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ScriptureStream episodes
- Benevolent Work of the Church
- In each passage, saints were relieved by the local church:
- Acts 2:44-45
- Acts 4:32-35
- Acts 6:1-6
- Acts 11:27-30
- Romans 15:25-31
- I Corinthians 16:1-3 - Funds collected on the first day of the week.
- II Corinthians 8:1-14
- II Corinthians 9:1-14
- I Timothy 5:16 - The church is only to be charged with care of those who are widows indeed.
- Benevolence is because people are Christians supplying the needs of their brethren. Benevolence is not in order to convert people.
- Preaching the word is placed before benevolence (Acts 6:3-4.
30 min - Myth, Legend, and History
- Shang Di - Tian
- Myth
- Unknown origin but proposing actual events at unspecified time
- Told around extraordinary events - could not actually happen
- Legend
- Perceived by teller and listener as true
- No happenings outside the realm of possibility
- George Washington chopping down the cherry tree
- History
- Study of chronological events
- Sima Qian - 25 A.D.
- Huang Di (2400 B.C.)
- Altar of heaven
- Tai Shi Shandong province
- Debate on dates - after flood (2450 B.C.), after tower of Babel
- Site moved when capital moved
- Altar of heaven
- No images of Shang Di - Tian
- Altat to make sacrifices on
- After Solomon’s Temple built - II Chronicles 6:18
- Confucius - “The ceremonies of the celestial and terrestrial sacrifices are those by which men serve Shang Di.”
- Border sacrifice
- Performed by the emporer of China
- Called Border Sacrifice because it usually took place on the southern border of the imperial city
- Ji Tian - Ceremony of Sacrifice to Heaven
- Not all emperors faithful in the three yearly sacrfices that were expected
- Vol. 25 - History of Han Dynasty
- Corruption from 259 B.C. - A.D. 1368
- False gods abolished
- Border sacrifice - ceremony
- Emperor - three times a year
- Spring - harvest
- Summer - rain
- Winter solstice - to sacrifice to Heaven
- Preparation for ceremonies
- 3 months before - unblemished sacrifice selected
- Emperor put a proclamation
- 5 days before - prince inspection of sacrifice
- 3 days before - fast: no wine, mean, women, or entertainment
- 2 days before - inspect writings, incense
- 10:00 a.m. day before sacrifice: procession to the altar
- Emperor and as many as 5000 people
- Inside the complex
- Emperor - Imperial vault
- Kneel, kowtow 9 times
- Inspect sacrifice, then return and bathe
- Day of sacrifice
- 4:15 a.m.
- Emperor put on robes of “bo” silk.
- Wash face and hands in basin.
- 9 stage ceremony ending in burnt offering
- Conclusion
- God has strict requirements.
- God wants a pure heart.
- God requires a perfect sacrifice.
- Jesus’ sacrifice ended sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem or at any other Altar of Heaven.
30 min - 30 min
- Ezra and Nehemiah, Topic 6: Dealing With Enemies
- Nehemiah 4:16-18
- Timeline of Ezra 4-6:
- Ezra 4:1-5, 24ff - discouraged, stopped temple work
- King Cyrus (539-530 B.C.)
- King Cambyses (530-522 B.C.)
- King Darius I (522-486 B.C.)
- Ezra 4:6- wrote an accusation
- King Xerxes I (Ahaseurus) (485-464 B.C.)
- Ezra 4:7-23- letter to King, work stopped again
- King Artaxerxes I (464-423 B.C.)
- Ezra 4:1-2- The enemies claim to seek God and try to join the effort.
- II Kings 17:24-29
- Ezra 4:3 - The leaders refuse to allow the enemies to join them.
- Ezra 4:4 - The enemies then started discouraging the work.
- Tactics used:
- Persistence over time
- Ezra 4:5-7 - The persecution lasted for decades. The Israelites could not simply wait out the persecution. We cannot delay obedience until persecution subsides!
- Hebrews 12:1-3 - We must run with patience and endure.
- Mark 3:1-6 - Jesus healed the man in the face of persecution.
- Misinformation
- Ezra 4:7-23 - The letter to Artaxerxes warned that Jerusalem had historically been a rebellious city.
30 min - The Evangelistic Work of the Local Church
- The local church is authorized to support the preaching of the gospel at home. (I Corinthians 9:1-14
- The local church is authorized to support the preaching of the gospel away from home. (II Corinthians 11:8-9
- Some people argue that Thessalonica and Berea sent wages to Paul via Philippi.
- The truth of the matter:
- Philippians 4:15-16 - Philippi sent wages to Paul
- II Corinthians 11:8-9 - Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea sent wages to Paul.
- Central organizations for evangelism are not authorized - period.
- Is this scriptural?
- Individuals contributing to a common fund to support a preacher.
- Yes, the local church can fulfil that role.
- Is this scriptural if it is not a local church?
- No. God specified the arrangement through which this is to occur.
30 min - Are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Part of the Old Covenant?
- Jesus lived under the Old Covenant
- Matthew 5:17-18
- Some say that Jesus lived under the Old Covenant and only taught Old Covenant teachings.
- But Jesus introduced the New Covenant that would soon take effect
- Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the Kingdom which was “at hand.”
- Matthew 3:1
- Jesus introduced new truths not found in the Old Covenant.
- John 4:20 - worshiping in a different place
- John 3:3-5 - talking to Nicodemus about baptism
- The words of Jesus before the cross were still binding after the cross.
- Matthew 28:19-20
- I Corinthians 11:23-25
- Colossians 1:13
- So what?
- Galatians 5:3
- Matthew 19:3-9 - This changes the rules for marriage, divorce, and remarriage.
- Hebrews 1:1-2
30 min - 30 min
- Ezra and Nehemiah, Topic 5: Optimism, Part 2
- It is dangerous to just pine for the good ol’ days.
- I Kings 5:13-18 - Solomon’s resources for building the temple
- Looking back is not productive. We must look forward.
- Ecclesiastes 7:10-14
- How do we develop optimism?
- Draw enthusiasm from God’s word (Ezra 6:14
- Realizing “it could be worse”
- Discerning between physical and spiritual glory
30 min - 6 Verses Which Tell the Story of the Bible
- Genesis 1:1- “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
- If there is no God and the universe started with a big bang, we have no greater purpose in life. We have no moral obligations.
- If God does exist and He created the universe, we are obligated to obey Him.
- Isaiah 59:2- “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.”
- Our sin gives us a problem that we cannot fix on our own.
- Matthew 1:21- “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
- Jesus was the perfect example and teacher for us.
- Matthew 22:37- “And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ”
- This is our purpose in life!
- I Peter 2:24- “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”
- Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
- II Corinthians 5:10 - “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
30 min - 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.