Jesus' Supremacy

Conrad Hilario

Mark 5:41

Through several events, the disciples witness and recognize the absolute power that Jesus has as the Son of God. Jesus calms the waters while the disciples and him are on a boat; this act demonstrates Jesus' authority over nature. Later, the disciples witness Jesus cast out demons from a man, which shows Jesus' power over evil and the spiritual realm. Lastly, Jesus heals and brings back to life a sick girl; this shows his power over sickness and even death.

The Unrighteous Judge: A Lesson On Prayer

Jim Leffel

Luke 18:1-8

In this parable, Jesus teaches his followers about perseverance in prayer. As we persevere in prayer, we not only see miracles happen as those prayers are answers, we also see ourselves transformed.

The Perks of a Loving Lifestyle

Mike Sullivan

1 John 3:11-24

Love is the distinguishing mark of the Christian, and this kind of love is exemplified by Jesus' death on the cross. It is supplied to us by God and manifested in concrete actions towards others. As we move towards actively loving people, God's Spirit supernaturally assures us of our new identity, gives us confidence in our prayers, and empowers us to serve more effectively.

School of Prayer

Jim Leffel

Luke 11:1-13

The habit of prayer is a window into our deepest beliefs; prayer reveals what we really think about the nature of God. Under that framework, we explore the who, what, and how of prayer.

Two Indicatives and Five Imperatives

Dennis McCallum

Hebrews 10:19-31

After thoroughly explaining how the cross was more than sufficient, the author now moves on in his argument to results of the cross. These results benefit humanity immensely. People can now: 1) come to God in prayer with confidence, 2) have assurance of the future, 3) think of others before themselves, 4) fellowship with one another, and 5) give and receive encouragement. At the end of chapter 10, the author of Hebrews makes claims that at first glance seem contradictory to his previous arguments regarding grace. The end of the teaching addresses this problem passage.

Key Elements of Daily Private Prayer

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 6:6-13

It is important for all Christians to develop a personal, private spirituality with God, and Jesus models that kind of spirituality through the Lord's Prayer. The Lord's Prayer provides a valuable framework for private prayer while also emphasizing three important truths: 1) God is our loving Father and we are his children; 2) God is our rightful King and we are His servants; and 3) God is our Provider and we are dependent on Him daily. We as Christians can pray along these lines daily and as a result develop a deep personal relationship with God.

Meeting Up With God

Dennis McCallum

Psalms 86:1-17

Any relationship has two persons involved and involves interaction to some extent. Our relationship with God is one that we may be neglecting because we don't see him face to face, but it is by far the most intimate and complex one because He is our creator and we are made in His image. Some questions we can ask during our time spent talking and learning with God are: who are you talking to?; what is He like?; what has He done for you currently or in the past?; and what the answers mean for your life.

Foundations For A Legacy of Service

Jim Leffel

2 Timothy 1:1-7

As we reflect on living our lives for God, there are a few crucial elements that will help us to last the long-haul like the apostle Paul: 1) partnership; 2) restoring zeal; and 3) work of the Spirit. Paul reminds Timothy of their kindred bond serving God together and calls him to continue living zealously for the Lord, elements that will aid our spiritual lives as well.

Fight the Good Fight

Jim Leffel

1 Timothy 1:18-2:7

The Bible describes a "good fight" for followers of Christ to advance God's purposes in a broken world. The goal of this fight is to battle using truth and love. In order to be successful, the church needs to be committed to praying for others.