
People were saved by learning and obeying the gospel.
Pentecost (Acts 2)
Second sermon (Acts 3-4)
Samaritans (Acts 8)
Acts 8:16-17 – They believed before they received the Holy Spirit in a miraculous way.
Ethiopian (Acts 8:25-39; 13:2-4; 16:8-10)
The Holy Spirit intervened to get Philip to the right place, but the Ethiopian believed on his own.
Cornelius (Acts 10-11, 15, cf. 19)
Being saved and receiving the Holy Spirit were two separate things!
Acts 11:13
Mark 16:15-16
Romans 1:16
Romans 10:17
Hebrews 2:1-4
Then what about … II Thessalonians 2:13? “sanctification by the spirit”
Context and harmony:
Acts 10:34-35
II Thessalonians 2:14-15
I Thessalonians 2:13; 4:1-8
Acts 7:51; 17:1-4
The message was preached and they had to decide to obey it in their lives.
So, what about … Ephesians 1:13? “sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise”
Context and harmony
Ephesians 3:4-6; 1:13a
Colossians 1:5-6
They could read Paul’s Holy Spirit-inspired words and know they were saved.
What about … John 6:44? No one can come to Me unless the Gather who sent Me draws him”
Context and harmony
John 6:45
Hebrews 2:1-4
God draws men through the message preached.
What about … John 6:33? “it is the Spirit who gives life”
Context and harmony
James 2:26
John 6:45, 67-68, 63b
Probably not the Holy Spirit, but an analogy: “Just like your spirit gives life to your flesh, my spirit gives life to your soul.”
What about … Ephesians 5:18? “be filled with the Spirit”
Context and harmony
Ephesians 5:19
Colossians 3:16
What about … Acts 9:17-19? “be filled with the Holy Spirit”
Context and harmony
Acts 9:3-6, 15-16; 26:15-20; 10:44-48; 22:16
What about … Acts 16:14? “the Lord opened her heart to respond”
Context and harmony
Acts 16:13-15
Romans 1:16; I Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 2:12
II Corinthians 7:6; John 6:44-45
He opened her heart through the words from Paul.
Take-aways
The conversions in Acts consistently show that people simply heard the gospel and obeyed.
Calvinism assumes that many Holy Spirit passages involve something supernatural.
Don’t wait for the Holy Spirit to do something to your supernaturally – He’s already given the Bible to you!
30 min
July 15, 20182 John, Part 2; 3 John, Part 1
2 John 1:8-13; 3 John 1:1-8
2 John 1:8 – We must constantly examine ourselves to make sure we are obeying God’s commandments. If we don’t, it’s all too easy to slip backwards.
2 John 1:10-11 – The KJV gives a better meaning here – it’s more than just saying hello to someone. It’s welcoming them and supporting them in their error.
3 John 1:1 – See I Corinthians 1:14. The letter was addressed to Gaius. It was to commend Gaius in supporting those who were preaching the truth.
3 John 1:2 – Am I in better health physically or spiritually?
3 John 1:8 – When we support others who are teaching the truth, we are joining them in their good work.
30 min
July 11, 2018 People of the Bible, Part 5
30 min
July 08, 2018Ephesians, Part 8
Side topic: What did Jesus mean when He prayed, “not my will by thine be done?”
Hebrews 5:7
Jesus was praying that His time on the cross would be short. We know that prayer was answered because Pilate marveled that He died so quickly.
Ephesians 5:15-29
Ephesians 5:20 – The word “all” is used as it often is in the Bible: all of the class or category under consideration. We are to give thanks for all the blessings we have in God.
Ephesians 5:22 – This guidance goes back to Genesis 3. A wife in subjection is not a lesser person. We are all in subjection to someone. We are all equal in God’s eyes.
Ephesians 5:26 – Compare I Peter 3:21.
Ephesians 5:29 – This is the great love men should have for their wives. Their love should be patterned after Jesus’ love for the church in how He gave Himself for the church.
30 min

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Just the gospel, plainly spoken. ScriptureStream compiles lessons presented at the Benchley church of Christ, located just north of Bryan, TX. Visit ScriptureStream.com for full notes on each lesson…

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