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- Divorce and RemarriageDivorce and remarriage
- Mark 10:1-9 – Jesus went all the way back to the beginning to explain marriage.
- Mark 10:10-12 – The laws of marriage work the same way for both husband and wife.
- Compare Matthew 19:8-9.
- God’s plan was one man and one woman for life.
- Jesus re-affirms and re-establishes God’s original plan for marriage and gives God’s present law for mankind.
- All who are put away for any reason and anyone who has put away a mate for some cause other than fornication cannot remarry with God’s approval – their marriage is adultery!
- What are people to do who are in such marriages?
- Some say, “well, they’re married, so it’s okay.”
- Mark 6:17 – Herod was in an unlawful marriage and was rebuked for it.
- Some say, “God wouldn’t break up families.”
- Ezra 9:3 – Ezra was dismayed at the unlawful marriages.
- Ezra 9:4-15 – They took this seriously!
- Ezra 10:1-2 – Now there is hope!
- Ezra 10:3-4 – They put away unlawful wives and children.
- Ezra 10:11 – It took time, but they did it!
- Repent or perish!
- Repentance demands cessation of all sinful deeds and relationships.
- There are many false doctrines on divorce and remarriage.
- Alien sinners and marriage
- Do God’s laws apply only to Christians?
- The Bible teaches:
- Men in the world are guilty of specific sins.
- I Corinthians 5:9-10; 6:9-11
- We are to reprove the world of specific sins.
- Ephesians 5:3-13, 11
- All men are subject to the universal authority of Jesus.
- Matthew 28:18
- Ephesians 1:19-23
- But doesn’t baptism wash away all sins?
- Baptism does not allow any sinful relationships to be continued or carried over into Christ’s church.
- Baptism without repentance is NO GOOD. Repentance demands the cessation of all sinful deeds and relationships.
- Repentance and prayer do the same thing for the Christian (Acts 8:22; I John 1:7-10) that repentance and baptism do for the alien sinner (Acts 2:38 - remission of sins in both cases).
- Conclusion
- The only God-approved “remarriage” whether involving aliens or Christians is when:
- One remarries after his/her mate has died.
- One remarries after putting his/her mate away for adultery.
- All other remarriages are without God’s approval and are adulterous relationships.
- There are three groups God will join in lawful matrimony:
- Those who have never been lawfully married.
- Genesis 2:18-24; Matthew 19:3-9; I Corinthians 7:2
- Those whose mate has died.
- I Corinthians 7:3-9 (marriage must be according to God’s law)
- Those who have put away a mate because of fornication.
- Matthew 19:9; 5:32
39 min - 1 Peter 2:11-12“Abstain from fleshly lusts”
- I Thessalonians 4:3-8 – God takes this seriously!
- I John 2:15
- This admonition is for all of us!
- Matthew 18:6 – Jesus cares if we cause others to sin!
- It is certainly possible for us to dress in such a way to cause others to sin.
- Genesis 29:17 – “form and face”
- Genesis 39:6
- Esther 2:7
“aliens and strangers”- We’re different! We don’t belong here.
- Philippians 3:19-20
- Hebrews 11:13
- When temptations arise, we must remember that we are different. Just because other people in the world are doing something, that doesn’t mean it’s okay for us to do the same.
- Hebrews 13:4
- I Peter 4:2-5
“… they may, because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation”- I Peter 2:15
- I Peter 3:16
31 min - Acts 22:17-24:9Imprisoned in Jerusalem (Acts 21:18-23:35), continued:“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense” (Acts 22:1-21), continued:
- Acts 22:17-21 – This is the first mention we have of this trance. It is clear that Paul’s travels were being directed from heaven.
“A Roman and uncondemned” (Acts 22:22-30)- Acts 22:25 – Paul used a legal defense, which is an example for us today. If we can use legal means to prevent persecution, we are permitted to do so.
“Paul, looking intently at the Council …” (Acts 23:1-11)- Acts 23:1 – Compare Acts 26:9. Paul thought he was doing right even while he was doing wrong. We must be careful – we can all make the same mistake!
- Acts 23:3 – “Whitewashed wall” is probably referring to hypocrisy on the part of Ananias. A whitewashed wall appears clean, but it is only a superficial appearance.
- Acts 23:5 – This could have been sarcasm on Paul’s part. He is seeing that Ananias was not behaving in the manner of a high priest. Ananias also was not the legal high priest according to the Old Law – Caiaphas was.
- Acts 23:6-9 – This was a clever tactic by Paul that resulted in at least part of the council siding with him. See Acts 4:1-2.
From Jerusalem to Caesarea (Acts 23:12-35)- Acts 23:16 – This is the only mention we have of Paul’s family. We know that his parents were Pharisees, but not much else.
Imprisoned in Caesarea (Acts 24-26)Felix (Acts 24)- Acts 24:1-8 – Yet another version of the events! Compare Acts 23:26-30. Paul is now firmly established as an influential Christian.
44 min - The TransfigurationThe transfiguration
- Mark 8:27-30
- Mark 8:31-33 – Jesus begins teaching them that He would be killed. Peter says no because of his misconception about the Messiah.
- Mark 8:34-38 – They must become living sacrifices for Jesus and the gospel’s sake. Don’t be ashamed of Jesus!
- Mark 9:2-13 – Jesus was talking with Moses and Elijah about His death (see Luke 9:31). Jesus had to die for them to be saved (Hebrews 9:15)!
- Mark 9:30-32 – Jesus again tells them He will be killed.
- Mark 10:32-34 – Again, Jesus tells them He will be killed.
30+ years after the transfiguration, Peter uses it to teach a lesson- II Peter 1:16-18 – They were eyewitnesses of His majesty!
- Peter and the other apostles were eyewitnesses of and participants in many miracles.
- John 15:27 – They bore witness of what they’d seen.
- I John 1:1 – “seen with our eyes,” “bear witness,” “heard”
- II Peter 1:19-21 – We have a more sure word of prophecy. Prophecy shined in the darkness until Christ came to bring the full light.
- Luke 16:29 – Moses and the prophets had been dead 400-1400 years! Today we still have them, along with Jesus and the apostles.
Bible dateBible referenceScientific factDiscovery date1000 BC; 700 BCProverbs 8:27; Isaiah 40:22Spherical earth1500s AD2000 BCJob 26:7Unsupported earth1600s AD64 ADActs 17:26Mankind is one blood1900 AD- God revealed these things to them!
Fulfilled prophecy, including some about JesusBible referenceApprox. date prophesiedSpecific eventApprox. date fulfilledBible referenceI Kings 13:1-2960 BCTold of Josiah and his actions 300 years before his birth660 BCII Kings 22; II Kings 23Isaiah 44-45720 BCCyrus to release Jews536 BCEzra 1:1-3About Jesus, beyond His ability to “fix”Bible referenceApprox. date prophesiedSpecific eventApprox. date fulfilledBible referenceMicah 5:2720 BCPlace of birth4-5 BCMatthew 2:5-6Jeremiah 31:15600 BCSlaughter of babies5-6 BCMatthew 2:17-18Psalms 41:9; 55:131000 BCBetrayed by a friend30 ADJohn 13:18Zechariah 11:12-13520 BCPrice of betrayal30 ADMatthew 27:9-10Psalms 69:211000 BCVinegar and gall on cross30 ADMatthew 27:34Isaiah 53:12720 BCCrucified between two thieves30 ADMark 15:28Psalms 22:16; Zechariah 12:101000 BC; 520 BCNailed and pierced30 ADJohn 19:34, 37Psalms 34:201000 BCNo bones broken30 ADJohn 19:33, 36Psalms 22:181000 BCCast lots for garments30 ADJohn 19:23-2440 min - Nathan the ProphetReverenceNathan revered God’s word over his own opinion (II Samuel 7)
- II Samuel 7:1-7, 12-13, 17 – Nathan had to deliver the message that would stop the project David was excited about.
- Ecclesiastes 4:13
- I Peter 4:3
- We are all growing. As we learn more about God’s word, we must have the humility to change.
- Luke 16:18
CourageNathan rebuked David after his sin with Bathsheba- II Samuel 11:27; 12:1-15
- It takes courage to tell someone about their sin face to face.
- Galatians 6:1
InitiativeNathan took action when Adonijah attempted a coup- I Kings 1:5-27, 32-35, 49-53
- John 12:6 – Judas had greed that was unaddressed.
- Matthew 5:27-30 – Looking with lust is already a problem!
- Is there something in your life that needs adjusting?
28 min - Acts 21:18-22:21Third preaching journey (Acts 18:23-21:17), continued:Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia (Acts 20:1-16), continued:
- There has been some debate about exactly when Paul partook of the Lord’s Supper due to questions around whether Luke was using Jewish timekeeping (a day is sunset to sunset) or Roman timekeeping (a day goes from midnight to midnight). From the context, it is clear that the only way this passage makes sense is for Paul to have taken the Lord’s Supper on a Sunday, then preached and talked to them overnight before departing on Monday.
Farewell to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17-38)- Acts 20:25 – See Acts 9:15-16. Paul knew he was about to suffer and was offering his farewells.
- Acts 20:28 – Compare I Peter 5:1-2. Together, these passages show that elders, bishops, overseers, pastors, shepherds, and presbyters are all the same office or position in the local church.
- Acts 20:35 – We don’t have other records of Jesus saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The help referred to here could be either physical or spiritual.
End: Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-17)- Acts 21:4 – Did Paul disobey by going to Jerusalem? That seems unlikely. It’s possible that the disciples themselves were concluding that Paul shouldn’t go to Jerusalem because of the prophecies of what would happen to him there.
44 min - "I will harden Pharaoh's heart"Introduction
- If you were so inclined, could you make a loved one upset?
- Exodus 7:1-5 – Did God control Pharaoh’s mind in some miraculous way?
- People lose their faith over these sorts of topics.
- God presented a choice that He knew Pharaoh would not accept, thus hardening his heart.
God hardened Pharaoh’s heart- Exodus 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8, 17
Pharaoh hardened his own heart- Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34
Pharaoh’s heart is hardened- Exodus 7:13, 22-23; 8:19; 9:7, 35
The hearts of Pharaoh and his servants are hardened- Exodus 9:34-10:1
God’s knowledge of the future does not take away Pharaoh’s free will.- Exodus 13:17-18, 21
- Exodus 14:1-8
God’s foreknowledge- Exodus 3:19-21; 6:1; 7:4; 8:14-15, 19; 9:11-12, 15-16; 11:1, 9
- Acts 2:23
Pharaoh’s free will- Exodus 7:14, 16; 8:2; 9:2, 17, 20-21, 27; 10:3-4, 16-17; 13:15
- Exodus 6:1 – God knew this stubborn man would resist!
Take-aways- Watch out for Calvinist claims.
- Romans 9:17-18 – God does not choose salvation for people.
- Be assured that God is just.
- James 1:13; Colossians 3:25 – Sin is never God’s fault.
- Learn from Pharaoh’s terrible mistakes!
- Soften your heart to God!
31 min - Jesus' Teaching in Galilee; Did God Forsake Jesus on the Cross?Jesus’ teaching in Galilee
- Mark 6:30-44 – Jesus feeds 5,000 men with five loaves and two fishes, with twelve baskets of food left over. Matthew says there were women and children also, meaning there were probably at least 10,000 people there in total.
- Mark 6:50; Matthew 14:27; John 6:20 – Jesus said, “I am” according to the Greek. Compare Mark 13:6; Luke 21:8; John 8:24, 58.
Did God literally forsake Jesus on the cross?- Many have this idea of “substitutionary atonement,” wherein Jesus’ righteousness was transferred to man and man’s sin was transferred to Jesus.
- Mark 15:34 is often taken to mean that God actually forsook Jesus on the cross.
- II Corinthians 5:21 – The words “to be” are not in the original. The Greek is more accurately translated, “He has made Him sin, or a sin offering.” There are many places (Leviticus 10:17; Hosea 4:8) where the word sin is used in the sense of a sin offering. See also Hebrews 9:26.
Regarding Jesus taking on sin and being forsaken by God- If one is guilty, he deserves to die and his death would have no merit for everyone. If Jesus took on sin, when and how was He taken back into fellowship?
- See Hebrews 10:5-10. Jesus came to do the will of the Father, which was that He suffer and die on the cross. See also Hebrews 9:26; Ephesians 5:2; I Corinthians 15:3; I Peter 1:18-19; Mark 10:45.
Jesus, a ransom- See I Timothy 2:6
What about the phrase itself?- See Psalm 22. Jesus was appropriating the message of that psalm to Himself, calling attention to the fact that He was fulfilling this psalm.
- Psalm 22 can be divided in two parts:
- Psalms 22:1-21 – Forsaken by God
- Psalms 22:22-31 – Delivered by God
- The forsaking was in appearance, not reality. See Psalms 22:24. God has not hid His face from nor despised the afflicted.
- Psalm 22 was a Messianic prophecy and Jesus was calling attention to it:
- Psalms 22:6-8 – expressed what happened to Jesus
- Psalms 22:16-18 – referred to piercing His hands and feet
- Psalms 22:24 – God had not hidden His face from Jesus
- See Hebrews 5:7-8.
- Jesus said, “It is finished,” which matches up with the last verse of Psalm 22: God has “done it.”
Is there any application for us?- When times are difficult, this psalm should be a great assurance to us (Hebrews 13:5-6).
- I Peter 5:6-7 – It is okay to call out to God!
- Romans 8:31-39
44 min - What We Noticed in Paul's Three JourneysIntroduction
- Acts 1:8
- Paul’s three preaching journeys:
- Acts 13:1-14:28
- Acts 15:36-18:22
- Acts 18:23-21:17
What the world needs is the good news about Jesus!- Acts 13:2, 23, 38
- Acts 14:15
- Acts 19:20
- Acts 20:21, 27
- Acts 18:2 – We learn about Aquila and Priscilla because they were forced out of Rome by Claudius.
- Paul’s job was not political reform!
- Luke 19:10
- Would you rather change someone’s political ideas or convert them to Christ?
- Jesus could have shown us all manner of inventions or things about medicine. Instead, He did what we needed most – He taught us about God and died for our sins!
Paul loved all kinds of people!- Acts 13:47
- Acts 16:13, 27-31
- Acts 17:4
- Acts 18:8
- Acts 19:18 – Paul preached to practicing magicians!
- Colossians 3:11-12
- We should not be thinking about what is different between us and other people, but about how we can be one in Christ with them.
Christians draw strength from each other.- Acts 14:21-22; 15:36, 41; 16:5
- Acts 20:1
27 min - Acts 20:7-21:7Third preaching journey (Acts 18:23-21:17), continued:Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia (Acts 20:1-16), continued:
- There has been some debate about exactly when Paul partook of the Lord’s Supper due to questions around whether Luke was using Jewish timekeeping (a day is sunset to sunset) or Roman timekeeping (a day goes from midnight to midnight). From the context, it is clear that the only way this passage makes sense is for Paul to have taken the Lord’s Supper on a Sunday, then preached and talked to them overnight before departing on Monday.
Farewell to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17-38)- Acts 20:25 – See Acts 9:15-16. Paul knew he was about to suffer and was offering his farewells.
- Acts 20:28 – Compare I Peter 5:1-2. Together, these passages show that elders, bishops, overseers, pastors, shepherds, and presbyters are all the same office or position in the local church.
- Acts 20:35 – We don’t have other records of Jesus saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The help referred to here could be either physical or spiritual.
End: Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-17)- Acts 21:4 – Did Paul disobey by going to Jerusalem? That seems unlikely. It’s possible that the disciples themselves were concluding that Paul shouldn’t go to Jerusalem because of the prophecies of what would happen to him there.
45 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…
and additional resources for Bible study.