Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share ScriptureStream
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
ScriptureStream
ScriptureStream episodes
- A Living Hope
- We have a living hope for hard times.
- I Peter 1:3-5
- God has given us a “new birth”
- We have been born into two great things by God’s great mercy.
- A living hope
- An inheritance
- Part of this living hope is because of the inheritance that is promised for us.
- Our inheritance is reserved!
- We are guarded by God’s power through faith.
- This is why we greatly rejoice!
- I Peter 1:6-9
- Be joyful in the hope you have, even thought you are distressed.
- Peter is not ignoring the fact that Christians are suffering.
- “Momentary light affliction”
- Our tested faith is more valuable than gold.
- Our tested faith results in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- Endurance is paramount.
- As we continue to endure suffering and trials …
- I Peter 1:10-12
- We live during a privileged time.
- The prophets searched and inquired diligently about when the Christ would come.
- What a wonderful time to be living in!
- Even the angels desired to understand and see these times!
- Valuable lessons should be learned
- You can endure suffering.
- Because you have hope
- Because you have an eternal inheritance
- Because you have a genuine faith that is a tested faith
- Because you’ve established salvation through suffering
- Because you are privileged to be living during these days of Christ
- Luke 23:35
- Here in Luke, Jesus begins His final instruction to His disciples with a question.
- Luke 9:1-6
- Did the disciples lack anything?
- Luke 22:36
- We need to recognize that we live in an unprecedented time and in an unusual country.
- What will you do if we are threatened also?
- We must not be surprised when hostility begins to intensify against Christians.
- Will we count it an honor to suffer such shameful treatment for the Lord?
- Will we change our beliefs or shrink in our faith as the pressure mounts against Christians?
- We must remain firm and endure because:
- We have a living hope.
- We have an eternal inheritance.
- We have a genuine faith that passes the test.
- We have obtained salvation through suffering.
- What a privilege to live during these days of Christ.
- Hallelujah what a Savior – what a hope for hard times!
30 min - I Peter 2:9-11: Who Are the People of God?
- I Peter 2:9-11
- Identifying God’s people
- Remember I Peter 2:6-8
- Notice the contrast
- A chosen race
- Exodus 19:5-6 – This language is used to describe the people of God.
- Romans 2:28-29
- A royal priesthood
- Previously, Peter said that we were a holy priesthood. Now he says that we are to be a royal priesthood.
- God wanted His people Israel to become a kingdom of priests. Exodus 19:6
- He wanted them to be a spiritual influence for godliness, but Israel failed Him.
- A holy nation
- The idea is not just moral holiness, but that we are set apart for God – sanctified.
- Israel was to be that holy nation, but it became like the world.
- As Christians, as living stones, we are to be different, set apart for God.
- Do we look like the Israel God wants us to be, or do we look like the Israel in the past, blending into the world?
- God’s special possession
- This image borrows not only from Exodus 19, but also from Isaiah 43:20-21.
- The Christian’s favorite image should be that we are God’s possession.
- Notice that we are given a purpose “to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness and into the marvelous light.”
- God’s people have received mercy
- I Peter 2:10 – This is based on quotations from Hosea 1 and 2. Hosea 1:9; 2:23
- Peter is saying that Christians, as living stones that are built into a spiritual house, are the fulfillment of this prophecy.
- We must be built upon the corner stone of Jesus otherwise we are of no use.
- The promise was not simply to Jews, but to the nations, to all peoples.
30 min - I Peter 2:4-8
- I Peter 2:4-8
- Hebrews 11:8-10,13-16
- Where do you find your identity?
- Who are the people of God?
- Identifying God’s people
- “As living stones”
- Ephesians 1:18
- God wants you as His inheritance.
- Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 2:10
- Romans 8:29
- The living stone, rejected but chosen (I Peter 2:4)
- The stone imagery is historically rooted in Messianic hope.
- Daniel 2:44-45
- Jesus is the living Messiah, the fulfillment of the prophets’ message of hope.
- I Peter 1:3,21 – Our hope and faith are resting upon Jesus’ resurrection.
- Now, you yourselves as living stones (I Peter 2:5)
- I believe this is part of the idea of “getting our minds ready for action” (I Peter 1:13)
- As “living stones,” that is, we are modeling the life of Jesus, God is using us.
- We are precious, valuable, and chosen.
- We are being built into a spiritual house.
- This is who we are!
- This picture is amplified in that we are a “holy priesthood”
- We are people set apart for God’s use and God’s service.
- The beautiful picture is that all Christians are priests.
- Everyone who comes to the living stone is a priest.
- We have direct access to God.
- This is a call to our holiness.
- Romans 12:1-2
- Peter is going to use three quotations from the Old Testament to further identify who we are as the people of God.
- Jesus, the cornerstone (I Peter 2:6)
- Isaiah 28:16
- When we build our lives on Jesus, we will never be put to shame.
- We will be rejected by the people of this world.
- Our trials and hardships are not a symbol of God’s rejection.
- What about the unbelieving? Acts 4:11-12
- Isaiah 8:14-15
- Your can refuse Jesus, but you’re building your life in such a way that it will end in disaster.
- Don’t stumble by disobeying the message.
- Don’t put your life on the wrong course.
- Tear down that life built on an improper foundation.
30 min - The Fight For Our Minds
- Revelation 3:14-19
- There are a number of ways that we can fall into a state of uselessness!
- Mediocre people attend worship fairly regularly because they think that is what they have to do, not what they want to do.
- Mediocre people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict.
- Mediocre people do not really want to be saved from their sins.
- Mediocre people do not believe that the new life in Christ is better than the old life in sin.
- Mediocre people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, and friends.
- Mediocre people gauge their “goodness” by comparing themselves to the world.
- Mediocre people say they love Jesus and Jesus is a part of their lives.
- Mediocre people love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.
- Mediocre people think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven.
- Mediocre people probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that they really aren’t very different from your typical unbeliever.
- Mediocre people walk by sight and not by faith.
- In order to overcome this mediocrity, where do we start? James 1:12-15
- Sin is discouraging and holds us in mediocrity.
- The problem behind sin and spiritual mediocrity is not outside of us.
- The problem is not God.
- The problem is not family, friends, life circumstances, job, the economy, or any other thing outside of us.
- We sin because something inside us tells us to do so.
- The reason we are not soaring spiritually is because our minds are darkened from following our desires.
- Ephesians 4:18-19
- I Peter 5:8
- Satan is actively trying to bring us down and he is good at what he does.
- What’s wrong with wanting things?
- What’s wrong with satisfying my desires?
- What’s wrong with doing what I want?
- II Corinthians 10:3-6
- Romans 12:1-2
- If we have relationships that reinforce evil desires in our minds, we need to approach those relationships from a new perspective. II Corinthians 6:14-15
- How can we transform our minds?
- Memorize scripture. Philippians 4:8
- We must be transformed in mind. Matthew 6:19
- The spiritual mediocrity plaguing our life starts with the desires within us. We must not be deceived.
- Satan is scheming and seeking to ensnare us in these desires.
- Preparing our minds to be places of holiness and purity will prepare us to overcome the spiritual mediocrity that brings us down.
30 min - Playing Games With Jesus
- Luke 20:19-23 – The priests and scribes try to trap Jesus.
- Are we playing games with Jesus too?
- The Jews thought the question posed what seemed to be an unbreakable dilemma.
- Luke 20:24-26
- Are we trying to play games with God like these men were and get around serving God like we should?
- Governmental authority is instituted by God and must be respected!
- Daniel 2:20-21
- John 19:10-11
- Romans 13:1-2
- Philippians 3:20-21 – Our citizenship is in heaven.
- Jeremiah 29:4-7 - Jeremiah’s council is good for us to follow today.
- The Sadducees and Herodians now make their attempt to discredit Jesus.
- Luke 20:27-38
- Life in the coming age is different than the life that now is!
- Marriage is not part of the age to come.
- Our life will be spiritual life, not life in the flesh.
- We do not know what heaven will be like.
- It is not legitimate to project earthly considerations into the spiritual life.
- On His point about the resurrection, Jesus is very clear!
- The dead are raised!
- There is no doubt or question about it!
- Death is not the end of our existence.
- Jesus uses the words of Moses.
- But this is not the end of the scene
- Luke 20:41-44
- How can the Christ be David’s son when David calls Him Lord?
- Who is this Jesus?
- The implication of this teaching is clear. The Messiah must be God!
- Jesus has an answer for whatever is holding us back.
30 min - Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Part 11
- Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
- Psalm (Strong’s G5568) – striking or plucking; a song of praise
- psalmos – “primarily denoting a striking or twitching with the fingers” (Vine’s)
- Luke 20:42; I Corinthians 14:26
- Hymn (Strong’s G5215) – denotes a “song of praise addressed to God” (Vine’s)
- Spiritual songs (Strong’s G4152, G5603)
- Spiritual (G4152)
- pneumatikos – spiritual
- I Corinthians 3:1
- Song (G5603)
- ode (oh-day) – “an ode, song” (Vine’s)
- The emphasis in these verses is on behavior and disposition during worship – not the detailed mechanics of musical worship.
- Ephesians 5:18 – the contrast is between being drunk with wine and being filled with the spirit
- When this type of worship is performed:
- Acting in the name of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:17)
- Dissipation is displaced (Ephesians 5:18)
- Thanks are given to God (Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:16)
- Teaching and admonition (Colossians 3:16)
- Teaching and admonishing in Psalms:
- Psalm 60
- Psalm 15 – Description of a citizen of Zion
- Psalm 1 – Meditate on God’s law and abide by it
- Psalm 50
- Psalm 91 – Trust in my God
30 min - Bearing One's Own Cross
- What “cross” are we to take up and bear?
- The stake on which He died
- Matthew 27:40
- John 19:17
- Luke 23:26
- John 19:19
- John 19:25
- His death
- Philippians 2:8
- Colossians 1:20
- Hebrews 12:2
- The entire process of salvation
- I Corinthians 1:17
- I Corinthians 1:18
- Galatians 5:11
- Galatians 6:12
- Galatians 6:14
- Philippians 3:18
- Colossians 2:14 – Nailing the law to the cross symbolically canceled it and made it of no effect.
- Christ bore His own cross and each must bear his own cross to be saved.
- Matthew 10:38
- Luke 9:23
- Luke 14:27
- “What cross are we to take up and bear?” Let us look at Luke 9:23 again. If one comes to Jesus, he denies self, takes up his cross, and follows Jesus. Thus, one follows Jesus by denying self and following Jesus.
30 min - My Attitude Toward God in Good Times and Bad
- Deuteronomy 8
- Proverbs 30:7-9 – Give me neither poverty nor riches.
- In times of need … trust in God.
- Deuteronomy 8:2-6
- Numbers 11:1-6
- There is value in living through the lean times and learning to appreciate all the small blessings from God.
- Philippians 4:10-13 – This is the attitude we want to have! We should be content in whatever state we are in.
- Philippians 1:12-14
- It’s in the dark days that we fall in love with the light.
- In times of plenty … do not forget God.
- Deuteronomy 8:10-14
- II Chronicles 12:1; 26:16 – The danger of gaining power and pride.
- Proverbs 16:18
- I Timothy 6:17-19 – Do not be conceited.
30 min - Mark, Part 10
- Mark 9:49 – Everyone will face temptation and sin.
- Mark 9:50 – We are to be properly seasoned as sacrifices to God.
30 min - Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Part 10
- Lesson 5: Wisdom Psalms
- Purpose
- To teach and instruct; tell coming generations about God (Psalm 32:8; 49:3; 78:1,4)
- Calls to action in Psalms
- Psalm 37:8,27 – cease from anger and wrath; do not worry; depart from evil
- Psalm 112:9 – give freely to the poor
- Psalm 119:1 – be blameless; walk in the way of the Lord
- Psalm 119:9 – keep your way pure; walk according to God’s word
- Fearing God and keeping His commandments brings about blessings. Psalm 1:3; 73:24; 112:1
- Structure
- Wisdom psalms have a variety of structures, so we will look at the unique structure of Psalm 119.
- Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It is divided into 22 sections of 8 lines each. Each section is named for a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each line in that section starts with the same letter.
- Seven other psalms, Proverbs 31, Lamentations 1-4, and Nahum all contain at least partial acrostics.
- God’s law is referenced in nearly every verse of Psalm 119.
- Key features
- Phrasing is similar in many passages, including:
- Psalm 37:16 / Proverbs 15:16 – Better is … than …
- Psalm 128:1 / Proverbs 3:13 – How blessed is …
- Psalm 32:9 / Proverbs 25:8 – Do not … otherwise …
- Psalm 49:1 / Proverbs 22:17 – Hear this …
- All of these impart wisdom and try to show the importance and superiority of God’s way.
- Example
- Psalm 73
- Psalm 73:1-9 – Complaint
- Psalm 73:10-14 – Lament
- Psalm 73:15-20 – Seeing the truth of the matter
- Psalm 73:21-24 – God guides me
- Psalm 73:25-28 – Rejoicing in a relationship with God
30 min
About ScriptureStream
From the publisher's feed
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…
and additional resources for Bible study.